Almost Wordless Wednesday.  Tulip photos taken at Dows Lake in the past five days.  All is getting ready for the Festival, including the weather.  I hope you can make it and enjoy the beauty of the city and of the tulips that are planted in the parks and in people's yards.  Make it a good week and a time to remember to bring your camera.   05/01/2012

I passed a cart in a park that folds out and displays racks of lollipops.  I LOVE lollipops.  Of course, I had left my money at home so all that I managed to get was some shots of the pops.  It is an ingenious way to sell candy and each bucket of candy looks like a bouquet.  These carts will be at the festivals this summer, starting with the Tulip Festival this weekend.  Now, who can resist five lollipops for $5.00 and in the flavours that you most enjoy?   I took the photos with my Nikon and then used Picasa to crop and edit with a final collage.  With some pretty strong restaint (because I wanted to show all the photos), I got down to four in the collage.  I think I like it.   05/01/2012

One of the best festivals in Ottawa is the annual Tulip Festival.  It is always a gamble if the spring has been too hot or too cold and there are not enough tulips for the busloads of tourists and locals to photograph.  I went out on the weekend to get a sense if the tulips will be ready and.....  the good news is.......  YES!!!!!   I walked over to Dows Lake with my camera and managed to capture a few shots just to give you a hint of what is to come this weekend.  What I loved was the signs - don't tiptoe through the tulips, take photos here, no dogs. the Festival Flags and, of course, the kids.  It was cool last weekend but this weekend will be t-shirt weather.  For those of you lucky enough to be here for the festival, ENJOY.   05/01/2012

There is some advice that is so generic that it seems silly to write about it.  However, I recently was introduced to someone who had just moved to the city.  Like everyone else that she was meeting, I asked how her how she was doing and how she liked Ottawa.  I certainly did not expect to get a long diatribe of all that bothered her.  All I wanted to do was get away from her and her anger – sorrow – loneliness – feeling of resentment – etc,  etc.  What I wanted to hear was that she was coping and that she liked something about the city where I live.  Because I just wanted to get away from her negativity, I didn’t tell her my story.  Maybe  she will read this post. My first husband worked for I’ve Been Moved.  Going into the relationship, I knew there was going to be a time when we wou... 04/29/2012

  There was an article in the Ottawa Citizen today about a family that built a solid wood fence in the front yard to screen off the neighbour and the neighbour's garbage bins.  The fence is solid and over 8 feet high - in the front yard.  So, someone complained and the by-laws have kicked in.  According to the article, if no one complains, even if the fence does not meet the requirements, the city will not take action.  However, when there is a complaint, the by-law officers show up and the fence needs to be changed.  I expect the owner to appeal but it seems that there will be little recourse and her fence will have to be either removed or cut down to the approved height.  Who wins?  No one.  The fence builder has made her point but it is going to cost her some money.  The neighbourho... 04/25/2012

One of my favourite pastimes is to look at all of the work of the ActiveRain stagers.  Just when I think that I have my home the way I like it, along comes a theme or a noticeable trend and I start getting the itch to make changes.  For example,  I have noticed that poppy pictures are, dare I say it, popping up in the after photos of a lot of the Home Stagers.  Just a few sample:    Julia Fedak,  Valerie Sagheddu,  Maureen Bray,  Peg Barcelo-Jackson , Kristine Ginsberg,   Cathy Tarrant, and  Kathy Nielsen  I have been on the hunt for my own poppy picture and finally found one that I love.  There were others but this one seemed to fit my room.   So, thank you Julia, Valerie, Maureen, Peg, Kristine, Cathy and Kathy.  I am pretty sure that I have missed mentioning other fabulous stagers wh... 04/21/2012

  Last weekend my brother was visiting Ottawa.  We drove past the new humongous IKEA (supposedly the biggest one in Canada to date).  He said that Winnipeg (where he lives) is currently in the throes of a growth spurt, including the construction of (yes, you guessed it) the biggest IKEA in Canada.  LOL  Big or smaller, those stores are amazing.  Some queuing expert has figured out how to get us in and out in the most expeditious fashion possible.  Also, the stock has gone uptown.  It used to be that the cheapest of the cheap could be purchased in a flat box with an Allen key and days later, you too could have a whole room of furniture for a couple of hundred dollars.  Not so much anymore, bucko. Back to my brother.  He has three young adults (his children) still living at home.  As he ... 04/17/2012

I like the way this house is presented.         I took the photo while on a walk this week so you can see that the trees are not yet out, the flowers have yet to bloom and the grass is just now turning green. Once the trees are out it will be impossible to have a good photo of the house from this angle. I have walked past it over the years and would love to drop in and just tell the owners that they do a great job presenting their home to the public. I think the red brick is in good condition and is attractive.  The door and the shutters are painted black and the rest of the trim is white.  It looks fresh and appealing.   The house is not for sale but I bet there are people watching it to see if the owners ever decide to put a sign on the front lawn. One of the eye catching features of... 04/14/2012

Now that Lent is over, time to roll up the shirt sleeves and start downing the chocolate and all those goodies.  We had the Easter Egg Hunt yesterday afternoon and it was fun to see if the kids could find all of the candy.   Remember, the chickens were involved but the pigs were commited to making your Easter Supper a good one.     04/08/2012

Even the Rolling Stones know this. You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometimes you just might find You get what you need. When you are shopping for a house or for furniture for your home there are going to be some limitations on getting what you dream that you want.  These can be budget, location and  condition for the house.  They can be budget, room size, style, availability and a whole lot of other factors that will start you narrowing down a furniture purchase. Sometimes I look at those huge homes with front foyers that just look magnificent.  I want a grand entrance with a round table in the middle and a huge bouquet of fresh flowers.  Well, I don't have what I want but I do have what I need.  A front door, a little table for keys and mail and a small hall closet f... 04/05/2012

There is so much to do to get a home ready to sell.  You, the Seller, have been told to turn your home into a salable product.  Of course there are lists and ideas on what to do that your agent will give you or you will find here in AR.  Today, I want to focus on the appliances in your kitchen.  In some areas, such as Ottawa, the norm is that the appliances will be included.  Even if they are not, Buyers are snoops.  They look everywhere INCLUDING inside your appliances.  Walk into your kitchen, as though you are a stranger, and open up the fridge, freezer compartment, oven, stove top and dishwasher.  Are they sparkling clean?  Do they have an odour? Is it just empty enough for Buyers to imagine their own food, dishes, baking pans, fitting? Don't fool yourself.  If you have not recently... 04/02/2012

There are a myriad of home improvement shows on television.  Homes are improved, updated, changed and sold and it all looks so terrific.  I recently saw one of these shows and the "paint expert" recommended a Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter HC-172 colour for walls.  He said it had a hint of green.  I have a lot of green in my home and thought - wow, I could do grey walls that would update my home and still be okay with the furniture and furnishings that I own.  Off we went to the paint store and got a small paint chip to take home, reconsidered that this would not be big enough to test and bought that little can of paint and a piece of test board to place around the home depending upon the time of day and the light.  Well, it might have been the best bit of money spent in the month of Mar... 04/01/2012

This is not an April Fool's Joke.  On Thursday, the Canadian Federal Government announced that the Mint will no longer be producing the penny and that it will be pulled out of circulation.  Apparently is cost 1.6 cents to produce a penny.  Millions or maybe billions of pennies are in jars and couches, the bottom of purses and on sidewalks (where no one thinks it worthwhile to stoop and pick them up).  We grumble about the amount of change in our pockets so we should be happy that one of our coins is going out of circulation.  However, the penny has contributed to English language idioms and expressions.  What we will do when there are no pennies.  Imagine the following conversation with a real estate buyer:   "Well, Cathy, here is that two bedroom condo you wanted to see.  Nickel for y... 03/31/2012

Some things look so easy when you watch some one else doing it.  I was recently reminded of this.  I decided I would try my hand at making iced cookies.  Now, people who know me know that about 15 years ago I downed the rolling pin in favour of finding good bakeries.  Still, a hobby that doesn't leave you with a lot of products to dispose of that no one wants seemed a good idea.   I started searching for cookie blogs (and dear gawd there a so many really good ones) and finding youtube videos on how to decorate cookies.  Looked so easy.  Here is a sample from my second batch.   I have not mastered the outlined piping with an icing bag and royal icing.  This batch of chickies was better than the first batch but I have a few more attempts and several dozen cookies to go before I expect to ... 03/30/2012

  Okay, what were these Sellers thinking?  Sure, they had a long hallway runner just sitting there in the basement begging for a use in their new home.  Sure the babies were finding it difficult to navigate the wood stairway but.....  taking the runner, flowing it through some metal rods and then (the cherry on the sundae) wrapping it around the last step and nailing it in place?  ARG Now I am sure that this runner was of very good quality and seemed wasted when not in use but......  the stairs turned at the bottom and a straight runner, unless cut to fit was not going to make the turn.  There are other alternatives - get a carpet company in to install a carpet runner up the stairsor get those sticky backed pads that fit only on the step.  When it came to the carpet in this home, it tu... 03/29/2012

"I am the Lorax, I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues"  – The Lorax by Dr. Seuss On March 2nd Dr. Seuss would have turned 108! In honour of this stupendous occasion we would like to giveaway Family of Four Movie Passes to go see “The Lorax” at Empire Theatre Orleans. How to enter:  It’s simple! Comment on this post and let us know your favourite Dr. Seuss book or movie and why! Hop on facebook or twitter additional entries! 1) "Like" Christiane Lafleur - YOUR Real Estate Professional on Facebook and let me know what your favourite book or movie is in a comment on my fanpage wall. 2) Follow me on TWITTER (@Christiane_L) and tweet: I'd love to win the #drseusscontest with @Christiane_L (Would you? http://goo.gl/xKARX) 3) Refer any of your friends, f... 03/06/2012

Have you been thinking of investing lately? Is your portfolio not exactly where you would like it to be? Have you looked at your investments lately? Are you aware that the Globe & Mail was reported that "Canadian Real Estate continues to deliver better returns than the stock market" It might be a good time to start thinking about investing in Real Estate. We will be hosting an Investment Seminar in Ottawa for anyone who wishes to diversify their investements. Based on the Millionaire Real Estate Investor book, come learn how and why you should be thinking of investing in Real Estate. Specially here in the Ottawa area, the market is still very strong. Everyone has thought about owning an investment property.  In fact every home owner is an investor already.  Their home is the best invest... 02/28/2012

Sometimes you provide advice to friends and relatives and never know if they wanted it or not.  Last night I was out playing cards with friends, one of whom is going to sell her home in a few months.  About three weeks ago we talked about her hiring an agent and I stressed the importance of interviewing two or three and finding out some answers to, what I believe, are important questions.  I told my friend that the internet is now the biggest screening tool that Buyers use for deciding to see a home.  I also said that some Buyers have purchased homes (usually from overseas) without ever stepping foot in the home.  It is all based on the photos and videos.  Given the importance of good photos and videos, I suggested that she ask each agent: Who takes the photos that will be used in the l... 02/24/2012

Continuing on the theme of things that people have written or said, here is another autograph.  Now, you might wonder why an adult would write something like this is a nine year old's autograph book.  I bet he never considered that what you say or write will live longer than you and that children tend to remember what adults  say about them.      May you always live So that after you are dead Your name will never be listed under CITY IMPROVEMENTS.   What the heck?  I wonder why Roses are Red wouldn't do. It took me some growing up to realize that little poem is just nasty.  Now, when you write something in a post or a note or a letter, I hope you remember that it will likely live longer than you will and you may want to consider how you will be remembered.   I know I didn't like this pe... 02/22/2012

Ottawa West became very popular in the 1990’s because of the huge tech boom in Kanata. Even though the tech boom has quieted down since then, the housing market is still on the rise. In the west-end of the city one can find anything they desire. Homeowners can find anything from a luxurious estate home in Orchard Estates/Cedar Hill (which is where most of the Ottawa Senators live!) to something more modest in Beaverbrook. 1)      Orchard Estates/Cedar Hill - average resale price $993,426 2)      Beaverbrook - average resale price $297,758 3)      North Stittsville - average resale price $366,331 Orchard Estates/Cedar Hill is located just off Highway 416, near the Cedarhill Golf Club. It is still quite close from the city core as it is only 21 km from parliament, but it feels as though ... 02/21/2012