December 2009

Both sales and the value of sales have exceeded our expectations this year. We anticipated sales levels would be the same as last year, however, properties sold so far have already exceeded last year’s sales with only a month to go. The dramatic increase in sales can be explained by last year’s sales being affected by the crisis in the financial markets.

“The market remains rock steady,” said Charlie Ponde, President of the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton. “Prices vary from month to month within a small range and with a slow gradual upward trend. Buyers have confidence in this market and REALTORS® are prepared to match their needs with the perfect housing option.”

"Very strong annual growth rates for sales and average prices should be expected…

Nothing brings back wonderful memories more than the holiday season. Many people find this time of year to be one of sentimental moments and many of these moments are associated with the fine details in holiday décor. Many of us will be ‘nesting’ this holiday season due to the current economic uncertainty, and that means a greater focus on seasonal decoration and getting your home ready for holiday entertaining on the cheap.

Here are a few tips on how to decorate for the holidays without spending a fortune on your Christmas décor.

Focus on fun and activities
Start by creating family traditions that shift the Christmas focus away from material goods and gifts to warm events and activities.…

By Dana J. Smithers

Home Staging is a proven system for preparing properties for sale. Your aim is to present your home in the best possible light to win the hearts of prospective buyers. With Staging, the focus is shifted from the furnishings to the home itself, the views, the space and the unique features of the property.

In preparing your house for selling you need to take a step back and have the mind set that this is no longer your home but your investment. You want your home to stand out from the crowd and have a broad buyer appeal. Following these 10 tips will help you sell your house sooner and possibly for more money.

1. Curb Appeal – stand back and view your home as if you were seeing it for the first time. This is the ‘first…

What exactly is a condominium?
A condominium is quite frequently confused with a building type when actually it is a type of ownership. Parts of the property (the units) are owned by individuals, and other parts (the common areas) are owned by all the unit owners. All of the owners are members of the condominium corporation which is the entity created by the registration of the condominium plan. Ownership of a condominium means you own your specific unit, plus you have individual interest in the common property. You have ownership over all the space and improvements within the walls of your unit.

What are condo fees?
A condo fee is a sum collected from the unit owners to pay for the management of the common property and facilities outside the units…

Lenders are in business to make money and when a bank lends money it wants to ensure that it will get paid back. To maximize the possibility of being paid back, the bank wants to make sure that there is sufficient assurance that a person can and will pay back a loan.

When you apply for a mortgage, lenders carefully analyse the details of your application before agreeing to proceed with financing. Many lenders determine how likely borrowers will be to repay a loan by making use of five basic components of credit analysis (so-called the Five Cs of Credit). They are described here to help you understand what the lender looks for.

Character
Character is the general impression you make on the potential lender. The lender will form a subjective opinion as…