Real Estate Blog - Home Care

Using Scents to Win Over Buyers

When it comes to selling a home, first impressions go far beyond what buyers see. They’re also shaped by what buyers smell.

Psychology Today writes, "olfaction, also known as sense of smell, is the most primal and mysterious of our six senses. Throughout human evolution, our sense of smell has been a key to our survival. Humans are capable of distinguishing thousands of unique odors. Fragrances have the ability to evoke both positive and negative psychological states of mind and reactions in milliseconds."

So, how can you make a positive impact on buyers olfactory senses?  

First, remember that bad smells cannot be covered up. Noses are good at telling when something stinky has been doused with fragrance. There's no better first step than…

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Preparing Your Backyard For The Fall

This beautiful summer is slowly turning into a crisp fall, complete with frosty mornings and golden leaves. Stores are rolling out Halloween decor and pumpkin inspired treats, and back to school is in full swing. While you pack away your summer dresses to make room for sweaters, also start thinking of how you can prepare your backyard for autumn.

There are a number of things you should be doing before the snow hits in order to prepare your backyard for autumn and winter. What’s the light at the end of the tunnel as far as cleaning and preparing is concerned? After doing the following things your backyard will be ready for one final hurrah while the weather holds up!

First off, take care of outside structures such as children’s play places, tree…

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3 Small Renovations with Big Impact

With spring comes a desire for something new and fresh, which is why many people turn to renovations. Home renovations are a fantastic way to add value to your home by investing in a future that is both aesthetically and financially pleasing.

Remember that renovations do not have to mean that you completely gut your house and start from scratch. In fact, some of the best renovations are the small ones. They are easy to do on your own and usually inexpensive. Small renovations over the years can make a massive impact on the quality of your home.

Renovations can become very pricy, so we have gathered a list of tips and tricks for renovating different areas of your home in small but meaningful ways. 

Rather than re-paint all of the walls in your…

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Home Care to Tackle Before Fall

Fall is right around the corner! The trees are beginning to turn golden, the air cooling at night. Stores have already begun to put out fall decor, and back to school is right around the corner. As we transition seasons, its important to make sure our homes are just as prepared as we are.

Here are some fall home care items to tackle before summer slips away:

• Check Your Detectors: "With furnaces turned on, the windows closed and portable heaters humming along, fall is a great time to make sure your smoke and CO detectors are working. Check batteries and expiration dates – smoke detectors are typically good for 10 years, and CO detectors last for about six years" (Family Handyman).
• Clean Your Gutters: "Your roof's drainage system annually…

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Preparing Your Home for the Deep Freeze

When winter descends with its icy grip on Calgary, Alberta, it's essential to ensure your home is well-prepared to withstand the deep freeze. The bitter cold, snow, and freezing temperatures can take a toll on your property and your comfort. Well, Calgary: next week it's going to get cold!

To keep your home warm, safe, and functioning smoothly throughout the winter months, here are some important tips to consider.

1. Service Your Heating System: Before winter arrives, have your heating system professionally serviced. This ensures that it's working efficiently and reduces the risk of breakdowns during the coldest months. Replace air filters regularly to maintain good indoor air quality.
2. Draft Guards and Weatherstripping: Install draft guards…

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Renovations You Can Do Even When It's Chilly Outside

It's still a little chilly outside, which means that most of us would rather be curled up inside with a warm drink instead of out in the cold. While temperatures are expected to rise soon, you can never be too weary when it comes to weather in Calgary, Alberta. Our friendly groundhog Phil may have promised winter was at it's end, but that does not mean our toes will be thawing anytime soon. For now, we're going to keep our sweaters on.

During cold winters a fun pastime is scrolling through Pinterest, dreaming of all the fun projects you can do once it is warm enough outside. This is especially true when it comes to home renovations, which most people tend to complete during the summer months before a big freeze. After all, most home renovations…

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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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Lighting Tips

Many indoor lighting options are not only expensive, but fail to properly fill your home with an appropriate, comfortable amount of light. Here are some of our best tips for tackling this problem:

Maximize all natural light potentials. Make sure your windows stay clean and clear of snow and dirt. This will allow the most natural light to come seeping in whenever possible. Open up your blinds and move things away from windows that will cast an obtrusive shadow.

Purchase quality, environmentally friendly lightbulbs for all indoor and outdoor lighting. Using an LED light not only gives you more brightness, but it will save you an incredible amount of money in the long run. Go to your local hardware store and assess your options. Remember that…

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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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Outdoor Summer Renovations

Summertime is coming in hot and we are ready to bask in the beautiful weather. After weeks of quarantine the forecast looks great! If that is not something to celebrate, we don't know what is.

With so much nice weather on the horizon, now is a great time to check off any summertime renovations you had on your to-do list. We don't want you to get caught mid-winter with half-finished projects, so here is your reminder to grind it out. Remember: if you get it done today, you won't have to worry about it tomorrow. 

Do you want to change things up but aren't sure where to start? Are you wondering what things you should be working on that you have not yet? Look no further. We have got you covered. Here is the ultimate outdoor summer renovation list:

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