When people ask me if it’s a good time to buy a home in Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Parkland County or the Edmonton region, I usually tell them that the best time to buy is when they’re ready.  And that answer is true whether the market is up or down and whether the market favors buyers or sellers.

But sometimes it’s useful to take a look at current market statistics if you’re still trying to decide about becoming a homeowner.

The Real Estate Weekly regularly publishes information about residential home sales in our area.  The November 13, 2013 issue has an intriguing title for the most recent summary of market activity:  “Youthful buyers continue to drive housing sales in October”.  Darrell Cook, president of the Realtors® Association of Edmonton, points out that Edmonton residents are a youthful demographic with an average age of 36 and good job prospects so demand for housing remains high.  This translates into a brisk housing market.  In fact, Mr. Cook points out that “total annual sales are the highest they have been for five years and we had the best October in five years as well”.

And what about house prices?  In October 2013, the average single family home sold for $397,613, up 2.5% from a year ago.  The selling price of the average condo, at $235,680, was up 2%.  The total number of residential units sold in October was up a big 7% over the same time last year, while total number of units available for sale was down 3.8% from a year ago and those sold on average 6 days faster (on the market for 54 days compared to 60 days a year ago).

Good news for sellers, yes.  But still a reasonable market for buyers as well.  Buyers at present may need to be a little more organized (mortgage pre-approval in hand), as well as ready to act promptly when they find a house that suits them, but it’s just as possible to find your dream home now as at any other time.

Looking to sell your home?  I’d be happy to do a free home evaluation and advise you on getting it ready to sell.  If you’re in the market to buy a home, let me help you find just the right one!  Call or text me at 780-910-9669, email me at barry@barryt.ca, or contact me here. 

Central Park and Lions Log Cabin on King Street. Photo from City of Spruce Grove website: http://www.sprucegrove.org/programs_events/events/annual_events/christmas.htm

Those of us who live in Spruce Grove, Stony Plain and Parkland County know that the tri-municipal region has much to offer residents no matter the season.  One of my favorite things in December as the darkness closes in and the days get shorter is to drive past the magical light show that is Central Park.

Christmas in Central Park is an annual FREE event sponsored by the City of Spruce Grove.  Lots of activities for the whole family help kick off the festive season and get Spruce Grove residents into the holiday spirit.  This year, the celebration runs from 2:30 to 5:30 pm on Saturday, November 30, 2013.  Take a stroll through the lights, strap on the blades, enjoy a hot beverage and experience the beauty of the park.

2:30 to 4:30 pm:

• Photos with Santa (bring a camera)

2:30 to 4:45 pm: 

• Skating with the Spruce Grove Saints

• Cookie decorating for the first 500 guests

• Crafts and games

• Sugar Shack (Cabane à sucre)

• Complimentary hot dogs and brats from Johnsonville (while supplies last)

2:45 to 4:45 pm:

• Wagon rides

4:30 pm:

• Stage entertainment with Jeff Miller on guitar

5:00 pm:

• Light up ceremony begins, followed by a mini fireworks show

Spread the Christmas cheer by bringing an unwrapped gift item for the Kinettes Christmas Hampers and/or a non-perishable food item for the Parkland Food Bank.

Want to get more involved?  Volunteers are always welcomed to assist in the City’s events.  Contact the Event Coordinator at 780-962-7634, Ext 143, or send an email to events@sprucegrove.org.

I’d love to tell you more about what makes our region so special and a great place to call home!  Phone or text me at 780-910-9669, email me at barry@barryt.ca, or contact me here.

Fall time is beautiful in the Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Parkland County and Edmonton region.  Late summer flowers are in full bloom, the leaves are turning orange, yellow and red, and the air smells crisp and clean.  There’s nothing quite like the bright blue sky and brilliant Alberta sunshine in the fall.  But having your home on the market as the days get shorter and the nights cooler comes with a certain set of challenges.

• Those beautiful leaves don’t stay on the trees and as they fall, they can make your yard look unkempt and messy.  Small quantities of leaves can often be dealt with by using a mulching lawnmower or a leaf blower.  But if you have mature trees on your property, the best way to keep your yard looking good during the autumn months is to flex your muscles and rake the leaves.  This does more than make your yard look tidy.  Removing mats and debris from the lawn’s surface helps the lawn to “breathe” and sets it up for the winter months.  You’ll also want to clean up plants that have finished their summer life cycle:  cut back dead foliage, prune the raspberry canes and so on.  If you have plants in pots, bring them up onto your porch to provide a little color and curb appeal.  Or use some of that garden produce to arrange an artistic grouping of squash, pumpkins, ears of corn and the like.

• As the light fades and the sun sinks lower in the sky, you need to let in as much natural light as possible.  Uncover your windows as completely as you can.  Open the curtains as wide as possible.  Pull up the blinds as high as they’ll go.  Vacuum accumulated dust, leaves and tree fuzz from window screens, and wash windows inside and out so they sparkle.

• Light up your house for showings.  Turn on every light and lamp in your home, especially for late afternoon and evening showings, or on gloomy days.  The more light, the larger and more welcoming rooms will seem.  Consider buying a few inexpensive lamps to add to tables or corners, especially in rooms that have only overhead light fixtures.

• Cozy it up.   There’s a reason professional home stagers use strategically placed and brightly colored throws plus mountains of pillows when they decorate a home!  In the fall, add even more appeal and warmth by choosing items with interesting textures that invite touch:  a big fluffy blanket draped over the couch, roughly textured pillows in an armchair, etc.

• Fill your home with the scents of autumn.  You probably already know that the smell of your home is a strong influence on buyer interest or distaste.  Start with a super-clean house but also use the warm and comforting smells of autumn to hook in those buyers!  The aroma of freshly baked spicy cookies or apple pie can’t be beat.  If you can’t arrange that before a showing, here is a good alternative.  Boil water with cinnamon, cloves and orange peel for about half an hour sometime during the day of a showing.
  

Want more tips for selling your home?  I’m happy to help.  Please call or text me at 780-910-9669, email me at barry@barryt.ca, or contact me here.

Some time ago I had a house listed in the Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Parkland County and Edmonton region whose owners were enthusiastic antique collectors.  Every room in their home was filled with furniture, knick-knacks and treasures from multiple eras and design influences.  Nothing really matched, nor was there a unifying theme tying things together.  The overall effect was of too much miscellaneous stuff crammed into too little space.  This is exactly the impression a seller does not want to give a potential buyer! 

Getting this place sold needed the removal of large numbers of objects so as to showcase the space rather than the possessions in the space.  Items not removed were those essential for daily living that were both nice to look at and anonymous.  Many sellers learn the hard way that living in a home is very different from selling a house, and items cherished by the sellers may actually deter potential buyers from making an offer.

Ask yourself what you are selling.  If it’s the house and not the stuff in it, how can you show off the house to its best advantage?  You can do this by staging your home to make it look as spacious, clean, tidy and organized, fresh and up-to-date, attractive and functional as possible.  Did I mention spacious?!

Please read my other articles on home staging:  “Home Staging Starts with De-cluttering”  and “Be Your Own Home Stager”  Let’s assume that you’ve already thrown away the trash, sold or given away unneeded or unwanted items, and packed up stuff you’re not currently using (e.g. winter equipment and clothing if it’s summer) but which you’ll be taking with you when you leave your current home.  What else needs to go before you put your home on the market? 

“Identity” items: 

• All items with your name on them:  utility bills, diplomas, certificates and awards, sports jerseys, personal documents such as passports, medications, etc.
• All family pictures
• All collections:  spoons, ball caps, dolls, model cars, sports memorabilia, coins, cookbooks, DVDs, etc., as well as valuables such as jewelry.
• All ethnic, cultural and religious items
• All evidence of hunting:  guns, clothing, stuffed game, antlers, etc.
• All work-related items, such as computer or office-related binders, books and manuals, cords, CDs, phone books, etc.
•  Any items that might distract or offend potential buyers, such as smoking materials, pet paraphernalia, lewd artwork and the like

Stuff in general: 

• Dated and dusty decorative items, such as old dried flower arrangements
• All broken items, and things you’ve been “saving”
• All excess furniture and accessories in every room.  Don’t forget outbuildings and outdoor spaces as well.  Keep just the essentials, and set up each room or space according to its intended purpose.  This may mean turning an office back into a bedroom while your home is on the market.
• All extra items from porches, decks and entryways (such as loose pieces of carpet, boot racks and the like), and all items from stairwells and hallways.
• Large appliances, like a freezer or extra fridge, that won’t be sold with the house
• All items off window ledges, and open the window coverings
• All old paint, chemicals and hazardous waste, as well as renovation and building materials that are not relevant to the house’s current upgrades

Tips for Specific areas

Shelves:

• Remove everything.  Replace just a few display items, leaving lots of space between them:  some hardcover books with attractive covers, a couple of unusual knick-knacks, neutral photos such as landscapes, small plants

Closets:

• Remove about 75% of closet contents, keeping just the items you absolutely have to have while your home is on the market!  Leave as much space between items on hangers as possible, and clear closet shelves and floors as much as possible.  Arrange everything neatly.

Other storage spaces:

• Stockpiles of everything have to go from basement storage areas, garage, storage shed and the like.  Keep only the items you need to maintain yourself and the home while it is on the market.  For example, if it’s summer, you’ll need lawn mowing and gardening tools but not winter items like snow shovels and brushes.  Pack up the tools, hobby items, sports gear, etc.

Kids’ rooms:

• Remove all but your children’s favorite toys, clothing they will be wearing on a day to day basis, and necessary equipment (e.g. changing table and related items for infants).
• Remove all stickers and posters from walls and doors
  

Kitchen:

• All items off the tops of cabinets and the fridge, including magnets, children’s artwork, calendars, etc.
• Everything off kitchen counters except bare necessities, such as coffee pot, kettle and toaster.
• Purge plastic container collection.
• Pack up all extra cookware, dishes, utensils, specialty items you won’t be using while your home is on the market.
• Reduce stored food items as much as possible so that cupboards and pantry appear as spacious as possible.
• Knives off counters and stored under a cabinet (for safety).
• Clean out all cabinets and drawers and replace only the essentials in a tidy and organized fashion.

Bathrooms:

• Out with all old and half-used toiletries.
• Bare minimum of personal care products, in attractive containers, if possible.  However, do NOT leave out in view things like razors, hairbrushes, toothbrushes, medications and the like.
• Reduce quantity of cleaning products to just what needs to be used on a daily basis.
• Clear out cabinets; put back only essential items.

Laundry area:

• Clear off all shelves and leave only items you have to have.  Nothing on the floor!

Home exterior:

• Please read my blog article “Drive-by Delight or Disaster?”

During this process, you’ll probably come to realize that:

• Potential buyers will be looking everywhere in your home.
• It will take time and energy to repair, clean, de-clutter, de-personalize and stage your home so it looks spotless, spacious and inviting.
• You may have to rent space in a storage facility to store your belongings.
• It’s going to be a little painful to have to camp in your own home for the period of time before your home is sold and you move out completely.

But I hope you’ll believe me when I tell you:

• The focus will no longer be on the home you’ve created and your stuff, but the space, the flooring, upgrades, fresh paint, the yard, and all the other features that buyers are looking for.
• By clearing out the clutter and packing up as much as possible before your home goes on the market, you will have much less to do when it comes time to move to your new home.
• Your home WILL sell faster and it WILL earn you more money – in some cases, 1000s of dollars more.
• You may even find that you can get along just fine without so much stuff!

Remember the phrase from the movie Field of Dreams “Build it and they will come”?  Stage your house so it becomes a Home of Dreams and the buyers will come!

Comments or questions about this article?  Call or text me at 780-910-9669, email me at barry@barryt.ca, or contact me here.

It’s 2 AM in your Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Parkland County or Edmonton area home, and some sense of foreboding has you heading down the basement stairs.  You explore the basement, wondering what could have awakened you.  Suddenly…  Uh, oh.  Your bare foot encounters a puddle of water that has no business being there, and you realize in horror that your hot water tank has sprung a major leak.  Would you know what to do?

Knowing  how to turn off the water heater ranks Number 2 on the list of the “Top 5 DIY Plumbing Fixes Every Homeowner Should Know”, from Today’s Homeowner.com, right after knowing how to turn off the water to your whole house and to individual plumbing fixtures.

Plumbing emergencies happen, often at inconvenient times, and they almost always need attention long before a plumber can arrive on the scene.  There are also situations that call for minor repairs, ones which any homeowner should be able to undertake on his or her own.   The article contains detailed information for dealing with each of the following:

Plumbing Fix #1:  How to shut off the water (includes turning off all the water in your house and turning off water at plumbing fixtures)

Plumbing Fix #2:  How to turn off a water heater

Plumbing Fix #3:  How to fix a leaky pipe (includes repairing a leak with epoxy putty and repairing a leak with a pipe repair clamp)

Plumbing Fix #4:  How to stop a toilet from running (includes how to adjust the water level in the toilet tank and how to replace a toilet tank flapper)

Plumbing Fix #5:  How to fix a dripping faucet (includes how to replace a washer on a leaking compression faucet and how to repair leaking cartridge or ball faucets)

“Top 5 DIY Plumbing Fixes Every Homeowner Should Know” won’t make you a master plumber but this article just might save you a little money and hassle!  Worth a read.

I welcome your comments and questions on any topic related to the home!  Call or text me at 780-910-9669, email me at barry@barryt.ca, or contact me here.

Life in our Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Parkland County or Edmonton-area homes just wouldn’t be the same without our four-legged companions.  But, even though 6 out of 10 Canadian homes have a dog or cat in residence, we have to pretend those family members never existed when it’s time to sell our homes!  In fact, having a pet in the home (or at least evidence of one) may even lower the price buyers are willing to pay for your home or make it harder to sell.

Why is this?  

Remember that buyers need to be able to visualize themselves as occupants of your home.  The physical presence of an animal along with its furnishings and equipment can start people thinking about all the negative effects of pets in the house (even if they are pet owners themselves):  animal hair, skin and bodily functions, damage to property from teeth and nails, germs!!  What’s more, encountering your pet unexpectedly could frighten potential buyers away from even viewing your home.

What can be done?

• While it’s inconvenient for you and disruptive for your pet, the best solution during the time your home is on the market is to relocate your pet.  Lodge it with a friend or neighbor, or board it at a kennel.  If this isn’t possible, then you’ll need to always take your pet with you when you vacate your home for showings.  Leaving it in the garage or backyard might seem like a good compromise but not if you are after the best sale of your home.

• You’ll also need to clear out all signs that an animal lives in your home.  This means packing up cat litter boxes and bags of litter or puppy training pads, pet toys and leashes, pet food, bowls and feeders, pet cages, carriers and bedding.  Remove any photos of your pet.

• Mega-cleaning!  Special effort may be needed to remove pet stains from carpet and pet odors from the air.  Enzyme cleaners and lots of elbow grease and fresh air will help.  Consider hiring professional carpet cleaners, furnace duct cleaning companies and the like.  Don’t rely on air fresheners and deodorizers as these will only make people wonder what you are trying to cover up.

Your pet-proof and “pet-friendly” home (see my blog article “Your Pet-Friendly Home” ) has both positive and negative aspects when it’s time to sell.  On the one hand, if your home is carpet-free, furnished with easy to clean materials, and so on, you may not have to do too much extra in the cleaning department.  On the other hand, if you have made any pet-accommodating modifications to your home, such as doggie doors, cat ramps (special stairs up the wall), window sill platforms, or outdoor dog and cat runs, you may have to reverse these.  You might think that special additions to your home to accommodate pets would be a selling feature for other pet owners, and this might be true in some cases.  But it’s always better to try to appeal to the largest number of potential buyers possible.  That means presenting your home in as neutral a fashion as you can.

It is possible to sell your home quickly and for a good price even with a pet in residence.  As with most things connected with real estate sales, it just takes a little work and preparation!

Please also visit my Pinterest board “Pets and Your Home”.

What else could sellers with pets do to entice buyers?  Let me know what you think!  Call or text me at 780-910-9669, email me at barry@barryt.ca, or contact me here.

Is there a dog or cat living in your Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Parkland County or Edmonton area home?  According to a 2008 Ipsos-Reid survey as reported in the Canadian Veterinary Journal, roughly 56% of Canadian households have a dog or a cat as a pet.

Animals make their presence known in your home, and not in a good way, through scratches on walls, floors and furniture, stains on carpets, dander and allergens in the air, and various unsavory odors.  But there are ways to keep your house in good shape and all residents happy with a few smart and relatively inexpensive adjustments.  The most important advice is to choose the right materials and work with your animal’s natural instincts and needs.

Keep it clean!  Home and pet, that is.

• First, vacuum often.  It’s a basic fact of life that dogs and cats shed.  Invest in a decent vacuum cleaner, preferably with HEPA filter, and plan on going over carpets and upholstery about twice a week or more.
• Reduce the amount of clutter in your rooms.  Each object you remove from a room means one less object that gets covered in dust, dander and pet hair.
• An item that is well worth the cost is a HEPA furnace filter which removes huge quantities of dust, dander and allergens from the air.
• Use enzyme cleaners such as Nature’s Miracle Stain and Odour Remover when dealing with pet messes.
• You might also want to purchase some special furniture covers designed with pets in mind.  (See these Pet Protector Covers available from Sears Canada).  Easier to wash these than to shampoo the furniture.
• Keep your pet clean and well-groomed.  This means regular brushing, nail-clipping, bathing and the like.  If you can remove some of the hair and the oil and dirt it holds before it ends up on your floors and furniture, your house will be cleaner.  Trimmed nails are less likely to scratch floors or snag upholstery. 
  

It’s the nature of the beast!  Work with your pets’ natural inclinations to mold their behavior to what’s acceptable.  Your dog, for example, wants to please you so will tell you when he wants out and will also adapt readily to his own bed or crate.  Supply a clean litter box and a scratching post for your cat and watch her take to them.  If you find your animal jumping on the couch to look out the window, consider moving that couch away from the window and possibly installing a platform that bolts to the window sill to accommodate your pet’s preference.

Choose the right fabrics.  If you have pets, you already know to stay away from silk and velvet.  If you’re shopping for new furniture, consider something like Crypton or UltraSuede, which are wonderfully stain-resistant and durable.  Leather will scratch, but it is easy to clean and long-lasting.  Forget the dry-clean-only bedding and opt for washable everything because you know your pet will end up on your bed at some point.

Get rid of fabric altogether, where you can.  Replace draperies with wood blinds, for example.

Choose the right flooring.  Carpet and pets are a bad combination.  Carpet soaks up “accidents”, absorbs odors, and traps hair and dander – yuck!  If possible, consider replacing wall-to-wall carpeting in your home with any of the variety of hard-surface flooring on the market today, and bonus! these choices are very fashionable at the moment.  The best option for a pet-proof home is ceramic tile because it’s pretty much impervious to anything your pet can do!  Other easy to clean and durable alternatives include painted concrete, brick, high-end linoleum, or hardwood (but be aware that big dogs can scratch wood).

Neutrals work best.  Dramatic color schemes will show dirt, hair, and wear and tear more than colors such as gray, taupe and cream.  Luckily, neutrals are in style now for everything from paint on the walls to furniture, carpets and counter tops.  If you’re planning to re-paint, remember to choose a washable satin finish, and look for low or no-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints.  Both you and your pet will benefit from not breathing toxic fumes.

Consider some of these specialty products and home renovations:

• Disguised litter box, partially covered and resembling furniture.  Keep the odor down by placing in a well-ventilated area if you can, and by cleaning it frequently.  The litter box might even be located in a separate room, such as a garage or utility space, with access through a secret cat door hidden inside a cabinet.
• Built-in bench with removable cover next to an outside door:  Provides convenient seating for people to put on and remove shoes, and the inside provides storage for pet toys, balls, leashes, etc.
• Indoor pet retreat or special mudroom could be a corner or even a whole room located by an outside back door.  Automatic feeders and drinking fountains and even doggy showers are often features of these spaces.  Some have lockable exterior access doors designed for your pet to go inside and out.  Most have specialty storage for all pet-related items such as food, chew toys, towels, etc.
• Heated floors.  Good for animals and people!
• Cat ramps are a series of shelves resembling stairs running up a wall to just below the ceiling where they meet a longer shelf where cats can run or recline.
• Portable pet stairs to help small animals access furniture.
• A doggy overlook is a square opening on the second floor allowing your dog to stick his head through to keep watch on his owners below.
• Outdoor dog and cat runs.
• For more ideas like these, see my Pinterest board “Pets and Your Home”.

What special things do you do in your home to accommodate your pets while keeping your home clean and stylish?  I’d love to hear from you.  Call or text me at 780-910-9669, email me at barry@barryt.ca, or contact me here.

Recent catastrophic flooding in southern Alberta has caused many people in Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Parkland County and the Edmonton region to re-think their own emergency preparedness and to wonder just how well we would survive a disaster of this type.  If you Google “72 hour survival kit”, many worthy sites presenting much useful information appear.  But how many of us have actually followed through on this information to put together an emergency plan, emergency kits and the like?   How do you even get started doing this?

Start with a Plan

A very good site to begin with is GetPrepared.gc.ca.  Download their publication 72 Hours: Is Your Family Prepared? Your Emergency Preparedness Guide.  Detailed instructions guide you through the creation of an emergency plan for your family, and the building of an emergency kit.  Most authorities recommend having enough “stuff” to keep you self-sufficient for 72 hours, the critical time period during which you may need to wait for help from emergency assistance providers, and during which time you may be without essential services of water, power and gas.

Build Your Survival Kit

Your emergency kit may be one you’ve assembled yourself or it may be a commercial one you purchase from an organization such as the Canadian Red Cross.  Their basic 72-Hour Disaster Preparedness Kit sells for $59.95 and includes the following items:

• 1 box of 45 waterproof matches
• 1 wind-up flashlight/radio/alarm (no batteries required)
• 1 50-hour candle
• 1 multi-function knife
• 1 S.O.S. sign
• 1 emergency rescue blanket
• 1 emergency preparedness guide
• 20 water purification tablets
• 2 biohazard waste bags
• 1 collapsible water container
• 1 whistle
• 1 pair of work gloves
• 1 12-hour light stick
• 1 first aid kit:
  • 1 emergency plastic sheeting
  • 1 duct tape
  • 2 dust masks
  • 1 nylon backpack
  • 2 gauze pads 5 cm x 5 cm (2 in x 2 in)
  • 5 antiseptic towelettes
  • 1 proviodine swab
  • 4 alcohol swabs
  • 2 insect sting relief swabs
  • 10 plastic adhesive bandages
  • 2 fingertip bandages
  • 2 knuckle bandages
  • 1 first aid instruction card
  • 2 adhesive patch bandages 5 cm x 7.5 cm (2 in x 2 in)
  • 1 conform bandage
  • 1 roll of adhesive tape
  • 1 pair of nitrile examination gloves
  • 1 pair of tweezers
  • 1 pair of scissors
  • 12 safety pins

These items are just the beginning, of course.  Most experts recommend that your kit include enough non-perishable food for 72 hours, and at least 4 liters of water per person per day.  Seasoned backwoods campers and backpackers will have lots of other suggestions, such as warm, water-resistant clothing, a small tent and sleeping gear, food preparation equipment including mess kits and a tiny stove that fits in a backpack, and special dehydrated meals.  Whatever goes into your kit needs to reflect your careful consideration of your personal situation:  What would you need to have with you to be safe, comfortable and healthy during those 72 hours?  Study carefully the lists on the GetPrepared.gc.ca site as well as the following sites to devise the exact 72-Hour Disaster Survival Kit that works for you and all family members (including pets).

• How to Make a 72 Hour Kit for Emergency Preparedness (from About.com Latter-Day Saints)
• Are You Prepared?  (from 72hours.org)
• 72 hour emergency survival kit and shopping list  (from the Town of Newmarket)
• Basic Disaster Supplies Kit (from the Federal Emergency Management Agency – FEMA – of the US Government)
• When Technology Fails 

Store your kit somewhere in your home where it’s readily accessible and hope you never have to use it!

Leaving Your Home

What if you had to evacuate your home as so many southern Alberta residents were forced to do?  What do you take with you when you escape?  Well, your emergency kit of course, and a few other essentials:

• Identification (passports, driver’s licenses, birth certificates, marriage licenses, insurance, wills, financial statements, etc.) Tip:  Scan all these documents onto your computer and then download them onto a memory stick which then goes into your emergency kit.  Check and update your digital records every 6 months.
• Cell phone and charger
• Important phone numbers (relatives, work, insurance, doctors, pharmacy, etc.)
• Extra set of keys (house, garage, storage, lockbox, etc.)
• Money $$ (cash, including coins, and credit cards)
• Critical medicines & prescription glasses
• Personal hygiene items and change of clothing
• Computer backup
• You can probably think of a few other easily portable and absolutely essential items.

People who have survived disastrous fires, floods and severe weather events will tell you that one of the hardest things about leaving behind their homes is the thought of losing the tangible evidence of precious and irreplaceable family memories.  These days, technology can help if you plan ahead and take the time to do things like digitizing family photos and then uploading them to online storage services.  Make sure a copy of your home inventory is there too.  (See my blog article “Home Inventory: Do You Have One?”)

Comments or questions about this article?  Call or text me at 780-910-9669, email me at barry@barryt.ca, or contact me here.

If you’re looking for free and current decorating ideas applicable to Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Parkland County and the Edmonton area, look no further than the Edmonton Journal’s Homes & Design magazine.  The Summer 2013 issue is now available at edmontonjournal.com/homesdesign.  Some of the topics in this issue:

• Spruce up your patio with the latest decor ideas, including some 60s Mad Men inspired looks
• Learn all about “cottage style”
• Furniture in bright colors is back.  Learn how to integrate this look into your home
• Grow your own food this summer with gardening tips that anybody can follow
• Quartz or granite?  Replace your counter tops with the finish that’s best for you

If you like what you see in this online magazine, sign up to be notified when the next issue is posted, and happy decorating!

Sometimes the descriptions of homes for sale in Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Parkland County and the Edmonton region make you wonder what kind of building you’ll see on a property.  Bungalow with a bonus room?  How is that different from a 1 ½-storey house?  Raised bungalow?  How does that differ from a bi-level?  Searching Google to define house styles doesn’t help much because the same term might have very different meanings elsewhere in Canada or the US. 

So, let’s take a look at a few phrases commonly used to describe homes in the Edmonton region.  Note that the descriptions below assume that the homes have basements since that is generally the norm in Alberta. 

Bungalow:  A one-storey home whose basement has the same square footage as the main level.  Basement is reached from a full flight of stairs leading “below grade”; that is, dug into the ground.  Entry into the home is usually at ground level or up a few steps.  May have attached garage that leads directly into main level of the home, or sometimes into the basement.

• Raised Bungalow:  Same description as above (one-storey home, full basement reached via full flight of stairs, entry into home up a few steps from the ground), but these homes are built higher up on the land, allowing for larger basement windows and making them better for nanny or mother-in-law suites.  They are also less likely to take on water in the basement.
• Hillside or Walkout Bungalow:  From the front this home looks like a standard bungalow.  From the back it resembles a 2-storey house – because it is literally built into a hillside, or a steeply sloped yard.  Very popular because the basement appears to be at, rather than below, ground level.  The basement therefore has much larger windows, and residents can access the outdoors without climbing stairs to the main level. 
• Bungalow with Bonus Room:  Basic bungalow format with a single large room above an attached garage, reached via a full flight of stairs.

Bi-level:  Sits higher up on the land, like a raised bungalow, and has the same advantages as a raised bungalow.  Unlike a raised bungalow, the stairs inside a bi-level are split.  From the front entrance, a half-flight of stairs leads up to the living area, and a half-flight of stairs leads down to the basement.  The depth of the basement below the ground is less than that of a standard bungalow, allowing for bigger windows and less of a cellar-like feel.  The home’s back door often exits onto a high deck with a full flight of stairs outside leading down to the yard.  This style has fallen out of fashion with builders, except in areas where digging a deeper basement would be problematic due to soil type. 

One and a half-storey:  Full flight of stairs goes up to bedroom area which has a steeply slanted roof with dormers, resulting in reduced head space in the slanted areas – thus, the “half-storey”.  (Two and a half-storey homes exist as well.  Same principle but with two full levels having standard head room and the third with a slanted roof). 

Two-storey:  Main level has a full flight of stairs leading up to the second level and a full flight of stairs down to the basement.  Often built with bonus room above an attached garage.  The most common home being built these days for several reasons:

1) A home’s square footage is determined by the amount of space above grade, and this home style puts more living space above ground on a smaller footprint than a bungalow of equal square footage;

2) Larger homes, ones with greater square footage but a smaller footprint, can be built on today’s smaller lots;

3) Given today’s high heating costs and concern for the environment, a 2-storey home is more energy- and cost-efficient. 

Split-level:  This home style was very popular around the 1970s.  Many people these days would say the reason it fell out of favor was that residents were always running up and down stairs to get to different rooms in the house!

• Two-storey split:  One side of this home looks like a bungalow, while the other side looks like a standard 2-storey.  A full flight of stairs accesses the upper portion of the home, and often a living room or family room will be sunken.  There may be less head room in the basement under the sunken areas – a common complaint in split-level homes in general.  Some people mistakenly label this home style as 1 ½-storey (see that description above).

• Three- or four-level side split:  From the front, looks like a bungalow on one side, bi-level on the other.  Half flights of stairs lead up and down between levels.  Bedrooms are usually above, family room below.  Some split-level homes have a regular basement under the bungalow-style portion only, and a crawl space under the lowest above-ground level.  This crawl space may have a ceiling height as low as 4 feet.  Other houses will have a basement that is itself two different levels, resulting in homes that have four or even five different levels, all joined by half-flights of stairs. 

• Back split:  Same as the previous description but oriented on the lot so that the home looks like a standard bungalow from the front, taller portions behind. 

Duplex:  The true definition of this term is a home that looks like a standard bi-level with one dwelling on the upper level and another on the lower level.  But many people use the term to refer to what is technically a side by side duplex:  two homes above grade (with basements) joined by a common wall. 

A couple of other things to note when house-shopping by style:

• Townhouses may allow first-time buyers to enter the home market since they are generally less expensive than stand-alone or detached homes.  Usually a 2-storey home with basement, sometimes with attached garage, joined to similar neighboring homes in a row.
• While many people think of apartments when they hear the word “condo”, a condominium is not really a style but rather a type of ownership that allows people to own their space to the walls and share common property (buildings and land) with other condo owners.  (See my blog article “Is Condo Living For You?”)
• A villa is a condominium style that may be a detached home or perhaps half of a side by side duplex.   Often located in “gated communities” where summer and winter outdoor chores, such as lawn mowing and snow removal, are provided to the residents. 

Need more information about this topic?  I’m happy to help.  Call or text me at 780-910-9669, email me at barry@barryt.ca, or contact me here.