Courtesy of Lindsay Lerner

#6204B Burbank Rd SE Calgary, AB T2H 2C2

LINDSAY LERNER , B.COMM 403.585.1968 linlerner@gmail.com REAL ESTATE AGENT

Volume 15 | Number 3

GOT AN AWKWARD CORNER IN YOUR HOME? HERE’S HOW TO FIX IT!

When listing your home, you’ll want to stage it so every nook and cranny looks inviting. But what if you have an awkward, empty corner that you just don’t know what to do with? The first thing you could try is creating a plant corner. If you’re a green thumb, choose real plants. If you aren’t, fake plants can still look pretty. Choose three to four plants with different leaf sizes and then arrange them in a variety of pots. For height variations, place one or two in a pot on the floor, one on a slightly elevated surface (such as a small stool) and one on a taller plant stand. If you’d prefer not to place anything on the floor, another idea is to create an art corner. The most budget-friendly approach is to head to a thrift shop and see what artwork you find there. Also keep a lookout for frames you like, even if you’re not a fan of the art itself. Art can be removed and replaced with a different print. Try to choose pieces that would be appealing to most buyers, such as landscapes, sketches or florals – but of course make sure you love them too as you’ll be taking them with you! You can even combine a plant corner and art nook to create a visually interesting area sure to make buyers feel right at home.

GARLIC BUTTER COD Courtesy of www.ehow.com

INGREDIENTS : 4 small cod fillets, patted dry 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour Salt

Ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1/4 cup broth Sautéed vegetables, for serving Pasta or rice, for serving 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS: 1. On a plate or shallow dish, toss the flour and spices together. 2. Coat both sides of each fillet in the flour mixture. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Cook the cod until it is golden brown and flaky, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. 3. Remove the cod and place it on a separate plate. Add the garlic and remaining butter to the skillet. Cook for about 30 seconds. Add the lemon juice, broth and parsley. Cook until slightly reduced and thick, about 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the skillet with a spatula. 4. Plate the cod with cooked vegetables and pasta or rice. Pour the garlic-butter sauce over the cod.

HOW TO MODERNIZE DATED FURNITURE If your home is filled with dingy or dated looking furniture, you might be wondering if there’s anything you can do to spruce it up without spending a fortune to replace it. Giving your existing furniture a makeover before you list your home for sale is actually a win-win situation. Not only does it make your home look cleaner and more appealing to potential buyers, you get to take the updated pieces with you when you move to your new home! The first way to update old furniture is to paint or refinish it. If the piece is a high quality wood piece in good condition, consider sanding and staining it to match its original color. If it ’s very banged up or made of something other than solid wood – such as MDF or other composite material, consider priming and then painting it white, grey or another color that matches your space. SURPRISING FACTS ABOUT SPRING Think you know spring? Well, here are three lesser-known facts you may be unaware of. – On the first day of spring, a person at the North Pole would see the sun skimming across the horizon, beginning six months of uninterrupted daylight. A person at the South Pole would see the sun skimming across the horizon, signaling the start of six months of darkness. – According to Greek myth, the return of spring coincides with the return of Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, who is the goddess of plants and fertility. – Every year on the first day of spring, people in Poland gather to burn an effigy and throw it in the river to bid winter farewell.

Next up, change the hardware. There are so many hardware options out there it might feel a bit overwhelming, but the best way to go about it is to choose something that compliments the lines of the piece. If it has sleek, straight lines, go with square or rectangle hardware. If it has rounded corners or curves, pick something circular or oval. And don’t underestimate the role good staging can do. Get rid of any clutter and create one or two small vignettes on top of, or next to, your pieces. Use items you already have such as books, candles and vases to add visual interest.

THE BENEFITS

OF USING RECLAIMED

MATERIALS

Incorporate reclaimed building materials into your next home renovation project. Recycled materials are a more sustainable and a much more affordable option. Reclaimed materials add character to your home in a way that new items aren’t able to. Use an old wooden beam as a fireplace mantel, create a feature wall out of reclaimed brick, or build a bathroom vanity out of palettes – these are all ways to make your home as unique as you are. Recycled materials also help you stay within budget. For example, a new solid panel interior door can cost between $100 to $200, but you can often find a salvaged door for less than $50. The same goes for other home features such as sinks, tubs, faucets, flooring, light fixtures – even electrical components. If you plan on hiring a contractor to handle your remodel, find someone with experience in using reclaimed items. Not only will they be able to help you source materials, they’ll also know how to properly repair and install them so they’ll look just as good; even better – than new. Here are a few of the best places to find reclaimed building materials:

Online buy and sells. Websites like Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace are all great resources for a cool salvaged find or for building materials leftover from construction jobs. Local salvage stores. If you live in or near a bigger city, you likely have access to a salvage shop. These businesses are run by people who frequent demolition sites and bring items back to their store that otherwise would have been thrown away. Residential construction sites. Be your own salvager and head to local residential construction sites. Look for large dumpsters filled with construction “waste” and then politely ask the homeowner (or builder) if you can have items of interest. While some of them might say no – some of them might also say yes! Family, friends and neighbours. Got someone you know who is renovating too? Head to their house and see what they’re tearing out – it might be just what you’re looking for.

JOKES SO BAD THEY’RE GOOD Courtesy of www.parade.com Will these 8 bad jokes makes you laugh – or make you groan? Read on to find out! 1. Why don’t oysters donate to charity? Because they’re shellfish. 2. What does a baby computer call its father? Data. 3. What did the custodian say when he jumped out of the closet? “Supplies!”

4. How does a penguin build its house? Igloos it together. 5. What do sprinters eat before a race? Nothing. They fast. 6. What do you call a fly without wings? A walk! 7. What happens when you witness a shipwreck? You let it sink in. 8. How can you find Will Smith in the snow? Follow the fresh prints.

FRENCH WORD SCRAMBLE Learn, or brush up on, French the fun way – by tackling this Unscramble the clues to form French words that describe nature, then unscramble the highlighted letters to answer the question: What do French sometimes call Earth? French word scramble all about the natural world!

Courtesy of www.puzzles-to-print.com

Answers:

Sales continue to surge as listings rise

$257,500 apartment UP 5.0% year-to-year

$596,400 detached UP 19.0% year-to-year

2,874

$321,100 rowhouse UP 13.22% year-to-year

BENCHMARK PRICES

693

4,652 NEW LISTINGS

single family detached row

25 DAYS ON MARKET

71.04% SALES TO NEW LISTING RATIO

ACTIVE LISTINGS (residential inventory) 3,600

3,305 SOLD LISTINGS

Calgary, March 1, 2022 – Thanks to a surge in new listings, sales activity reached a record high for the month of February with 3,305 sales. The rise in new listings caused adjusted inventories to rise above last months levels. However, with only one month of supply, the market continues to favour the seller. “Sales have been somewhat restricted by the lack of supply choice in the market. While sellers did respond with a record level of new listings this month, the demand has been so strong that the housing market continues to remain undersupplied causing further price gains” said CREB® Chief Economist Ann-Marie Lurie. The total residential benchmark price for the city rose by nearly six percent over January levels and was over 16 percent higher

than levels recorded last February. Much of the growth has been driven by the detached segment of the market which has not seen conditions this tight in over 15 years. This is the fourth consecutive month that the market has dealt with conditions that are far tighter than what the city experienced last spring. While the gains in new listings will help provide choice to purchasers and eventually support more balanced conditions, it will take some time to work through the demand in the market. Statistics reflect market activity in February 2022 | 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.

LINDSAY LERNER , B.COMM REAL ESTATE AGENT

The greatest compliment my clients can give me is the referral of family and friends! 403.585.1968 linlerner@gmail.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 or Mortgage Specialist, nor is it intended to cause or induce breach of any existing agreement. Distributed by: dmsmarketing.ca Copyright© 2022 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.