Real Estate Blog - Home Care

Preventing Slippery Sidewalks

The snow may be melting, but the cold nights mean that the moisture turns to slick ice. While most ice is visible to the naked eye, some ice is far more dangerous and deceptive.The city is well equipped to handle the ice on the roads, as evidenced by all the leftover salt and gravel that washes up come spring, but the sidewalks are another story.

Sidewalks in urban centres, such as downtown and shopping areas, tend to stay clear since businesses want to avoid a lawsuit. However, your personal sidewalk is your own responsibility.

There are two major reasons to keep your sidewalk and walkways clear: the first is that when snow and ice build up, it can damage the pavement and produce significant cracks. The second reason is that having lots of ice and…

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Protecting Your Home From The Frost

There is something in the air. It bites at your cheeks and makes your nose run. It clings to your car and has turned golden fall leaves crunchy and brown. It has frozen your windows shut and has usurped your garden. The frost has arrived. It is in full force, making up for the lack of fluffy white snow. It may not look quite like winter, but it definitely is starting to feel like winter.

Monitor your home’s water systems. Water systems that are not properly winterized can do incredible damage, such as cracking your pipes, blocking flow and ruining any filtration systems. Turn off all outdoor water taps and make sure they are properly sealed for winter. Make sure that faucets indoors are all used frequently: run the hot water for a minute to clear away…

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Fire Safety

With a new season slowly entering Calgary, citizens are taking advantage of the remains of summer. Soon golden leaves will start falling to the ground, but for now the sun is shining late into the evening and the flowers are still in bloom.Tis’ the season for last minute camping trips, BBQ’s and late night adventures. Summers in Calgary are precious, after all.

This summer had a very smoky finale. After weeks of raging forest fires in B.C and northern Washington, smoke drifted into Calgary. The sun was obscured, the air was thick and people were warned not to go outdoors. At one point, Calgary air quality rated at 17 on a 1-10 scale. Unfortunately in some cities bad air is a daily struggle. However, for Calgary this was quite the shock to the system.

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Cleaning Out The Clutter

Calgary is a city that leads in innovation and conservation. We may get a bad rap for being an oil industry centre, but Calgary is actually an extremely conscientious city when it comes to keeping the environment healthy. The city does this by educating students, striving to go green as much as possible, protecting natural areas around and within the city and, most recently, giving every house a black and blue bin.

As you know by now, the black bin is for garbage and the blue bin is for recycling. This includes bottles, cardboard, paper, glass, etc. While a lot of things can go directly into this blue bin to be collected by the city, there are many things you shouldn’t put in it. The city website says it best: “When you put items that don’t belong in…

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Backyard Renovations

After a little bit of a rainy last week, the sunshine is breaking through here in YYC. The conditions are becoming absolutely excellent to begin your backyard project. There are a number of reasons backyard renovations are a sound investment for homeowners:

1). Renovations add aesthetic value to the property. Whether you personally care about this or not, future buyers will definitely care.

2). Renovations are part of being a good steward of your property. Little renovations here and there will keep your property up to date and in good condition.

3). Renovations add an incredible amount of value to your property. A simple fresh coat of paint goes a long, long way. Do not underestimate this investment opportunity!

We understand how daunting…

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The Perfect Patio

Imagine it is summertime. It’s not hard to, right? The birds are chirping, the sun is out, and Calgary is finally seeing the end of cold, snowy days. Imagine a cold drink in your hand, a bowl of fruit and good book at your side, and those shorts you’ve had buried under jackets and scarves all winter long. You can smell ribs on the barbecue, and George Strait is playing on the radio. Where are you? Outside on the patio! You don’t have a functioning patio? Well, here’s how you can make one.

Step One: Measure the area you want to cover and buy enough supplies to cover the space. We recommend using pegs to map it out beforehand so you get a good idea of how much space it will take up.

Step Two: Your patio should be elevated off the ground, or else the…

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De-Cluttering

Many people have tuned in to watch TLC’s “Hoarding: Buried Alive.” We watch the show in complete astonishment at the clutter people live in. We watch the show all high and mighty, as if we have never held onto something a little longer than necessary. What is that saying about shaming the sliver in someones eye when a plank sticks out of your own?

The reality is, it has become nearly impossible to completely reject a life of consumerism when we are socialized to be materialistic beings. All of us have gone through periods where we have had way too much stuff. Whether you should be on “Hoarding: Buried Alive,” or you have subscribed to a life of minimalism, everyone has things that they don’t need. Some of us have things that we don’t even want.

What…

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Spring Cleaning Tips

Spring is in the air! This week the weather has been absolutely gorgeous, and all of us here at Team Ken Richter sincerely hope it lasts. Spring in March is such a treat, and we are basking in every single glorious moment. Soon the brown grass and empty trees will become green once more, and as the flowers bloom so will the real estate market.

The spring is always a popular time for people to sell their homes because the weather is much more amiable and has everyone looking for something fresh! With sunshine pouring in the windows of your home, a flowery breeze dancing through the rooms, and the walkway clear of snow, buyers will automatically associate your home with everything lovely about the spring. However, your house will not go from chilly and…

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