Edmonton Real Estate Blog

Our beloved Edmonton Home Inspector, Dave Watson, have once again published the much awaited Home Maintenance Tip for the month of December. Like always, the knowledge that Dave shares with us is like gold. It’s valuable in helping us keep our Edmonton homes in top shape.

Whether you’re selling or buying an Edmonton home this December, following these tips will benefit your tremendously.

Remember to follow Serge on Instagram @SergeBourgoin and get a first hand view on how he’s helping Edmonton homebuyers, sellers and investors.

For a complete list of available Edmonton homes for sale, check out the new Edmonton MLS listings.

Better safe than sorry, eh?

C’mon! Winter is coming so you better get your act together and prepare your castle, errr, Edmonton home!

Here are 5 easy tips that we’d like to share with you in order to save your home.

Good luck!

Remember to follow Serge on Instagram @SergeBourgoin and get a first hand view on how he’s helping Edmonton homebuyers, sellers and investors.

For a complete list of available Edmonton homes for sale, check out the new Edmonton MLS listings.

Home improvements are one of the major money boosters in the home selling process. A few tweaks here and there could have the potential to increase the value of your Edmonton home.

Time and again, we have reminded all our clients to prioritize home maintenance and make those necessary improvements, in order to sell the home fast. Some activities are FREE while others would cost a pretty penny-nonetheless, it’s an investment.

Today, we’re going to reverse the procedure. Instead of writing about the things TO-DO, we’ve decided to show the other side, the “dark side” of home improvements. Here’s an infographic from Angie’s list showing you what’s NOT TO-DO.

Oh, by the way, remember to check out our Edmonton MLS listings to access all the newly improved homes for sale in the great city of Edmonton!

Enjoy the read? Subscribe to our blog to receive daily updates.

Fitting support of your HRV is critical to the unit’s life span, to hold vitality expenses down and above all, to keep up the indoor air quality for your loved ones.

Check out Certified Master Inspector, Dave Watson’s tips and tricks on how to properly maintain your HRV.

(click on the image to access the video)

Organizing an Edmonton home available to be purchased is basically setting up a house to be sold. There are various perspectives to organizing, yet there is a straightforward establishment to every last bit of it.

Procuring an expert stager is justified regardless of the venture on the grounds that they address all parts of arranging. Be that as it may imagine a scenario in which you have no arranging plan.

There are a few steps you can take to stage your Edmonton home available to be purchased — and a hefty portion of them don’t cost a dime. Here are five free things you can do to set up your Edmonton home to offer.

Clean!

The most obvious thing individuals consider while in a house is whether they trust it is clean. A home that is totally flawless shows too looked after.

Clean all windows all around. Clean all entryway edges, light installations, roof fans and blinds. Don’t leave a solitary spot in your home untouched. Potential purchasers look all over, so verify the whole home is clean.

Depersonalize the house

Pack up pretty much all individual photographs and family mementos. On the off chance that you have an extraordinary photograph of your family getting a charge out of an outdoors excursion or other family movement, you can forget it on presentation if your house is being showcased to families. This one family photograph plants a seed of satisfaction in a purchaser’s psyche, making them think how content their own family could be existing in the home.

All different photographs, representations and mementos must be pressed away out of perspective — and in a perfect world, put away outside the home. All in all, family photographs and souvenirs attract a purchaser’s consideration regarding your family and keep them from seeing your home as their potential home.

You’re not offering the family, you’re offering the house — so dependably let that be the inside of consideration.

Pack — and pack some more

You could most likely live agreeably for a brief time with about a large portion of the things you possess, particularly on the off chance that you have existed in your home for more than a couple of years. We every one of the have a tendency to gather things. Whether we utilize them or not doesn’t make a difference, however what does make a difference is showcasing the space your home brings to the table potential purchasers. You can’t showcase rooms that are loaded with stuff — particularly a lot of furniture.

Pack up as much as you can live without, then store it offsite if conceivable. Store pressed boxes and additional furniture conveniently far from living spaces regardless. On the off chance that you need to store things in the carport, make certain you leave enough space for an auto.

Beauty treatment on outside spaces

Open air living is currently a piece of regular life for the greater part of us. Potential purchasers will totally consider the open air spaces as discriminatingly as they do indoor spaces. In the event that you don’t have the financial backing to rouse the scene with blossoms and enhancing things, you can in any case verify the yard is splendidly manicured.

Keep your yard watered, and slice grass to more or less 3 inches high. Any shorter detracts from the new green look, and any more begins to look unkempt.

Foliage ought to be extremely slick and appropriately molded to match your neighborhood. Trim the trees so that a 6-foot-tall individual can without much of a stretch pass under them. This makes the trees show up taller, and gives the yard a clean, clean look.

Force wash the walkway, yard, deck, garage and wall. You will be astonished what a distinction this will make in the look of your home.

Lighten up

At the point when indicating or shooting your home for potential purchasers, open each visually impaired and blind in your home, and turn on every light. Indeed the lights over the stove and inside the broiler ought to be on. (Keep in mind, the apparatuses are flawless — they have to be flaunted!)

Purchasers are searching for “light and splendid,” not “dull and troubling,” so provide for them light. Help them perceive how clean and decently administered to your house is. Don’t be hesitant to move a light to light up a space on the off chance that you have to. May there be light — and parts and heaps of it.

It can be a considerable measure of work getting your home prepared to offer. Indeed with no arranging plan, you can in any case take the time to roll out a couple of improvements that will have a significant effect on your Edmonton home for sale.

To find out what the latest trend is in Edmonton home staging, check out our new and improved Edmonton MLS listings.

Inspecting your home on a regular basis and following good maintenance practices is the best way to protect the investment you have in your home. Spring is here, and an important season regarding home maintenance. We may get more spring storms but I can promise eventually all the snow will melt.  So here you go, some tips to maintain your home through the spring prepare your home for summer.

• Check your eaves troughs and downspouts for loose joints and secure attachment to your home, clear any obstructions and ensure water is flowing away from your foundation.
• Check your sump pump. It will work very hard during the spring thaw. Is it operating properly? Clear any obstructions from the discharge pipe and make sure it allows water to drain away from the foundation.
• Examine your foundation wall for signs of cracks, leaks or moisture and repair as necessary.
• Assess all painted wood surfaces (window and door frames, wood siding, accent trim, decks and fences) make a plan to paint surfaces as required in the summer when the temperature is warmer during the over night period.
• Inspect all railings and stairs for safety.
• Using binoculars inspect the roof for missing or curled shingles, damaged air vents and anything that seems unusual, consult a roofer if you observe damage.
• Check all the places air enters or exhausts from the home. Are the grates clean, do the exhaust vents have functioning flappers. Check the dryer vent for lint. Vacuum all your bathroom exhaust fan grates and since you have the vacuum out do the same for your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.
• Test your smoke detectors with smoke (light a candle and blow it out close to your smoke detector)
• In mid April it is time to clean your humidifiers and put them away for the season.  If your humidifier is attached to the furnace shut it off for the summer. If you use a de-humidifier in the summer, clean it, set it up and test it.
• Clean or replace your furnace filter.
• If your house is equipped with air conditioning, uncover the compressor unit, inspect the insulation on the lines and clean debris from the condenser. Check the breaker and turn it on, consider having your air conditioner serviced (recommended every 2-3 years). Do not test the unit until the outside temperature exceeds 15 degrees Celsius.
• Have fireplace and wood stove chimney’s cleaned, I also recommend a WETT inspection.
• Turn off pilot lights on anything you may not use for the summer, like a garage furnace.
• Check all your window screens and hardware. Replace storm window with screens if you have an older home, clean all the window tracks for smooth operation this summer.
• Open your outside hose bib once all danger of frost is gone, inspect it for leaks.
• Maintain your landscape. Check for any grading issues and correct as needed. Cut back tree branches that are close to or overhanging the house and overhead electric service.
• Finally get the BBQ cleaned up, BBQ season is just around the corner!

In a good year the winter in Edmonton lasts until mid-June so technically the season of Spring has a unicorn status as far as Edmontonians are concerned. However, that doesn’t mean we avoid Spring clean-up. Once the snow melts there is a significant amount of leaf or debris build-up around the exterior of your house and a few other problems that every home owner should attend to before enjoying the sun. Read below for a list of home maintenance items to get your house ready for Spring:

Inspect your gutters. The winter can make them loose or leaky and improper drainage can result in water in the basement. Ensure that downspouts drain away from the foundation and free of any obstructions.

Examine your yard for low areas. Rain in the Spring can lead to yard flooding which can lead to foundation flooding and damage.

Check out the wood trim around windows, doors, railings and decks. Make repairs to these items before the rain does more damage to the exposed wood.

Take a look at the chimney exterior for any signs of damage. Get the flue (the duct pipe that lets out the exhaust gases from the fireplace) cleaned and inspected by a certified chimney sweep.

Inspect the hose faucets for freeze damage. A proper inspection would be turning on the water and placing your thumb over the opening, if you can stop the flow then it is extremely likely the pipe inside the home is defective and should be replaced.

Look at the concrete for signs of cracks or shifting. Every exterior slab should drain away from the foundation. Fill in the cracks with crack filler or silicone caulk.

Source: Full Scope Home Inspections Inc.

Electricity in the home is so commonplace that it’s easy to forget how dangerous it can be. According to the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, an electrical shock can knock you unconscious, cause a serious burn, or even stop your heartbeat.

Fortunately, there are some simple things you can do to reduce the risk.

• Install safety plugs in outlets that young children can reach.

• Never plug in anything with a frayed or otherwise damaged power cord.

• Never use a plugged-in computer, hair dryer, or other electrically-powered item near a filled sink or bathtub. This includes phones with power cords.

• Never touch anything electrical with wet hands or while standing in water. (Water is a remarkably efficient conductor of electricity.)

• Always turn off the appropriate breaker before doing any electrical work, such as installing a new light fixture.

• When replacing a broken light bulb, turn off the breaker first. Although the glass is broken, the filament may still be conducting electricity.

Finally, unless you’re an expert or an electrician, never do any major electrical work on your own. Hire a professional.

EDMONTON- A new mandatory warranty program designed to protect people buying new homes across the province comes into affect this weekend.

The government calls the New Home Buyer Protection Act the strongest consumer home warranty protection plan in Canada.

“This legislation will help protect the single largest purchase that most people make…a home,” said Minister of Municipal Affairs Ken Hughes.

Ninety per cent of homes built in Alberta already have new home warranty, but the new legislation will require all builders to provide more comprehensive home warranty coverage for all new homes and condominiums built in the province.

At minimum, all new homes will have the following warranty protection:

• one year labour and materials – this covers the way the home was built or the materials it was built with, such as flooring and trim;
• two years distribution systems – this covers the labour and materials related to heating, plumbing and electrical systems;
• five years building envelope protection – this covers the exterior shell of the home, including the roof and walls, and includes a requirement for the warranty provider to offer the consumer the option to purchase two additional years of building envelope coverage; and,
• ten years coverage for key structural components, including its frame and foundation.

“Reputation is very important,” said Tally Hutchinson, vice president of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, Edmonton Region. “And we will continue to build homes with best practice and we think that this initiative is very, very important for the consumer and for the industry.”

However, not everyone is convinced. Homeowner Meaghen Allen took possession of her home over four months ago and says she’s still fighting with her builder over several issues.

“The side of our house stairwells, we didn’t have an exit there. The garage, the electrical to the garage, lighting fixtures. Just the quality of work, the stairs, the paint,” she said. “And just too, they were building properties next door to us.”

Allen says going through warranty hasn’t worked, either.

“My experience with New Home Warranty is that they don’t do anything,” she explained. “I have dealt with New Home Warranty (on) three different houses, and three different houses, nothing out of it.”

However, the province maintains it will hold builders and warranty companies accountable. In order to crack down on negligent builders, fines of up to $500,000 can be handed out. The Superintendent of Insurance will also investigate consumer complaints against warranty providers.

“Our new home buyer protection office has compliance officers who will monitor compliance,” said Ivan Moore, assistant deputy minister, Public Safety Division, Municipal Affairs.

The Act will only apply to homes with a building permit applied for after Saturday, Feb. 1.

The New Home Buyer Protection Act was passed in November 2012, and was originally supposed to come into effect last fall. However, that date was pushed back to Feb. 1, 2014 to give warranty providers more time to prepare, the government said.

For more information on the Act, including access to warranty information, visit the Government of Alberta’s website.

Source: GlobalNews.ca

With winter officially beginning on December 21 and holiday festivities around the corner, there is a lot to prepare this month! For those in cold climates, it’s time to begin thinking about snow and ice removal, blocking drafts and getting cozy indoors … and we can all use a good dose of Zen as the busy holiday season gets rolling. Here are 13 home tasks to consider adding to your list this month.

1. Put up holiday decorations. If you like to decorate for the holidays, now is the time! Dig out the Christmas lights and test them early in the month, so you have ample time to replace nonworking strands. Hang exterior lights, wreaths and swags, being sure to use only exterior-rated lights, and plug them in safely to an outside outlet if possible.

2. Plan for holiday home safety. With night falling earlier this month, and many people headed out of town, it pays to be extra safety-conscious — whether or not you are going anywhere. Always lock doors and windows, set your alarm system if you use one and keep the area around your house well-lit and your bushes trimmed back.

3. Simplify your holiday. Take a moment to sit down and really consider what you love — and don’t care for — about the holiday season. No one can do it all, and trying to accomplish too much only creates stress and disappointment. Pick your top three favorite holiday activities or traditions, and commit to doing them this month. Then list your three least favorite holiday activities and vow to skip them this year.

If you are feeling pressure from friends or relatives to keep doing certain things (i.e., baking a dozen different kinds of cookies), tell them that you are simplifying your holiday this year, and are focusing on the things you love most. Then invite them to share in something you do want to do, like going ice skating or drinking hot cocoa.

4. Add layers of warmth. Drape soft throws or thick sheepskins over chairs and sofas, and roll out plush rugs on your floors. Aside from being decorative, extra layers of textiles provide a wonderful boost of warmth in winter.

5. Add weather stripping and door sweeps as needed. Feel a draft? Don’t ignore it. Apply weatherstripping to the drafty area and your house will feel warmer right away. If the problem is cold air flowing in from under a door, what you need is a door sweep. Usually made from hard plastic, a door sweep attaches to the bottom of your door, closing the gap that lets cold air in.

6. Carve out your own space to get Zen. Boost energy and relieve stress during the holiday season by creating your own private space to meditate, do yoga or simply relax. Ideally, choose a sunny corner of your home where you can get a bit of morning sun.

7. Consider a backup heat source. If you live in a cold climate with regular winter storms that sometimes knock out power, it may be beneficial to invest in a woodstove or generator — something to provide backup heat if your regular heat source is unavailable. If a woodstove is your backup, be sure to stock up on plenty of firewood. If you decide to go with a generator, enlist a pro to teach you how to set it up and use it safely — when used improperly, a generator can start a fire.

8. Update your emergency kit and store it with your camping supplies. If you already have a household emergency kit, check the expiration dates on food and medications in it, and replace as needed. If you do not yet have one, get one! You may find many of your camping supplies helpful in an emergency, so consider storing your emergency kit and camping gear in the same (easily accessible) place.

10. Keep walkways clear of snow and ice. As we get further along in December, many folks living in cold climates will get their first snow. Be prepared by stocking up on snow shovels and ice melt, and store your tools where you can easily get to them during a storm. Just be aware that certain ice melting products can be harmful to pets and plants — read the labels carefully before buying, and try to keep products off of your lawn and garden beds.

11. Check your roof for ice dams. Ice dams are areas of built-up ice that can accumulate on your roof, potentially causing leaks when they melt. If you can safely reach them, break them up now to prevent future damage.

12. Knock snow from tree branches. Large amounts of snow can cause trees to lose branches, which can be especially dangerous if a large limb is positioned near your home. Use a long-handled broom or other tool to gently knock snow from branches.

13. Thinking about remodeling next year? Use downtime this month to begin creating ideabooks and scouting for pros, and have an initial discussion about the job.

Source: Houzz.com