Real Estate Blog - Home Care

Things To Tuck Away For The Big Day

An Open House is the time for your home to shine. Help it shine by removing anything that may distract potential buyers from how beautiful your property is. Here are some items we recommend taking out of sight for the big day:

1). Clutter: We all have it, no matter how minimalistic our tastes are. Gather any extra clutter on countertops, bedside tables, shelves, etc. that does not serve a staging purpose and tuck it away. Whether you put it in bins beneath the stairs or stuffed into dresser drawers, make sure it is out of sight. Remember that Open House etiquette is that people will open doors, but not drawers.

2). Linens: Make sure that any towels, dishcloths, rags, etc. are put away. It does not matter if they are clean or not; throw them in…

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Preparing for Winter

It is time to prepare for snow, Calgary.

We have had a beautiful, mild autumn this year! All of us here at Team Ken Richter hope you have had a chance to get outside and enjoy it. If not, take advantage of this weekend! Temperatures are expected to rise to 6 degrees Celsius, so get a warm drink and go soak in the sunshine.

With snow coming soon whether we want it or not, here are some items to take care of before it’s minus thirty with wind chill and these tasks become much more arduous:

Lawn Care: Rake up your leaves, give your lawn one last mow, remove any dead branches, tidy up the plant beds and take out your shovel from the shed. We recommend putting wooden stakes in the grass along flower beds so you don’t accidently shovel away your…

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Home Staging: Furniture

Nothing quite fills up our homes faster than furniture. A couch here, dresser there, bookshelf in the corner, coffee table by the TV… it all adds up very quickly. The reality is some things, like a bed and a couch, are essentials in any home. However, they also eat up precious space and can make rooms seem small and cluttered.

This becomes an important issue when you try to sell your home. So, what is one to do?

We have two words for you: clever staging. The reality is furniture can be hard to work around. However, by trying some of these tips you can eliminate as many negative side effects as possible. Read on to learn more.

Use your walls. If you can have big pieces of furniture, such as couches and beds, up against a wall instead of…

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Winterizing Your Home Against The Snow

Every fall we write about winterizing your home. This is because properly winterizing your home is extremely important. Your property is precious and valuable, do not risk it being damaged. Think of it like a child you need to bundle up in the wintertime. The weather has been beautiful so far, but we all know that with Halloween quickly approaching, snow is inevitably on the horizon...

First things first, make sure the structure of your home is in top condition. Pay particular attention to the roof, windowsills and siding. Winter can get wet quickly with Calgary chinooks, so limiting your chances of leakage is crucial. Heavy snow can also collapse already damaged roofs, so again, take care of these right away.

Pipes can be another major problem…

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Top 3 Fall Renovations

Autumn is the perfect time for finishing renovation projects you started in the spring/summer and beginning new ones to prepare your home for winter. Remember that home renovations are an important part of keeping your property up to date and in the best condition possible. They add incredible value to your property!

Here are three great renovations for your home this fall:

Painting

• A fresh coat of paint is a great way to spruce up your home’s aesthetics. Not only will paint make your home look fresh and new, but there is also a psychology behind painting. Certain colours can elicit certain psychological responses. For example, blue is a colour that is great for productivity. You may not want to use extreme bright or dark colours, so look…

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The Dos and Donts of Window Replacements

There are many reasons why homeowners decide to change their windows, including: water leakage, drafty seams, too much condensation (which can cause mould to grow on the interior), lack of outdoor noise control, poor temperature regulation, etc.. While cracks or breaks on the surface of the window are obvious cause for immediate replacement, the listed reasons for changing your windows are gradual issues that you need to keep a cautious eye on.

Many people choose to hire a contractor to come replace their windows. This is certainly a wise idea for large and/or heavy windows that will require precise professional care. However, for your average window, you can easily replace it yourself so long as you exercise extreme control and care. Don’t be…

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Home Safety During Summer Holidays

Summertime is the season for adventures. It is the time for booking that extra day off, gathering your loved ones, packing up the car, and leaving the city in your dust. As much as we love Calgary, sometimes a change of scenery is exactly what the doctor ordered.

While leaving it all behind to embark on a wild adventure is exciting, you can not completely negate your responsibilities back here. After all, the safety of your property lies in the gentle embrace of a little foresight. Studies have proven time and time again that homes are most vulnerable when their owners are away. Without you there regularly to keep an eye on things, lots has the potential to happen.

So, how can you keep your property safe while you’re away?

It’s not all about…

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Maximizing Outdoor Spaces

One of the most attractive features of a new property can be the outdoor space included. Here in Calgary, many properties include nice outdoor living spaces compared to other cities where homes are lucky to have a strip of grass in front of the door. With this space, Calgarians get creative. If you search the city, you can find people who have created elaborate garden oasis’ in their backyard, or crafted mini hockey rinks during the winter. While these features are fun, they aren’t always the best example of maximizing the space.

Outdoor living spaces are something to be treasured and taken care of. In fact, here in Calgary we have bylaws about maintaing this part of the property. Part of taking care of your outdoor living space is properly…

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Legacy Homes: What to Expect & What to Consider

Legacy Homes are truly beautiful. There is something so special about having a home passed down from generation to generation. These homes carry so much history and the walls have seen a thousand stories. To be entrusted with this legacy is such an honor and is something to be valued. If you have been entrusted with a legacy home, you should feel proud of yourself! 

So, what exactly is a legacy home? A legacy home is one that is passed down to you from someone else. This could be a newer home, or an original homestead from way back when. Legacy homes often carry significance to a family and are a transition of a major asset. These are not to be confused with Legacy Homes, a home-building company. 

While being the recipient of a legacy home can…

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Organizing Your Office Space

Working from home was essential as businesses shut their doors to the public following strict quarantine rules. For some, working from home was the dream scenario. Who doesn't love working with their pet at their side and their favorite tv show playing in the background? For others, working from home became a nightmare. Enter scenes of kids yelling and coffee spilling on the laptop keyboard.

This work from home movement meant many spare rooms became overnight office spaces. Even though some businesses are reopening their doors and calling their employees back into cubicles, some are continuing to ask employees to work from home for the time being. Whichever office space you fall into, we thought it was time for some office organization tips. 

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