Tracy's Home Trends

Tracy WARRINGTON Real Estate Associate

403.710.4892 tracy.warrington@live.ca www.tracywarrington.com

100, 5810 - 2nd St. SW Calgary , AB T2H 0H2 CA

TRACY WARRINGTON

DO ENERGY STAR® APPLIANCES SAVE MONEY? With more and more appliance brands offering ENERGY STAR® certified products, you may be wondering if they’re worth the investment. After all, aren’t ENERGY STAR rated appliances more expensive than non-rated ones? The answer may surprise you! While non-certified appliances used to cost up to $200 less than those with the blue ENERGY STAR label, the prices have evened out and in some cases, you may be able to find an energy efficient appliance for less. Plus, ENERGY STAR appliances save money in the long run as they consume less energy than their counterparts. Furthermore, rebates from government agencies and service providers are often given to homeowners who purchase ENERGY STAR rated products. Check the ENERGY STAR section on the Natural Resources Canada website at www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy-efficiency/energy-star-canada/18953 for more information – including a list of the most energy efficient appliances of the year!

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TRACY WARRINGTON

FOUR NO-FAIL HOME DECOR TIPS With home decor trends ever changing, how do you ensure the items you choose for your home today will still be in style tomorrow? “Style”may be a highly personal thing, but what we like and don’t like at any given time is influenced by what’s trending around us. Thankfully, there are a few guidelines you can follow to help you cultivate an interior space you’ll love for years to come. 1. Not having a plan is the quickest way to become overwhelmed and wind up with a mish-mosh of decor that just doesn’t quite work. Start with a single piece of furniture or an accent item that you love. Then, think of ways you can build around that item to achieve the end result you’re going for. 2. Save the wild colours, patterns and shapes for your accessories and artwork. Bigger pieces like furniture should be timeless. Think simple, clean lines and neutral colours. 3. White can be challenging if you have small children or pets in your home, but there’s a reason why the pages of any design magazine – during any era – will feature homes filled with white items. Because white is a classic! Plus, it’s a fantastic backdrop for more trendy colours and prints. 4. Anytime you consider buying a new piece for your home, ask yourself “will I still love this in five years?” If the answer is unequivocally “yes” – then go for it! If you aren’t sure or think you may tire of the item in a few years, then consider moving on to something else.

403.710.4892

TRACY WARRINGTON

UPCOMING ARCHITECTURE TRENDS Thanks to advancements in drafting programs, material use and the ever-growing talents of architects, the next decade is set to be one filled with jaw-dropping feats of design and engineering. First up, indoor parks will begin to take over our interior spaces thanks to the design theory “wild urbanism.”The concept is about blending natural and manmade to create a new kind of public space. Next, does an invisible building sound like something out of a sci-fi movie? Indeed – buildings, cars and people have all been rendered invisible on the screen, but architecture you can’t see is about to become a reality. Using high-tech LED systems, a building’s exterior can now mimic its surroundings, making it seem as if it isn’t there. Lastly, power plants are about to get green makeovers. Architecture firm AZPA proposes buildings such as the Wedel Vattendall power plant in Germany be covered with plants, which would both beautify the structure and provide carbon dioxide absorption.

403.710.4892

TRACY WARRINGTON

THREE ECO-FRIENDLY FLOORING OPTIONS Keep the environment in mind during your next renovation and consider selecting an eco-friendly flooring type. Although green flooring options were once limited to bamboo or cork, now even carpet is jumping on the sustainability train. Here are three currently trending eco-friendly flooring options. Forest Stewardship Council Certified Laminate. No longer a “cheap” alternative to hardwood, laminate has come a long way over the last few years. Many flooring companies are now making laminate that contains wood sourced from sustainably managed forests. Recycled-Content Carpet. Wonder where all those water bottles you’re recycling are going? Well, some of them are going into carpet! Look for carpet made from recycled PET such as Mohawk’s Everstrand. Concrete. It may not be the first material that comes to mind as a flooring option, but concrete fits perfectly into the current industrial decor trend. Concrete is durable and often contains recycled materials. It’s also known to minimize heating costs, which is great for your energy bill and the planet.

403.710.4892

TRACY WARRINGTON

SALES ACTIVITY INCREASE LED BY LOWER-PRICED HOMES City of Calgary, September 3, 2019 – Increased sales and easing new listings reduced housing inventories in August. Sales were primarily driven by homes priced below $500,000. Rising sales for homes priced under $500,000 offset sales declines in the higher price ranges. This caused August sales to improve by six per cent compared to last year. Sales activity improved for all product types. The growth was largest for apartment-style and attached properties. New listings continued to ease this month, which caused inventory to decline. This is helping the market shift toward more balanced conditions. The amount of downward pressure on prices is also easing. At $426,000, the unadjusted citywide benchmark price this month remained comparable to last month, but 2.6 per cent lower than last year’s levels. Despite improving sales and reductions in inventory, housing market recovery will take time. Inventory levels remain elevated and sales activity is still well below historical norms. The market continues to favour the buyer, with over four months of supply.

AVG. SALE PRICE SFD 1 $535,422

AVG. SALE PRICE Condo $269,991

ACTIVE LISTINGS 7,044

AVERAGE DOM 2 59

1 SFD = Single Family Dwelling 2 DOM = Days on Market Source: CREB

Market values stated are of the average 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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