This year, Avenue Magazine's Best Neighbourhood title went to Arbour Lake. This community is one we work in, and have nothing but good things to say about!

Arbour Lake is Northwest Calgary's only lake community, featuring a trout stocked, 10 acre lake, mountain views, and plenty of parks and pathways. Located in the community is a state of the art YMCA, a brand new library, shopping centres and a community centre as well. 

The lake brings people together for fishing derbies, stand-up paddleboard races and bouncing on the water trampoline. Groceries are available at Amaranth Whole Foods Market and Co-op in Crowfoot Crossing. There are nearby spas and yoga studios, vet clinics and pet daycares, restaurants and pubs, movie theatres and a YMCA, as well…

2684 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

When crisis hits, we'll take help from just about anywhere. But in the wake of the recent floods in our city, City of Calgary officials are urging Calgarians to take caution when hiring tradespeople to help rebuild homes. Reports of several unaccredited tradespeople doing work on destroyed homes, has already been reported. Be sure what to look for, or more damage could be done.

• Check references
• Ensure the contractor has liability insurance
• Ensure the contractor has Workers' Compensation
• Check if they have a warranty
• Get everything written in a contract to protect yourself

Some other tips to protect yourself:

• Don't accept door-to-door deals from contractors
• Check if they are RenoMark or BBB certified

1468 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

It's that time of year when your backyard becomes another living space. A lot of people will be building decks this summer, and if you're one of them, here are some helpful tips we came across to help you pick the right materials for the job

CHOOSING THE WOOD

Cedar resists moisture, rot and insect infestations.

Douglas fir is very strong, and handles to power tools well. It is also decay, mold and insect repellant.

Redwood is easy to work with, naturally decay-resistant and should avoid warping and splitting.

Exotic wood choices are the most durable but also more expensive. Most exotic options are environmentally-friendly as well.

CHOOSING THE FINISH

Clear water sealer  is a transparent finish that provides dampness protection for the wood…

1618 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

We're lucky in Calgary, that most communities in our city have community associations. Knowing about your community association and where it is located, can offer you a ton of opportunity to get involved in the neighbourhood you live.

What is a community association?

Community associations are neighbourhood-based volunteer organizations providing support, and opportunities in recreation, education and social life. In Calgary, nearly 100 community associations even operate facilities and/or halls.

The Federation of Calgary Communities is a great resource on community associations in our city. According to their website:

Collectively, the community association network is the largest collective volunteer movement in Calgary with more than 20,000…

1795 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

The weather is the big story in Calgary this week, with heavy rainfall warnings causing flood risks to be on a lot of Calgarians' minds. An estimated 100mm of rain is expected by the end of the weekend.

City officials are urging everyone to take precautions and flood-proof their homes as best as possible to prevent water damage at home. Here are some tips:

• Ensure your eavestroughs are clear, and downspouts are facing away from your home.
• Ensure sump pumps are in proper working order.
• Remove any valuable items from your basement.
• Check drains on your street to ensure they are working properly, if not, call 3-1-1 to report.

The City is also advising Calgarians to be safe around our waterways:

• Stay off the Bow and Elbow Rivers, and stay away…

1750 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Calgarians found out yesterday that nine schools would be built, which puts a lot of ease on certain strained communities. The following communities will have new schools by 2016:

Martindale
High school (CBE)
Elementary school (Francophone)

Royal Oak
Middle school (CBE)

Saddle Ridge
Middle school (CBE)

Evanston
Kindergarten - 4 (CBE)
Kindergarten - 9 (Calgary Catholic)

Auburn Bay
Kindergarten - 9 (Calgary Catholic)

New Brighton
Kindergarten - 4 (CBE)

Copperfield
Kindergarten - 4 (CBE)

This is great news for families living in these communities, or those who plan to move there. New schools will certainly help with transportation concerns and will help with property value.

2010 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

In an annual survey by MoneySense Magazine, Calgary was named the best city to live in Canada. Great news for our city, and most Calgarians would agree with the top ranking. But why is it the best city to live in?

"In releasing its results of 200 Canadian cities on Wednesday, the magazine said “high incomes and an abundance of jobs fuelled by the boom in the energy sector are among the reasons it jumped from No. 14 last year to No. 1 this year.” - from the Calgary Herald. Read full story here.

Here's how Calgary did in all the categories of the survey:

• Bike to work % = 1.18
• Days with rain/year = 67.5
• Days above 0 degrees = 169.3
• Population growth '11 - '12 = 6.56%
• Jobless % = 4.02
• Average house price = $394,550
• Average household income =…

1962 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

In last week's blog we discussed the importance of maintaining your home, and why you need to ensure your home is in good repair. Not only is a well-kept home good for your living situation, but also the value of your home.

When your looking into home maintenance and things to look for in that area, you may come across some words you're not familiar with. Here's a glossary of some terms to familiarize yourself with.

Air sealing - weather stripping (such as caulking) applied to seal off cracks or spaces in doors or windows, to reduce air leakage and heat loss.

Condensation - transformation of vapour of air into water on cold surfaces.

Downspout - a pipe carrying water from the eavestrough to the ground.

Eavestrough (gutter) - an eave that…

1885 Views, 1 Comments

Read Full Post

Your home represents a big investment, and also the place you spend a lot of your time. So keeping your home in good repair is not just important for your peace of mind, but also safety and value of your home. There are three main things to keep in mind when caring for your home:

Safety

• Fire: faulty heating and electrical can be a fire hazard in your home
• Structural: damaged foundation or rotting floors, etc
• Indoor air quality: moisture trouble, or fuel-burning appliances which can cause carbon monoxide. Both issues can cause serious health problems, or even death.
• Occupational: loose railings, stairs, etc.

Preventing/Fixing Wear and Tear

• Leaky faucets, upgrades to floors and walls, etc.
• Broken fixtures, chipped paint, etc.

…

1777 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Should you buy a brand new home that you can customize, or choose a resale one that's move-in ready? Both options present advantages, and there is no right answer, it's totally up to the buyer. We've outlined a couple benefits of each:

Buying New

• Personalized home: with new homes you can choose the colours, fixtures and upgrades such as lighting and flooring
• New homes are built up to current building codes and standards
• Lower maintenance costs: newer homes tend to have lower maintenance costs as all of the materials are brand new
• Builder warranties: the majority of home builders offer warranties for new homes

Buying Resale

• Easy access: Northwest Calgary homes for sale in established neighbourhoods are in close proximity to services,…

2140 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post