Real Estate Blog - Calgary Realtor

Creating Quality Compost

Gardening season is upon us, and the secret to a great garden is great soil. What makes soil great? Compost!

Thanks to the City of Calgary, every home has a Green Compost Bin. You can regularly put compost waste in it for collection, or you can keep it inside your yard and do your own thing. If you choose to make your own compost, here is what you need to do:

Add Base: Food scraps are the base for your compost. You can basically compost any kind of food, except for meat & dairy products. This is because meat and dairy will attract rodents and maggots, but also compromises the nutrient balance of the compost. Have a mini compost container in your kitchen for easy access, then regularly dump it into your compost bin outside and clean it to reduce…

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New Year's Eve Fun Facts

Happy New Year's Eve, everyone! We hope you enjoy a fun, safe evening ringing in 2022! Just like last year, I think everyone is more than ready to begin a new year. Hopefully this one brings us a step closer to some normality after a tumultuous two years. 

Here are some fun facts about New Year's Eve to get you pumped up for tonight:

• The very first New Year's Eve was celebrated 4,000 years by the ancient Babylonians.
• Celebrating with friends and family is a tradition because legend has it the first people you see will either give you good or bad luck; make sure you look at someone who likes you!
• The first ball drop in Times Square New York was in 1907. They used the ball, covered in 25 watt bulbs, because of a fireworks ban. Now the…

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How to Rent Right

Are you looking to rent? We have some tips for you!

1). Make a list of non-negotiables and stick to it. Decide before hand what you are willing to spend each month on rent and utilities in order to narrow down your search, only look at places that are pet friendly if that is something you need, if you do not like basement suites, add that to your list, etc! Be flexible, but stick to what you absolutely will not negotiate on and don’t waste your time searching for places that do not fit that criteria.

2). Location is the most important part of whatever space it is you decide to rent. For most people, location is the make-or-break feature of any potential space. Narrow your search into looking only for places by a bus stop, near your place of work…

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Walk Score

"Walk Score" is a real estate term that gets thrown around a lot, but is rarely ever  defined. So what is this all-important walk score? A walk score is a score an address is given between 0 and 100 regarding how friendly the area is based on walkability. Variables that go into calculating this score are:

• Area safety & Crime Rates
• Nearby Transit & Bike Routes
• Proximity to essential services such as Grocery stores, pharmacies, schools and businesses
• Composition of  land (Hills, Forests, Plains, etc.)

A walk score is a fast way for potential buyers to see how, essentially, accessible their new home is based on location.

Having a high walk score is often exalted as a wonderful thing, but having a low walk score is not necessarily…

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How to Sell Your Pet Friendly Home

There are many exciting things you can do when you own a home, such as diversifying your investment portfolio and doing whatever home renovations you want. Another huge bonus? Getting to bring home a pet.

Often when renting, pets are not allowed at all, the kind of pets allowed are limited, or renters are charged extra fees per pet on the property. All of these options aren't ideal for anyone who loves having a furry friend around. This is why owning a property, where you get to make the rules, is so exciting! When you own your home, you can have as many pets as your heart desires. 

Scientific studies have proven time and time again that people with pets live longer and are generally happier. Whether you have a dog, cat, rabbit, bird, fish, or…

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Best Christmas Lights in Calgary

Calgary loves to celebrate the holidays. A drive through any neighbourhood will quickly get you in the Christmas spirit. In Bowness, Christmas wreaths are lights adorn the streetlights and shops, giving the community even more of a festive, small-town feel. It is our favourite time of the year to drive through one of our favourite communities. 

Here is an inexpensive holiday activity idea: get a cup of hot chocolate from Tim Hortons and take a drive through the city. Set your radio to 95.9 CHRM for non-stop Christmas music and turn up the heat. Not sure where to start on this beautiful, Christmas adventure? Here are some places to check out:

1). Downtown Core: Many buildings in the downtown core are adorned with Christmas lights inside and out.…

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Shop Local this Christmas

Calgary has a thriving small business sector that we always like to encourage people to check out. It is important to support small local businesses and the Calgarian's that pour their hearts into them, especially this year as many Calgary businesses have faced loses due to COVID-19. As they say, when you shop from a big box store, a CEO doesn't blink twice. When you shop from a small business, the owner does a little happy dance. Support a fellow Calgarian this Christmas by buying your holiday gifts from one of these local shops:

• Outside The Shape: A curated shop with items from local YYC makers. You can find everything from candles to jewelry to workshops here!
• Plant: Your succulent dreams will come true in his gorgeous shop featuring all…

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Back To School: Keeping Your Home Organized

Back to school is right around the corner! The commercials are on TV, people are flooding Staples and Walmart for supplies, schools everywhere are dusting off their desks and students are trying desperately to soak in every stray moment of summer. With back to school time comes a new dedication to keeping things organized, especially the house. Here are some creative DIY additions that will make back to school easier on your home.

1). Front Entryway Locker Room: Transform your front entry into a mock-locker room by installing little stalls with space for yourself and each of your kids. Put a shelf up for winter hats and gloves, a coat hanger for jackets and backpacks, and a basket for miscellaneous items. This will prevent everything from getting…

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The Positives & Negatives of Downsizing

The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines downsizing as "undergoing a reduction in size." Downsizing is sometimes used as a negative--a company may let go employees when forced to downsize due to a bad bottom line--but sometimes used as a positive--like when we clear out the clutter in our life. There are also positives and negatives when it comes to downsizing our home.

Buying a smaller home can be as liberating as it is hard work. However, if it is what is best for you and your family, it is worth it. If you are contemplating downsizing to a smaller home, make sure you think through the following carefully.

Positives to Downsizing:

• Home maintenance ease (both indoors and outdoors).
• Fewer Home Expenses
• Investment Diversification &…

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Home Resolutions

In the New Year many people make personal resolutions, such as losing weight, advancing in their career, paying off debt, etc. Kicking off the new year with specific goals in mind will help you stay focused. There is nothing quite like the start of a new year, in this case 2020, to inspire you to be the best you. 

Read about The Most Popular New Year's Resolutions. 

While many of us make personal and professional resolutions, another area of your life to set some goals for is your home! Here are some suggestions:

• Renovate: Make this the year you finally renovate that room you have been wanting to forever, or to finish a renovation you began but abandoned. You don't have to complete it in one day; you can do it in phases. Looking for advice…

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