Real Estate Blog - Buying

How Much Home Can You Afford?

If you're considering making a move, contact Ken Richter today at 403-630-6363! He can help you strategize how best to enter the market based on your varying needs. 

One of the biggest aspects to purchasing a home is figuring out 1). How much home you need and 2). How much home you can afford. Figuring out how much home you need is usually the easy part. You need to consider how many people will be living in the space now and in the future. You need to consider how much backyard space or parking space you'll need. You need to consider number of rooms, living areas, kitchen space, etc.. Deciding how much home you can afford is also highly personal. 

Start out by knowing what mortgage you can comfortably afford. You should meet with a lender or…

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Why 'We Buy Homes' Systems Don't Work

We know you have seen the ads. Billboards proclaim 'WE WILL BUY YOUR HOME!' or 'Home Not Selling? Let us Buy!' These renegade real estate companies promise that if your home does not sell within a set number of days, they will buy it from you. It sounds like a good deal, but it really does not benefit you unless it is absolutely essential you be rid of your property right away. Here is why:

Typically the contracts for these deals state that the company will list your home for an agreed upon price for an agreed upon time. If your home does not sell within that amount of time, they will buy it from you for a different price. As previously mentioned, if it is crucial that you sell your home in the next sixty days these types of deals can be a last…

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Taking Home Sweet Home on the Road

There are many benefits that come with owning a home. It diversifies your investment portfolio, puts a roof over your head, allows you to gain equity and so much more. One of the downsides? It keeps you tethered to one spot; unless you are Captain Richard Deane, the Superintendent of Fort Calgary. Captain Deane didn't let anything stop him from moving the Deane House in 1926 across the Elbow river to where it sits today. They used logs to literally roll the house across the river!

All this being said, rolling a house across a river is not for everyone. So instead, why don't you roll up with a house on wheels: a Recreational Vehicle (RV). Many people are turning to RVs as a way to own a home that they can take with them on the road! Popular blogger…

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Happy Summer Solstice!

Happy Summer Solstice, Calgary!

What is summer solstice? This year it falls on Sunday, June 20th. It marks the official start of the summer. National Geographic writes, "solstices occur because Earth’s axis of rotation is tilted about 23.4 degrees relative to Earth's orbit around the sun. This tilt is what drives our planet's seasons, as the Northern and Southern Hemispheres get unequal amounts of sunlight over the course of a year. From March to September, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted more toward the sun, driving its spring and summer. From September to March, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away, so it feels autumn and winter. The Southern Hemisphere's seasons are reversed."

Throughout history different places and cultures have marked the…

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Relocating Tips

Relocating is very exciting!

It means you get to start a new adventure in a new place. Did you know that on average people relocate once every five years? No matter what the circumstances are behind your relocation, we are here to help make the process go as smoothly as possible:

1). Make sure all of your closing and move-in documents are taken care of. This is why having a real estate professional on your side is such a big asset. We can walk you through exactly what you need and what to do as you say goodbye to your old home and welcome your new one. 

2). Have your affairs in order. This means making sure all your mail will get forwarded to your new property, that things like electricity, heat and internet are all set up, that any licences…

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Finding The Right Retirement Home

Making the decision to find a retirement home can be difficult financially and emotionally. The reason? For most this means moving away from a home they have had for many years.

One local Calgarian described how difficult it was to make the decision to sell the home she had lived in with her late husband for over thirty years. They had made so many memories in that house, and poured their whole hearts into it. She noted that while leaving was hard, the transition gave her freedom to move into the next stage of life, onto the next adventure. Now she lives in a condo near her grandkids that has given her the financial and physical freedom to travel and spend more quality time with her family. She said the decision to find a retirement home was…

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To Rent or To Buy

People are faced with two options when it comes to home sweet home: buying or renting. For some the choice is easy: they can either afford to purchase a property or they can’t so they choose to rent instead. However, in some cases people are on the cusp of either signing a new long-term lease or making a down payment on a home and beginning to pay a mortgage. What are the pros and cons to each decision? Read on so you can make an informed decision about something that will have a massive impact on your future (no pressure)!

Pros to Buying Your Own Property:

• You get to start building up good credit by making monthly mortgage payments.

• You are investing in something long-term that one day you can sell to get your money back (plus…

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Most Desirable Home Features

When it comes to finding a new home, most buyers put together a wish list. This wish list has two sections: need to have and want to have. For example, for some people a pool in the backyard is a need to have. For others, it would only be a want to have. Different buyers have different needs. These needs are based on preference and what is required for each buyer’s particular lifestyle.

Some people are extremely picky when it comes to what they want out of a new home. Others are more relaxed. Either way, there are a number of home features that can make a property more desirable to potential buyers. The list below is not universal; like we said, everyone is different and will want and need different things out of their home. However, this list is a…

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Moving in the Summertime

In the summertime everything comes to life. The trees start growing their leaves, the flowers start blooming, animals come out of hibernation and people start turning off Netflix and heading outside. With the sun out longer and holiday time banked, the summer becomes the perfect time to tackle that big project, have cold drinks on the patio, spend time with the family and, for many people, move.

That's right, while the springtime is when many homes get listed for sale in Calgary, Alberta, possession often happens during the summertime. This is because with such nice weather and more holidays, it is easier for people to move out of their old homes and into their new homes. If you are one of these people, we have 3 tips to help the process go…

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The 5 Year Rule

Congratulations on your new home! The closing negotiations are finished, the keys are yours, the boxes are unpacked, and your name is now proudly displayed on the mailbox. Buying a home is a major milestone in a person's life, we are so happy for you. You have worked hard to get to this moment, so make sure you celebrate. If you worked with us, thank you for being one of our valued clients! We look forward to a long-lasting professional relationship with you.

As you get more settled on your new turf, you are going to start feeling one of two ways. First, you may understand, potentially for the first time ever, the age-old adage of 'home sweet home.' You will be able to breathe easy knowing this is where you have landed, looking forward to many, many…

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