Calgary Real Estate Blog

When you are in the market to buy or sell your home you'll need to find a truly professional Calgary real estate agent that you can work with. This is one of the biggest financial decisions that you will probably ever make in your life and you need someone experienced and dedicated by your side. There is only one type of real estate agent that you need and that is a true professional.

What to Know About Selecting a Professional Real Estate Agent

You see, a lot of real estate agents only work part-time and are not dedicated to their career. They look at it as a way to make extra money on the side and don't have a lot of time to devote to your needs. Only by working with a professional agent will you receive the time and the energy that you

The lighting in an Okotoks home can often do more than homeowners realize to set the mood of each room. Harsher lighting may make sense in a bathroom when everyone wants to look their best, but it can be off-putting when trying to relax in the morning with a cup of coffee. Before putting the final touches on your lighting decor, take into account how each shadow and glow works in the many rooms of the home. Many people don’t put much thought into how to light a house, but spending a little extra time picking out the right house lighting can go a long way. Here are some invaluable tips for how to light your home.

Liven Up the Living Room

Lighting the living rooms is especially important because most people spend a lot of time in their living

With the growing green revolution taking place across Canada and here in Calgary, potential buyers and homeowners are looking at ways to reduce their carbon footprint as much as possible. This includes the willingness to pay a higher price for a home with longer-term sustainability and green features.

The Calgary green trend is driving forward at critical speed and Calgary's not prepared to be left in the dust. As the nation's energy city, Calgary still needs to do its part in greening up the country and fortunately Calgarians are stepping up to the task at hand.

Here are some of the best high-ROI energy-efficient home renovations that are practical, will save you money and will help to add value to your home.

The Benefit of

Calgary is located close enough to the Rocky Mountains to provide plenty of fun just a little ways away. Sometimes, you can find interesting fun that doesn't happen every weekend. Whether you enjoy skiing, skating, curling or even speed dating, you might just find it in the mountains. If you find yourself in a position where you need a little relaxation, consider enjoying some mountain activities – they can really help you.

Go on a Hike

When it comes to mountain activities, it just makes sense that hiking would be on the list. Obviously, this would be an activity for someone who is a little on the physically fit side. You need to stop and ask yourself whether going on a hike is going to relax you or if it is going to stress you out more.

More than 7.5 million Canadian households have pets, according to 2016 statistics. Most people love animals and understand the loving relationship between humans and their pets. Pet-friendly features can be exactly what a buyer is looking for. What buyers don't love, however, is to see or smell evidence of those beloved pets in every room and in every corner of the yard and selling a home with pets, especially in a competitive market, can be a great challenge. Many homeowners don’t know what to do with pets when selling their home, so here are some important tips for selling a house with pets.

The first and most important rule is to always relocate the pets during a showing. Take the dog for a walk; put the cat in a carrier and go to a

When it's time to sell your home, unpermitted work can be a big problem. Unpermitted work is any work done without a permit to ensure that it's done to regulation standards. Permits ensure the safety of people who live in and utilize a renovated space, and without them, there's no guarantee for the quality and safety of the home. Therefore, when it comes time to sell, a house with unpermitted work can become a problem that makes selling a home difficult—it may even force homeowners to sell their homes for a significantly reduced price. Knowing what to do about unpermitted work can help homeowners avoid problems when the time comes to sell the property. Here is everything you need to now about unpermitted work and what to do when a house has unpermitted

Some may be looking to buy their first home and not know about the common requirements and initial challenges they may face. Canadian residents may need prepare themselves beforehand, learning how to best position themselves to have a seller accept their offer and move toward closing on a home. What do new potential homeowners need to know?

Understand more about common home buying processes and challenges faced by Canadian buyers today.

Your Credit Score and the Canadian Home Mortgage Process

Most buyers are not paying for a home in cash and will have to seek a home mortgage loan from a lender. It is important to know your credit score as this is a major factor in getting approved for a loan and getting better rates. One's credit score and

Most home buyers who decide to purchase a home will get a property inspection to ensure that the house meets their needs. However, home inspections can be costly (around $450), so recognizing the signs of trouble without the help of an inspection can help a home buyer determine whether or not it's worth proceeding with an offer.

Signs of Foundation Trouble

Foundation troubles are rare, but when they do occur, repairs can cost thousands. If you're wondering how to tell if a house has foundation problems, use the following list. Some of the most clear signs of foundation problems include:

• Doors or windows that are jammed open or closed.
• Stair stepping cracks in the foundation.
• Large, wide cracks in the walls of the house,

Much has been said and written about the Millennial Generation, and for good reason. As this group moves through their 20's and 30's, they are now the largest population segment on the planet. Young adult homeownership has been quite the divisive topic over the past few years. While opinions will vary widely on this group's ability to purchase real estate, we decided to see just how long young adults believe it will take to hit this milestone to better understand their perception of the situation.

It should be noted that this survey captures the lower end of the age range for Millennials and the higher end of the age range for Gen Z. While generations are an easy way to categorize age ranges, opinions from this group's survey will likely differ

 Following the tremendous success of Justin Havre’s widely publicized endorsement by Barbara Corcoran of ABC’s Shark Tank comes another distinction – exclusive recommendation from Rascal Flatts’ lead singer Gary LeVox. 

The message provided by LeVox as part of the endorsement encompasses the music and lyrics of the Rascal Flatt’s hit “I’m Moving On”, 2002 Song of the Year at the 38th annual Academy of Country Music Awards. 

As the only professional real estate agent in Calgary to be awarded this distinction, Justin Havre said he couldn’t believe it when the opportunity presented itself. 

“To be given the chance to have the backing of an individual like Gary LeVox and to be connected with this song written and composed by one of this generation’s