When you purchase a home, you’re hoping it will continually go up in value — just like a good investment. 

However, there’s something else that you want to see go up in value as well: the neighbourhood. In fact, the neighbourhood plays a key role in what the home will be worth in years to come. If the neighbourhood goes down in terms of desirability, so will the market value of the home. 

That’s why, when shopping for a new home, it’s important to get a feel for the value of the neighbourhood, and whether or not it’s on the upswing.  

How do you do that? One way is to simply take a walk. Look at the properties. Are they well maintained? Is the landscaping groomed and attractive? Those are signs of “pride of ownership” — a clear indication that…

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Active: 383
Sold: 145
Average List Price: $400,593
Average Sale Price: $393,529
Average Days on Market: 37 Days 
Sellers are getting 98% of asking price, 37% of homes on the market today are expected to sell within the next 30 days. The absorption rate it at 2.64% meaning we are currently in a balanced market.

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Active: 5469
Sold: 2121
Average List Price: $493,454
Average Sale Price: $481,452
Average Days on Market: 41 Days
Sellers are getting 98% of asking price, 38% of homes on the market today are expected to sell within the next 30 days. The absorption rate is at 2.57% meaning we are in a balanced market

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When you’re thinking of selling your home and buying another, you face the inevitable question: Should I list my property first or buy my new home first?   Let’s take a look at both options.  If you attempt to buy a property before listing your home, you run into a couple of challenges.   First, sellers may not take you seriously as a potential buyer. After all, you haven’t put your own home up for sale. As far as they’re concerned, you might merely be testing the market.   Second, your property might not sell as quickly as you thought it would. If there is an early closing date on the home you purchased, you might end up owning, and paying a mortgage on both properties, at least until your home sells. 

If, on the other hand, you list your property…

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Closing day is an exciting time. After all, you’re moving into your new home! However, it can be stressful as well. The last thing you need is to be confronted with something you don’t understand. So here is a quick list of common “closing day” terms.

• Disbursements. This is the allocation of funds to the appropriate parties, such as the seller. Your lawyer will take care of this for you.
• Possession. This is the moment on closing day when you are legally able to take possession of your new home. It’s usually when your REALTOR® or lawyer hands you the keys.
• Title. This is a legal document that identifies the property and its owner.
• Closing costs. These are expenses, excluding the selling cost of the property, that are due on closing day, such as…

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Active: 5730
Sold: 2000
Average List Price: $480,986
Average Sale Price: $467,903
Average Days on Market: 40 Days
Sellers are getting 97% of asking price, 35% of homes on the market today are expected to sell within the next 30 days. The absorption rate is at 2.87% meaning we are in a balanced market.

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Active: 380
Sold: 141
Average List Price: $400,443
Average Sale Price: $394,065
Average Days on Market: 41 Days 
Sellers are getting 98% of asking price, 37% of homes on the market today are expected to sell within the next 30 days. The absorption rate it at 2.70% meaning we are currently in a balanced market.

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Do you have a renovation project in mind – and wonder how much value it will add to your home? Remodeling Magazine recently did a study of renovation projects, comparing costs to added value. Here are some of the results:

Replacing a main entry door has a return on investment of over 95%. After all, the entrance to a home is one of the first things a prospective buyer notices.

Adding a new deck also adds a lot of value. Depending on the materials used, you can expect to get back three-quarters of the money invested.

Another high-payback project is the garage door. This once again demonstrates the importance of a home’s “curb appeal.”

If you’re tackling a big project, such as a basement renovation, you’ll be glad to know that, according to the…

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Quite a few have been asking when Bill Zarn from Zarn Tree Farms, located just outside of Airdrie, is having another tree auction. Well, it's just around the corner! April 25th starting at 10am. This is a great way to get large spruce trees for a fraction of the cost elsewhere. You can bid on groups of 10, 5 or even singles. Great way to tree your acreage or just add a few to your city property.

Check out the details at: http://www.zarntreefarm.ca/Auction.html or call Billy Peshke at 403-466-8353 for more details. We will be there at the auction!

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If you’re relaxing on a Caribbean beach, or enjoying a bus tour through historic Paris, the last thing you want to worry about is your home. Most people know the basics of keeping a home secure while away. Here are some additional tips that are easy to miss:

• Tell your kids not to boast about your fabulous vacation plans, especially on social media. The fewer who know that the house will be empty, the better.

• Ask a neighbour to pick up any mail and flyers dropped at your doorstep. But don’t rely on that alone. Also call the newspaper and post office to temporarily halt delivery.

• You can buy timers to automatically turn lights on and off. However, most will stop working if the power goes out and restart with the incorrect time when the power…

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