Courtesy of Laurie Paynter

VVO LLUUM EE3374I SI S US UE E1 41 YOUR HOUSE

CUSTOMIZING GENERIC FURNITURE PIECES

Furniture from a big box store is great - it’s affordable, easily accessible, functional and a blank canvas for you to customize. Imagine if everyone in your family received the same piece of furniture and free reign to adjust it to suit their needs. Each unit would look and function completely different. That’s the benefit of purchasing simple furniture pieces that are rather generic to begin with. As your decor and tastes evolve, you can change them rather easily. From paint, to peel and stick tiles, to hardware and feet, the options are really endless. Then, if you grow tired of the piece or it’s no longer functional, you can change it again, sell it or donate it without feeling guilty. Therefore, before your next big purchase, consider buying something you can personalize yourself. Look online for inspiration or head to your local craft supply or home improvement store to see what inspires you. CUSTOMIZING GENERIC FURNITURE PIECES Furniture from a big box store is great - it’s affordable, easily accessible, functional and a blank canvas for you to customize. Imagine if everyone in your family received the same piece of furniture and free reign to adjust it to suit their needs. Each unit would look and function completely different. That’s the benefit of purchasing simple furniture pieces that are rather generic to begin with. As your decor and tastes evolve, you can change them rather easily. From paint, to peel and stick tiles, to hardware and feet, the options are really endless. Then, if you grow tired of the piece or it’s no longer functional, you can change it again, sell it or donate it without feeling guilty. Therefore, before your next big purchase, consider buying something you can personalize yourself. Look online for inspiration or head to your local craft supply or home improvement store to see what inspires you. Volume 17 | Number 11

Your Guide Through Real Estate for over 20 Years

Laurie Paynter REALTOR®

Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES)

Bus/Cell: 403-818-2677 lpaynter@shaw.ca • www.lauriepaynter.com Office: 403-247-5171 • ifax: 403-592-9234

Real Estate (Mountain View) Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. 201-4600 Crowchild Trail NW Calgary, AB T3A 2L6

WINTER IS THE TIME FOR COMFORT, FOR GOOD FOOD AND WARMTH, FOR THE TOUCH OF A FRIENDLY HAND AND FOR A TALK BESIDE THE FIRE: IT IS THE TIME FOR HOME.”

Edith Sitwell

(Sept 1887 - Dec 1964) was a British poet who published her first poem in 1913 which started a life long career where she received the Benson Medal of the Royal Society of Literature.

- Edith Sitwell

TIME FOR AN ANNUAL FIREPLACE INSPECTION Before the temperatures drop and you start using your fireplace to warm your home, industry experts suggest having it inspected. An inspection will ensure your fireplace is safe to use, is performing efficiently and complies with local codes and standards. An inspector might also suggest tips on how to prolong the life of your fireplace and how to keep it burning clean to keep your emissions and environmental impact low. This annual task should be performed by a professional but that doesn't mean you can't keep an eye out for potential issues throughout the season. Look for any signs of damage to the exterior, if dust or debris has collected in or around the fireplace, if the flame isn't consistently blue or shows irregular flickering patterns and other

changes in typical function. These are signs that something could be amiss and should be checked out as soon as possible.

CHEESY BROCCOLI SOUP IN A BREAD BOWL

Yields: 6 servings | Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 30 mins

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup cornstarch • ¼ cup water or additional chicken stock • 2½ cups shredded cheddar cheese • 6 small round bread loaves Optional toppings: Crumbled cooked bacon, ground nutmeg and pepper ,additional shredded cheddar cheese

• 3 cups chicken stock • 2 cups half-and-half cream • 2 bay leaves • ½ teaspoon salt • ¼ teaspoon pepper

• ¼ cup butter, cubed • ½ cup chopped onion • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 4 cups broccoli florets • 1 large carrot, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. In a 6-qt. stockpot, heat butter over medium heat; sauté onion and garlic until tender, 6-8 minutes. Stir in broccoli, carrot, stock, cream and seasonings; bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, about 10-12 minutes. 2. Mix cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into soup. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Stir in cheese until melted. 3. If using bread bowls, cut a slice off the top of each bread loaf; hollow out bottoms, leaving ¼ inch-thick shells (save removed bread for another use). Fill with soup just before serving. 4. Serve soup with toppings as desired.

Courtesy of tasteofhome.com

SNOW SHOVELLING TECHNIQUE

Even if it's your thousandth time shovelling snow, it doesn't hurt to review proper snow shovelling technique. Like any activity, be sure to stretch and warm up before starting. Stretch your arms, legs, shoulders and back and then march in place for a few minutes to loosen up your body so you're less likely to get injured. Take frequent breaks if the snow is heavy or your area to shovel is large. Remember to stay hydrated and don't shovel on a full stomach; wait a couple of hours after eating. As for technique, aim to push the snow out of the way rather than lift it. Shovel small amounts at a time, especially if the snow is particularly deep or wet to prevent injury. Keep your core engaged (tighten your stomach muscles) when pushing or lifting and avoid twisting your body. Keep your feet hip width apart for balance and hold the shovel close to your body and near the base for maximum leverage and to reduce lower back strain. Always bend at your knees and lift with your legs instead of your back.

SURPRISING SNOWFLAKE FACTS

SUDOKU

The 9×9 square must be filled in with numbers from 1-9 with no repeated numbers in each line, horizontally or vertically. Furthermore, each of the 3×3 squares can't have any repeat numbers either.

Even though winter doesn't officially begin until December 21, and not everyone in Canada will see snow this season, here are some unique facts about snowflakes for your information.

The largest snowflakes ever reported were in Fort Keogh, Montana in 1887 and were reported to be around 15" wide!

Snowflakes are extremely cold, water droplets that freeze onto a pollen or dust particle in the sky forming an ice crystal. As this ice crystal falls to the ground, water vapor freezes onto the crystal building new crystals and thus the snowflake.

A snowflake can take hours to fall from a cloud to the ground as they tend to float down from about 1.6 kilometers to 6.4 kilometers per hour.

Solution:

Supply levels improving for higher-priced homes

$341,700 apartment UP 11.4% year-to-year

$753,900 detached UP 8.0% year-to-year

BENCHMARK PRICES

$456,600 rowhouse

2,174 SOLD LISTINGS 3,264 NEW LISTINGS

detached 1,536 detached 1,071 560 apartment 921 apartment

UP 8.1% year-to-year

2.3 MONTHS OF INVENTORY

4,966 ACTIVE LISTINGS

66.6% SALES TO NEW LISTING RATIO

32 DAYS ON MARKET

This results in conditions far more balanced in the upper end of the market versus the seller's market conditions in the lower to mid-price ranges of each property type.” The gains in new listings relative to sales over the past six months have supported inventory gains in the city. As of October, 4,966 units were available, a significant improvement over the near-record low reported last October. While inventories are starting to reach levels more consistent with long-term trends, the inventory composition has changed as nearly half of all the residential inventory is now priced above $600,000. Statistics reflect market activity in October 2024 | Source: CREB ® Calgary Real Estate Board. Market values stated are of the benchmark of the city of Calgary. 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.

City of Calgary, November 1, 2024 — Sales gains for homes priced above $600,000 offset declines at the lower end of the market, resulting in October sales that were similar to last year. The 2,174 sales in October increased over September and stood 24 per cent above long-term trends for the month. “Housing demand has stayed relatively strong in our market as we move into the fourth quarter, with October sales rising over last month,” said Ann-Marie Lurie, Chief Economist at CREB ® . “However, activity would likely have been stronger if more supply choices existed for lower-priced homes. Supply levels in our market are improving relative to the ultra-low levels experienced last year, but much of the gains have been driven by higher-priced units for each property type.

Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES) Laurie Paynter REALTOR® Let me help you start your next chapter. Bus/Cell: 403-818-2677 lpaynter@shaw.ca www.lauriepaynter.com

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, nor is it intended to cause or induce breach of any existing agreement. Distributed By: DMS Marketing Inc. Copyright© 2024 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. 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© 2024 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.