Get ready to make a big splash on June 8th as we celebrate World Oceans Day. World Oceans Day raises awareness about the crucial role oceans play in our lives. They give us oxygen, food, and regulate our climate. Sadly, they're facing threats like pollution and overfishing. Let's stand up for sustainable ocean management and preserve these amazing resources.

Did you know:

World Oceans Day was born in Canada! It started as an idea during the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and was recognized by the United Nations in 2008. As Canadians, let's embrace this holiday's spirit and lead the way in ocean conservation.

What we are doing:

At Realstar, water conservation is important to us, and we are actively investing in water conservation initiatives across our properties such as installing low-flow toilets, faucets, and showerheads. As a result of our water conservation efforts, we saved 63,500 m3 of water in 2022 – the equivalent of 25 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

How you can help:

• Reduce Plastic: Say no to single-use plastics like bags and bottles. Opt for reusable alternatives and recycle properly.
• Save Water: Conserve water at home by reporting leaks to your building management, taking shorter showers, and turning the tap off when not in use.
• Choose Sustainable Seafood: Support responsible fishing by choosing sustainably sourced seafood with eco-certifications.
• Spread the Word: Educate others about ocean importance and inspire them to take action. Use social media and community events to make waves.

Together we can create a wave of change for our oceans. Remember, even small steps can have a big impact. Dive in and let's protect our oceans for generations to come!

The post Dive into World Oceans Day: Make a Splash for Change! appeared first on Realstar Blog.

1. Changes to Resident Services/Rental Office
   • Our commitment to unparalleled customer service and 24/7 on-site management remains in place. In light of the evolving COVID-19 situation you may experience modified set-ups. This varies across our communities and may include:
     • Office remain open with the doors locked and on-site staff ready to help via phone and email.
     • In some cases, temporary office closure or reduced office hours.
   • As always, your on-site management teams remain accessible via telephone or email and will do their best to accommodate all inquiries and requests within a reasonable timeframe. 

2. Maintenance Requests: Emergency In-Suite Maintenance Only
   • To further protect the safety of residents and employees, at this time Realstar will complete emergency in-suite maintenance only. This will help minimize the spread of the virus by reducing staff (and external contractors) entering residents’ homes.
   • Before conducting maintenance within your home, Realstar staff will ask if you have recently traveled anywhere, including by vehicle within Canada, been in close contact with someone who has a probable or confirmed case or if anyone in your household feels unwell. This will help the on-site team determine the best course of action for your safety and employees.
   • Emergency maintenance include items such as:
     • Lack of heat
     • Essential appliance failure (e.g. fridge not working)
     • Flooding
   • Did you know: You can submit maintenance requests online through the Realstar Resident Portal or App. 

3. Online: Realstar Resident Portal & App
   • The Realstar Resident Portal is an apartment rental living service offering one stop convenience for your needs 24/7.
   • Payments: From the comfort of your own home you can make quick, safe and secure payments directly from a bank account or credit card.
     • Note: Realstar acknowledges this unprecedented and evolving time may have strained residents’ resources. As such, we will be covering all 1.75% credit card processing fees charged by our service provider until further notice.
   • Maintenance: Submit maintenance requests online.
     • To help the team assess your Maintenance request, be sure to upload a photo.  
   • Accessing your account?
     • Download the Realstar Resident Portal App or login online via Realstar.ca
   • Need an account?
     • Email or phone your property and request your personal invite

4. Increased Cleaning & Sanitation
   • As we focus our effort to minimize the spread, we have increased cleaning and sanitation efforts throughout all high traffic areas including lobbies, laundry facilities and elevators.
   • Similarly, we encourage all residents to wash their hands often, especially before leaving and upon returning to their homes; this includes use of the elevators and laundry facilities.

5. Amenity Spaces Closure
   • To minimize the spread of COVID-19 and to comply with physical distancing recommendations, Realstar has made the decision to temporarily close all non-essential amenity spaces, including gyms, pools, social lounges and alike until further notice.
   • Realstar recognizes the inconvenience, but know this decision was made with the safety of you and the community in mind. Doing so enables on-site teams to focus on additional cleaning and sanitation of high traffic areas.

6. Three’s A Crowd: Elevator Etiquette, Laundry Rooms & Mail Boxes
   • Elevators:
     • When using elevator, respect the 2-3-person limitation as these are close quarters and otherwise difficult to maintain the recommended 2m distance for physical isolation. Other suggestions include:
       • Face the elevator walls
       • Wait for the next elevator  
       • Where possible, take the stairs. 
   • Laundry Facilities
     • When using the common laundry facilities, keep the recommended 6-foot physical distance from other residents.
     • Don’t wait for your wash/dry cycles to complete. Set a timer and come back to the laundry room to collect your belongings to allow other residents to use the machine(s).
     • Don’t touch another resident’s belongings.
     • Avoid using the laundry facilities if you feel unwell or are sick.
   • Mail Boxes:
     • When collecting your mail, keep the recommended 6-foot physical distance from other residents.
     • Canada Post requests all residents give their employees space and avoid opening the door or greeting them when they are filling the mailbox.
   • As always, avoid touching your face while using common areas such as lobbies, laundry facilities, elevators and mailboxes and immediately wash your hands upon return to your apartment.

7. Avoid Inviting People Over & Deliveries
   • We request all residents to comply with the recommendation to self-isolate and only leave your homes when absolutely necessary. This extends to inviting others into your home and community for the time being. Limit any visitors to essential care only.
   • This request also extends to food delivery and courier services. To comply with safety protocols and to protect you and the community, we ask residents making use of these services to meet them downstairs and outside the lobby entrances.

8. Neighbours
   • You may wish to help your neighbours such as assisting with grocery pick-up or other essential shopping. This is a great way to help each other and minimize the number of people going out in the public. If doing so, we suggest making arrangements via phone or email.
   • If you are checking up your neighbour(s) or delivering anything to them, keep the recommended 6-foot physical distance.  

9. Pets 
   • Health Canada advises there is no evidence to suggest that household pet(s) can spread COVID-19.
   • We request anyone who is self-isolating after returning home from travel or having come in contact with someone with COVID-19 not take their pets for walks and make arrangements for another family member to look after them.
   • We encourage all residents to avoid touching any pets that do not belong to them.

10. Garbage / Recycling
    • Garbage and waste management will continue as normal. We have increased cleaning and sanitation efforts throughout all high traffic areas including taking extra steps to wipe down waste chute handles where applicable.
    • We request anyone who is self-isolating after returning home from travel or having come in contact with someone with COVID-19 contact the rental office via phone or email to discuss a household waste management solution for your apartment.
    • We encourage all residents to wash their hands often, especially before leaving and upon returning to their homes; this includes using garbage and recycling chutes and bins.

11. Open Communication
    • It is our objective to keep residents informed with up-to-date information as the situation continues to unfold. We appreciate these are challenging times, and as always, we want residents to know we are here for them. We will continue to share updates as they are available.
    • Please reach out to your on-site management team if you are experiencing any issues adhering to these guidelines.

12. Government Health Resources
    • We encourage residents to follow Health Canada guidelines for COVID-19, including planning activities, assistance, travel and stocking up on essentials. Additional information is provided via the following links:
      • Updates: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection.html
      • Being Prepared: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/being-prepared.html
      • Benefits & Services: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/corporate/notices/coronavirus.html

13. Government Financial Assistance Programs
14. • Canada wide: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/campaigns/covid-19-update.html#cerb
    • Ontario: https://budget.ontario.ca/2020/marchupdate/
    • BC: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/covid-19-provincial-support
    • Quebec: https://www.quebec.ca/sante/problemes-de-sante/a-z/coronavirus-2019/situation-coronavirus-quebec/  (or in English: https://www.quebec.ca/en/health/health-issues/a-z/2019-coronavirus/situation-coronavirus-in-quebec/#c47907)
    • Alberta: https://www.alberta.ca/covid-19-supports-for-albertans.aspx
    • Saskatchewan: https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/health-care-administration-and-provider-resources/treatment-procedures-and-guidelines/emerging-public-health-issues/2019-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-information-for-businesses-and-workers/support-for-workers
    • Nova Scotia: https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/#support

Realstar has established a pandemic committee dedicated to actively monitoring the COVID-19 situation, related impacts and developments while delivering direction towards next steps. With over 45 years of experience in helping Canadians coast-to-coast find and enjoy their homes, Realstar remains dedicated to our ability to operate effectively while maintaining customer service. It is with the resolve of our team and communities alike that we will navigate through these changing times. Together we can reduce the spread of the COVID-19 and flatten the curve.

The post COVID-19: Resources and Conveniences for Residents appeared first on Realstar Blog.

Realstar remains committed to its efforts to help protect the health and safety of all residents and employees from the spread of COVID-19. As such, effective immediately, we have made the decision to close all amenity facilities in the building, with the exception of the laundry facilities.  In addition, we are limiting suite entries by staff and contractors to emergency work orders only.  

Realstar will also continue with its proactive approach of increasing sanitization in all high traffic areas of the building, including, but not limited to, the lobbies, elevator and laundry room. 
We would also like to remind you of the best way to protect yourself:
•    Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
•    Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
•    Cough or sneeze into sleeve and not hands.
•    Avoid shaking hands.
•    If you are using the laundry facilities, taking the elevator, walking through the lobby or any other common area of the building, please make a conscious effort to use social distancing and limit contact with fellow residents, staff or anyone in your vicinity to a recommended 6 foot distance in an effort to keep everyone safe.  
•    Please stay home and avoid close contact if you feel unwell or have been in contact with a probable or confirmed case of COVID-19. 
•    We encourage you to follow Health Canada guidelines for COVID-19, including planning your activities, travel and stocking up on essentials. Please follow this link for that information: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/being-prepared.html
By following these guidelines, we can all play a critical role in slowing the spread of this virus. 

We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we all work together to keep our communities safe and healthy for all.  Should you have any questions or concerns regarding this notice, please contact your manager.

Lastly, we strongly encourage you to sign up to RentCafé to receive all the latest updates.
 

The post Important Resident Coronavirus Update #2 From Realstar Head Office appeared first on Realstar Blog.

Insurance – one of the world’s longest, most complicated business. At a time where most everything is becoming increasingly complicated; insurance is no exception. Life insurance, health insurance, auto insurance, it seems like there is an insurance for everything – your home included. It can be difficult to justify the additional spend on something so apparently intangible, but it is important to consider the monumental benefits that a nominal monthly or annual fee can provide.  

Although you can not hold it, and the premiums may leave you questioning what you get in return, tenant insurance is something that you may one day reap the benefits of. No one anticipates or truly plans for disaster, and even the most prepared can be left scrambling when faced with it. How can tenant insurance help? It’s important to know the facts:
 

What is Tenant Insurance and Why Do I Need It?

You may not own your home, but you eat, sleep and spend a large amount of time there. Chances are you have filled it with items you are likely very fond of. In the event that something happens to the property or your apartment, it is important to know your landlord’s insurance only cover the property. A tenant’s personal belongings are not included within a landlord’s coverage and it is up to the tenant to ensure they are covered. Without tenant insurance, you could be paying a large amount of money out of pocket for items lost to theft, property damage or living expenses while your apartment or the building is fixed.
 

What does Tenant Insurance Cover?
While there is a seemingly limitless array of plans and coverage out there, it is important to note the basics. Most tenant insurance will cover “your stuff” but others may include added benefit of liability and living expenses.

Contents
Chances are you are attached to the items you have filled your home with. The furniture, clothing and electronics that you have spent many a paycheck acquiring could financially be irreplaceable if all were lost at once. Beyond the losses within the boundaries of your home, tenant insurance can often include theft from your car, or loss of a valuable while on vacation.

Liability
Just because you don’t own your home doesn’t mean you aren’t responsible for any damages or accidents that may happen within it. Should someone – be it a neighbour, a friend or a family member visiting your home and injured themselves, you could be the lucky recipient of a lawsuit. Or if you are found to have caused a fire or flood that spread to neighbouring unit(s), you would be liable to pay out of pocket to repair those damages. Tenant insurance that includes liability coverage can help cover these costs.

Living Expenses
Just as most car insurance covers a replacement vehicle if your car requires repairs after an accident, some tenant insurance will provide a similar arrangement for temporary shelter should you find yourself displaced from your home. If you are a single person, it may be easy to couch surf until your place is made livable again, but the same may not hold true for a family of four. This could include staying in a hotel, eating out at restaurants and even moving expenses.

Realstar Resident Exclusive Tenant Insurance Offering  
It is never easy to anticipate the unexpected, but it is simple to prepare for it with the peace of mind provided through tenant insurance. If you were to add up the cost of replacing every item in your home should it be lost and compare that against the annual fee for tenant insurance, you will likely find it’s worth the investment – even across several years.

We value our residents and as such, all Realstar residents have access to a preferred rate for tenant insurance that costs less than $0.50 a day!  Are you a Realstar resident, protect yourself from the unexpected, purchase your tenant insurance today!

The post Better Safe Than Sorry – The Benefits of Tenant Insurance appeared first on Realstar Blog.

The holidays are supposed to be “the most wonderful time of the year”. The weeks surrounding the holidays should be filled with family and friends, laughter, beautifully wrapped parcels, tear jerking holiday music and movies – it’s no wonder that everything seems to magical this time of year. As your calendar begins to fill with social commitments for work, friends and family, it’s easy to get lost in the chaos that the holidays can create. Whether you are hosting a formal or casual gathering for a large or small group this season, following these quick and easy steps can help you stay calm and coast through any stress the holiday season can present.

Manage Your Expectations
First and foremost – manage your expectations. If you are tight on time, perhaps planning an elaborate five-course dinner entirely from scratch and decking ALL your halls with all that sparkles may not be reasonable; not to mention, could leave you hiding in the kitchen polishing off a bottle of wine. Choose a menu and décor that match your lifestyle and that won’t leave you melting into a puddle of stress trying to execute.

Plan Ahead
Once you have selected a theme and a food, plan and organize what you can in advance. This includes making a shopping list (don’t forget to check it twice!) for menu items and party supplies. Buy what you can in advance and save picking up the perishables for closer to the party. You may even be able to prepare some of your items a day or two before the party – this is also a great way to let flavours enhance! Organize your space, clean and decorate what you can in advance to save yourself from having to do everything the night before.

Keep it Simple
Don’t overcomplicate and make things so difficult that neither you nor your guests enjoy your time together. Do one thing well and go lighter on others. It’s easy to get caught up in perfectionism around the holiday season and loose sight of what this time of year is truly about. Take inspiration from some of the best recipes around, a handful of ingredients but delicious nonetheless – less is more.

Spend Time with Your Guests
Most importantly, don’t forget why you are hosting a gathering – to spend time together with your guests. There is nothing worse than being locked away, hovering over a hot stove, stressing and sweating about doing everything ‘just right’. Choose where to focus your energy and efforts. If dishing up beautifully crafted entrees is going to leave you spending the majority of the evening hidden away and stressed, why not set up a self-serve station? This could include taco bars, nacho bars, pasta bars – all manner of bars! Alleviate the pressure of cooking and let your guests customize their food they way they like it – no to mention, a self-serve station is way more fun and interactive. Guaranteed, your guests will have a far more memorable time spending time laughing together then watching the host become unravelled and frazzled.

The post Host with the Most – How to Host a Stress-Free Holiday Party appeared first on Realstar Blog.

Despite the January blahs, the New Year is a time when we have a renewed sense of optimism, letting go of the old and making space for the new and improved version of us.  Moving is also a great opportunity to start an exciting, new phase of your life. It’s the perfect time to implement new ways to help keep your fresh start from going stale.  So here are a few strategies to keep the momentum flowing while developing some healthy habits designed to keep your home the sanctuary of rest and relaxation it should be. 

1. Commit to De-Clutter

Studies have shown there’s a very real connection between a person’s overall lack of wellbeing and clutter.   A 2016 study conducted by the University of New Mexico found that “because so many people identify so closely with their home environments, the extent to which it’s cluttered can interfere with the pleasure they experience when being in that environment”.  In fact, clutter has been said to be a reflection of the inner state of the mind and stepping into an environment that is disorganized and over-run with stuff can actually cause a person to feel irritated, exhausted and mentally foggy, which in turn negatively impacts crucial functions like eating, thinking and sleeping.   A separate 2017 study at Cornell University found that people tend to eat more sugary, high fat foods when placed in the chaos of clutter as compared to times when they are in a clean, organized environment.  The study concluded that when a person was subjected to a place where they felt “out of control”, stress levels started to climb causing them to reach for sweets as a source of comfort.   So, in case you thought clutter was just a harmless by product of contemporary life – it may be negatively impacting your overall sense of wellbeing, not to mention your waistline!   A great way to keep clutter to a minimum in your new home is to designate a place for everything.  Having a junk drawer for miscellaneous items is ok and can be a real sanity saver some days but keep it contained to one drawer.   Attempt to apply some order by sorting the junk in some way – drawer dividers or containers are a great way to organize the chaos and commit to clearing out the drawer out every couple of months to prevent a “spill out” to other places.  

2. Start a Schedule

Nothing can put a damper on your weekend like coming home Friday to a sink full of dirty dishes or mountains of laundry spilling down the hall – it doesn’t exactly scream “rest and relaxation” does it?   A great way to avoid this high stress scene is by prioritizing routine chores and designate time to tackle them.   The main thing to remember is be realistic about your time and make a plan that you can easily stick to. It can be a simple as setting aside 20 minutes a night to run the vacuum, put the laundry away or do a quick clear and toss of the fridge to prevent post week pile-up.  

3.  Avoid Procrastination in 24 Hrs or Less

We all have certain things around the house that we dislike doing more than others, things we tend to avoid and put off as long as possible until the smell from the fridge, the piles of clothes in the corner or the dust bunnies down the hall can no longer be ignored.   The trick here is two-fold, give yourself a 24 hr time limit, so you don’t have to do it right away but there’s a limit to how long you can procrastinate and then find a way to take the torture out of these tasks by incorporating an element of enjoyment into them.   A sure fail, simple way to accomplish this is, music, just put on your favourite play list and power through.   Dance party with the dishes may sound corny but it actually works.

The post New Year, New Place – Fresh Start appeared first on Realstar Blog.

1. Clean your bathroom:
First, remove all products from the bathroom sink and bathtub. Sterilize the countertop and bathtub to remove any build up and residue. If your shower curtain is plastic or has a plastic interior liner – either toss it in the laundry or (depending on the damage) throw it out and invest in a new one. After all, Spring Cleaning only happens once a year!

2. Deep clean your floors:
Most people sweep the floors weekly, some probably get to it on a daily basis. For a deep clean, it’s time to get out the old pale and mop (Swiffer Wet Jet works great too!) and give the floor a good scrub. This task will include a bit of heavy lifting, as it’s important to clean under tables and couches – let’s face it, if we’re going to clean, let’s do it right!

3. Clean out your fridge:
I attempt cleaning out my fridge before every grocery run. Those who don’t may find a few surprises hiding in the back of their fridge (Ew!). Start by taking every item out, wipe down the interior shelves, walls, and door and then put everything back in an organized manner. Keep condiments to one side, produce to other, and everything you are not going to eat – throw it out.

The post 3 Key Tasks for a Proper Spring Cleaning! appeared first on Realstar Blog.

Front Entrance
Store all your essentials to get you out the door quickly and easily by creating an entry way. Find a small, empty wall near your front door and install a floating shelf, some hooks and a mirror. This easy set up organizes your keys, coat, shoes and accessories all in one neat and functional area.

Bedroom
August is a great time to take advantage of summer sales. While this may be great news for your wallet it can mean bad news for your closet. Adding an extender rod is a simple way to double your closet's hanging capacity without using a single tool. Simply hang it onto your existing closet rod and adjust the additional bar to the proper height. If you really want to maximize your closet space, add an over-the-door hook rack (hanging door organizers) to hang your outer wear and even shoes.

If you still need additional closet or drawer space to house seasonal items, an under the bed storage bin is great use of a tiny space. It fits perfectly underneath your bed and keeps your clothes protected until the next seasonal change.

The post Space Saving Tips appeared first on Realstar Blog.

Motivation: Motivating yourself to tackle a dirty room can be a daunting task, so use little tricks to inspire you. Maybe listen to music while you clean to pump yourself up or perhaps reward yourself when the task is done with a shopping trip, meal out etc. For some people the simple joy of scribbling something off a to-do list is all the motivation they need.

Create a routine: Doing a little tidying each day is so much easier than allowing a room to get messy over time and then facing a big clean up challenge. To avoid this, consistency is key. Assign a set amount of time each evening (even if it’s only a little). Tackle the living room and kitchen each night while attacking bedrooms once or twice a week depending on how messy they get should drastically cut down big clean up tasks. Get into the habit of cleaning all dishes before you go to bed, preventing dishes building up and let’s face it no one wants to face a sink full of dirty dishes first thing in the morning.

Empty bins regularly: Don’t allow bins to overflow, or for cardboard boxes or jar/ bottles to gather around bins. Have assigned recycling bins; an untidy bin area will create a messy impression no matter how clean the rest of the home is, and can soon spread to create an untidy room, then an untidy house.

The post Keeping Your Home Tidy appeared first on Realstar Blog.

Let your furniture pull a double-duty – When you have limited space, getting the most out of your furniture by letting it do double duty is vital. Use under-bed storage containers, bedside tables and bookshelves as nightstands, or coffee tables with hidden storage capabilities.

Declutter your space by storing items out of sight – Every inch counts in a small home. Hidden storage is the perfect way to combat clutter, tuck away those items you don’t often reach for.

Put away your clothes – trying to find the perfect outfit in the morning can be quite disastrous for your closet, but it doesn’t have to be. After rummaging through your closet, hang back the items instead of letting them amass into an ever-growing pile. While you’re at it, why not make your bed as well.

Let natural light in – light not only brightens up your space but it also helps to enlarge it. So draw open those curtains and let some sun in.

Add mirrors to help your space feel bigger and brighter – mirrors reflect light and make an otherwise small room look larger.

Let it go – Living in a small space means having to part with things that you haven’t used in years. Make sure everything in your home has both a purpose and place.

Keep it clean – Clutter accumulates almost instantaneously in a small home so be proactive and keep a schedule when it comes to cleaning and tidying up. This will keep your space feeling fresh and spacious.

The post Making The Most of a Small Space appeared first on Realstar Blog.