Home Trends from Linda James

YYC’s TOP Award-Winning REALTOR® Linda James REALTOR® Cell: 403-650-1796 | lindasellsyyc@gmail.com

Residential, Commercial, Investment, Acreages, Relocations, New Construction

Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. 201-4600 Crowchild Trail NW, Calgary, AB T3A 2L6 MOUNTAIN VIEW

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A NEW SPIN ON A TRUSTED FAVOURITE Refinishing your dining table set can be an affordable way to turn a piece of furniture you've grown tired of into something you love. If your table and chairs have seen better days and are covered with scratches or scuff marks and stains, refinishing the wooden parts and reupholstering the fabric seats can give a new life to one of the most often used furniture items in your home. This can save you the hassle and expense of purchasing a new dining table or set and give you a project to complete this winter. Even if your table is in good shape, you might still want an update to change the look of your kitchen or dining area. In that case, add foam and fabric covers to otherwise wooden chairs, or add slip covers to your current fabric chairs. If you’re a bit more creative you can paint a mural or pattern on the table top or even add decorative wood pieces to chair backs to give them even more detail. Another option is to purchase and use self-adhesive contact paper to give the table top a whole new look and feel. Whatever you choose to do, take a look online for tutorials, tips and tricks from design experts or even just DIYers that have been there; done that.

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UNIQUE COLOUR COMBOS FOR YOUR HOME Choosing a colour scheme for your home may come naturally or you may look to television, magazines and online for inspiration. If you're looking for some unique colour combinations, look no further than these ideas: Emerald green and pink These colours work because they are complementary colours (on opposite sides of the colour wheel) and together create a calm yet cheerful feeling for a room. Mustard and brown Residing next to each other on the colour wheel (analogous colours) these two shades can be a bit overwhelming when paired together, so use the mustard as an accent and the brown as more of a grounding, base colour. Blue and orange Another popular complementary colour scheme is blue and orange, but dress it down slightly in your decor by using shades of peach and turquoise instead of bold and bright blues and oranges.

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COOL GADGETS FOR THE HOME Treating yourself to a new gadget for your home that will make your life easier is a fun way to start the new year. With so many options in stores and online, you might not even be aware of all the neat things available to you. Here are some products that might meet a need you don't even know you have... yet. Towel warmer - in the depths of winter, a warm cozy towel available the moment you step out of the shower or bath is a luxury you may find you need. Wireless Remote Control Electric Outlets - control anything that you can plug into a wall socket with these handy outlets. Great for those with mobility issues or outlets in hard-to reach places. Water Absorbent Coasters/Trays - great for use in bathrooms, kitchens and anywhere else water may pool unnecessarily. They absorb condensation and moisture from drinks but also soap dispensers, toothbrushes left on the counter, etc. Smart dog collar - ever wonder where your pet gets to throughout the day and if they're getting enough exercise and sleep? Enter the smart dog collar. Akin to a smart watch, it tracks your pet's activities and reports back to you. Best of all, the GPS feature can help find your pet if they happen to wonder away.

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KITCHEN UPGRADES BEFORE SELLING Upgrades to your kitchen can go a long way when listing your home for sale. You don't have to go all out and renovate the entire kitchen to boost your home's saleability because a few smaller changes can make the impact you're looking for. Adding crown molding to the top of your cabinets can give your kitchen a sophisticated look many buyers are attracted to. Swapping out the hardware on the cabinet doors is another quick and relatively inexpensive way to update the look of your kitchen. Choose matching finishes if you have different sized knobs and pulls in the various cabinets and measure, measure, measure so you don't have to fill in or create new holes. Giving your cabinets new life by painting them or adding beadboard for a textured finish is another common upgrade that can be done relatively easily. If your appliances are mismatched or getting to the end of their lifespan, investing in new, high-quality appliances will appeal to many buyers as well. A general rule of thumb is spending around 5 to 10 percent of the value of your home will get you a fair return on your investment which averages around 52 to 70 percent. Let’s connect and we can talk about common trends in your area.

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SUPPLY ON THE RISE, BUT NOT ACROSS ALL PRICE RANGES

BENCHMARK PRICE Single Family Dwelling $747,500

BENCHMARK PRICE Rowhouse $447,400

ACTIVE LISTINGS 2,989

SOLD LISTINGS 1,322

City of Calgary, January 2, 2025 - The year ended with 1,322 sales in December, a three per cent decline over last year. But nearly 20 per cent higher than long-term trends. Overall sales in 2024 were just shy of last year’s levels, as gains for higher-priced homes offset pullbacks in the lower price ranges caused by supply challenges. “Population gains over the past several years have supported sales activity that has outperformed long-term trends. In 2024, sales would likely have been higher if there was more supply choice, especially in the lower price ranges,” said Ann-Marie Lurie, Chief Economist at CREB®. “That being said, we did start to see shifts occurring in the market in the second half of the year as supply levels started to improve for higher priced homes.” As of December, there were 2,989 units available in inventory, still below long-term trends for the month but a significant improvement over the lower levels reported last December and levels reported early this year. Improved rental choice and significant gains in new home activity helped boost new listings in the resale market, driving higher inventories in the year's second half. Source: Calgary Real Estate Board | Market values stated are of the benchmark of Calgary 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.

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