Chestermere Lake Realtor | Buying A Home In Chestermere » Homes For Sale Calgary

Calgary Housing Market Cooling off

admin — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 17:46:59 +0000

I just read this article. What does it mean? Call me, I would love to explain it.

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CALGARY – Calgary’s housing market continued its summer slowdown in July, although prices appear stable, new figures show.

The Calgary Real Estate Board said Tuesday single family home sales were down 42 per cent from the same period a year ago. Condominium sales were down 44 per cent in the same period.

In July, there were 915 single family home sales, compared to 1,061 in June. The number of condo sales fell 11 per cent to 396 from the previous month.

The average price of a single family home was $464,655, down four per cent from the previous month, but six per cent higher than in July 2009.

The average condo price was $291,168, level with June, but a two per cent increase from a year ago.

“Calgary’s housing market is cooling off after its record-setting pace in the post-recession period,” said Sano Stante, president-elect of the board, in a statement.

“Rising mortgage rates and increased inventories will be the primary head-wind facing Calgary’s housing market, but improving job prospects will offer some tailwinds in the latter half of 2010 and into 2011.”

Corinne Watson,

Chestermere Lake Realtor

Calgary housing & Construction

admin — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 20:56:15 +0000

Some interesting information about the new housing market.

What does this mean for you? Call me directly 403.921.SOLD

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CALGARY – New investment in Alberta housing construction ballooned in April compared with a year ago.

According to Statistics Canada data, investment totalled $698.9 million in the province during that month, up significantly from $431.8 million in April 2009.

In the single home sector, investment jumped from $304.7 million a year ago to $588.8 million this year.

According to Statistics Canada, total investment in housing construction across the country was almost $3.3 billion in April which was up from $2.7 billion a year ago.

In the single home category, total investment on a year-over-year basis increased from $1.4 billion to $2.2 billion in April.

Recently, housing experts said the pace of residential construction in the Calgary region would start to slow down in the second half of this year with higher mortgage rates, tighter lending rules and more resale homes on the market putting a damper on housing starts.

That trend was evident in May as housing starts dropped from April but were still up from year-ago levels.

Total housing starts reached 862 units in May, up 79.6 per cent from 480 units in the previous year. However, there were 909 housing starts in April.

Thanks to the Calgary Herald for this

Housing prices rise in Calgary & Chestermere

admin — Fri, 21 May 2010 03:37:24 +0000

Things are looking great for the housing market. I just read this awesome article from the Calgary Herald:

The average resale housing price in the Calgary census metropolitan area will increase year-over-year in 2010, following two consecutive years of declines, predicts a new forecast released today by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.

“In the first quarter, the average resale price was $394,463, an increase of seven per cent from the same period in 2009,” said the CMHC in is Spring Calgary Housing Market Outlook.

“Despite the impressive year-over-year gain, growth in the average price is expected to moderate as the sales-to-active listings ratio continues to trend downward.” The average price is forecast to increase 4.4 per cent this year reaching $403,000. Balanced conditions are expected to continue into 2011, when the average price is forecast to rise 3.7 per cent to $418,000, said the CMHC.

The trend in resale activity has moderated in 2010 from the heightened pace experienced toward the end of last year, it said. And with the recent rise in mortgage rates coupled with higher home values, this will push monthly carrying costs upward, “tempering” demand for home ownership.

In 2010, CMHC forecasts MLS residential sales to reach 25,000 units, up by 0.5 per cent from the previous year.

“As employment, income, and net migration gain more traction and cushion some of the effects of higher monthly carrying costs, sales in 2011 are expected to rise another four per cent to 26,000 units,” said the CMHC.

Total housing starts for 2010 in the Calgary region are on track to increase from 6,318 units in 2009 to 8,800 units in 2010, up by 39.3 per cent.

As the economy continues to improve, total housing starts in 2011 are forecast to increase further to 10,300 units or another 17 per cent.

“(Single-detached) builders have been facing stronger demand conditions and lower inventory levels, which have contributed to higher starts,” said Richard Cho, senior market analyst in Calgary for the CMHC.

New construction of single-detached homes is expected to rise 36 per cent above 2009 levels, reaching 6,500 starts in 2010. In 2011, single-detached builders will further benefit from stronger economic conditions and start another 7,200 units, representing an 11 per cent increase year-over-year.

Multi-family builders scaled back production to 1,543 units in 2009, as inventories escalated throughout the year.

“Although inventories remain elevated for apartment units, multi-family builders in 2010 will start more units than last year, as more semi-detached and row units are produced,” said Cho. “However, total multi-family activity will still remain below historical norms.”

New multi-family construction is expected to reach 2,300 units in 2010, an increase of 49 per cent from the previous year. As the economy improves and apartment inventories decline, the CMHC said multi-family production is forecast to increase 35 per cent in 2011 to 3,100 units.

With the prospect of improving labour markets and higher levels of net migration, demand for rental accommodations is expected to pick up. In addition, rising home values and higher interest rates will push monthly carrying costs upward, increasing the gap between average monthly rent and mortgage payment (principle and interest). This will reduce the incentive to move into home ownership, said the CMHC.

The vacancy rate is forecast to decline to 4.9 per cent in October 2010 and 3.9 per cent in 2011.

The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment unit is forecast to slip from $1,099 per month in October 2009 to $1,090 per month in October 2010. The average rent is not anticipated to increase until 2011 when vacancy rates further decline and fewer incentives are offered. In 2011, the average two-bedroom rent is forecast to reach $1,120 per month.

MTONEGUZZI@THEHERALD.CANWEST.COM

Does your home smell?

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:57:23 +0000

One of the often overlooked aspects of preparing a home for sale is assessing its smell. Although each person’s sense of smell varies greatly, some smells will always be offensive. Cigarette smoke, pet and cooking smells will turn off a potential buyer. When considering selling your home, start at the beginning, and ensure that you have completed the following:

Steam cleaned the carpets or
Vacuumed carpets with a sprinkling of baking soda
Washed draperies and linens
Cleaned all surfaces such as kitchens, bathrooms, windows, floors

Vinegar used in your cleaning solution helps to remove odours. You can also put a few drops of a nice essential oil into water used for mopping floors.

Once, the background cleaning is done, you can focus on creating pleasant smells in your home. Scent preferences can vary greatly from person to person, so if you decide to perfume your house, exercise moderation. Don’t overdo it. Aim for smells that create a sense of warmth, comfort and well-being to those who visit. A list of scents that are recommended include:

Fresh bread; bring in or make a loaf in close proximity to a showing
Cinnamon; warm a couple of tablespoons in a pan and allow the smell to spread
Vanilla, burn a nicely scented vanilla candle
Coffee bean; roast half a cup of beans in the oven
Apple pie; cook a pie in your oven before a showing

If you decide not to use any of these, use caution with artificial smells, like room sprays as these often contain chemicals which can be offensive to some.

If you think you need more help, you can try using a Lampe Berger.
These were originally developed for use in hospitals and claim to purify air. The lamps can also be used to infuse a myriad of scents into your home. Although they use a flame for the initial 2 minutes, afterwards, they use the simple forces of heat and diffusion to move scent around. Thus, they are great if you are concerned about the fire hazard of candles.

If after all this, you can’t trust your own nose, invite a female friend or neighbour over for an honest smell test. Yes, a female, studies show that women have a better sense of smell than men.

If you are thinking of selling your home in Chestermere , give me a call,

Corinne Watson
Chestermere Realtor
cwatson@cirrealty.ca
403.921.SOLD

Source: http://www.koalanet.com.au/bryce-courtenay.html

Using social media to sell your home

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:08:43 +0000

So you may be familiar with the newest trends with social media applications such as Facebook, twitter, and YouTube. But have you ever considered using these channels to get the word out about the home you wish to sell? Sherry Chris, president and CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, says” 80% of consumers now use both the internet to research homes and a real estate agent to complete the transaction”. Facebook, twitter and YouTube are some of the social network channels that have the most promise for many internet savvy potential buyers. So how does one use these channels for selling your home?

Try these tips:

Use Twitter and Facebook to connect with potential buyers, keeping in mind that you want to “connect” as you would in person and not come across as too “salesy”
Posting your listing on your profile and your agent’s profile exponentially increases the potential viewers, and the potential for your home to go viral.
Use strong keywords in your home description. Things like “pool” and “deck” and “finished basement” will really catch buyers’ eyes.
Make sure to use lots of location words, as people will be searching by location, such as Chestermere home for sale
Pricing your online listing is a tactical decision, too. You’re better at the low end of a given range than at the high end of a lower range. So, don’t price at $199,000 if the range is $150,000 to $200,000. Price at $201,000, and get at the low end of the $200,000 to $250,000 range.
Create a simple video that you can post on YouTube to profile your home
If you are a blogger, upload your home to your site, and twitter about it
Have your agent use a social network site such as www.activerain.com. These profiles are searchable and google can pull up your home for the right searcher

Give me a call, and we can come up with some great ideas together to sell your home in Chestermere.

Corinne Watson
Chestermere Realtor
cwatson@cirrealty.ca
403.921.SOLD

Sources : http://www.stormdawg.com/2009/11/02/realtors-are-using-social-media-to-help-sell/ and

http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/marketing-real-estate-on-facebook-and-other-social-networks

Google maps, new tool for searching for your perfect home (incl video)

admin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:37:20 +0000

If you have been looking for a new home in Chestermere, or looking to sell your existing home, you may spend a fair bit of time on the website http://www.mls.ca/. You may have noticed recent changes to postings to include a specific address. This combined with the recent development of the online tool Google maps; you can do a lot of research online. If you visit Google maps , you can enter an address of a property you are interested in, and you can see a variety of maps. Of course you see the regular map of streets, but you can also select a street view, which will show you an image of the street. This is great when you want to get a “feel” for a certain neighbourhood beforehand. Check out this online video to get an idea how to use this tool.

You can also select the terrain option and see the hills and valleys of the local area. This is another aspect of you’re the community which can affect your decision. Other great options include a view of traffic, webcams in the area, and transit locations. The tool also includes photos that were taken from the local area. These are all factors which could play into your final decision to purchase a home in Chestemere or elsewhere. If you are selling your home in Chestermere, it might be valuable for you to search your own home and see what prospective buyers might see.

Of course, there is no replacement for seeing in person a real home and neighbourhood, so once you have done your research, call me and you can experience a prospective location in person.

Corinne Watson
Chestermere Realtor
cwatson@cirrealty.ca
403.921.SOLD

Beautiful Riverside Home For Sale In Calgary

admin — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:40:26 +0000

What a fantastic family home! Tiled entrance foyer! Gleaming hardwood throughout the living and dining room! The kitchen is functional with custom made pantry organizers, oak cabinets and tiled flooring! Conveniently located by the back entrance is a 2 pce bath! The family room is cozy and inviting with a gas lit wood burning fireplace! The upper level has 3 bedrooms! The main bath has updated tile work and an air jetted bathtub! Great use of space in the fully developed basement! Large open rec area with a cozy heat throwing electric fireplace! The 4th bedroom is very large and has a great walk in closet. There is a newer 3 pce bath with a shower and tiled flooring! The detached 20×22 double garage is a definite asset.Convenient storage shed and large sunny rear deck complete this wonderful home!

Features: Deck, Swirlpool Bath (Jacuzzi), No Smoking Home
Includes: Dishwasher-Built-In, Dryer, Garage Opener-2 Control, Refrigerator, Oven-Microwave, Storage Shed, Stove-Electric, Window Coverings-All

To View this home at 216 Riverside Way, Call me directly or email me!

Corinne Watson
Calgary Realtor Expert
Chestermere Realtor Expert
403.921.7653
cwatson@cirrealty.ca