Blog Archives
What is Luxury Real Estate?
If you are new to the concept of luxury real estate or, as it’s called in Britain, luxury property, you may be wondering what the difference is between luxury and normal real estate. After all, if you look through the listings on my website or of the listings of any realtor, you’ll see a huge variety of homes. From the modest, single family home, to a manor with over 4000 square feet and a grounds it can be difficult to know when exactly you leave normal and enter luxury. In fact, it’s so challenging that different people are going to define it different ways. By Characteristics. Luxury property is never complete without a view. Whether it’s a beautiful view of our rolling prairies leading up to the rocky mountains, waterside property, or even a top of the city view of the cityscape and skyscrapers you rarely find luxury homes surrounded by other houses on all four sides with nothing to see but suburbia. The property the house is sitting on often makes a huge different. It’s not usual to find small homes under 1000 square feet, but placed on an acre of waterfront property, out competing and more expensive than […]
Top Three Things You Need to Know When Buying a Luxury Home
With the age of the Internet and Google, we live in a world where it is now easier than ever to research and look up information yourself. Through the web we can also buy everything from giant gummy bears to clothes irons–and houses. However, despite the online MLS and all the listings you can find on the internet, there are a few things you should know before trying to find your dream house through the web. Many Luxury Houses aren’t Listed Online. One of the first issues you may come across when searching for the perfect luxury home online is that many luxury houses aren’t online to begin with. Many luxury homeowners are invested in protecting their privacy and simply do not list their house in the MLS. In order to to find these luxury homes, you must have a Realtor in the business who knows where to find luxury home listings and is well enough connected to hear about the homes that are being sold. Another important difference is that luxury homes rarely have open houses. Your luxury home Realtor is your local expert at tracking down which homes are available and booking you an appointment […]
Everything you Need to Know about Buying a House That Was a Grow Op
People may be nervous when it comes to buying a house that was a grow-op. There is a stigma to buying a home formerly used for criminal activity, so much so that these houses often sell for 15-20% less than similar homes in the area. The stigma and lower price can linger for several years after. This can be to your advantage. After all, 15-20% difference may mean affording the home you’ve always wanted in an area you never thought you could afford. The reason for the lower price is that, even after the home is professionally remediated and remodeled, buyers often steer away from former grow-ops. Which brings the question: Shouldn’t you? Generally speaking, no. But you should use caution when buying a former grow-op, as you should when you buy any home and there are certain things to keep in mind. A grow-op may be more difficult to finance. Just as buyers are often nervous of these homes, banks can be too. The problem is that grow-ops can do significant damage to the electrical and heating components, as well as to the structure itself and the ventilation. I would recommend only purchasing a home that […]
Will Calgary’s MDP Push House Prices through the Roof?
Intensification or urbanisation is the latest trend in urban planning. Decaying urban centres in cities like Vancouver and Toronto are being redeveloped and revitalized to combine commercial and new residential spaces to reduce urban sprawl and provide more affordable multifamily housing. Intensification helps to minimize a city’s carbon footprint by using less land and reducing peoples’ reliance on the family car to run errands, go to work, or to school. In 2009, the City of Calgary adopted a Municipal Development Plan (MDP) that specifies that for the next 60 years, one half of all of Calgary’s development must take place within the confines of the city’s 2005 footprint. Intensification is coming to Calgary in a big way. When demand exceeds supply, house prices naturally increase as has been demonstrated dramatically in cities like Vancouver. Calgary has one of the fastest growing populations in Canada – 4.3% per year. Calgary, along with Edmonton, also has the youngest population in Canada and also the lowest rental vacancy rate at just 1% in 2013. Younger families and recent immigrants tend to be drawn to detached homes with land in the suburbs. Under Calgary’s MDP, detached houses with a yard away from the city […]
Improve the Curb Appeal of your Home with a New Garage Door
There are a lot of things that you can do to make your home more attractive to buyers and that offer excellent return on your investment. There are also a lot of home improvement projects that are not only extremely expensive, but that might actually turn buyers away. They also won’t pay back anywhere near what you paid for them when it comes time to sell your home. One of the least expensive home improvement projects that you can undertake that also has a very high return on investment is a new garage door. Not only will you get back a big chunk of the cost of a new door when you sell your home, a new garage door will also improve the curb appeal of your home and possibly make it easier to sell. The garage door is the largest exterior feature on most homes so it’s one of the first things people see. Modern garage doors are now available in a variety of materials including wood, synthetic wood, steel, vinyl, and aluminum and glass. They come in a variety of styles to match the architecture of just about any home. Many garage doors are available with insulation. That’s […]
Should you sell your House on Your Own?
Anyone who’s ever sold a house has probably entertained that idea of selling it on their own at one time or another. Approximately 9% of the homes sold in North America today are sold by their owner. About one third of those are sold to someone the owner knows. There’s no doubt that you can save money on real estate commissions by selling your home yourself. However, it might not be as much as you think. When a house is sold in Alberta, the commission is split between the seller’s agent and the buyer’s agent. Even if you go it alone and sell your house yourself, you have to pay a commission to the buyer’s agent if they have one. So, you’re only saving half of the commission. Most people aren’t comfortable buying a house without the help of a realtor so you should assume that one will be involved. If you turn away buyers who want to use their own agent, you’re going to limit the number of potential buyers dramatically. It’s hard to be objective when you’re selling your own house. There could be emotional attachments and maybe you’re not selling it voluntarily but because of divorce, a […]
Taking the Stress out of Selling your Home
Well, since it’s impossible to completely eliminate the stress of selling your home, a better name for these tips might be “reducing the amount of stress involved in selling your home.” When it comes to selling your home, think like a Boy Scout – be prepared. Start to prepare for selling as far in advance as reasonable – even six months in advance. Have your home inspected by a reputable certified home inspector. They’ll be able to show you the things that need to be done in order to put the house into a saleable condition. Starting several months in advance will give you plenty of time to have the necessary repairs done. Once you’ve received a report from the home inspector, work with your real estate agent to decide which repairs or improvements are necessary and which are nice to have but won’t be deal breakers when you list your home. Keep records of all of the repairs you make including the dates, and save the receipts. Finally, begin to prepare for the dreaded showings. Agents have a way of calling to book a showing with very little notice. Start to prepare for the first showing long before it […]
Tips for selling your Calgary home to Younger Buyers
The Calgary real estate market was scorching hot in 2013. All signs indicate that this trend will continue in 2014. The ongoing real estate boom in Calgary and throughout Alberta is in part being fueled by migration to the region by job seekers from other parts of Canada. It’s a seller’s market these days and many newly listed homes in desirable areas are being sold in days if not hours.
Securing Financing for a Home Purchase – the Mortgage Broker
Few people have the luxury of paying cash when they buy a home. Traditionally, most people went to their bank to apply for a mortgage. However, in the last 20 years or so, a burgeoning mortgage brokerage industry has developed, giving home buyers an alternative to banks.