How to make your home appear larger

May 22nd, 2013

When selling your home or condo in Calgary you want to show off the space your have.  Most of us accumulate  stuff and our living spaces get full.  Make any room bigger by simply taking things out of the room,however finding storage space in the home can be challenging.

These days, we all just seem to have more stuff!

Fortunately, you don’t necessarily need to rent a storage locker or add a new room to your home to fit everything. One of the things I do annually is look around and if I have not used the item in the last year then I ask myself “Do I really still need this?”

There are many innovative ways to increase the capacity of the storage space you’re already using. For example, there are storage bins you can buy that are designed to fit neatly under a bed. Some have wheels, making the bins easy to pull out and access.

You’ve probably seen closet organizers at your local home improvement centre. These can easily double the storage capacity of a closet, while making the space look neater and more organized.

Finally, there are storage units available that are camouflaged as something else, such as an ottoman.

Visit your local Home Depot. There are many more innovative storage solutions available for your home.

If all else fails, renting a storage pod can be an excellent investment when selling your home.

How to Discourage Buyers from Buying Your Home

May 16th, 2013

Selling a home in Calgary is very competitive. If you’re listing your home

for sale, then of course you’ll want to make the best impression possible

for potential home buyers. But, just to have a little fun, say you don’t want

 to sell your property. What could you do to discourage those who view

your home? 

Well, you could have your pets in the home during showings. That will

certainly make it uncomfortable for some buyers – especially those

with pet allergies. 

You could also leave personal items around, such as family pictures

and trophies. That will make it more difficult for a buyer to imagine

himself and his family living there. It might even make him feel a bit

like an intruder! 

Clutter in bedrooms, closets and other areas of the home will make

those spaces feel less spacious than they really are, as well as make

visitors feel uncomfortable. 

If you really want to turn off a buyer, then put off doing any minor

repairs. A dripping tap, torn carpet, flickering lights, dent in the wall,

 or other maintenance issues are certain to gain a buyer’s attention.

 If all that doesn’t shoo away a buyer from your home, then stick

around during a viewing and follow him and his family from room to

room telling them everything you can about your home.  That will

certainly make him feel uneasy.

 Of course, we’re just having a bit of fun here. When you put your

home on the market, you want to sell it!

 It’s easy to avoid all the pitfalls described above and ensure potential

buyers appreciate the full value of your home.

 So when you’re preparing for showings, think of ways you can make

your property appear its best, and make the buyer feel welcomed and

comfortable viewing it.

 

April’s Calgary Real Estate Market Snapshot

April 30th, 2013

Want to know what is really happening in Calgary’s Real Estate Market.  Bottom line Real Estate is all about supply and demand so that is our focus here.  Below you will find a summary of some key Factors  with a few short comments.  In summary the Calgary housing market is very strong.  Sales are strong and our inventory is on the low side making it a Seller’s market.   All numbers below are taken from the Calgary Real Estate Boards Stats Package for Realtors.

Calgary Listing Inventory:  Inventory levels for all categories increased throughout April.  Seeing our inventory increase is very normal at this time of year as many people wait until spring to list their homes.   This trend of increasing inventory should continue for the next few months.        

Inventory 

March 2013  

April   2013   

Change

Single Family Home

2727

2977

+250

Condo    Townhouse  

484

518

+34

Condo    Apartment 

796

871

+75

Total

4007

4366

+359

 Calgary Sales: 

Sales increased in all categories this month.  What is important here is that our sales increased at a higher rate than our inventory putting us into an even stronger sellers market than last month.  What I am seeing is that  good single family homes in the lower price ranges are harder to find and therefore we are seeing more buyers moving into the townhouse market, the condominium market and surrounding towns.  

Sales

March  2013

April  2013  

Change

% Change

Single   Family Home

1480

1611

+131

+8.8%

Condo  Townhouse    

283

341

+58

+20.4%

Condo   Apartment

347

429

+82

+23.6%

Total

2110

2381

+271

+12.84

 Calgary Real Estate Sales Prices:  Please note that we are now using the Benchmark price for this comparison.

In April the benchmark price increased slightly for all categories. This is simply a reflection demand outpacing supply and may continue until the inventory starts to increase faster than sales.   

  

Sales Prices

March  2013

Benchmark Price

April, 2013

 Benchmark Price  

Change

Single   Family Homes

446,500

452,900

+$6,400

Condo   Townhouse  

286,800

288,900

+$2,100

Condo  Apartment    

257,700

261,300

+$3,600

 

Sales Prices  “Year to Date”   

Once again we saw increases in all categories.   

Sales Prices

Dec  31 2012    Benchmark Price 

April 2013

Benchmark Price 

Change

% Change

Single   Family Homes

434,800

452,900

+18,100

+4.2%

Condo   Townhouse  

284,100

288,900

+4,800

+1.7%

Condo  Apartment    

248,700

261,300

+12,600

+5.1%

 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  

March  2013

April  2013  

Change

Single   Family Homes

1.84

1.85

+.01

Condo   Townhouse  

1.71

1.52

– .19

Condo  Apartment    

2.29

2.03

– .26

Total   Calgary

1.90

1.83

– .07

                                                                       

                                                                                Yes, we are in a Sellers Market  

As you can see above we are in a Seller’s market for all categories and it is getting stronger in favour of sellers. 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 share.

Gord, Eric & Brent

1340 Lake Michigan Crescent SE Calgary

April 4th, 2013

We are pleased to present 1340 Lake Michigan Crescent SE.    Totally renovated 2 story home in Lake Bonavista Downs. 

Check out the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Vmc95XH7lw 

We are going to do an open house Saturday April 6 from 2 to 5 

Stop by and say hi!

Gord

Calgary’s March Real Estate Market Snapshot

April 1st, 2013

Below is a short summary of what is really happening in the Calgary Real Estate Market.  It cuts through all the extra and provides key information on supply and demand which is what drives prices.  For each area I have also included a few comments.    All numbers are taken from the Calgary Real Estate Boards Stats package for Realtors.  In summary the Calgary housing market is starting off 2013 with very strong sales and our inventory is on the low side putting us in a Seller’s market.    

Calgary Listing Inventory:  Inventory levels for all categories increased throughout March.  Seeing our inventory increase is very normal at this time of year as many people wait until spring to list their homes.   This trend of increasing inventory should continue for the next few months.        

Inventory 

February  2013    

March   2013   

Change

Single Family Home

2408

2727

+13.2%

Condo    Townhouse  

427

484

+13.3%

Condo    Apartment 

704

796

+13.1%

Total

3539

4007

+13.2%

 Calgary Sales: 

Sales increased in all categories this month.  The trend seems that buyers are coming to the market a little earlier every year.  I am also finding that good single family homes in the lower price ranges are harder to find and therefore we are seeing more buyers moving into the condominium market.            

Sales

Feb  2013

March 2013  

Change

% Change

Single   Family Home

1209

1480

+271

+22.4%

Condo  Townhouse    

223

283

+60

+25.6%

Condo   Apartment

279

347

+60

+24.4%

Total

1711

2110

+399

+23.3%

 

Calgary Real Estate Sales Prices:  Please note that we are now using the Benchmark price for this comparison.

In March the benchmark price increased slightly for all categories. This is simply a reflection of  demand outpacing supply and may continue until the inventory starts to increase faster than sales.   

 

Sales Prices

Feb  2013

Benchmark Price

March, 2013

 Benchmark Price  

Change

Single   Family Homes

442,500

446,500

+4,000

Condo   Townhouse  

283,000

286,800

+3,800

Condo  Apartment    

252,900

257,700

+4,800

 

Sales Prices  “Year to Date”  

Once again we saw increases in all categories.   

Sales Prices

Dec  31 2012    Benchmark Price 

March 2013

Benchmark Price 

Change

% Change

Single   Family Homes

434,800

446,500

+11,700

+2.7%

Condo   Townhouse  

284,100

286,800

+2,700

+.95%

Condo  Apartment    

248,700

257,700

+9,000

+3.62%

  

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

                                    Below 3.0 indicates a Seller’s Market

                                    Between 2.8 to 4.0 indicates a Balanced Market

                                    Above 4.0 indicates a Buyer’s Market.

Absorption Rate  

Feb  2013

March  2013  

Change

Single   Family Homes

1.99

1.84

-.15

Condo   Townhouse  

1.91

1.71

-.2

Condo  Apartment    

2.52

2.29

-.23

Total   Calgary

2.07

1.90

-.17

                                                                       

                                                                                = “ Seller’s Market”

As you can see above we are in a Seller’s market for all categories and it is getting stronger in favour of sellers. 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

Calgary’s February Real Estate Market Snapshot

March 4th, 2013

Here is a summary of some key areas with a few short comments.  In summary the Calgary housing market is starting off 2013 with very strong sales and our inventory is on the low side making it a Seller’s market.    All numbers are taken from the Calgary Real Estate Boards stats package for Realtors.

Calgary Listing Inventory:  Inventory levels for all categories increased throughout February.   Seeing our inventory increase is very normal at this time of year as many people wait until spring to list their homes.   This trend of increasing inventory should continue for the next few months.        

Inventory 

January 2013  

February  2013   

Change

Single Family Home

2075

2408

+333

Condo    Townhouse  

369

427

+58

Condo    Apartment 

640

704

+64

Total

3084

3539

+455

 Calgary Sales: 

Sales increased in all categories this month.  Although the increase seems extremely high it is comparable to what happened last year. The trend seems that buyers are coming to the market a little earlier every year.  It also seems to me that as good single family homes in the lower price ranges are harder to find we are seeing more buyers moving into the condominium market.            

Sales

Jan  2013

Feb 2013  

Change

% Change

Single   Family Home

879

1209

+330

38%

Condo  Townhouse    

147

223

+76

52%

Condo   Apartment

204

279

+75

37%

Total

1230

1711

+481

39%

Calgary Real Estate Sales Prices:  Please note that we are now using the Benchmark price for this comparison.

In February the benchmark price increased slightly for single family homes and apartment condos and decreased slightly for townhouses.    

 

Sales Prices

Jan 2013

Benchmark Price

Feb 28, 2013

 Benchmark Price  

Change

Single   Family Homes

436,900

442,500

+1%

Condo   Townhouse  

283,400

283,000

Condo  Apartment    

251,300

252,900

+1%

  

Sales Prices  “Year to Date”   Same as above for  this month

Once again we saw increases in Single Family homes and Apartment Condos and a slight decrease in Townhouses. 

Sales Prices

Dec  31 2012    Benchmark Price 

Feb 2013

Benchmark Price 

Change

% Change

Single   Family Homes

434,800

442500

+7,700

+2%

Condo   Townhouse  

284,100

283,000

(1,100)

Condo  Apartment    

248,700

252,900

+4,200

+2%

 

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

Below 3.0 indicates a Seller’s Market

Between 3.0 to 4.0 indicates a Balanced Market

Above 4.0 indicates a Buyer’s Market.

Absorption Rate  

Jan 2013

Feb 2013  

Change

Single   Family Homes

2.36

1.99

-.37

Condo   Townhouse  

2.51

1.91

-.60

Condo  Apartment    

3.14

2.52

-.72

Total   Calgary

2.51

2.07

-.44

 As you can see above we are in a Seller’s market for all categories and it is getting stronger in favour of sellers. 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 it on. 

Gord, Eric & Brent

Calgary Home and Garden Show 2013

February 27th, 2013

If you are looking for ideas on how to refresh your current home or your simply visiting the Calgary Home and Garden Show (Thurs Feb 28 thru Sunday March 3) be sure to visit us at our booth for a chance to win an IPad 4.  

Our dedicated team will be there to answer all your real estate questions and share some great insight and information on the Calgary Big variety of slots from the most reputable online casino software providers are waiting for you to spend some time playing their hits. Real Estate market. 

 
 Friday is family day so bring the kids by our booth to enjoy balloon animals and glitter tattoos from 1:00pm to 7:00pm.  We look forward to seeing you at our booth at Hall E booth 1646 – four rows up from the main stage. 
 
CIR Realty
 

Public consultation on Condominium Property Act – get involved

February 17th, 2013

The Government of Alberta  (Service Alberta) is taking steps to strengthen condominium legislation to address the current needs of condominium corporations, unit owners, and developers; and raise standards in Alberta”s condominium industry.   The Alberta Government is currently consulting with industry stakeholders and the public on changes to the Condominium Property Act. 

If you are a Condominium Owner, developer or involved in the industry I urge you to complete the survey and make your opinion count.  Below is an article from the Service Alberta Website with the links to participate.

Let”s Talk Condos: A Message From The Minister

The Government of Alberta is taking steps to strengthen condominium legislation to address the current needs of condominium corporations, unit owners, and developers; and raise standards in Alberta”s condominium industry.

I encourage you to participate in our consultation and have your say on the future of condominium legislation in Alberta.

The deadline for responding to the consultation paper is April 2, 2013. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

The Honourable Manmeet S. Bhullar
Minister of Service Alberta

 

Consultation Overview

The consultation paper covers a range of condominium issues and outlines legislative proposals and options aimed at resolving these issues.  Your opinions will help us measure support for the choices being considered and assist the ministry in developing recommendations for legislative changes.  

The following key topics are included in the paper:

  • Consumer protection for buyers;
  • Insurance requirements for the corporation and unit owners;
  • Repairs to unit property following damages;
  • Access to corporation records;
  • Dispute resolution;
  • Board governance; and
  • Knowledge, competencies and standards of practice for condominium managers.

Background

Since the Act was last amended in 2000, the condominium industry has steadily grown and evolved, as more and more home-buyers choose to live and invest in condominiums. Growth in the number, variety and complexity of condominium developments, in conjunction with new industry trends and issues prompted Service Alberta to open the Condominium Property Act (the Act) and Regulation for review.

A committee of condominium owners, developers, lawyers, condominium managers, real estate representatives and other stakeholders was struck to assist the ministry with For loan calculators, the annual percentage rate (APR), is the cost of free-credits-report.com over the term of the loan expressed as an annual rate. the review.

The committee concluded that the Act is generally working well; however, members identified a number of issues for examination, in addition to identifying parts of the Act that should be made clearer and easier to understand.  Letters, phone calls and emails from stakeholders indicate a need to strike a better balance between the rights and responsibilities of developers, boards and unit owners and to consider new rules aimed at improving the day-to-day operation of condominium corporations.

Condominium construction and warranty

Municipal Affairs”  increases the maximum fines for violations of the Safety Codes Act, extends the limitation period for prosecution of offences under the Act, and makes home warranties mandatory for new homes to improve construction quality and strengthen consumer protection.

Quick Facts

  • There are nearly 8,000 condominium corporations in Alberta, representing hundreds of thousands of residents.
  • Nearly 20 per cent of homes sold in the province through the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) in the last year were condominiums.
  • Nearly one in every three homes sold in Edmonton and Calgary through MLS in the last year were condominiums.

Links:

Please note: If you are unable to access the consultation paper online, a paper copy can be mailed to you by phoning 1-877-427-4088 toll-free in Alberta.

Calgary’s January 2013 Real Estate Market Snapshot

February 3rd, 2013

In an effort to keep you informed about what is really happening in the Calgary Real Estate Market you will find a summary of some key areas with a few short comments.  In summary the Calgary housing market is starting off 2013 on a positive note.   All numbers below are from the Calgary Real Estate Board’s Monthly Stats package for Realtors.

Calgary Listing Inventory:  Inventory levels for all categories increased throughout January.  Seeing our inventory increase is very normal at this time of year as many people wait until the New Year instead of listing over the holidays.  This trend of increasing inventory should continue for the next few months.        

Inventory 

December  2012    

January 2013   

Change

Single Family Home

1859

2075

+216

Condo    Townhouse  

310

369

+41

Condo    Apartment 

553

640

+87

Total

2722

3084

+362

 

Calgary Sales:  Sales increased in all categories this month with except apartment condos.  This is a very normal trend as people were focused on Christmas in December and put off their home buying until the New Year.  The key here is that although sales increased 13.6% the number of listings on the market also increased by 13.3%  leaving us in roughly the same market position.          

Sales

Dec   2012

Jan 2013  

Change

% Change

Single   Family Home

745

879

+134

+18.0%

Condo  Townhouse    

119

147

+28

+23.5%

Condo   Apartment

219

204

-15

-6.9%

Total

1083

1230

+147

+13.6

 

Calgary Real Estate Sales Prices:  Please note that we are now using the Benchmark price for this comparison.  As the chart below demonstrates the benchmark price increased slightly for single family homes and apartment condos and decreased slightly for townhouses.    

 

Sales Prices

Dec  2012

Benchmark Price

Jan 2013

 Benchmark Price  

Change

Single   Family Homes

434,800

436,900

+2,100

Condo   Townhouse  

284,100

283,400

(700)

Condo  Apartment    

248,700

251,300

+2,600

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

Below 3.0 indicates a Seller’s Market

Between 3.0 to 4.0 indicates a Balanced Market

Above 4.0 indicates a Buyer’s Market.

Absorption Rate  

Dec 2012

Jan 2013  

Change

Single   Family Homes

2.50

2.36

(.14)

Condo   Townhouse  

2.61

2.51

(.1)

Condo  Apartment    

2.53

3.14

+.61

Total   Calgary

2.51

2.51

=

 

As you can see above we are in a Seller’s market for all categories except apartment condos. 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 please contact me.  If you are thinking of Selling the first half of the year might be best as I expect our inventory to substantially increase by mid-year.

If you have any questions about this summary or any Real Estate questions please feel free to contact us.  

If you know anyone else who might enjoy seeing our monthly summary please pass it on.  

Gord

110 Somerset Close SW

January 25th, 2013

Just listed a great family home in Somerset.  This home backs onto a pathway that leads to Somerset school and parks.  To view click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuV16qMvV78