This is the month where we really need to make sure that the outside is in order for the coming cold months.

Take the time over the next few weekends and ensure that you have gone through the steps of securing and storing your items. Make sure your BBQ is covered and in an out of the way place on the deck or better yet in the tool shed or garage.

Lawn chairs tables, umbrellas packed and covered to prevent damage.

Pool professionally closed, water levels are right, cover secure and ready for the freeze, slide and board in the pool shed, filters, chemical injectors and basket drained.

Gutters cleaned, clear and free from debris, downspout extenders on passing water at least six feet from the foundation, if you have big O drainage is the discharge open and clear from blockage.

Trees cutback from the structure, rosebushes dug up and laying down and buried to protect them for the winter, have you pulled the dead annuals as well.

If your putting up christmas lights have you pre thought how the power cords need to be placed, install a simple track system to prevent accidents and protect the extension cords.

Begin stocking up on some sand or " Icemelt" make ready some bins at the front and back door, maybe one along the driveway.

Get your snowblower tuned up before the rush, call the fella down the road to plow out your driveway and pay for the year in advance for a good savings. Is the teen next door still shovelling or blowing the driveway? A call will answer that for you.

If your in an area that can and has in the past lost power for any length of time PLEASE stock up on those extra needed items remember to make sure you have atleast 72 hours worth for all that will and could be in your home over the winter months. If you are hosting christmas dinner and expect 15 people, if bad weather and power loos happen you can accomadate everyone and keep stress and tension to a minimum.

Candles one per person, for every 8 hours, some bottled water 1 gallon per person per day ( if your on a well ) then you need more water in storage.

Fire up the coleman stove and ensure it is working, extra fuel would be a good idea.

A menu of what can be stored and is still good to eat for the duration, a few jiffy pop popcorn plates will really go along way with kids and adults alike.

spare batteries for the portable DVD machine to watch movies for kids and help pass time. The portable radio does it still work.

flashlights with spare bulbs and batteries ( not the DVD's batteries)

A backpack with provisions in case some one needs to leave the house to get help they can take some and not effect the remainder.

Most important is have a good first aid kit and some one who has been trained in emergenct first aid and CPR.

Oil lanterns, are an upgrade to candles and can burn for days before refilling a few spread out through the house will have them already in proper placement.

Maybe do a one night lights off and dry run the evening and make sure you and your family know the " Drill" so if and when it happens everyone has thier assigned tasks and jobs and can just do and get what is needed, if company is over tis will really prevent any panic from guests as they will quickly see you all know what to do and where to get the required items.

If your inclined to do so, make a safety pack for each vechicle as well.

Above all be safe this winter and enjoy all that comes with the snow.

Easy question to ask but have you really answered it.

Agents say they want whats best for thier clients, they advertise they will go to the end of the world for them, they will be there every step of the way during the purchase process, but why as an agent do you get some of the known soft Inspectors.

Or why do you not reccommend the known thorough inspectors, the inspectors that you know will do a proper inspection, follow the SOP in which we are required to, have the E&O Insurance and the tools to do the Inspection, also the cutting edge tools for an even more indepth inspection.

The question is in a nut shell would you as an agent advise your client to walk from a house if you knew that the burden of getting in would cause them to loose the house a few years down the road. Inspections and Inspectors are in a way governed by the agents, They basically offer up three names to their client and are the ones picking the three names. If the agent knows that you (the inspector) will always find issues as any good inspector should be finding with every house because there just not built to be perfect.

If they were Mike Holmes would be out of a job, and pounding the pavement like every other contractor in Ontario. But given the fact that mistakes are made in construction, building code inspections, things get missed and in the end are found with the Property Inspector being the bad guy when in fact were only the messenger.

So how do we get and keep a good relationship with the real estate agents to keep working and get referrals and still bring to our clients which were kindly reffered from the agent the truth about the house.

So the purchaser has the proper information to make a decision if the house can be affordably purchased and repaired if need be, where if they walk from that deal the agent does not get so upset that they then drop that inspector, instead of saying ok lets find you a better house that will meet your needs and is in better condition or priced at the right amount to allow for the needed repairs.

Thanks for reading the long winded post any suggestion or comments are welcomed I am always looking for a way to better myself and bring forth a professional inspection to my clients and also for the agents involved so everyone is aware of what is going on.

1. Ask your power company if they provide home energy audits. If they do, having one done every other year can determine updated methods for saving energy.

2. Install or upgrade the weather-stripping around all doors to the exterior, including that leading to the garage.

3. Tired of the drip-drip-drip from your faucet? Have it fixed. One drip every second can use 20 kilowatts of energy each month.

4. Get rid of those incandescent light bulbs! Not only do they use more electricity, but they put out more heat, resulting in higher cooling costs for your home. Switch to the compact fluorescent bulbs. In spite of their higher initial cost, they are more energy-efficient, last for years instead of months, consume little power, and generate little heat.

5. Add insulation or replace outdated insulation in your attic so that you have at least an insulation rating of R-21. The higher the R value, the better, so get the best you can afford at the time.

6. Have a programmable thermostat installed for your heating and cooling system, especially if your home is vacant most of the day. Set it to turn off a half hour before everyone leaves and to come on a half hour before anyone arrives home.

7. Adjust your heating and cooling thermostat to run two degrees warmer in the cooling mode and two degrees cooler in the heating mode.

8. Keep your thermostat at a comfortable temperature and wait rather than turning it up and down constantly. Constantly adjusting the thermostat can dramatically waste energy and increase your heating and cooling costs.

9. Make sure your water heater thermostat is set at the manufacturer's recommended setting. Setting it hotter wastes energy by keeping the water hot when no one is using it.

10. When personal computers first hit the market, many computer experts advised leaving the computer on in order to save wear and tear on the hard disk. That's not necessary with today's computer. You can either turn it off when you're not using it or use the energy-saving "sleep," "hibernate," or "standby" mode.

11. Seal energy leaks (this is where the energy audit in Item 1 can really help). Caulk over cracks and small holes around windows and exterior walls. Look carefully around plumbing pipes, telephone wires, dryer vents, sink and bathtub drains, and under countertops for holes and gaps and have them sealed as well.

12. Buy major appliances that wear the "Energy Star" sticker. Energy Star appliances meet or exceed standards set by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency.

13. Buy a front-loading washing machine. They use 50 percent less energy and one-third less water, and they remove far more water in the rinse and spin cycles, translating into big savings in dryer time.

14. Check for rebates whenever you install energy-saving equipment such as dishwashers and washing machines.

15. Ask your power company if they have any special energy-saving programs. Some programs shut down electric appliances for short periods of time during peak usage hours, hardly noticeable at the time but definitely noticeable when you get your utility bill.

16. Select roofing materials based on energy efficiency rather than simply on how the roof will look. Light-colored roofs and galvanized metal or cement tile roofs do the best job of reflecting the sun and cool more quickly at night.

17. Landscape wisely to take advantage of winter sun for heating and summer shade for cooling.

Tax Alert

The Canada Revenue Agency warns Canadians of mail scam

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is warning taxpayers to beware of a recent scam where some Canadians are receiving a letter fraudulently identified as coming from the CRA and asking for personal information. The letter is not from the CRA. A PDF version of the letter is available on the CRA Web site at www.cra.gc.ca/alert.

The letter claims that there is "insufficient information" for the individual's tax return and that in order to receive any "claims," they will have to update their records. The letter attaches a form specifically requesting the individual's personal information in writing, via fax or email, including information on bank accounts and passports. This letter is not from the CRA and Canadians should not provide their personal information to the sender.

All taxpayers should be vigilant when divulging any confidential information to third parties. The CRA has well established practices to protect the confidentiality of taxpayers' information.

The CRA has notified the proper law enforcement authorities of this scam.

For information about this and other similar scams, or to report deceptive telemarketing activity, visit www.phonebusters.com, send an email to info@phonebusters.com, or call 1-888-495-8501.

This document is also available for download in PDF format.

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Welcome to the new year,

Resolutions abound, how many do you make and how many did you keep.

Well for me the main was to quit smoking and I started to quit back in November, Happily I am now two months smoke free and on my way to becoming a "Born Again Breather".

The weight will be lost in the summer months again as quitting has added a few pounds that was expected, spring weight training will be even more necessary now.

I hear people making lots of resolutions and commiments to loose weight, quit smoking, work harder, to better in business, have a better life, even be nicer,

But if you are one of those that has three or more all going at the same time I am sorry to say your most likley doomed to fail.

Do them one at a time, and quarterly if you have to, remember the year just started, so start with what is paramount and work through the resolution