CANMORE & BANFF REAL ESTATE TEAM ~ GUIDING YOU HOME!
Happy Holidays from Your Canmore & Banff Real Estate Team
May your home be filled with laughter, family, friends and love this holiday season.
Re-gifting Tips for the Holidays
The Thursday prior to Christmas is National Re-gifting Day.
Get together with friends for a Pre-Christmas Re-gifting Party. This is the perfect time to trade, re-gift,
play Dirty Santa and just have some fun.
Many people ask if it is OK to “re-gift” an item you received
during the year as a Christmas present. According
to Emily Post “Not really. Re-gifting is a symptom of the surplus of “stuff”
many people find themselves with, and their desire to be practical and give
away things that they know they will never use.” The title re-gift suggests that the item is
unwanted. On the other hand re-gifting is a form of reducing, re-using and recycling,
this benefits everyone.
This is a personal choice but if you decide to re-gift here
are some tips to consider.
- Make sure you do not hurt anyone’s feelings. If the giver had special feelings about it, do not re-gift.
- Was the gift handmade specifically for you? Do not re-gift.
- Be certain that the item is something that the recipient would “really like to receive’. Perhaps they admired it and you would love them to have it. Go for the re-gift.
- The gift is brand new, still in the package with instructions. Go for the re-gift.
- Did you ever refer to the item as ugly, unwanted, junk or clutter? Do not re-gift.
- It was a duplicate of something you already have. Go for the re-gift.
- Ensure that you do not give it back to the original giver. If you are unsure, do not re-gift.
- You don’t quite have enough money to get through the holidays. Go for the re-gift.
- If you are at a Regifting Party – then pretty much anything goes. Go for the re-gift.
Once you have gone through the list above and have decided
to re-gift an item, wrap it nicely and give it proudly just as it was given to
you.
Merry Christmas!
Photo by Kira auf der Heide on Unsplash
Are Your Home Security Cameras Private?
What a great idea, home security that you can access on your
smartphone from just about anywhere. You
can ensure your home is safe or keep track of your family, pets and so much
more through a video live stream.
But is your
security system secure?
 |
| 1000's of Live Security Cameras available to anyone on the internet. |
Recently I was watching CBC Marketplace and saw an episode on
Home Security Cameras.
What surprised me was the ease of access for anyone to view
your security feed from anywhere on the internet. I thought I would check it out
and searched the internet to see how easy this is to look at.
The first site that popped up easily with my search was https://www.insecam.org. On this site you can look at thousands of
live feeds by country, most popular, places, manufacturers, Cities, places, Time
zones and new cameras. Now most of these
streams view harmless outdoors, entryways or other non-private spaces, but I
am sure if I delved deeper it would be no problem to find cameras that stream
living rooms and other private home spaces.
You can now order or purchase a live streaming home security
camera system from just about anywhere.
Amazon and Best Buy are a few.
So how do you keep your security Cameras safe and private?
First: Make sure your stream is password protected. The main reason that your cameras were hacked
is that the manufacturer did not prompt you to change or enter a password thus
your camera is still operating under the default user name and password. This
gives your system an open IP address for anyone to access and put up on their
website as a live feed. Make sure you
purchase a system with advanced encryption and you should be good to go.
Change the Password right away.
Make sure your username and password are secure by using a
password that is at least 6 characters long and has upper, lower case letters along
with numbers and characters.
Update the manufactures firmware.
When you purchase a camera it may have been on the shelf for
a while. Each manufacturer should have
updates available to stop the hackers.
Look into this and do your updates to make your system secure.
Watch the full episode of Marketplace here. https://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/episodes/2018-2019/home-hack-how-safe-are-your-high-tech-security-devices
Article by Sondy Szymanis
For Sale - Canmore - 200 - 186 Kananaskis Way
200-186 KANANASKIS WAY , CANMORE, ALBERTA T1W0A2
FOR SALE $449,000.00
LISTING # 48276
Enjoy a dramatic south exposure with unobstructed views of the legendary Three Sisters Mountains and Ha Ling Peak plus side windows to more majestic vistas up valley.
This two level corner unit offers separate living areas up and down which is great for families and/or a Tenant. Features include kitchen with window, two full baths with tubs, in suite laundry and two large bedrooms.
Three secure storage rooms for bikes, skis and seasonal storage plus exercise room. Comes with an assigned, electrified parking stall.
Quiet living in this suite is assured as this well cared for home is top floor and corner-end unit.
Comfortable Cork floors have been installed on lower level. A $1500 Re-decorating cash bonus to Buyer is offered to update appliances or install more cork upstairs.
Built by respected local developer Devonian Properties; Condo Corporation is rock solid.
You will appreciate how close this home is to town centre and paved trail system; ROAM transit Bus stop right out front.
View our listing page for more information on this fantastic property.
Bank of Canada holds interest rate at 1.75% - Canadian Press
Dip in monthly GDP and lower-than-expected oil prices have dampened growth expectations
THE CANADIAN PRESS - Dec. 5, 2018 - 6:10 a.m.
The Bank of Canada left its interest rate unchanged today and says the timing of future hikes will depend on factors such as how long the oil-price slump lasts, how well business investment picks up its pace and how much room the economy still has left to grow.
The central bank is holding its trend-setting rate at 1.75 per cent in a decision that follows a quarter-point increase at its previous policy meeting in October.
The bank has been on a gradual rate-hiking path for more than a year thanks to a strengthening economy and has already raised the benchmark five times since the summer of 2017.
The bank says it will keep a close eye on the evolution of several recent developments as it considers the timing of its next rate hike — including a steep slide in oil prices that it predicts will reduce activity in Canada’s energy sector.
It also says recent data show that the economy has less momentum heading into the final quarter of 2018 related to factors such as a drop in business investment that the bank largely connects to trade uncertainty last summer.
The bank also notes it will be watching for positive developments such as signs the economy can still expand without stoking inflation.
The central bank can raise the interest rate to prevent inflation from climbing too high. Many market watchers had expected governor Stephen Poloz to wait until at least January before his next rate increase.
The Bank of Canada has estimated it will no longer need to increase the interest rate once it reaches a level of between 2.5 per cent and 3.5 per cent, but Poloz has said this destination range remains “sufficiently uncertain” and could move up or down.
Get Your Pantry In Shape
The pantry is the workhorse of the kitchen. It helps you when you need to get dinner (or breakfast or lunch) on the table and keeps ingredients fresh and cool. But like all hardworking spaces, it can get a little (or a lot) disorganized. Gather inspiration from these beautifully organized spaces, and pick and choose from 15 takeaway tips to get your own pantry in shape.
1. Back-of-Door Organizer
Expand your organizing possibilities with back-of-door shelving designed to hold bottles and jars one-deep. To make the most of this prime pantry space, use it to store your most frequently reached-for spices and staple ingredients. The best back-of-door shelves have guardrails (as seen here) so items don’t topple off every time you open and close the door.
2. Wine Storage
A good wine rack that can hold a full stock of bottles is a must for oenophiles. The custom wine shelves shown here have a geometric design that makes a striking presentation.
Outfit your existing pantry shelves with a wine rack or two to keep favorite bottles close at hand.
3. Labeled Drawers
Deep pantry drawers hold a lot of goods — but they can also quickly become a mess. Keep yours in order with drawer dividers and reusable chalkboard labels so you know exactly what goes where.
4. Command Center
Need to save school notices and stash incoming mail, but don’t want them cluttering up the kitchen counter? Carve out space along one wall in the pantry for a neat command center, with a bulletin board, mail slots and hooks for keys.
And you don’t need a walk-in pantry to make this work — just hang similar pieces on the back of the pantry door.
5. Easy-Scoop Jars
Candy jars with wide, angled openings make smart containers for dry goods that need to be scooped or measured. Use the jars for grains, loose tea, flour, snack foods, and yes, sweets.
To make them even more useful, include a metal scoop in an appropriate measurement inside the jar.
6. Magnetic Spice Containers
Figuring out the best place to store spices is a common struggle. Keeping frequently used spices near your stove is handy, but since spices tend to stay fresh longer when stored in a cool, dry place, the pantry is a better choice for the bulk of your spice collection. Save precious shelf space by installing a magnetic spice rack on the wall — just be sure to label the lids so you can tell what’s what at a glance.
7. Risers and Bins
In a narrow pantry, shelf risers and bins are a big help in keeping your ingredients visible and easy to grab.
Use risers on deep shelves to elevate the back rows of cans and jars. Sort ingredients into broad categories (such as baking, breakfast) and keep like with like inside open bins.
8. Library Ladder
If your pantry is narrow but tall, make use of all that vertical space by outfitting the pantry with a rolling library ladder. This way, you can easily slide the ladder to just the right spot and step up to grab what you need.
9. Pullout Drawers and Baskets
Deep cabinets in the pantry are bound to become a cluttered mess. Install pullout drawers, baskets and shelves, and you can easily reach what you need — even if it’s way at the back.
10. Turntables
Have a tricky corner space to work with? Turntables (aka Lazy Susans) are a great way to make an awkward corner more usable.
If you don’t want to have turntable shelving installed, furnish your current shelves with a Lazy Susan or two and twirl away.
11. Bold Color
If style is what your pantry is missing, nothing is more effective at boosting flair than paint. And since the pantry is typically a small, confined space, you can go wild with color without fear of overwhelm. Choose a color you’ve always wanted to try on your walls, but have been afraid to — bold red, lush aqua or deep navy, perhaps?
12. Interior Lighting
The joy of being able to actually see what you are looking for cannot be overstated. If your pantry is lacking in the lighting department, remedy the situation by adding an overhead fixture or wall sconces.
Hiring an electrician is well worth the cost when it impacts your daily life for the better — and being able to easily find what you’re looking for while trying to get dinner on the table definitely counts!
13. Cookbook Shelf
Have a window in the pantry? Make it pull its weight by adding a shelf below to hold a stack of your favorite cookbooks. If you have recipe binders or food magazines, keep those filed away here too. Then, when you’re planning dinner, everything you need to reference will be in one spot.
14. No-Pantry Pantry
No pantry? No problem. Repurpose a wall in or near your kitchen and deck it out with shelving.
In an open space, neatness is even more important, so go ahead and splurge on cute pantry bins and a matching set of clear storage jars to keep everything tidy.
Bonus points for adding some signage and a pretty rug.
15. Sliding Barn Door
Barn-style doors are as cool looking and popular as ever, but that’s not the (only) reason you should consider putting one on your pantry. A traditional door swings wide, which can negatively impact flow in the kitchen. A barn door, on the other hand, slides sideways — making it especially well suited to the pantry. Whether your kitchen is compact or spacious, a barn door could be a smart and stylish choice.