A devastating hailstorm ripped through parts of Calgary on Saturday, shredding siding, breaking windows, pummeling vehicles and flooding streets.

After an unusual spring spent mostly cooped up inside, summer's onset promises brighter days.

Summer is also a great time to notice the areas around the home that are especially in need of a refresh. This is where Alykhan Velji, principal at Alykhan Velji Designs, is focused for summer 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic has many people thinking about the safety of the air we breathe. The importance of air quality is especially high in the home, where the average Calgarian has been spending more time than usual these past few months.

A pandemic might seem like a bad time to move, but for some people it's a necessity.

Golf season in Calgary is officially underway, after public courses received the go ahead to reopen on May 2 and several City of Calgary courses opened on May 14. However, thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this will be no ordinary golf season.

City and public courses have instituted a variety of new safety measures and procedures to keep golfers and staff safe and healthy. The specifics of these safety measures vary from course to course, but there are still several best practices golfers should follow.

For many residents of apartment-style condo buildings, a balcony offers a small, private slice of the outdoors – a place to kick back with a book, sip your morning coffee, catch a few rays, or enjoy an al fresco meal or cocktail.

In recent months, the widespread adoption of social distancing and self-isolation to combat COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of private outdoor spaces. For those who have them, balconies and backyards provide a crucial refuge – a safe space to get some fresh air while avoiding contact with other people.

As self-isolated gardeners in charge of our own personal food security this summer, it's good to know which vegetables are fast from seed and which ones are oh so slow.

Spring might have officially started on March 19, but as Calgarians know, "spring" in this city is an elastic concept. Now that temperatures are rising and nature is showing new signs of life, it's time to give your home the spring-cleaning treatment.

In a competitive housing market, if you want to sell your home faster and get your asking price, a degree of home staging is a must.

Homeowners usually have the best intentions when it comes to selling their home, but it's still easy to make mistakes. Avoiding those mistakes wherever possible is especially important in a difficult market, such as the one Calgary is currently experiencing due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

With that in mind, here are the top-five mistakes sellers make and how to avoid them, according to Tamara Stearns, a local REALTOR® and one half of Central Calgary Real Estate Group, along with fellow Realtor Sam Crick.