TIME FOR SOMETHING NEW!

Dear Readers,

My blog is changing!

Hard to believe it has been over four years since I first became involved in real estate. This was a new career change for me. I enjoyed my time helping others achieve their buying and selling goals and I got to meet some interesting people along the way.

I loved real estate and created this blog specifically for real estate and tried to provide as much interesting information as I could to help home owners, renters and just about anyone interested in real estate make informed buying and selling decisions. 

Unfortunately, the economy here in Alberta changed and with it, the real estate market. It became evident that it was no longer economically feasible for me to be involved in this industry.

Too much money, too much time and too little income made it seem that now, the time had come for me to move on. So, I decided to venture into something new. What that new is, I am not sure yet. But one certainty is that my blog will continue.

I will still write interesting articles from time to time, however, you will find that now, I will be spending more time writing about myself, my home, Alberta and the places I visit during my travels. Whether it is a simple day trip or a annual vacation, I will blog about my adventures and you will find those stories here, on this site.

Oh sure, from time to time I will continue to provide some real estate related information but just not as much as I previously had.

By changing the way I write my blog, I hope to introduce many of you to the many interesting places I visit and hope that you too, will one day visit Alberta. Who knows? Maybe our paths will cross and we'll meet! In the meantime, I hope you continue to follow my blog and share in my adventures. 

In any case, it is fitting to say thank you to everyone who followed me and continues to follow me and I hope you will enjoy the new look of my blog and the new content I post. As always, your comments, suggestions and questions are welcomed and appreciated.

Take care and best wishes,

Valerie McConville

LOVE YOUR SPOUSE & YOUR HOUSE!

She adores the kitchen; he hates the back yard. Or he loves the proximity to work but she thinks they need an extra bedroom. Agreeing on a house can potentially be a relationship test for some couples.

Compromising, keeping a level head, and being objective are key for house-hunting couples. If you and your spouse find yourself searching for a house in a tight sellers" market, then agreeing on a house will likely be even tougher than under normal conditions.

Some things to keep in mind to help you evaluate each house you and your spouse are considering:

The neighborhood. Remember that you"re not just buying a house, but you"re deciding on a neighborhood and a way of life. If you have kids and being close to a neighborhood school and park is important, you"ll want to consider that. How close are shopping, restaurants, churches, and other services? Are the streets maintained? Are homes maintained well? How long will your commute to work be?

The house compared to others in the neighborhood. It might be enticing to have the biggest house on the block, but real estate experts say it"s best to have a smaller or mid-sized house (compared to others in the neighborhood). The value of the biggest houses will be bogged down by the lowered value of the smaller ones.

The layout of the house. Before you start looking at houses, determine how many bedrooms and special spaces -- home office, playroom, hobby room, etc. -- you need. If the houses at which you are looking don"t meet these physical needs, they should be eliminated from consideration, even if you fall in love with the kitchen.

The potential. If you or your spouse is put off by the blue carpet, purple walls or vinyl flooring in the kitchen, think about how you can eventually improve and change with new flooring and paint. Look at the major structural elements and layout of the house. Always keep in mind that cosmetic aspects can be changed.

Your budget. The amount you plan on spending on down payment, closing costs and your monthly mortgage should be determined before you start looking at houses. Once those figures are established, your real estate agent will be able to help you determine the price range of houses you should be looking at. If you or your partner eyes a house outside the budget, you should discount it unless you both agree you can afford more than you originally agreed.

TOP GIFTS WOMEN LIKE TO RECEIVE FOR VALENTINE'S DAY

Flowers -

Beautiful... Simple... Classic... and a great way to display your love on their work desk.

Chocolate -

Says "You’re sweet. I like you." For a deeper romance try giving Dark Chocolate or a mixed box of treats to bring mystery.

Diamonds -

Are a girl’s best friend, right? This gift is for the seriously in Love or the seriously loaded.

Cards & Poems -

You can say it all with a romantic poem or a thoughtful card. Do not under estimate the power of words.

5 UNBELIEVABLY SIMPLE DIY HOME FIXES

Is tackling that growing list of home repairs one of your New Year’s resolutions? Use these five do-it-yourself home repair tricks to start your year off on the right foot.

1. Stop a toilet from running. Unhook the flapper chain from the plunger arm and slide a plastic drinking straw over the chain. Cut it to size if necessary and reattach. You’ll never hear that tank running again.
2. Remove carpet dents left by furniture. Dampen furniture dents with a wet rag, apply heat with a blow dryer and coax the fibers back into place using the lip of a spoon. Let dry and repeat as necessary until those divots are gone.
3. Keep that cupboard door closed. Pick up a magnetic cupboard latch; most come with screws already. Use a power drill to screw the magnet to the edge of the cupboard opening and the plate to the matching corner of the cupboard door.
4. Get your shower head running like new. Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a large plastic freezer bag and attach it to the shower pipe with a sturdy rubber band. Remove and check the flow every 20 minutes. You don’t even have to remove the head!
5. Breathe new life into old wood. Pick up a package of wood stain markers in assorted shades and transform your door jambs, baseboards, bannisters, furniture and more. Start a shade lighter and go darker if needed and watch scratches and scrapes vanish.