Despite the mid- to high-twenty degree temperatures, fall is upon us, and with the change in seasons comes a little preventative maintenance for your home before winter hits. Among the most important ways you can winterize your home is the annual furnace tune-up.

If you’re like me, your furnace has been rather dormant since June. When the cold weather hits and you are depending on it to work, though, the last thing you want is a blinking service light. Just like your vehicle, moving parts in your furnace need regular adjustment and/or replacement, while anything involved with a combustion system will need to be cleaned out from time to time to keep things humming along. An unserviced furnace is a furnace that’s going to break down, it’s just a matter of when; Murphy’s Law suggests it’ll probably be in the middle of the night, when the temperature dips below -30, and you’ll be paying steep emergency call fees to your trusted repair person.

So how do you go about booking a tune-up? The best place to start is by asking friends and relatives if they have any HVAC professionals with whom they have a good relationship. Word of mouth is the best way to ensure a good experience when it comes to hiring trades. Once you have a company in mind, give them a call and book an appointment. Prices for fall tune-ups are usually between $75 and $150, depending on what’s included.

You’ll need to be present while the work’s being done, mostly to approve any additional expenses that could come up: burners and belts wear out, chimneys become clogged with soot, and it’s better to fix these things before they cause major problems.  The whole thing should take about an hour. Furnace tune-ups usually involve cleaning and adjusting the furnace itself, as well as the hot water tank, which is another appliance that can break down without warning and cause serious headaches.

Furnaces and hot water tanks are big ticket items, so if the recommendation is to replace either of these, take the time to do some research and find the best product for the best price. Technology for both of these appliances has come a long way in the past fifteen years, so you may decide to pay a little extra to improve your home’s efficiency, and save money on utility bills down the road.

Getting your home ready for winter is a necessary inconvenience that can prevent some real hassles down the road, so don’t let it fall to the bottom of your to-do list. I have some vendors that I know and trust, so to chat about it, just Contact me!
The annual Home + Design Show is quickly upon us, running from September 22-25, and I have a promo code for 2-for-1 tickets to pass along. Simply purchase online here, and use the code TODD. The code expires September 20, so don’t wait!

As is pretty common in real estate news articles lately, the Herald kind of buried the lede in its latest survey of Calgary’s market. Yes, it’s true that year-over-year sales were predictably down once again, as sectors of our economy continue to suffer. More interesting, though, at least from my perspective, is the fact that detached home sales were down a mere 1.4 percent from last year. Think about that: despite unemployment in the province hitting a 20-year high, houses are still being bought at a rate very close to last year’s. Add in the fact that average sale prices are actually up in some segments, despite a substantial increase in supply, and you have just one more example of the strong fundamentals underlying our real estate market.

The weaknesses in the market right now, rightly noted by the Herald, are the apartment, and attached home (including townhouses and duplexes) sectors, which have seen sharper declines in both sales and selling prices. Still, the drops have been nowhere near as precipitous as you might have expected if the market had been overheated.

The fact of the matter is, real estate in Calgary offers good value for money. We’re a resilient, optimistic city, and a great place to live.

So when you notice a particularly dire headline about the state of our real estate market, consider the purpose of that headline (to encourage clicks and sell papers), and read the entire article before forming an opinion. That’s solid advice for any article you might come across these days, actually.

As always, I’m available to consult on your property, or just to chat, through my contact form.

427 CANTRELL DR SW

A renovation project with lots of potential. Located in a great neighbourhood. Popular floor plan for this Nu West bungalow, comprising of a formal living room / dining room plan and 3 bedrooms with a 2 piece en suite off the master. Lower level has some development; a fourth bedroom and a second half-bath. There’s a full bath upstairs near the bedrooms. Located near to both public and separate schools from K to 12, playgrounds, L.R.T., and shopping. The heavily treed lot has loads of privacy.

To view more photos and full listing details visit my web page!

940 LAKE TWINTREE CR SE

Beautiful location on a quiet crescent. The private back yard has south east exposure, and backs onto a large green area with trees. Andrew Sibbald School (CBE K-4) and its play-parks are situated at the other end of the field a block away. The alley behind is paved. This 4 level split has had many upgrades including updated kitchen cabinets & counter tops, and built-ins surrounding the stone fireplace, plus a recent furnace and shingles. Main floor has a formal dining room with patio doors leading to a deck and the sunny rear yard. The family room is large and bright. Hardwood throughout, no carpet anywhere! Three bedrooms on the upper level. The master has a full ensuite plus a door to a balcony overlooking the rear yard. Includes lake privaleges for year-round fun. This is a perfect home for a growing family. Don’t miss out, ones such as this aren’t available very often!

To view more photos, floor plan, virtual tour, and full listing details visit my web page!