All Categories

When choosing a house to buy, there a lot of things to consider. Most people find an agent, determine what they can afford, and make a list a features they are looking for, but to ensure that you have the best chance of being happy with your purchase, it is good to be thorough with your home search. 7 Things You Should Do Before You Buy: Get a good feel for the area: Spend time walking around the neighborhood and talking to people. Are there certain stores, facilities, or activities that you ... Read Full Post

If you like owning real estate and are looking for investment opportunities, you may want to consider Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). These trusts are worthwhile investments if you want to invest in properties but do not want additional responsibilities that go along with being a property owner. REITs are considered by investors as a smart addition to any investment portfolio. REITs allow a corporate entity to invest in real estate and avoid, or reduce, the amount of corporate tax the ... Read Full Post

The average home price in Canada has doubled in the last decade. This is likely partly due to new construction and renovations pushing up the average price. As well, Canada's population growth, increasing by 11 percent in the last decade has also fueled the growth of the housing market. The average home price will likely remain fairly flat until the end of 2012. Because mortgage rates will continue to be low until mid 2012, buyers will continue to buy homes at roughly the same rate until mid ... Read Full Post

Across North America, recent research suggests that single women are more likely than single men to buy a home. This research is spurring on advertisers, real estate agents, and builders to target the “single woman buyer”. Builders, hoping to attract women buyers, are building homes with low-maintenance yards, designer kitchens, and master bedrooms with lots of closet space and a nice ensuite. Others offer spa deals or weekend retreats with the purchase of a home. Some real estate agents ... Read Full Post

The winter holidays can be a hectic time to sell your home; presents are being bought and wrapped, the kids want the house decorated and you’re trying to handle holiday events and home showings at the same time! There are some great strategies you can use to help organize things this holiday so that your holidays and your family’s traditions can coexist side-by-side. Decorating Outside By all means, decorate your home, but this year you should take special care with your plan. If you have... Read Full Post

One of the most rewarding investments in North America currently is multi-family Canadian real estate. While many stocks and bonds have been yielding low returns the past year or two, multi-family homes, particularly in cities, have been steady earners for investors. Calgary is one of the top 4 markets in Canadian multi-family real estate, along with Vancouver, Toronto, and Edmonton. While many home buyers have concerns about the value of real estate in Vancouver, one of the world’s highest... Read Full Post

Anyone who owns a house with a yard knows that gardening is far from just a summertime chore if you want to be able to enjoy how your yard looks, otherwise you can feel like you’re living in the wilderness before too long. Whether you’re concerned about staging your yard for a fall or winter sale, or you just want to be able to enjoy the natural beauty of the outdoors on your own property, yard maintenance is a vital element of keeping your plant-life healthy and beautiful all year round.... Read Full Post

Buying a home with a rentable suite can offer many advantages to homeowners. An obvious one is that a homeowner will be able to subsidize their mortgage payments if they rent out part of their home. For some people who are interested in becoming homeowners for the first time, this can be their only viable option for entering the housing market. Conversely, long-time homeowners may decide to rent out part of their home to subsidize their income, or to occupy unused space when they become empty... Read Full Post

Calgary home builders, Lifestyle Homes, are breaking ground with their use of an innovative building material that could really increase the safety of newly built homes. They have recently constructed a whole home with a new product that might change the way that homes are built in Canada. The new product created by PinkWood Ltd. is a coating for a variety of wood elements that go into building a home that makes the wood more inert to some of the most common problems that can plague home owne... Read Full Post

The recent news media coverage of the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York City has sparked citizens around the world to show solidarity by participating in rallies in their respective cities. Canadians are among the supporters, holding similar rallies in cities and towns from Victoria to St. John's. Calgary was among the Canadian cities to hold an 'Occupy' rally, and residents took their voices to the streets. Protesters numbered in the hundreds marched from Bankers hall to Olympic Plaza ... Read Full Post