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Home Inspections: hit by Calgary hail, flooding, or just curious about the process? Here is our FAQ.

Knowledge is power, and getting all the right information about a potential property gives you peace of mind when completing a transaction. A Home Inspection highlights the home's best features while also highlighting serious flaws or fixes that you may have overlooked. This allows you to budget for the repairs or improvements.

Home Inspections: What & Why?

A home inspection is a professional visual assessment of a property's interior and exterior. Every home requires a check when a buying or selling transaction takes place. We suggest an inspections on all real estate transactions in Canada to protect your hard-earned funds. Another benefit is a general maintenance report that might save you money in the future.

What does it entail?

The primary systems and components of a house are analysed and reported on by qualified home inspectors. During the examination, your home inspector will point out any needed repairs or upgrades, as well as the estimated cost. Find a great opportunity for a space to flip in one of Calgary's mature communities? This is a great time to learn about the house's condition and discuss concerns or restoration ideas. 

Soon after the inspection, you will get an electronic or printed report. Be sure to keep this document in your records. This useful guide contains maintenance suggestions, yearly costs like utilities, and renovations. It depends on the house's location, age, and expected square footage. The Inspector's credentials should be the main focus. Acquiring your home inspected by a specialist is as important as getting insurance.

calgary home buying and selling tips

What happens on the day of the inspection?

An inspection takes several hours. It is in your best interest if the buyer is there. The real estate agent should also be there to answer any general inquiries you may have.

Having agents and clients present avoids misunderstanding. When all parties are present, any misunderstandings or concerns about the residence may be immediately addressed.

What about brand-new homes?

This process is just as important for new builds or renovations as it is for existing properties. Just because a house is new doesn't imply it's flawless. A pre-inspection may help lower various risks. Two major benefits of checking new dwellings are that the building may be inspected for compliance with building codes, as well, deficiencies may be identified that the builder missed. This includes an examination in the eleventh month of occupation, right before the one-year mark.


Are you concerned about the condition of your home?

Contact us so we can help you prepare for a home inspection. We may also suggest steps to take following the inspection.

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Here's 5 Things Not To Do When Designing Your New Home's Interior in 2021


Moving into the winter season of 2021, we are taking a look at some design pointers to help give our spaces a fresh boost. Today we are going to talk about 5 things to keep in mind when revamping your space.

Over the past few months we've began to see some of these new trends take shape in real homes that people are living in - not just magazines. Here's what we found.

Cucina di Suburbia

(As pictured in title image)

Tuscan kitchens. Dark reds, chocolate browns, and golds adorned the kitchen of many a mid-2000 suburban estate. Remember how vintage suits were generally overembellished and oversize to show off how much fabric the wearer could afford? This is exactly how we feel about this type of kitchen. Kitchens are becoming lighter and slightly more utilitarian; the exaggerated marble and millwork look is perhaps best left alone for the time being.

Extra Nautical

Coastal design is definitely found in many design blogs and feeds; coastal decor in non-beach locales might appear goofy if not actually located nearby an ocean (Or if your home is located in Calgary, Alberta, a city which sits on one of the biggest swathes of prairie on the planet). Make sure your home's design motif complements your locale. Try implementing a nautical touch in a spare bathroom or guest room, we would shy away from getting carried away form this look.


Calgary interior nautical

Pale and Ghostly

White walls, furnishings, and rugs can have a fun vibe if the room is decorated tastefully, tastefully being the operative word in this equation. Contrasting and balancing proportions of color is being used increasingly in primarily white spaces. Bring in an accent walls with vibrant paint, dramatic wallpaper, or fill your room with vibrant plants, collectibles or more. Hardwood or natural wood surfaces contrast beautifully with white spaces, take advantage of it. We suggest going for more of a half and half ratio in such rooms.

Calgary home interior coloured white

Industrial Revolution

Whether you’re outfitting an existing industrial-style space or designing a new build to include these elements, designers agree that excessively cold, utilitarian looking industrial spaces are on their way out.

intrustrial themed room


Excessive Minimalism


A house devoid of individuality might be depressingly uncluttered and sparingly furnished. Bolder and fuller spaces are becoming more common; Antiques are renowned for lending a distinctive aspect to a blend of old and modern finishes. The trend will be for softer furniture, not lived in but filled spaces is on the rebound.


minimalist style



Looking into ways to give your home a boost before putting your home for sale on the Calgary market? Drop us a line!

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Homebuyers Must Consider These 2 Critical Things when Approaching a Seller

We believe that the art of bidding & making a first impression is crucial in creating a successful real estate deal.

And here's why you should probably leave it to your Realtor®

If you want to make an initial offer, you should consider two factors: what you can afford, and what you really feel the property is worth. Consider making an initial offer that is reasonable and fair, and that will not cause the seller to lose his or her cool too much.

Remember that as much as hearing from a great buyer will make the seller feel as though they have an opportunity on their hands, you don’t want to cast any aspersions relating to how you may be inexperienced, vulnerable, or difficult to deal with in the days that follow.

A lot of individuals believe that they should make a lesser bid the first time they place one. Everything is dependent on how the market is doing at the moment. If you want to obtain an average price per square foot, you can look at what other houses in the area have sold for and compare it to your target price. The ability to evaluate a home on a price-per-square-foot basis is a fantastic leveller.

Also, find out what is going on in the community that could impact property values. Are their neighbors planning any new construction or restoration projects on their land?

When it comes to property taxes, so many sellers are behind on their payments nowadays, and if you have that important knowledge, you'll have an advantage in the negotiation process. In order to find out, you need visit the county clerk's office.

Fumbling a negotiation is a sure-fire way to lose out on a great home buying opportunity. If you’d like to learn more about how to do it properly, the first time, drop us a line.

Home for sale in Calgary Alberta

Often clients engage in bidding wars, or make other moves in their deal. Real Estate Agents are in place in order to handle these properly and effectively.

Don't try to predict when the market will peak.

The greatest moment to purchase a home is when you locate the home of your dreams and can afford it. Real estate is cyclical in nature; it rises and falls, and then rises and falls and rises and falls again. As a result, if you attempt to hold out for the ideal moment, you will almost certainly lose it.

It is not necessary to worry about attempting to timing the market and determine when it is the optimum moment to purchase. Even experts usually struggle with predicting the market.

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5 Things You Should NOT do When Buying a Home

You're ready to get in on Calgary's crazy home market. Whether you're buying or selling, you see opportunity and excitement ahead. What are some common mistakes to avoid?


It’s time to make a move. You have all the paperwork into the mortgage broker, you may even been pre-approved. You’re set up with a great Realtor who has narrowed down your search to a few very promising listings. You’re already shopping for new furniture online and browsing paint swatches. You’ve worked hard to get yourself into this position, but did you know there are a few bad moves you could make now that could make everything go sideways?


Don’t apply for credit cards or change any accounts.


In fact, don’t change any of your credit accounts PERIOD. Salesmen at every big box store now seem like they are on a mission to get you set up with a credit card or payment scheme of some description in a clever ploy to get you to spend more. As you may already be aware, applying for these does impact your credit score and may not look good to lenders, it’s better to hold off on these at this crucial time. It also goes without saying that this is not the time to accidentally miss any payments.


Don’t buy a new Car


Once again, doing so can be a big red flag to lenders and impact your credit score. If you desperately need a new set of wheels, now’s the time to go hunting for a cheaper used car that you can pay for with cash.


Shopping for furniture online

Stop buying furniture.

Buy your furniture AFTER the sale is final. Reasons of credit score and financing aside, we think it’s best if you spend some time in your new house before making any big design choices.

Don’t travel

Now is not the time to be out of town. It’s especially not the time to be spending money on travel. It would be unfortunate to miss a crucial phone call or not be driving distance from your broker’s office if something were to come up in the conditions of your sale. Celebrate with a trip, but do it a month or two after things are settled.


browsing careers online

Career change

Yet another action that can have serious consequences for your lending agreement. Now is not the time to change jobs or careers. Even if your spouse is the primary earner, switching from one part-time or casual job to another is a move best avoided until a later time.


Looking for other advice for the final stretch of your home buying journey? Not feeling at else with the process or your Realtor? We'd love to spend some time getting to know you and your journey.

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Inglewood Pump Track in Calgary formally opened: New Playground for Cyclists

On Saturday, the Inglewood Pump Track in Calgary formally opened. The Parks Foundation, the Calgary Flames Foundation, the Alberta government, and the City of Calgary collaborated to build the track.

The track, which is situated at 7 Avenue and 20 Street S.E. has two custom-designed asphalt circuits for varying skill levels.

Visitors are encouraged to access the pump track through the scenic regional trail system or to park at the nearby Inglewood Wildlands parking area. according to the city.

According to the Calgary Flames Foundation, the circuit employs "hand-designed hills to generate an up and down pumping action rather than pedalling;" The track provides a dynamic experience for cyclists to learn how to navigate varying types of slopes and terrain. A pump track is a looping series of rollers and berms (swoopy, banked corners) for mountain bikers. It's intended to optimise your momentum, allowing you to ride with less exertion.

The city is looking to promote people cycling to this park using the pathway network and reached out to citizens for feedback through their website.

Inglewood & surrounding area have seen other various interesting amenities such as Harvey Passage: A recreational watersports area featuring spaces for canoeing, kayaking, beach space as well as a future surfing wave spot.

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Calgary Car Enthusiasts Rejoice: Rocky Mountain Motorsports hits Major Milestone

Calgary Racing enthusiasts likely recall the fate of the city’s previous race destination, especially when the fate of the Calgary racecourse, located at 114th Avenue and 68th Street S.E., was set to close half a decade ago. The owners were forced to give up the lease on the land and relocate as part of the City's long-term plan to expand landfill facilities.

Fast forward to today, Dominic Young’s The Rocky Mountain Motorsports Race Circuit in the community of Carstairs is slated to provide Calgary drivers with 3.5 kilometres of track.

Calgary Racetrack

Shadi El Hage, the track's operations manager, speaks of safety regulations that will step this track up to the standards of the modern racing community; skill vetting, car requirements and other practises will keep this community both accessible and safe, at a price that is.

So far, we know that there will be three membership levels, ranging from $36,000 to $250,000. This member base is essential to the funding of the project and the owners have reassured the community that members are establishing a facility and community that can eventually be more accessible.

The raceway has been in development for more than half a decade. For anyone who has been left in the dust on the new wing of Calgary’s Stoney Trail by someone going twice the speed limit, it may come as a relief that drivers with exotic cars now have a location to blow off some steam.

Ferarri Supercar in Calgary

The project will also create many jobs through construction and a business development district that is being established in the area. It’s no surprise that a more vibrant set of projects and communities are driving people to communities in places like Calgary’s far Northwest. Rockland Park by Brookfield offers an intriguing new take on NW Suburban living. Qualico’s Ambleton offers fantastic value just north of recently completed Evanston.

Check out this recent post on the tracks progress here!

With the area ranging from Airdrie to Balzac maturing into a distinctive commercial hub, we suspect we will continue to see exciting projects such as Rocky Mountain Motorsports come to the area, as well as home builders taking advantage of the opportunity.

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MLS Checkup: Reading the pulse of Real Estate Investing in Calgary, Alberta and across Canada

Real estate investment in Canada is hitting records in the second quarter. What are our favorite opportunities in Calgary this month?

As we roll into the fall season, we have seen residential complexes and industrial/warehouses with transactions expected to total almost $50 billion this year.

$14 billion in commercial real estate transactions took place in the last three months.

Similarly, Apartments, long seen to be reliable investments, have received a boost in recent months as rising house prices have made many potential homebuyers consider alternatives.

Meanwhile, detached houses sold for an average of $580,000 last month, a little drop from August but a 6% increase over previous year. Some may take this reprieve in record price growth as an opportunity to make a move.

Detached homes accounted for 59% of all home sales, semi-detached, condos and other units comprised the rest of the market.

Here are some neighborhoods we have our sights on as we watch and see what property investors will do over the next quarter:


Inner City Real Estate in Calgary

Renfrew

Last week we sold a great investment property in Renfrew and are continuing to keep an eye out for similarly priced activity in the area: Renfrew is a prime location for growth, development, investment, and redevelopment in Calgary’s Northwest for a few key reasons. Not only is it quite close in proximity to most of the city’s headlining attractions (Downtown, SAIT, university, Airport), but it’s neighboring communities such as Rosedale command premium pricing and with a steady appetite for infills and new opportunities, investors are beginning to watch this community with a keen eye.


Northeast Calgary Real Estate

Pineridge & Neighboring Communities

Calgary’s Northeast features a lot of homes that are now hitting the age at which many sellers consider refreshing or revamping their properties prior to listing to stay competitive. Homebuilders and contractors will be looking for opportunities to flip houses, and investors will be looking for great family homes in established communities.


Northwest real estate in Calgary

Evanston & Area

Calgary’s north central area continues to be a hot buy for those looking to live on the northern end of the city in high quality master planned communities without making the jump all the way to neighboring satellite community, Airdrie. You only need to take a look at the sheer amount of new development and brand new communities taking shape just North of this district to see how much demand there is for existing properties nearby!


If you’re looking for information of consultation of investment property opportunities, you can always drop us a line!

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Stunning Lakeview Townhouse with a Huge Lot! Everything you need to know about the inner-city & Glenmore Park Lifestyle!

When we first walk inside this sunny south-facing apartment in Lakeview Green's Phase I, we notice a few things that we particularly enjoy. These Lakeview Green apartments are really a hidden treasure for not just the neighbourhood, but for the whole city.

The first is the choice to open up the staircase, which significantly improves the total lighting on the main floor. The one-of-a-kind stained-glass window completely floods the stairs and landing with light and adds some intriguing character to the area.

Lakeview Home Kitchen

Make sure you watch our video for this listing! Many of the South Calgary townhouses presently on the market do not have the layout of this apartment. Take a look at it below!

 

The kitchen has contemporary cabinets, stainless-steel equipment, and a breakfast nook. A smart addition to this kitchen is an expansion of the counter area that fills up the corner near the breakfast nook, providing just a little extra room.

The open concept living and dining area connects to the private top terrace, which overlooks the school yard of Jennie Elliott Elementary School. It's ideal for keeping an eye on the kids as they enter and exit school.

A two-piece bath completes the main floor living space. The second floor has a huge Master Bedroom with wide windows and a walk-in closet, a large second bedroom, and a 4-piece bath.

Lakeview Bonus Room

The basement is perfect for partying, relaxing, or storage, with built-in cabinets and TV mounts, as well as a large window. This space, which is essentially a big den or bonus room, is light and well completed, with a barn door concealing the entry to the washer dryer area.

Right off the huge heated 14x25 foot attached garage is a laundry room with a Samsung front loading washer and dryer, as well as additional storage space.


Take a look at the listing here!

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What big changes are happening to the Stampede Station in Downtown Calgary?

If you have been out and about Downtown, especially near Macleod Trail, you'll notice some construction delays, but also the noticeable absence of the once dominant, monolith of the Plus-15 bridge and elevated section of the Victoria Park/Stampede LRT station that use to stand in the area adjacent to the C-Train station.

Investors, Residents, Visitors and Renters alike will be relieved at this new infrastructure change in Downtown Calgary.

The pedestrian bridge was demolished Friday night, and work on the elliptical red stairs going into Stampede Park from Macleod Trail will continue into the week. The Rivers District master plan, a 20-year vision for east Victoria Park that includes additional facilities like as the new event centre, BMO expansion, and a new Stampede retail destination encompasses several infrastructure upgrades such as this one, a change we are welcoming.

Those who frequented Flames games at the Saddledome are all to familiar with this notoriously aging and seedy bridge and station. Residents of nearby Calgary Condo buildings such as Keynote, Vetro or Sasso are likely breathing a sigh of relief at the much-needed change.


Image Source: City of Calgary

Also part of the Stampede Park concept plan, this new ground level crosswalk will create a friendlier 17th Avenue SE pedestrian and vehicular corridor that will increase connectivity and create an attractive right of way for new retail and commercial development along 4th Street SE/Stampede Trail.

A New Beginning for 17th avenue: Developments, Entertainment and Planning

The vision is to expand the 17th Avenue strip right up to the Stampede area and create a friendly and accessible, safe connection between both popular districts in a smart, sustainable, urban planning-forward fashion.

The project began in July 2021 and will rapidly transition to street-level pedestrian access in October 2021. It’s nice to see it get finished, but what about nearby Earlton Station? There is in fact a plan in place this similarly aging neighboring station, but no money is available yet, and there is still flooding and redevelopment planning to be approved by the city.

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Totally unexpected huge yard on this 4 level split! New listing in Pineridge: See the details here!

Very unique home in Calgary's Pineridge - this is an exciting opportunity for a growing family

This house has seen many renovations over the years, and we are inspired by the classic wood millwork that runs from the starewell into the finished basement. The basement has a neat vibe and we’re sure this is going to become somebody’s ultimate mancave or at home sports bar!

Pineridge Home Calgary Basement Bar

The exterior of the home is stucco and stone facing; this home has great curb appeal and is nicely shaded with some pine trees from the street, but walking up to the home you would never guess how huge the yard is!

pineridge home calgary

This yard features a large deck, gazebo, and tons of space. Just imagine relaxing under the gazebo with a nice drink on a warm summer evening! Whether you need a summer retreat to spend time with the kids or a winter play destination for building snowmen and forts, this yard will keep your kids busy.

pineridge home backyard

With slate and hardwood floors, laminate counter tops, stainless steel appliances, updated cabinets and lighting, the interior of this home offers so much potential for creating a comfortable space for your family. With 3 bedrooms upstairs and the bathrooms have been upgraded with stone floors and tub surround. The master ensuite features an interesting open concept full 4 piece bathroom. This is rare for homes in Calgary but many will enjoy the intimate nature of this setup!

ensuite bathroom

If it’s too cold to relax outside under the gazebo then the obvious next choice is to head down to the 3rd level and visit the bar! This family room set up with a bar and awesome wooden millwork features wood burning fireplace and a bonus room that is used as a bedroom, but could also be purposed as a rec room, or office.

At a quick glance you might not expect the 4th level to have a large rec room, laundry and utility room, but this space is huge! This would be a great home gym and work area for DIYers.

We truly think Pineridge is a great choice for growing a family; lots of Calgary’s suburban office parks are nearby which means a short commute for many. Important transit links such as the TransCanada Highway, Barlow Trail, and Memorial Drive make getting around the city easy and provide alternative routes when traffic proves difficult (Did we mention winter is coming…)

pineridge home kitchen

The Village Square Leisure Centre and the walkway system, both located in the neighbourhood, provide recreational option. Elliston Park, which is linked to the pathway system, is a wonderful location for a morning jog or walk with the dog. While 36th Street has just about ever amenity you could possibly think of, we took a quick drive up to Crossiron Mills near Airdrie for some shopping after we visited this listing and noted that it was only a short 20 minute drive.

Lake Chestermere and its excellent beach are only a short drive away for a summer getaway, and the recently renovated Harvie Passage provides a water hideaway in the city for beach lounging, kayaking, and taking in the views from the Bow River, just 10 minutes away from Pineridge!


View the listing here!

For those who need space not just for their family but also for hobbies, at home superbowl (or Grey Cup!) watching sessions, gardening projects and Barbeque nights out on the deck, this is a really great choice!

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Data is supplied by Pillar 9™ MLS® System. Pillar 9™ is the owner of the copyright in its MLS®System. Data is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by Pillar 9™.
The trademarks MLS®, Multiple Listing Service® and the associated logos are owned by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify the quality of services provided by real estate professionals who are members of CREA. Used under license.