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Watch Out for Carbon Monoxide In Your Home

Friday, September 21st, 2018

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is invisible and odourless, so you can’t actually “watch out for it”. However, you should monitor for it because an excessive build-up of this gas in your home can be deadly.

Fortunately, there are many types of Carbon Monoxide detectors you can purchase — and most are effective and affordable. Some models simply plug into an outlet. (Many also have a battery backup.) Carbon Monoxide is caused by the incomplete burning of fuel. It can be released by a faulty gas furnace, kerosene heaters, and gas fireplaces.

If you live in Alberta, Atco gas will come out and so an inspection on your furnace to ensure it is healthy – This is a FREE service!

That’s why it’s a good idea to install detectors in areas close to these fixtures, as well as near bedrooms. Experts say you should always follow manufacturer’s instructions when installing CO detectors, and test them regularly. You want to make sure you can hear the alarm from your bedroom.

CO build-up in homes is rare. So your detectors may never go off. But, if the alarm does sound, get everyone (including pets) out of the home and into the fresh air. Then call 911. Typically, the fire department will do an inspection and determine the source of the carbon monoxide.

A final tip: Never use your BBQ or outside grill in the garage or, especially, anywhere inside your home. The risk of CO exposure is very high and definitely not worth the convenience of a grilled burger!

Tags:CO2 detectors in home, Home safety
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What Type of New Home Are You Qualified to Buy?

Friday, September 14th, 2018

When you think about looking for a new home, one of the first questions that probably comes to mind is: “What type of property can I afford?”

That’s an important question because your price range is a major determining factor in the types and sizes of homes you should be viewing. You don’t want to waste time looking at properties that are beyond your price range. At the same time, you don’t want to purchase a less-than-ideal home, only to realize later on that you could have afforded more. So how do you determine what type of new home you are qualified to purchase?

The first step is to find out what your current property would likely sell for in today’s market. I make that calculation for clients all the time. It involves reviewing what homes similar to yours have sold for recently, as well as other data — such as special features your home may have that are likely to boost the selling price.

Once you know the current market value of your home, subtract any outstanding mortgages and estimated selling expenses, and you’ll end up with an amount that can be applied to the purchase of your next home. (You may also have other funds you want to use.)

The next step is to talk to a lender or mortgage broker to see how much of a new mortgage you qualify for. (Contact me if you need a recommendation.) It’s important to get a proper Pre-Qualification or Pre-Approval. That makes the offer you make on a new home more credible and will also lock you into an interest rate. If you want to find out the types and sizes of homes you can get into, give me a call. I’d be happy to show you the possibilities!

Tags:Pre-Approval, What type of home can I afford
Posted in Blog, Home Buyers, Home Sellers, Home Sellers | Comments Closed

The Basics of Do-it-Yourself Video-based Home Security

Friday, September 7th, 2018

According to law enforcement experts, a video-based home security system is significantly more effective than a simple alarm system. The reason is obvious. Burglars don’t want their crimes captured on video, which can then be used as evidence in court. So it’s no wonder that many homeowners have, or are considering, video-based security.

These days, most video-based home security systems are wireless. The cameras either record to your DVR (just like recording your favorite TV show), or to a cloud-based server provided by the manufacturer. There are many do-it-yourself systems on the market. You simply place the cameras around your property and do some initial setup. Most of these have motion-detection that records automatically when someone comes into the frame of the camera. These are typically installed at your front door, patio door, main floor windows, and garage door. Some systems will even alert you when a camera turns on, and let you see the action on your smartphone or computer.

If it’s a burglary attempt, you have the opportunity to call the police. Although most of these products are weatherproof, check and confirm before purchasing. The packaging will say something like, “Suitable for outdoor use” or “Suitable for all-weather conditions”. Also look for night vision capability. Not all security cameras have that feature.

Tags:DIY home security, Home Cameras DIY
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5 Ways to Make the Selling Process Stress-Free

Thursday, September 6th, 2018

For some homeowners, the process of listing, showing and selling their home can be stressful. Fortunately, there is plenty you can do to make it much less nerve-racking—and even exciting and enjoyable. Here are some ideas:

1. Make a plan. Decide when you’re going to show your property, search for a new home, view listings, etc. Block out these times in an agenda book or calendar. That way, you and your family can see what’s coming up. 2. Be flexible. Few things go exactly as planned! So, it’s important to build in flexibility. For example, you may plan to see homes for sale on Saturdays, but if an opportunity comes up on a weeknight, give yourself room in your schedule to jump on it. 3. Eat well. There are numerous studies that connect poor nutrition with increased stress. When people are selling and moving, there’s a tendency to rely on quick fixes, such as hot dogs and pizza! Try to plan more nutritious meals that will keep everyone healthy and energized. 4. Get stuff done early. Doing things last minute, such as finding a real estate lawyer or getting rid of clutter, can quickly lead to stress and frustration. Whenever possible, get tasks done early. That way, you won’t have to worry about them. 5. Hire the right professionals. By far, the surest way to a stress-free move is to get the right professionals working for you: everyone from contractors to mortgage brokers to movers. By the way, a big part of what I do for clients is help make every aspect of buying, selling and moving go smoothly. Contact me to learn how I can help you.

Tags:Hiring a Realtor, Home Selling TIps, Stress free sellling
Posted in Blog, Education, Home Sellers, Home Sellers | Comments Closed

Calgary Real Estate Market Snapshot Sept 1, 2018

Tuesday, September 4th, 2018

What is really Happening in the Calgary Real Estate Market?

What is really happening in the Calgary Real Estate Market?

Stay ahead of everyone else by following our Monthly Market Snapshot of the Calgary Real Estate Market. This shows what’s really happening! The market is driven by supply and demand so here we show the inventory (supply) and sales (demand) and most importantly the relationship between the two and how it affects the price of Calgary Real Estate. A simple way to keep up to date with how the market is trending and to stay ahead of most! All numbers are taken from the Calgary Real Estate Boards Stats package for Realtors. I have also included some general comments which are simply my opinion.

Months of Inventory/Absorption Rate – the inventory divided by the number of sales in the last month). What does this mean you might ask?

Buyer’s Market	>4.0	Drives prices down
Balanced Market	Between 2.4 to 4.0	Prices typically remain stable
Seller’s Market	<2.4	Drives prices up

Current Months of Inventory: If we did not list any more homes this is how many months it would take to deplete inventory.

In August the months of inventory remained fairly flat with the exception of Attached-Row homes which decreased by .56 I see this as a correction as last month this number went up by over 1.0

End of	July 2018	Aug 2018	Change
Detached	4.72	4.78	0.06
Semi Detached	6.07	6.45	0.37
Attached – Row	6.78	6.22	-0.56
Apartment	7.01	6.86	-0.16
Total City	5.46	5.45	-0.01

Calgary Listing Inventory

In August, our inventory decreased in all sectors and overall, the highest decrease was in the Detached home sector. This is totally normal at this time of year and we should expect this trend to continue for the rest of the year.

Inventory	July 2018	Aug 2018	Change
Detached	4578	4433	-145
Semi Detached	911	909	-2
Attached – Row	1187	1113	-74
Apartment	1774	1666	-108
Total Calgary	8450	8121	-329

Calgary Sales:

Sales were down in all categories (except Attached-Row which increased by 4) , This is normal for August as we are moving out of our busy season and people are focused on vacations and outdoor activities and now back to school.

Calgary Sales	July 2018	Aug 2018	Change	% Change
Detached	969	927	-42	-4.33%
Semi Detached	150	141	-9	-6.00%
Attached – Row	175	179	4	2.29%
Apartment	253	243	-10	-3.95%
Total City	1547	1490	-57	-3.68%

Sales Compared to last year: Thought this is a number that deserves a look as the trend is changing. Chart shows this year’s sales as a percentage of last years so yes sales are down but they are down less than at the beginning of the year.

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	June	July	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec
102%	82%	72%	80%	82%	89%	95%	93%			‘

Calgary Real Estate Sales Prices:

As you can see prices in all sectors decreased in August. As we are now in a buyer’s market we should expect prices to decline slightly which is what happened.

Sales Prices	July 2018 Benchmark Price	Aug 2018 Benchmark Price	Change
Detached	501,300	497,000	-4,300
Semi Detached	416,200	411,300	-4,900
Attached – Row	300,300	296,700	-3,600
Apartment	259,700	258,100	-1,600
Total City	435,200	432,000	-3,200

Sales Prices “Year to Date”

Same as monthly number

Sales Prices	Jan 1, 2018 Benchmark Price	Aug 2018 Benchmark Price	Change $	% Change
Detached	499,600	497,000	-2,600	-0.52%
Semi Detached	416,600	411,300	-5,300	-1.27%
Attached – Row	299,500	296,700	-2,800	-0.93%
Apartment	257,700	258,100	400	0.16%
Total City	433,200	432,000	-1,200	-0.28%

**Please note that these numbers include only Calgary homes and do change on a community basis and more so for towns. This report does not include rural properties. If you would like to find stats on your community just let me know. If you have any questions about this summary or about Real Estate in general, please feel free to contact us.

Tags:Calgary Home Prices, Calgary Housing Market, Calgary Housing market Snapshot, calgary real estate prices
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Just Listed 318 River Heights Drive Cochrane

Wednesday, August 29th, 2018

Just listed this awesome home in Riversong.

MLS: C4203419

You Tube Video: https://youtu.be/JSsJBUaQl2g

Just Listed

Stunning Walkout home perfect for the growing family in River Song. This amazing home provides 3397sq . ft of living space and features many builder upgrades including a 500 sq. ft dream ensuite. Jayman built green, Quantum performance energy efficient home. Main is an open plan with 9 ft. ceilings and hardwood, living room with fireplace and a Gourmet Kitchen with high end appliance package including a gas cooktop. Kitchen features an island, pantry,wine fridge, granite and a large eating bar. Large dining area perfect for family dinners. Upstairs you will find 3 bedrooms and bonus room. Master bedroom boasts a 500 sq. ft. – 6 pc. EnSpa. Relax in your Infinity overflow tub with effervescent bubbles while you watch tv. Includes a bar fridge in floor heat and a walk-in closet to die for. Lower is a professionally finished walkout with family room and a bedroom. Your maintenance free yard takes care of itself with Hardy Board, vinyl fencing and synthetic lawn giving you more time to play.

See more information/photos here

Tags:318 River Heights Drive, Cochrane homes, Homes for sale, Just listed Cochrane, Riversong Cochrane
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Four Things You Should Know About Staging

Tuesday, August 28th, 2018

You’ve probably heard about “home staging”. As the name implies, it’s all about arranging each room in your home in a way that will make the best impression on buyers. Here’s what you need to know about staging if you’re thinking of listing your property. 1. Staging can get you a higher price. On average, a fully-staged home tends to sell for 17% more than an unstaged home of the same type in the same local market. Depending on the current market value of your property, doing some staging in your home could put thousands of extra dollars in your pocket, post-sale. 2. It can speed up the sale. A study by the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) showed that fullystaged homes spend an average of 90% less time on the market. So, if you need to sell quickly – without dropping your price – or you just want the comfort of having offers come in sooner, staging will definitely help. 3. You don’t have to go crazy. Completely staging every room in your home is going to give you the full benefits of this strategy. However, you don’t have to go that far. In fact, just implementing a few simple staging techniques to some key rooms can make a big difference. 4. Get professional help or advice. When it comes to home staging, don’t guess at it. Get professional help or advice. As a REALTOR®, I have a lot of expertise in this area and always offer sellers a free Staging Consultation.

Contact me anytime.

Tags:Do I need to stage my home to sell, Home staging, home staging tips
Posted in Blog, Home Sellers, Home Sellers, Home Staging | Comments Closed

Open House Questions Some Buyers Forget to Ask

Tuesday, August 28th, 2018

An Open House is an event. And, like many events, it’s easy to get caught up in all the excitement and energy. In fact, when you visit an Open House, you might even end up rubbing elbows with other buyers who are there at the same time. It can feel like a party! In an environment like that, it’s not unusual to forget to ask important questions about the property.

Here are some of the most common:

• How old is the roof? • How old is the furnace, air conditioner and other HVAC equipment? • How does the price compare to similar properties in the neighbourhood? (You don’t want to make an offer that’s too high.) • What are the characteristics of the neighbourhood? (Amenities, safety, traffic, access to public transit, property turnover, etc.) • What doesn’t come with the home? (Ask specifically about kitchen appliances, gas-connected BBQs, chandeliers, window coverings.) • Are there any potential impediments to the sale? (Tenants, outstanding liens, etc.) • Are there any outstanding maintenance issues, or repairs that need to be done? (For example, cracked ceramics on the foyer floor.) • Are there any issues that impact the full use of the property? (Ask specifically about shared driveways or walkways, public “right of way” through the property, water drainage rights from neighbouring homes, etc.)

• What factors might impact the re-sale of this home.

Yes, an Open House can feel like a frenzy, and if it’s a home you love, you might feel pressured to make an offer. But, it’s important to take the time to ask the right questions and consider your decision carefully. One consideration is do you want to be represented by the same agent that’s representing the seller (but that’s a whole other topic).

You don’t want to find out, too late, that there were questions you should have asked.

Want more tips on finding the home of your dreams? Call today.

Tags:Open house questions, Things to ask at an open house
Posted in Blog, Home Buyers | Comments Closed

Beware of Over-Downsizing or Over-Upsizing

Tuesday, August 21st, 2018

Buying a new pair of shoes is relatively easy. Once you find the style you like, all you need to do is try them on and see if they fit. If they do, you go to the cash register and pay. When it comes to size, buying a new home can be trickier! Whether your intention is to upsize or downsize, figuring out the right size can be especially challenging. Say for example, you’re downsizing from a large two-story home to a smaller bungalow. You don’t want to underestimate the space you need and end up in a place that feels tight. If you’re going the other way and upsizing, you don’t want to end up sinking extra money into a property that’s larger than you really need. So how do you avoid these scenarios? One of the best ways is to start by considering your current home. Do you use all the rooms in your home regularly? Is there a bedroom that’s rarely occupied? Has the recreation room become simply a storage area? If you’re downsizing, subtracting rooms you scarcely use can give you a better idea of what you need in a new home. Upsizing is a bit more challenging because you have to anticipate what you will need in the future. For example, if you have young children, and your place is feeling cramped, then a home with a recreation room or separate family and living rooms may be a good idea. You may also need a bigger kitchen with a spacious eating area (in addition to a separate dining room.) Think about the extra room you’ll need and how you’ll use that space. When I work with a client, I typically sit down with them and discuss the type of home they want in detail — and, based on needs and circumstance, I make expert recommendations. Bottom line, I help clients find the perfect fit in a new home. Contact me if you’d like to learn more.

Tags:Downsizing, Upsizing
Posted in Blog, Home Buyers, Home Sellers, Home Sellers | Comments Closed

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