The Gord Piper & Associates Real Estate Blog

We’ll be at the Calgary Home and Garden Expo! Ready to answer all of your real estate questions as well as test your golfing skills! Stop by, grab a chocolate (or two) and enter into a draw to win a BBQ. While you’re there check out some of the benefits our team has to offer. See examples of how we price your home, the odds of selling in today’s market, find information on the rental market, investment properties, acreages and more! If you’re bringing the kids down on Sunday make sure they get a balloon animal and their face painted.

Welcome to Encore at Kincora, surrounded by parks, golf courses, schools and amenities with easy access to Stoney Trail.  This beautiful 2 bedroom plus den apartment features a spacious balcony perfect for entertaining. Built in 2014 this unit is in like new conditions with granite counter tops throughout, stainless steel appliances that are less than a year old and a 3 piece ensuite. Perfect for a first time home buyer that may have a renter or roommate. Two side by side titled parking stalls are included with enough room to store your winter tires.

Use a trash bag to quickly pack hanging cloths – Don’t bother to take clothes off the hangers, you’ll only have to put them back on when you get to your new house. I prefer to use garbage bags with the draw strings just tuck everything from the bottom up into the bag, pull the strings and leave the hanger hooks out of the top, then you just have to get rid of the bag once it’s hanging up in your new closet!

Fill your rolling suitcases with your heavy items – books are heavy and there’s nothing worse than ripped boxes or worse pulled backs. If you pack your heavy items in rolling suitcases you won’t have to worry about carrying these items the whole time you are moving them. Just make sure you aren’t bumping the wheels down the stairs if you are over the weight capacity of the bag.

Leave lighter items in your drawers – when moving side tables, desks, nightstands and dressers leave the light stuff in the drawers, once less thing to unpack!

Pack a first day box – Put all your essentials in here: toilet paper, tooth brushes, medications, anything you can’t go 24 hours without. Nothings worse than madly searching through boxes while your toddler does their pee dance behind you.

Relax – once everything is in your house make sure you take the time to celebrate your new home with anyone who helped you move in. Crack open some wine or champagne, order a pizza, and enjoy your new surroundings!

Skating Party at Bowness Park

It’s a party and you’re invited! The City of Calgary Parks, in partnership with the Bowness Community Association, is planning a skating party at Bowness Park on Saturday, February 7 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. This celebration is a chance for local residents and citizens from across the city to visit the newly redeveloped park. Enjoy good company, free entertainment and refreshments!

Officials from The City of Calgary and Province of Alberta will give brief speeches at an official opening ceremony at noon.

February Classic II

The second show jumping event of the Classic Series, the February Classic II takes to the indoor confines of the Spruce Meadows Equip-Plex. The February Classic II is an excellent warm-up to the 2015 season. You and your family are welcome to join us and watch the competitions, wander through the barns and enjoy a hot chocolate in the stands. Admission and parking are complimentary. For a full schedule click here

Travel Expo

Want to be the first to hear about the hottest destinations for 2015? From the latest travel trends to all your old favorites, we’ve got every corner of the globe covered and want to get you there! Amazing one-time deals massive saving and priceless expert travel advice await you.

Where: North building, Call C, Calgary TELUS Convention Centre, 136 8 Ave SE

When: Saturday February 7, 2015

Admission: Free

Calgary Boat & Sportsmen’s Show

In addition to the exhibition: Young outdoor enthusiasts will find plenty to entertain and keep them occupied at the Show. The Trigger X Kids Fishing Pond is a catch and release program for kids under the age of 12 to try their hand at trout fishing (by donation). Also Alberta Birds of Prey Show.

Admission Prices

Adult $14.00

Juniors (6-15) $8.00

Seniors (Ages 65+) $10.00

Children (Under 6 years) Free when accompanied by an adult

Family Pass (2 Adults & 2 Juniors) $35.00

Click here for more details

Have a yard sale – we all do it, we hold on to things you know you’re never really going to use again. Pick up everything you know you don’t want to take to your new place and sell it at a yard sale. No time for a yard sale? Give it away! Take it to the Salvation Army, Value Village, Homeless Shelter, anywhere you feel it could be used.

Forget writing the room on each box – use color coded stickers or tape to save yourself some time. Make up a key for one person to hang on to, then as boxes start coming into the new home they will be easy to spot. To make it even easier you can put Post-It notes on the door frames of each room with the corresponding sticker. No need to worry that no one can read your writing, and no need to have anyone direct traffic.

Use plastic wrap around your silverware tray – don`t unpack and resort your silverware, wrap plastic wrap around the whole thing then just unwrap and put away when you get to your new house. This trick works well for baskets and other small boxes or containers you might use to hang on to small items. The plastic wrap not only keeps everything where it belongs but protects everything inside from dirt and dust.

Use Ziploc bags to keep small drawer items together –  let’s face it we`re always going to have a junk drawer or two why bother trying to put it all in a designated box only to have to sort through it all once the move is done? Throw everything into a Ziploc bag and into the correct drawer once you’re moved into the new place, you can sort through the bags once everything else has been unpacked.