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Buying a home in Canada comes with plenty of ongoing expenses. Property taxes, mortgage payments, insurance, repairs—the costs add up fast. So when tax season rolls around, you might wonder: "Can I write off any of these expenses?"

Unfortunately, in Canada, the home you live in doesn't give you the same tax breaks you'd get in the United States. Property taxes and mortgage interest on your primary home are NOT tax-deductible in Canada.

But don't close this tab yet.

While you can't deduct your basic homeownership costs, Canada offers several tax credits and deductions that can save you real money. First-time buyers get credits worth $1,500. Work from home? You might deduct thousands in home office expenses. Own a rental property? Now we're

Looking for Calgary's top real estate team? You want experts who know every neighbourhood, understand the market, and actually care about getting you the best deal. The Justin Havre Real Estate Team brings over 20 years of experience to every home sale and purchase. With 70+ advisors and billions in sales, we're not just another real estate office—we're Calgary's most trusted team for good reason.

Why The Justin Havre Real Estate Team is Calgary's Top Real Estate Team

The Justin Havre Team doesn't just sell homes—we've revolutionized how Calgary buys and sells real estate. We created some of the city's largest real estate websites, CalgaryHomes.ca and Calgary.com, ensuring maximum exposure for home sellers and seamless search tools for home

Are you planning to move out of your current province and hoping to find the perfect home in your new town? Moving to a new home in a new place is full of excitement and fun. However, it can get stressful if you’re not prepared. There’s a lot to be done before moving, and buying a house can feel completely overwhelming.

Fortunately, new technology makes it easier to buy a home remotely. Keep reading to find a step-by-step guide on shopping remotely for a new home.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

Assess Your Needs, Create a Budget, and Find The Perfect Place

Whether you’re moving across the street or moving cross country, the first

Taking your business to the next level is never easy, but it can be done. We asked some of the best real estate experts in the world to share their top tips for marketing real estate in 2015. Check out their responses alongside our own, below!

Set Your Goals

The first step to success is knowing what you want to accomplish. Setting goals will give you direction and help organize your efforts. Ensure your goals are tangible and set smaller milestones for those big goals, to keep you motivated along the way. Set Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly and yearly goals for both personal and business goals. Once your goals are in place, you'll be ready to take them on in full force!

-JustinHavre.com, Justin Havre

Ask For What You Want

You can get

Buying a home as a single person is a lot different than buying a home as a couple. When you have another person that is going to be buying a home with you, you have a sounding board to work with during the process. All of your concerns and questions can be discussed with your partner and at the end of the day it will be two signatures that are penned at the bottom of the contract instead of only one. When one person only has to sign, it can be a lot more stressful since you are assuming full responsibility for the new property and all of the payments that are going to go along with it down the line.

In order to help take some of the stress out of the situation, here are some tips you can use if you're a single person that is looking for a home:

Baby boomers are getting older and greatly influence the housing trends in Calgary and across Canada. The largest increase in birth numbers since 1921 took place in 1945 and 1946, which was the beginning of the baby-boom. It ended in 1964 and 1965. This means that there were approximately 20 years of increased birth amounts and these babies are now in their late 40s - 60s.

There were more than 8.2 million babies born during this time period. If you average that out it's about 412,000 births yearly. During the same time women were averaging 3.7 children each while in recent years the number has decreased to 1.7. The 2011 Census figures showed that approximately 3/10 Canadians were baby boomers.

How Baby Boomers Affect Real Estate Trends

There

A new survey was conducted by Pfizer Canada that asked real estate brokers and agents in the province of Ontario about the price changes that could occur due to an owner smoking in their home. The survey showed that smoking could reduce a property's value by up to 29%. It's important to note, however, that Pfizer Canada is a pharmaceutical company that promotes a medication to help smokers quit the habit!

How Smoke Smell Affects Home Resale Value

During the course of the study it was found that 401 brokers and agents agreed that smoking does make selling a home more difficult when compared to one that is smoke-free. More than half of the professionals surveyed, 56% of them, said that the buyers they work with are less likely to buy a home where

The fastest way to find buyers when selling your home is by figuring out who would want it. There are target markets for anything that is being sold in today's society and the same is true for real estate. When you find your target market and connect with them you will have more interested buyers because they want what you have to offer.

You aren't going to try to sell a one bedroom condo to a family with four children. Likewise, you probably won't end up selling a large estate house to a retired senior. You can narrow down what your target market is by looking at the location of your property, its size and the demographic factors of the community.

What Different Demographics Can You Target?

There are some areas in Calgary that attract

It's important to take certain precautions when you're house hunting or looking for a place to rent. In today's tight real estate market in Calgary, it can be easier to fall prey to a scam due to desperation. In order to help you avoid these scams, we have put together some common sense guidelines to follow.

Avoid Sending Money

You'll want to be sure that there's a legitimate person at the other end of the transaction. If you're ever asked to send money through the mail or via wire transfer, turn the other way and run. A legitimate transaction will take place either between the buyer/ renter and the seller/ landlord in person or through an accredited property management company or real estate agent. The best way to make sure your transaction

There are special Mother's Day brunches occurring in many restaurants across Calgary on this special day that celebrates moms and everything they do for their children. Take her out for a brunch at her favorite restaurant or surprise her with a new menu to choose from at a different place. Here are just some of the brunches available in the city this year:

Chop Steakhouse & Bar in Chinook

For a special indulgence in crab and steak, take your mother out for a spectacular brunch this Sunday. Whether mom loves succulent fresh seafood, prime cut beef, or prefers traditional breakfast and lunch fare items, Chop Steakhouse & Bar in Chinook will delight her every sense. The brunch runs until 2 PM, and Mother's Day reservations are recommended.