Home Trends courtesy of Paul Beauchemin

Paul Beauchemin International Real Estate

Alberta: 780.994.7289 Arizona: 480.459.8400

paul@paulbeauchemin.com www.paulbeauchemin.com Alberta: Alberta Real Estate Association | Realtors Association of Edmonton | National Association of Realtors Arizona: Scottsdale Association of Realtors | Arizona Association of Realtors | Arizona Multiple Listing Service

Paul Beauchemin

PASSÉ HOME DECOR TRENDS While how you decorate your home is entirely up to you, keeping up with trends as they fall in and out of style is a fun way to gather inspiration. According to industry experts, these three home decor trends are on the way out: White walls. They grace the pages of every design magazine, with many professionals declaring you can never go wrong with white. Sure, white is a nice clean backdrop for colourful furniture and accessories, but the newest trend is to go bold or go home. Colourful furniture against colourful walls – perhaps even walls in the same room painted different hues. Think less minimalism and more bohemianism and toss in some funky artwork and throw pillows to finish it all off. Word art. Everyone loves an inspirational saying, but trends like this one tend to take over. From signs in the kitchen that read “Coffee” to word art in the bedroom that waxes poetic about family – beautiful and heartwarming? Yes. Original? Not anymore. Try an idyllic landscape painting or a family portrait instead. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words. Bare lightbulbs. Once again, extreme minimalism has fallen out of favour for bold and colourful decor choices. Instead of a vintage- style bulb on a bare electrical cord, delicately detailed chandeliers, geometrically shaped lampshades and floor lamps that are both functional and good-looking are the new go-to trends in lighting.

Arizona: 480.459.8400 • www.paulbeauchemin.com

Paul Beauchemin

DESIGN A HOME LIBRARY IN ANY SPACE Perhaps you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but the books a person owns certainly speaks volumes about their personality. Although the majority of homeowners don’t have extra room to dedicate to a library, there are ways to incorporate book displays that are both space saving and eye-catching. Look for pockets of extra space in hallways, stairwells and landings to add built-in shelving. If you’d prefer to take your bookcases with you when you move, opt for freestanding furniture that can range from a small square cube to a massive multi-shelved unit. If you don’t have the floor space, create an eye-level library with floating shelves that wrap around an entire room. And if your book collection is small, or you’d prefer to display it in smaller groupings rather than all together, small benches, chairs and open storage shelves make the perfect home for your library.

Alberta: 780.994.7289 • www.paulbeauchemin.com

Paul Beauchemin

ENHANCE YOUR HOMEWITH SOAPSTONE After first coming into use 5,000 years ago, soapstone is quickly becoming the stone of choice for bathrooms, kitchens and outdoor living. Soapstone has seen a revival mainly because its colour variation, which is more subdued than in other natural stone, is more in line with the current trend of muted and tonal palettes. Whereas natural materials such as granite and marble tend to stand out and have more of a wow factor, soapstone blends into the overall design, lending a serene mood to any room. As for its durability, soapstone is nonporous meaning it doesn’t stain. It’s also resistant to chipping, but if a chip does appear it can be repaired with sandpaper. And because soapstone both absorbs and radiates heat, it can be used for specialty items like pizza ovens and foot warmers as well as in more traditional design applications such as backsplashes, countertops, flooring and sinks.

Arizona: 480.459.8400 • www.paulbeauchemin.com

Paul Beauchemin

PROTECT YOUR HOMEWHEN YOU’RE AWAY No one wants to return from a business trip or vacation to find their home damaged or that they’ve fallen victim to vandalism or robbery. Deter criminals by following these eight steps to ensure your home remains safe and sound while you’re travelling: 1. Make sure all doors and windows are locked. 2. Drain pipes and turn off water. 3. Install motion sensors and timed lighting to make your house look lived in. 4. Unplug appliances, heaters and accessories. 5. Have someone clear flyers and newspapers off of your front stoop as well as check on your home regularly. 6. Depending on the season, arrange for someone to shovel snow off your sidewalks and driveway or to mow the lawn. 7. Resist the urge to post details of your trip on social media as prowlers often scour the internet for potential victims. 8. If you’re going to be away for an extended period of time, consider hiring a local home security company to conduct regular patrols.

Alberta: 780.994.7289 • www.paulbeauchemin.com

Paul Beauchemin

February Unit Sales Increase 26%, Prices Increase Slightly Edmonton, March 2, 2017 - Reported unit sales continued to outperform 2016 in the Edmonton Census Metropolitan Area (CMA), with all residential categories increasing 26.6% in February 2017. Unit prices continued to remain stable compared to previous reported periods. Single family home prices increased 1.85% compared to February 2016, to an average selling price of $427,726. “As we head into the spring buying season with stable prices, coupled with increases in unit sales and seasonally-appropriate inventory levels, it seems like a positive sign for our market,” says James Mabey, REALTORS® Association of Edmonton Chair. While 2016 overall had higher inventory relative to previous years, 2017 inventory is more consistent with typical market activity for this time of year. Average days on market (DOM) in February was 65. Single family home average DOM was 59 days; condominium average DOM was 73 days; duplex and rowhouse average DOM was 80 days. “As the weather warms and we begin looking towards spring, both buyers and sellers are making some of the biggest financial decisions of their lives,” said Mabey. “A professional REALTOR® is here to help you through it.” ~ Source REALTORS® Association of Edmonton Read the Full Market Analysis If you’d like to find out more about your home and neighbourhood, give me a call.

Average Price SFD* $427,726 UP 1.85% (YTY) Average Price Condo $230,661 DOWN 6.65% (YTY) Average DOM 65 Sales to Listing Ratio 44% *SFD = Single Family Dwelling *DOM = Days on Market 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.

Arizona: 480.459.8400 • www.paulbeauchemin.com