Turnkey treasure

Move-in-ready townhome great for budget-minded buyers

To say the least, the phrase, “affordable starter home” has become an oxymoron, of late. And it’s something many young families searching for such a dwelling know from first-hand experience, as many such prospective buyers have a limited budget of . . .

Posted: 2026-01-10

Brisbane beckons

Kensington Homes design uses space well

It's amazing how one design feature can affect a home. In this case, the decision to angle the back wall of a dining room adds style and function to the room and the living room next door. "Angling the dining room's rear . . .

Posted: 2013-07-13

Modern updates bring new life to old charm

Renovations add value to home with plenty of space for the family

From the outside, 149 Brock St. looks to be the prototypical River Heights classic. With its Tyndall stone front steps, white-trimmed windows with carved brown shutters on either side and tidy stucco exterior, it doesn’t look all that different from neighbouring . . .

Posted: 2018-12-15

Good bones

Home built in 1940s affordable, well-maintained

When you're a young family looking for a move-up home, two to three features tend to be top-of-mind. First, that home needs to be affordable. Second -- if at all possible -- the location needs to be as family-friendly as possible. . . .

Posted: 2014-02-15

Serene and solid in St. Andrews

Tidy bungalow loaded with features

There are two major benefits associated with living in an area that’s outside the city, yet not so far out that the commute in is long and laborious. First, there’s the benefit of living on a larger, more secluded lot; . . .

Posted: 2023-12-02

Home inspectors can also assist in new builds

Question: My daughter is building a new house. The specifications for the new house listed by the builder for things like insulation, gravel thickness beneath the concrete, and garage size don’t mean much to my daughter. Would a home inspector be . . .

Posted: 2021-11-09

Everything old is new again

Find different uses for stuff you'd probably just throw out

I recently decided to clean out the attic and closets and get rid of some clutter by having a garage sale. In boxing up the items for sale, I was thinking about how most of us have unused items we'd . . .

Posted: 2008-05-11

Window design could be behind water leakage

Question: My upper-unit condo in Fort Richmond occupies the second and third floors. Last fall, a strip of material became partially detached from the base of a second-floor window. A repairman was called out to investigate. He took pictures, removed . . .

Posted: 2018-04-28

ROCK solid

Rock solid

There are a lot of intangibles to consider when you’re looking for a move-up or move-down home. That checklist can be a lengthy one (and rightfully so). At the top of that list would be the home’s price — is . . .

Posted: 2016-06-04

Good to go

Waverley Heights bungalow move-in-ready

Young families looking for a starter home often experience two different schools of thought. The first entails buying a more "affordable" home (say, around $250, 000) that needs updating, and performing the required updates over a period of five years . . .

Posted: 2016-05-12