When applying for a mortgage, you will be asked for detailed personal information.  Along with this information, your mortgage broker or potential lender will check your credit score.  What is a credit score and why does it matter?  “Your credit score is a judgment about your financial health, at a specific point in time. It indicates the risk you represent for lenders, compared with other consumers” . This number can have major implications on your mortgage application as institutions use it to decide not only who qualifies, but also at what rate and to what limit. Continue Reading

Sparkling coloured gems have been used in jewelry for thousands of years 

When most people think of coloured gemstones, they think of birth stones.  With the amazing variety of gems, who chose those twelve to be special?  Most scholars agree that this tradition dates back to the “Breastplate of Aaron”, a religious garment inlaid with twelve stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel, the signs of the zodiac, and the months of the year.  Continue Reading

When we purchase insurance it is always with the hope that it won’t have to be used.  However, when something goes wrong with our home, there are five key steps that must be taken to help make the claim process go smoothly. Continue Reading

By Dr. Stefan Bell, D.C. 

Wrong!  Well, not quite that dramatic, but there is some truth to it.  As a new contributor to the Calgary Beacon, I thought I would start off on doing what I can to redefine “Health.”  Continue Reading

Ronda Bertram in her kitchen with a finished chocolate-covered spoon 

Looking for a quick and easy gift for Valentines Day, one with a homemade touch that has love  written all over it?  Ronda Bertam says a unique present for your honey would be a chocolate-covered spoon.  They take only 20 minutes to make with common ingredients and they make great coffee and tea sweetners. 

Continue Reading

Accuhome Inspections' thermal imaging camera checks out an electrical panel

Many of the problems with older homes, or even new home construction, can’t be seen by the naked eye.  But with Accuhome Inspection’s high-tech equipment it’s now possible to peer into those previously hidden nooks and crannies to find misplaced insulation or leaky windows long before they become a problem. Continue Reading

Turning the water off is the easiest way to protect you home while you're on vacation

That dream vacation is finally here.  Maybe a month studying the architecture of the capitol cities of Europe or an eco-holiday in the verdant jungles of the Amazon.  So much to do and so little time to do it in!  But have you checked your insurance policy to ensure your home is covered in the event of the million things that can wrong when you’re not around every day? Continue Reading

Purchasing a condo? Have the condo documents professionally reviewed by Condomax

Like all Canadian cities, Calgary has enjoyed an explosion of condominium growth over the past decade or so.  Homeowners downsizing after raising a family in a house like the low maintanance and easy lifestyle.  Young, first-time buyers see condos as a great way to get started on home ownership. Continue Reading

Shop local, cook local, eat local

One of the most interesting movements in Canada is the idea of “eating local.”  That is, buying food grown within a hundred miles or less of where you live.  Not surprisingly, chefs are often at the forefront of this trend and The District’s new chef, Heather Gould-Hawke, is riding the wave in Calgary. Continue Reading

125 cc Rotax engine ready to be installed in a race kart

Every kart racer needs to go fast and stop quickly.  Modern karts are designed to do just that.  Adult racers use 125 cc engines that develop over 30 horsepower and can propel the kart to speeds over 110 kph.  And they get up to that speed in a hurry! Continue Reading