RE-12- The Canadian Champion, Wednesday January 7, 2009 New Years Resolutions for Homeowners Mortga Y' Ask y( age Agent )ur local ge planner By the tirne we pack up thc holiday dlecorations, we're getting into the New Years groove: thiat frcsh- siate feeling we ail get this Urne of' y ar. I larncss that energy: make this the year to whip) your housc - and your household finances - into shape. Keeping a home running in tip-top shape is likc keeping a car in fine running order. Its best not to wait for the tires to wear through, the brakes to screech or the muffler to fait off. We maintain our vehicles on a regular schedule and they reward us with good service. Your house needs the same treatment. Develop and implement an annual maintenance plan for your home; regular attention will help to, avoid larger, more cxpensivc rcpairs later. 1. Get to know your plumbing. Takc an t'\pb)ratOrs 'tiioli al oR ii oit bîtitî gui i' acquainted \vith your plumbirng. Look for slows drains or dripping faucets. Do you have any pipes that go through an unheateci or an uniinishcd room? Make sure they're xvcll insulated. Going away for a tew weeks this sinter? Dont let y our house temperature drop too tow; pipes will get a loi colder than the inside walls. 2. Be alarmed. That is, make use of smnoke detectors, fire aiarms, and carbon mnonoxicie cetec- tors to proteet your family and your home. l'lhen e.. beck s oui dii al tlcm i SS\)-1 ii i ftîi xires. Chec.k your heating systemi and appliances for gas leaks or cracks anti foi adeijuate x'entilaî ion. H axe y'our furnace, boilers or heating stos es sers- iced each year. Clean vents, baseboarci heaitcrs andi cold air returns. 3. Keep the heat in. I ake a xxalk around the insicle of vour house and i ct 1(or drafts. ] hink xou fcet a little chilI? Light a candle ant i os e it arotînd to check< for the entrx' point of ansb)reezes,. Keep in mmid that cable entrx points andi dcc trt aI outiets are olten sources tof' .ott air. \Vhile y'ou're clown at floor level, chcký for breezes i.oming fromn under the baseboarcis. T he objective is to tighten up your home: repair, replace or instail anso weath- er stripping and caulking around windosvs and doors. If you've got coîd svails, cold floors, or very uneven heating in the bouse, von probabty hasve an insulation problim. You may want to check out the Office tif Lnergs' Lificiencs websitc at ht tp://wwxx.oce.iinrcan.gc.ca. 4. Do an outside home inspection. Walk around thte exterior of x our hiome. Vsicc.JThe firsi lotise shingles, gaps in the lashing, or any otthcî potential trouble spots. (C heck x'our chîne>' for t.amnaged mtîrtaî, and inspet t the xvaîls. At Ieast vssice a x car, decan osut the cas estroughi anti check anx (Iosvnspouts. lIhe second xxalk arounîfthe bouse, look clown. Vatch for anv xxater poofing near thte houses foundation. Anti check xyour xx allký- xsays, steps anti hantirails to eîisure thev re safe and svll-in'antainetf. 5. Get your home finances in order. Your mort- The "i dream team" trom L-R: John Cavas; Morigage Planner, Kim Lima; Associate Planner, Delfina Arruda; Associate Pianner and Maria Rebelo; Administrative Assistant. gage should bc the centerpîcc of your f inancial strategx:* A mnortgage planner can o11cr sou an assessmient on hciw\sou could save thousands of' dollars on your miortgage - or how you rnight tap i i( \so <iîr (iitils\t pas tiff11ittc'r fcbis. or inias blit Ai i11 closi it lL'il(iti ait ii iilaitlsi api 10pi)]iii ecc s'ou re planning. If sou me refinancîng. bc sure sou also think ahcati to ans' tax liabilitîes. Noss ss the imie to takc these îhings int consicieration; înterest rates are st at near- historic losss. Whip sour house mbt shape this s car- You'Il lisec better. sou'Il p)resecnt cosîls' problemis dos't n the roati, andi s ou'11 bc building a mnore secure financial future. l'bats a Ness \ear's resolution xx'th somne big ress acis. [jý,A new year, a new you! titi' r ýcitî i ,îîît li ihnî -11t i t tti Mc o 108*120Ft Lt' Aimîsi il3 Acte Orly 5 star Od 1i Miis t i Gueph i stîSit 2 Miii ti Mii/Brampttn Btrder 9Fr Celinîsî Pt Ligiiii. taitiesi App icsi.Cete uIsatd Cnire Hati Pa, Fîma intiqRttm 2liliFI 3i3 Fir Lttamiyistm Car te Us At 4t BdromCsrts lu' Oi $349 Monihis 24i2Sq FI, ek hit iinu o u "B as ts Chrrt Haîttîtîd Gaiireiitt 6 Car Pîrkutg, Sîparats Mît Psvm Prol it' Lot H Spîsd Aaîab1et Ctmt ie The o unCtriy' OnitiMixte liii TtwtCalt Or Fmai, For DiretisîOr More It iris iToisur A eue myî. ta, ts soi îr sors5 tre hî boi ilii tit tîtîi thsc itiiîttt'.tii ut iii hit hi,îîhîr i buî itithi rîtlitît t sitnN pîtîli tt îso, ii îîîî'îtî sîtîand Liii(A tie rî'îîîlitîîîtî twagoin slitr iti t s's' Lt ii tri ttg. 1'tiitistg onit ilcit ii i itîiîî ii t car ttiIii isîtstarei' îttt ttjt iihci i kicp t it îst t miilut t tî1ît -1îttit hii cits iittttiii iiiiitti' i"Il ti ititou l iiok iîiît 4îîîi la îtititstitiiIItitli Focus tNon ihe piivea ialh ic itt i itt' icci J gtstitt ihitt (iti'rtttiiiiigtttg cuti iîg tIl'le î .t oilît tîtt it iImý llt ttc tîîi' ltp'topli, but set realistcand achievabte goals Iliii' 'got ig i goît iititti ctti'titt i0ýtit itt i ,i kîîît tt i ti c(cllg Reward yoursetf ds I i t s111011111 iîs'iî, iti noi \iiIii ittît o oci \tui bttit C it iîtitttpatlsttand ,,et miit i uu tttt s ri i tsi uit o satpi- liii i i u Ci îgî th i ce si tt c in ii tgi ii\îiiîàîîîg oi Sdiiiitinsi tips iiti tî.t i ntît tîî \cîs iitei stiiitios titiiiiiîînga itaith\ hcititi andît lo iîîi'îg i\i-1t i Dîîîîîîi ii t si a.îî tii itî i .îî (a ti î5ct i gi,i 1 t he ttiQitctit tt Iii il Il.îîtii ( itxl i îîiit îgi alix,îtîtît .li llIL 11(c, tii' lth iii siîl îop,î1itit 111t1ittlc 01i c\itigi ., in 11111îtîtîlîttuLiss bs ' t'i in t1,ýý o Iih 1ý a to n 'I. ý, (eh the "i tri',, eaite, i(ir(t AA riMo e 14 Martin St., IA A At clitects Milton, ON John 81 8-721ice CaVan AMP 87-723505 tîtit<geRd.. 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