While cooking and function surely is the primary focus of the room it is certainly not all it is used for.These days most houses no longer have dining rooms and usually the room easiest to entertain in then is the kitchen.Knowing this many people would want to improve the appearance of this room and even do something that could become a focal point in the room.One way of creating a focal point would be to install a beautiful mosaic stove splashback.A splashback is installed to protect the wall behind the stove top from cooking debris and grime created by cooking.

But this doesn’t need to be a boring beige creation,there are artists in South Africa who specialize in mosaic and creating these unique splashbacks.Whether you want abstract swirling autumn colours or something more specific like different images of food these artists should be able to accomodate anything you want.

One such artist is Jane du Rand ,you can check out some wonderful images on her website www.durandmosaic.co.za.They should bring praise from even your harshest design critic.

Otherwise if you are that way inclined and have some experience why not try it yourself.There is wealth of information on the Internet regarding what you might need and instructions on how to complete such a project.Just make sure you have a realistic idea of what a project like that will entail.

I have come across people who have converted old churches into beautiful homes with definite personality,inspired by the building itself they developed the property into something enviable.There are those who have restored old windmills and schoolhouses to their former glory and then moved in to enjoy a space that is uniquely theirs.

We all have a different ideal home and if you are struggling to find one that suits your lifestyle and personality try thinking out of the box and expand your horizons.They are often far more affordable than one might think and depending on their state of repair sometimes more affordable than everyday houses.

A unique property that has been restored or re-developed to a high standard may even become sought after one day when there are fewer of them left standing.It could also just be fun to say that you live in the old morgue…

If your geyser has been installed by an unqualified workman there is the potential for serious injury if something has been installed incorrectly.You are protected by law from an unqualified person installing your geyser and hot water system,all plumbing system installations must adhere to certain specifications to make the legal standard.

The reason a geyser can be such a danger is pretty obvious,it contains super heated water and steam that is under a certain amount of pressure.If any of the safety mechanisms are set up incorrectly the consequences could be disastrous.Some of those safety mechanisms are the geyser tray which prevents leaking water from damaging the rest of your home.Then there are vacuum breakers, this prevents the geyser from being drained in the case of the water being turned off.Most importantly perhaps there is a temperature and pressure release valve,this keeps the water and steam under a safe amount pressure so that the unit does not explode.

In apartment buildings the geyser is often installed directly above the bath,if anything should go wrong and the geyser starts to leak, someone taking a bath could be seriously injured.

That said a geyser is usually one of the most reliable appliances in your home.They can last for many years without giving a homeowner any trouble at all, provided they were installed correctly.If you suspect that your geyser or hot water system is not working correctly have a professional come and check it out.Do not try and fix the problem yourself  as some of the safety mechanisms will be unfamiliar to you ,you may cause more damage.Always ensure you have a professional qualified person installing things in your home.

1. Buy low.
   If you can get real estate below market value you will instantly have equity that can be converted into profit when the property is sold.
2. Sell high.
   You can sell real estate for a decent price if you buy “fixer-uppers” and convert them quickly into money makers. This does take a lot of planning and experience to get this one right.
3. Appreciation.
   If you buy real estate in areas that have good potential for growth, and where rental demand is high (high demand and short supply), you could make huge amounts of cash. If you are able to hold on to a property for a number of years you could see a return on investment that is second to none.
4. Positive cash flow.
   This is definitely one of my favorites. If you can own positive cash flow property you are on your way to becoming financially free, which means you do not have to work. This method takes some work in the beginning, but if you have the patience, you could pull it off.
5. New development.
   This way of making money in real estate is definitely one for the more experienced property investor. You would need to get your hands on some descent land, at a good price, and then hold on to it. Successful developers also have the ability to predict area trends, will people want to live there etc. But I am sure everyone knows Donald Trump, one of the most well known property developers out there.

At the end of the day, it does not matter how you make money in real estate just as long as you do.

While this is certainly a step toward the global trend of Green energy ,wind turbines are a more costly way to produce electricity and the consumer always ultimately foots the bill.After last years mega price increases in July many consumers were shocked by how much they ended up paying for electricity each month.

Hopefully Eskom will keep that in mind when they start to introduce new products that are supposed to be beneficial to us.Some experts are predicting the price of electricity will triple in the decade ahead due to new Green production practices.I guess we have to start taking climate change seriously sometime,hopefully the increases are gradual though.

While this is certainly a good thing to have don’t always assume others have your best interests at heart.Some landlords I know have told me that they paid for the cover but were not informed when the tenant left or when the cover started paying out.

As our readers can imagine this is potentially disastrous to any property investor.The letting agency only informed the owner when the three months of cover was finished and there was no still replacement tenant.The agency had stipulated that the owner would be informed at all times of any developments that might affect them, this is apparently not what they did.

One landlord reported that it had happened to him with two tenants in succession.They had both packed up and left without giving notice and the letting agency only informed the landlord three months later,once again they still had not found a replacement tenant.

Investors use letting agencies for a variety a of reasons,one of which is the distance they live from their investment property.If an investor lives in Nelspruit and has a rental property in Durban it is usually easier to entrust the daily running of the property to a letting agency.It is therefore imperative that one chooses ones letting agency with great care.If yours is the only property they have in a certain area they may find it inconvenient to travel there to check on your investment.Try and find a reputable agency that has a history of servicing your specific area well and maintains contact with you in the ways they have promised.

If you find yourself calling them when they should be calling you make this very clear to them and make sure they understand that they work for you, remember this is your money, your credit record and your livelihood.You cannot afford to take chances simply because of bad communication.

It is of course also the owners responsibility to follow up and ensure that the people they have working for them are doing their jobs.It is an unfortunate fact that while property investors are worried about saving money so are all the other businesses and they may be cutting corners that will affect you.