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Friday, 8 January 2021
Vancouver Market Update by Carmen Leal Personal Real Estate Corporation
Wednesday, 6 January 2021
How to Remove Dog Smells From Your Home
Removing dog smells from a home is a challenge all dog owners have to face at some point. Because dogs smell like, um, dog. But rather than relegate your beloved four-legged family member to an outdoor canine cabana 24/7, there are other things you can do to rid your home of that doggy funk.
Why dogs smell the way they do
First, you need to get to the bottom of what's causing that malodor. A dog's skin produces an oil that's an important part of a healthy animal—but alas, it has a distinct (and not always pleasant) scent.
Regular bathing and grooming should keep this odor to a minimum. But if that doesn't seem to do the trick, your pup might have a skin or dental infection, which is causing him to smell less than fresh.
So if you suspect that the odor has gone beyond regular dog musk, it might be time to see the vet to rule out bigger issues.
How to remove dog smells from your home
Once you've eliminated the possibility of a medical condition causing your eau de dog aroma, it's time to look at solutions that will have your home smelling great (or at least not like a kennel) again. The cost of these remedies ranges from peanuts to pricey, so depending on your budget and your desire to banish that scent with minimal effort, there's a product out there that will meet your needs.
Here is a routine on how to get rid of dog smells in the home:
- Vacuum dog beds once a week.
- Wash dog beds every other week.
- Vacuum floors twice a week depending on the type of dog and its shedding pattern.
- Wash hard floors like tile and vinyl with a strong cleaning solution and very hot water.
- Use a cover on any furniture that dogs are allowed on and wash the cover weekly.
Natural dog odor eliminators
Liberally sprinkling baking soda, a natural odor eliminator, on your furniture or carpet and allowing it to sit overnight is a great first step to neutralize dog smells. Plus, it's completely safe for your fur baby.
Another option is to look to your bar cart. Spray areas where dogs lie with vodka. Really?
Yes, vodka will remove the dog smells when it evaporates. You only need just a spritz and try it Two to Three times a week.
Purify the air
While air purifiers definitely make a positive difference, they need to be high in quality.
Austin products such as the Air Pet Machine Air Purifier (Amazon, $594.99).
This model's multistage filtration includes a true HEPA filter, which traps 99.97% of allergen particles. With three speeds, it purifies up to a 1,500 square foot space.
Soak it in
When you're dealing with stubborn dog odor, you want something that will absorb the smell, not mask it. Recommended Fresh Wave Continuous Release Odor Eliminator (Amazon, $39.03).
Made from extracts of soy, lime, pine needle, aniseed, clove, and cedar wood, Fresh Wave odor-removing gel is both biodegradable and nontoxic. Best of all, it's an odor neutralizer, not a cover-up.
Spray and neutralize
More of a spot-cleaning spray, the Citrus Magic Pet Odor Eliminator (Amazon, $9.40), which neutralizes the strongest pet odors on contact. Thanks to a blend of vegetable enzymes, its nonstaining, noncorrosive formula can be used on any surface, including ... wait for it ... your dog's coat.
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Are you interested in selling or buying your home in the next few months? Work with award winning realtor, Carmen Leal and her team that specialize in Real Estate Vancouver and have qualified Buyers that are looking for a home in your area! 604.218.4846 & www.carmenleal.ca
This communication is not intended to induce breach of existing listing agreement.
Monday, 4 January 2021
How to Calculate Square Feet, Even If Your Home Is a Hexagon
If you're selling your home or looking to buy, one concept that's crucial to understand is how to calculate square feet. Having to do a square footage calculation may be giving you panicked thoughts about being late to homeroom, but there's a huge difference between a home that's 400 square feet (tiny) and one that's 4,000 (McMansion), and not just in terms of how much space you've got to stretch your legs.
A home's square footage is a crucial element in determining the price of a home you're trying to buy or sell, how much you'll pay in taxes if you live there, and what kinds of renovations are possible in your future. Plus, a home's square footage can be surprisingly subjective.
Since most people don't have a square foot calculator in their back pocket, here's what you need to know to ace any square footage calculations that crop up in your future.
How to calculate square feet
You probably know how to calculate the square footage of a simple room without any funny shapes. Just break out your measuring tape—or a laser measure—to get its length and width. Multiply the width by the length and voila! You have the square footage. Say a room is 20 feet wide by 13 feet long, then 20 x 13 = 260 square feet.
How to calculate the square footage of an entire home
While measuring a single room is no big deal, people get kind of intimidated when it comes to calculating the square footage of an entire home. While homes can initially seem daunting to measure, they're just a collection of small boxes. Don't sweat it if a room has an outcropping. Simply break that area down into a smaller box, and measure each box individually. Add up each box's square footage to get the room's total area. So if your living room, bedroom, bathroom, and hallway are 500, 400, 200, and 100 square feet respectively, that means the total is 500 + 400 + 200 + 100 = 1,200 square feet total.
If you have a round kitchen and a triangular rumpus room, fear not. Just check out vCalc's handy calculator that will tell you how to calculate square feet no matter what polygon's thrown your way. Once you choose a shape, the calculator will prompt you for the measurements needed to compute square footage.
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Take the square foot calculation with a grain of salt
Now that you know how to calculate the square footage of a home, it's time to bust your bubble with a big caveat: A square footage calculation is surprisingly subjective based on who's doing the measuring. For instance, you measured the actual, livable square footage between the interior walls. But many architects use their own square foot calculation method, measuring the square footage from the exterior walls.
This explains why there are often discrepancies between your square foot calculations and those of a real estate agent, builder, or other sources. (looking for an agent? Here's how to find a real estate agent in your area.)
Many MLS services require a listing's square footage to come from a specific source. So while you can make your own estimate, you may need to hire a certain professional to come up with a number that can be used on your listing; check with your Realtor to determine who that is.
As a general rule, the square footage extends through the Sheetrock and framing to the exterior of the wall. Generally, to do the same for your measurements, add 6 inches per measurement.
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Are you interested in selling or buying your home in the next few months? Work with award winning realtor, Carmen Leal and her team that specialize in Real Estate Vancouver and have qualified Buyers that are looking for a home in your area! 604.218.4846 & www.carmenleal.ca
This communication is not intended to induce breach of existing listing agreement.
Wednesday, 30 December 2020
Update: See What COVID-19 Has Done to 2021's Colors of the Year
The coronavirus pandemic has affected every facet of our lives—even, apparently, the colors we should paint our walls. As proof, look no further than the colors of the year for 2021.
The time has arrived when paint companies start rolling out their top hues that embody the era's zeitgeist. And, with 2020 being unlike anything we've experienced in our lives thus far, it's no surprise that COVID-19 has had a palpable impact on which colors are predicted to dominate fashion and home decor next year.
So far, many of the prevailing shades are warm and comforting, and tie back to nature—which makes sense, given that many of us have been cooped up at home and craving more time outdoors.
So if you're craving some color therapy in the form of a fresh coat of paint on your deck or in your home office or beyond, check out which color(s) of the year have been announced so far below.
Sherwin-Williams 2021 Color of the Year: Urbane Bronze
Urbane Bronze is the oh, so sophisticated pick of the year from one of the biggest paint companies, Sherwin-Williams. And a dose of this earthy shade is just what the doctor ordered as it encourages you to create a sanctuary space for mindful reflection and renewal.
PPG 2021 Color Palette of the Year: Be Well
PPG's color of the year is actually a trio: Transcend, a subtle sandy hue; Big Cypress, which is tinged with ginger, and one from under the turquoise sea, Misty Aqua.
This grouping also feels extremely of the moment, given the fraught times in which we're living.
These colors evoke feelings of compassion and comfort, which resonates and represents the shifting mood of society.
Misty Aqua gets big raves from the design world, in part because it adds a playful, vibrant element, while the warm pink undertones of Transcend and Big Cypress are soothing and speak to positivity.
Misty Aqua is lively and refreshing, and it fits with the trend of blues and greens that most people have been choosing over the last few years—and it would be perfect in a coastal home in Florida or California, or in a bedroom, sunroom, or home office.
PPG suggests trying these shades with the 60-30-10 design rule, which means 60% of the room is painted in a dominant color, 30% in the secondary one, and 10% as an accent. The Be Well collection pairs nicely with greenery and blond or natural brown wood tones, too.
Behr 2021 Color Trends Palette
vancouver-realtor-carmen-leal
Not content with just a few shades, Behr has thrown wide its design doors and embraced 21 colors in a special collection for the coming year. This company's shades also mirror our nation's plight and encourage us to view our home as a place of refuge and rejuvenation.
The Behr collection is a new, elevated articulation of comfort that goes beyond traditional beige, gray, and green hues, and embraces color in a way that can redefine and enhance any type of space.
From quiet neutrals to bolder hues, Behr's 21-color salute has been sorted into six accessible themes that touch on optimism, calm, and quiet, with shades for each that are made for mixing and matching.
For example, the theme Casual Comfort might live well in an updated farmhouse with the modern neutrals Almond Wisp and Sierra. Or if your rooms are craving a more moody design, look to the Quiet Haven combo of Royal Orchard, a forest green, and Broadway, a mysterious steely gray.
Not content with just a few shades, Behr has thrown wide its design doors and embraced 21 colors in a special collection for the coming year. This company's shades also mirror our nation's plight and encourage us to view our home as a place of refuge and rejuvenation.
The Behr collection is a new, elevated articulation of comfort that goes beyond traditional beige, gray, and green hues, and embraces color in a way that can redefine and enhance any type of space.
From quiet neutrals to bolder hues, Behr's 21-color salute has been sorted into six accessible themes that touch on optimism, calm, and quiet, with shades for each that are made for mixing and matching.
For example, the theme Casual Comfort might live well in an updated farmhouse with the modern neutrals Almond Wisp and Sierra. Or if your rooms are craving a more moody design, look to the Quiet Haven combo of Royal Orchard, a forest green, and Broadway, a mysterious steely gray.
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams 2021 Color of the Year: Passionate
This next paint brand went in the opposite direction with its color of year, choosing a deep-red tone called Passionate. Available only at Lowe's, this color acknowledges that even though homeowners have been holed up for many months because of COVID-19, they still want (and deserve) to push the envelope a bit when it comes to interior paint shades.
Because of the constant state of chaos and uncertainty in our country right now, consumers are eager to streamline and simplify their lives and homes—but that doesn't mean we need to forgo having fun with color.
This next paint brand went in the opposite direction with its color of year, choosing a deep-red tone called Passionate. Available only at Lowe's, this color acknowledges that even though homeowners have been holed up for many months because of COVID-19, they still want (and deserve) to push the envelope a bit when it comes to interior paint shades.
Because of the constant state of chaos and uncertainty in our country right now, consumers are eager to streamline and simplify their lives and homes—but that doesn't mean we need to forgo having fun with color.
Valspar 2021 Colors of the Year
As with other paint companies this year, no single color rose to the top of the heap at Valspar. Instead, the company has put together a pretty paint palette of 12 shades that evokes mindfulness and well-being. With these simple yet contemplative hues, homeowners can create a sense of calm.
To craft this special dozen, Valspar took note of web searches and upticks on key words such as "meditation" and "home improvement" early in 2020 as a reaction to the stress related to the global pandemic.
These lifestyle changes coupled with a surge in DIY home activity helped guide our selection of a range of colors that can not only transform your space but also elevate your mood.
The result? Colors like this fresh and natural shade, Garden Flower, above, that would feel right at home in a bedroom or bath.
Or consider taking these hues outside to enhance your curb appeal this season. We love Maple Leaf for a front porch, especially when flanked with natural plantings and dark rattan seating.
As with other paint companies this year, no single color rose to the top of the heap at Valspar. Instead, the company has put together a pretty paint palette of 12 shades that evokes mindfulness and well-being. With these simple yet contemplative hues, homeowners can create a sense of calm.
To craft this special dozen, Valspar took note of web searches and upticks on key words such as "meditation" and "home improvement" early in 2020 as a reaction to the stress related to the global pandemic.
These lifestyle changes coupled with a surge in DIY home activity helped guide our selection of a range of colors that can not only transform your space but also elevate your mood.
The result? Colors like this fresh and natural shade, Garden Flower, above, that would feel right at home in a bedroom or bath.
Or consider taking these hues outside to enhance your curb appeal this season. We love Maple Leaf for a front porch, especially when flanked with natural plantings and dark rattan seating.
Benjamin Moore 2021 Color of the Year: Aegean Teal
Soothing and harmonious, just like the warm, blue-green waters of a far-off locale you're dying to visit—that's the vibe channeled by Benjamin Moore's 2021 color of the year, Aegean Teal. This paint company has selected a classic shade that can stand on its own or play nicely with others as we settle in for a long winter's (coronavirus-induced) nap at home.
Amid uncertainty, people yearn for stability—and the colors we surround ourselves with canhave a powerful impact on our emotions and well-being.And in case you're hoping to pair this on-trend teal with other hues in your home projects, Benjamin Moore has also released a dozen complementary shades in its Color Trends 2021 palette, including Atrium White, a rusty red called Amazon Soil, and Kingsport Gray, a tone that's equal parts mocha and cocoa.
Aegean Teal and its corresponding group of 12 hues are both modern and time-tested, making them ideal for paint upgrades that "celebrate the connections and real moments that take place within the home."
Soothing and harmonious, just like the warm, blue-green waters of a far-off locale you're dying to visit—that's the vibe channeled by Benjamin Moore's 2021 color of the year, Aegean Teal. This paint company has selected a classic shade that can stand on its own or play nicely with others as we settle in for a long winter's (coronavirus-induced) nap at home.
Amid uncertainty, people yearn for stability—and the colors we surround ourselves with can
have a powerful impact on our emotions and well-being.
And in case you're hoping to pair this on-trend teal with other hues in your home projects, Benjamin Moore has also released a dozen complementary shades in its Color Trends 2021 palette, including Atrium White, a rusty red called Amazon Soil, and Kingsport Gray, a tone that's equal parts mocha and cocoa.
Aegean Teal and its corresponding group of 12 hues are both modern and time-tested, making them ideal for paint upgrades that "celebrate the connections and real moments that take place within the home."
Pantone 2021 Colors of the Year: Ultimate Gray + Illuminating
Since 2020 was a complete wash and much of 2021 is likely to be challenging, color giant Pantone has picked not just one, but two colors of the year: Ultimate Gray and a cheerful yellow called Illuminating. The selections are meant to ground us while also encouraging folks to look forward to a brighter future.
The marriage of these two hues is one that's practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic.
Using gray as the base or dominant color with contrasting pops of yellow for accent, homeowners hoping to rehab their abodes this winter can't miss with this invigorating palette. Because let's face it, don't we all need a little more sunshine in our lives right about now?
Since 2020 was a complete wash and much of 2021 is likely to be challenging, color giant Pantone has picked not just one, but two colors of the year: Ultimate Gray and a cheerful yellow called Illuminating. The selections are meant to ground us while also encouraging folks to look forward to a brighter future.
The marriage of these two hues is one that's practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic.
Using gray as the base or dominant color with contrasting pops of yellow for accent, homeowners hoping to rehab their abodes this winter can't miss with this invigorating palette. Because let's face it, don't we all need a little more sunshine in our lives right about now?
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Are you interested in selling or buying your home in the next few months? Work with award winning realtor, Carmen Leal and her team that specialize in Real Estate Vancouver and have qualified Buyers that are looking for a home in your area! 604.218.4846 & www.carmenleal.ca
This communication is not intended to induce breach of existing listing agreement.
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