Archives for January 2014
Musicians Who Died In 2013 [Interactive]
January 16, 2014 By Leave a Comment
NPR has a great interactive website to listen to & read about the musicians that died in 2013. Click the image to start your discovery.
What Impact Will Increasing Mortgage Rates Have On Prices?
January 14, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Many pundits are warning that there will be a drop in real estate values because mortgage rates are beginning to increase. The logic makes sense. However, history shows that increasing rates have not negatively impacted home values in the past.
Four times over the last 30 years mortgage interest rates have dramatically increased. Here is the impact the increases had on home values at the time:
Dates |
Mortgage Rate |
Home Values |
| May ‘83 – July ‘84 |
12.63 – 14.67 |
+ 6.6% |
| March – Oct ‘87 |
9.04 – 11.26 |
+ 5.2% |
| Oct ’93 – Dec ‘94 |
6.83 – 9.2 |
+ 1.2% |
| April ’99 -May 2000 |
6.92 – 8.52 |
+ 10.9% |
Perhaps the impact of increasing rates on future home prices won’t be as dramatic as some are predicting.
10 pieces of classical music everyone should know
January 14, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Are you the kind of person who appreciates multiple genres of music?
Being familiar with the classics in any genre is a factor in one’s overall cultural awareness. In jazz, there’s Thelonious Monk’s “Round Midnight.” In country, Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire.” In R&B, everyone should know Gladys Knight and the Pips’ “Midnight Train to Georgia.” Notorious B.I.G.’s “Juicy” is a hip-hop classic; Michael Jackson’s “Billy Jean” is one of the greatest pop songs of all time.
Classical music is a tougher nut to crack, not only because it has centuries of history behind it, but also because it seems classical music lovers belong to an exclusive club, throwing around terms like partita, singspiel and von Karajan.
For the classical curious, cutting through the mystique may be a challenge, but we’re here to help. Don’t be that person who says their favourite piece of classical music is Phantom of the Opera. Get to know the following works, and build your classical music foundation.
Learn about the 10 pieces of classical music everyone should know from CBC Music.
Turn That Spare Room Into a Walk-in Closet
January 13, 2014 By Leave a Comment
New project for a new year: Get the closet you’ve always wanted, starting with all the info here
If you’ve ever feuded with a spouse over hanger space or drawers, or turned your house upside down trying to find the summer clothes you stashed last fall, you might be a prime candidate for a closet conversion.
Turning a spare room into a walk-in closet is not a huge task, and it can reap instant rewards. “People want all their stuff in one space,” says Angel Martin, co-owner and senior design consultant at Affordable Closets Plus in Bangor, Pennsylvania. Martin’s firm is one of countless companies that will quiz you on your needs, measure your space and install a spacious walk-in closet in what was once a spare bedroom, a nursery or that home gym you swore you’d use but somehow never did.
You can also opt to do the project yourself, using materials from a hardware or home improvement store. Which method you choose will depend on your needs, your budget and the kind of look you want to achieve.
Connect Your Home Appliances With Your iPhone
January 13, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Belkin makes a variety of peripherals itself – the company makes cases, cables, accessories for mobile devices, laptops and desktops, networking, products for home and office, and much more.
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At CES this past week, Belkin showed off products it’s worked on in concert with other manufacturers – connected home appliances that enable you to do things like control what time your coffee maker will brew to when your crock pot will cook tonight’s dinner. Heaters, humidifiers and air purifiers are also equipped with Belkin’s hardware, to enable remote control from your smartphone. The products are expected throughout the year.
Heating Your Home: The Furnace Cheat Sheet
January 12, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Typically, over 50% of total home energy use goes towards heating. Here are some helpful hints to reduce those costs.
How to Remodel Your Fireplace
January 11, 2014 By Leave a Comment
New project for a new year: Bring your fireplace design up to snuff with this makeover lowdown
The fireplace is often the most commanding element in any room it’s in. Size and abundance of material are often factors, but as renovation specialist Ron Parko points out, our eyes are naturally drawn to the darkest object in a room anyway. Oftentimes, that’s the firebox when it’s unlit.
Naturally you want this element, and everything that surrounds it, to complement the rest of your home. In many older homes where large brick fireplaces prevail, this can pose a challenge. What do you do? Cover it, paint it, rip it out? Here’s what to consider.