Brahm LevineAs a get started books, you could look at: "Legal, Tax & Accounting Strategies for The Canadian Real Estate Investor" by Seve Cohen & George Dube or Douglas Gray's "The Canadian Landloard's Guide"If you are thinking about mixed use or commercial properties, Pierre Boiron's "Commercial Real Estate investing in Canada" is thorough {and pricey}.As for general real estate investing concepts, analysis, and financing, you will find a wealth of knowledge on BP.Now ...

Seems to you can sit in the local gray motel for a year too!

The idea came to my attention when watching flip this house the other day to paint the brick a very neutral gray, beige or off-white.

Red will look gray and wash out, in terms of contrast, to the color blind men looking at it. 

Usually white, with gray veins. 

Well, that's the part that's alittle gray at the moment.

Trellis would work well too, but be careful not to plant something that would grow outward in girth and too tall, as that would visually split the house in half.Paint the white horizontal header at the porch gray, so it will blend in with siding.Extend the porch to the end of the house and change the railings.

It seems people are moving away from builder beige and towards grays. 

I think this is a gray area in terms of what's routine.  

You have to determine if that's what you're going for.This is it...http://www.homedepot.com/p/Stile-Anderson-22-in-In...IF you are looking for something less modern, I would go with a regular home Decoration one from home depot, something that isn't brown but rather darker in color or gray.