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There are many storage options for your household items. For example, receipts and other paper records can be stored in a file box. Seasonal items, such as winter clothing, can be put in the basement. You can even rent a local storage unit to help with decluttering.


But what about stuff that exists electronically? These days, many important records -- vacation pictures, tax receipts, home videos, school documents, etc. - - are in the form of PDFs, JPEGs, and other electronic formats. Having those reside entirely on your computer is risky. What if your computer crashes?


Someone smart once said, "A computer file isn't a file until it's in two places." So, the solution is to store your important electronic documents in a second place. Here are the most common options:


• Portable storage. These are data storage devices that fit in the palm of your hand. For most homes, 1T (terabyte) of memory is plenty.


• Cloud storage. Box, DropBox, and iCloud are the biggest players here. The advantage of storing your documents "in the cloud" is that, unlike portable storage, you can't damage or lose it.


• Large backup units. These larger units continuously backup your files so you don't even have to think about it.


Whatever option you choose, the important thing is to have a duplicate or backup of your important files, so you never have to worry about losing them.

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The Saskatoon housing market continued its 2019 trend toward balance last month, as REALTORS® listed fewer but sold more homes than in the previous November, reported the Saskatoon Region Association of REALTORS® (SRAR) Wednesday December 4th.


City listings fell 16 per cent to 451 from 534, as sales jumped 20 per cent to 243 from 203. Although the average price was down three per cent, to $333,295 from $343,361, dollar volume rose 16 per cent to $81 million, up from $69.7 million.


Including the surrounding region, new listings were down 12 per cent to 694 from 791, while sales rose eight per cent to 317 from 294 for a dollar volume of $102.3 million, up one per cent from $101.7 million.


In the region alone, including communities such as Warman, Martensville and Dalmeny, new listings fell 11 per cent to 159 from 179, and sales were down nine per cent to 58 from 64. However, the average sales price rose four per cent to $314,650, up from $301,490, for a dollar volume drop of five per cent to $18.2 million.


“It’s encouraging to see strength in sales and a slight decline in listings coming to the market, to keep it balanced,” said Jason Yochim, CEO of the Saskatchewan REALTORS® Association (SRA.) All Saskatchewan REALTORS® associations will amalgamate under the SRA banner in January, 2020.


Year-to-date numbers reflect similar trends. So far this year, and with only one month to go, Saskatoon agents have listed 7,443 homes to the MLS®, down three per cent from 2018’s 7,646, and sold 3,401, up seven per cent from 3,167. Sales are also up from 2017’s 3,286.


The average sales price of $331,457 is statistically the same as last year’s, bringing the dollar volume up seven per cent to $1.1 billion, up from just over $1 billion.


In the region, 900 homes have sold so far in 2019, down five per cent from last year’s 943, and listings have fallen three per cent to 2,789 from 2,874. Dollar volume is down eight per cent to $265.5 million from $289.8 million. The average price dropped four per cent to $295,141 from $307,352.


At the end of the month, Saskatoon had 1,534 homes on the market, down 11 per cent from 1,716 at the same time last year, while the region had 947 homes, down eight per cent from 1,032.


“It’s healthy for the market to see the number of active listings continue to shrink slightly,” said Yochim. “Two years ago, we were tipping over 2,100 at the high-water mark, so 1,500 is certainly good.”

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If you have a home that is overdue for a renovation, you might be worried that it will be difficult to sell as a "fixer-upper". In fact, you might delay listing your property for that reason.


The good news is, you don’t need to fix up everything in your home to prepare it for sale. You can be selective and choose only those projects that are most likely to help your home show well and sell quickly. Here are some projects to consider:


• Repairs. Few things stand out more during a viewing than something in obvious need of repair. That includes minor issues, like a dripping bathroom faucet, as well as major concerns, such as the central air conditioning unit not working. Get these repairs done.


• Painting. Painting is one of the easiest and most affordable DIY projects you can do. Yet the impact it can have on your home is stunning. Some rooms are completely transformed by a fresh coat of paint.  


• Kitchens & Bathrooms. Buyers love to see great looking kitchens and bathrooms. In fact, there are even magazines devoted just to those rooms! You don't necessarily need to do a major renovation of these spaces, but a makeover can be a good idea. Consider replacing sinks, countertops, and/or cabinet hardware.


• Floors. If the floors in any of your rooms have become worn and unsightly, look at options for refreshing them. Consider replacing carpeting, refinishing hardwood, and/or getting tiles professionally cleaned and polished.


• Outdoors. Sometimes you can compensate (a little) for a less-than-ideal interior by sprucing up the outdoor space. Explore ways to improve your deck or patio, walkways, and landscaping.


Even if your home is older, you can make it more attractive to buyers with any one of these projects.


Want more ideas for finding eager buyers for your home? Call today.

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