As the summer reaches it’s end, many of us are changing things up in life, whether we are getting our kids back to school, starting a new career, or just trying to find ways to adjust to our new normal. One thing I have heard over and over talking to clients last weekend were how many people have just found out that they will continue to be working for home from the time being; with Alberta’s new policies on the 4^th wave in question. There are still a lot of people who feel unsure of what their working life is going to look like going into the next season, but many proactive employers have already announced extensions to existing work from home policies

How comfortable is your work from home setup? Are you feeling the fatigue? This article is your all encompassing guide to creating a home environment where this kind of lifestyle can be sustainable.

For the epidemic, many individuals have built up temporary home offices, which will not function in the long run. Aside from having the appropriate tools, the physical setup — the ergonomics of the workplace — is crucial, particularly when it comes to preventing repetitive strain injuries that may be caused by a poor setup.

Ideally, you'd utilise a modest room with enough space for a desk and computer equipment, as well as a door that can be closed to keep work and home life distinct.

Most individuals don't have extra space, perhaps it's more realistic to turn a guest room into a dual-purpose area that can be used as an office during the day and as a guest room when visitors come. Multi outprpose furniture goes a long way towards creating adaptable spaces.

If you can't obtain a dedicated place that you can separate from the rest of your life, try to locate a niche space that is as far away from the rest of the home as feasible.

It might be tempting to take a look at homes for sale in your are with just a little bit more room (and we're always here to help you if you are!) but this guide serves to help you adapt your existing space in the most effective way possible.

It's very important to dial in your desk and seating ergonomics.

A work-height desk or table is required in your area. From the floor to the top of the work surface, the industry standard is 29 inches. Tall individuals benefit from being taller, while short ones benefit from being shorter. Many desks and tables are height-adjustable, typically through the feet.

However, that industry standard is predicated on utilising a pen and paper rather than a computer and mouse. That's why keyboard trays usually come out from under the work area and are an inch or two lower than the desk or table height. Get a keyboard-and-mouse tray if you have the room (it must be broad enough for both!). If not, try lowering your desk to tray height; if you write on paper as well, a writing surface may be purchased for pen-and-paper work.

If your forearms are parallel to the ground when you sit up straight and your wrist is not curved up or down while you type or mouse, your work surface is at the proper height. With your fingers hanging slightly down to the keyboard, the top surface of your wrist should be on the same plane as the top of your forearm. It's simple to injure the wrists by bending them for extended durations of time.

Monitor height that is appropriate

Get a big monitor (perhaps two) for your home office, exactly as you would at work. Any major manufacturer will have high-quality monitors, but we would recommend asking your local computer store about options with higher DPI, eco mode, and other features that make long working sessions healthier and easier on the eyes.

Your monitor should be set up such that when you sit straight and gaze straight ahead, your eyes are 25 percent to 30% below the top of the screen. That way, you don't hunch your back and maintain your shoulders level - two simple ways to injure yourself.

You'll probably need a monitor riser to reach the right height (top is 25% to 30% above eye level).  An underrated method is to use a monitor stand so you can tilt and swivel the screen depending on what you are doing on that day.

Not just any chair.

There are several terrible chairs on the market that may cause injury if used for extended periods of time. Dining chairs and deck chairs, for example, are seldom at the proper height and do not usually promote the required upright posture.

If you can afford it, invest in a professional office chair which allows you to customise the fit to your body and workplace. However, they usually cost $500 or more; there are other considerably less expensive office chairs — between $100 and $300 — that will suffice. Whether at all feasible, try them on in person since you can't tell if they'll fit from a photo on a website.

Make sure it's adjustable in height, rolling, and has lumbar support for your lower back. It should also have adjustable seat pan tilt, arm height, and lateral arm position. It is better to utilise an arm rest, but only if you use it correctly: That is, your forearm should rest gently on the arm rest, with no pressure exerted by your arm on the arm rest. The arm rest's main purpose is to remind you to keep your arm in the proper posture, not to support its weight.

Organize yourself

It's pointless to spend time styling your workplace if you don't also set up practical methods to stay organised; otherwise, it won't be long until it appears like a jumbled mess.

To keep papers organised, storage options such as magazine boxes, baskets, and folders are essential. Consider installing a wall shelf to maximise storage while also providing a significant dose of flair.

Excellent lighting

It's all too easy to overlook the impact of your working environment on your productivity. Lighting is an issue that many people overlook. You should have enough indirect light to brighten your workplace so that you can read documents and view physical things readily. The optimum illumination is typically above lighting, such as a ceiling lamp.

Lights that are not in your direct field of vision or that reflect off your monitor are referred to as indirect lighting. When the sun shines, an exterior window behind or to the side of your desk, for example, may cause glare on your monitor screen. Natural light is nice, but it should be diffused with shades or drapes to avoid glare.

Similarly, check that your monitor's brightness isn't too low or too high, since both may induce eyestrain. Of course, subjective terms like "too dark" and "too bright" exist, but a reasonable rule of thumb is that the monitor's illumination intensity should be just a bit brighter than your ambient lighting, and that ambient lighting should be adequate to read paper documents without extra light.

You’re spending less on your commute. But now you need faster internet. Did you know many broadband packages are either cheaper of faster than they were 8-10 years ago?

Most cities and suburbs have at least one high-speed internet provider; 50Mbps is the minimum speed to aim for, and the more people using the internet at the same time, the faster the service should be.

Your home's bandwidth is also important. If feasible, connect your computer to your network via an Ethernet cable; this is particularly essential if you perform video or other bandwidth-intensive tasks. If you can't wire your computer to your router, ensure you are using the fastest possible Wi-Fi Mode your equipment offers.

Accessories & Other Equipment

Of course, you'll need a keyboard and a mouse or touchpad: If you're using an external monitor, your laptop is probably folded closed or off to the side, making it difficult to reach the built-in keyboard and trackpad. Any keyboard, mouse, or touchpad/trackpad will do as long as they are responsive to touch and are not the incorrect size or height for your posture. Wireless ones eliminate the need for cables, although they do need recharging or battery replacement.

If you work in a shared place, get a headset so you may participate in online conference calls with less noise seeping into your house, where other people are working, sleeping, attending courses, and so on. Working is more difficult due to the conflicting sounds.

Instead of a headset, you could use wired or wireless earbuds, although many people find the in-ear version to be unpleasant, if not painful, over time. (A headset, on the other hand, sits on a cushioned pad over your ear.) Furthermore, wireless earbuds' microphones generally have worse audio quality, and there are concerns about hearing loss over long term use with the speaker being so far in your ear canal. In a pitch, earbuds are acceptable, but if you're in meetings all day, use a headset or the computer's audio instead.

If you use a laptop, a docking station is a must-have since it allows you to plug the computer into the dock while leaving all other connections alone, then simply remove the laptop when you need to work somewhere else, such as on business trip or for an in-office visit. Most business-class Windows laptops come with a docking station; MacBook users should get one of OWC's docks.

Add personal touches.

Choose accessories that improve the comfortable atmosphere of your home office, such as a beautiful mug for a pencil holder, stylish notepads and sticky notes, and a colourful waste basket, unless you're aiming for a modern design. Wrap a beautiful fabric around your bulletin board, and conceal practical bookshelves behind drapes made of the same material. Whether it's your kids' framed artwork or a famous painting, hang inspiring posters on the walls.

Clear out the clutter

Clear your workplace of stacks of miscellaneous documents and folders, books you aren't using, and other clutter. If you haven't used or won't use anything in three months, put it away.

Decluttering will provide you a clear canvas to work with while styling, as well as an immediate feeling of peace and order.

Lighting

In a home office, it's critical to have enough illumination. Install lights above your reading area, on the computer, and behind you to eliminate reflections off the computer display and minimise eye strain. Place the computer display at a comfortable distance from your chair so you don't have to squint or see the screen with reading glasses. You'll be able to work longer and more safely if you reduce eye strain.

Backup & Security

I strongly advise you to keep a computer backup. Backup and recovery in Windows 10, like Time Machine in macOS, makes backup simple, so grab an external drive and start using it. However, storing all of your work on a cloud service like OneDrive or iCloud is an even better backup option since it ensures that if your computer is destroyed or lost, all of your work is readily accessible from another computer. By default, Macs and Windows PCs retain a local duplicate of cloud-stored work, so you can continue work on your files if the internet goes down; they will sync once internet connection is restored. The greatest guarantee that you have your data is to combine cloud storage with a physical backup.

Make Provisions for Visitors

Keep things as professional as possible if you have customers in your home office—make sure they don't have to pass through a sleeping infant or a filthy kitchen to get to you. Take into account the privacy of your job. Provide comfortable seats, a reading light, and intriguing material if customers will be waiting for an appointment with you.

DESIGN

An office that matches the style and comfort of the rest of your house is a location where you'll want to work late.

Don't let function overshadow form.

Your workstation, shelves, and storage should work for you, not against you. Before you buy furniture, think about your workflow and what you need at your fingertips, and then search for pieces that are both attractive and practical.

Instead of shouting "soulless cube," home office furniture should compliment other areas in your home. If you have the room, warm wood and soft, comfortable seats or a couch are perfect for a classic house. Artistic items or trendy metal furniture may be used in a contemporary home office.

Use a Color You Like on the Walls

You need a hue that makes your work motor hum. Forget "office beige." For some, a bright, cheerful hue like orange or lime green is the answer. Others need a soothing colour like botanical green or sea foam blue to function well. Learn more about how different colours may influence your mood.

A View

When you look up from your computer, place the desk so you can look at anything other than a blank wall (even if you like the colour). Natural light from a window is great, but if you don't have one, hang a beautiful painting over the desk or turn your chair to face the entrance.

Get some new stationery

New stationery is a necessity in our thoughts for simple ideas to build a beautiful home office. It not only provides colour to your workplace and refreshes it, but it's also entertaining! Typo, kikki. Our favourite sites to buy for gorgeous but cheap notebooks, pencils, and other stationery are K and Temple & Webster.

Wall art Artwork or framed prints are another method to brighten up your walls. You could also create your own wall art for less money by designing an empowering or funny phrase using a programme like Picmonkey. It may be just what you need in your workplace to stop procrastinating or break through writer's block.

Make your space feel luxurious: Consider adding a rug, wall art, or other features

We're often surprised by how few home offices we see without a rug. This one object has the power to completely alter your workplace by anchoring the space and providing softness.

Decorative wall

Consider painting or adding wallpaper to a feature wall or all four walls of your workplace if you want to create a lasting change.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post, where we will go over how to create an awesome functional feature wall!

We will continue to post more tips and tricks to making working from home as comfortable and convenient as possible.

If selling your home, moving, or searching for another property within the city is not an option but your lifestyle demands change, we will continue to help you stay up to date on new work from home trends. If you are interested in exploring options with regard to finding a new home or a new space, reach out to us and we will reveal some really interesting property opportunities for the WFH lifestyle many other Realtors don't consider. Many current homes for sale in Calgary have great examples of work from home setups and taking some time to browse listings might be very useful for inspiration.

We just survived one of Calgary's worst summers for smoke and poor air quality. How do we prepare our homes for next year?

Last week we considered some quick ideas to improve your quality of life during the smoky season, but today it’s time to talk about more options you can take as we prepare our homes for similar conditions in the foreseeable future.

When wildfires raged throughout British Columbia, individuals in the path of the flames were showered with powdery debris, and even those living kilometres away were inhaling air contaminated with hazardous chemicals and tiny particles from burned building materials and plants.

Here's what else you can do to seal your house against smoke, remove odours from indoor air and furniture, and rapidly make your yard more fire resistant. The landscape of Canada's housing market will be altered by wildfires: According to real estate brokers, the quantity of available properties has been cut by thousands. We were fortunate this summer in Alberta not to have too much wildfire close to urban centers, but other provinces weren’t so lucky.

Home Weatherization - Reduce the amount of air that enters your home.

Weatherization of houses is recommended by the federal government in order to minimise the amount of energy used for heating and cooling. While weatherization is taking place, actions should also be made to reduce pollutants from within the home. 

Furthermore, homeowners should be on the lookout for symptoms of poor ventilation, such as stuffy air, moisture condensation on cold surfaces, or mould and mildew growth. Additional weatherization measures should not be implemented until these issues have been resolved.

Installing storm windows, weather stripping, caulking, and blown-in wall insulation, on the other hand, can limit the quantity of external air penetrating a home.

It’s the end of August, and Calgary HVAC Companies are Finally Available for Booking. Is your Home due for Maintenance?

Check your heating filters on a daily basis. Because of the volume of wildfire smoke, you will need to change or clean them more frequently. Consumer Reports discovered that once a filter is full, it no longer catches particles. To ensure that particles are collected, make sure you have the correct size filter.

If you have a fresh air system, turn it off until the smoke has cleared since it will bring in unclean air from outside. Turn it back on once the smoke has cleared.

Prepare backup filters. Only HEPA filters, which push air through a tiny mesh and capture particles in central heating, ventilation, cooling, and air systems, are recommended by health professionals and others. Set the fan to ‘on’ rather than ‘auto’ if you have a central HVAC system to ensure the fan is always circulating and filtering air. HVAC systems do not bring in air from the outside.

An Air Purifier is a good idea, but it’s important to choose something that fits the space.

Consider the square footage of the space you wish to cleanse when selecting the correct size air purifier for your needs.

If you have allergies or asthma and are searching for an air purifier to assist control your symptoms, you should also examine the air change per hour (ACH) rate of the air purifier. The number of times an air purifier can filter the whole volume of air in the treatment space each hour is referred to as ACH.

For allergy and asthma patients, air purifiers that can clean the air in an area at least four times per hour are ideal. A pace of four air changes per hour guarantees that the air purifier completely cleans the air and filters out as many tiny symptom-triggering allergens as possible, allowing you to breathe easily.

Size Recommendations

Small: These air purifiers are intended for personal use or rooms of up to 300 square feet.

Medium: Look for an air purifier for rooms ranging from 300 to 700 square feet.

Large: Units specified for up to and over 2000 square feet are often inbuilt or part of an AC unit.

For heavily populated areas or a bedroom for someone with asthma, we recommend purchasing a portable air cleaner with a clean air delivery rate (CADR) greater than 300 cubic feet per minute.

If the air in your room is stagnant, you risk just cleaning the air in a limited part of the space near your purifier. A purifier with an integrated air projection system that pushes clean air into all corners of the room while cycling bad air back into the machine for purification is the ideal setup.

At the moment, the turbulent real estate market may be levelling out, particularly for first-time buyers and those looking for a starter home.

What’s going on with Canada’ oil prices, and some key events abroad; the Taliban’s impact on Afghanistan’s economy could cause ripples felt throughout most of the world.

At the moment, inventory remains low countrywide, down 33.5 percent in July compared to the previous year. However, the reduction is less than the 43.1 percent loss in June, new listings are up 6.5 percent countrywide compared to the same month last year, and the inventory coming on the market might be good news for buyers seeking for a low-cost home: According to the data, smaller residences are gradually obtaining a bigger part of the inventory.

One of the most important things to remember is that when oil prices rise in tandem with other commodities, the Calgary real estate market benefits. Calgary's real estate prices have just recently began to climb, lagging behind national price rises. When oil prices are low, the area has historically underperformed. According to the economist, home prices are anticipated to climb now that crude is at an all-time high, at least on a relative basis.

In July 2021, the percentage of properties for sale between 750 and 1,750 square feet increased to 36.3 percent. Inventory of houses between 3,000 and 6,000 square feet fell to 20.1 percent in 2020, down from 24.2 percent the previous year. In general, this is a positive experience.

The Taliban, Afghanistan, and the impact of crude oil prices on our market

Calgary real estate values have historically risen and decreased in lockstep with oil prices, which makes sense. Despite its size, the oil industry is one of the region's most important economic drivers. Home values surged during the 2010 oil price boom, as well as the one in the early 1980s. Oil prices are increasing again, but Calgary house values are trailing behind the rest of the country, and the fate of housing prices in the medium term may be significantly influenced by one key issue.

In May, Calgary's MLS house price index (HPI) rose by 11% year on year. It's a lot of growth in a normal period, but not so much in a boom. National housing prices increased by 23% during the same time period. Despite the recent increase in oil prices, Calgary's prices have yet to climb. The situation in Afghanistan, on the other hand, has the potential to create or break current investor trends.

According to experts, Afghanistan's political instability may have an influence on global crude oil prices. Iran, along with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, is a major oil producer on the global scale. According to energy researcher Narendra Taneja, oil prices might rise if the Taliban reverts to its previous tactics and provides safe havens for Islamic extremists from the hydrocarbon-rich Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia.

According to Barrons, a Dow Jones & Company publication, tensions in the "Middle East have the potential to boost prices." JP Morgan earlier forecasted that rising demand and constrained supply would drive oil prices to $80 per barrel. Increases in global petroleum prices have a direct influence on India's economy, particularly given that the country imports more than 80% of its total oil needs.

Despite a possible price comeback, there is less competition and cheaper prices.

Whatever happens with oil prices in the next weeks, the market has seen some other short-term shifts. For the first time since 2018, people are no longer citing bidding wars as the primary reason they were unable to obtain the property they desired. Homes are staying on the market for somewhat longer — 16 days on average — than they were a few months ago. This week, the National Association of Home Builders issued its annual Housing Trends Report.

Sellers have also begun to lower their prices, with the number of listings that saw price reductions in July climbing to 4.7 percent, the largest percentage since 2019. Mortgage applications fell 1.7 percent week on week in the week ending July 30, reaching their lowest level since May 2020.

Gasoline and fuel prices in the United States have already reached all-time highs. Meanwhile, India has sought to diversify its oil-importing markets in order to lessen its reliance on a few exporting nations. For example, the United States and Nigeria have become as important oil suppliers to India. Now is a good moment to pay attention to global happenings before making any long-term investment plans, and we believe that the upcoming swings in oil prices will be one of the most powerful driving forces in the next weeks.

This year's fire season, which began early owing to record-breaking heat and a widespread drought, is predicted to be harsh, endangering agriculture, woods, and grasslands across North America. We have friends and family who have drive through these regions first hand and it’s quite concerning to hear about the scale of these events.

Although wildfire smoke is not as detrimental to human health as air pollution generated by traffic and industry, it is nonetheless hazardous.

Smoke from wildfires is a complicated mixture of tiny particulate matter (PM 2.5) and gases including volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide. The composition of the mixture is determined by a number of factors, including the burning fuels, combustion temperature, weather, and distance from the fire.

Larger fires can drive plumes into the free troposphere, which is above the ground-level layer of air, where removal pathways are restricted and upper-level winds are stronger. This is how they can cover such large distances.

The notorious Lytton Creek fire in B.C. has burned through 843 square kilometres and was classified as out of control by the B.C. Wildfire Service as of Thursday afternoon.

And reopening of the Coquihalla Highway south of Merritt on Tuesday, after a closure due to the July Mountain and Brooks Creek fires burning on either side of the road, has eased some evacuation concerns in the community, said Ken Gillis, chairman of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District.

Where is the Wildfire Prone Real Estate in Canada?

In the provence of BC we have heard of many people who had no idea they had moved to a fire-prone areas without warning from the government, real estate agents, or sellers. Over 60 million homes were within a mile of a wildfire between 1992 and 2015. As climate change increases the risk of bigger, more frequent wildfires in the American West, these statistics are only projected to climb.

This is the New Normal for our Home: Here’s 5 ways to enjoy summer, as we learn to live with this seemingly endless wildfire smoke:

1. Evaluate your health, and act accordingly.

News outlets and other professionals have advised that people with asthma, COPD, heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses, as well as those with acute infections like COVID-19, are more likely to be affected by the smoke. Pregnant women, infants, the elderly, and those who work or live outside are the most susceptible to risk factors. If you are concerned about smoke inhalation please check in with your doctor.

It is also advised to limit exposure: a typical adult breaths around six litres of air per minute while they are at rest, but this may easily rise to 60 litres during vigorous activity.

2. Find a good place to hang out

Large air filtration systems and generally high interior air quality are common in public locations like libraries, community centres, and retail malls. Unfortunately, during the COVID-19 epidemic, access to some of these locations may be limited, therefore creating a pleasant atmosphere at home is more vital than before.

3. Make sure you get enough water

Staying hydrated aids in the removal of toxins by the kidneys and liver, which can assist to decrease any systemic inflammation induced by wildfire smoke inhalation.

4. Pay attention to smoke forecasts for wildfires.

Forecasting wildfire smoke patterns is even more difficult than forecasting weather, yet models are improving over time. Websites like FireWork in Canada and BlueSky in the United States provide smoke forecasts for the next 48 hours.

5. Get ready for the upcoming season immediately.

According to climate scientists, wildfire seasons are becoming longer and more severe as the climate changes. The greatest method to avoid being affected by smoke is to plan and prepare ahead of time. In western North America, there is a growing understanding that humans must learn to live with wildfire and smoke.

In-Built HEPA filters are becoming more and more common in homes. Adding one to your property before selling is a great inexpensive investment that might catch viewer’s attention.

Recently Zillow has surged in popularity in Canada, is it worth using to price your home?

One of the most prominent real estate databases on the internet is Zillow. Based in Seattle and founded in 2006 by former Microsoft executives Rich Barton and Lloyd Frink, Zillow provides information on millions of houses for sale and rent around the United States and Canada. Users can search for a property in a specific location based on a variety of criteria, including prices, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, square footage, the type of home, and other features. 

Zestimates, a popular consumer tool for determining the value of a house, is one of Zillow's core features. These projections are based on data from sources such as comparable sales and publicly available statistics. Zestimates, which was launched in 2011 with data on 90 million households, has since grown to include data on more than 100 million homes across the United States.

In addition to collecting user-submitted data, Zillow addresses inaccuracy issues by providing estimated value ranges for specific properties. Because Zillow has more data on that property, the smaller the range, the more credible the Zestimate is. You can get a better idea of what a house is worth by looking at the high and low end of the spectrum.

Zillow isn't trying to hide the flaws in its Zestimates from customers, and you shouldn't expect totally accurate estimates from other sites either. The goal is for homeowners to utilise Zestimates pricing as a general reference and compare them to other sources. It should in no way be seen as an assessment.

It cannot take into account fluctuations in a number of parameters - changes that differ greatly from any kind of 'average' price. Can the estimates for this information be improved? We certainly do not deal with Zillow as it is supposed to work on paper, but we deal with Zillow as it exists now. In Calgary's real estate market, we are seeing a lot of neighborhoods see infills, new infrastrucutre, new schools, roads, and other changes, that can throw off these algorithms.

You cannot afford to pay tens of thousands of dollars in your pricing or bids when it comes to purchasing or selling.

The easiest way to understand its value is to carry out a comparable market analysis from a local real estate agent and a professional evaluation.

Too often, sellers ruin their home sales by making mistakes that can be readily avoided.

When pricing property, real estate agents are using what is called a comparative market analysis which estimates value by comparing the property with similar properties recently sold. Although you can try to assess the fair worth of your home using this method, without an agent's experience and resources it will be much more difficult. If a seller price a house, it can be counteracted by a number of days on the market. Why didn't the house sell, buyers will ponder.

What is the cost to sellers for these expired or botched listings? The financial loss typically goes beyond the extra mortgage payments required to keep the house impeccable during displays. This affects the value that a buyer finally pays for a list that is too expensive for a house that is too long. Do not allow it happen to you.

When it comes time to sell your home, there are a number of low-cost ways to increase the visual appeal of your home and make it stand out above the other listings in Calgary.

Choosing to sell or buy a property is a huge choice in and of itself, but when it comes to selling and staying competitive among other listings, you should consider how you may improve the beauty of your home.

I spent some time consulting with other Remax Calgary agents, and we came up with a list of fast modifications that we all think will assist Canadian residents boost the appeal of their listings.

Multimedia material such as video and 3d tours are increasingly being prioritized in MLS listings. Calgary is a very modern and stylish city, so if you're worried about how your home will stand out among other listings, we've got some terrific suggestions.

Even in the midst of the pandemic, we're seeing higher-than-ever numbers of new MLS listings in the Calgary area, and we've seen many incidents of fast upgrades boosting a home's asking price by more than a few percent.

Dress up your front entrance.

A welcome environment is always created by a good front entrance. Your home's first impression is created by its door. Hang planters or place pots; a thoughtful selection of artificial plants can aid those of us who don't have a green thumb or are concerned about how they will fare at the end of the season. Decorating the front of your home is less expensive and offers your home a more appealing appearance. Wreaths and other seasonal flourishes can also help, but make sure they're suited for the season given Calgary's fickle environment.

Replacement knobs and handles, as well as a fresh coat of paint on the door surrounds, may be required in older character homes. In terms of hardware, contrasting old with modern produces a lively, sophisticated design.

Refresh your House Number

When was the last time you took a close look at the look of your house number? Number plates on your door that appear to be older might detract from a home's first image, especially if they are cracked, chipped, or faded. There are numerous options for personalising your house number plates. Take a trip around some of Calgary's hippest districts, such as Marda Loop, Garrison Woods, or South Calgary, to see some very unique house numbers.

You don't have to spend a lot of money to make these things stand out, and places like Ikea and Amazon sell inexpensive outdoor LED solutions and decorations.

Check up on your windows

Spend some time looking through some of Calgary's MLS listings in a comparable price range and neighbourhood to see where your eye is directed naturally; brilliant lighting and large architecturally attractive windows are huge focal points in a property.

Depending on the condition of your windows, you may choose to deliberately replace one or two windows in your house to provide a crucial spot on the interior an airier, refreshed, and ventilated sensation, but don't forget about the basics.

Make sure your windows are clean, check at some of the budget-friendly drapery choices available at stores like Ikea or Structube, and consider using flowers to decorate focal windows.

What about lighting?

To fully transform the vibe of a space, you don't always need to completely overhaul your home's lighting. Consider which rooms can benefit from some high-efficiency LED bulbs, and keep in mind the colour temperature and brightness that these fixtures demand.

Adding one or two bright character lights to the main living area can be a cost-effective approach to revitalise a space. There are also inexpensive lighting accents available, such as battery-powered LED strips that may be quickly put beneath your kitchen cupboards and instantly elevate and expand any kitchen.

Calgary is reopening and it’s time for gatherings! Request an honest critique on your home's décor from friends and family.

While your realtor may have some fast suggestions for improving the appearance of a place (paint touchups and plants are always helpful! ), we recommend collecting some feedback from your friends and family.

If we plan to list in the near or distant future, our preferred method is to set a budget for a few quick renovations or touch-ups, as well as to identify some priorities and address them accordingly. Calgary’s home buyers will notice and appreciate this extra effort!

Patrick Hospes and his team would be delighted to walk you around your home and advise you on what a potential buyer might like to see (or not see!) Many of these adjustments are simpler than you might believe; contact us right away!

There are many different types of weeds that can spoil a lush, green lawn: dandelions, quack grass, white clover, crabgrass, wood sorrel, bindweed, broad-leaf plantain, cinquefoil and creeping charley to name a few. But regardless of which types of weeds you may encounter, getting rid of them can be challenging, and now more than ever, it’s time to find a hands-on, chemical free, sustainable approach to lawn care.

The traditional way to eradicate weeds is to use a two-prong approach of applying fertilizer and herbicide at different times of the year. A regular application of fertilizer produces strong, healthy grass plants that have a better chance of fighting off weeds. And herbicides have been proven to be effective at killing existing weeds and deterring the growth of new weeds.

Don’t discount the efficacy of getting down on your hands and knees and using weeding tool to dig up weeds, especially before they go to seed. And it’s best to hand-pull weeds when they’re still young and their roots haven’t had a chance to grow down deep into the soil. Yanking out older, more established weeds requires digging out the entire root system. Otherwise, they’ll just grow back.

Before treating or amending a lawn, it’s always best to start by testing the condition of the soil. Do-it-yourself soil test kits are sold at garden shops, home centers and hardware stores. For more comprehensive testing, contact your County Cooperative Extension office.

If the test reveals that your soil is slightly acidic, raise the pH level by adding pulverized lime. To lower the pH of moderately alkaline soils, add organic material, such as peat moss. For soil with extremely high pH, amend it with sulfur or iron sulfate.

It’s difficult to give specific lawn-care recommendations because so much depends upon the type of grass you have and in which region of the country you live. However, here’s an annual maintenance schedule that’s appropriate for most parts of the country. Follow this advice and you’ll end up with a greener lawn and many fewer weeds.

March-April

If crabgrass is present, use a walk-behind drop spreader to apply an organic pre-emergence crabgrass preventative agent. However, don’t apply it until the grass is green and has been mowed at least twice. This is also a good time to apply lawn fertilizer.

If you find clumps of crabgrass, that’s an indication of where the crabgrass seeds have settled. Treat these clumps with a post-emergence crab grass agent, applied two or three times over a seven-day stretch. Note that post-emergence agents are most effective in the spring, not in late-summer or fall when the seed heads have already formed.

May-June

Apply a sustainable, organic lawn fertilizer in mid-summer, if you didn’t do so in the spring. Treat dandelions and other broadleaf weeds, such as plantain and chickweed, with a dual-function “weed and feed” herbicide or broad-leaf weed killer.

You can also spot-kill individual weeds and weed clumps by using a pump-up sprayer to spray herbicide directly onto the weeds. For optimum results, apply the herbicide when the air temperature is between 65 and 85ºF, and there’s no rain in the forecast for 24 to 48 hours. And note that many broad-leaf weed killers come in concentrated formulas, which you can mix to the proper proportions; concentrates are also much less expensive than pre-mixed, ready-to-use products.

July-August

Inspect lawn for insect pests. If necessary, apply a grub-control agent.

September-October

Apply a fall fertilizer to strengthen the lawn and repair summer damage. Grass leaves grow much more slowly as the weather cools, but the grass roots and rhizomes continue to grow strong. (Rhizomes are the horizontal plant stems that lie just beneath the soil’s surface.)

Treat bare spots with an all-in-one Lawn Repair Mixture that contains grass seed, mulch, and a quick-start fertilizer.

Spread a layer of bark mulch over areas where grass doesn’t grow, but weeds do, such as around shrubs and beneath trees.

Going the sustainable route doesn’t mean you have to give up on a healthy lawn, and it certainly doesn’t mean that you must give up the rest of your life tending for your lawn.

Take care to use any chemical or even organic compound sparingly. In Calgary, it’s generally possible to go a few years between any serious lawn maintenance. Your lawn can go 2-3 years without aeration, chemicals or other compounds.

Researching the type of grass that does well in our climate, (Kentucky Bluegrass, Poa pratensis are the choice of pros in Calgary) is a key element to sustainability in landscaping and yard care. The right choice of grass means less chemicals, maintenance and re-sodding.

Setting your mower to a higher length also helps encourage growth, maintain thatch levels and strengthen the overall health of your lawn.

Know how much to water! You might remember a decade or so ago the city ran a campaign saying that you only need to fill the hollow side of a frisbee with water (So about 1.5-2cm of water) to adequately water your lawn, and now more than ever we must do our part to ensure that we are only using the water we need to keep our lawns healthy.

Looking for other budget friendly or sustainable options to prep your home for a future listing? Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/wowcalgary.ca