Trusted Tips and Resources

Trusted Tips & Resources

Trusted Saskatoon Home Builder Decora Shares Tips On How To Brighten Up Your Home This Holiday Season


Decorating Your Home For The Holidays 

No matter if you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or any other Winter Holiday, December is the season to brighten up your home with holiday décor and decorations. From gingerbread baking in the oven to stockings hung over the fireplace- we’ve put together 8 easy ways to bring the holiday season into your Westbow Home.

1. Add a holiday wreath to your front door.


Adding a wreath to your front door is a great and simple way to bring the spirit of the holiday to your home. Local makers offers various styles of wreaths or you can create something yourself using local greenery.

2. Decorate your Christmas tree 

There are many options when it comes to your Christmas tree. There has been a long debate between whether a fake or real tree is better, but there are now more options than ever! Second hand artificial trees provide a lower cost option while those looking for an eco friendly option may opt for a returnable Christmas tree.


3. Fill your holiday mugs with homemade hot chocolate, apple cider, or mulled wine

As the weather gets colder outside, filling your mug with a warm cozy drink will help warm your body and soul. 


4. Bring festivity into your bathroom

Simple pieces of décor such as candles, a locally made sign, and some holiday themed hand towels are a great and easy way to bring the holidays into your bathrooms.
 

5. Light up your neighbourhood

Christmas lights provide a bright and cheery neighbourhood atmosphere. From traditional string lights to modern projectable lights, the variety in options are endless
 

6. Spend time baking holiday cookies

Your Westbow kitchen is perfect for spending time with your family, baking holiday cookies. There are many holiday cookies to choose from!  Gingerbread, sugar cookies, and shortbread are just a few of our favourites.
 

7. Relax in your loft and enjoy a holiday movie

Many Westbow homes have bonus rooms or lofts which make for excellent places to curl up and enjoy a holiday movie.

 

8. Spend time with your family and friends.

As the holidays draw closer, families and friends gather to celebrate the season. Westbow homes are built for hosting parties, get-togethers, and dinners. Spacious, open concept kitchens and living rooms ensure there is no separation between the guests and the hosts.

 


Trusted Saskatoon Real Estate Expert Marla Janzen Has Made The Move To eXp Realty

Marla Janzen is an award-winning SASKATOON REAL Estate expert she takes action to sell her client's homes and find them the perfect new place to live while negotiating the best terms and price possible. She loves what she does and takes great pride in providing excellence in customer service to all of her clients. 

Marla Janzen is a  TRUSTED SASKATOON REAL ESTATE EXPERT listed on the SASKATOON DIRECTORY and she loves to provide Trusted Saskatoon real estate Tips that help the public!

Marla Explains Why She Moved To eXp Realty


First of all, I want to say thank you to everyone who’s supported me as I moved over to eXp Realty.  It’s been an exciting month meeting new people, exploring new places, and learning about the exciting online world of eXp Realty.  


I started as a real estate agent in 2004 with Century 21 in Saskatoon.  Over the past 15 years, I’ve learned and grown into the agent and person I am today.  I’m very thankful to my former brokers and colleagues at Century 21 for giving me the foundation to grow my real estate business into one that’s earned multiple awards and accolades.  


Being a Trusted Saskatoon Realtor, I enjoy giving my clients the highest level of service I can.  I am thrilled to be working with an international corporation who is forward-thinking and agent owned.  eXp Realty is a full-service real estate brokerage providing 24/7 access to collaborative tools, training, and socialization for real estate brokers and agents through its fully immersive, 3D cloud office environment.  It was a long and tough decision, but one I am whole heartily excited for and feel great about.  It is exciting to be part of a real estate company who is growing so quickly and easily offers support, networking, coaching, and mentorship to top realtors around the world.


I’m ready to make 2020 a great year of change and success.  Being a top producing agent in Saskatoon and area, I have been successful through many market changes, and now I can also offer my years of experience and award-winning results to help others in real estate do the same.  I’m happy to be partnered with Realtors® Chris Molenaar and Tara Knoblauch.  We have already established some great goals and programs to offer our clients, as well as, help agents on our team.


I am proud to be partnered with Westbow Construction as their Saskatoon, Warman, and area Realtor.  I have been working with them since they established here 7 years ago, and I am looking forward too many more exciting projects to come. Trusted Saskatoon Homeuilder Westbow Construction is committed to provide the best quality home for their clients and I’m proud to be a Trusted Saskatoon Partner alongside them.


I love living and raising my family here in Saskatchewan and I am happy I have found a company with great core values that relate to my own.  I’m looking forward too many more years of happiness, success, and growth in this amazing city doing what I love.  I believe honesty, hard work, and stellar customer service are the most important parts of the real estate business.  I put this philosophy to practice and strive to be the best Saskatoon Realtor® I can every day.


To read more testimonials about Marla Janzen, view her listing HERE!
Find Marla Janzen Online at www.marlajanzen.com...she is a eXp Realtor.
Marla Janzen is TRUSTED SASKATOON REAL ESTATE EXPERT.

Trusted Saskatoon Mortgage Brokers Tip About Your Phone and Low Mortgage Rates

Buying a home is one of the most important and exciting steps in your life.... now that pesky financing! Deal with people who can offer you and your family the best options for you. 

So How Does Your Phone Affect Your Mortgage Rates

What many people aren’t aware of is that your cell phone payment history DOES affect your credit score.
 
Cell phone accounts work differently than a credit card or a line of credit. A cell phone is an open or “O” account, which means the balance has to be paid in full at the end of each month.
 
There is no such thing as a minimum payment with an “O” account like there is with credit cards and lines of credit. You can’t just pay a portion of your bill. The amount that you see on your statement has to be paid in full otherwise your credit score will suffer.
 
Unfortunately, many Canadians don’t view paying their cell phone bill in full or on time as being as important as other payments. Lenders disagree. The bank underwriters (the people who review your application) are thinking, “If you can’t make or keep track of a cell phone payment, what are the chances that you are going to be responsible with your mortgage payment?”

Costly Missed Payments

Let’s take a look at one borrower, John, who was declined for best-rate mortgage financing on the purchase of a new house because he had three late payments on his cell phone bill during the last two years. His argument wasn’t unique. “I called (the phone company) before the payment was due and asked if I could pay half of the bill this month and the remainder of the outstanding balance the following month,” he said. “The customer service rep told me that it was okay to take a couple of months to get caught up.”
 
Susan and Frank found themselves in a similar situation. They were approved for mortgage financing but were then declined at the last minute due to a recent late payment showing up on their report in the same week they were supposed to be moving.
 
Arranging a mortgage and preparing for a move is stressful enough without having a financing issue in the eleventh hour. In the end they were able to find a resolution, but it resulted in a delayed closing. They had to get approved by a different lender at a higher rate. In addition to all the stress and time, this small mistake ended up costing them $3,459.28.
 
Despite what they tell you, late payments will continue to be recorded until your account is caught up. Underwriters will look at an applicant with an outstanding balance as someone who is not in control of their finances. It will drop your score and hurt your chances of being approved for the best rates and terms.

A Matter of Principle

It’s common for consumers to not make a payment because they were unfairly charged or they found a mistake on their bill. On principle, I understand that you might not want to make the payment, however, even if you are disputing the charge, it will not stop the negative item from showing up on your credit report.
 
And keep in mind that one late payment can be enough to negatively impact your best rates and terms for future financing. Your cell phone company will start the collection process if an overdue balance is not paid within 60 to 90 days.
 
As you can guess, a collection appearing on your report does not help your credit score. Many of my clients echo my caution, and in hindsight wished they had simply paid the bill in the first place. If you find yourself in this situation, my suggestion is to clear the amount owing first and then dispute the charges. That way it doesn’t lower your score or cause you to get charged higher rates just because of one account. 

Warning…Warning

If you have paid out or closed your cell phone account, make sure you get something in writing to confirm that there is no outstanding balance owing.
 
The same goes for an outstanding amount or settled collection. Don’t take anyone’s word for it or assume that it will be updated on your credit report. Are you starting to see a trend? Whatever you do, get a confirmation in writing! If you don’t, it will make trying to correct the error even more difficult.
 
The only way to avoid having your cell phone report on both Equifax and TransUnion is to go with a pay-as-you-go contract. If you are on any other type of plan, keep your fingers crossed. You don’t want to be one of the unlucky ones to have a cell phone error or problem tarnishing your credit. To improve your chances of avoiding any issues, ensure you pay the full amount owing each month and keep good records.

Breathe Better Indoor Air Quality Trusted Saskatoon Furnace & Duct Cleaners Tip On When To Clean Your Ducts

Breathe Better Indoor Air Quality are here to service all your Indoor Air Quality needs in Saskatoon.They provide the best furnace and duct cleaning in Saskatoon. In this article they explain when you should get the furnace and ducts cleaned!.  Breathe Better Indoor Air Quality Specialists are Trusted Saskatoon Furnace and Duct Cleaners


When Is It Time To Clean Your Ducts?

Over time, ducts become littered with foreign objects such as dust, mould, dead insects, dust mites, and animal hair. Unfortunately, people often overlook cleaning their ducts, which can lead to problems. 


Consequences Of Dirty Ducts


  1. Dirt and dust restrict the heating and cooling capability of ducts, which results in increased run time requiring more fuel and energy, therefore costing you more!
  2. Airflow is restricted, which means the system can’t effectively circulate properly warmed or cooled air throughout your home. Again, this means that more energy will be used.
  3. As your HVAC system needs to operate longer, it increases its wear and tear. This means you’ll need to replace it sooner, which would be a lot more expensive than just getting it cleaned.
  4. All the dirt and dust that is left in the ducts can become a breeding ground for bacteria, mites and other unwanted pests, which can be detrimental to your health and exacerbate allergies.
  5. The dirt and dust spread much quicker around your home with dirty ducts, no matter how much you clean! The contaminants flow from room to room covering anything in their paths, such as beds, tables, phones, and children’s toys. 


How To Determine If Your Ducts Need Cleaning


You can attempt a visual inspection of the air ducts to help determine whether they need cleaning. However, you must be able to physically access ALL the areas of your HVAC system in order to do this properly. That is why we recommend you getting the professionals in to inspect the system, as with our high-resolution video inspection cameras, we can have a thorough look to determine whether your ducts need cleaning.
 

Determine The Type & Amount Of Debris Inside Your Ducts


It is inevitable that at some point ducts will get clogged with various types of debris and pollutants. This can consist of pollen, rodent and insect faeces, dust, dust mites, and lint. All of these MUST be removed to ensure the proper functionality of your ducts.
If you find mould growing inside or outside the surface of the ducts, a thorough moisture issue investigation needs to be quickly carried out to prevent any further complications. It is essential that you do not try to tackle mould in or out of the system yourself, but instead, let the professionals do it on your behalf.


Clean The Duct Yourself Or Not


If dust, debris, pollens or moulds have accumulated to the point where they are clogging air ducts, collecting on dampers, joints and screws, then it is most certainly time to get those ducts PROFESSIONALLY cleaned. If you fail to do so the airflow will get restricted, affecting its efficiency in the long run and potentially causing premature failure of the whole system.


Breathe Better is committed to providing clean and healthy indoor air quality. They always follow best practices in sanitizing equipment between clients, maintaining a comfortable distance between technicians and clients, and offering unique sanitizing options to help you keep safe and healthy.


'Indoor Air Quality Specialists Helping You To Breathe Better.'
Breathe Better Indoor Air Quality Specialists are Trusted Saskatoon Furnace and Duct Cleaners

Trusted Saskatoon Auto Body Experts Preferred Collision Explain The Costs of Respraying

What can you expect when you deal with the professionals at Preferred Collision and Glass Saskatoon? 
You can also expect Seamless quality repairs! A faster turnaround for your vehicle (on average 25% faster!!) & Assistance dealing with insurance! You'll find quality at every price point - from a few hundred dollars to a thousand or more. It's up to you. Preferred Collision and Glass is a Trusted Saskatoon Auto Body Expert. 

Preferred Collision Break Down The Costs Of Re-Spraying Your Vehicle

Respraying a vehicle is a time-consuming process, with dozens of hours needed for preparation, painting and follow-up color sanding, making it very difficult for a good-quality paint job to cost less than $10,000. Obviously, there is trade-off, you can have less time spent on the respray, which will mean the process will cost less. However, there will be a noticeable difference in the quality of the finish.                                                                                                                                  

Here we look at the various costs that are involved with any respray


DISASSEMBLY
Before any work can begin, the vehicle needs to be completely disassembled. This can be done by the owner if they wish to save costs. However, we recommend that the shop should do it for continuity and parts-tracking assurance. This process can take 12-20 hours and will cost around $2,500.
 
STRIPPING
The next step is to media-blast or chemically strip the body, which will reveal the full extent of any rust or previous body repairs. This step is where the cost of the project can increase considerably, but it is essential to ensure that a quality job is done. This step will cost around $1,500-$2000. A body respray can be done without media-blasting to save on cost, however, several hours will still be spent sanding down the existing finish.
 
BODY REPAIR
Body Repair is often the biggest variable as every vehicle needs a different amount of work, but it's normally inevitable that it will need to be done to some degree on every project. Sometimes, it can be cheaper and more efficient to do a whole panel replacement than repair the existing damage. It is difficult to estimate the cost of body work before the project has started, but it can range from a few hours of work to hundreds of hours, purely depending on the state of the car once it has been stripped. 
 
PANEL ALIGNMENT
Panel alignment tends to be necessary on older vehicles, as the body panels generally need to be adjusted to achieve more even gaps and ensure the body lines have good alignment. This process could add $2,000 or more to the cost, but it isn’t always necessary on every project.
 
BLOCK SANDING
The smoother and straighter the body is, the better the finished job will look, and this comes down to block sanding. Block sanding is an extremely time-consuming process and it takes hundreds of hours to do a quality job. A reasonable 100 hours of block sanding can add $9,000 to the tally, but this doesn’t include a concours-level finish. It is very important not to skimp at this step as it will massively affect the quality of the paint job.
 
PAINTING
This part of the project actually involves less hours than others. Depending on how many layers are sprayed on, the painting process tends to involve 8-12 hours’ worth of labor, costing around $800-$1,200. However, two or three gallons of paint will be needed, so this part of the project will normally cost between £3,000-$5,000 in total, but can sometimes be more.
 
COLOR SANDING
Similar to block sanding, hundreds of hours can be spent on high levels of color sanding. Color sanding is necessary in order to achieve a greater appearance to the finish. A reasonable 40-50 hours of color sanding can add another $3,500-$4,500 to the final cost of the project, but for an even better finish more hours are needed, which will increase the cost. 
So, if you are needing a re-spray on your vehicle come visit us at Preferred Collision, and we PROMISE to do a quality job for a fair price. 


If you are in a collision, Preferred Collision and Glass will look after all your and your car’s needs, during and after, with our Customer For Life program.

Preferred Collision and Glass is a Trusted Saskatoon Auto Body Expert. 


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