Real Estate Blog

January 2017 Statistics

The market is in an interesting place right now. It continues to do better than this time last year, but it is still falling short of long term, ten year averages. This is leaving people in an awkward space where they should be encouraged, but also not comfortable. There will be lots of growth and changes yet.

CREB® chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie says, “while housing conditions continue to favour buyers, a slow transition toward more balanced conditions is helping to ease downward pressure on home prices. Conditions have improved over last year, but people need to remember that last year’s market was one of the weakest on record. Despite the appearance of a major shift in activity, the transition in the housing market is going to be a slow process.”

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February 2017 Events

At the start of each month we like to list out just a few of the many events happening around the city. There are way too many to cover in just one blog post, but we curate a list of what’s new and what we are most looking forward to.

Here in YYC we have some very fun events coming up this month that we know you will love. After all, it is the season of love. Read on:

YYC Hot Chocolate Fest : Travel around the city trying out different specialty Hot Chocolate’s from cafe’s and restaurants. All claim to have Calgary’s best hot chocolate, but you get to be the final judge. You can vote for your top choice and a portion of all sale proceeds is going to Meals on Wheels. For more information check out THIS link.

The Audience : If you love all things…

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Now is a Great Time To Buy!

If you are looking at entering the real estate market now is a great time to do it.

Right now the Calgary real estate market is perfectly poised for buyers. Interest rates are incredibly low. This means that paying off your property will be faster and cheaper. Inventory levels have dropped and prices have stabilized, giving you more property options, less competition and better prices. Given how up and down the market has been for the last two years as it has been in recovery mode, now is a great time to get locked in during ideal conditions.

Real estate has always been a great investment. Although at times the market has taken a hit, if you are willing to put in the time and the effort you can turn a great profit. This can be done with your…

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Crafting Productive Work Space

New year, new me, new goals, new willpower, new drive, same…old…workspace. The problem with new years resolutions is that they are made on the balconies of ballrooms with champagne in hand, but violently actualized in the mundane spaces of years past. Everything is sparkly and new until we sit down at our old desk with our old resolutions stuffed in dusty drawers, staring at the pages of a blank notebook with the same lethargic sigh. New year, same me.

The number one most important part of beginning a new resolution is maintaining your initial drive and following through. Old workspaces do not help this. Old workspaces are filled with the remnants of past abandoned resolutions. This is why in order to keep your new resolution, you need to craft a new…

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2017 CREB Forecast

2017 is going to be all about working towards market stability, something that has been shaky for the last two years. However, market stability will not reach all sectors of the housing market. CREB notes, “both detached and attached prices remain unchanged over 2016 levels, while apartment is forecasted to contract by another two per cent.” The stabilization of the housing market is going to be slow.

CREB chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie writes, “The transition in the housing market will be a slow process. We are entering the year with high unemployment rates and the possibility that job growth will not occur until the latter portion of 2017. These conditions will continue to weigh on housing demand, but supply is adjusting to weaker sales activity,…

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Calgary Home Renovation Show

The Calgary Renovation Show is hitting the BMO Centre this weekend from January 13th – January 15th. cNot sure what this show is? You make know it was the Calgary Home + Garden Show, because it was recently re-branded. Although the name may be different this year, the quality of the show will remain and–in many cases–exceed previous years.

There are going to be over 200 vendors at the show to share their ideas and innovations with you. Whether you are looking for some inspiration for your next home renovation or are wanting to find a contractor to work with, this show promises to shower you with new ideas, innovations and contacts.

Just like in previous years, there will be keynote speakers on the MainStage. Here is the lineup for this year:

…

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December 2016 Statistics

At the start of each new month we summarize the key points from the Calgary Real Estate Board’s (CREB) report on what happened in Calgary real estate the previous month.

Many people do not like reading about statistics. The numbers seem confusing and convoluted, sometimes manipulated to produce a specific result. They leave many people feeling frustrated and even more uneducated than they were to begin with. However, when it comes to CREB’s report, we guarantee credible, clear, helpful information.  CREB is a fantastic resource for buyers, sellers, investors, agents, etc.. If you are looking for information on the real estate market, they should be your #1 resource.

There is an important reason why we consistently relay the CREB report to you:…

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The Story of St. Nick

Merry Christmas from all of us here at Team Ken Richter!

This is our favourite time of year. Christmas is the perfect time to take a step back from busy day-to-day life and focus on what is really important: family. It’s the time to curl up by the fire, drink hot-cocoa, reminisce and wait for Santa Claus.

We all know the story of Santa Claus. He lives in the North Pole with Mrs. Claus and makes toys all year with the elves, which he then delivers via sleigh to children all across the world. However, did you know that Santa Claus is a tale based on a very real man from Turkey in the 4th century?

His name was St. Nicholas and he had a reputation for helping those in need. His parents had died, leaving him an enormous sum of money that he used to…

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Home Care During the Holidays

With Christmas quickly approaching many people are preparing to leave for vacation. Along with making sure you pack enough pairs of socks and that book you’ve been meaning to read, make sure that you also prepare your home for your absence. The most important thing you need to do to keep your home safe over the holidays is to make it appear occupied and well looked after. There are a number of ways you can do this:

Leave A Light Leaving a light on makes it look like someone is always home. Leaving a light on all the time is not very energy efficient, though. This is why we recommend investing in a light that you can control via your smartphone to turn on and off at certain times while you are away.

Turn On The Radio: Leaving a radio on is not only…

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Home Staging: Movie Rooms

This month we are going over some ways you can stage your media room. This is the room in your home that houses your books, games and T.V equipment. These rooms are really fun to decorate and stage because there is so much you can do with them. Here are some suggestions on how you can renovate, decorate and/or stage this room so that it makes the best impression possible:

A media room is where people go to escape their responsibilities. Make sure that this room caters to this by being cozy, welcoming and secluded. We recommend the walls be painted darker colours, such as navy blue, maroon, evergreen, grey, etc. These colours are relaxing and heavy, making people want to settle in and relax. Furniture should also be deep colours with lots of cushions…

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