As reported in the Vancouver Sun, the government raised the HST rebate threshold to $850,000 from $525,000 for new homes, meaning purchasers of new homes will be eligible for a rebate of up to $42,500, as of April 1 this year. The thresh-old will also apply to recreational homes outside the Lower Mainland and the capital region, which were previously not eligible for a rebate. The HST does not apply to resale housing.

To read more, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/ydgTgV

As reported on CanadianMortgageTrends.com, it had to make changes and it's hard to blame CIBC management for evaluating all options, including curtailing its broker business.

That said, selling FirstLine (the broker-lending division that CIBC has spent 17 years building) and retreating from the broker channel would be a monumental gamble.

The potential price of failure-for shareholders, consumers, and the executives calling these plays-is significant.

To read more of this Blog, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/wDqxsq

Stairs, balconies, porches and more all have railings to protect people and to make it easier to climb a stair or to lean when taking in a view. These are the functional needs of an interior home railing. And building codes will dictate the minimum standards for how a railing is to accomplish these functions.

Yet railings are so much more. A well-designed, well-made and carefully considered railing adds charm, whimsy, craft and style to a project.

To read more of this article, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/wdYM1P

Break out of the winter gloom by making some simple changes to your home with bright, fresh decor. Here are the top trends in interior decorating that capture the optimistic feeling of springtime, without having to spend a lot of time or money.

To read these tips, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/zphhcm

For the first time in three years, not one project makes a profit in the latest annual national survey of remodeling and repair project costs versus resale values. The average return on remodeling expenditures is lower than last year.

Every year Remodeling Magazine and Realtor Magazine team up to conduct a study that includes both construction costs and resale values, as determined by a survey of several hundred Realtors. study looks at the various value added of mid-range and up-scale projects, with the typical costs and value added. Over the years, the study has become the bible for contractors and real estate professionals to compare cost and value in changing market places.

To read more of this article, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/A82hN6

Ontario dominates when it comes to deploying these systems, according to a just released national report from the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition, a non-profit organization representing the industry.

To read more of this article, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/yVr00T

A new Application for the Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, called the BLANCO Silgranit Sink Selector, helps designers and consumers identify the right granite sink and colour-coordinated countertop for their kitchen.

Silgranit sinks are Canada's leading coloured sink brand and are made of a unique patented composite material that includes up to 80 percent natural granite stone. Manufactured by Blanco in Canada and Germany, the sinks come in six natural colours and are available from retailers across Canada.

The Silgranit Sink Selector App allows consumers to select from more than 150 models of Silgranit sinks by a wide range of criteria including size of sink, kitchen cabinetry dimensions and various sink style options. The App also includes images of top-selling quartz, granite and laminate countertops so that users can select a countertop and see how their sink of choice looks with it. Popular stone countertop brands were included in the App however the App also allows users to snap and upload a picture of their existing countertop material or any other they choose to see how it looks with the sink.

Leading countertop brands included in the App include Silestone, Caesarstone, natural granite products and some laminate brands. By including countertop brand names, Blanco makes it easy for consumers to not only select a Blanco Silgranit sink, but to select a new countertop.

The App is available for free download from the Apple iTunes App Store.

Click Here to download iPad App

Click Here to download iPhone & iPod Touch App

www.blancocanada.com

As reported in the Financial Post, consumer credit company Equifax uncovered roughly $400-million worth of mortgage fraud in Canada last year, an "eyeopening" number industry experts estimate represents only a fraction of the cheating taking place in the country's real estate market.

Atlanta-based Equifax says many financial institutions are tightening lending and, as a result, deceit in the property market is rising. A report the company released Tuesday says two-thirds of all the fraud it sniffed out last year was related to real estate.

With mortgage fraud on the rise, you can read more by clicking on the link below:

http://natpo.st/zN6sP1

By Eamonn Duignan, Green Coast Rubbish - www.GreenCoastRubbish.com

Walking down the cleaning aisle of any grocery or specialty store can be an overwhelming experience for both your shopping list and your sinuses! The options seem to be endless and there is a specialty product for almost any surface in your home.

The unfortunate fact is many of these items, even those marked ‘green' are the furthest thing from eco-friendly. To ensure your cleaning products are free from harmful chemicals and are friendly on mother -nature, we encourage Green Coast Rubbish clients to make their own cleaning products. We promise it is easier than baking a cake, and can save hundreds of dollars annually. Here are a few of our favourite cleaning product recipes courtesy of local cleaning company Aspen Clean and Mr. Environment himself, David Suzuki:

To read more, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/dYTTzZ

A good kitchen design modern kitchen equipment placement is optimal and tidy kitchen, from appliances to furniture and major kitchen table should be organized. If your kitchen appliances fit neatly arranged in place, this will facilitate your activities in the kitchen and make the atmosphere pleasant. One of the most important thing is the layout of the kitchen island kitchen. if the waiver Kitchen island, the kitchen will be messy and uncomfortable and cause problems.

To read more, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/AiU2Uy

As published on YourHome.ca, survey the 1.8 million Canadians who work from home, and they'll cite as perks the ability to avoid rush-hour traffic, spend less on an office wardrobe and - in many cases - stay home with a sick child without causing an international business crisis. On the downside, the home office is too often treated like the cottage: furnished with whatever is no longer good enough for other rooms in the house.

To read some home office decorating tips, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/xiLZtd

Though this is an American article, the impact of rising construction materials used in home building will be felt in Canada as well.

To read this article, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/zu2yKl

Dow Chemical has announced the winners of its International Dow Solar Design to Zero Competition. The competition invited  design, architecture and engineering students to come up with near-zero energy homes that use both active and passive solar energy. After launching the competition in August 2011, Dow received a total of 131 entries from 19 different countries.

From the pool of entries, 32 teams were chosen in December 2011, and from those, the three winners were announced during the 2012 National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) International Builders' Show  in Orlando, Fla. Winners reigned from both the United States and Canada.

To read the rest of this article, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/AFfDYL

As reported on Canada.com, the president of the Central Vancouver Island branch of the Canadian Home Builders Association is pleased the provincial and federal governments have reached a deal regarding transition rules for housing as B.C. reverts to the PST-GST taxation system.

However, Byron Gallant is not willing to praise the rules without knowing the details.

Gallant and other industry officials have raised concern about the uncertainty caused following the harmonized sales tax referendum.

To read more, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/wCBVBC

Ceramic  tiles are an excellent choice for home flooring. Properly installed, they add a beauty element to your home and are easy to clean. However, if not installed properly, you will be frustrated with the chipping and cracking.

This article gives some good tips for installation. To read, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/xP2roX

If you are like most Canadians, you are concerned about the safety of your home and your community. One particular type of crime that worries Canadians is breaking and entering, or burglary. Recent statistics show that burglary accounts for 22 per cent of all property crime.

The How To Lock Out Crime series, jointly prepared by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), will make you more aware of burglary and its dynamics and show you how to minimize the likelihood that this crime will happen to you.

To read more, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/wHXbc4

A new standard for energy efficiency aims at lowering Canadians' energy costs for new homes while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Honourable Gordon O'Connor, Minister of State and MP for Carleton-Mississippi Mills, on behalf of the Honourable Joe Oliver, Minister of Natural Resources, and Ron Olson, President of the Canadian Home Builders' Association, launched the new 2012 R-2000 Standard yesterday.

The new standard includes measures to reduce water consumption and improve insulation and ventilation. Homes built to this standard will be 50 percent more energy-efficient than homes built to the 2005 R-2000 standard.

To read more, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/xr011i

As reported on CNN.com, a New York City apartment sold for the asking price this week.....a record NYC price of $88 million. The buyer - a 22 year old daughter of a Russian billionaire.

And who said there is a housing crisis in The United States - LOL

To read this CNN news item, click on the link below:

http://cnnmon.ie/yLZYBn

Keeping our homes clean is a never-ending task, so knowing where to focus our efforts can come in mighty helpful. Of course we know germs can linger in toilets or on dishes containing raw meat, we might overlook a few other common spots bacteria and viruses like to hang out. A quick wipe-down with diluted vinegar will clean up these offending spots quickly and easily.

To read more, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/zT4Dda

As reported in the Globe & Mail, there are considerable policy implications of this convergence of the rural and urban populations, particularly in Atlantic Canada. Where the issue is most acute, city mayors grumble that rural dwellers are using city services and infrastructure while not paying their fair share of property taxes. Urban planners complain that a rising suburban and rural population puts unnecessary strain on transportation and other infrastructure - increasing the overall costs for everyone.

To read this article, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/zdbYa7