December 2018 Market Update

December 6, 2018


** In The Last 30 Days....
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Saskatoon
* 111 New Listings
* 45 Sales
* 339 Active Listings

Martensville
* 20 New Listings
* 12 Sales
* 100 Active Listings

Warman
* 25 New Listings
* 6 Sales
* 114 Active Listings

Osler
* 1 New Listings
* 0 Sales
* 13 Active Listings

Dalmeny
* 2 New Listings
* 2 Sales
* 11 Active Listings


"Richard is very knowledgable, honest and patient, which made buying my first house feel so easy! I would highly recommend Richard to anyone looking to buy or sell. "

-Jordyn Strunk


"We were so pleased to have Richard help us purchase our home. He also sold my condo. He's honest , patient and informative. We are very happy with our purchase. We recommend calling him to buy or sell your property."

-Roger and Elaine

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Check Yourself: Home Maintenance Tasks You Need to Tackle in December

December is a tough month to focus on home maintenance. There’s so much holiday cheer to hang up and drink down that doing routine chores seems like a wet blanket over the Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Festivus spirit. But you can give yourself an early holiday present by doing just a few maintenance tasks before cold weather truly sets in.

Realtor.com has created a handy checklist of home maintenance tasks that need to be completed this month, plus tips for how to do them faster and easier!


1. Snow removal

Task: Clear snow and ice from walkways.

Shortcut: To use a snowblower and avoid constantly having to adjust the chute, start in the middle of the driveway and blow the snow to one side, then make a U-turn and blow the snow to the other side. (Yep, it's that simple.) Just make sure to fuel and oil up your snowblower now, in case it’s suddenly needed.]

If you’re using a shovel, clear the snow after every 2 or 3 inches of snowfall, which is significantly better for your back, heart, and general disposition than trying to lift a foot or more of snow.

2. Beef up insulation

Task: Check attic insulation to make sure it hasn’t deteriorated or flattened, which will reduce its efficiency.

Shortcut: Look across your attic, and see if the insulation is level with the attic floor joists, or if it's packed below—which indicates you need more. (If it's packed down below the top of the joists, then it loses some of its insulation power.)

3. Put up/take down holiday decorations

Task: Before you hang decorations, make sure to replace your old, incandescent lightbulbs with LED lights, which stay cooler and decrease ** fire risk (https://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/house-fire-risk-prevent-advice/)
.

Shortcut: If you hang lights in the same place each year, install permanent hangers, which will save time every year thereafter. When you take down the lights, keep them from tangling by winding them around a cord holder or heavy cardboard, or threading them in and around an old Pringles can.

4. Get your home ready for guests

Task: ** Spruce up your guest room (https://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/how-to-make-any-room-a-guest-room/)
for your friends and family. Launder sheets and blankets for ** the holiday rush (https://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/guest-proof-home-holidays/)
.

Shortcut: You can buy brand-new bedding—comforter, sheets, pillowcases—for less than $50, which will give rooms a new look and feel. Fill a basket with bottles of water, bags of nuts, and tiny tubes of shampoo and conditioner you've taken from hotels (c'mon, we know we're not the only ones doing it).

5. Clean the chimney

Task: This is a must-do, regardless of whether you are burning wood logs or have a gas fireplace. If you haven't gotten a chimney sweep yet this year, now's the time to get on it before you fire that baby up—dirty chimneys are ** a leading cause of house fires (http://www.csia.org/homeowner-resources/the_facts_about_chimney_fires.aspx)
. (Pro tip: To keep things clean year-round, remove fireplace ash after each blaze. If you have a compost pile, throw ashes there, which will help make luscious soil.)

Shortcut: You can ** clean the chimney yourself (http://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-clean-a-chimney/)
, but it isn't for the faint of heart. You'll need plastic sheeting and tape, several types of chimney brushes, safety gear, and a reliable ladder—plus a willing desire to climb on top of your roof. Does this sound like you?

6. Prevent icy hazards

Task: Take steps to deal with any home issues that could prove dangerous in icy weather. Turn off water to exterior spigots, drain them, and leave them open throughout the winter to minimize chances of frozen, burst pipes. Make sure outdoor stair railings aren't wobbly, which could cause someone to slip and fall on ** iced-over steps (http://thehappyhousewife.com/home-management/how-to-ice-proof-steps/)
. Wrap exposed piping in your basement and garage with heat tape, which will keep water flowing freely in cold snaps. Trim overhanging branches that could cause roof damage if they snap under the weight of snow or ice.

Shortcut: If branches aren't too large or hard to reach, use a pole saw or pruner. Just don't venture onto the roof to get the job done.

7. Get rid of critters

Task: Squirrels, rats, and raccoons will crawl through any hole or crack in your toasty attic to stay warm. If you hear the patter of little feet overhead, or notice that the instant ramen in your pantry has mysteriously been invaded, you’ll have to set traps or lay poison.

Shortcut: It’s so much easier to keep pests out than to chase them away. Inspect your home’s exterior to make sure vents are covered, holes are patched, and cracks are sealed.