Courtesy of John Braconnier

John Braconnier

780.966.2360 john@professionalgroup.ca johnleebraconnier.com

Volume 16 | Number 2

INTERIOR DESIGN TRENDS FOR 2023 A group of top interior design experts put their collective creative heads together and determined that these will be some of the most sought-after design features this year. Multi-purpose Room : Having a room that serves more than one function is a design feature experts feel is here to stay. A living room can also be a games room if you bring in the pool table, or the entertainment room if that ’s where the big screen TV is located. Many clients of the top designers want their homes designed in such a way that any room in the house could fulfill more than one function. Sustainability : The concept of sustainability has become a way of life. This includes making sustainable choices inside our own homes. Many designers and builders have embraced the sustainability movement by constructing homes that are both energy efficient and non-polluting, far beyond anything constructed before. Reduce, reuse and recycle has become the mantra of many in Canada – a movement that includes everything from LED lightbulbs to incorporating vintage furniture in a design rather than purchasing new items. Open Floor Plans : While not every designer agrees, the bulk still believe that wide open space in the form of an open floor plan is still the preferred design choice. One school of thought says an open plan is yesterday’s choice, but for many the clean open expanse from the kitchen to the living room is a welcome contrast to the cloistered, private workspaces often found in modern offices.

MEATLOAF: THE PERFECT COMFORT FOOD

Courtesy of www.natashaskitchen.com

MEATLOAF INGREDIENTS: 2 lbs lean ground beef 1 med. onion, finely chopped 2 large eggs 3 garlic cloves, minced 3 tbsp ketchup 3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

GLAZE INGREDIENTS: ¾ cup ketchup 1½ tsp white vinegar 2½ tbsp brown sugar 1 tsp garlic powder ½ tsp onion powder ¼ tsp ground black pepper ¼ tsp salt

¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs 1 / 3 cup milk 1½ tsp salt, or to taste 1½ tsp Italian seasoning ¼ tsp ground black pepper ½ tsp ground paprika

DIRECTIONS: 1. Line a 9”x5” loaf pan with parchment paper and preheat oven to 375˚F. 2. In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients for the meatloaf. Mix well to combine. 3. Add meat to the loaf pan, gently press meat down and shape evenly and bake meatloaf at 375˚F for 40 minutes. 4. In a small bowl, mix all of the ingredients together for the sauce. Spread the sauce over meatloaf then return to oven and bake an additional 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature is 160˚F. Rest meatloaf 10 minutes before slicing. Drizzle with baking juices from the pan.

" WHEN A TRADITION GATHERS ENOUGH STRENGTH TO GO ON FOR CENTURIES, YOU DON’T JUST TURN IT OFF ONE DAY.” -Chinua Achebe

Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian novelist, poet and critic who is regarded as the dominant figure of modern African literature. His first novel and magnum opus, ‘Things Fall Apart ’ (1958), occupies a pivotal place in African literature and remains the most widely studied, translated and read African novel.

OLD IDEAS ARE FINDING NEW LIFE IN OUR MODERN WORLD

What ’s old is new again – it ’s an adage that many Canadians now know as they have either rediscovered, or learned for the first time, the value and pleasure that comes from making goods and products with their own hands. As therapy, as hobbies, and in some cases as homebased businesses, a myriad of different products and practices have been saved from creative extinction thanks to the dedicated effort of crafters from coast to coast to coast. Basket weaving, has now found a fascinated audience. Using fibers as diverse as reeds, grasses and even synthetic materials, artists are producing beautiful and practical items that could include everything from simple baskets, to mats, art pieces and even furniture. Another resurrected Canadian craft is candle-making. What was once a farmhouse necessity is today a creative and often lucrative hobby or business. Working with everything from paraffin and beeswax to such exotics as gels and even soy, home made candles bring light, warmth and aroma into a home.

Ceramic enthusiasts have once again discovered the potter’s wheel and the joy of shaping wet clay into something that could potentially last for centuries. Ceramic societies have sprung up, and college level courses are regularly taught to provide knowledge and inspiration to those with a yearning to create.

HOMEOWNERS HAVE CHOICE WITH

ROOFING MATERIAL

A key part of the structure, look and efficiency of any home is its roof. But as no two people are the same, so it goes with the choice of roofing material used in the construction of Canadian homes. These are some of the common roofing materials employed by contemporary builders. Clay or Concrete Tiles can add a combination of texture and elegance to a roof. Coming in a variety of colours and styles, you can choose designs that are flat, scalloped or ribbed in appearance. Clay and concrete tiles help to regulate indoor temperatures, are great for shedding water and are highly durable. However, these tiles are very heavy and cannot be supported by all roof structures. Consult an engineer if you are thinking about clay or concrete tiles for your home.

Asphalt Shingles are one of the most common materials used in roofing today. Relatively inexpensive to produce and straightforward to install, asphalt shingle roofs are used throughout North America and are suitable for a wide range of architectural styles. Metal Roofs are highly resistant to extreme weather conditions, and are in use across the country on everything from sub-urban homes to log cabins. Metal roofs normally come in one of two different styles. Panels or shingles and can be constructed of different materials including aluminum, copper, stainless steel and even zinc.

BRAIN TEASERS Courtesy of www.rd.com 1. No matter how little or how much you use me, you change me every month. What am I? 2. Spelled forwards I’m what you do every day, spelled backward I’m something you hate. What am I?

3. I have branches, but no fruit, trunk or leaves. What am I? 4. Two in a corner, one in a room, zero in a house, but one in a shelter. What am I? Mathdoku Complete the puzzle by entering the numb s 1 through 9 in each empty white cell. Each number will be used exactly once, a d there is only one unique solution that will satisfy all six equations. Good luck!

1. A calendar 2. Live 3. Bank 4. The letter “R.”

Answers:

= 17

×

+

MATHDOKU Complete the puzzle by entering the numbers 1 through 9 in each empty white cell. Each number will be used exactly once, and there is only one unique solution that will satisfy all six equations. Good luck!

–

–

×

7

÷

+

=

+

+

+

= 10

–

+

=

=

=

7

12

23

Courtesy of www.printable-puzzles.com

Puzzle ID: UUJ642U7

Moderate

YEG Housing Market Sees Stable Transition Into New Year

$189,631 apt./ condo DOWN 2.3% year-to-year

$451,659 detached DOWN 2.1% year-to-year

AVERAGE SALE PRICES

$247,761 row/ townhouse

986 SOLD LISTINGS 2,297 NEW LISTINGS

detached 1,311 495

apt./ condo

UP 1.2% year-to-year

detached 583

155 apt./ condo

43% SALES TO NEW LISTING RATIO

66 DAYS ON MARKET

5.3 MONTHS OF INVENTORY

ACTIVE LISTINGS (residential inventory) 5,220

Edmonton, February 2, 2023 - Total residential unit sales in the Greater Edmonton Area (GEA) real estate market for January 2023 decreased 25.8% compared to January 2022 and saw a small decrease of only 0.2% from December 2022. New residential listings were up 8.5% year-over-year from January 2022, while also noting an increase of 94.8% from December 2022. Overall inventory in the GEA was up 13.2% from January of last year, and up 5.3% from the previous month. For January, detached unit sales were down 32.1% from January 2022, but saw a small increase of 1.4% from December 2022 at 583. Apartment Condominium unit sales saw no changes from January 2022 but decreased 12.9% from the previous month. All residential average prices hit $370,068, a 6.2% decrease from January 2022, and 1.4% decrease from December 2022. Detached homes averaged $451,659, a 2.1% year-over-year decrease and a 4.2% decrease from December 2022. Semi-detached sold for an average of $355,086, resulting in a 5.2% decrease year-over-year, with prices down 0.9%

compared to December 2022. Row/townhouse prices increased both 1.2% from January 2022 and 4.4% month-over-month, selling at $247,761. Apartment Condominium average prices hit $189,631, with a 5.5% increase from the previous month and a 2.3% drop year-over-year. Detached homes averaged 65 days on the market, an 11-day increase from January of last year. Semi-detached homes averaged 50 days on the market, decreasing seven days year-over-year, with row/townhouses averaging 63 days on the market, an increase of five days from January 2022. Apartment condominiums averaged 82 days on market, showing only a one-day increase from last year. Overall, all residential listings averaged 66 days on the market, increasing by eight days both year-over-year and from December 2022. Statistics reflect market activity in January 2023 | Source: REALTORS ® Association of Edmonton | Market values stated are of the average of Edmonton and surrounding region. Individual home market values will vary and are affected by factors such as location, size, interior and exterior condition. Please call to get an up-to-date evaluation of your home.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT RUG FOR A SPACE One of the first tips on any home decor and design to-do list is to make sure your rugs properly fit your spaces. But what exactly does this mean? Here’s a breakdown of all the things you need to know before purchasing an area rug: Bigger is better. No one wants a tiny postage stamp rug that chops up a space. So go big for your home – when it comes to rugs that is. If you’re stuck between two size options, choose the bigger one. It’s not always about the furniture. Most guidelines state your rug should fit under the feet of all furniture in the room. While this is true, it ’s also important

to take the whole room into account and not just the furniture layout. For example, a long room should have a rectangular rug that echoes the shape. Tape it out. Use painter’s tape to mark out where your rug should sit and then begin searching for something that fits those dimensions.

Alternatively, if you find a rug you love, tape out its specific dimensions and see if there’s a way you can make it work. A beautiful rug is hard to resist!

Privacy Disclosure: We respect your privacy. The sponsor indicated on the front panel provides a complimentary subscription of this publication to you, a valued client. If at any time or for any reason you do not want to receive this publication, please contact the sponsor using any of the contact info on the front panel, and your personal information will be removed from the mailing list immediately. Without response to this cancellation offer, we assume your implied consent and permission to continue provision. Disclaimer: This publication is distributed for the purpose of information only. It is not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract by a real estate firm or under contract with another Broker or Mortgage Specialist, nor is it intended to cause or induce breach of any existing agreement. Distributed by: dmsmarketing.ca Copyright© 2023 All Rights Reserved / Printed on recyclable material. The trademarks REALTOR ® , REALTORS ® and the REALTOR ® logo are controlled by CREA and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA.