147 QUEEN ANNE RD SE

Same owners since new! They bought it in 1978 and have been there ever since; you don’t find ones like this anymore; pride of ownership abounds. Continuously well-maintained throughout the years, this is a solid home with good bones. It’s super clean and ready for a new family. Great 4 level-split floor plan with lots of room (2264 Sq.Ft developed) and lots of storage that includes a large crawl-space. The sunken family room has large windows and features a wood-burning fireplace with a gas log lighter. Double front-drive oversized garage plus RV storage off the back alley. The back yard faces west and has a covered patio, a metal fence with a huge double swing-out RV gate, a gravel RV pad, and a productive apple tree. Other upgrades include: New roof 6 month ago, new windows 2 years ago, updated ensuite 4 months ago. Located a short walk from an off-leash area and Fish Creek trails to the Bow River. Just across the street is a community green space.

To view more photos, floor plan and full listing details visit my web page.

2285 Reunion Rise NW, Airdrie

Welcome to the Axiom by Sabal Homes. Well appointment and spacious with tall ceilings and lots of room. There’s a main floor den/flex room right at the front of the house overlooking the covered front porch. The island kitchen is open to the dining/living area which features a cantilevered gas fireplace that sites flush with the wall, maximizing floor space. Upstairs you’ll find a laundry room that’s actually big enough to clean and sort laundry in, the bedrooms are also a good size, and the master ensuite boasts a deep soaker tub and a full-sized separate shower. The basement is framed and ready for your finishing touches and the bathroom is already done. Out back you’ll find a large sun-drenched deck that leads to a big back yard and an oversized double garage with a gas line and 220V. There’s also a paved rear lane to help keep your cars and garage mud-free. This home is perfect for your growing family.

To view more photos, floor plan and full listing details visit my web page.

1709 6 AV SE, High River

Great 3 bedroom family home on a quiet street one block from Sunshine Lake and it’s pathway system. Newer flooring on the main level. Family styled kitchen and eating area with a door to the rear deck and the south back yard. Three large main floor bedrooms with a full master ensuite. Living room features a gas fire place. The lower level was developed but now is unfinished due to the flood of June/13. Interior lower level flood damage has been corrected with the exception of some corners of wood basement that need resealing. The rear detached garage is over sized and is wired with it’s own breaker box.

To view more photos, floor plan and full listing details visit my web page.

Suddenly a lot more people know what Airbnb is.

The company has been in the news of late as a Calgary couple rented out their home using the online service for some extra cash, only to return to find it had been completely trashed in what police called a “drug-induced orgy.” Damages to the King family’s northwest property are now estimated at $150,000.

Airbnb offers a “$1,000,000 Host Guarantee”, reimbursing up to one million dollars in repair bills to homeowners whose properties have been damaged by Airbnb customers, and the company has stated they will pay to have these Calgarian victims made whole again. But nothing can take away the memories of a family home decimated and disrespected so fully.

So, is it worth it to rent out your home on Airbnb? Like most means of earning extra income, there are risks and rewards. Apartments in Calgary start at around $65 per night, more depending on location and amenities (some homes can fetch $800 per night), and there are nearly 900 rentals listed in our city on Airbnb’s site; during Stampede, rates can quadruple. The vast majority of people who rent out their property have no problems at all, especially since renters must register with the service and both renters and homeowners can be reviewed, making them at least somewhat trackable should anything happen. Further, many choose to simply rent out a single room in their primary residence, which allows them to meet new people from around the world as tenants.

The first risk factor is self evident given recent events: the trashed house in the news was rented using stolen credit cards, and two weeks later no culprit has been nabbed. While the host guarantee means victimized homeowners won’t be out of pocket for long, irreplaceable items are, when destroyed, irreplaceable. Also important to know: if you’re a renter, it may be against your lease agreement to sublet your apartment. Review your agreement and check with your landlord before listing your property.

Many advise that the ideal method to use Airbnb for extra cash is to rent out a second home, keeping your primary residence for you and your family. Otherwise, think about the worst case scenario – basically what happened to the Kings – and see if it’s something from which you could move on with no lasting scars.

Do you have home ownership questions? Contact me!

As you may or may not be aware, lenders offering a mortgage to those purchasing a home with less than a 20 percent down payment usually require that mortgage be backed by mortgage loan insurance; the most familiar provider of mortgage loan insurance is the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, a government of Canada operation. This is a good thing, as it protects banks against defaults, while lowering the barrier to entry into the housing market. Homebuyers can purchase (typically their first) homes with as little as five percent down, so long as they’re willing to pay the CMHC premium as part of their mortgage.

Last month, CMHC announced it was increasing premiums effective June 1, 2015. These new premiums only affect buyers with a down payment of less than ten percent, and are intended to maintain CMHC’s capital holdings.

Homebuyers putting ten percent or less down will now pay a CMHC premium of 3.85 percent, up from 3.35 percent. According to CMHC, this should result in affected buyers paying about $5 per month more in insurance.

Like all insurance companies, CMHC maintains a large amount of capital holdings, which rise and fall as investments do. The money the company makes on these investments helps to pay for claims; by using this model, insurance companies are able to keep premiums relatively low while still having cash on hand to pay claims. So there you go; the more you know.

Want to know more? Contact me!

New Real Estate Fees for 2015 As reported by the Calgary Herald, last week’s provincial budget included some pretty hefty hikes to land title and mortgage registration fees, which are paid by the buyer at the time of a transaction’s closing. These fees are calculated, in part, as a percentage of a home’s selling price, and have remained stable since 2011.

After July 1, 2015, buyers will pay 0.12 percent of their new home’s purchase price in mortgage and land title registration fees, up from 0.02 percent, in addition to a flat fee of $75 (increased from $50). What that means to the average homebuyer is that instead of paying $290 (based on a $500,000 home with a 20 percent down payment), they’ll now be forking over $1,230.

User and registration fees went up virtually across the board in this latest budget, and so it’s not a huge surprise that these particular ones did too. Alberta’s land transfer and mortgage registration fees were among the lowest in the country, not to mention our being blessed with no land transfer taxes, and so its unlikely this will have any effect on Calgary’s real estate market other than inspiring some grumbles as buyers write cheques for closing costs. When Ralph Klein slashed these fees from 0.1 percent to 0.02 percent, interest rates were higher and the market slower than we currently enjoy; in our present economic climate, this increase is a fairly obvious move.

It is always important to consider closing costs when determining how much house you can afford. Remember, while the mortgage will likely be paid off over 25-plus years, closing costs are due right away and add up to several thousand dollars. Curious about what closing costs you may be looking at when you purchase? Check out our Buyer’s Guide, then contact me!

35 Royal Birch Pt NW

Welcome home! Enjoy sweeping valley and mountain views from this sought after and rarely available ridge location. Situated in a quiet location on a no-through-road, backing south onto the ravine, and just half a block from a pond and two blocks from the elementary school. Open-concept great room plan boasts a cook’s kitchen with granite counters, stainless steel appliances, a gas range, and a walk-in pantry. The basement is fully developed with lots of windows and a high ceiling. Knock-down stipple throughout. Large master bedroom and deluxe ensuite with a full sized shower with a rain head and body jets. The bonus room is massive, and the 10′ raised ceilings add to it’s grandeur. Out back, enjoy the views and landscaping from the the lush lawn, the deck, or one of two brick patios. There’s plenty of storage space available in the garage on the custom shelving. The new LRT station is a 15 minute walk or a 3 minute drive. Newer water heater & fridge. Brand new Samsung front-loading washer and dryer.

To view full listing details, more photos, floor plan and virtual tour visit my web page.

A short article in the latest edition of CREBNow points out that, with house prices continuing to increase each month (Calgary’s growing faster than anyone), it’s becoming more difficult for young families to follow the traditional middle-class progression of graduation-marriage-first home-family-bigger home. Starter homes are selling for far beyond what a dream home might have cost in our parents’ day and, especially when interest rates inevitably increase, it can be difficult to ‘move up’ without a big boost in salary.

So what to do about this? How about picking the right starter home so that it can grow with your family over several years rather than seeming poorly suited for your family situation after just a year or two. With the right planning and a little vision, you can find that ideal property and plan to develop it as your family grows.

When shopping for that first home, look for a solid, well built and well-kept property with potential. Can an unfinished basement be finished to add a third bedroom and play area? Is there space to build a garage with a loft for storage? How about knocking out a wall to increase the size of the kitchen, or adding a sunroom-style mudroom to the back entrance to hold winter coats and boots. These types of upgrades, while far from free, can be a lot more cost-effective than shopping for a new home with comparable amenities. And by smartly investing in your current property, you’re boosting the resale value and socking away equity for when you really are in a position to move.

Beyond the property itself, carefully consider your neighbourhood – and consult with a professional familiar with the demographics of the area. If you are starting a family, is the home you’re considering located in a family-friendly area, with respected day homes and preschools nearby, plenty of park space, and kids riding their bikes in the evenings? How about grocery stores and restaurants? Is the commute to work reasonable, with transit options? Is this a place you could see yourself calling home ten years from now?

The days of buying a home with the intention of moving up in a couple of years are, for many people, coming to a close. But with the right advice and some careful thought, stretching that first home’s usefulness can really put you ahead in the long run.

This coming weekend is the Calgary Home + Design show; if you plan on attending and would like 50 percent off your ticket price (who wouldn’t?), use this link and enter promo code SHOWWEEK on checkout. Enjoy the show!

28300 Highway #1

Property is a vacant piece within the Town of Chestermere limits consisting of 17.05 acres M/L at the south east corner of Rainbow Road and Trans Canada Highway #1. Ideally located for future commercial development with 1,308 feet of Trans Canada east bound highway exposure plus 568 feet on Rainbow Road with a view of the city and mountains to the west. This is a great property!

This is a Civil Enforcement sale under Part 7 of the Civil Enforcement Act in Alberta.

To view full listing details visit my web page.

Interesting article in the Calgary Herald recently posits that the now-moving-ahead southwest portion of the ring road could dramatically increase property values in nearby neighbourhoods. Especially encouraging, from a homeowner’s standpoint, is the fact that much of the land being discussed is already developed, meaning it’s owners themselves – not developers – who’ll see the profit.

It all comes down to accessibility. Commuting in Calgary’s not bad at all compared to other major markets, and thoroughfares like the ring road just make getting to work from the burbs that much easier. Anytime you can combine efficient access to services and workplaces with the quiet suburban lifestyle available near our city’s limits, you’re going to see values increase.

Of course, it’ll be years before the ring road is finished. I’ll be interested to see how many people build and buy in areas that will eventually be near the completed freeway in a short term pain, long term gain strategy.