Roy Thomas

According to the calendar, spring is right around the corner. However, you wouldn't know it with the cold bite that is still in the air. Between the frigid temperatures and heavy snowfall we have experienced this winter, it's worth looking at your Halifax home to consider the effect this cold winter may have had on your home.

It's important to make sure that your homeowners insurance covers certain things to protect you and your home from the elements. For instance, are you covered for damage from burst water pipes? Are you responsible if someone slips on ice and gets injured while on your property?

"Winter weather can wreak havoc on homes, and if you're not sure about what your home insurance covers, it can create headaches for homeowners," says Henry Blumenthal, VP and chief underwriter at TD Insurance.

Don't assume that just because you have home insurance, you are covered.

Here are some common home insurance claims during the season. As you will see, these are preventable with proper planning and home maintenance.

Winter Damage: If winter elements cause damage to your home, you will not be covered if the damage could have been prevented with proper maintenance.

Vacant Home: If you leave your home for more than 2-3 days, either turn off your water or arrange for someone to come by regularly to make sure the heat is on. Pipes can freeze easily during cold weather and you could be liable if your pipes freeze.

Personal Injury: If someone slips and injures themselves on your property, this will usually be covered by your home insurance policy. However, to help prevent accidents, make sure your walks are cleared, and spread salt to keep your friends and family safe.

Freezing water is a leading cause of damage in the winter. Not only is it responsible for burst pipes but also cracked masonry. Also, as the temperatures fluctuate, shifting ice and snow can cause damage to your roof.

By following these tips, you can reduce the likelihood you will have to ever make an insurance claim:

Be in the "know": When in doubt, it's safest to find out exactly what your home insurance policy covers and doesn't cover.

Check and maintain winter "hot spots": Exterior areas of your home including the roof and walls are vulnerable to damage. Make sure melting snow is not obstructed and can properly drain away from the house. Inside your house, check that your heating system is maintained and working. Also, check that pipes are properly wrapped and protected.

Insulate: By making sure your attic is well-insulated and well-ventilated, it will prevent ice dams from forming on your roof and allowing water to leak in. By insulating, it will also save you money on your heating bills.

Don't wait until it's too late: It's important to deal with issues before they become big problems. By addressing issues promptly, you can prevent further damage to your home and property that may not be covered by your insurance policy.

The best advice - "No one likes dealing with issues that accompany owning a home - especially ones that could have been avoided," says Blumenthal. "Taking some time to fix trouble spots protects the value of your home and can save you money in the long run."

In today's market, you have to get creative in marketing your Halifax home. More and more sellers are seeing the necessity of the power of "staging".

It may seem silly but you can stage your home in line with the five senses. We are a sensory species and it's true that our judgment and emotions are strongly influenced by what our senses tell us, so it's really a good idea to help your Halifax home appeal to all the senses.

To harness the full power of staging, here is how you can use our five senses to your advantage.

• Sight: This may be the most obvious of all the senses. Your home should be clean and uncluttered. Replace trophies and kids artwork with simple, classic décor. Doing so will help the buyer imagine your home as their own. You may even want to consider temporarily storing outdated and oversized furniture in a storage unit. If you have the budget and want to take it one step further - renting new, modern furniture will create a simple and clean design. Otherwise, slipcovers are inexpensive and will go a long way in neutralizing loud patterns and hiding stained or damaged furniture.

• Touch: Be sure to do any minor repairs before showing your Halifax home. Buyers will be looking for all defects like missing or loose handles and broken or chipped tile. Rickety handrails will all be red flags to potential buyers.

• Smell: It's important to make sure your home smells pleasant upon entry and remains smelling fresh throughout the entire house. You will want to avoid harsh chemical smells and strong smelling air fresheners. Some buyers may have allergies or be sensitive to these smells. Consider mild natural candles or perhaps fresh bread or cookies.

Pet owners and smokers have to be diligent in removing odors. Smoke can imbed itself in furniture, carpets and even walls, leaving you at a disadvantage. Just in case any buyers suffer from pet allergies, you may want to take your cat or dog with you when you leave the home for a showing.

• Hearing: When you leave your home for a showing, make sure all noisy equipment is turned off. Don't leave on televisions or radios and make sure your pets (especially barking dogs) are taken out of the home while buyers walk through.

• Taste: This takes a little planning but it can be done. By having pre-made cookie dough, you will be prepared when you get a phone call that someone would like to view your home. Simply pop in some cookie dough and 10 minutes later you will have fresh-baked cookies to enlighten the senses - both taste and smell!

As you can see, staging is intended to create a welcoming home in which the potential buyer can envision the home as their own. You can create a lifestyle with your staging, and through how you stimulate the senses.

When staging is done right, buyers will pay top dollar for not only your Halifax home, but the lifestyle it will afford them. Staging showcases highlights of your home and will appeal to a wide range of buyers; all things that can help sell your Halifax home quicker.

If you are selling your Halifax home, it's still important to take care of your lawn even when it's dormant. This will not only keep your neighbors happy but potential buyers interested, starting from the curb all the way into your home.

Winter lawn care is important to ensure a healthy lawn come springtime. I'm not talking involved care or high maintenance; just following some simple precautions can make all the difference to your lawn.

The first and easiest thing you can do is to rake up any leaves that cover your lawn. If they are left sitting over grass, they will create dead spots that you will be trying to regrow all next season.

The same goes for clutter and debris, such as toys. It's wintertime in Halifax, more than likely snow packed, and toys should not be out anyway. Although you may think your grass is completely dormant during the winter months, it still needs oxygen and sunlight to maintain life. Remember: If you have it covered, you have it smothered.

Winter is a time for holiday parties and family get-togethers and more visiting cars than your driveway may hold. You may be tempted to park on your lawn but resist the urge and your lawn will thank you!

You can take lawn care two steps further, as well.

If your lawn has pH issues, now is the time to treat it with lime and other additives. Contact your local lawn specialist for more information.

Late winter is also a great time to aerate your lawn. Aerating is making small holes in the surface of your lawn. This allows for deeper root growth and a healthier lawn. By aerating, you also allow nutrients to gain direct access to the grass roots, giving you fuller, thicker lawns that will get the attention of potential buyers come spring.

Remember, when selling your home potential buyers notice everything and that will include the lawn that you have forgotten about in the dead of winter.

If you are either downsizing or looking for a more affordable choice in housing, a Halifax condominium may be the choice for you. There are some things to take into consideration before deciding for or against condo living. It isn't for everyone, but it may just be for you.

Here are some pros and cons of condo living to consider before you make a move.

Pro Condo Living

Location & Affordability: If you have your eyes set on a specific neighborhood but can't afford a single family home there, look at a condominium in your desired neighborhood. It may be more affordable to buy a condo in your ideal neighborhood.

Amenities: Many Halifax condominiums come with access to such things as fitness centers, pools and clubhouses.

Low Maintenance: If no maintenance of outdoor and community features such as the roof, foundation, sidewalks, pool and yard sound good to you - then a condo may be the home of your dreams. While all of these things are covered by the association, you will still be responsible for the upkeep inside your home but that can be worth it with the promise of no mowing the yard in 100-degree heat!

Reserve Fund: The condo association collects funds and keeps them in reserve for larger repairs and upgrades needed down the road. If your association keeps accurate surveys and books, this means there should be no surprise expenses when repair or upgrades are needed.

Safety: Many condos offer gated parking, security guards, and even doormen. Whether you live alone or have a family, the added security can be a comfort.

Cons to Condo Living

No Storage: Although you may find the rare condo that offers extra storage or access to storage lockers, usually condo living means little to no storage. If you have items that will need stored, be sure to include a rental fee to a storage facility into your monthly budget. However, this may also help you get rid of some of the things you have been holding onto needlessly as well.

Monthly Association Fees: Nearly all condo units require you to pay a monthly fee that pays for upkeep around the community. This means even if you own your condo free and clear, you are still responsible for monthly fees.

Rules to Live With: You will want to check with the condo association where you are interested in buying about the condo rules. Many condos have strict rules regarding guests, noise, and décor and even subletting.

Lack of Privacy: While you may love the sense of community that condos bring, you will most likely have neighbors upstairs or down, or at the very least right next door. You will need to decide if this close-knit type of living fits your lifestyle.

No yard: Most condos have very little outside space, apart from small patios. While some homeowners love the idea of no yard work, you need to remember that there will be no room for planting or growing if you so choose later down the road.

Once you've determined if condo living is the wise home choice for you, look to Roy Thomas to find that perfect Halifax condo that will meet all of your preferences.

If you have ever pondered the idea of turning your Halifax home greener by converting your hot water heater to solar, now may be the time to do it.

The Halifax Regional Municipality is making an effort to help bring cleaner, greener technologies to homeowners by way of the Community Solar Project.

The Community Solar Project is a proposed pilot program that has the goal of making solar technology more accessible to metro's residents. The real gem in this project is that, if it comes to realization, experts from City Hall will help homeowners deal with the logistical obstacles they may face while converting their hot water heating systems to solar power. Also, City Hall will ensure that residents get all the federal and provincial rebates that they may be eligible to receive through this program.

Better yet, if you are an eligible resident, you won't have to pay out-of-pocket for the conversion unless you choose to. The cost will be financed by City Hall, which you can repay over a period of 5 to 10 years via an increase of about $400 per year on your tax bill. Best of all, the cost of the conversion should be less than the annual energy savings to your home!

Applications are being accepted on a first-come, first-served basis and is in the early stages. According to Richard MacLelland, the manager of metro's sustainable environment management office, the response has been "overwhelming".

"It shut down the inbox for about 25 minutes, but they got it sorted out," MacLelland said. "Within the first 24 hours, we had about 1,000 applications and now we're up to 1,200 or so."

He said he hadn't anticipated the enthusiastic response, but he's pleased with the number of people who have shown an interest in the program.

"You've got to remember that last year, in all of Canada, there were just 800 hot-water solar installations," he said. He chalked up the healthy level of interest in metro to a lot of factors, including ever-increasing power and water rates.

He also gave residents credit. "I think people in Nova Scotia are very in tune with the environment and want to be able to do the right thing."

MacLelland said the likelihood is that about 20% of the applications may not be technically suitable for the solar hot water system.

If you are curious how your home chalks up against the requirements, here are the two main requirements - your home must have solar potential, meaning a suitable location for the solar panels. If your home is next to a multi-level apartment building or large trees, there may be a problem. Also, you need to have enough space in your mechanical room for a solar tank.

For MacLelland's office, the next step is to work out a financial model and set up various rebate programs. Once approval is granted, installations can be planned for late summer or early fall.

Your next step should be to immediately contact City Hall about signing up and getting approval for the program. Not only will you be helping to save the planet, you will reap the benefits of lower energy costs and greater home resale value when you sell your home.