New Year’s Resolution: Remodel the Bathroom?

February 1st, 2011

It’s no secret that bathrooms are a popular room to remodel—because of outdated features, different decorating taste from the previous owners or simply normal wear and tear on a very functional room of your home. If the New Year has you thinking about remodeling a bathroom, here are a few things to consider:

  • Timely or Timeless Style – Before you remodel, picture what it will look like in a couple years when you sell your home. Will you still enjoy that trendy sink? Make sure future buyers will, too. Otherwise they’ll factor in the cost of their own Joueur de casino internet en ligne et blogger. remodel when making an offer.
  • Costs—Good News – Right now many contractors are eager for work, and prices are lower for their materials and labor, so now may be an ideal time to make your bathroom more livable.
  • Resale Value – You may have heard during the housing boom that bath remodels add value to your home. These days you can recoup about 64% of the costs of a minor bathroom remodel, according to Remodeling magazine’s “2010-11 Cost vs. Value Report.” If your bathroom is especially in need of updates, you may recapture more.
  • Too Much? Think Small – If you’re not ready for a full remodel, then a fresh coat of paint, new towels and a pretty framed print can do wonders to update your bathroom—and give you a new look for 2011.

Remember: you and your family are the ones using your bathroom on a daily basis, so think about whether it makes you feel good when you brush your teeth every morning.

If you’d like more information about how a remodel can affect the value of your home, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

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Calgary Real Estate Board 2011 Market Forecast

January 24th, 2011

The Calgary Real Estate Board has released their market forecast for 2011.  Below I have highlighted some key areas you may find of interest.

MLS RE-SALE HOMES

MLS RE-SALE HOMES 2009 2010 2011 Forecast Change Forecaster
Single Family Sales 14,400 12,095 14,500 19.9% CREB
Single Family Listings 22,459 25,709 25,000 -1.6% CREB
Single Family Average Price $442,327 $461,144 $480,000 4.1% CREB
Condo Sales 6,328 5,181 6,000 15.8% CREB
Condo Listings 10,323 11,423 10,000 -12.5% CREB
Condo Average Price $283,734 $289,697 $295,900 1.8% CREB
Town sales 3,943 3,525 4,000 13.5% CREB
Town Listings 8502 8828 9,000 2.0% CREB
Town Average Price $352,704 $359,327 $368,500 2.6% CREB

 

New Homes

New Homes 2009 2010 2011 Forecast Change Forecaster
Starts – Single Family 4,200 5,600 6,000 7% CREB
Starts – Multi Family  1,350 3,600 4,000 11% CREB

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Economic Indicators 2009 2010 2011 Forecast Change Forecaster
GDP -2.8% 2.7% 4.15 1.4% Govt of Alberta
Calgary Net Migration 12,920 -4,154 10,000 340% CREB
1 Year Mortgage Rate 4.05% 3.83% 3.5% -.33% CMHC
5 Year Mortgage Rate 5.5% 5.75% 5.75% 0 CMHC
Oil Price (USD) $60/BBl $79.BBL $90/BBL 13.9% Govt of Alberta
Gas Price (USD) $3.75/NMBTU $4.00/NMBTU $6.00/NMBTU 50% Govt of Alberta
Calgary Employment Growth -1.4% 1.3% 2.0% .7% City of Calgary

 

The entire package with detailed explainations is availiable at CREB FORECAST. COM

If you have specific questions about this report or about the Market today please contact me directly.

Brought to you by Gord Piper and Associates.

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Jan 17, 2010 Government of Canada Mortgage Changes

January 16th, 2011

The Government of Canada announced today that it is changing some of the rules for obtaining a mortgage.  

Personally I find it very interesting as last week there were a few rumors and all of a sudden its reality.

Changes include:

  1. Maximun amortizations will be reduced from 35 years to 30 years.
  2. Maximum loan to value for refinances will be reduced from 90% to 85% – March 18, 2011
  3. The Government will no longer offer insurance for lines of credit – April 18, 2011.

In my opinion the changes will not have a dramatic effect on Real Estate and will only affect mortgages with a loan to value of greater than 80%.

What this Means for an average mortgage.

  35 Year Amortization 30 Year amortization
Mortgage $350,000 $350,000
Interest Rate 4.3% 4.3%
Monthly Payment $1605.19 $1724.24

* For a  mortgage of $350,000 at 4.3% it will increase the monthly payment by $119.05 and will have your mortgage paid off 5 years sooner.

Brought to you by Gord Piper and Associates.  For more information please feel free to contact us.

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10 things to do before putting your house up for sale

January 16th, 2011

Properly preparing your home for sale can increase its value dramatically and can reduce the amount of time it take to sell your home.   Homebuyers judge your home the minute they walk in and if you don’t catch their interest in the first 10 seconds you probably won’t.   Following are 10 things you can do to make sure you sell your home quickly for top dollar.  

Gord’s Top 10

  1. Keep it Clean:  Is every room neat, spotlessly clean and dusted.
  2. Lose the Clutter:  Have a yard sale, donate or simply start packing.  The less items in your house the larger your house will appear.  You are going to pack when you move anyway so why not start now.
  3. Create the Illusion of space:  Once you have de-cluttered it’s time to re-organize.   Ensure none of your furniture is blocking doorways. Is there excess furniture that can be stored while your home is for sale.  In home staging less is more!
  4. De-Personalize your home:  Make your home “anonymous’ so so that buyers can envision it as their home. 
  5. Freshen it up:  Are there low cost items that can be replaced to give it a fresh look?  In many cases the best investment is some paint!
  6. Make a Good First Impression:  Walking into a home with fingerprints on the door, clutter in the entranceway etc. can influence a potential homebuyer`s decision. 
  7. Enhance Curb Appeal:  Paint or wash the outside of your home, keep your lawn trimmed and flowerbeds weeded.  Clear the driveway of toys and or trash.
  8. Make modern Choices:  make sure that the decor of your home is modern and tasteful.  Replace dated furniture, wall coverings and window coverings. 
  9. Relocate the Pets:  Take your pets with you when your house is being shown.  Make sure your house is odor free and spotless and that pet toys are put away.
  10. Beautify the backyard:  Buyers will typically go out into the back yard so this area should also be in top shape.  Keep the lawn, hedges and flowerbeds manicured. Try to create an entertaining area with patio furniture.

The Ultimate test to see if you are ready.

 Go outside to your street and transform yourself info a Buyer for  10 minutes – walk up to and enter the home – then walk through your home looking from an outsiders perspective – is anything out-of-place, anything appear broken – this gives you a new perspective as you routinely come home and things just blend in after a while. Look at your home from a buyer`s perspective as buyers certainly will.

These tips brought to you by Gord Piper and Associates.  For more information on how to stage your home and get top dollar for your investment please contact us.

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Getting married? Calgary Wedding Fair/Bridal Fair 2011 is a must attend!

January 5th, 2011

Gord Piper and Associates will have an exhibitor booth at the 2011 Calgary Wedding Fair.  If you”re attending please drop by booth #14 and say hi.  Enter to win Air Miles and more.

 

Calgary Show Information

Calgary”s largest and longest running Bridal Fair® !

 The Wedding Fair is the most popular bridal show in Alberta.

 Sunday, January 23, 2011
BMO Centre – Stampede Park
Exhibition Hall open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Fashion Shows at 11:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m. & 4:00 p.m.

Attending Calgary Bridal Fair/Wedding Fair will help ease some of the pressure of planning a beautiful wedding by allowing you to compare, taste, touch and see what Calgary and areas top wedding specialists have to offer – all in one convenient location.  Calgary Bridal Fair/Wedding Fair brings you the latest trends and gives you the opportunity of connecting with the service providers you need to create your special day. You will also experience a professionally choreographed fashion show displaying the latest  wedding fashions.  Bring your girlfriends, mom, and even your fiancé and enjoy the day.  Each bride will receive a complimentary copy of Calgary Bridal Guide and will have the opportunity of purchasing the latest copy of Weddingbells Magazine for the discounted rate of $2.00.

 Tips for Attending a Bridal Show

 Register online and save 2.00 per ticket!  If you don”t register online, make sure you register when you arrive at the show.  Registering will enter you into all the prize drawings and you will receive  a complimentary copy of Calgary Bridal Guide.

  1. Create a temporary email address to be used while you are planning your wedding.  This way you can delete it when you no longer are interested in receiving special offers or hearing from the vendors.
  2. Bring adhesive address labels.  This will save you a lot of time when you enter for prizes at each booth. Most exhibitors will want to know your wedding date so make sure to add this information to your label along with your email address.
  3. Allow yourself three hours  to visit the exhibits and watch the exciting fashion show.
  4. Ask lots of questions, that”s what the exhibitors are there for!
  5. Bring your cheque book or credit card in case you decide to book services or hold dates with a deposit. Be sure to check on refund policies before giving any money, and read the contract carefully before signing.
  6. Collect any information you are interested in – take it home to look over again when you have some quiet time.
  7. If you cannot attend, send someone in your place to register you for prizes and collect information on services you need.
  8. It is nice if your fiancé attends with you and he will enjoy the “Groom’s Room”.  Each year many guys attend, so he won”t be the only one there!
  9. Wear comfortable shoes and have a great time!

Relax and have fun – this is your wedding.

Hope to see you there!

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2010 December: Calgary Real Estate Board’s Monthly Stats

January 4th, 2011

Gord Piper and Associates welcome”s you to 2011 and what a great year it is going to be.  

 For you information we are providing a snapshot of key information taken from the Calgary Real Estate Boards Monthly Stats package which came out last night.  To get a good understanding of the market we think there are three numbers that are critical – Inventory – Sales – Prices.  Yes, the old theory of supply and demand !  If there are any other numbers that you would like to see posted monthly just let us know.  Here are the results for december 2010 with a few comments.  If you would like a full copy of the board”s stats please contact us and we will be happy to give.

Attached please find a copy of the stats package from the Calgary Real Estate Board for the month of December 2010.  Below you will find a summary of some key areas with a few short comments.

Calgary Listing Inventory:  As noted below we had a substantial decrease in our inventory this month. In December not many homes get listed around Christmas time coupled with many listing expiring.  I truly believe this is very short-term as many of the listings that have expired will go back on the market between now and spring so watch for this number to go up again

Inventory November   December Change
Single Family Home 3869 2712 <1157>
Condo’s 1882 1429 <453>
Total 5751 4141 <1610>

 Calgary Sales:  Sales for the month of December are very typical of the season where there is less real estate activity in December due to people being involved with so many other activities.   

Sales November December Change
Single Family Home 891 734 <157>
Condo’s 310 320 10
Total 1201 1054 <147>

 Calgary Real Estate Sales Prices :   For this summary,  I will focus only on the Median Sales Price as the average can be skewed by Realtors selling more of less million dollar homes and should be a better reflection of the market. Noted below single family homes took a slight decrease this month while condos showed a bit of a recovery.

Sales Prices November  Median Price December  Median Price Change
Single Family Homes $399,900 $389,000 <$10,900
Condo’s $253,300 $258,500 $5,200

 2011 Prediction

Gord’s  unofficial forecast:  As of late our phones have rung more than at any other time this year and the calls have been from buyers who have sat on the fence and are now ready to make a move.  I believe we are going to start to see increases in sales numbers for the first quarter seeing things settle down a little after that.  I forecast that our inventory will start to increase and we may see high levels once spring hits.   Therefore this certainly seems to be a good time to buy.  If you’re thinking of selling I think the opportunities are going to be the best in the first 3 months of the year before all the spring listings hit the market.

In other news we want to share that this year we will be having a booth at the Calgary Wedding Fair otherwise known as the Bridal show with some great draws.  If you find yourself at the wedding fair please stop by and say hi.

If you have any questions about this summary,  the attached stats package or any Real Estate questions  please feel free to contact us anytime.  

Gord Piper and Brent Wilcox

Century 21, The Professionals Ltd.

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Novenmber 2010 Calgary Real Estate Statistics!

December 1st, 2010

Another month is over giving us the pleasure to provide the following information – a summary of key numbers  from  the Calgary Real Estate Boards November statistics Package.  For Community Stats please click here!

Calgary Listing Inventory:  As noted below the inventory continues to decrease.   View Calgary Listings here!

Inventory  October November Change
Single Family Home 4528 3869 Decrease of 659
Condo’s 2042 1882 Decrease of 160
Total 6570 5751 Decrease of 819

 

Calgary Sales:  Sales are very similar to October’s sales but are again down from last year’s sales.   This trend is very normal for this time of year as many people do not want to make a move in the middle of winter.  

Sales October November Change
Single Family Home 958 888 Decrease  of 70
Condo’s 310 310 =
Total 1309 1198 Decrease of 70

 

Calgary Real Estate Sales Prices :   For this summary,  I will focus only on the Median Sales Price as the average can be skewed by Realtors selling more of less million dollar homes and is a better reflection of the market.   Interesting that the median price went up this month.  Speculating again – when buyers realize that the prices may be heading back up some buyers who have held off may jump in and buy now.

Sales Prices October Median Price November Median Price Change
Single Family Homes $387,900 $399,900  Increase of $12,000
Condo’s $255,000 $253,300 Decrease of  $1700

 

Summary:  November’s numbers look very close to October’s and although we are down from last year there continue to be indications that things may start to pick up again.  The median price of a single family home increased by $12,000 this month.

If you have any questions about this summary,  the attached stats package or any Real Estate questions  please feel free to contact us anytime.  

Thinking about a move in 2011 – now is the time to start preparing so that you get top dollar for your home!  We would be happy to arrange a pre home sale consultation.

Interested in more info about specific  communities in Calgary visit our friends at calgaryarea.com

Gord Piper and Brent Wilcox

Century 21, The Professionals Ltd.

www.gordpiper.com

403-861-2256

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CMHC’s Calgary Housing Market Outlook

November 16th, 2010

We are pleased to announce that the Fall 2010 edition of CMHC’s Calgary Housing Market Outlook is now available. 

CMHC stands for Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation and every quarter they publish a new report.  CMHC is a government organization and therefore the content should not contain any bias.  This report gives you information on the following areas:

  • New Home Market
  • Resale Market – MLS Listings Information
  • Rental Market
  • Economic Overview
  • Mortgage Rate Overview
  • Forecast Summary

To view the full report click CMHC Housing Market Outlook.

While we report the monthly stats from the Calgary Real Estate Board every month on our website we think this is just another source of good information. Have a read and let us know what you think.

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Demand for Northwest Condo Project is hot!

November 9th, 2010

University City held it’s open house on October 27, 2010 and when I looked at their website they are indicating that both Phase 1 and Phase 2 are now sold – 216 units in each of the two 18 Story buildings for a total of 432  units sold in a matter of days.  What is the project all about you ask?

University City is a condominium project by Knightsbridge in the Brentwood Village Shopping Centre in Northwest Calgary.  It is located close to the university and minutes to the C Train station.

Phase 1 and Phase 2 are designed to give housing affordability and they are marketing towards the young professional.  The largest unit is less than 800 square feet and they are designed to be an effective use of space.   

Phase 3 of the project is designed to be senior’s housing

Phase 4 of the project has not been decided on upon at this stage.

Phase 5 is designed to be Empty –Nester Housing geared towards current residents of the Brentwood Community who may be tired of the work required to keep up a single family home but want to stay in the area.

When at the open house I spoke to a few local residents who are concerned about the traffic problems a project like this might cause.  It is my understanding that the development permit will not be applied for until after Phase 1 is 50% sold so hopefully Brentwood residents will have their opportunity to express their concerns.  If you have any questions or comments about this project, about Northwest Condos or about the Calgary Real Estate market in general feel free to contact me at Gord Piper.
Gord Piper
Century 21, The Professionals                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

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Calgary Real Estate Stat’s October 2010

October 31st, 2010

Welcome to our new Blog! 

Within our blog it is our intention to share news and information related to Real Estate in Calgary.   Today we have for you a summary of some important stat’s taken from the Calgary Real Estate Boards October 2010 monthly Stats package.   These key areas give you a good snapshot of the Calgary real estate market.

Calgary Listing Inventory:  Inventory showed a decrease again this month.  We have seen steady inventory decreases since June when we peaked at 9080 listings within Calgary.

Inventory  Sept  October Change
Single Family Home 4880 4528 – 352
Condo’s 2204 2042 – 162
Total 7084 6570 – 514

 

Calgary Sales:  Sales are very similar to September Sales but are again down from last year’s sales.  

Sales September October Change
Single Family Home 958 999 + 41
Condo’s 366 310 – 56
Total 1324 1309 – 15

Calgary Real Estate Sales Prices :   For this summary,  I will focus only on the Median Sales Price as the average can be skewed by Realtors selling more of less million dollar homes and should be a better reflection of the market.  As you can see below single family homes dropped by $2100.00 and Condo’s dropped by $10,000 – It is important to note that in August Condo prices increased by $5,000 so this is partly just a bounce back.

Sales Prices Sept Median Price October Median Price Change
Single Family Homes $390,000 $387,900  $2,100.
Condo’s $265,000 $255,000  $10,000

Personally we have noticed that in the last couple of weeks the activity has increased and the sales in the last week of this month  showed that with sales of 354 listings compared to the previous week with sales of 275 listings. 

If you have any questions about this summary,  or have any suggestions to other information you would like to see here please Contact us. 

Gord Piper and Brent Wilcox are Realtors with Century 21, The Professionals which is conveniently located within the Northland Village Professional Centre in Northwest Calgary.

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