As part of the efforts to commemorate 2013’s epic flood, and the epic outpouring of community spirit and fellowship that followed, Mayor Nenshi has dubbed June 21 as Neighbour Day, named, according to the city’s official website,”in honour of the overwhelming community spirit that rose against the waters,” which is a pretty good line.

Some in my community, and many others I’d imagine, are planning a block party, and the city is waiving the $25 permit fees for such events on this special day. There are tools and templates, and other information available at the city’s site. If you plan on hosting a party, you’d better get cracking.

To keep up-to-date on Neighbour Day events, follow the official Facebook event page and the hashtag #yycNeighbourDay on Instagram and Twitter.

Interesting article from the Herald recently on the growing number of first-time home buyers. You’d think the record prices would deter first-timers from jumping into this red-hot market, but increasingly low interest rates combined with a healthy amount of confidence have led to the majority of properties changing hands in 2013 going to newbies.

I expect this trend will carry forward through 2014, as mortgages can now be had for less than two percent.

It’s nice to see the ‘housing bubble’ talk die down in the media lately: for close to a decade it’s been all the rage to predict how we’re on the verge of a US-style meltdown thanks to high personal debt loads and unsustainably low interest rates. Just wait till the good times get a little less good, they said, and it’ll be foreclosure sales left and right. Well, that kind of talk might sell magazines and get people to tune in at 6:00, but it’s just not the reality, especially in Calgary.

The steady population growth, solid employment situation, and smart city planning all lead to ours being a very livable city. I mean, in Toronto or Vancouver if you work downtown but live in the ‘burbs, you’re in for a multi-hour commute each day, but here, thanks in large part to a well designed c-train system, few are en-route for more than 45 minutes. Heck, our largest community (Tuscany) buts right up against the city limits, and when the new station opens this fall transit riders will be in the core in about 25 minutes.

So bravo for Calgary residents realizing the great value our city holds and jumping into the housing market. Obviously, making up 55 percent of the sales means first-timers are essential to the healthy and sustainable that we enjoy, and so it’s vital for everyone’s property values that we see real estate in Calgary for what it is, and not through an alarmist, sensationalist filter.

So our lame spring this year had another side effect besides delaying our kids’ soccer season by a couple weeks: the unusually lengthy period Calgary lawns were snow-covered this year created an ideal habitat for vole infestation. Voles – which look like little round, fat mice – love to chew on the roots of grass and trees in Calgary suburbs under the cover of snow, and some residents have been finding their lawns destroyed by telltale s-shaped tracks. Every year some suburban yards and parks fall victim to hungry voles, but this has been a banner season for the little suckers.

According to pest control experts, periodic chinooks usually melt the snow and disrupt the habitat, keeping populations under control, but since the snow stuck around for months at a time this past winter, the voles partied like it was 1999. Or, you know, however voles party.

The options for dealing with a vole infestation are varied: put out traps, use poison in the holes, get some cats. Nothing’s without consequences, though, especially when you have other pets or children using the yard, so your best bet is to consult with a pest control professional. Whatever you do, don’t start seeding your lawn before taking care of the vole problem: apparently voles really like grass seed.

To prevent the little critters from visiting your yard next winter, put commercially-available tree guards around the base of your trees, extending beneath the soll, and pick up any unharvested food sources from your garden. Use only rodent-proof bird seed feeders, and if you plan on putting mulch over strawberry plants or other annuals, wait until after the ground freezes.  Then keep your fingers crossed for a winter with more chinooks and less snow.

Have you or your neighbours had vole problems this year or in the past? Comment below.

Rural Mountain View County

Picturesque setting on rolling terrain with a mix of grazing land with poplar and spruce tree shelter. Two creeks, one open year round. Two filled year round dugouts and a natural pond NW of house. Fenced & cross fenced. Property has a well house/tack room, hay barn with stalls and storage with electrical power, round pen with corrals. Two working wells, one for the house and one for stock. This property currently generates $20,257 annually from Trans Canada Pipelines and a road access contract. There is also a grazing lease for the pastures which runs from June to October which generates $3,000 M/L. There is a shared access (with private option) gravel road off Twp. Rd. 342 plus private access off Range Rd. 5.5 The home features original hardwood floors, partial rewiring with a new electrical box, bathrooms renos, wood burning stove in the living room addition and satellite internet service. Enjoy relaxing on the open South facing deck in this peaceful setting. Property has subdivision potential.

To view more photos and full listing details visit my webpage.

Ordinarily I can get a little annoyed by people posting on Facebook about the weather: yes we all have windows, we’re aware that it’s unseasonable in some way, this is not brand new information to anybody. Sure, it’s a Canadian tradition to be obsessed about forecasts – things can change drastically day-to-day around here, unlike, say, Mexico, where it’s pretty much always sunny and beautiful and where I’d like to be right now – but it just seems unnecessary to broadcast one’s limited opinion on the weather to friends and family. Still, I can hardly blame anyone for expressing their frustration with our latest batch of snow in any way they can. I mean, seriously: it was 20 degrees last Wednesday, and looked like mid-December by Saturday? Not cool.

What’re you gonna do, though, besides put off removing the winter tires for a couple extra weeks? One thing you can do with this extra indoor time is to make a list of maintenance projects your home needs, and get cracking. Paint door jambs, change your furnace filter, check the hot water tank, and so on. Maybe you’re due for some new appliances, and now’s a great time to research and shop. Doing these little jobs as they come up doesn’t take a whole lot of time, but staying on top of minor maintenance keeps you from having an indomitable to-do list a couple years from now.

As for the snow, be careful with the shovelling – it’s wet and heavy, after all – and keep an eye out in your basement for signs of water leaking in. Then close your curtains and pretend you’re in Mexico.

As of May 1, CMHC – the Crown Corporation that insures homes purchased with less than a 20 percent down payment – will be raising its rates; a chart breaking down the new premiums is available here. This is a not-particularly surprising move, as the rising average home prices in Canada are increasing CMHC’s exposure to risk, which is not something an insurer likes to see happen.

And now a new announcement: self-employed workers without a means for third-party validation of their income will no longer be eligible for CMHC coverage.

While some first-time homebuyers, the group traditionally unable to come up with a 20 percent down-payment, may be discouraged by this news, it’s not at all a bad thing for the real estate market; indeed, it’s a step to help things stay healthy. As interest rates look to remain low for at least the next couple of years, it can be tempting for people to over-extend themselves financially with the hope that their property’s equity will grow fast enough to make the stretch worthwhile. CMHC’s job is to make sure mortgage lenders don’t end up on the hook for a bunch of homes their owners couldn’t actually afford, and it doesn’t have an endless pool of cash from which to draw to do this. Tightening up the rules a bit can help gently nudge potential homebuyers toward gaining a little more financial security prior to signing on the dotted line, which means a healthier market all around. Foreclosures aren’t good for anyone, and neither is CMHC having to drastically increase its premiums to cover a large amount of losses. Mild corrections like this one are just a way to keep people living relatively within their means, and I’m for it.

2109 & 2111 50 Ave SW

2109 & 2111 50th Ave. SW. This is a full side by side on a 50’x138′ lot with a south back yard. Sq. footage and room sizes are for one side only. Both sides are identical with the exception of a 3 piece bath on the lower level on one side. Currently leased. This is an excellent building site as the tile covers two separate lots. Title is not split at this time. Located close to transportation and Mount Royal University. The building does have many upgrades such as new furnaces, hot water tank, fencing and a newer roof with a 25 year transferable. The kitchens are original.

To view more photos, floor plan & virtual tour visit my web page.

Well, the view out my window this weekend would seem to contradict my previous post’s allusion to the snow being gone and it being time for yard work to commence, but I guess that’s just the way 2014 is playing out, weather-wise. It sure hasn’t cooled our red-hot market, with year-over-year prices jumping a whopping ten percent. The average days-on-market numbers are better than they’ve been in years, which is great for sellers: the quicker a home sells, the more likely it is to be at or over asking price.

In more good news, Calgary, Toronto, and Vancouver were named the three most resilient cities in the world for real estate development, according to a Grosvenor Research report. Our relatively well thought out city planning, and large migration numbers are the main factor for Calgary’s positive showing here.

Easter weekend has passed, and I enjoyed both spending some quality time with my family, and eating a sugar-coma-inducing amount of chocolate. I hope you had similar fun!

102 West Coach Wy Sw

Upscale Morrison-built home with a fabulous floor-plan. Original owners have kept the home super-clean and in top condition.  Lots of upgrades including high ceilings and top-notch finishings.  Cooks-kitchen with lots of granite counter-space, built-in appliances, and a large gas cook-top and upgraded maple cabinets. There’s also a big pantry that leads from the large mudroom off the 3-car garage.  Luxurious living room with a stone fireplace and soaring 2-storey lofted ceilings. The flex room would serve well as a den or a formal dining room. Upstairs the large sunken bonus room is wired for home-theatre sound. The bonus room and the master bedroom both have vaulted ceilings. Dual sinks, a large tile shower, and a separate jetted tub ensure serenity within the ensuite. There are built-in speakers throughout the home and on the back patio.  Professionally landscaped with irrigation system and a cedar fence and pergola, plus a paving stone patio. Bonus – no sidewalk to shovel here.

81 Eversyde Co SW

Fully renovated and in pristine condition. Situated on the best lot in the whole complex with a sunny SE rear exposure. The kitchen was completely redone within the last few years including new cabinets and granite counters, quality stainless steel appliances including a convection range, and a reverse osmosis water system. The bathrooms were redone at the same time with matching materials. Other upgrades include hardwood flooring, new doors, door casings and baseboards, new light fixtures, new blinds, and of course fresh paint. This is a great floorplan with an breakfast-bar kitchen and 3 bedrooms up. The unspoiled basement awaits your storage items or development plans.

To view full listing details, more photos, floorplan and virtual tour visit my webpage.