Despite the gradual reopening of businesses and other public spaces as part of Alberta's relaunch strategy, COVID-19 still loom large in our daily lives several months into the pandemic. As a result, the humble backyard might be where many Calgarians spend much of their time outdoors this summer – whether they're seeking sanctuary or a place for small, physically distanced gatherings with friends and family.

So, there's no time like the present to make the most of that space. Here are six easy ways to spruce up your yard and create the outdoor oasis you've always wanted.

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.

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.

As more homes are equipped with "smart" technologies for everything from surveillance to home automation, the real estate purchase process is changing.

Home sellers are increasingly using video and/or audio surveillance to eavesdrop on potential buyers, using the information gleaned as leverage. This places the buyer at an obvious disadvantage during negotiations.

Are you a prospective homebuyer? Onto your second or "forever" home? Whatever your situation, preparing for homeownership requires you to arrange your finances so you can put your best foot forward dealing with your mortgage, taxes and home maintenance.

Before you start the process of looking for a home, consider the following:

Believe it or not, winter is coming. Ensuring that your home's cold-weather systems are running efficiently will save you both money and major headaches in the long run. Work your way through this fall home maintenance checklist and you can rest easy knowing that your home and yard are ready for winter:

If your garden party is usually over after the irises, peonies, plums and lilacs fade, add late-blooming flowers to really stretch your summer this season. Making way for late bloomers means the joy of summer continues past your escape to the lake and well into back-to-school season.

Calgary's real estate market has been sitting in buyers' conditions for the past five years or so. As we move into 2019, these conditions will more than likely continue. However, if you're trying to sell a home in this buyers' market, here are some simple tricks that can help.

Six tips for a stress-free moving day

As exciting as it is to buy a home, it also brings with it the reality of moving day, and the hassles that come along with that process.

To take the guess work out of the big move, we talked to the experts to get their tips for planning a stress-free move: Barry Byman, sales manager and partner with AMJ Campbell International in Calgary, and Vince Kirton, regional manager with Sentinel Storage.

Gardening tips as autumn arrives

I walked the dog in a sweater this morning. Soon I will be wearing my down jacket. So, is this all we get? Is it the end of the garden season? No way!

Hold your horses and follow these dos and don'ts to get the most out of our shrinking garden season this month.