Durham Region Real Estate Blog - Home Maintenance

Embracing Nature's Beauty: Planting a Garden with Native Plants in Durham Region

Gardening is not just about beautifying your space; it's about creating a sustainable environment that supports local ecosystems. For those of us in Durham Region, this means embracing native plants in our gardening projects. Planting with native species not only enhances the natural beauty of our gardens but also provides essential habitats for wildlife and reduces the maintenance and resources typically required. Here’s how you can get started on planting a native garden at your home in Durham Region.

Why Choose Native Plants?

1. Environmental Benefits: Native plants are adapted to our local climate and soil conditions, which means they require less water and are more resistant to pests and diseases prevalent in our area. This reduces the need…

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Top Neutral Paint Colours for Home Selling

When it comes to selling your home, the power of first impressions cannot be overstated. One of the simplest yet most effective ways to ensure your home makes a positive impact on potential buyers is through the strategic use of neutral paint colours. Neutral tones are not only versatile and timeless, but they also allow buyers to easily envision their own lives and belongings in the space. In this blog post, we'll explore the importance of neutral paint colours for creating a welcoming atmosphere and highlight some top recommendations to help sell your home more swiftly.

The Power of Neutral Colours

Neutral colours create a serene and inviting space, essential for making a strong first impression. They serve as a blank canvas, allowing the…

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How to Prepare for an Open House in the Winter

Let’s face it—Durham Region winters can be rough. Between temperatures in the double-digit negatives and snow storms that cause traffic headaches, many of us feel like winter is best when we’re inside the house. 

Of course, as the new year rolls around, we also might find ourselves in the process of selling our home, in order to move in by the springtime. What do you do when you have to have an open house in the winter? Here are our tips and tricks for Durham Region winter open houses. 

High Traffic Means Many Messes

When hosting an open house, it is expected that you’ll have a number of people walking through your front door. And, additionally, you’ll have people likely in every room of your house, exploring. 

Even if there isn’t any…

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Fire Safety Tips For Your Durham Region Home

The Dan Plowman real estate team wishes all of Durham Region a very happy 2023!

The start of a new year means new goals for a better you. While we don’t always stick to our New Year’s resolutions, we do (usually!) focus on something we’d like to improve on over the course of the year. But what about your home? 

This January, don’t forget fire safety! This is an often overlooked aspect when it comes to your property—and it’s incredibly important. Here are our fire safety tips to help you and your Durham Region family safe in 2023. 

The Right Equipment

Safety begins with having the right tools. 

Every home should have working smoke detectors, placed in every bedroom, in every hallway right outside a bedroom, and on every level. It is…

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New Years Resolutions For The Home

You know what they say: New year, new you! While your personal goals might include going to the gym more often, eating healthier, or taking more time for yourself and your hobbies, there’s another part of your life you should be thinking about: your home!

What exactly does a new year’s resolution for your home entail? Well, think of it like this: have you ever put off something you needed to do because you didn’t have enough time? This is the part where you finally tackle things around the house that need to be done… and we’re here to remind you of them!

Say Goodbye To Clutter

The first step this year, and perhaps the most daunting task on this list, is to clean up the clutter around your home. For some, this may be a quick thing to check off…

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How to Protect Your Durham Region Home While on Vacation

Ah—the sun, the sand, and the surf; All what Durham Region is best known for! Sort of. As beautiful as this area is, sometimes you do need a short—or long—vacation.

But have you made all the necessary preparations? Before you get away from it all on a Parisian holiday or tropical beach escape, there are a few things you’ll want to do around your house to get ready. Here are some of our most valuable tips when it comes to protecting your home while on vacation.

Triple Check Your Windows And Doors

Those who live in Oshawa or the Durham Region know that the weather is finicky here. Snow, rain, hail, or extreme wind can all come at a moment’s notice. 

Before you leave for your vacation, you’ll want to ensure that your windows and doors are…

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Winter Home Maintenance Tips

The days are getting shorter and the weather is getting colder! If you’re a Durham Region resident, you know that winters can be tough. From freezing temperatures to heavy snow, a lot of us aren’t looking forward to the season ahead… but we can be prepared for it!

Before the snowstorms and the freezing rain, before scraping ice off your windshield and shoveling the driveway in the morning, there are few things you can do around the house to help with the oncoming winter weather. Here are our best tips for winter home maintenance.

Check All Windows

As a general rule, you’ll always want to check up on your windows. Drafts can cause your heating bill to skyrocket—so you’ll want to take a look every once in a while.

Ensure your windows are…

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What is Curb Appeal And Why Does It Matter?

So you’re looking to sell your Durham Region home, but you’re wondering how to make the best first impression of your home that you can. 

Step one - curb appeal. Curb appeal makes a significant difference in the chance of your home being sold. 

With a potential increase of up to 11% on the perceived outlook on a home just by doing some landscaping effort - these are the numbers you want to look out for when looking to sell your Durham Region home.

Looking For Ways To Boost Curb Appeal?

We start right at the basics - your For Sale sign. 

Now this may seem as though it wouldn’t make a difference at all however, how many run down or difficult to read For Sale signs have you seen that instantly attract you to a home? Chances are probably…

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Own a Home on Lake Ontario? Here's a Waterfront Property Maintenance Checklist

Owning a lakefront home is a dream for many people. After all, who wouldn’t want to wake up every day to views of the water right on your doorstep. However, what many people don’t realize is that waterfront homes require a bit of extra effort to ensure that they retain their value. If you own a lakefront home in the Durham Region, these are some maintenance tips to keep your home safe, secure and comfortable throughout the seasons.

Temperature Control

Temperatures in the Durham Region can fluctuate wildly with summers being hot and humid and winters dropping well below freezing. A good HVAC system can help keep your home comfortable inside and protected against damage such as freezing pipes or the development of mold and rust. Be sure to service…

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What Homeowners Can Do To Save On Energy Costs

Have you ever wondered what makes that pesky energy bill get so high every month? Appliances and electronics alone account for about 20% of energy consumption in the home!

Let’s be honest - it’s rare that anyone is unplugging their appliances the second they’re done using them, but it helps more than you think. 

Who Are The Main Energy Bill Culprits?

Ow, it may be difficult to identify right off the bat who are the main targets that are making our energy bills make us never want to turn on another light switch again. 

If you really think about it, it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll be able to name a few of the culprits behind those stronger hits targeted at your bank account. 

To start, we can name just a few a few to get the ball…

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