Real Estate Blog - Ken Richter

Unique Coffee Shops in YYC

Calgarians are busy. We are a city that thrives on an entrepreneurial spirit that works hard snow or shine. With such a bustling atmosphere, Calgary needs something to keep it chugging along at full speed ahead. Lots of things enable Calgarians to work hard: family, culture, community, etc. And what is the key ingredient to the start of a long day? Coffee.

Here in Calgary you can find a Starbucks, Tim Hortons, Good Earth or Second Cup on nearly every block. However, we also have a thriving independent coffee shop community. These coffee shops are locally owned and curated. These unique shops are the perfect place to grab a cup of joe on the go, or to sit and soak in the atmosphere. Either way, we guarantee you’ll love every single one.

Without…

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January 2016 Statistics

Every month we post the real estate market statistics from the previous month. This is a good way for us to summarize city-wide activity in the market and also give you some insight into what is predicted for the current month. We recognize that not everyone is numbers focused, but here are two good reasons why you should be reading these posts:

1). The housing market is a reflection of the city’s economic condition, so you gain insight into that sector, too.

2). They enable you to be an informed buyer / seller / investor.

So, without further ado, here is the January housing market statistics summery:

2016 has started off as a buyers market, just like this time last year. CREB® chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie explains this by saying, “The…

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Productive Work Spaces

There is something euphoric about starting a brand new day timer, rearranging furniture to make space for a new desk and getting to start fresh with fresh supplies. Studies have shown time and time again that purchasing new organizational tools is not only good motivation, but enables people to stay organized for longer. With science backing this up, why wouldn’t you want to give it a try?

Organization is great when done well and horrible when done wrong, which can then lead to even more backsliding and disorganization. So, here are our tips for reorganizing your workspace in a way that will help rather than hinder:

De-Clutter: Do yourself a favour and buy a paper shredder. Now, shred EVERYTHING that you don’t need. This includes old bills, notes to…

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2016 Housing Market Outlook

The 2016 Housing Market Outlook by RE/MAX is officially available and filled with important information for buyers and sellers alike. To read the whole report, click HERE. It is definitely worth the read, giving you an inside look at what the projections are for the housing market in 2016.

The report covers all of Canada so that you can get a birds eye view on what the market looks like as a whole. In this post, we will be highlighting the information specific to Alberta and Calgary. However, we highly recommend reading up on the other provinces.

Here are some key things to note from the report as we head into 2016:

As we are all well aware of, the sudden drop of oil prices was a shock to the system for every sector, including the real estate…

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Keeping Your Resolve

Happy New Year, everyone! All of us here at Team Ken Richter are excited for what 2016 has in store. Like many people, this year we made New Year’s resolutions. What is at the top of our list? Helping homeowners make their real estate dreams come true.

The new year is a fantastic time to work towards new goals and resolutions because everyone gets a fresh start. 2016 will be whatever you make of it and January is the perfect time to hit the ground running. However, january can also be disappointing for some. Resolutions are great, but they are hard to keep, leading to more backsliding than before. We don’t want that for any of you.

What can you do to ensure you are able to stick to your goals and keep your resolutions?

Word them positively. For…

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December 2015 Statistics

Can you believe it’s already 2016? It seems like just yesterday it was 2012. 2016 has a lot of promise, full of adventures and changes that we are really looking forward to. In the meantime, we have a review of what happened in the housing market during the last month of 2015, December.

While December is a great month to close on a house sale to squeeze in end of the year tax savings and take advantage of builders wanting to get rid of inventory, this December’s market slowed down. With Calgary’s economic condition borderline critical, December did not leave room for massive purchases. That on top of the money people were already spending on gifts and parties for the holidays left little room for the housing market to flourish.

The CREB® housing…

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Tax Savings

While Christmas is only ten days away, there is another big event looming. The year is almost over, which means that Tax season will be upon us before we know it.

Taxes are not fun. Whether you have a professional to do them for you or not, taxes are a massive chore that many dread all year long. For some, they look forward to receiving a cheque in the mail from the government. For others, they brace themselves for the cheque they will have to write to the government.

No matter how old you are or what your current occupation is, there are ways to save come tax season. With some strategic planning, you can prevent yourself from owing more than you need to.

Here are our top ways to save during tax season:

1). Be organized. Make sure you separate…

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Preventing Slippery Sidewalks

The snow may be melting, but the cold nights mean that the moisture turns to slick ice. While most ice is visible to the naked eye, some ice is far more dangerous and deceptive.The city is well equipped to handle the ice on the roads, as evidenced by all the leftover salt and gravel that washes up come spring, but the sidewalks are another story.

Sidewalks in urban centres, such as downtown and shopping areas, tend to stay clear since businesses want to avoid a lawsuit. However, your personal sidewalk is your own responsibility.

There are two major reasons to keep your sidewalk and walkways clear: the first is that when snow and ice build up, it can damage the pavement and produce significant cracks. The second reason is that having lots of ice and…

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November 2015 Statistics

CREB® has released the November housing summary recap. Here are some of the highlights that you should be aware of:

November was not a tumultuous one for the real estate market. Despite the downward trend in activity, conditions are remaining stable enough to not cause too much worry. One good thing about less activity is that the housing market is officially a buyers market right in time for you to close a deal before the new year.

What is the headline CREB® gave the November housing statistics? “Weak sales activity relative to inventory places downward pressure on prices.”

High inventory levels in the Calgary resale sector persisted through November. These inventory levels were paired with weak sales levels, leading to a buyers market. Monthly…

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Protecting Your Home From The Frost

There is something in the air. It bites at your cheeks and makes your nose run. It clings to your car and has turned golden fall leaves crunchy and brown. It has frozen your windows shut and has usurped your garden. The frost has arrived. It is in full force, making up for the lack of fluffy white snow. It may not look quite like winter, but it definitely is starting to feel like winter.

Monitor your home’s water systems. Water systems that are not properly winterized can do incredible damage, such as cracking your pipes, blocking flow and ruining any filtration systems. Turn off all outdoor water taps and make sure they are properly sealed for winter. Make sure that faucets indoors are all used frequently: run the hot water for a minute to clear away…

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