Like many Calgarians, I’ve been surprised by the number of for sale signs that keep popping up in our inner city neighbourhoods. It seems there are more and more homes for sale and fewer and fewer people buying.

In fact, I’ve been fielding several calls recently from clients facing difficult decisions – wondering if they should risk a move or stay put in their worn out or too small home.

The other day I took my company truck into the shop to get its regular maintenance and servicing done. We have a comprehensive company vehicle servicing procedure, follow recommended guidelines by the book, so I was expecting to roll in and out without blinking.

You can imagine my surprise when the service agent advised my truck required a costly front-end suspension repair. The polite and respectful agent walked me through my disbelief and by the time he was done, I was starting to see the value of what he was saying and the need for the repair. When the mechanic showed me the problem while my truck was on the hoist, I got it. Despite my wishes to the contrary, keeping my truck on the road required parting with some hard earned dollars.  

In an effort to avoid the mistakes of others, I’m often asked by my customers the number one error couples make when renovating their homes. While it’s difficult to pick just one, I think one of the toughest things to steer our clients away from is their wish to renovate for their new babies – those small bundles we love, want to spoil, and hope will stay wee forever.

These are interesting times in Calgary’s residential real estate market. Rising interest rates, a large inventory of pre-owned homes for sale, and a slowly recovering economy have all had an impact on housing and the decision as to whether one should build a new home or buy an existing home and renovate it to your taste.

It’s been a long winter here in Alberta, and we’re getting antsy to open the windows and let the fresh air in. I can tell by the calls I’m fielding about decks, patios, cottages, and outdoor rooms.

So, today I want to tell you the two key secrets I share with clients when they tell me they want to create an outdoor oasis for the summer months:

While a bathroom is a space for multiple day-to-day activities, it can also be a place for luxuriating relaxation. Whether the changes are big or small, transforming a bathroom into your perfect space can be daunting. Here are some of our tips when considering a bathroom renovation.