January 2019

Found 21 blog entries for January 2019.

What to Know About Thai Cuisine in Calgary - Image Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/oksidor/5762718050The culture is rich in Calgary, as they offer a variety of restaurants to satisfy anything that you may be craving. Among all the eateries that are offered, Calgary has three amazing Thai restaurants that were voted 2014 Best Thai Restaurants. Here is what makes each one of them stand out among the rest.

White Elephant

White Elephant gives a straightforward approach to preparing their cuisines. Although, the ingredients are clear, they blend together to make a very complex array of flavours. They have been voted the number one Thai restaurant, two years in a row, so it's no fluke that they won the top spot. They provide food that delivers amazing taste. Some of their dishes include ingredients such as, kaffir lime, lemongrass, fish sauce,

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Volunteering in CalgaryThe settling of today's Calgary in Alberta, Canada relied upon the ability of early homesteaders to support each other and create tight communities. Activities such as donating food or helping build a house are only some of the activities that were done in the past and continue to be volunteer opportunities today. Volunteerism is important to many of those who reside in or visit the city of Calgary.

Many non-profit organizations in Calgary depend on volunteers for events and on a regular basis. Whether you want to volunteer weekly or just once a year, there are plenty of places you can volunteer in Calgary. Here are some of the top choices for this year.

All are welcome to support their neighbors and the community of Calgary. However, those

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Home Technology Smart Gadgets That Save Money and Simplify Your LifeSmart technology for homes involves useful devices that not only simplify the art of living but also offer a high return on investment (ROI) for home owners. ROI is a business term referring to the ability to make money by investing in something, whether it is stocks, taking out a loan to start company or collecting antiques. Some great smart technology items homeowners should consider as high ROI investments include:

How Smart Technology Can Improve the Value of a Home

Some smart technology becomes a permanent installation in the home. This type of smart technology can become a bonus to home buyers who value energy efficiency and convenience. Examples of the types of smart features that can improve a home's value includes smart thermostats,

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Is Ghost Lake Haunted?Ghost Lake can be found right beside the town of Cochrane on Highway 1A, but is it really haunted? Are there ghosts in this lake and is it safe to swim in? Of course it's safe! The lake was actually created in 1929 when a dam was built where the Ghost and the Bow River meet. It was originally known as Dead Man's Lake due to a legend of a ghost that was haunting the lake and the area.

According to local lore, this ghost would prowl the valley by the river and collect the skulls of Blackfoot natives who lost in battle with Cree warriors. 1873, these lands were settled by John McDougall a reverend who eventually established a cattle ranch and mission near present day Morley, and soon after the Hudson Bay Company would establish a trading post in

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Where to Eat Game Meat in CalgaryCalgary's many restaurants are great for offering excellent game meat. You'll find flavour, great taste, and lean cuts like elk and rabbit. If you're looking for the top places in Calgary to enjoy game meat, here are the best choices.

The Lake House - 747 Lake Bonavista Drive S.E.

If you like slow roasted wild boar shoulder, bison cross ribs, seared northern caribou and crispy duck confit, try The Lake House on Bonavista Drive. It is a popular choice for game-lovers seeking high quality dishes served with gourmet side dishes amid an elegant environment. As one walks into the recently renovated space, an impressive glass encased wine cellar filled with award-winning labels leads to a magnificent 21-foot bar from the 1800s. The locally inspired

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An Explanation of Home Buying ContingenciesWhen buying a home there are contingencies that are often put into the contract. These mean that the sale will only go through if those conditions can be met. The most common contingencies for home buyers are financing, inspection, and appraisal. But there can be others, depending on the property in question, what the buyer is looking for, and what the buyer feels the seller may agree to. While a real estate agent can advise the buyer about contingencies that are common and that they may want to put into the contract, it's also important for buyers to have a good understanding what they are asking for or what they are waiving.

Common Home-Buying Contingencies

There are three home-buying contingencies that many home buyers include in their

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Can You Have a Treadmill in Your Condo?If you're an avid treadmill enthusiast and are thinking about buying a new condo in the upcoming future, you'll need to find out first whether you can operate a treadmill in the unit. While most condominium buildings won't have a specific rule concerning personal exercise equipment, there will be other simple rules that may make it impossible to run the machine.

It's All About The Noise Level

Most condo agreements will have a stipulation about individual noise levels from each unit. Most will basically say that you cannot make noise that will bother your neighbours. This means that you'll have to find out how the noise travels from one condo unit down to the one below it.

In some cases you'll be able to drop bricks on your floor without

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Why Selling Your Home Without a Real Estate Agent Might Be a Bad IdeaFor some home owners, selling a home without the help of a real estate agent is a tempting way to save money. Unfortunately, there are some pitfalls to the for sale by owner model. Understanding these pitfalls can help home owners to decide for themselves whether they want to sell their home with or without the help of a real estate professional.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

Pricing Problems

Real estate agents are specially trained to price homes properly. They use a model that compares like homes in a neighbourhood or a community. After evaluating the prices of comparable properties, real estate agents can determine

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The Difference Between Median, Benchmark, and Average Home PricesSometimes you can get lost with all of the real estate terminology when you're talking to your agent, reading an article or looking through the various homes on the MLS® System. There are quite a few terms that a layman may not have run into before and the three most important ones that need to be explained are median, benchmark and average prices.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

Median price

If you were to take all of the sales within a given time period and put them in a list that ranged from the lowest price to the highest one, the median price would be the price value that is found right in the middle. Half of the real estate

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How to Maximize Profits Before Downsizing a HomeFor some people, the ideal living environment involves cutting down on their current space to something more manageable. This might be a great opportunity, provided that the current sale offers enough incentive. This guide shows how to improve the odds.

Establishing Downsizing Goals

First, sellers should set a few goals based on the reality of the current market. For a lot of people, selling in a hot market can return a lot more money than they were expecting. However, sellers who plan to buy in the same market might also have to pay more for a smaller home. It makes sense to consider some questions about the reasons for downsizing, including:

  • What is the market like in the place I'd like to live?
  • Am I looking to supplement my income
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