Love day is on its way! We love celebrating love – whether it be with our partners, our kids, our families, or our clients! 

Here’s what we recommend to do for Valentine’s day in Edmonton!

For you and your partner

Order the Valentines Charcuterie, Flowers, and Sparkling Wine Bundle from Meuwly’s

If you decide to order from Meuwly’s this Valentine’s Day, it’s a one stop shop. You’ll get a beautiful flower arrangement by Cory Christopher, a Meuwly’s D.I.Y charcuterie kit and a bottle of sparkling rose! To make your order, click here. Take your bundle home and enjoy!

Sit back and relax while getting a couples massage

A couples massage therapy session is a great treat for a couple on any occasion, but especially Valentine’s Day! This treatment takes place in a room lit with candles and very soothing music while two therapists work in a coordinated way so that you and your partner are able to stay in tune with each other. Integrated Therapies is a great spot to book a couples massage—book here!

Learn how to make bagels with Get Cooking

There is nothing more romantic than cooking or baking with your partner. So why not learn how to make bagels together? This Valentine’s day weekend you can indulge your love for bagels by learning to make your own, together with Get Cooking’s bread baking expert Larry Harris. Get your $50 tickets to this virtual class here.

For you and your friends

Make some Galentine’s Day cocktails with Chef’s Table Living

At home cocktail making is a win-win—you learn a new skill, and you get to try tasty new drinks! Chef’s Table Living offers at home beverage kits that would be a perfect activity with friends at home. Choose from a wine tasting kit, Spanish old fashioned cocktail kit, Blue Plate Diner caesar cocktail kit or a Uyu Yong cocktail kit! Click here to order.

Grab the girls and get afternoon tea with Brew+Bloom!

Enjoy three tiers of savory and sweet treats on 3-tiered cake stands and indulge in a selection of the finest loose-leaf teas served with their famous mini tartines and hand-decorated Valentine’s Day sugar cookies. Brew+Bloom’s tables will be set with fresh floral centerpieces, pink teacups, and pink sequin tablecloth—a perfect way to celebrate with friends! Get your tickets.

Take some unique photos at Sid’s Selfie World

Did you know Edmonton had a selfie museum? We recently learned about it, too! Located in the Heart of Edmonton’s Vibrant Old Strathcona area, you and your friends will have fun in this 2000 square foot facility dedicated to the Selfie. Click here to learn more about Sid’s Selfie World!

Have a fun night under the stars at the University of Alberta’s Botanical Garden

Put on your warm woolies and head to the Garden for some laid-back Valentine’s Day! Take part in classic Canadian outdoor activities or try your hand at something new—the Botanical Garden has a lot to offer. During Valentine’s Day this year, you can even book ice carving lessons! Learn more and get your tickets here.

For you and the kids

Visit the Silver Skate Festival

This winter, the Silver Skate Festival is offering an abundance of DIY winter-friendly experiences and challenges that are as diverse as the people who call our Northern community home. Explore the river valley, go for a skate, make a snow angel or visit a winter patio. Winter is magical, and it is even better on Valentine’s Day. It’s free—so just head on over to Hawrelak Park to celebrate!

Buy some non-alcoholic drinks from Above Average Drinks

Treat yourself to some of Above Average Drinks’ alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks while your kids can also sip on something tasty! A first of its kind, Above Average Drinks is now offering a non-alcoholic version of their well sought after cocktails. You can pick up those cocktails directly from Biera itself! Order them here.

Grab an at-home Fondue Kit from Biera

If you are already picking up your Above Average Drinks from Biera, why not also pick up an at-home Fondue Kit, too? Each year, Biera comes up with a unique way to celebrate Valentine’s Day from home—and this year’s fondue kit looks incredible. Take a look for yourself!

Go tubing at the Sunridge

If you look back on your childhood, it is likely that you have fond memories going tubing. Make this Valentine’s Day extra special for you and the kiddos when you take them to Sunridge for tubing! With a dedicated tubing lift (so you don’t have to walk up the hill), three groomed chutes down one of our main hills, and special tubes provided by us, you won’t find a better activity for your family. Learn more and book.

For YOU!

Who says you can’t spend the day celebrating yourself? Treat yo’ self to some of the following things!

Embrace your natural beauty and head to Thrive Beauty Co.

At Thrive Beauty Co., you will be pampered just like you deserve. At this modern studio, you can get eyelash lift and tints, eyebrow tinting or microblading, and a large variety of medical grade skincare regimens. Take a look at Thrive Beauty Co.’s site to see if anything is up your alley.

Treat yourself to some Destination Doughnuts

There is nothing like picking up a treat from your favourite bakery and taking it home to enjoy it alone, on the couch, while watching your favourite TV show. Located on 124th Street, Destination Doughnuts is home to some of the most unique donut flavours you can imagine. What’s more—they are even offering Hearts & Hugs donuts for Valentine’s Day.

Get some cat cuddles at the Wee Book Inn

There is something soothing about walking around a bookstore for hours and reading the backs of books until you find something you want to read. And what makes it even better (and a bit more distracting) is when there is a cat asking for scratches! At the Wee Book Inn, you will have exactly that experience. Sounds like a perfect Valentine’s Day to us!

Whatever you get up to this Valentine’s Day, we hope you have a fulfilling day, celebrating in ways that make you feel loved. From the TruHome family to yours, we wish you a very happy Valentine’s Day!

Condo living has many perks —  added security, built-in maintenance, a sense of community. However, if you live in a condo, chances are your bathroom doesn’t have any windows. 

We have seen this time and time again and have even experienced it ourselves—how can we make our windowless bathrooms brighter, livelier and more inviting? Our TruHome team has tried many things to spruce up windowless bathrooms, so here are our tips! 

Bring in vibrant colours

Even though white paint is the obvious choice, using it as your bathroom wall colour may not necessarily brighten up your space. In fact, it may end up making your bathroom feel a bit like a hospital. Instead, opt for a rich colour— green, terracotta, blue… anything in your favourite shade. Don’t be scared of painting your room too dark—someone on the TruHome team recently painted their windowless bathroom walls a dark green…and it looks fantastic!

If you are not up to painting your bathroom, consider bringing in a colourful shower curtain, bath mat, wall shelf accessories or framed wall photos.

Add some plants

Plants bring warmth, life, and positivity to any room, especially ones without windows. If you have a green thumb and like to have plants that thrive in humid rooms, opt for real plants! Otherwise, we have found that fake plants do just as well, if not better, in a windowless bathroom. Find high quality fake plants are easy to clean, easy to move around, and easy to find in Edmonton! To add some extra oomph, try hanging your fake plant in a macrame hanger from your ceiling!

If you are not a fan of fake plants, there are other options! Dried eucalyptus looks great in a vase, or hanging from your shower head (it also turns your shower into a refreshing, spa-like experience!!). Additionally, snake plants are a lovely low-light plant, however you will want to bring them out of your bathroom and place them in the sun once in a while to ensure they stay happy! Small potted cacti are another great option. 

Replace your lighting fixtures

While it may be hard to visualize, replacing your light fixtures can have the quickest, most impactful change to your windowless bathroom. With many Edmonton condo buildings being built in the 1980s-2000s, oftentimes we notice that the bathroom lighting has never been updated. 

Replace your fixtures with something more modern that filters through most of the light from the bulb. A fixture with three or more bulbs is a bonus! Changing your lighting also gives you the opportunity to adjust the vibes you’re going for. A warm, yellow bulb will be more cozy, but white bulbs give off better lighting.  At the end of the day, it is your bathroom and you choose the light bulb tint that fits your vibe most!

Hang more mirrors

While your bathroom may already have a large vanity mirror, there is always room for more! Thinking about choosing small wall-hanging mirrors with unique frames, or mirror-finished objects for an extra pop of shine. Extra mirrors in a small, windowless space reflect more light and give the appearance of a brighter, more spacious room.

Add an essential oil air freshener/diffuser

There is so much more to a room than the way it looks—the way it smells can also completely transform it. There are many ways to bring in a fresh, inviting scent to your windowless bathroom, but our favourite is to place an essential oil air freshener. It is easy to find, low maintenance and it is also nice decor to look at! Go find your favourite scent and see how it transforms your bathroom.

Double down on decor

Windows take up significant space in most rooms, so since you have more wall space in your windowless bathroom, fill it with decor! Think about adding floating shelves, gallery walls (with mirrors and pictures), macrame, and anything else you can think of to bring more dimension into your room. Reminder: make sure that everything you bring in can withstand a high-humidity environment.

Keep it clutter-free

This may seem like an obvious one, but keeping any room, especially a windowless bathroom, clutter-free will transform your space the fastest. A clutter-free bathroom makes the room feel bigger and more inviting. With no natural light available to brighten up the bathroom, the darkness can make the room feel too full if there is too much clutter!

We hope this helped you on your windowless bathroom journey! If you have any other ideas on how to brighten and liven up your windowless bathroom, we would love to hear it!! Connect with us on Instagram and Facebook @yourtruhome

Asbestos. It’s a daunting word—especially when you learn that you may have it in your home. We all know that asbestos isn’t “good”, but what exactly does it mean for you if your home has it? As part of our Home Inspection Series, we’re diving into what exactly asbestos is, how you can test for it, and what it means for your home if the test comes back positive.

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring, fibrous silicate material that has six types—all of which can be released into the atmosphere by abrasion or disruption. Asbestos is a highly-effective and inexpensive fireproof material that was used in home construction from the early 1940s through the late 1980s.

Is asbestos harmful?

The short answer is yes and no. Asbestos does have the potential to be harmful and cause a variety of long-term respiratory conditions if inhaled, but that doesn’t mean you should be worried if it is present in your home. The only time when asbestos can be harmful is if it is disturbed, becomes airborne, and is inhaled.

Note that asbestos isn’t easily disturbed and there is no reason to be worried if you learn that your home does indeed have asbestos in the drywall, floors or ceiling!

When should I test for asbestos?

Though it is not a part of the typical home inspection, it is still part of your due diligence. If your home was built before 1990, there is a high chance that asbestos may be present in your Edmonton home. But don’t fret yet! Just because your home may have asbestos doesn’t even mean you need to test for it—like mentioned above, it is only ever harmful when it gets disturbed and becomes airborne (like during a renovation or demolition).

You can test for asbestos at any time. This can happen years after owning your home or even before purchasing! If you are looking to test before purchasing, your realtor will negotiate with the seller to get special permission before closing. Because asbestos can be expensive to get removed, some buyers may walk away from purchasing a home if they were looking to do major renovations.

Who do I call to get asbestos testing?

Many of our clients have been through asbestos testing and used Edmonton-based companies to get it tested safely and quickly. Here are list of reliable asbestos testing companies our clients have used:

• Asbestos and Mold Removal Edmonton
• RH Services Inc.
• Environmental Monitoring Solutions
• Edmonton Asbestos Removal Pros
• Safety Coordination Services

The process of testing for asbestos

Though there are DIY testing kits that can be purchased online and sent to the lab for testing, we suggest that asbestos testing be done by a professional, always. Not only is it safer (which should be reason in itself), but it is often a faster turnaround for results.

On-site sampling prices vary from around $250 to $750, depending on the size of the home and the amount of areas sampled. And if you want to take it a step further and monitor the air in your home, that can cost you an additional $1000, approximately.

If asbestos is found in your home, there may be an additional cost to get it removed. In the spirit of transparency, it doesn’t tend to be cheap. Found on the Canadian Hazmat Environmental website, a 2,200 square foot home starts at about $9,000 for asbestos removal. It goes without saying that it can be a large expense and should be taken seriously! 

Because of the large cost of asbestos removal, it can be important to do testing before you purchase a home, especially if you plan to give your new home a facelift. It can save you money in the long run, and will give you peace of mind with your big purchase.

If you are in the market to purchase a fix’r up’r but want to learn more about asbestos, feel free to send us a message to get started. We are more than happy to set up a call, discuss your home buying plans and start your search with you.

The home-buying process is a great adventure, but furnishing your space is a whole other opportunity for fun. Though it can be an opportunity to be creative, it can also be time consuming and frustrating when trying to find furniture that meets your aesthetic and your budget.

What’s more, mid-century modern furniture and decor is back. And unless your grandparents have an attic full of beautiful, untouched, legitimate 1930s-1960s furniture, there is only one way to get your hands on mid century pieces… by thrifting it. Take a peak below for our suggestions of where to thrift vintage furniture in Edmonton! 

Roam Vintage Home

Price range: $$

Roam Vintage Home is an Edmonton-based vintage curator offering affordable, quality, vintage housewares and furniture. With a focus on large furniture like bedroom sets, seating and wall decor, you are sure to find unique pieces for your home. Roam Vintage Home’s business runs completely through Instagram, so it is a good idea to set notifications for posts and stories so that you don’t miss out on your perfect teak piece.

Roam Vintage Home is more than just a vintage reseller—the owner often shares their home renovations on their Instagram stories so feel free to ask questions if you see something you love or want to know more about.

Alexander & Rose

Price range: $

One of our favourite vintage sellers, Alexander & Rose sells mid-Century, antique pieces that oftentimes have some quirkiness to them. Unique to the rest of the businesses we will feature in this article, Alexander & Rose gets most of its stock through estate management!

The owner & curator, Zach, left the hospitality industry to work at his mom’s Estate Management company and became exposed to all the amazing collections through their clients. Now, he spends his days treasure seeking, buying and curating classic elements to sell directly through Alexander & Rose’s Instagram and at markets!

Thrift Sister

Price range: $

Just like the name sounds, Thrift Sister is run by two thrifty sisters who have an eye for thrifted items. Though a lot of their stock is vintage clothing (which you should totally check out), they often carry dinnerware, artwork and teak decor and accessories that will amp your bookcase up a notch.

Thrift Sister doesn’t have a storefront or a website (yet), however they often do pop-ups around the city. Give them a follow on Instagram to see their upcoming schedule!

Dom Deco

Price range: $$$

Dom Deco is a mid-Century modern dream. Located at 8213 56 Street and open by appointment only (for the time being), you will find high-end refinished furniture, cameras, books, barware, glassware and home decor.

What makes Dom Deco different are two things. First, if you have something on your wishlist, you can contact them with photos and dimensions and they will be on the lookout for your perfect match. Secondly, Dom Deco refinishes and repairs antique furniture, too! Their pricing is transparent and listed on their website.

Find Edmonton

Price range: $

Find is a social enterprise with two goals: providing essential furnishings free of charge to individuals and families who are moving out of homelessness, and supplying low-cost, quality furniture and housewares for sale to the public. Isn’t that cool?

You can shop Find through its online website or by going in person to its storefront. We definitely recommend giving Find a follow on Instagram because they have daily posts to their stories to introduce some of their newest stock!

Mission Thrift Store

Price range: $

Hope Mission is a volunteer-driven, non-denominational Christian organization that currently operates more than 50 thrift stores across Canada.

Though you are not likely to find a lot of big furniture items at the Mission Thrift Store, you will definitely be able to buy a lot of home decor and kitchen items there.

Consign Design Furniture & Decor

Price range: $$$

Long time local couple behind Consign Design, Lynne and John, are extremely passionate about design, fashion, furniture, and local business. Thus the birth of Consign Design, an Edmonton-based furniture and decor hub. Consign Design provides previously loved furniture and decor for Edmontonians who are conscious buyers who want one-of-a-kid pieces that are sustainable and cool!

What’s more—you can consign items of your own through them, to. All you need to do is send them a message to get started! If your item is a good fit for their inventory, Consign Design will sell on your behalf.

Lightly Loved

Price range: $$

Though Lightly Loved is based out of Stony Plain, the ~45 minute commute to pick up your items is always worth the drive. With a focus on bigger antique furniture items like bookshelves, lighting, dressers, tables and chairs, you will likely be able to furnish your entire home in a jiffy. 

You can shop Lightly Loved directly through their Instagram posts, or you can use the hashtag #shoplightlyloved to see which items are still available, since items tend to sell quickly! 

Bex Vintage

Price range: $$$

Bex Vintage sources unique vintage and mid Century home furnishings within Calgary and throughout Alberta. The company refinishes vintage furniture & decor to give them a second life another 50 years. 

Unlike any of the other companies featured in this article, Bex Vintage sells rugs in addition to other larger furniture items! Vintage rugs are often so hard to find, so be sure to keep an eye out for Bex Vintage’s beautiful retro, persian and imperial-style rugs.

More Than A Fad

Price range: $

We like More Than A Fad so much that we are featuring them for a second time! More Than A Fad is a thrift store in Edmonton raising funds for women in addiction recovery at Adeara Recovery Centre. As a women-owned business ourselves, we love More Than A Fad’s mission and enjoy supporting them.

You can thrift a variety of items from this store, but the Southside location is its biggest store that carries a lot of larger furniture items such as dressers, couches, mirrors, wall decor and filing cabinets. The items are not always Mid Century, but a fixer-upper piece can be fun to transform yourself!

Aside from furniture, More Than A Fad sells a lot of clothing—sometimes they even have a “fill your bag for $25” deal!

Brassy Beehive

Price range: $$$

Brassy Beehive sells Mid Century Modern & Vintage items in Edmonton. You can find high quality furniture, lighting, houseware, art, decor, toys, jewelry and more directly through their website or Instagram!

You can truly find anything you are looking for through Brassy Beehive. Though at the top of our pricing scale, the pieces this company sells are one-of-a-kind and will last a lifetime.

Facebook Marketplace

Price range: Open

The holy grail of secondhand shopping—Facebook Marketplace. We don’t even have to link it because we already know you all have a Facebook account!

The beauty of Facebook Marketplace is the algorithm. If you search “antique dresser” once, you will continue to see new posts of items with similar descriptions each day. Additionally, the algorithm easily learns what kind of products you would be likely to be interested in, and it even shows “Today’s Picks”—a curated selection of new items each day that you can shop through.

Reflecting back on the year gives a deeper perspective as to where you have been and where you want to go. It is an opportunity to look back and celebrate the wins and reflect on ways to improve and grow. At TruHome, we had so much good to celebrate but also experienced new challenges when it came to growth.

Some highlights of our wins:

• We helped over 300 families define what home is. This was both reflective in clients taking a step into homeownership and into our latest rental project 121 west
• We partnered with Regency Developments to lease up their project at 121 west in the heart of the Brewery District
• Our team exceeded our sales goals from RE/MAX Titan Club in 2020 to RE/MAX Diamond Club (second highest club reachable) for 2021.
• Elisse received recognition as a RE/MAX Top 40 under 40 for Canada – an amazing accomplishment to receive and celebrate
• We reached new heights when it came to our average sale prices, navigating this crazy market – both with multiple offer scenarios and some more challenging type of properties to sell.
• We continued to finesse our processes and systems to better support our clients
• We expanded our team further in an effort to be more available to our customers
• We made amazing connections and friendships along the way.
• We coached and educated new agents for their own future growth
• We reached a new milestone with Stollery and you will find our name on the donor wall ($10,000 – $24,000) and we gave back to other charities too.
• We moved too – some of our team members also took time to jump into the market and make their own moves too.

This year gave us time to pause and really consider the value of our team and what we currently provide to both agents coming in and for our clients. How we can continue to shift and grow as leaders to continue to showcase our values and worth and what it means to better come together.

2022 will be all about growth and authenticity – how can we continue to grow while staying true to our value system and what is important to us? How can we show up for our clients better and provide them with the level of service we too would want to experience? How to maintain authentic and trusting relationships within our company? How to show up and give back to this beautiful city we call home and support those most vulnerable?

Each of our Edmonton REALTORS® will have their own unique, authentic goals that will blend alongside our overall team goals.

Most importantly to us though is how can we serve you better? If you have been considering a move, or thinking about how real estate can impact your long term wealth strategy – lets chat. We would be truly honoured to be a part of helping you in 2022. Contact us today to start planning for your future.

– Photography by Tracey Jazmin

Many neighborhoods in Edmonton can be described as having “everything you could ever want”, but there’s truly no neighborhood that embodies this better than Strathcona (or, Old Strathcona). It’s established, authentic, inclusive, and chic.

Homes

Strathcona is a historic community with a large real estate footprint. There is an abundance of single-family homes, infill lots, duplexes, and walk-up apartments to satisfy all tastes, budgets, and lifestyles. With its proximity to the University of Alberta campus and hospital, there are also plenty of opportunities for income properties.

The premiere community of Strathcona fully embraces culture, art, and festivities while offering a unique twist on urban living. It is a popular spot for young adults and university-goers who enjoy the short commute, however there are many long-term residents and families who embrace the pedestrian-friendly and breezy lifestyle.

Places to Visit

With over 600 businesses serving the surrounding areas, there is enough boutique shopping, dining, and entertainment venues to fill the soul. Some of our favorite spots include The Plaid Giraffe, Rocket Fizz, Blues on Whyte, The Junque Cellar, Spotlight Cabaret and the Princess Theatre.

There’s a reason Old Strathcona was recently dubbed Edmonton’s “dessert district”. Whether you’re strolling along Whyte Ave or exploring the hidden gems amongst the alleys and murals, there’s something on every corner to satisfy your sweet tooth! Some of our favorites are Made by Marcus (unique ice cream flavours and frozen treats), Yelo’d (Filipino inspired soft serve ice cream treats), La Boule (French inspired pastries and bread), Cacao 70 (chocolate a million different ways) and Sugared and Spiced (all the baked goods). Just to name a few!

If the options for a night on the town don’t appeal (Hudson’s, O’Byrne’s, Beercade, etc.), there’s a good chance the foodie scene will satisfy some tastebuds.

Under the High Wheel and Pip offer delectable brunches with flare, while Meat and The Next Act are the places to be for friendly gatherings, family-style meals, and high vibe dining. MKT and Malt & Mortar also have great pub fare if you’re looking for something more on the casual side.

Commuting/Schools

Downtown Edmonton is easily accessible via the two major throughfares, Walterdale Hill Road and Groat Road Bridge, while 104^th Street/Calgary Trail make it a quick journey to south Edmonton and beyond.

In addition to the University of Alberta, there are a handful of schools in the neighborhood and surrounding areas which makes Old Strathcona a great neighborhood for families.

Old Scona Academic High School is right in the heart of the community and is recognized as one of the top academic secondary schools in the country. You also have King Edward School (K-6), Strathcona School (Grades 10-12), and McKernan School (Grades 7-9). Additionally, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Louis St. Laurentare two of the designated Catholic schools in the area.

Recreation

Even though it’s a wanderer’s delight, there is no shortage of outdoor space and greenery. The End of Steel, Dr. Wilbert MacIntyre, and Light Horse parks are in the neighborhood for evening games of Spike Ball or as a place to take your furry friend on a walk.

Just a few blocks north you’ll find Saskatchewan drive, which boasts panoramic views of Downtown Edmonton with a newly refurbished pedestrian walkway, bike path, landscaping and seating. If you go on the right day, you might find a local artist set up with an easel and a coffee, capturing Edmonton’s finest lookout point. And if you adventure just a bit further east, you’ll find yourself in Mill Creek Ravine that connects you to Edmonton’s network of river valley trails. 

One of the major perks of choosing Strathcona as your new neighborhood is that you’ll never have to fight for parking to enjoy the festivals in the area. No matter the season, there is always something going on. Most notably is the internationally known Edmonton Fringe Festival during August, the Ice on Whyte ice sculpture festival in January, and the Whyte Ave Art Walk in June.

We would be doing a disservice to the neighbourhood if we didn’t mention the Old Strathcona Farmer’s Market: In operation since 1983, this indoor market is home to an assortment of vendors offering locally grown and produced goods, delicious treats, and sustainable living options. The best part is, they’re open year-round!

Whatever your reason is for moving to Strathcona, there will be no shortage of reasons for why you’ll fall in love with the community right away. TruHome would love to connect you with your next home in this beautiful community, so drop us a line and one of our agents will be in touch!

2021 Edmonton Holiday Gift Guide

And just like that, the holiday season is back! We’re not complaining though, it is one of our favourite times of the year—except for home-buying season, of course. As hyper-local real estate agents, we always look to support local businesses in the city we love. So the TruHome team put their heads together to bring you a 2021 Edmonton Holiday Gift Guide!

This season it is more important than ever to shop local, support others in the community, and give meaningful gifts. Here are 20 gift giving suggestions for this year’s holiday season.

Clo’s General Leather Co.

For the person in your life who likes long-lasting, high quality, made-with-care leather goods. Clo’s General sells a variety of items such as wallets, bags, belts, gloves, hats and accessories. What’s more—you can get your orders personalized!

Token Bitters

This is the perfect stocking stuffer if you’re buying for someone who is into cocktail making. Token Bitters stocks artisinal, handcrafted bitters that are inspired by Edmonton, and features flavours such as Ritchie Cherry, Strathcona Orange and Highland Mojito.

Floc Boutique

For the woman in your life that loves high-quality boutique apparel while simultaneously supporting local, Floc Boutique is women-run and has some of the most unique fashion items in Edmonton. You can also gift a personal styling or shopping day for someone who claims “I never know what to wear!”.

Poppy Barley

As a long-time Edmonton-based business, Poppy Barley is our city’s best-known footwear company. But did you know that they recently started selling things beyond shoes? Leather coasters, organizational sets, placemats, and even checkers sets were included in their recent launch!

Unbelts

We all have at least one pair of pants that requires a belt, so everyone can benefit from a belt from Unbelts! Made for both men and women, Unbelts’ main product is a lightweight, flat fabric belt that comes in every colour of the rainbow. The idea is that you won’t be able to see the bulk of the buckle under your shirt.

Little Plant Shop

For the person in your life that just keeps on buying more plants, the Little Plant Shop sells all the things you need to make your home even more lively. We’re talking home decor, wall art, handmade candles, macrame plant hangers, pots and of course, plants.

Tikkhu Jewelry

Tikkhu specializes in minimalist jewelry at a fair price. They have pieces that suit all styles, and also have an enviable holiday collection with understated gold jewelry and hair accessories. Having launched only last year, Tikkhu has taken off and is a staple jeweller in Edmonton—get them while you can!

Above Average Drinks

For the person in your life who loves a good cocktail, but hates making them, Above Average Drinks is a ready-to-pour cocktail service that delivers high-quality, delicious cocktails right to your door. All you need to do is pop the cork and pull out your favourite glass.

Hideout Distro

Hideout Distro is one of those shops where you can walk in and leave with half the store. This quaint shop is located on 124th street and distributes quality goods by independent brands, artists, designers and musicians from Canada and beyond. Think: vintage apparel, jewelry, stickers, pottery, trinkets, home goods, and more.

Winspear Centre

You can’t go wrong with buying your friends and family tickets to an upcoming show at the Winspear Centre. Sometimes experience gifts are the best thing to give because you might get invited along to the event! You also get to support local artists and performers while they debut in Edmonton.

Adewunmi Skincare

Adewunmi Skincare is a natural skincare brand in Canada. Located in the basement of the Mercer Warehouse, Adewunmi sells a variety of lotions, creams, body washes and oils. They offer a customization service to help those with tricky skin needs.

Ryspot Design

If you’re looking for unique Christmas gifts, look no further, Ryspot Design may be the perfect present. Creating one-of-a-kind products made from concrete, you can purchase clocks, candle holders, trinket trays, side tables, planters and more. May we suggest the iconic Edmonton brick, though?

The Prints and the Paper

A quirky shop located on 124th street, The Prints and the Paper sells graphic art prints, books,  cards and other cool stationary. Walk into this store and you will likely get lost for hours checking out all the unique things that it has to offer!

Shop Chop

Shop Chop is an edgy and fun local gift shop with an ever-changing selection of holiday ornaments, plants, pots, decor, home goods, greeting cards, jewellery, hair products, candles and more. Everyone we know absolutely adores this store, and they also have a hair salon in the back if you need to pamper yourself before you shop!

Strathcona Spirits

As Edmonton’s oldest distillery, Strathcona Spirits creates award-winning spirits made using traditional methods & local ingredients. We have yet to meet someone who doesn’t like Strathcona Spirits, and we think your friends and family will love them too.

Glass Bookshop

We all need a little less screen time, so why not get lost in a page-turner from Glass Bookshop? This gem is an independently- and queer-owned bookstore that features work by queer and racialized writers to uplifts the industry and support independent publishers from Edmonton and beyond. 

Westmount Soap Company

Inspired by the diverse personalities of the communities and neighbourhoods within the City of Edmonton, the Westmount Soap Co. hand makes all natural bar soap, scented with only high quality essential oils. Get all of your stocking stuffers here!

Fenwick & Co.

If you’re shopping for little kiddos, Fenwick & Co. is the place to go for home and baby textiles. With unique screen prints, you can get toques and outfits for your little ones while grabbing some pillows and tea towels for yourself!

Justine Ma Design and Hand Lettering

Justine Ma Design and Hand Lettering is an iconic holiday gift. With a fantastic array of designs in stunning lettering, there is definitely something for everyone you’re buying for. Pick up ornaments, enamel pins, cards, drinkware, keychains, prints, party decor and more!

Restaurant giftcards

If you’re in a bind or are looking for a last minute gift you can’t go wrong with a giftcards to some of YEG’s best local restaurants and cafes. Here are some suggestions: Bianco, Dorinku Osaka, Nineteen, Cafe Amore, Cosmos, Duchess, Gravy, Ohana Donuts, Farrow, Credo, and Rosewood Foods. All of these places are local faves, but there are endless options for supporting local restaurants!

There are so many other local Edmonton shops you can purchase from and support this season, but we hope this helped kick-start your shopping. If you love any other local businesses we might not know about, let us know – we love to shop!

You’ve probably already guessed it, the TruHome team is a huge fan of Edmonton. Most of us on the team are born and raised Edmontonians with no plans to move to a new city! We know that Edmonton is an amazing place to live, and we want to share our love for it with you.

Because we’re fortunate to work with clients living in every neighbourhood in the city, we’ve come to know Edmonton from many different perspectives. In this blog post, we want to show you all the hidden gems in the neighbourhood of Garneau. 

Ride on the High Level Streetcar

After being closed for the COVID season, the High Level Streetcar is back in action! Take it to get from one end of the river to the other ($4 one-way for $7 round trip), or book it for a special event at an hourly rate, where you can invite friends and family to spend an hour or two on the streetcar. 

Paint your own ceramics

At Crankpots Ceramic Studio, you can pop in to shop or book a time to paint your own masterpiece. Both reservations and walk-ins are welcome! Simply pick your piece, paint colours, then start painting—and with unlimited studio time and paints, you can truly relax and enjoy your painting experience.

Experience French culinary mastery

A little bit of France in the centre of Garneau, Eleanor & Laurent is a French restaurant offering many different French dishes, such as baguettes, sandwiches, rotisserie chicken, desserts, wine and takeaway items. This description isn’t giving this restaurant the credit it deserves, so check out their Instagram to see the stunning dishes and treats that Eleanor & Laurent create.

Visit a hidden bistro

And if you wanted to stay in the area (or the same building), La Petite Iza is a rooftop terrace bistro located on Eleanor & Laurent’s uppermost floor. It serves patrons during the day and night, with two different menus for the time of day. With limited hours of Wednesday-Sunday, be sure to snag a reservation before stopping by.

Go thrifting

Though big box thrifting stores like Value Village or Goodwill are in the area, we’re all about supporting local, which is why you should check out Antique Treasure House Edmonton—a hidden gem located at 10701-85 Avenue at the base of an apartment building. Antique Treasure House is filled with everything, such as fine china, antiques, prints, toys, clothes, jewelry, furniture, kitchen goodies and more.  

Upgrade your kitchen knife-wear

It’s hard to find a shop that specializes in knives, but Knifewear in Garneau does. A Canadian business with locations in Edmonton, Vancouver, Calgary and Ottawa, Knifewear is a destination and hangout spot for those who love Japanese steel. They carry exclusive, scary sharp, high performance blades, and offer expert knife knowledge, expert purchasing experiences and support.

Purchase some antique collectables

If you didn’t overspend at the Antique Treasure House that we featured above, walk on over to Black Swan Antiques & Collectibles. With a lot of different treasures inside, this shop specializes in antique jewelry. You are bound to spend hours in this eclectic store!

Have a spa day

At Healing Waters Spa, you can have a full spa day to relax and rejuvenate—or, you pop on in (by appointment) to get something specific. Healing Waters Spa offers an array of services including facials, waxing, tinting, massages, scrubs and saunas, as well as experiences like full packages or Hammam treatments. Keep an eye out for their monthly specials!

Visit a cigar shop

La Tienda is the friendliest cigar shop in the city, offering service, knowledge and honesty. They sell only cigars—no vapes, chew or cigarettes. Not only are they open for walk-ins, but they also offer private memberships: a monthly or premium private selection cigar club.

And when you’re done shopping, head on over next door to Farrow to grab a sandwich, coffee or donut. If you’re an Edmontonian, you probably already know about this well-loved sandwich shop.

Take a walk down Saskatchewan Drive

Lastly, nothing beats a free walk down Saskatchewan Drive where you can take in the wonders of the view. With a complete view of our Downtown, a walk (or jog!) down Saskatchewan Drive never gets old.

If you’ve fallen in love with all the goodies Garneau has to offer, reach out to one of the agents on our TruHome team – we’d love to show you some homes in the area! 

Home inspections are a crucial step in the home buying process. Not only does it allow you to learn more about your future home, but it is the step that gives you the opportunity to either move forward with your purchase or walk away. We could go on and on about home inspections, so that’s why we decided to write a series on them!

Though many are familiar with the standard home inspection (which we will go further into detail in future blog posts), we thought we start out with why home inspections are important. If you’re thinking of purchasing your first home, be sure to set alerts for when we post new articles on our Instagram! Let’s dive in.

What is a home inspection?

A home inspection is the buyer’s last chance to learn the details and specifics of the home they put a deposit on and are looking to purchase. If any problems with the home arise during this step in the home buying process, the buyer can contact the seller to negotiate, or simply walk away from the purchase and get their deposit back.

Though home inspections are technically not necessary, we at TruHome strongly suggest performing one before purchasing your home. We get it—buying a home is already a lot of money and hiring a home inspector is just adding to the list of ever-growing costs. However, if you don’t go through with a home inspection, you could be left with tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs that you could have learned about before. Beyond the cost, you could also be buying a home that simply isn’t safe to live in. No one wants that!

What do home inspectors look for?

Home inspectors look for anything and everything in a home. Probably not the answer you were looking for, right? Well, inspectors will look at the big and small—from leaks to small dents in the drywall. But in general home inspections, inspectors take a special interest in water damage, the structural integrity of the building (uneven floors, cracked walls, leaning stairs, etc.), roof damage, electrical, plumbing, bug or pest presence, and heating & cooling systems. 

The list above only scratches the surface, but once you get your home report back after the home inspector is finished, you’ll see what we mean.

What to expect during a home inspection

We always recommend that the buyer comes along for the inspection along with your realtor. Not only can you speak with the inspector one on one to clarify any issues that arise, it also gives the buyer another chance to view the home. Sometimes during these inspections, the buyer brings along measuring tapes and paint samples to get some planning in ahead of time before possession day.

Home inspections usually take between 1-3 hours, depending on the size of the home and the amount of reported issues. In very unique circumstances, home inspections can take a full day.

Once the home inspector is done looking at the home, they will chat with you and give you an in-depth report of the things that the home needs fixed. The length of this list differs between each home. Though the list can sometimes be long, you need to remember to pay attention to the severity of the issues. There may be missing light switches and cracks in the sidewalk, which are more of an aesthetic issue and not necessary to fix right away. However, if the inspection report tells you that there are major issues with your pipes or foundation, that is when you need to decide with your realtor if those are deal breakers or not. Always keep your budget in mind during this step—even though the home may seem perfect, it may not be worth it to fork out thousands of dollars to fix the issues.

What to expect after a home inspection

After the home inspection takes place, it’s time to sit down with your realtor. If the report shows only a few minor things, then your realtor will likely suggest to move forward with the purchase without any changes to your deal.

However, if your home inspection report comes back with major issues, your realtor will give you three options: 1) to negotiate with the seller to get a smaller selling price of the home, 2) to negotiate with the seller to have them fix the issues before possession day, or 3) to walk away from the home altogether. If the seller agrees to fix the issues for you, it is important to have a follow-up walk-through before your possession date to ensure that the problems were properly tended to.

If you decide to walk away from the home, your realtor will go back to step one and send you listings of homes that are similar to the one you just walked away from. Though it’s extremely disappointing for our clients (and for us!) when this happens, we have never regretted backing away from a bad investment. 

Hiring a home inspector in Edmonton

Edmonton is filled with many credible home inspection companies. Did you know that Alberta and British Columbia are the only two provinces that require home inspectors to have certifications? This means that here in Alberta, all home inspectors are licensed and you can sleep soundly knowing that trained professionals are inspecting your home. We at TruHome work with a couple specific companies that are amazing. Here they are:

Brent Moffat

Edmonton, AB T5T 2Y5, Canada

Phone: 780-224-5035

brent.moffat@abuyerschoice.com

Visit the website

Edgar Castillo, 

Canadian Residential Inspection Services NE Edmonton

Namao Center PO Box 31085 Edmonton AB T5Z 3P3 (Street Address: 10315 – 178 Avenue NW, Edmonton)

Phone: 780-910-2857

ECastillo@CanadianResidential.com

How much does a home inspection cost?

During most purchases, the buyer usually pays for the home inspection. However, there’s no rule that says that you can’t negotiate that the seller pays for the home inspection when you’re in the negotiation stage before the inspection takes place.

There are some cases when the seller performs a home inspection before they put their house on the market. In those cases, it is up to the buyer to either accept that home inspection or perform a second home inspection on their own dime. However, we at TruHome definitely recommend hiring your own inspector—someone that is unbiased and can give you an honest report.

That being said, if you are hiring the home inspector yourself, you can expect to spend between $200-$400. 

In conclusion

We know home inspections can be daunting—especially when you’re a first-time home buyer. But like we mentioned earlier in this article, home inspections are important and necessary, even if they aren’t required to purchase a home. 

More often than not, there will be an issue with your home, even if it’s only a year or two old. But know when this happens, you’re not alone. Your realtor is there to help you throughout your journey to home ownership—even when it gets difficult!

We at TruHome take pride in being a shoulder to lean on during the home buying process. At each and every step, we’re only a call or a coffee hang away! If you’re looking to purchase your next place to call home, feel free to book a Buyer’s Consult with us to get started.

If you didn’t already know, the TruHome team is helping lease up the 121 West Condominiums. 121 West offers high quality concrete construction with a wide array of floor plans (studio, one bedroom, and two bedroom) that allows your home to be as unique as you are. Not only are the suites absolutely gorgeous, but the building itself is located in one of our favourite places in our city: the Edmonton Brewery District.

If you haven’t visited Central Edmonton in a while, the Brewery District is a neighbourhood sandwiched between Oliver, Queen Mary Park, and Downtown. It has everything you need—from shopping and food to entertainment and other businesses that offer everything you need. If you are considering moving to the 121 West condos or even moving to the area, keep on reading to learn more about what this neighbourhood has to offer!

Shopping

Winners

Everyone loves Winners—it’s so hard not to! Our team are frequent shoppers at the Brewery District location and have noticed that there is always a great selection of clothing, shoes, and home goods at this location. Don’t believe us? Guess you will have to check it out for yourself!

Miniso

If you have yet to visit Miniso, this is your sign to do so. Miniso is soon to be your favourite Japanese-inspired, low-cost, lifestyle product retailer, offering high quality household goods, cosmetics, and food at affordable prices. Name a product—they’ve got it. Plan to be there for a while, you will get lost in this store and not want to leave! 

Mountain Equipment Coop (MEC)

Calling all people who love the outdoors! Grab your one-time MEC membership and get shopping. MEC is a one stop shop for all season sports, hiking, camping, footwear, clothing, electronics and more. Even if you aren’t a nature lover, you’ll still probably find something you’ll love there.

124th Street

Even though 124th Street isn’t “in” the Brewery District, we had to include it anyway because it’s an icon in the neighbourhood. Just a short five-minute walk away, this beautiful area of our city has tons of shopping options, such as Shades of Gray, Floc Boutique, The Makers Keep, The Prints & The Paper and so much more.

Food

City Market

The Loblaw City Market is a staple in this community.While there are a few good options for grocery shopping, City Market is a favourite amongst those who live in Downtown-adjacent neighbourhoods. Not only is it a new build, but it also has free underground parking.

Blaze Pizza

Think Subway… but for Pizzas. Blaze Pizza is a build-your-own pizza joint that you will be sure to love if you haven’t tried it already.

Wing Snob

Traditional Wings, boneless wings, cauli wings—you name it, they have it. Wing Snob is new to the Brewery District but has quickly become a community favourite!

Cobs Bread Bakery

Name a food item that is more delicious than warm buttered bread. Cobs Bread Bakery serves a variety of different menu items like bread, scones, tarts, danishes, pizza, croissants… the list goes on.

Wilfred’s & Made by Marcus

A dual concept space in the Brewery District, Wildfred’s Handhelds and Made by Marcus are two delicious places to grab a bite. Grab a beer and a sandwich from Wilfred’s, then snag a locally-sourced ice cream from Made by Marcus—it’s a win-win!

Shojo Izakaya

Located in the same building below Wilfred’s and Made by Margus, Shojo Izakaya is a restaurant that serves fresh, modern Japanese cuisine in Edmonton, AB serving Small plates ranging from fried chicken to sushi. What’s more—Shojo has an incredible cocktail menu!

Nando’s

Peri-peri, anyone? Nando’s is an underrated gem in the Brewery District, offering a variety of food options that will please the whole family. Though the menu is centered around chicken, there are several vegetarian options as well. Just don’t forget to add their iconic peri-peri dipping sauce!

Tokiwa Ramen

It’s not a good neighbourhood without a ramen restaurant, right? Tokiwa Ramen is a fan favourite for ramen lovers, with their soup often selling out well before closing time. They prepare their soup daily using quality ingredients locally sourced whenever possible, which is why they only make a limited amount of soup each day! Prepare to stand in line, but we promise it’s worth the wait. 

…And now for a couple restaurants that aren’t in the Brewery District, but are a short walk or scooter ride away!

Brew & Bloom Cafe

You have probably seen the Brew & Bloom Cafe on Instagram at some point. Nourish your body and mind at this gorgeous cafe that features stunning florals and delicious food, including unique drinks, an abundance of food and a large selection of desserts.

Cafe Amore

Get your pasta fix (and then some) at this classic Italian restaurant! Cafe Amore has a pasta feature for every day of the week, and is guaranteed to feed you for several meals.

Art of Cake

The Art of Cake is an eclectic bakery that serves a variety of different sweets, and you can even order signature cakes for occasions such as weddings! 

Health Services

Divine Spine

 Divine Spine is a unique chiropractor’s office offering a computerized treatment system that is designed to gently restore motion to your joints.  It uses a precise and computerized force to facilitate the body’s correction of nerve interference caused by a misaligned spinal joint. 

Pivotal Physiotherapy

Pivotal Physiotherapy provides essential healthcare and exceptional rehabilitative care to help you live your best, healthiest life. They accommodate all types of schedules with flexible hours, and have a second location near High Street. 

FYidoctors

Whether you wear glasses or not, we should all be getting our eyes checked every now and then. FYidoctors offer complete eye exams, prescription eyeglasses, designer frames, custom lenses and sunglasses. 

Oliver Park Dental

Oliver Park Dental understands that the dental office isn’t always your favourite place to visit, but it is a health necessity. This dental office offers an array of different services, such as invisalign, teeth whitening, dental implants, cleanings, children’s checkups and even botox.

Massage Heights

Everyone needs a massage every once in a while. At Massage Heights, every massage experience will be different because they believe in customizing your massage to your needs. 

Goodlife Fitness 

And of course, a neighbourhood isn’t complete without a gym. Goodlife Fitness is a leader in fitness services, providing high-quality equipment, personal training and group fitness classes. The Brewery District location even offers childcare services while you workout!

Other Necessities

TD Canada

If you bank with TD Canada, you are in luck! But even if you aren’t, this bank offers 24/7 access to bank machines just in case you are in need of cash.

Petland

121 West is pet friendly, so having a Petland close by is a definite perk! And even if you don’t own a pet of your own, you can always stop by when you are in need of some pet cuddles, because why not?

 Citizen’s Salon & Tommy Gun’s

And last but definitely not least, the Brewery District has two hair salons to choose from if you aren’t already tied to a hairdresser. Citizen’s Salon is an independent chair rental hair studio where you can go and get your hair done, or if you are a hairstylist yourself, open up your own business! And, of course, for those in need of a barber, Tommy Gun’s is available for you, too. 

The Edmonton Brewery District has so much to offer, and we would love to talk about it more with you. If you are interested in leasing a unit in the beautiful 121 West, feel free to send us a message to book a viewing.