As summer days give way to cooler weather, good times had on the patio or balcony need not end – especially, when outside is one of the safest places to be thanks to COVID-19. From simple additions to more elaborate fixes, there are many ways to winterproof outdoor spaces for year-round enjoyment.

Calgary is in the middle of an industrial real estate boom as high rental prices and low vacancy rates in places like Vancouver drive companies to snatch up warehouse space.

House cleaning can feel like an endless struggle, but it doesn't always have to be. The key is to work smarter, not harder, and these eight cleaning hacks will help you do just that.

A fresh coat of paint is one the easiest ways to shake up your home’s design and completely change the feel of a room.

With today’s technology, home and job site security can be in the palm of your hand.

For many, home is the place where they feel the safest and most at ease. However, there are many hazards within the average house or apartment that can have dangerous, and even deadly, consequences if left unchecked. Luckily, most of these threats are easy to identify and even easier to avoid with just a little bit of knowhow.

Looking at the devastation surrounding the collapse of the Champlain Towers South condo building in Surfside, Florida, it’s easy to wonder if that kind of disaster could ever happen in Canada.

Between historically low mortgage rates, changing lifestyle needs, bolstered savings and more competition in the market, there’s a lot factoring into how the residential real estate market has changed over the past year.

The Springbank Off-Stream Reservoir (SR1) project is moving ahead after receiving federal approval, which is welcome news for the many Calgarians who have been advocating for upstream flood mitigation measures since the 2013 disaster.

At a time when community stakeholders care more about the environment than ever before, a newly updated Green Communities Guide from Canada’s Land Stewardship Centre highlights the environmental, economic and health benefits in nature-based solutions (NBS).

It’s widely known that lakes in and around Calgary provide both recreational opportunities and some highly desirable residential and vacation real estate. However, here are five things you might not know about Calgary-and-area lakes...

The creation of a new downtown community association, the first from the city’s core in a decade, is a sign of the growth of a healthy city as it emerges from the pandemic, says the executive director of the Federation of Calgary Communities.

It’s no surprise that homeownership can create significant financial benefits over time. What’s often overlooked is the value of the non-financial advantages – to the individual, their community and society as a whole. In fact, the value of homeownership spans the realms of health, education, and civic and socio-cultural spheres.

Known for its can-do attitude, vibrancy and love of growth, Calgary is a city that’s quick to embraces the latest thing. For the most part, that mindset has translated into new housing and development, but heritage conservation advocates are seeing growing support for a more balanced approach.

Recent changes to the City of Calgary’s Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw mean Calgarians will soon be able to raise chickens in their yards.

Most sellers in this day and age recognize the value of staging a home’s interior, but what about the backyard?

After years of consultation and research, the City of Chestermere is building a new $39.5-million civic recreation centre

Canmore’s sizzling real estate market is about to get a welcome influx of new product for interested homebuyers. Two new proposed phases of the 600-acre Silvertip resort development, perched atop the slopes to the east of the TransCanada Highway, will include more than 100 luxury tourist homes.

A new seven-year, $2.6-billion program from the federal government will provide financial assistance for up to 700,000 Canadians looking to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

“Cohousing communities are intentional, collaborative neighborhoods,” said Sarah Arthurs, primary consultant with Calgary-based Cohousing Connections, an organization that establishes and supports partnerships between developers and individuals or groups who wish to live in cohousing.

The COVID-19 vaccine rollout, a rosier economy and the opening of post-secondary institutions to in-person classes could all improve Calgary’s residential rental vacancy rate by as early as this fall.

Enthusiastic conversations around potential cycling pathways connecting Okotoks and Airdrie to Calgary could open up a whole new way to explore the region. As e-bike access and popularity grows, commuting between the municipalities on two wheels is becoming a practical option for many cyclists.

Recent changes to the mortgage stress test designed to cool down hot housing markets across the country may make it more difficult for some Albertans to purchase a home.

It’s only June, but Calgarians have already gotten a taste of the 30-degree temperatures usually reserved for the peak summer days of July and August. This summer could be a hot one, and it’ll feel even hotter if, like many Calgarians, your home doesn’t have air conditioning.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, an obsession has developed among people who are extremely online with an interior design feature whose heyday occurred more than 50 years ago: the conversation pit.

You only get one chance to make a great first impression, so why waste an opportunity to get a leg up on other sellers? Whether it’s for better listing photos or to impress during showings, improving your home’s curb appeal doesn’t have to be expensive.

To the uninitiated, plumbing repairs and maintenance can be intimidating. Major repairs and plumbing emergencies are no doubt best left to the professionals, but with a few tools and a bit of knowhow, smaller fixes can be accomplished by any homeowner.

May is national “Moving Month,” which comes during a busy spring for the Calgary housing market, with record home sales so far this year. All those home sales mean lots of people on the move. Unfortunately, there are always epic tales circulating about bad moving experiences, including damaged or missing items, bloated costs and even home furnishings held hostage.

You can always go downtown. At least that’s what the song says. Much has been written about the current woes of Calgary’s Downtown Commercial Core. Office vacancies are approaching 30 percent, and many businesses and commuters are conspicuous in their absence from the area.

Calgary is one of the most unique cities in Canada when it comes to weather. Throughout the year, we can see temperatures span from -40C to 40C in a matter of months, and chinooks can warm our frostbitten city into a springtime paradise in only a few short days.

Anyone who has walked into a hardware store lately is aware of the current price of lumber, a situation that is creating issues for the homebuilding and renovation industries in Calgary and across the country.

Curating the perfect home is no easy feat, especially if you are doing it without any professional help. For all the design DIYers out there in need of a little direction, we reached out to a couple of Calgary designers for their foolproof colour palettes, design schemes and decorative themes that are sure to sizzle in any space. The best part is that anyone can pull these looks together – no experience necessary.

The art displayed in a home provides personality, creates a welcoming atmosphere and offers a glimpse of your unique style to guests. And while there aren’t many unbreakable rules for choosing and arranging art, you still don’t want to fling it all over the place with little thought to how those pieces work with each other or the space.

When the shuttered King Edward School was transformed into cSPACE King Edward, an incubator for artists, non-profits and entrepreneurs, it proved an ambitious example of the economic, environmental and social benefits of preserving, rather than demolishing, Calgary’s historic buildings.

It’s time for spring cleaning, and while the excitement surrounding the Marie Kondo Method has died down somewhat since its peak, decluttering never goes out of style.

Competing for space with pets, children, a spouse or roommates can steal concentration quickly. As a result, backyard offices have become a trendy way to create a healthy boundary between home and work.

If you ever doubted the need for a home inspection prior to purchase, the unusual finds of some Calgary inspectors might be enough to convince you.

Right now, there’s no way to describe Canmore’s housing market other than “hot.”

When it comes to crowning Calgary’s most eclectic park, it would be tough to top the assortment of activities and opportunities offered at Prairie Winds Park.

Enticing discount mortgage rates have helped put Calgary’s detached home market in rare form.

The foundation of a home is the basis of the entire structure. Just like a strong foundation can make a happy relationship, a strong foundation beneath your home will keep it standing strong for many years.

A recent affordability survey shows Calgary is among the most affordable real estate markets in Canada.

Finding the right home might still be about location, but when it comes to getting the best deal, the key is negotiation.

The community of Acadia sits in southeast Calgary, nestled between Carburn Park and the Bow River to the east and Macleod Trail to the west. Established in 1960, the community is home to nine schools from the public and separate boards – including the city’s largest high school, Lord Beaverbrook – as well as a charter school and bilingual schools.

Old homes are often full of outdated features that seem bizarre in a modern context but served an important purpose at the time of construction. With some of these quirks – such as milk doors, dumbwaiters and boot scrapers – the utility is obvious. With others… well, not so much.

With spring on the horizon – bringing warmer days, blooming flowers, plenty of sunshine and increased optimism – Calgary’s real estate market is poised for a flurry of activity.

You might say that a city is defined by its restaurants — that the quality and variety of dining options reflect what kind of city it is. In this sense, we can say with certainty that Calgary continues to be entrepreneurial, and fiercely and proudly local, as well as resilient.

Making sure your dream renovation doesn’t turn into a nightmare means doing some due diligence before signing on the dotted line.

For many people, carpeted bathrooms inspire a lot of disdain, as well as a visceral feeling that something is terribly wrong. Modern-day defenders of this peculiar design choice do exist, but they appear to be vastly outnumbered.

Ongoing economic challenges, shrinking population growth and a pandemic that won’t go away add up to a downtown Calgary office market facing critical vacancy rates.

Buyers are spending more money on home purchases in several major Canadian cities, even as the COVID-19 pandemic causes layoffs and income reductions across the country.

Sound transmission class (STC) is the rating system used to measure a partition wall’s ability to reduce the effect of airborne sound. A higher STC rating means less sound will make its way through the partition wall – sometimes called a party wall, common wall or shared wall – creating a quieter living space.

For homeowners, insurance is an inescapable expense that can quickly add up when stacked on top of other financial obligations like a mortgage, property taxes and utilities. That’s why it’s important to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible - even a few small discounts applied to your premiums can turn into huge savings over time.

The master-planned vision for Calgary’s East Village revitalization, launched in the mid-2000s, is becoming a living, breathing reality, now more than ever.

Calgary is still stuck in the throes of winter, but many homeowners are already planning their landscape projects for 2021 to ensure they have an outdoor space to enjoy this summer.

At the end of 2020, the Pantone Colour Institute announced its 2021 Colour(s) of the Year: Ultimate Gray (17-5104) and Illuminating (13-0647), “A marriage of color conveying a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting.”

With pandemic precautions forcing Calgarians to restructure their lives, the city’s outdoor spaces have become a hot commodity this winter. Among the spots in highest demand have been the city’s many outdoor rinks.

While downtown Calgary struggles with an office vacancy rate nearing 30 per cent, a unique “campus” development in the heart of the Beltline is seeing success.

A major two-part project aimed at improving connections within east Victoria Park should keep interruptions to a minimum when work starts later this year.

In 2020, housing markets across the country surprised many with a stronger-than-expected rebound in the second half of the year despite record-high unemployment rates and significant job losses.

Radon is a colourless, odourless, naturally occurring gas that is the second leading cause of lung cancer in Canada after smoking. When uranium breaks down in the soil, radon is produced. It can then seep into buildings through cracks, pipes and drains.

Historically low interest rates are helping boost the residential real estate market in Calgary and across the country, with the trend expected to continue throughout 2021.

Even if you wouldn’t describe yourself as handy, it’s important for homeowners to have the skills and equipment to tackle routine maintenance and repairs. Thankfully, most of those tasks require nothing more than a few basic tools and a little elbow grease.

Inside the home, lighting does so much more than help you see. The right lighting can improve your mood, create the perfect atmosphere and highlight all the features of your home that you love the most.

If your home’s interior is feeling a bit drab and lifeless, adding a handful of houseplants to the mix can make a world of difference. This is especially true during the winter, when a little bit of greenery inside can help you forget about the weather outside.

It might sound like magic, but banishing snow from your driveway without lifting a finger is a trick that’s within reach for Calgarians.

Take one global pandemic and mix in two business lockdowns, an oil-price plunge and the worst economic contraction in modern Alberta history. You’d think this recipe would have shaken the housing market throughout 2020.

Twins Drew and Jonathan Scott, better known as the Property Brothers, are coming to Calgary to film new episodes of their HGTV Canada spinoff series Property Brothers: Forever Home. On the show, “the brothers help families whose current property needs a complete makeover in order to make it their forever home,” and the duo is currently looking for eligible Calgary-area homeowners.

The COVID-19 pandemic has, among other things, made many people acutely aware of the importance of proper cleaning and sanitization within the home. However, “out of sight, out of mind,” is often the mantra that informs our cleaning habits, which means many hidden or seemingly clean areas can get neglected.

Kiss 2020 goodbye and embrace calm in 2021, with the latest trends from the world of home décor.

Along with lowering monthly utility bills, green home features can also cut costs for homeowners by reducing their mortgage insurance premium. Depending on the home’s degree of energy efficiency, up to a quarter of a borrower’s premium can be covered by a rebate through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) Green Home program.

In a normal year, crafting a few New Year’s resolutions can be a fun way to identify opportunities for personal growth and development in the year ahead. However, 2020 has not been a normal year by any stretch.

A year-long pilot project designed to ramp up safety in the downtown core winds to a close at the end of 2020, but its effects might be long lasting.

Space is scarce in big metropolises like New York City, so it's not surprising that small apartments with awkward layouts are actually quite common. These types of apartments are often a good fit for someone who wants a relatively affordable home that's close to their place of work, while still allowing them to enjoy the cultural and culinary advantages that the big city has to offer.

The community of Acadia sits in southeast Calgary, nestled between Carburn Park and the Bow River to the east and Macleod Trail to the west. Established in 1960, the community is home to nine schools from the public and separate boards – including the city’s largest high school, Lord Beaverbrook – as well as a charter school and bilingual schools.

The new townhouse market is seeing growing demand in Calgary despite a rocky start to 2020, a new report shows.

Calgary’s real estate market has been an unexpected hot-zone of sales activity despite the pandemic. Yet a new report suggests the market remains mired in a slump from an investment perspective.

Calgary’s winters are bad enough without having to worry about the expensive heating bills that often accompany plummeting temperatures. Thankfully, there are a few easy ways to limit the damage and save a bit of cash in the process.

Calgary’s condo market may be mired in a bit of a slump, but developers are still finding ways to make their latest offerings stand out.

As Calgarians continue to navigate the challenges of an intense economic downturn and a global pandemic – in addition to the standard curveballs life tends to throw one’s way – many are re-evaluating their priorities in hopes of a brighter future.

You’ve found what seems like the perfect home, but before you close the deal, the inspection turns up some problems you can’t ignore: what are your options?

With winter knocking on the door, it’s a good time to decide if your home could benefit from some improved insulation.

For many, this is the time of year for decorating the tree, hanging stockings, baking delicious goodies and, finally, climbing a ladder to the roof to complete the most frustrating (and, perhaps, dangerous) holiday task: putting up outdoor lights.

With many people trading in their downtown commute for a home office due to the COVID-19 pandemic, proximity to the city centre has been less of a priority for house hunters this year.

To paint or not to paint? With upholstered furniture, that is a complicated question. Social media, online blogs and video tutorials show that it can be a fun DIY project, but there are a few key considerations and great results are not guaranteed.

Calgary’s East Village has perhaps seen more change over the last 20 years than any other community in the city. Since the idea of bringing East Village back to life resurfaced in 2005, the neighbourhood once known for its vacant lots and neglected buildings has been transformed into one of the city’s more vibrant communities.

The changing of the seasons often leads to window woes in a home, as problems that went unnoticed during the summer months become apparent with the arrival of colder weather.

Space for an office and private Zoom calls, a workout room, a more spacious kitchen – these are all growing renovation demands Calgary companies are fielding from customers working through the pandemic.

Unfortunately, winter is the season that tends to reveal and worsen issues within your home, so there’s no time like the present for some proactive maintenance. A bit of extra effort now could save you countless headaches when temperatures drop.