In provinces across Canada right now, “blind biding” is the default practice when there are multiple offers on a home for sale. In essence, it means that potential buyers make their bids and compete to offer the most attractive offer without knowing the dollar amount of the bid they’re competing against.

However, a new pilot project and proposed regulation updates may change this.

The federal government announced plans to ban blind bidding in April of this year as part of the proposed 2022 Federal Budget, making it part of the promised Home Buyers’ Bill of Rights. The bill is not finalized and would still need to go through several approval stages before being implemented.

Other political parties, like the Green Party, also support the idea of banning blind bidding.

Just one day before the federal government’s proposed ban, the Canadian Real Estate Association announced a new pilot project to facilitate transparent bidding. Using real-time tracking, homebuyers can see all the offers on a property as they come in.

The full impact of this pilot project and possible ban on blind bidding remains to be seen if the proposal is approved. Analysts have differing predictions of what this will mean for buyers and sellers.

The argument for implement transparent bidding is that it will help cool down Canada’s hot real estate market. Bidders will have more information to make an offer and sellers will be able to give an “open offer” – they won’t be limited to selling their property through a closed or traditional system.

The counter argument, however, points to countries where a transparent system is in place – countries like Australia, Sweden and New Zealand. In these cases, evidence suggests that it may lead to higher house prices. However, there are other differences in these countries that may be causing the higher prices like home sales via live auction and bids that are not legally binding.

If the proposal passes, it will undoubtedly have an impact on both buyers and sellers one way or another.

The Glenora neighbourhood in west Edmonton is highly regarded and considered one of the most desirable areas in the city by many. It is one of Edmonton’s oldest and most historic neighbourhoods with a history dating back to 1869. The first major developments began a few decades later in the early 1900s.

Nowadays, the area is a mixture of beautiful historic homes and newer residential developments. The tree-lined streets are a great place to walk around for those who enjoy architecture.

The area also boasts several schools, parks and views of the river, as well as commercial and shopping spaces. It is bounded on the east by Groat Road, on the north by 107 Avenue, on the west by 142 Street and on the south by the river valley and the MacKinnon Ravine.

Sometimes, all you need is some good inspiration to start reimagining the possibilities of your living space. I understand – we’ve all been there!

If you’re wondering what to watch for home improvement inspiration, look no further. These are some of the top shows about home renovation and interior design to jumpstart your daydreams.

Dream Home Makeover

A classic on Netflix and for a good reason. The fun and cheery episodes follow Studio McGee founders and husband-wife team Shea and Syd as they turn people’s dreams into realities. And, as an added bonus for viewers, each episode it filled with practical design tips you can use.

Love It or List It

This show has been running on HGTV for nearly 15 years and has a strong following. Designer Hilary Farr renovates a home while realtor David Visentin takes the owner to look at other properties. By the end, the owner gets to decide what to do: stay in their renovated home if they love it or list if to move somewhere else.

Amazing Interiors

This Netflix series takes viewers into some beautiful and unique home interiors, from a live aquarium to a life-sized dollhouse. They may not all be interiors you’d want to replicate, but they definitely show the variety of tastes!

100 Day Dream Home

Watch husband-and-wife team Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt build dream homes from the ground up in just 100 days in this HGTV series. Fun to follow and you’ll get the inside scoop on what it takes.

Tiny House Nation

Inspiration for all of us, regardless of the size of our homes. Take a tour of America’s tiniest homes with John Weisbarth and Zack Giffin, and meet some of the families who have decided to downsize.

Do you have a favourite home improvement show not on this list? Let me know what you’re watching!