Real Estate Blog

De-Cluttering

Many people have tuned in to watch TLC’s “Hoarding: Buried Alive.” We watch the show in complete astonishment at the clutter people live in. We watch the show all high and mighty, as if we have never held onto something a little longer than necessary. What is that saying about shaming the sliver in someones eye when a plank sticks out of your own?

The reality is, it has become nearly impossible to completely reject a life of consumerism when we are socialized to be materialistic beings. All of us have gone through periods where we have had way too much stuff. Whether you should be on “Hoarding: Buried Alive,” or you have subscribed to a life of minimalism, everyone has things that they don’t need. Some of us have things that we don’t even want.

What…

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CMA's for Buyers

Earlier this week on Monday we featured a blog post that discussed CMA for sellers. In it we explained what exactly a CMA is and why it is important to have done on your property before you list your home. If you have not read that post already, please do now. Here is the link: http://blog.kenrichter.com/2015/04/14/cma-for-sellers/#sthash.2iUj4jlU.dpbs

Now that you know exactly what a CMA is, you may be surprised that we are discussing why a CMA is important for buyers to do on homes they are interested in. After all, shouldn’t the current homeowners have done their due-dillagence and already had a trustworthy CMA done? The answer is, hopefully. However, here are the reasons why a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) is important for you to do on any…

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March 2015 Statistics

March was a good month for the world of real estate! Calgary is still in recovery mode from the drop in oil prices earlier this year, but conditions have remained relevantly stable and continue to stay in a healthy environment.

The most significant thing that happened in March that you, a potential buyer or seller, need to be aware of is the rise in inventory and the fact that benchmark prices dropped %0.44. Why is this? The more houses there are on the market, the more competition sellers have. If you are looking to buy, this means you have lots of options at reasonable prices. If you are looking to sell, remember that there are a lot of houses on the market right now, so you need to make sure you are offering a fair, competitive asking price.

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Ken Richter is #1... Again!

Team Ken Richter has done it again! This 2015 awards season we are thrilled to report that we have been recognized as leaders in the industry. This is all thanks to you, our amazing clients, who have decided to partner alongside us. We hope that we can live up to these titles and continue bringing you experience, expertise and passion. Without further ado, here is the official list of the awards we are so honoured to have won:

• Re/Max Real Estate (Central) – #1 Office Worldwide for the 16th Consecutive Year

• #1 Office Worldwide for Number of Closed Transactions – Metro Market

• #1 Office Worldwide for Total Sales Volume – Single Office

• Largest Single Re/Max Office in the World

• Ken Richter has also…

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Spring Cleaning Tips

Spring is in the air! This week the weather has been absolutely gorgeous, and all of us here at Team Ken Richter sincerely hope it lasts. Spring in March is such a treat, and we are basking in every single glorious moment. Soon the brown grass and empty trees will become green once more, and as the flowers bloom so will the real estate market.

The spring is always a popular time for people to sell their homes because the weather is much more amiable and has everyone looking for something fresh! With sunshine pouring in the windows of your home, a flowery breeze dancing through the rooms, and the walkway clear of snow, buyers will automatically associate your home with everything lovely about the spring. However, your house will not go from chilly and…

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The Importance Of Location

As we have discussed, buying and selling a home goes beyond aesthetics. Yes, a beautiful garden and freshly painted trimming will add value to a home and make it appear more desirable. However, the building itself cannot be the only important factor. One could even argue that location is the most important thing to look at when choosing a home.

Location is important for a number of reasons, the most prevalent being that you need to find a home in an area that will suit your needs and desires. For example, if you have teenagers, finding a safe neighbourhood with good public transportation lines and nearby recreational facilities is preferable. What about the flip side? Why is location important to people selling their home?

Location is important for…

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February Statistics

At the end of each month we turn to CREB®, the Calgary Real Estate Board, for statistics on what went on in the market that month and what consumers can expect to see in the coming month! At the end of January, we did not have the best news to report. Unfortunately, due to the significant drop in oil prices, the market was shocked out of a highly optimistic forecast for 2015 and into a month where everything slowed down. People were neither buying nor selling as unstable economic conditions loomed over the market.

We are thrilled to say that this is no longer the case! The market in February was still not at where it was forecasted to be, but that is completely understandable due to the changes in January. February was a month for recovery, and recover…

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About Me: Ken Richter

For today’s post we wanted to highlight Ken Richter! He is the man behind Team Ken Richter, is loved by many Calgarians, and is responsible for wonderful contributions made to our city and the world of real estate.

Ken Richter is a native Calgarian who has witnessed the changes to this beautiful city and been part of making them happen. He originally followed his father’s footsteps by joining the International Union of Ironworkers Association. He worked as a  journeyman in the ironworkers trade, and is proud to say he was part of building Calgary’s existing skyline.

In 1985, Ken changed directions and launched his real estate career. When asked why he did this, Ken said that he “always had an interest in real estate.” He was fascinated by the…

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The House Hunt: What To Look For

Finding a home: no one is naive enough to think it is going to be easy. Negotiations, research, setting up meetings–it all takes time and dedication. However, if you are willing to put in the work, you will reap the rewards of searching thoughtfully and diligently.

This is why having a good Real Estate agent is so incredibly important! You need someone who cares about your future home just as much as you do. They are going to bring the experience, expertise, and organization you need to make your house hunt a success! Team Ken Richter is very excited to journey with you, and we promise to work with you every step of the way!

We also have two big tips and tricks that you can be applying in your search to find your dream home. These are simple things…

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Real Estate Terminology

On this blog we use a lot of terminology that is specific to the real estate market! This terminology comes from the many years of experience Team Ken Richter has working in this industry.

The posts where you may have noticed these unfamiliar terms the most are our monthly statistics reports! These are the reports we create with help from CREB to keep you up to date on what is going on in the world of real estate! However, no matter what post it is, we want to make sure every one is clear and understandable!

That is why today we thought it would be good to share some real estate terminology with you! Here are our top five most commonly used terms, and what they mean:

1). Inventory: This may seem fairly straight-forward, but just to clarify, when…

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