Found 10 blog entries tagged as homeowners.

Taking precautions to ensure your home is safe while you're away is important - be it for a week or for a few months. Many of the following tips are simple tasks that you can do to prevent break-ins and minimize damage:

An image of a young family walking out the front door, in the beginning of summer vacation.



  • For long vacations, unplug all electronics and shut off the main water valve. This will significantly reduce your utility bills while you're away.
  • Test your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors before leaving. Replace batteries if necessary. 
  • Make sure all of your windows and doors are properly closed and locked. This includes basement windows, garage doors, and shed doors. 
  • Avoid leaving any valuables out, where one could see them by peering in the window. Closed curtains and blinds are an obvious…

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Just because we don't live in the nation's capital doesn't mean we can't celebrate this beautiful nation's birthday! There are more than a few ways to get out and get festive for Canada Day 2022. Here's your lowdown on what's taking place in and near Yorkton this July 1st.

An image of a red maple leaf on a cedar background surrounded by other maple leafs, making up an image that looks like the Canadian flag.



Have a Picnic at the Museum

The Western Development Museum in town is hosting the beloved Canada Day Picnic and Celebration this year! From noon until 4 pm, you and your family can come out to the green space in front of the museum and take part in food, live entertainment, displays, music and fun activities. There's a scavenger hunt this year, so be sure to check the front desk for everything you'll need! 


Venture Out to a Provincial Park

Good…

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Here in the Prairies, we know summer is fleeting. With less than six months of warm weather, we take full advantage of the heat! So, it's no surprise that we want our living space to extend outdoors during this time. A few modifications to your backyard deck will improve its aesthetic and functionality, as well as increasing your comfort.

An image of an outdoor deck, a backyard patio.



1) Install a Pergola

A Pergola turns an exposed deck into an inviting room, providing partial shade and comforting structure. The angled slats shade most of the area during peak sunshine hours, all while still remaining open.

 


2) Re-stain

A gorgeous outdoor space starts with great wood. Sand and power wash the surface, then stain or paint with the colour of your choice. Not only will it…

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You've just bought a home, and you're getting ready to move. Before possession day, your daydreams consist of floor plans, furniture arrangements and interior design. Are we right?

It's absolutely normal to focus on the fun things right now, even though you know moving day will be hectic. In fact, we encourage ALL the daydreams and small celebrations right now. What we also encourage is taking the time to set up safety measures, take care of small maintenance tasks and check up on your new home's systems. This will solve the question of, "what now?" that new homeowners often have after moving in. Let's go over these tasks, and when the best time to complete them is:

An image of a young couple, wearing moving boxes over their heads. Question marks drawn on the outside hint to the questions that new homeowners have during the moving process. 



Before Closing

Included in your Agreement of Purchase and Sale…

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We saw with the global pandemic a major drop in interest rates for homes (this wasn't limited to houses, but for the sake of this topic, we'll limit it to houses). The cost of borrowing money was lower than it had ever been before because of the unprecedented situation. Among the negative crap storm of the world being affected by COVID-19, low interest rates were a positive ray of sunshine. Buyers were able to take advantage of this side effect, which made affording a home easier than it had ever been before.

Now, as the world adapts to live despite this virus, the economy is adapting to be able to recover. This means that interest rates will be on the rise, affecting all types of borrowing. We are already seeing banks here rise their rates, though in…

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Bad habits are easy to fall into, and hard to break out of. Take, for example, the use of alliterative titles. It was our resolution to stop with the cliché, but it's a tougher habit to break than we thought!

All jokes aside, there are bad habits that you can fall into as a homeowner...habits that can end up costing you money. We'll list them below, as well as solutions:

A photo of a fat, lazy cat laying on a couch like a human. A remote control lays to its side.



1) Compulsive Sale Buys

We know, getting a deal on anything for the home is such a rush when you're a homeowner...but budget buying may actually cost you more in the long run. Cheaper isn't always better. For example, cheaping out on paintbrushes seems like a good way to save money, but dollar store brushes can leave annoying streaks and uneven strokes. Depending…

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Is it blasphemous for us to talk about winter while it's still autumn? Well, while we don't want to think about the cold right now, maybe it's a good idea for you to think a season ahead. With some restrictions back in place, it may be a good idea to assess your living situation and how it works in our current world situation. Here are 5 ways you can make user friendly adjustments in your home before winter, without completing expensive renovations or moving:

a woman in thick house socks sits on a hand-knit rug, enjoying a hot cup of coffee and surfing the internet while a puppy sleeps in her lap.



1) Create Multi Purpose Rooms

The demand for multipurpose rooms and furniture has increased sizably since the start of the pandemic. Obviously the most notable space people are opting for is an office. As more people work remotely, homes are adapting to accommodate the…

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Are you one of the many homeowners who procrastinates maintenance tasks? Or are you simply not sure about everything that needs to be done in order to maintain your home?

There are small problems all around your home that can be fixed quite easily, if caught in time. Those same issues, if neglected, can turn disastrous and expensive in a matter of months. Clogged gutters could turn into water-damaged walls, chipped paint can lead to wood rot, and dirty filters will shorten the lifespan of your furnace. Fortunately, we've put together a list of common home maintenance tasks that are often overlooked to help you protect your largest investment with a routine maintenance schedule!

A header image of a 2D wooden house surrounded by various tools, paint swatches  and measuring tapes.

 

 

 

1) Regrout and Recaulk Bathroom Fixtures 

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Do you find you are spending far too much time sorting, washing, and folding laundry? No one wants to be spending their valuable time stuck in their laundry room – no matter how big or small it may be! We are sharing our favourite tips and tricks to make your laundry room more efficient, and more beautiful. Let's look forward to laundry day from now on!

White linen sheets are pinned to a clothesline, drying on a warm and sunny day.


1) Create Effective and Appealing Storage Solutions

We all know the number of products it takes to get your clothes miraculously clean, but why put these mix-match product boxes on display? Instead, place your cleaning products in matching display boxes, baskets, or crates. For frequently used items, like detergent or dryer sheets, store them in clear jars for a décor piece. Remember to…

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Hey, homeowner! If you've come here, you probably aren't sure where the really important things in your house are. You're likely a first time homebuyer, but maybe not. No worries if you are - everyone has to start somewhere! Regardless, you want to know what systems require your prioritized attention and care. Follow along with the list below as we shed some light on the important questions you have about your home.


A heading image of a modern, black lighting sconce mounted on a brick wall.


1) Where is my main water valve?

Since homes are built by different people and different construction companies, every home layout is different. However, your main water valve is most likely on the interior of your home, near ground level. For most homes, it's right by your water meter. If not, think logically. The fastest…

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