Courtesy of Stacy McIntyre

@Stacy.McIntyre.SOLD realtor_Stacy_McIntyre

stacy@livrealestate.ca | stacymcintyre.ca

2025 | ISSUE 3

Even if you’re not an artist, you can still create a wall mural in your home with the help of a little technology and a lot of patience. Using a projector hooked up to your laptop, you can easily project a pattern, design or image onto your wall to trace it and then paint. Using a free design program or app, create a document with the same dimensions of the wall you’re wanting to paint. For example, if the wall is 8 feet tall by 12 feet wide, create a document that is 8” x 12”. Then either draw an image or import one that you want to incorporate into your decor. Remember, simple shapes and colour palettes are best if you’re a beginner and this is your first attempt at painting a mural. Once you have a design you like, use the projector to enlarge the image onto the wall. From there, use chalk or a pencil to trace the design onto the wall. Chalk works well on dark walls whereas pencil may be best for lighter walls. The best part is if you make a mistake, both are easy to remove and start over. Once you’re satisfied with the outline, go ahead and paint on the wall. You can refer to the image you created so you remember which colour goes where or you can leave the image projected to help. When the paint has dried, you can wash the chalk or pencil off and no one will be the wiser. CREATE A WALL MURAL LIKE A PRO

Daffodil Cake

INGREDIENTS: • 10 egg whites • 1 tsp cream of tartar • ½ tsp salt

• 1 ¼ cups white sugar, divided • ¾ cup sifted cake flour • 6 egg yolks

• ½ tsp orange extract • ½ cup sifted cake flour • 1 tsp vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Wash the pan in hot soapy water (ensures it’s grease-free). • In a large dry glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until frothy. Add cream of tartar and salt, and continue to whip. When the whites can form soft peaks, gradually sprinkle in 1 cup sugar, while continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. • In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks with ¼ cup sugar until thick and lemon-coloured. Blend in ¾ cup cake flour and orange extract. Fold half of the whipped egg whites into the yolk mixture. • Fold the remaining ½ cup of cake flour into the egg whites, along with the vanilla. Spoon about 1 cup of batter at a time, alternating colours, into the prepared pan. • Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce heat to 325°F, continue baking for another 20 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when pressed. • Without removing cake from pan, invert pan onto a wire rack to cool. Once completely cooled, remove cake from the pan and frost with your choice of frosting. Lemon cream cheese frosting works quite well.

DESPITE THE FORECAST, LIVE LIKE IT’S SPRING”

LILLY PULITZER (NOVEMBER 10, 1931 – APRIL 7, 2013) AN AMERICAN ENTREPRENEUR, FASHION DESIGNER, AND SOCIALITE.

STAPLES FOR YOUR VEHICLE With the seasons changing, what you keep in your vehicle for emergency purposes will also change slightly as you might not need that extra warm sleeping bag or spare set of winter clothes stored in your trunk over the spring and into the summer. However, to keep yourself safe and ready for anything, you should still stock some essentials in your vehicle such as the following: • First aid kit with non-expired medicines, bandages, hot and cold packs, etc. for all emergencies. • Solar charger for your phone as well as charging cables in case you get stranded with a low battery. • Flashlight with fresh batteries (and perhaps a spare set) or a hand crank version to help illuminate your way. • Tire repair kit as well as instructions on how to change a flat (if you aren’t in an area with cell service). • Bottled water (stored in a small cooler if possible) and snacks such as dried fruits, nuts, protein bars to keep you energized if you need.

JOKING AROUND

What’s Forrest Gump’s email password? 1forrest1

Knock knock. (Who’s there?) Déja. (Déja who?) Knock knock.

Can a kangaroo jump higher than a house? Of course. A house doesn’t jump at all!

Why did the car get a flat tire? Because there was a fork in the road!

Have you heard about the guy who stole the calendar? Well, he got 12 months!

WORD SEARCH

IMPROVE YOUR CURB APPEAL

The first thing a prospective buyer will notice is the outside of your home and that will quickly help them decide if they want to look further. Even if searching online the majority of homes listed on the MLS ® System offer the exterior of the home as the first photo and if they don’t, you can rest assured buyers are clicking through to see what the outside looks like. With that in mind, if you’re listing or even thinking about it, you’ll want to ensure your property has curb appeal. Those first few moments can be crucial to a buyer, so do your best to highlight your home. If you live in a condominium and have limited options, make sure your door is clean and the hardware is shiny and doesn’t stick, if nothing else. If you live in a detached home, the lawn should be mowed (or sidewalks shovelled if it’s the season), the front door, windows, siding, etc. should all be in good repair and clean. Smaller details like lighting, landscaping materials and plants and bushes will also help pique a buyer’s interest. If the exterior of the property is visually appealing and well taken care of, they will generally assume the interior is as well and that will help guide them into your home (literally and figuratively) as they determine if it meets their needs.

breeze budding flower melting planting

pollen season spring

sunshine warming

SOLUTION

Real estate in the Greater Edmonton Area showing signs of spring thaw

$217,373 apt./ condo UP 19.9% year-to-year

$567,913 detached UP 11.9% year-to-year

AVERAGE SALE PRICES

$300,818 row/ townhouse

2,723 NEW LISTINGS 1,825 SOLD LISTINGS

detached 1,555 501 detached 1,015 305 apt./ condo apt./ condo

UP 9.1% year-to-year

67% SALES TO NEW LISTING RATIO

37 DAYS ON MARKET

2.3 MONTHS OF INVENTORY

4,157 ACTIVE LISTINGS

Edmonton, March 4, 2025: There were 1,825 residential unit sales in the Greater Edmonton Area (GEA) real estate market during February 2025. New residential listings amounted to 2,723. Total residential average prices came in at $449,554, increasing 2.6% from the previous month and reflecting an overall growth of 10.5% compared to February 2024. Detached home prices averaged $567,913, an increase of 1.2% from January 2025 and 11.9% higher than the previous year. Apartment Condominium average prices rose 7.3% from January 2025 to $217,373 and ended the month 19.9% higher than the previous year.

“There’s been a definite shift in the market over the past month towards an early spring market,” says REALTORS ® Association of Edmonton 2025 Board Chair Darlene Reid. “REALTORS ® know that prices will increase as the season gets busier and new inventory tends to decrease. If they are representing buyer-clients, they’re likely warning them to be ready to move fast when the right property comes up.” Overall, all residential listings averaged 37 days on the market. Statistics reflect market activity in February 2025 | 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.

Let my expertise guide you through a smooth home buying or selling experience

780-860-2577 | stacy@livrealestate.ca | stacymcintyre.ca

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