THE STORY:

Royal LePage Noralta is always looking for ways to give back to our community -and when our Fort Saskatchewan agents said they wanted to go big with their Gingerbread House giveaway, we were all on board! 

On November 26th, our agents gave away over 200 gingerbread house kits to the attendees of the Fort Saskatchewan Santa Claus Parade. But, it doesn't stop there -the best part is decorating the gingerbread houses! And we have a mission (and prizes!) for you and your family to show us your awesome ginger bread design skills!

THE MISSION:

Once you're home, crack open that Gingerbread House Kit and get building!! Show off your creativity with your Gingerbread House, and share the photo on Facebook/Instagram using the hashtag

Winters in Canada can be cold and dark, and just like us, our delicate plants – indoor and outdoor plants alike – need some special attention this time of year. So, show your plants a little TLC this winter by giving them a warm, dry place to wait out the cold weather until spring. 

Follow this list of helpful tips to keep your plants happy and healthy through the winter months.

• Keep it bright. Expose your plants to as much sunlight as possible by keeping them by a window. Remember, days are shorter in winter so they need all the natural light they can get. If you see your plants struggling, you may need to move them to maximize exposure.
• Keep them warm. Avoid cold and drafty areas of the house where your plants risk getting frostbite. If

(NC) Getting a restful night’s sleep isn’t just important to our energy, it plays a key role in our overall well-being. To help you create a bedroom that encourages you to rest and relax, Sharon Grech, Benjamin Moore colour and design expert, shares her top tips for a serene space. 

Make space for sweet dreams.  

If your goal is a tranquil bedroom, decluttering is a good place to start. “It’s easier to feel calm and relaxed when your space is free from clutter,” says Grech. To help store your favourite items, consider adding smart storage solutions into your space. “Bed frames with storage drawers and even using a chest of drawers as a nightstand are clever ways to add concealed storage to your bedroom.” Once you’ve tucked away all the items you

(NC) If you’re looking to bring a sense of ease and calm to your space, turn to the great outdoors for inspiration. Here, Sharon Grech, Benjamin Moore colour and design expert, shares how to bring the best of the outdoors in with inspiring design.  

Embrace imperfection.  

Taking inspiration from nature gives us permission to be comfortable with the imperfections in our homes. “Give any room a natural and relaxed feel by choosing textiles like linen that look their most inviting when creased,” suggests Grech.  

Other ways you can embrace imperfection include creating a simple mantle decoration with a piece of driftwood, or filling vases with collected pebbles and a single candle. Celebrating the imperfect in your space will instantly create a

(NC) Looking for design inspiration that doesn’t sacrifice on comfort? Take inspiration from Hygge – the Danish feeling or atmosphere of warmth, relaxation and connection to bring a stylish sense of harmony to your home.  

To help you achieve the look in your space, Sharon Grech, Benjamin Moore colour and design expert, shares her top three tips. 

Hygge your home.  

Pronounced hue-guh, hygge is any place that’s cozy, comfortable and welcoming. This makes it an ideal esthetic choice for family homes or anywhere you want to get snug. However, the concept is also a celebration of Scandinavian design, and embraces a simple, uncluttered and functional approach to living.  

“Hygge is about comfort, but not about clutter,” explains Grech. “To

Since the late spring of 2020, Canadian home prices have been rising at historic rates, following the onset of the global pandemic. Widespread lockdowns suddenly forced millions of workers and students to conduct their daily business from home. While the trend of working remotely was gaining in popularity in the years prior, the seemingly unending health crisis accelerated the movement, driving many Canadians living in major urban centres to trade in their cramped quarters for more space in smaller cities and rural communities.

The latest Royal LePage House Price Survey and Market Forecast shows price growth in Kingston’s single-family detached segment was the highest in the country, posting an increase of 46.5% year-over-year in the third quarter.

Is your property ready for the cold weather ahead?

Before the cold weather sets in, make sure your home is winter-ready. Be sure to check these important tasks off your list. 

• Clear leaves and debris from your eavestroughs to avoid clogging
• Winterize landscaping and remove leaves your lawn, as this can lead to rotting in the spring
• Drain and shut off all outdoor water supplies, including garden hoses, sprinkler systems and outdoor taps
• Seal your doors and windows with caulking or weather stripping to limit the amount of cold air that comes and hot air that can escape
• Clean and cover your air conditioning unit to protect it from snow and ice. This will help to increase the lifespan of your unit
• Clean and inspect your furnace,

How to get the most out of your garage

If you’re fortunate enough to own a home with a covered garage, you know how handy it can be to store things like sporting equipment, tools, off-season tires and boxes of holiday decorations. But if your vehicle is permanently parked outdoors because your garage has become a disorganized catch-all for countless boxes of unused items, it may be time for an intervention.

Heading into the fall, this is the perfect time to clean and organize your garage. Ideally, your garage can be a place where only necessary items live and everything has a home. Most importantly, it’s where your vehicle can be parked, away from extreme cold (and extreme heat), inches of heavy snow and thick layers of ice, which is an

For generations, Canadians have been asking themselves this important question: ‘Is it better to buy a home or rent?’ On the one hand, owning comes with more responsibility and higher monthly expenses, but offers more stability and a long-term investment. On the other hand, the money spent on renting will never be recuperated, however, it can offer some flexibility if you’re not sure how long you will live in one place.

According to a recent Royal LePage-sponsored study by economist Will Dunning, it is more financially beneficial to purchase a home than to rent in Canada, more than nine times out of ten. The study uses price data for 278 scenarios (broken out by city and housing type) across the country and assumes the owner is able to provide a

After a long day at school, you can’t blame kids for wanting to drop their gear at the front door. However, an extra couple minutes of their time will mean the chaotic mess of muddy shoes and backpacks won’t become someone else’s problem. Make it easy by design! The right storage solutions and easy flow of a well-designed space will make putting things away (and finding them again) a breeze. No matter the size of your space, use these tips to get the job done.

Think four seasons to determine your needs: Bulky winter boots, coats and snow pants take up space. Plan for the unexpected with additional space and do not overlook seating to make it easy to put on boots and shoes. How will you tackle wet mittens and scarves? There are many drying solutions