Golf season, barbeque season, vacation season, friends and family season … with the Canada Day kick-off…yes, it's summer! A time when many of us hit the beach. Some people spend time building sandcastles, and other people build their dream homes in the sand… complete with moat.

When it comes time to buy or sell your own "castle", I am here to assist with a strategic plan and solid negotiating that gets the deal done. It’s important to have a negotiator on your side! A deal can fall apart simply because the two sides don't know how to come together. I look at the deal from various angles. I know where there's "wiggle room" and can guide discussions in your best interest.

The market's normalizing. When you or someone you know is looking for a negotiator, let them know my number. With me, they'll get the results they're after.

Cool Tips to Beat Summer Heat
1) If you haven’t already: change the direction of the ceiling fan. It should rotate counter-clockwise. In this direction, the air is pushed downward creating a wind-chill effect that can make you feel as much as 4 degrees cooler than the room actually is.
2) Open windows in the evening to let cool breezes in. Close them and lower the blinds in the morning to keep out the summer sun.
3) Use Power Bars with timers - Keep all unnecessary electronic devices off when not in use. Televisions, computers, and video-game systems are all heat generators. And keep the lights off, too. Even environmentally-friendly LEDs give off heat.
4) Skip the stove. Use the microwave. Better still, the side burner on the BBQ.
5) Get a de-humidifier. Humid air holds heat.
6) Buy a hot water bottle – put it in the freezer to create a bed-friendly ice pack.
7) Choose lightweight cotton bed sheets - they breathe.
8) Use a buckwheat pillow – it doesn't absorb heat like cotton and down.
9) Run kitchen and bathroom fans to move humid air outside.

Condo Buying? Estoppel Certificate
The Estoppel Certificate is a detailed, disclosure document prepared by a Condominium Corporation that contains information about the financial and legal affairs of the Condominium Corporation. 

Upon request, the Condominium Corporation is obliged to provide the Certificate in connection with a sale. It will detail items such as current common element expenses, planned increases and foreseen repairs; special assessments; any legal action currently being taken against or by the Condominium Corporation; as well as a declaration of by-laws and rules.

And important: It will disclose if there are any unpaid common area expenses owed by the "unit" you are in the midst of purchasing.

Considering a Retractable Screen Door?
There are many inexpensive options available, from magnet click n' stick to higher-end retractable screens. When it comes to this type of home upgrade, paying more means better performance, as well as options like:
• Pet Resistant Mesh - heavier gauge that resists shredding.
• Deep Track - to securely hold the screen in place.
• Slide Bolt - that holds the in-active side of a French or Double door in place for easier entry and exit.
• Speed Reducer - that slows the return of a retractable screen to its housing. Slower or "controlled" screen retraction speed decreases mechanical stress on the screen and also minimizes the chance of fingers or small hands getting pinched as the screen is retracting.
• Visibility Decals - to prevent someone from accidentally walking into the screen.