Last night we went out for Valentine's Day (okay, a few hours before the stroke of midnight but so close to the 14th as not to count). One of my favourite restaurants a few years ago was Allium on Holland Avenue. For some reason, time passed and we had not been back. In looking for a place to celebrate Valentine's Day, I suggested Allium. Monday night is tapas night and that allows me to taste a few things without ending up with a huge plate of only one type of food. I was not disappointed! We had great service, wonderful tapas and then for only $4.00 a half of a Banoffee pie (see the photo from the Allium website above to realize that this was not a huge serving but JUST RIGHT. I saw a Jamie Oliver television show where he made one of these pies and it stuck as something that I would like to taste. Mission accomplished. It is made of graham crumb crust, toffee, bananas, whipped cream and shaved chocolate. Not something for every day but a treat.

Part of what made the evening was the variety of patrons in the restaurant. There were a couple of families with school aged children, women out with their girlfriends, couples, and groups. The atmosphere was lively and upbeat.

I highly recommend a meal at Allium or (if you are like me and like variety) the Monday tapas evening. Make a reservation just to be sure to have a spot.

Allium 87 Holland Avenue; Ottawa, Ontario;

613-792-1313

Are your gutters so packed with debris that things are growing in the muck?

There is definitely no market for a house with little trees growing in the gutters. Not only is it unsightly but it also risks water penetration into the house. This is one of the things that a Home Inspector will notice first when he or she takes a look at the house from the street. Maybe your gutters are on the second floor and it is difficult to get up there and clean out the debris. From time to time hire someone to go up there and get the foliage removed. The cost now will be offset by the reduction in repairs and maintenance to the house from water damage.

Clean gutters allow water to flow away from the house.

Have some guts.

Photo credit: Gutter garden

With housing being one of many possible investment opportunities, some Buyers are in the market for more than just meeting their housing needs. A Buyer client and I made many visits to "handyman specials". It is clear that there is a segment of the housing market market targeted for those with the skills and determination to get a house to fix up for increased future value. Some may be flippers and others are people looking for projects.

Buyers are getting more and more savvy, thanks to the shows on TV, about spotting a house that has been cosmetically improved but the basics were not touched. No matter how wonderful the paint colours, most informed Buyers will have a house inspector ensure that the house is safe and sound. As such, it is important for investment Buyers to prioritize the projects, put in some sweat equity and improve the house to the point of getting a decent Return on Investment.

Address the fundamentals first: foundation, HVAC, windows, roof. Look at energy conservation. Good windows and improved insulation may not be glamourous but they are key. Keep all the building permits, inspections and receipts. Buyers want to be assured that good quality work has been done.

Buyers want to flip over a house not into it.

Photo Credit: Shacks at Low Tide @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/braydawg/174567361/

There are some years when staying home and having a cozy dinner and a movie is the perfect answer to wooing your loved one. Then there are years when you want to get out and enjoy the creative talents of some of the city's leading chefs and restaurants. This year, we are going out!!!! On February 14 we will be dining at Absinthe, a wonderful restaurant only a block from the Royal LePage office. We love this place for its amazing service and the creative menus. Here is a photo from the Absinthe website and the proposed Valentine's Day menu......

Having a menu in French and English does allow you to practice your French and be just a little bit bilingual.

Freud aside, the right price for your home is not what your emotional investment is in the house. Yes, you love the house and put a high value on all the very personal time and attention you put into the house and yard, how this reflects on you as a person and what status the house gives you in the community, but....

Your ego investment in the house may far outstrip the market value. Some examples where ego gets in the way of setting a market price may be:

1. The rocks that you hauled in from the lake and set up as a rock garden - your rocks from your beloved cottage. For the buyer - just a rock garden - no emotional attachment.

2. The baby's roomwith special murals, lettering on the wall, and the baby's name on the door. The graphic zebra is adorable and great work. For the buyer with no children- a removal hassle - negative value.

3. The colour purple on the walls that matches the sofa that you are taking with you and all the coats of paint it took to get the right shade. For the buyer - several coats of primer and white to erase your purple - negative value.

4. The pigeon coupe that you built and that housed your much-loved award winning homing pigeons. For the buyer - the cost and yuk factor to remove the coupe.

Your REALTOR® can tell you what is getting in the way of setting a realistic value for your home. It is a tough message to deliver and a much tougher message to hear.

Set your ego aside when you set the asking price.

Photo Credit:Room by Color: graphic Zebra