Courtesy of Jeff Tidswell

Jeff Tidswell Your Local Real Estate Expert. REALTOR ® 780.975.3211

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jeff@royallepage.ca www.jefftidswell.ca

VOLUME 6 | ISSUE 5

AVERAGE SALE PRICE

EDMONTON SEES MODERATE GROWTH AS SPRING MARKET BLOOMS

SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED

ROW/ TOWNHOUSE

APARTMENT CONDO

Edmonton, May 2, 2023: Total residential unit sales in the Greater Edmonton Area (GEA) real estate market for April 2023 hit 2,028, decreasing 30.8% compared to April 2022 but increasing 11.1% from March 2023. New residential listings were down 26% year-over-year from April 2022, while also noting an increase of 6% from March 2023. Overall inventory in the GEA was up 7.4% from April of last year, and up 9.3% from the previous month. Total residential average prices hit $408,631, a 6% decrease from April 2022, and an increase of 4.8% from March 2023. Detached homes averaged $500,635, a 4.6% year-over-year decrease and a 3.1% increase from March 2023. Semi-detached sold for an average of $378,797, resulting in a small 3.4% decrease year-over-year, but saw an increase of 3.7% from the previous month. Row/townhouse prices were down 3.7% from April 2022, but increased 5.5% month over-month, selling at $261,390. Apartment Condominium average prices hit $192,560, showing decreases of 0.1% from last month and 5.8% from April 2022. “The trend continues with year-over-year dips in average prices, sales and listings across most categories, while still seeing nominal increases in our month-over-month statistics,” says REALTORS ® Association of Edmonton 2023 Board Chair Melanie Boles.

$192,560 $500,635 $261,390

DOWN 3.7% YOY

DOWN 4.6% YOY

DOWN 5.8% YOY

SALES TO LISTINGS RATIO

NEW LISTINGS TOTAL 3,497 ACTIVE LISTINGS TOTAL 6,923

58%

ALL RESIDENTIAL

SOLD LISTINGS TOTAL 2,028

Overall, all residential listings averaged 44 days on the market.

DAYS ON MARKET

Source: REALTORS ® Association of Edmonton

42

SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED

45

ROW/TOWNHOUSE

56

APARTMENT CONDO

CHICKEN BURRITO BOWLS

Courtesy of ehow.com

INGREDIENTS: 1 pound ground chicken

DIRECTIONS: 1. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm oil. Add the ground chicken and taco seasoning. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink, about 5 minutes, while breaking it up with a spatula. 2. While the chicken is cooking, combine the cooked rice, cilantro and scallions in a bowl. Toss until evenly combined. 3. Dice the avocado. 4. To individual bowls or containers, add the rice, ground chicken, corn, beans, pico de gallo and diced avocado. The total number of containers will depend on their size. 5. When you’re ready to eat, add a drizzle of chipotle sauce and dig in.

2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons taco seasoning 15 ounces canned red or black kidney beans, drained 15 ounces canned corn, drained 1 1/2 cups pico de gallo 1 ripe avocado 3 cups brown rice or quinoa, cooked 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped 1/4 cup scallions, chopped 3 tablespoons of oil Chipotle yogurt sauce

Courtesy of www.ehow.com

JOKE Question: Five friends were eating tacos. Amber finished before Laura, but behind Marlene. Dianne finished before Jennifer, but behind Laura. What was the finishing order?

Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value.

- Albert Einstein

German born Einstein was perhaps the most influential physicist to live. From developing the theory of relativity (E = mc2) to having an element in the periodic table named in his honour, Einstein contributed tremendous value to the world of science.

Answer: Marlene, Amber, Laura, Dianne and Jennifer.

PAINT TECHNIQUES TO TRICK THE EYE

Painting a room is a quick, cost effective and relatively easy way to change the look and feel of a room. Instead of painting all four walls the same colour, consider the following techniques to enhance the perception of the room. 1. Dark Accent Wall – probably the most common technique, painting one wall of a room a bold colour will draw attention to that particular wall. This is helpful in open concept homes where a focal point is needed as well as rooms where interesting architecture or design elements are showcased. 2. Dark Ceiling – a darker ceiling colour will make a room feel smaller and cozier. Paired with lighter walls and furniture, this technique is popular in dining rooms and bedrooms. 3. Narrow – to make a wide room appear more narrow, try painting opposing walls in darker colour and leaving the end wall light. The dark walls will make you feel like they are closer to each other than they are and therefore make a wide room appear narrow. 4. Lengthen – making a room appear longer is done by painting the ceiling and a back wall the same, dark colour. A light colour on the opposing walls draws your eye toward the dark wall and ceiling making the room appear longer. Do some research online or speak to an interior decorator to determine which painting technique can help your problem spaces.

BUDGETING WITH CASH AND ENVELOPES

Budgeting your monthly expenses isn't a new concept. Most people have some form of budgeting that works for them. With costs on the rise, some people are turning to a popular budgeting solution that uses money envelopes to track spending. It allows users to stay accountable to their budget and prevent overspending because once the money from the envelope is spent, it is not replaced until the next envelope filling day. Here are the basics: 1. Create an envelope for each expense category in your life, for example: groceries, entertainment, eating out, gas, savings, debt, etc. 2. Determine how much you typically spend in each category taking the past few months into account. If you find you overspend in one category, determine how much you want to spend and start there. 3. When you get paid, fill each envelope with the

appropriate amount of cash. If you get paid twice a month, put in half each payday. The money in the envelope can ONLY be used on what it is allocated for. Take the envelopes with you on your shopping trips and errands. If a purchase is overbudget, reconsider the purchase. 4. Remember, no borrowing from one

envelope to fill another. If you find that is happening frequently, go back to step two and see if you need to adjust your amounts in the envelopes.

5. If you pay your bills online or tend to shop online, keep track of money spent on the envelope and stick to the budget you allotted. It's tricky to not overspend, but it is possible. Over time, you may find you're able to save more by being more aware of what you're spending your hard-earned money on.

MAKING ARTWORK STAND OUT

Hanging artwork, family photos and images of other special memories can help a homeowner make their living spaces positive, joyful environments. Most times, items are hung on the wall above furniture or in a grouping on an empty wall space with the center of the piece (or grouping) about 60” above the floor to provide an optimal viewing experience. To make the photos or artwork stand out more, designers suggest creating a gallery like wall that draws even more attention to the frames. Wooden trim can be used to make a frame which surrounds a grouping of photos. This is effective in a long hallway or wall. Another option is painting the section of wall behind the artwork a different colour and then arranging the pieces over the painted section. This works great in smaller areas like over a desk, in corners or on narrow walls. Be creative and place frames so they overlap the outside edge of the painted area and add other wall décor like mirrors and baskets to complete the look. The options are vast when creating a statement gallery wall and there are many suggestions and samples available on design websites.

Alpha-Griddle

Courtesy of www.puzzlechoice.com

Use compass directions to find the correct locations for the missing letters of the alphabet. When you have completed the grid, see if you can discover the hidden city, country, river or mountain located in the completed grid. Note: North or south means any location along the same column. East or west means any location along the same row.

Directions: A is south of E: D is south of V B is north of T and west of E C is west of Y and south of G E is west of S and south of J F is west of O: G is east of P H is east of J and north of O I is east of U: W is east of B L is south of B: M is north of Y N is north of U: O is east of A P is north of T: Q is west of V R is west of C: Z is north of F S is east of V and north of I K is south of J and east of T Y is east of T and south of V

CREATING PRIVACY IN YOUR YARD

With summer fast approaching, spending time outdoors is on the top of many Canadian’s to-do lists. If your backyard is your go to space, you want to create a private oasis where you can relax and enjoy nature. Even if you enjoy escaping to your balcony, there are a few ways you can ensure a more private area. It just takes a bit of creativity and planning. Aside from a traditional fence, one of the easiest ways to create privacy is to use trees, shrubs, vines and other plants. Planting up against a fence, balcony railing or even around a deck or patio can create a functional and visually appealing barrier to keep your neighbours from spying on you when you’re outdoors. Plants that grow vertically are an obvious choice, but also consider plants that grow wide and thick. Use tall planters if needed. The planters themselves can add a layer of privacy too if positioned strategically. Wood or metal privacy screens can come in handy for those that don’t have a green thumb. Use pre-built screens or build some yourself to create a wall that is decorative and useful. Slatted wood, or lattice patterns can allow some light through but also keep prying eyes away. Other materials can also be utilized in creating a privacy screen – think plexiglass, vinyl fabric, recycled tin or corrugated metal or simple pallets. The options for creating privacy are vast and don’t have to be expensive.

Solution:

ROYAL L e PAGE NORALTA REAL ESTATE Office: 780-431-5600 3018 Calgary Trail NW Edmonton, AB T6J 6V4 JEFF TIDSWELL

Visit www.royallepagenoralta.ca for currently listed homes in and around the Edmonton area.

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