When searching for a new home, you need to determine what type of home you would like. There are many types out there and all have different benefits. Below is a list of the numerous styles to assist you with your house-hunting process.

Bi-Level: A bi-level is when the home is split into two levels. A good indicator of a bi-level is when, walking through the front door, you are immediately greeted by stairs going up or stairs going down.

Bungalow: A bungalow is a home with a main floor and no upper level.

Split Level: This type of home is split into 3 or 4 levels. A good indicator is when you walk in the front door and there are stairs going up or down. The upper level will have further stairs going to another upper level, while the downstairs will have another set of stairs going to a lower level.

Two Storey : This home will have a main floor with a second full floor.

1 ½ Storey: This house style will have a main floor and then half of a second floor.

Condominium: A condominium or condo is in reference to the form of ownership. With a condominium, regardless if a condo apartment, townhouse, detached or semi-detached; you own an individual unit but share in the expenses and maintaining of the common aspects, such as elevators, grounds, or hallways. Condominiums can be one level, as with apartments; or two or more levels, as with townhouses.

Keeping your home free of dust is a challenge in summer. The warmer weather tempts us to keep doors and windows open which exposes our homes to dust and dirt. Poor airflow traps dust and even if you vacuum regularly, dust accumulates quickly on any horizontal surface.

Here are six quick tips to help keep your home dust-free as the summer heats up.

Suck it up – Regular vacuuming will minimize dust. Carpets and rugs are dust traps, which is why some folks believe they detrimentally affect your health. But they more than make up for it in winter because floorboards and tiles can be cold on the feet!

New cleaning regime – Consider updating your cleaning habits. Dusting is a chore, especially if you have lots of photographs and ornaments on your shelves so a declutter may be in order. Using microfiber cloths and dusters is optimal. Dust before you vacuum so anything you knock off your shelves is sucked up.

Allergies – One way to minimize reaction to dust is to purchase allergy encasings for mattresses and pillows. They prevent dust mites that cause issues such as asthma.

It's curtains – If anyone in your family suffers from dust-related allergies, consider blinds and shutters on your windows rather than thick, heavy curtains which can be a dust magnet. Alternatively, install machine-washable curtains.

Update filters – You should change the filters in your HVAC system (ex: furnace) regularly to help capture dust and prevent it from being blown around your home. Swapping out filters every three months is the optimal schedule. If you have ceiling fans, clean the blades regularly.

Pure air – Another idea is to use an air purifier with HEPA filters which will reduce the amount of dust that will settle on shelves and other surfaces and ease the volume of dust in the air. Dust particles are more likely to stick to surfaces in high humidity.

An important step in selling your home is showing it to prospective buyers. The impressions the prospective buyers get from the showing can have a major impact on the home’s perceived desirability and can influence negotiations if they decide to put an offer on your home. As such, it’s a must to keep your home presentable to those who are in the market to buy. While it’s true that showing your home can be a juggling act that requires consistently being on top of things, with a few tweaks, you can make this part of selling your home less stressful.

• Preparing your home for selling means decreasing the clutter and making everything more manageable. Less is more. Once you have organized and prepped your home, it should be a little easier to keep things in their place.

• Many hands make light work, so get the whole family onboard with pitching in. The kids, if old enough, can ensure that their things are put away when needed and can help with simple cleaning tasks.

• Make it a habit of putting things away once you are finished with them.

• Have quick and easy cleaning supplies on hand for places like the bathrooms and kitchen. Disposable wipes are perfect for easily wiping down sinks, counter tops, and mirrors.

• If you have a slow cooker, use it. It’s great for prepping meals the night before, and dinner will be ready when you arrive home. This is handy if you are pressed for time because you are expecting a showing and not sure how you are going to feed the family before running out the door.

• Before bed each night, have everyone in the family lend a hand in preparing the home for the next day’s showings. Rushing around in the morning before work and school will easily become tiresome. With a little work beforehand, you can decrease the stress in your life until your house sells.

It’s essential to ensure that your home is ready for spring's rain and humidity. Here are ten tips to prepare your home for the season:

Seasonal Home Maintenance Tips:

1. Check your gutters and downspouts: Make sure nothing has come loose or detached from your
house, remove any clogs from leaves and other debris, and check that water is flowing away from your foundation.

2. Use compacted soil: Fill any low areas in your yard or next to the foundation with compacted soil to prevent flooding and pooling, which can cause foundation damage.

3. Fix cracks: Fill any cracks in your foundation, walkways, and patio to prevent water damage, and ensure that your patio and walkways slope away from your house.

4. Caulk and repair windows: Replace any old caulking, check for signs of decay on wood trim or sills, and fix any gaps between windows that could let water or pests inside.

5. Move debris and junk away from your house: Remove any debris that accumulated next to your home during the winter, which could create breeding grounds for pests.

6. Inspect your air conditioning unit, outdoor faucets, and lights: Have your air conditioning unit inspected by a professional, and ensure that outdoor faucets, receptacles, and lighting are not damaged.

7. Examine roof shingles: Check for any damaged or missing shingles, and replace any that are cracked, buckled, or loose.

8. Examine the chimney: Check the exterior of the chimney for signs of damage, and have the flue inspected cleaned if necessary by a certified chimney professional.

9. Check power equipment: Ensure that your gas and battery-powered lawn equipment is ready for summer use by cleaning and sharpening the blades, checking oil levels for gas-powered, etc.

10. Don't forget the inside: Spring is also the perfect time to replace or clean your furnace filter, check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, inspect your dryer vent for lint buildup, and have your fireplace cleaned.

- Credits: Rosenthal Community League, Global News and HGTV