Real Estate Blog - Ken Richter

The Little Free Pantry

The Little Free Pantry idea began in the United States. Someone saw a need in their community to help provide the poor and marginalized the necessities of life. They wanted something that those in need could go to for free and without obligation; as if they could go into someone’s pantry and take what they need. Thus, the Little Free Pantry was born.

The concept is this: build a small outdoor pantry and fill it with things those in need may be able to use, such as non-perishable food, bus tickets, toothbrushes, deoderant and on-the-go snacks. The pantry is placed on the edge of your private property, available to those who need it. Note that you cannot build a Little Free Pantry on city property or someone else’s private property. Doing so is illegal…

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The Great Thaw

Spring is officially here, and judging by weather forecasts, it may be around to stay. This means that Calgary is entering into a phase known as ‘The Great Thaw.’ The Great Thaw is that time of year when month-old piles of frozen snow begin to melt, when foundations begin to settle back in and when the trees start to stretch their limbs. Calgary is getting ready to say goodbye to another long winter and to welcome a fresh spring.

The Great Thaw is a beautiful, exciting time of year. Calgary’s colour palette turns back from grey to green. Outdoor sporting events, BBQ’s, evening walks and blooming flower beds are on the horizon. However, The Great Thaw also comes with its own unique set of challenges. At the foremost of these challenges is the effects it…

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Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone!

What a fun holiday that celebrates irish culture as well has kicking off a season of springtime here in YYC. Be prepared for green drinks, four-leaf clovers and (hopefully) a little bit if irish luck.

There is one strange tradition associated with St. Patrick’s Day that we have never understood. The tradition is this: on St. Patrick’s Day you are supposed to wear green, which makes sense since green is one of the colours of the irish flag and is most commonly associated with things such as four-leaf clovers and the beautiful landscape of Ireland. However, what we don’t understand is why, if you do not wear green on St. Patrick’s day, you get pinched!

Bustle has the answers:

“[Green] has been used as a way to…

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Ken's Market Update

Hello Everyone,

I am very happy to relay good news, the Calgary real estate market is in a transition towards an improved market!

All of us here at Team Ken Richter are extremely busy facilitating sales in every price range despite the recent frigid winter temperatures. We are experiencing numerous weekly sales and even multiple offer situations! We haven’t experienced a heated market like this for some time. I don’t expect prices to increase anytime soon, but I believe prices will stabilize considering the market activity already this year. The low inventory of housing all across the city and the fact that mortgage interest rates remain at an all-time low are contributing to the recent wave of activity. This is very positive as our market has…

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February 2017 Housing Statistics

The detached sector of housing is what really drove the market this year. CREB® reports, “February sales totaled 1,342 units, which is still 19 per cent below long-term averages, but an improvement over the past two years.” One really wonderful thing that happened is that the average time a property is on the market dropped to 2.4 months, which has helped ease downward pressure on pricing. This means sellers are selling their homes faster and for better prices. The benchmark price for a property was $501,900 in February.

CREB® president David P. Brown notes, “there seems to be a new sense of optimism these days. Some sellers are feeling upbeat about the changing landscape and the improved chances of selling their home. Other people are looking at the…

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Home Staging: Closet Edition

Welcome to our closet edition of home staging!

While potential home-buyers will hopefully not be snooping through every closet in your home, some of the major closets your home features will be looked into. People want to see what kind of space they would be working with. That being said, do not think that when your home is being shown you can stuff all your miscellaneous belongings into the closet and never look inside it again.

The great thing about staging your closet is that not only will it be beneficial when it comes time for you to show off your beautiful property, but it makes keeping your things organized so much easier. Give yourself and your home a helping hand and stage your closet. Here are our top 3 tips:

1). De-cluttering. This…

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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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