Is your dad hard to buy for? Ours are too. But just because they always tell us that “no gift is needed for Father’s Day” year after year, doesn’t mean that they don’t deserve to feel special and loved!

We at TruHome put our heads together to compile a list of gifts that we know your dad (or father figure) will love. And as always—most of these ideas help support local Edmonton or Canadian businesses. Keep on reading to get some ideas!

Purchase a Glass Bookshop autobiography

Picture this: your dad asleep on the couch at 7 PM with a good book in hand. That’s pretty likely to happen, right? The Glass Bookshop is a new space in Edmonton, Alberta, that focuses on Canadian writing with special attention paid to queer and racialized writers, as well as the independent publishers who help to produce their work. This shop is sure to sell a piece of writing that your dad will enjoy—oddly enough, all of ours prefer to read autobiographies!

Cook him a grand meal from Cheap & Chunky

It’s no secret that most of our dad’s are simple when it comes to food. Meat and potatoes? Sounds like a plan. By using Edmonton-based blogger’s blog Cheap & Chunky, you’ll be sure to find a recipe that your dad will adore. The recipes are just as it sounds: cheap, delicious and crowd-pleasing. We recommend making the Homemade KFC Chicken Bowl or the White Mac & Cheese. Thanks Alli & Nathan for all the yummy ideas.

Commission a family portrait

Dad’s are softies for anything family-related, so why not get a unique illustration commissioned for him? A local artist named Julia Jantje creates beautiful, unique, cost-friendly portraits that anybody is sure to love. All you need to do is send her a DM to get started!

Buy him restaurant gift cards

Is your dad stuck in his ways? Ours are too—and sometimes they need a push to try out new things! That’s why an assortment of local restaurant gift cards is a perfect Father’s Day gift for your father figure. Not only does it help out the restaurants that are being impacted by the restrictions and closures, but it allows your dad to try out the incredible food that Edmonton has to offer. Here’s a list of some of our favourite restaurants and bakeries!

Stock his liquor cabinet

If your dad is like 90% of other dads, he probably likes to kick back with a cold one every once in a while. There are a lot of local liquor stores to support in our city, but one of our favourites is Sherbrooke Liquor. Located Central-North, this liquor store is family-owned and sells some of the most unique beer, wine and liquor options that you can find. In non-COVID times, you can even fill up your growler there!

Commission something from Lucky Bear

Though this Calgary-based artist’s website focuses mostly on jewelry, Lucky Bear sells a lot of unique trinkets that your dad is sure to love. You can also commission anything you want, such as rugs, wall art, mirrors, coasters or whatever you can dream up! Get something for yourself while you’re at it.

Buy him a MetalBird

You’re probably thinking, “what is a metal bird?” And we wondered the same thing, too. If your dad is an avid outdoorsy person, he likely has a soft spot for birds. Just as it sounds, MetalBirds is a metal bird silhouette that can be used for backyard decor. With the simple tap of a hammer, this beautifully crafted, iconic, life-like bird silhouette will transform your dad’s backyard, garden or environment into a work of art and put smiles on faces for years to come. They are produced in North American and built out of premium 11-Gauge Corten Steel!

Commission a painting of your family home

If you have a family home that you grew up in with your dad, it’s likely a sentimental place—whether you still live in it or not. So, commission a painting of it for your dad this Father’s Day! An incredible Edmonton-based artist, Nancy Nickleson, is the perfect person to do that for you. Not only does she do portraits of homes, but she also does pets!

Get him a handmade leather wallet

Wallet’s don’t get nicer than this. Clo’s General Co is an Edmonton-based leather goods company that you will love supporting—whether for your dad or for yourself. Get him a beautiful, long-lasting wallet, bag, belt, gloves, beer cozy… you name it! 

…And now for a few non-local things that your dad might die for.

Purchase him a corner measurement tool

Have you folks seen these on infomercials like we have? Designed for winding pipes, circular frames, ducts, etc. Ideal for fitting tiles, laminate, carpet, checking dimensions, moulding, the corner measurement tool is the perfect addition to any “Mr. Fix It” dad’s tool box.

Make him a Father’s Day Love Book

Want to make your dad cry of happiness this Father’s Day? Here’s your way to do it. Using LoveBook, you can create custom, sentimental books describing why your dad is special to you. Use its template books or customize it completely—it’s up to you. Bring the tissues and watch his eyes light up as he reads through his custom book!

Get him a custom bobblehead

If you’re not about making your dad cry from happiness, maybe you can make him cry from laughter instead. Handmade from polymer clay, a custom bobblehead might be the perfect gift for your dad this Father’s Day. You can even customize his clothing and pose! 

Buy him an Apple AirTag

“Where are my keys?” Said every dad, every single time they went for a drive. With Apple’s new bluetooth AirTag tracker, you’ll never have to hear that sentence again! And not only are these gadgets great to attach to keys, but you can also attach it to bags, put it in your car, or even add it to your pet’s collar!

Purchase him pretty much anything from Cuddle Clones

Is your dad obsessed with his dog (or cat)? Then he will adore this present! Cuddle Clones allows you to turn your favorite buddy into anything you can think of, such as a mug, a blanket, a golf towel… you name it. And as an added bonus, Cuddle Clones donates a portion of every purchase to an individual pet in need, a shelter or an animal welfare organization.

We hope we sparked some inspiration for your dad’s gift this year! We hope you have a safe, healthy and happy Father’s Day 2021.

Listen, we know that condo or apartment living has so many perks. There’s just something about having additional security, condensed living, and having your condo board handle the dirty work (like parkade cleaning, fire inspections, maintenance… you name it). But let’s get real—a lot of the time, when living in a condominium, we sacrifice having an outdoor area to call our own. Sure, you may have a small balcony for your sunbathing and people-watching pleasure, but there’s not much else you can do out there… like grow your own vegetable garden. Luckily, there’s a fix for that. Edmonton is home to over 90 community gardens. You heard that right—NINETY. And we’re here to tell you all about what they are and how you can get involved.

What is a community garden?

First things first, we recognize that some of you may not even know what a community garden is. In a nutshell, a community garden is a public vegetable garden in a neighbourhood, led by a large group of people in a community. Just like its name, community gardens are operated by community members. Meaning, you usually have to be an active member of your neighbourhood and its community league in order to get access. Not only are community gardens useful for those who don’t have a space to grow their own greens at home, but it also promotes local, organically grown food, a healthy lifestyle, recreation for all ages and community building! The best part? A lot of the time, others from the neighbourhood can enjoy the beautiful garden themselves. But don’t worry, the vegetables you don’t have to share your greens— the vegetables you grow yourself are yours to keep. There’s often a small fee associated with getting your own plot in a community garden. At Oliver Community Garden, it’s only $40/year for a plot + the annual Community League membership. As a side note, we definitely recommend becoming a community league member in your area, because it often comes with awesome perks, like discounts, magazine deliveries, free admission to events, and more.

Where can I find a community garden in my area?

There are several ways you can get started, but let us name a few: 

1. You likely already know what neighbourhood you live in. Simply Google it and see if your community league has a community garden!
2.   The next step is to check out the City of Edmonton Community Garden Map. The City already has everything covered with an up-to-date map filled with website and contact information.
3. Once you find a community garden in your area, you’ll likely need to reach out to its Community League to see if there’s any available plots in their garden. At the very least, you can usually sign up to get on the waiting list!
4.  And if you can’t find anything in your area, don’t fret. There’s often pop-up community gardens in Edmonton! In 2019, there were 29 pop-up gardens in our city.
5. If you still can’t find any community gardens in your proximity, that’s when it’s time to contact the City of Edmonton.

Get involved with Edmonton community gardens

Start your own community garden

Our city wants you to go green. So if you have any questions at all, you can easily contact the Community Greening Coordinator by emailing communitygardens@edmonton.ca or by calling 311 to ask anything you need in regards to starting a garden project in Edmonton. And what’s more—the City of Edmonton even has grants that you can submit if you’re wanting to start a community garden of your own.

Support in other ways

We get it. Not all of us have a green thumb. And that’s okay—many people get involved by providing land, seeds, plants or tools, or even by volunteering to help build the gardens. If that’s something that seems up your alley, be sure to send an email to the Community Greening Coordinator to see how to get involved, or contact your local community league directly.

You can also support by donation, too. Donate here! You can donate on behalf of yourself, a family member, or someone who has passed.

We all know that Edmonton has an incredible food scene. No matter which part of the city you’re visiting, there’s likely a highly-rated, local restaurant, cafe or bakery in close vicinity. We at TruHome are true foodies, so we thought we’d share some of our favourite bakeries in Edmonton!

Shan Shan Bakery

Located in Chinatown, Shan Shan Bakery is a Chinese and Western take on baked goods. Operating for over 7 years, Shan Shan Bakery produces over 100 different treats—all baked out of their kitchen! The bakery also makes custom cakes for parties and events. If you’re visiting this bakery, be sure to try their red bean mooncakes or their classic egg tarts!

La Boule Patisserie & Bakery

If you haven’t visited this bakery yet, now’s your time. Located in Strathcona, La Boule is a shop specializing in French pastries, viennoiserie, breads and confectionery. And if that’s not enticing enough, the owner—Jennifer Stang—is a born and raised Edmontonian, who was taught the art of baking from her grandmother. We highly recommend tasting their Wild Blueberry and Cream Cheese Danish, or their Pistachio Éclairs for yourself! 

Art of Cake

Tucked snugly behind Oliver Square, the Art of Cake should be your first stop if you are a sugar fanatic. With its large selection of sweet treats, there will definitely be something for you. What’s more—if you have any dietary restrictions, they still have options for you. Some of our favourite treats from Art of Cake are their Puffed Wheat Squares and Vanilla with Lemon Curd & Raspberry Buttercream cake. Really though, everything is good (especially to pop in for a quick cupcake).

Milk & Cookies

Located on Calgary Trail, Milk & Cookies Bake Shop is a freshly-made bakeshop that donates $2 from each sale to mental health organizations. But what happens when there’s leftover treats at the end of the day? Well, they pack up all of the day-old items into Surprise Bags and Surprise Boxes that are sold at a sweet discount. If you’re ever in the area, be sure to try their Dippy Dos (animal-shaped sugar cookies with fudge or vanilla funfetti frosting dip) or their cookie sandwiches.

Galen on 118 Filipino Bakeshop

Last but definitely not least, Galen on 118 Filipino Bakeshop is a bakery located on 39th Street and 118 Avenue that focuses on—you guessed it—delicious and authentic Filipino treats. You’re bound to like everything on their menu, but if you’re looking for recommendations, we highly suggest trying the Bacon & Egg Bun, BBQ Pork Bun or the Purple Yam Bun!

Love an Edmonton bakeshop not listed here – be sure to share your top Edmonton favourites.

Picture this: you’ve been saving up for years to purchase your first Edmonton home, and you finally found a house that checks all the boxes. You put an offer on it, and after some negotiations, it gets accepted—score! You complete all the paperwork and you get possession in four weeks. Wait… hold up! You now have the dream house, but what about the furniture that goes inside of it? It can often take months, even years, to fully furnish your home to completion! Good quality furniture and decor is not only expensive, but it’s hard to come by. But… it doesn’t have to be. Here in Edmonton, we have a lot of second-hand furniture stores that have one-of-a-kind pieces that will fit in your budget. Here they are:

More Than A Fad

This thrift store carries everything, from clothing to furniture to wall art to jewelry. This shop carries everything—from clothing to children’s toys to decor to kitchen supplies. And of course, a lot of furniture! Not only is this thrift shop good for your wallet, but it’s also good for Edmonton’s economy, as all profits directly support the Adeara Recovery Centre—an addiction recovery centre for women and their children in Edmonton. More Than A Fad has two locations: one in Argyll and another near Kingsway Mall!

Find

Another store that positively impacts the Edmonton economy is Find. Find has two goals: to provide essential furnishings free of charge to individuals and families who are moving out of homelessness, and to supply low-cost, quality furniture and housewares for sale to the public.

Old Strathcona Antique Mall 

Owned by a mother-daughter duo, the Old Strathcona Antique Mall is filled with unique pieces of furniture and decor that you won’t find anywhere else in Edmonton. This shop has over 300 booths of unique vintage & antique treasures, and is Western Canada’s largest antique mall!

Habitat ReStore

Yet another Edmonton thrift store that is helpful for our community! Owned by Habitat for Humanity, the Habitat ReStore sells new and gently-used items like appliances and furniture—all at incredible prices. All the profits help Habitat Edmonton provide affordable home ownership to families in our community. The Habitat ReStore has 5 locations total: South Edmonton, North Edmonton, West Edmonton, Sherwood Park and Grand Prairie.

The second-hand furniture stores definitely don’t stop there, but the ones mentioned above always have a lot of stock and a lot of selection. They’re staples in Edmonton, and we’re proud that they chose our city to operate in. We hope this is helpful!

Featured Guest Blogger:

Alli Harrison is an Edmonton-based marketing & communications professional with extensive experience working with small businesses. Learn all about her by visiting her Instagram, Twitter & LinkedIn.

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Some Fun Ways To Celebrate In 2021 Mother’s Day In YEG

For most of us, mothers are the backbone of our lives—and because last year’s Mother’s Day was less than ideal due to the early stages of the pandemic, it’s time to go all out for Mother’s Day 2021. Though we still need to celebrate safely, we thought we’d put together a list of ways you can treat your mom (or mother figure!) this upcoming Mother’s Day weekend.

Plan A Staycation

Fairmont Mother’s Day Bed & Brunch

It’s been a weird year, so we’re sure both you and your mom could use a 24 hour getaway—and we’ve got the perfect thing just for you. The Fairmont is offering a weekend with luxury accommodations and a Sunday Brunch! Should dine-in restrictions continue in Alberta, brunch will be replaced with contactless in-room dining.

Grab Some Food

Mother’s Day High Tea at The Butternut Tree

The Butternut Tree is a staple in Edmonton, with a unique focus on replacing global sources of familiar flavour with unique ingredients from our home and native land. Though you can’t go wrong with eating off its main menu, the restaurant is also offering a Mother’s Day High Tea—and if dine-in isn’t permitted, the reservation will be offered as pick-up.

Ohana Donuts

It’s no secret that Ohana Donuts sells some of the best donuts in our city! Not only does Ohana Donuts have specialty donuts for every occasion, they also offer letter donuts and individually packaged donuts to promote safe social distancing. If you ask us, the classic cinnamon covered Malasadas with a custard filling is always a win.

The Workshop Eatery’s HenHouse

Is your mom a meat lover? Then HenHouse located in Summerside might be perfect for your Mother’s Day dinner! Depending on the restrictions, the HenHouse might only be available for takeout. But if the weather permits, the patio might also be an option! Be sure to check out its delicious menu and order in advance.

The Moth Cafe

On the flip side, if your mom is the opposite of a meat lover (AKA a vegetarian or vegan), there are still a lot of food options available. Located Downtown, The Moth Cafe was founded by a mother and her two daughters that provide healthy and nutritious food and drinks. What’s more—when restrictions permit, it’s also a place that houses community events such as plant swaps, craft workshops, vinyl brunches and poetry nights!

Send Her Flowers

Best Buds

Located in downtown Edmonton, Best Buds is offering a $25 flower arrangement for Mother’s Day that includes a personalized message and the option to add on a crocheted stuffed animal. And if you’re unable to pick them up, they offer a flat $15 delivery in Edmonton, St. Albert and Sherwood Park!

Bunches Flower Co

With an array of options available, Bunches Flower Co is an obvious choice when choosing flowers for your mother to enjoy. Of course, they also offer local deliver for $14—and offer a number of different ways to customize your bouquet!

Gift Her Something Local

The Maker’s Keep

A local shop founded by Edmontonians, The Maker’s Keep features a large assortment of local goodies that your mom will love. The Maker’s Keep has three locations in our city, and sells everything from clothing, jewelry, home decor, crafts and DIYs, health and wellness, bath and body… you name it!

Meuwly’s Secret Meat Club

Available for delivery for pick-up, Muewly’s Secret (shhh!) Meat Club allows you to give a gift that just keeps on giving. The Secret Meat Club is a monthly subscription package featuring a variety of gourmet meat products, pickles, condiments, and preserves. Subscribe your mom up for as little or as long as you want, and spend as little as $20 per month or as much as $65 per month—you choose!

Biera Box

A different box each month, the Biera Box features a selection of treats from Biera and Blind Enthusiasm. There’s a limited number of boxes per month, so be sure to order yours early to ensure you get one in time for Mother’s Day! What’s more—each Biera Box allows you to add on additional goodies from local vendors, including speciality cocktails from Above Average Drinks. Yum!

The Artworks

Founded in 1982, this local boutique shop features high-end products that your mom will be sure to appreciate. The Artworks sells beautiful flower bouquets, as well as jewelry, fine pens, home decor and much, much more. Grab something fun for your mother figure, or make a day out of it and bring her to the area to shop! Be sure to grab a coffee and a treat from Rosewood Foods while you’re there.

Give Her An Experience 

Prairie Gardens

With COVID screening and sanitation protocols in process, the Prairie Gardens is ready for your visit! Say hello to the animals, get a farm tour, partake in succulent planting workshops, and purchase goodies from the shop—all while creating lasting memories with your mom.

Miller Crossing Mothers Day Market

Located inside the Kingsway Royal Canadian Legion, the Miller Crossing Mother’s Day Market will be open from 12-5 PM on Saturday, May 8, 2021. This market will be selling a variety of different things, including homemade food & baking plus fish, meat, eggs, honey, pickled goods, coffee, jewelry and crafts.

Downtown Farmer’s Market

Take a walk Downtown and visit the Downtown Farmer’s Market while you’re there! Though this market is active every Saturday and Sunday, it’s a perfect pitstop to grab some fresh, local food and take it back home for a safe visit. We suggest grabbing some fresh pasta and sauce from Pasta Delight—we promise you will never go back to dried pasta again.

True North Picnic

True North Picnic is a boutique catering company specializing in one-of-a-kind picnic experiences in Edmonton public parks. Pick a time and a place, and True North Picnic does the heavy lifting (like styling, coordinating and food) for you. Though this experience is available starting May 15th, you can save this experience for a later date. We know your mom will absolutely love this!

We’d love to hear what you get up to this Mother’s Day 2021—feel free to send us a message if there’s anything we should be adding to our list. We hope you have a safe and memorable Mother’s Day this year! 

No home is perfect the moment you purchase it—that is, unless you built and designed it yourself. Home design trends change so quickly, so chances are that your new Edmonton home can stand for a few upgrades. Renovating your home can not only be costly, but it can be time consuming. And if you just purchased your home, it’s likely that it’ll take some time to save up for your larger home renovations, or even some new appliances. But don’t fret—there are plenty of ways that you can jazz your Edmonton home up quickly & easily!

Upgrade Your Lighting

Though it’s not often that you’ll be staring at your ceiling, proper lighting can really light up your room (literally). Swap out your dated track lighting for pot lights. And that circular lamp that you just can’t stand? Purchase a modern looking chandelier to replace it with! Of course, lighting can be expensive, but thrift stores like More Than A Fad or the ReStore have an overstock of new or lightly-used pieces that will definitely amp up your space.

Swap Out The Hardware

Sure, your kitchen may need some new counters and cabinets. Most kitchens do! But we all know that kitchen renos can cost upwards of tens of thousands of dollars. So, in the meantime, replace your cabinet’s hardware! Trust us—replacing handles goes a long way, and this goes for bathroom and closet hardware, too.

Paint Your Walls 

This one may seem like a no-brainer, but there’s a lot of unique ways to jazz up your home by using a $50 can of paint. Instead of painting your walls all one colour, consider painting a single bright accent wall, or paint arches to accentuate a piece of furniture. And even if you already like the colour of your non-feature walls, giving it a coat of fresh paint is bound to brighten and clean up the space.

Add A Textured Feature Wall

We’ve seen this done first-hand, and adding some texting to your walls certainly elevates the area. Take this for an example! The best part of doing a project like this is that all you need is some polyurethane adhesive and a small step ladder, and you’ll be finished in no time.

Create A Gallery Wall

Gallery walls are in—and they’re here to stay. Though art can often be costly, there are many ways to get your dream gallery wall for cheap. Firstly, check out your local thrift stores—there will be tons of beautiful frames just waiting to be scooped up! If you’re lucky, you might even like the art that’s already inside it. If not, go garage sale hunting, support local artists or find downloadable art on Etsy.

Leverage Stick-On Tile

Another way to spice up your kitchen or bathroom on a budget is to purchase stick-on tile. Not only do you not have to purchase expensive ceramic tile, but you also won’t have to hire anyone to do it for you! Peel-and-stick tile is incredibly easy to install—no tile cutters required.

Purchase Some Area Rugs

You probably know this already, but flooring is expensive. But even if your home’s current floors aren’t up to par, there are still ways to camouflage it in the meantime. Area rugs draw your attention away from any flooring imperfections. And what’s more—placing an area rug overtop of carpet is the easiest way to add some punch to your home without spending hundreds of dollars replacing carpet!

Plants. Lots Of Plants

Though purchasing plants isn’t necessarily a home “fix”, adding some greenery to your living area is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to spruce up your home. Houseplants are proven to improve moods, reduce fatigue, lower stress and improve air quality. So, when in doubt, purchase a plant or two (or ten). Or better yet, ask your friend for a clipping of their plant—that way, it’s free!

We hope our suggestions above help you renovate your space on a budget. And if you have any other ideas, we’d love to hear them! 

So, you’ve made the decision to move to Edmonton—or maybe you’re already a Yegger and just looking to switch things up. Either way, that’s great! We’re here to help you find the right Edmonton neighbourhood for you. Follow along to see what we think the best neighbourhoods in Edmonton for 20-somethings (or beyond) are. And don’t worry, we’ll ensure our choices are activity and budget friendly.

Oliver

For those already living in Edmonton, Oliver is an obvious spot. Located a short walk away from MacEwan University, several grocery stores and various restaurants and pubs, Oliver is a highly desired area in our city. Though it’s only a 10-20-minute talk to the Downtown core, Oliver is filled with towering trees, beautiful parks, and even a large community garden. And if you are planning on having a family, Oliver is home to several day cares, Oliver Elementary School and even has a public swimming pool—perfect for hot summer days! Explore all Oliver Homes for sale here. 

Ottewell

An up-and-coming neighbourhood, Ottewell is a large residential neighbourhood located East-central Edmonton. It’s a short bus ride to the University of Alberta and is filled with parks, long streets (perfect for the avid runner), and even an outdoor skating rink. Not to mention—Anvil Coffee House is a neighbourhood favourite. If you’re looking to purchase your first home, Ottewell is filled with perfect starter bungalows at an affordable cost. Discover all Ottewell Homes for sale here.

Downtown

Depending on your interests, the obvious location of Downtown Edmonton might be perfect for you. In non-pandemic times, Downtown is the hustling and bustling centre of our city, filled with many local eats (like Rosewood Foods and Tiffin), cocktails around every corner (shoutout to The Bower and Woodwork) and is home to Churchill Square—where most of Edmonton’s iconic summer festivals are held. So, if you’re working in one of the Downtown towers and are child-free, you’ll likely love Downtown. Though rent and mortgages tend to be higher, you’ll save a lot of money on transportation and parking if you simply set up fort in the core. Explore all Downtown Edmonton homes for sale. 

Summerside

We understand that not all 20-somethings want to be close to the downtown core. Sometimes we just want an affordable home in a beautiful neighbourhood! In Summerside, you’ll get exactly that. Filled with all the essentials, you’ll never have to leave Summerside. In this newer Edmonton neighbourhood, you’ll find large homes, walkable paths, and both chain & local restaurants. And what’s more, you’ll even find Lake Summerside—a 13-hectare and 28-foot-deep lake where you can swim, fish and even go to unique workshops at! Discover all Summerside Homes for sale.

Ritchie

Ritchie is known for being home to a variety of demographics—the long-time homeowners, the roommates and the young families. With a strong sense of community, you can’t go wrong with choosing a home in Ritchie. If you want to support local, you won’t have any troubles doing that in Ritchie as it’s home to favourites like Farrow, ACE Coffee, La Boule and Maven and Grace. And as an added bonus, this eclectic neighbourhood also has three parks and lots of family-friendly activities within a short reach. Explore all Ritchie Homes for sale. 

Woodcroft

And for our final recommendation, we’re bringing you Woodcroft. Woodcroft is the perfect mix of homey residential, heritage and convenience. A neighbourhood built in the 1950s, you’ll find lived-in homes, a roomy park and an abundance of furry friends. And if you’re looking to stay long-term, this neighbourhood is home to Woodcroft Primary School and Ross Shepherd High School. Be sure to check out all Woodcroft homes for sale. 

So, have we convinced you to call Edmonton home yet? The list of incredible Edmonton neighbourhoods doesn’t end here, and we’re happy to talk more with you to find out what area of our city best suites you and your lifestyle. Contact us today to chat about your Edmonton real estate needs.

Ahhh, the sun is shining brighter, the days are getting longer, and the snow is disappearing from the sidewalks. You know what that means… we can finally stop hibernating from the cold! After what seemed like an eternity of winter—with the added element of physical distancing—the end is near. But what now? Though the city will still continue to operate as safe as possible, events are definitely happening this Spring. So we’re here to give you the 411 on all the fun and safe things to do this season.

Imagine Van Gogh

A first of its kind in our city, the Edmonton Convention Centre will transform into a unique cultural project where you can discover a new way of connecting with the work on Vincent Van Gogh. And what’s more—the exhibit will also feature audio from Annabelle Mauger and Julien Baron to add an emotional depth to each image.

Stanley A. Milner Library

Though the new Edmonton library isn’t necessarily a new view, many haven’t yet visited it yet due to the COVID restrictions. Whether you’re a senior, a parent, a teenager or anyone in between, there’s something for you at this library. There’s even recording studios, a children’s area and gaming rooms!

Hawrelak Park Community League Plaza

If you’re out and about for a walk in central Edmonton, you’ll likely want to stop in at the familiar Hawrelak Park to check out the new Community League Plaza! Representing 161 Community Leagues in our beautiful city, this stunning addition to the park celebrates and recognizes the amazing contributions Community Leagues and their volunteers have made to the very fabric and quality of life in Edmonton.

Art Gallery of Alberta

If you’re looking for a family-friendly activity (or solo, that’s okay too!), the Art Gallery of Alberta is definitely the place to visit. The gallery is frequently updating its exhibits, so there’s always something new to see every few months. And the best part—anyone under the age of 18 gets free admission!

Hive Fit Co

We’ve been cooped up for far too long. Though necessary, many of us may feel like we need to get a good sweat in, now more than ever. Well lucky for you, because Hive—a well-loved YEG boutique fitness studio—has recently opened up their brand new location! Hive offers an array of 45-55 minute workout classes, including row, HIIT, yoga and spin. Believe us when we say that you’ll never get a better workout.

Alberta Legislature Grounds

And when in doubt, set up a blanket in the Alberta Legislature grounds, grab your favourite book or meet your favourite friend (at a safe distance), and enjoy the fresh air. Soon enough, the fountains will be spraying, the children will be playing and the beautiful flowers will be blooming all around the park!

We hope this short guide was able to spark some ideas on how to enjoy Spring this year. We’ve made it through the hardest part, and now we finally get a chance to enjoy all that Edmonton has to offer.

Hi, I’m Alli! After years of watching HGTV, I thought that buying a home would be simple and seamless. But boy… was I was wrong. After jumping through what seemed like hundreds of hoops and facing obstacles I didn’t know how to navigate, my partner and I moved into our Edmonton dream home in May 2020. Now, don’t let the above scare you—in the end, it was alllll worth it. And if I figured it out, I promise you can too. Here are 9 things I wish I knew before buying my first home.

1. Get Preliminary Mortgage Approval Before You Even Start Looking

To be completely honest, my partner and I weren’t seriously considering purchasing a home when we first started looking. We saw an Instagram ad for a beautiful downtown loft and decided we wanted to view it. But once we walked in, we were head over heels and decided this was the path we wanted to take (spoiler, we didn’t end up buying this home). The moment we got home from our viewing, we hopped on our laptops and visited our banking websites. The process of getting preliminary approval is actually very easy. It quickly takes your income, credit score and other information into account and provides you with how much you may be able to borrow. But it’s important to know that just because you got preliminary approval for a certain amount, doesn’t mean that’s what you’ll actually what you’ll get (it’s usually wayyy lower). 

2. Find Yourself The Right REALTOR® For You

I consider myself very lucky, because the realtor I ended up going with was actually somebody I knew through a friend (shout out to Elisse from Truhome!). We got along famously, and both my partner and I felt super comfortable communicating what we wanted in a home and what we needed from her. If you ask me, finding a realtor that you’re compatible with is critical. But it’s just as important to find someone who has experience and can confidently advocate and negotiate on your behalf. And lucky for us—we had both of those qualities Elisse. Though we really, really liked the very first home we viewed, Elisse recommended we view a few more to test the waters. After a few “meh” viewings, we walked into our dream home—and that’s when we knew it was go time.

3. Finding A Lender Isn’t As Easy As It Seems

It was now time to take the next step: finding a lender. This is where the preliminary online approval meets full pre-approval. Though these were terms I hadn’t heard before and didn’t even know where to start, Elisse luckily had a contact for a licensed mortgage associate who could work with us. After just meeting Dallas, our mortgage associate, I was in constant communication with her. Through daily phone calls, I had to get a lot of information and documents to her, such as SIN numbers, employment agreements, pay stubs, credit scores, etc. The phone calls truly felt endless, so be sure you get a mortgage associate that you actually like talking to (FYI, Dallas was great)! The home we were interested in came with an added twist: it was a heritage home. Sounds like no biggie, right? Wrong. Lenders actually quite dislike heritage homes—especially for young, first time home buyers. Heritage homes (AKA older homes) come with added risks that a lot of lenders don’t want to deal with, so most of them prefer not to get involved. But finally, despite being told that it was unlikely we would get lender approval on our dream home, a lender finally gave us an offer—which we promptly accepted. Yay! But this didn’t come without having to make changes in our desired down payment, mortgage length and mortgage rate.  

4. Remember That The Timing Will Never Be “Right”

Like I already mentioned, my partner and I weren’t even considering buying a home when we first started looking. And what’s more—we were heading into a global pandemic in the first months of our home buying journey. There were countless moments where we thought that we should just put it on pause and revisit at another time. Afterall, we weren’t even set on buying a home! But as they say—when you know, you know. And we knew we’d regret it if we didn’t move forward in purchasing our dream home. 

5. You Can Negotiate Anything You Want

Just when we thought the most stressful part was over, we now had to put in an offer on the condo and go through negotiations. This is something both my partner and I had no experience in, but thankfully we had our trusty realtor, Elisse, on our side. After a couple days of back and forth negotiating the cost of the home and the possession date, our offer was finally accepted! What I didn’t know before purchasing a home was that you can truly negotiate on anything you want. Do you reeeally like that dining set? Negotiate that it says with the home! For us, we saw a piece of art on the wall that we absolutely adored—it was a photo of the condo building from the 1950s. In addition, we also were able to negotiate a smaller asking price because the home wasn’t professionally cleaned.

6. The Inspection Can Make Or Break It

Oh wait, it’s not over yet?! When it came time for the inspection, we had a unique experience. The moment we got to the condo for the inspection, we realized there was a flood in the laundry room… not a good start. But that was quickly rectified by property management and we moved on with it. Truth be told, there were quite a few issues that the home inspector discovered. The roof and foundation had some damage, the fireplace was broken, and it had some electrical problems. If we wanted, we could have walked away right then and there and gotten our deposit back without any issues. But as you already know, we didn’t go that route. What helped with our decision to move forward was going through a third-party condo document inspection service that took a deep dive into all our condo documents to ensure there wasn’t anything fishy going on. As it turns out, our condo had an impressive reserve fund that had more than enough to cover any needed (or surprise) maintenance. 

7. Don’t Forget About All Of The Hidden Closing Costs

Closing costs are real. They say that you should expect to pay 2-5% of your home’s value in closing costs, and this is something we definitely didn’t account for. After all the legal fees, appraisals, land title changes, pre-paid property taxes, condo document inspections and more… it quickly adds up. So, ensure you have a large buffer to be able to pay these added expenses!

8. Closing Day Isn’t Always Possession Day

This is a minor detail that truly caught me off guard. After hiring a moving company to help us move on closing day, our realtor told us that sometimes you don’t actually get possession on your closing date. Wait—what?! You know when you send an e-Transfer to your friend, but they don’t receive it for hours, maybe even days? The same thing goes for home transfers. On the rare occasion, the transfer simply gets delayed. Meaning, you don’t get the keys to your home until the old homeowner receives the money. Usually, the transfer is sent early in the morning on closing day and gets successfully deposited mid-day. Thankfully for us, this was the exact case—we got our keys around 1 PM and started moving our things at 3 PM.

9. You’ll Never Be Happier

This may seem obvious, but you don’t really know how owning your first home feels like until it happens to you. Turning the key and opening the door to my first home was truly one of the proudest moments of my life! Even though we were living through the first few months of a pandemic, hadn’t seen our friends in family in months, and had no furniture except for a mattress and plastic chairs due to delays in deliveries—we were in pure bliss. Jumping through what felt like hundreds of hoops was so, so worth it in the end.

Are you thinking of purchasing your first home? It doesn’t hurt to contact a realtor and see what’s on the market right now. If you’d like to learn more about my experience, feel free to reach out! Otherwise, I know that my friends at TruHome will be a fabulous help.

Featured Guest Blogger:

Alli Harrison is an Edmonton-based marketing & communications professional with extensive experience working with small businesses. Learn all about her by visiting her Instagram, Twitter & LinkedIn.

Note: Each client’s journey towards home ownership is unique and their own. Curious about the process of buying an Edmonton home, book an Edmonton home buyer consultation today to discuss the steps in the journey. While there is a general guide to getting there, sometimes, the path to get there will shift based on individual client needs and service.

Edmonton Startups & Small Businesses to Keep an Eye On

We can not resist sharing information about great start-ups or small businesses, especially ones that have a local appeal. Being a start-up is hard. It takes real grit and determination, especially in the technology space. To stay in Edmonton and even Canada proves even more challenging when it comes to raising funds and growing beyond our borders. We wanted to celebrate and share some of the businesses we are “cheering” for right now!

DiveThru

You heard it here first, folks! Just kidding—DiveThru has actually been making headlines over the past couple of years, and more recently has been rapidly growing its team and steadily building momentum. DiveThru is a mental wellness platform that provides you with resources to help you divethru what you go thru. Best suited for Millennials and Gen Z, you’ll find hilarious memes, insightful articles and podcasts that will make you laugh, cry and everything in between. DiveThru’s mission is to normalize mental health conversations, and we’re proud that this company is Edmonton (and female!) founded.

dealcloser

Have you ever had to hire a lawyer? Do you remember how many copies of paper you had to sign, and how long it took to get the deal closed? That’s why dealcloser was created—to automate and modernize the old-fashioned deal closing process. Best suited for corporate lawyers, using dealcloser allows lawyers to close more deals, earn more revenue, significantly reduce overhead costs, and bill and collect faster after a deal has closed. And as an added bonus for the client: all documents can be signed electronically from home. Founded in 2017, dealcloser has since made huge strides. In fact—it just announced that it raised it a Seed Round of $1.75 Million!

What’s The Deal?

We all know Edmonton has an incredible restaurant & bar scene, and sometimes it can take forever to settle on a restaurant that everyone agrees with. But doesn’t a discount always help you with your decision? That’s where What’s The Deal? (WTD) comes in. An easy-to-navigate app, WTD allows you to see which restaurants have the best deals on your desired dine-out date. The app is steadily adding restaurants to its roster and is also coming out with a new-and-improved app design in 2021!

Jobber

If you’ve been following the YEG startup scene at all, then you’ve probably already heard of Jobber. A software that helps small home service businesses organize their entire operations (such as scheduling jobs, managing their crews, invoicing customers and collecting payments), it’s no wonder why Jobber is such a popular company. Though it has outgrown its startup label and is now a company with over 250+ employees, we sure are proud that Jobber was founded and is operated in Edmonton.

Unbelts

A small business that everyone can benefit from, Unbelts provides equitably made, long lasting belts & masks. You may be thinking, “but I already have a belt!” and with that you may be right; however, these belts are comfy, flat (no bulk whatsoever) and are machine washable. And trust us—once you get a glimpse (and feel!) of these trendy belts, you’ll never go back to your old ones. Support local and order one today—for yourself or as a gift!

Flik

A community for phenomenal females, Flik connects and empowers women through meaningful 3-month volunteer-based apprenticeships. Within its portal, you’ll discover woman- identifying founders and leaders who can mentor you for three months while you gain career- relevant experience and skills training. Since launching in January 2020, FLIK has matched 1,800 woman founders and apprentices in 50+ countries. We can’t wait to see what FLIK gets up to in 2021!

Showbie

If you’re a teacher or student, it is rather likely that you’ve already used Showbie due to the pandemic. From assignments to collaboration, Showbie helps you bring your classroom together in one simple, easy-to-use app. Combining all of the essential tools for assignments, feedback and communication, Showbie teachers spend less time struggling with their tech setup and more time teaching and learning. In August, Showbie announced that it had raised $5 Million in Series A Funding. We can’t wait to hear what they do next!

Poppy Barley

No matter who you are, you probably like shoes. And you probably like ethically made shoes even more, right? Meet Poppy Barley, a super successful YEG luxury brand that’s rethinking every step of the fashion industry—from design to factory relationships to retail experience. Poppy Barley is more than just a footwear brand—it sells bags, backpacks, face masks and small accessories, too. And to make it even better, Poppy Barley has recently launched a vegan leather line!

Spontivly

Lastly, Spontivly is an all-in-one event management and promotion platform for communities. Essentially, it takes the event management process and simplifies it, saving your company money, time and labour. Sounds ideal, doesn’t it? Spontivly is currently working on its pilot program. If you think you’re a good fit for it, be sure to hop on over to their website to sign up to be a part of it!

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And there you have it! This list is far from complete, and there are so many incredible businesses being launched and running out of this beautiful city of ours. To keep up-to-date with everything YEG startup focused, be sure to check out Startup Edmonton.