Tagged : Calgary Real Estate

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty recently unveiled new mortgage rules aimed at stopping housing speculators and ensuring homebuyers can adequately handle their debts when interest rates inevitably rise. Mr. Flaherty stressed that Canada's real estate market is healthy, and that the new rules, which take effect April 19th, would stop “negative trends” from development.

"There's no clear evidence of a housing bubble, but we're taking proactive, prudent and cautious steps today to help prevent one. Our government is acting to help prevent Canadian households from getting overextended, and acting to help prevent some lenders from facilitating it," commented Minister Flaherty.

"The underlying message is that Canadians should be prudent in the obligations they…

The rebound that occurred in the Canadian housing market in 2009 was nothing short of incredible. Having started the year a dismal 47% off 2008 levels, sales steadily clawed back. Purchasers who held off in the final quarter of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009 quickly acclimatized to new market realities and moved to take advantage of favourable lending rates. Yet, inventory levels proved a significant impediment, as supply struggled to meet demand—down considerably for much of the year.

Consumer confidence started to return in the second quarter and the real estate market was the first place in the country to show signs of the recovery.

Housing proved to be a safe harbour for much of the year. Rock bottom rates fueled much of the activity, but…

Finding a qualified contractor for your home remodeling project can be daunting and confusing but it's not a difficult task. You can easily search the web or look in the yellow pages and find many home remodeling contractors listed in your area. But the questions are: Which one do you hire for your home remodeling project? Which one will perform quality work, charge a fair price, and get the job done on time?

By following these tips you will make the selection process easier and be better prepared to make an informed decision that best suites your needs.

1. To reduce the risk of hiring the wrong home contractor you should first do a little preparation yourself for the home remodeling project. Sketch out and write down what you want to get done.…

Condominium units have become a wise alternative to owning a home. This is not surprising, as living in a condo is more convenient that living in a house. A condo is ideal for individuals living alone, small families and older people. And because condos are smaller, they are less expensive to maintain.

Condominium sales are booming in many urban areas in Canada especially in large cites such as Toronto and Vancouver, with several buildings being set-up. Today, condominiums continue to appreciate in market value at a rate that is almost as fast as that of single-family residences which make them a good investment.

Buying a condo with features that are in high demand will maximize the profit on your real estate investment and create an enjoyable…

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…

For some people, a condominium lifestyle is the only way to live—no lawn maintenance, a pool and tennis court, and extra security features you might not have in a single-family home. Other people simply can’t breathe in a condo because the neighbours are too close for comfort. Consider the pros and cons and your specific needs and desires before deciding to buy a condo.

Because of all of the advantages of home ownership in comparison to renting, many of you will soon be reaching a point where you want to buy a home. However, you may not be sure whether you should actually buy a house or if you should look in to buying a condo instead. This is especially true for younger home buyers who might want the benefits of living in a more communal situation…