Archive for the ‘Blog’ Category

1201 Millrise Point SW Calgary Alberta T2Y 3W4

Thursday, March 20th, 2014

New listing. Beautiful, bright and open best describes this Condo.  This corner unit two bedroom, two bath condo is in excellent condition and has recently seen upgrades including quality laminate flooring, light fixtures, stainless steel appliances and window coverings.  Ideally located this second floor unit has no other units above.  Upon entry you will enjoy the spacious layout, functional kitchen, lots of windows that provide natural light and your fireplace.  Enjoy your morning coffee on the large south facing deck.  Master bedroom features a 4 piece ensuite.  Insuite laundry. Titled parking stall is #70.  Quiet 45+ adult building. Small pets allowed with approval.  Complex located a short walk to LRT Station.  heck out our video tour at

http://youtu.be/7c1zPelU1uE

010 - Open2view ID4130 - 1201_1000 Millrise Point SW002 - Open2view ID4130 - 1201_1000 Millrise Point SW

27 Cimarron Vista Circle Okotoks Ab. T1S 0B1

Wednesday, March 19th, 2014

Pride of ownership shows in the beautiful open concept Trico family home on a large lot.  Many builder upgrades including 9 foot ceilings and an expanded dining nook.  Main floor features Great room with fireplace, separate den, Kitchen with pantry, large island with eating bar. Dining nook is larger than most and features a patio door so you can enjoy your morning coffee on your deck.  Upstairs you will find the large master bedroom with a walk in closet and a 5 piece ensuite complete with heated floors.  Two additional bedrooms and a Jack & Jill bath.  Upstairs also boasts a large Bonus room and laundry.  Down is fully developed with Rec room, family room, large bedroom and Alle spilleautomatene hos Maxino blir levert av spillutviklerne Net Entertainment og Microgaming. a full bath. Home features central vacuum and a sound system built in.  Large pie lot with space and accessibility to add RV parking. Check out our video tour at http://youtu.be/cVnDHHsqGiw  MLS Listing C3605354

 

002 - Open2view ID4099 - 27 Cimarron Vista Circle009 - Open2view ID4099 - 27 Cimarron Vista Circle21a

558 Saddlecreek Way NE Calgary Ab. T3J 4R8

Tuesday, March 18th, 2014

Awesome new listing.

Beautiful family home backing onto the pond/reserve.  Home features many upgrades with built-ins throughout.  Open entrance leading to living room with fireplace.  Kitchen features stainless appliances, gas stove and a large island.  Dining room features more built in cabinetry and a patio door leading to your deck. Grab your morning coffee and enjoy panoramic views of the pond.  Upstairs you will find the stunning master retreat with 9 foot ceilings, 5 piece ensuite and walk in closet. Finish off the upstairs with two additional bedrooms and a space for your office. Downstairs is fully developed with a large rec room casino bonus and full bath.  Yard features dog run and pond. Nice location with unique views, close to ring road and shopping at Saddletowne.   Click here for our video tour http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJDl-W6QzQA&feature=youtu.be  MLS number C3605171

 

013 - Open2view ID4124 - 558 Saddle Creek Way NE 008 - Open2view ID4124 - 558 Saddle Creek Way NE 002 - Open2view ID4124 - 558 Saddle Creek Way NE 001 - Open2view ID4124 - 558 Saddle Creek Way NE

4731 60th Street NE, Calgary, Alberta T1Y 5B8

Wednesday, March 12th, 2014

Extremely well maintained bilevel, features front and rear decks, double garage & backs onto park.  Living room has a large bay window, kitchen is spacious with plenty of cabinets & has stainless steel stove.  Dining room has patio doors that open up to the front wrap-around balcony.  Large master bedroom has 3 piece en suite and access to the rear deck.  Complete the upstairs with second bedroom and main floor laundry.  Downstairs features bedroom, family room, hobby room and bath.  Home features newer furnace and air conditioning.  Located on a quiet street, close to schools and shopping. Check out the full video at http://youtu.be/iOi-qB3JIqE

Mls # C3604224

001 - Open2view ID4106 - 4731 60 Street NE 018 - Open2view ID4106 - 4731 60 Street NE

Calgary Real Estate Market Snapshot March 2014

Sunday, March 2nd, 2014

Want to know what’s really happening in the Calgary Real Estate Market.  The market is driven by supply and demand so here we show the inventory (supply) and sales (demand) and the effect on the price of Calgary Real Estate.   A simple way to keep up to date on the Market.  The Calgary housing market is still entrenched is a Sellers Market with very little supply and strong demand.   This month sales increased by 28.75% and our inventory only increased by 14.6%.

Below are the details along with a few comments, all numbers were taken  from the Calgary Real Estate Boards Stats package for Realtors.

Below is a summary of some key areas with a few short comments.

Want to see stats specific to your Community?  Register for our Market Report at http://www.calgaryareasolds.com/

Calgary Listing Inventory:  Inventory levels increased this month in all categories. This is very normal for this time of year.  There is still a shortage of homes on the market and the good ones are selling very fast.  We are seeing competing offers daily now and sellers getting  5 or more offers is common.

Inventory 

January   2014   

February   2014   

Change

Single Family Home

1671

1894

+223

Condo  Townhouse

277

324

+47

Condo  Apartment

577

677

+100

Total

2525

2895

+370

l

Calgary Sales: 

Sales in February increased in every category over last month which is to be expected at this time of year.  I believe that as we get more listings on the market sales will continue to rise as there is a pent up demand.

Sales

January   2014   

February   2014   

Change  

%   Change

Single Family Home

974

1230

+256

+26.2%

Condo  Townhouse

206

265

+59

+28.6%

Condo Apartment

260

359

+99

+38.1%

Total

1,440

1854

+414

+28.75%

  

Calgary Real Estate Sales Prices:  

In February, the benchmark price increased for all categories.  Watch prices continue to rise until the inventory starts to rise.

 

Sales Prices

January 2014      Benchmark Price

February 2014       Benchmark Price  

Change  

Single Family Homes

476,700

482,800

+$6,100

Condo Townhouse

308,100

309,700

+$1,600

Condo  Apartment

280,600

283,400

+$2,800

  

Sales Prices “Year to Date”   

Year to date prices – same as above have increased in all categories.  Good news if you are a homeowner and not so good news for those wanting to get into the market.

Sales Prices Dec  31 2013  Benchmark Price 

February 2014      Benchmark Price 

Change

$  

%   Change

Single Family Homes

472,200

482,800

+10,600

+2.2%

Condo Townhouse

307,100

309,700

+2,600

+.85%

Condo  Apartment

278,600

283,400

+4,800

+1.7%

  

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

Buyer’s Market

>4.0

Balanced Market

Between 2.8 to 4.0

Seller’s Market

<2.8

 

Absorption Rate:   The numbers are still going down which is putting us in more of a seller’s market position and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.  In February our inventory increased by 14.6% and our sales increased by 28.5% making it even a stronger market for sellers.  As mentioned above competing offers are happening all over.

Absorption Rate  

January 2014     

February 2014     

Change  

Single Family Homes

1.71

1.54

-.17

Condo Townhouse

1.34

1.22

-.12

Condo  Apartment

2.21

1.88

-.33

Total Calgary

1.75

1.56

-.19

**Please note that these numbers do change on a community basis and more so for towns.  If you would like to find stats on your community just let me know.  If you have any questions about this summary, the attached stats package or any Real Estate questions please feel free to contact us.

 

If you know anyone else who might enjoy seeing our monthly summary please feel free to pass this on. Gord, Eric & Brent

Five Baby Proofing Basics for Your Home

Tuesday, February 4th, 2014

CABINETS Babies can get into danger by exploring cabinets, especially those in the kitchen and bathroom. Move all potentially poisonous substances and sharp objects into locked cabinets. Better yet, purchase childproof safety latches for all the cabinets in your home-regardless of what they contain.

ELECTRICAL OUTLETS Babies can get a shock by sticking their fingers or objects into plug outlets. Unless outlets are behind heavy furniture or up high and inaccessible to your little one, close them off with safety plugs or with safety covers that snap shut when the outlet is not in use.

CRIBS As soon as your baby starts trying to pull himself up, move the crib mattress to its lowest position and remove all objects (including mobiles, crib toys) that he could climb up on to get out of the crib.

DRAPERY & BLIND CORDS These pose a strangulation hazard, since babies can become entangled in them. Tie them up and out of your baby’s reach.

FURNITURE Unstable wall units, dressers, bookcases, or tables can topple over on babies who try to climb up on them. Have wobbly furniture repaired, or bolt questionable pieces to the wall.

Calgary Real Estate Market snapshop updated Feb 3, 2014

Monday, February 3rd, 2014

Want to know what’s really happening in the Calgary Real Estate Market.  The market is driven by supply and demand so here we show the inventory (supply) and sales (demand) and the effect on the price of Calgary Real Estate.   A simple way to keep up to date on the Market.  The Calgary housing market is still entrenched is a Sellers Market with limited supply and strong sales and I do not see that changing anytime soon.

Below are the details along with a few comments, all numbers were taken  from the Calgary Real Estate Boards Stats package for Realtors.

Below is a summary of some key areas with a few short comments.  The Calgary housing market started off the year on a strong note with sales 11.1% higher than in January 2013.  We are still in a very strong seller’s market position.

Calgary Listing Inventory:  Inventory levels increased slightly this month which is very normal for this time of year as the holidays are behind us.  There is still a shortage of homes on the market and the good ones are selling very fast.

Inventory 

December   2013  

January   2014   

Change

Single Family Home

1515

1671

+156

Condo  Townhouse

242

277

+35

Condo  Apartment

479

577

+98

Total

2236

2525

+289

 

Calgary Sales: 

Sales in January increased in every category over last month which is to be expected at this time of year.  It is also important to note that sales in January were 17% higher than sales in January  2013.  I believe that as we get more listings on the market sales will continue to rise as there is a pent up demand.

Sales

December   2013 

January   2014   

Change  

%   Change

Single Family Home

744

974

+230

+31.0%

Condo  Townhouse

179

206

+27

+15.0%

Condo Apartment

221

260

+29

+18.0%

Total

1144

1,440

+296

+26%

  

Calgary Real Estate Sales Prices:  

In January, the benchmark price increased for all categories except.  As long as our ratio of sales to listings remains the same this upward trend will continue.

Sales Prices

December 2013

Benchmark Price

January 2014

 Benchmark   Price  

Change  

Single Family Homes

472,200

476,700

+$4,500

Condo Townhouse

307,100

308,100

+$1,000

Condo  Apartment

278,600

280,600

+$2,000

  

Sales Prices “Year to Date”   

Year to date prices – same as above have increased in all categories.  Good news if you are a homeowner and not so good news for those wanting to get into the market.

Sales Prices Dec  31 2013  Benchmark Price 

January 2014 Benchmark Price 

Change

$  

%   Change

Single Family Homes

472,200

476,700

+$4,500

+1%

Condo Townhouse

307,100

308,100

+$1,000

Condo  Apartment

278,600

280,600

+$2,000

+1%

  

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

Buyer’s Market

>4.0

Balanced Market

Between 2.8 to 4.0

Seller’s Market

<2.8

 

Absorption Rate:   The numbers are still going down which is putting us in more of a seller’s market position and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.  In the starter home price range we are still seeing lots of competing offers.

Absorption Rate  

December 2013   

January 2014  

Change  

Single Family Homes

2.03

1.71

-.32

Condo Townhouse

1.35

1.34

-.1

Condo  Apartment

2.17

2.21

+.04

Total Calgary

1.96

1.75

-.21

**Please note that these numbers do change on a community basis and more so for towns.  If you would like to find stats on your community just let me know.  If you have any questions about this summary, the attached stats package or any Real Estate questions please feel free to contact us.

 

Please feel free to pass this on. Gord, Eric & Brent

 

Calgary Real Estate Market Snapshot updated Jan 2014

Wednesday, January 1st, 2014

Want to know what’s really happening in the Calgary Real Estate Market.  The market is driven by supply and demand so here we show the inventory (supply) and sales (demand) and the effect on the price of Calgary Real Estate.   A simple way to keep up to date on the Market.  The Calgary housing market is still entrenched is a Sellers Market with limited supply and strong sales and I do not see that changing anytime soon.

Below are the details along with a few comments, all numbers were taken  from the Calgary Real Estate Boards Stats package for Realtors.

Calgary Listing Inventory:  Inventory levels for all categories dropped substantially this last month.  This is simply a seasonal adjustment that happens every year. In the next few days listings will start to hit the market bringing these numbers right back up.

Inventory 

November  2013    

December   2013   

Change

Single Family Home

2171

1515

-656

Condo  Townhouse

380

242

-138

Condo  Apartment

605

479

-126

Total

3156

2236

-920

 

Calgary Sales: 

Sales in December declined in all categories and again this is very normal for the month of December. Considering the weather I think we faired well.  It is also important to note that sales in December were 8.3% higher than in December 2012.  I am very confident that January’s numbers will be much higher.

Sales

November   2013 

December   2013  

Change  

%   Change

Single Family Home

1006

744

-262

-26.0

Condo  Townhouse

228

179

-49

-21.5

Condo Apartment

305

221

-84

-27.5

Total

1539

1144

-395

-25.6

 

 Calgary Real Estate Sales Prices:  

In December, the benchmark price increased for all categories except apartment Condos which saw a small decrease.  As long as our ratio of sales to listings remains the same this upward trend will continue.

 

Sales Prices

November 2013

Benchmark Price

December 2013

 Benchmark   Price  

Change  

Single Family Homes

470,600

472,200

+$1,600

Condo Townhouse

305,700

307,100

+$1,400

Condo  Apartment

279,600

278,600

-$1,000

 

Sales Prices “Year to Date”   

Year to date prices have increased in all categories.  Good news if you are a homeowner and not so good news for those wanting to get into the market.

Sales Prices Dec  31 2012  Benchmark Price 

Dec 31. 2013

Benchmark Price   

Change

$  

%   Change

Single Family Homes

434,800

472,200

+37,400

+8.6%

Condo Townhouse

284,100

307,100

+23,000

+8.1%

Condo  Apartment

248,700

278,600

+29,900

+12.0%

 

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

Buyer’s Market

>4.0

Balanced Market

Between 2.8 to 4.0

Seller’s Market

<2.8

 

Absorption Rate:   This doesn’t tell us much this month as December is a funny month where lots of people take their home off the market for the holidays and then relist in Jan.   We are still in a strong seller’s market position and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.  In the starter home price range we are still seeing lots of competing offers.

Absorption Rate  

November 2013   

December 2013  

Change  

Single Family Homes

2.15

2.03

-.12

Condo Townhouse

1.67

1.35

-.32

Condo  Apartment

1.98

2.17

+.19

Total Calgary

2.05

1.96

-.09

**Please note that these numbers do change on a community basis and more so for towns.  If you would like to find stats on your community just let me know.  If you have any questions about this summary, the attached stats package or any Real Estate questions please feel free to contact us.

 

If you know anyone else who might enjoy seeing our monthly summary please feel free to pass this on. Gord, Eric, Brent & Jason

Work with neighbours to prevent break-ins – Stay safe this Christmas

Saturday, December 14th, 2013

Christmas time offers an opportunity for some nice gifts for the wrong people.  There are few things more traumatic than a home burglary. That’s why it makes sense to invest in good locks and, if necessary, a good alarm system.

There are also ways to work with your neighbor’s to prevent these crimes from occurring. In fact, police say that watchful eyes are one of the best ways to deter burglars on the prowl.

Police recommend that you know the names of all the neighbor’s adjacent to your property. Get in the habit of watching each other’s homes. Stay alert to cars and people lingering around that don’t seem to belong.

Another strategy is to set up a community Facebook page. That way, when someone sees something suspicious in the neighborhood, they can immediately notify everyone by posting a Facebook message.

Finally, don’t be a stranger. It has been proven that the better neighbor’s know one another, the lower the crime rate is in the area.

Happy Holliday’s

How a Home Inspection Helps You

Tuesday, December 10th, 2013

How a Home Inspection Helps You

Whether you’re considering buying a particular home, selling your current property – or both – a home inspection can help.

 

A home inspection is an inspection by a qualified professional who takes a close look at every aspect of a home – structure, wiring, plumbing, and more – and identifies issues you may not have noticed yourself. For example, a home inspection can reveal that a furnace will need to be replaced soon, or that there is a water leak into the basement that needs to be fixed.

You’ll definitely want to get a professional home inspection before you buy a particular property. That’s why almost 100% of offers to purchase a home are conditional upon passing a home inspection. (The last thing you want is to buy your dream home only to discover that the wiring needs to be updated!)

Some Sellers like to get a home inspection on their own home before listing it for sale.  This helps to identify issues a potential buyer may find so that you don’t lose out on any potential buyers.  This is done more when it is a Buyers market and right now in Calgary that is not the case – we are very much in a sellers market.

Many reputable home inspectors are members of a professional industry association.

• Canada Association of Home & Property Inspectors. (http://www.cahpi.ca)

• Professional Home and Property Inspectors of Canada. (http://www.phpic.ca)

• National Home Inspectors Certification Council. (http://www.nationalhomeinspector.org)

In my opinion it is not just important to find a licensed home inspector but to find someone with a construction or building background.

It’s important to note that licensing is now a requirement in Calgary and Alberta wide.  So select a home inspector carefully.

Need to find a reputable home inspector? Call today.