Just a heads up that I have heard, from a few trusted sources, that Royal Bank of Canada is increasing their mortgage rates as of tomorrow.  So far, silence from the other chartered banks but what one does the others are usually soon to follow.

So far, no indicating that my broker friendly lenders are following this plan of action and we usually always get a couple of days notice if they are.

So my strong suggestion to you and any buyers you are working with, get them to contact me and get a pre-qualification done and a rate hold obtained.  Rate holds on a purchase are good for up to 120 days.

My question to you and your clients - has their bank mortgage specialist taken the time to pass on this bit of info --- didn't think so.

Remember, unlike the bank mortgage advisor, I work for the client (YOUR buyer) not the lender.

Cathy McMurrich THE MORTGAGE GROUP 403-568-8817

Take a look at your “Things” and what makes you hang onto them. 

Our Attachment to “Things”

Many of our things help give us a sense of our own identity. For instance, we may have lots of books that we intend to read. But now with Kindle etc they are just gathering dust. Closets full of clothes that we will never wear, why not send them to Goodwill. Our old furniture that we hang onto, now looks out of place with our new minimal “Look”.

Remember the furniture pieces you got from your grandmother? We also might inherent stuff from other family and friends and these “things” can have a powerful hold on us. Many times we can’t let go of them because they’re a link to a person we love. “Things” from our past can take on their own life!.
Sometimes we buy things to make ourselves feel better after maybe a bad week, or we buy because we are bored.

This is the recipe for a packed home that requires a big investment to keep up. From a cleaning perspective, we go around it all! How many people do you know who have 3 car garage in Calgary, but only use 2 garages and fill the other with” Things”.

So make the big push, you just might find you’re happier, have more time, and definitely have more space and more money in your pocket.

Giving “things” to Goodwill also helps someone who needs it more than you, you don’t always have to sell it on Kajiji. Its Karma, what you send out will always return.

Considering Listing Your Home?  Home Evaluation  Text/Call 403-850-0669
 

Earlier this year, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation made a now-infamous prediction that home prices would fall by up to 18% over the course of 2020 and into 2021. 

Instead, prices have since risen by approximately 22% to $603,000, as of November. 

That discrepancy illustrates how difficult forecasting the housing market has become due to the economic uncertainty created by the pandemic.

For instance, factors suggesting a strong economic recovery in 2021 include promising developments on the vaccine front, sizeable spending by the federal government to support and stimulate the economy, pent-up consumer demand and historically low interest rates. 

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1) Pay attention to home ideas you see in magazines (maybe cut out photos)

2) Notice the things you like about a home as you drive past (take a photo).

3) If your current home is less than ideal ask yourself why.

4) When the time comes to search, picture the image of the house you want.

5) When that time comes, you will need a good realtor, and I will be waiting.

6) Until then, keep a photo of every home you like the look of!

Contact us today! 403-850-0669        E info@CalgaryDreamHomes.com

Lets all hope that those people who felt the hurt of 2020 - feel the love of 2021

Thank you to all our clients during this strange Covid year - 2021 will be great!!

Stay Safe

• Living on Earth is expensive, but it does include a free trip around the sun each year.
• How long a minute is depends on what side of the bathroom door you're on.
• Birthdays are good for you; the more you have, the longer you live.   
• Happiness comes through doors you didn't even know you left open 
• Ever notice that the people who are late are often much jollier than the people who have to wait for them? 
• Most of us go to our grave with our music still inside of us.   
• If Wal-Mart is lowering prices every day, how come nothing is free yet?  
• You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person. 
•  Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once
• Don't cry because it's over; smile because it happened.
• We could learn a lot from crayons: some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors....but they all exist very nicely in the same box.
• A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
• Have an awesome day, and know that someone who thinks you're great has thought about you today!.. "And that person was me.".....

Anon

1)    Clean the entire home thoroughly. Shampoo carpets, wash walls, clean sills, window screens and blinds. Clean out light fixtures and dust shelving. Get detailed here.

2)    Clean the clutter from all closets, cupboards and cabinets.

3)    Make your rooms look as spacious as possible. Store unnecessary furnishing items that make your home look crowded.

4)    Arrange furnishing so that it is easy to walk through your home.

5)    Scale down the number of photos, pictures, portraits and posters hanging on walls. Make sure you patch all nail and screw holes.

6)    Keep your curtains and draperies open as a rule. You will want your home to show very light and bright. Find ways to screen any unappealing views.

7)    Make your kitchen shine. Remove clutter from counter tops and cabinets and store it. Keep your sink clean and clear of any dirty dishes.

8)    Clean your refrigerator, inside and out. Make sure that you do the simple things like putting an open box of baking soda in your fridge. Also, remove unnecessary clutter from the door.

9)    Clean your oven. Degrease it and keep it looking as good as possible.

10) Keep scented candles burning in the kitchen and bathrooms. Pleasant fragrances will entice buyers to stay longer in your home.

11) Keep bathrooms scrubbed and tidy with fresh soap and neatly hung towels. Try to color coordinate your bathrooms.

12) Keep all sinks in the home clean and repair leaks or slow drains.

13) Go through your entire home and touch up paint. Pay close attention to corners where there is traffic wear. Touch up baseboards, trim and cabinets and cupboards.

14) Place plants or flower arrangements in strategic parts of the home. A splash of color from plants, flowers, pillows or small rugs can give your home some real flair.

15) Make sure that your home is well lit. Put higher wattage bulbs in dark areas or corners. Keep all lights on during showings, even in mid day.

16) Use mirrors on walls if necessary to reflect light and make rooms look larger.

17) Make sure that all door knobs and keyed entries are working. Replace any worn knobs or handles.

18) Clean up all around the house. Remove any debris piles such as wood, firewood and landscape trimmings. Trim all hedges, bushes and shrubbery away from the house. Keep all garden beds weeded and mulched.

19) Put some color by your home's entrance with potted flowers. Keep them watered and looking attractive.

20) Keep all walkways clear, clean and in good repair. This includes your driveways and any parking areas.

21) Keep all outdoor furniture clean and in good repair.

22) Clean your gutters and roof. Keep moss or algae from growing on, in or around them.

23) Keep your yard and lawn areas clean and in good health. A green lawn makes a home look great. Keep your lawn edged and free from weeds.

24) Repair any broken windows, screens, shutter or awnings.

25) Clean your garage area. Remove clutter and make it look organized and as spacious as possible. Try to have nothing in your garage but cars.

By following these 25 fix up tips, you can do a lot to increase the perceived value of your home and make it stand out above the competition!

Call or Text for your marketing Consultation 

Stewart Direct: 403.850.0669

For the sixth month in a row, sales in the Calgary Real Estate market recorded year over year gain. Sales growth over the past several months has been the strongest we have seen in the past five years!

Due to COVID-19 and shut downs in the spring sales do remain over 3% lower than last year. New listings have decreased over 10% and are at the lowest levels since 2001!

Tighter conditions in the housing market have contributed to some of the recent gains in benchmark prices. As of November, the benchmark price was $423,600. This is nearly 2% higher than last year’s levels.

We are currently  in a balanced market and prices are starting to climb. This is helping home owners understand as we move into the New Year, that their Real Estate investment is at least stable.

Stay safe over the holidays and let us all hope that 2021 will be a year for growth and getting back to normal.

Best Wishes to you all!

Jupiter and Saturn Will Align to Create the First "Christmas Star" in Nearly 800 Years

You might not want to miss this! probably won't see it next time!

http://a.msn.com/03/en-us/BB1bzzF4?ocid=se

Great teaming up with Leva Interiors - Tara Jones ! It's going to make our clients even happier! 

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City of Calgary, November 1, 2020 –

With strong gains in the detached sector, October sales in the city reached 1,764 units. This is a 23 per cent increase over last year and well above longer-term averages.

The gain in citywide residential sales outpaced the growth in new listings, supporting tighter market conditions and improving prices.

“Over the past several years, higher lending rates and the stress test pushed many out of the detached housing market. However, recent declines in rates, combined with prices that are lower than several years ago, have brought back some of that demand,” said CREB^® chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie.

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Condo living in Calgary is for the buyer on a limited budget or just wants to be in the centre of everything. There are many common misconceptions about owning a condo such as big condo fees and rules that determine what you can or can't-do. We have a large selection of Condo's available by Area and Price. There are many benefits and conveniences that come along with living in a condo instead of a house.

 Here is why they are worth considering:   

READ MORE

Call us if you need to see the latest Calgary condos for sale : 403-850-0669

The Bank Of Canada made no surprise this morning when they announced there will be no movement to it's benchmark rate.  They made it clear there is no intention to increase the benchmark rate until inflation maintains consistency at 2%.  

So what does this mean for your clients?  This is an indication that low rates are here for the foreseeable future.  Buyers, investors and current owners will continue to have access to historically low rates and should take advantage accordingly.  

Here's something to consider; The Mortgage Qualifying Rate (MQR) has dropped 0.25% since May, but mortgage interest rates have dropped over 1.00%.  Why is this important?  Your clients are only qualifying for 2.5% more mortgage, but are paying 35% less in interest costs.  

Overall, this means the stress test is forcing people to save more on a monthly basis than they would have 6 months ago.  Where are these excess funds going?  Paying down debt?  Extra mortgage payments? Saving for retirement?  Saving for an investment property?  

Understanding of nuance like this helps to budget more proficiently and helps your clients stay ahead of the game.  If you have any questions with today's announcement, feel free to call any time. 

Source:  
Mike Shanks
(403) 613-3635

Kardia Mortghage Inc.

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1. It is always hard to cut back on spending but when times are tight you may have to. It doesn’t mean however that you have to cut out the things you enjoy, and make you happy. Here are some ways to trim things a little.
2. Take good long look at your Utilities, which ones can you cut back on that don’t change your quality of life. Look at a downgrade to your cable network and try to still get just the main channels you like most. Search out the best deals on Telus or Rogers etc. Tell either one that you are thinking of leaving - that should stir things up!
3. Spend a couple of hours on the weekend cooking a lot of food and buy a sealer machine to freeze the leftovers in individual bags. Now you have homemade, ready-to-go meals to save you money and feed the family any night of the week!.
4. Dine out a bit less, find an inexpensive restaurant that you and the family can save money eating at. Maybe you can even make the same meal, or even a better one, at home and save about half of the cost!
5. What about selling some things you don’t need on Craigs List? Check out the classifieds site, you will be surprised how much you make on unwanted items.
6. Try a spot of window shopping until things pick up. For now simply walk through stores, browsing to see what’s new and what you will buy later!
7. When you feel like sprucing up a room, go shopping through the items you already have. Maybe move the furniture around to change the place up!
8. Don’t cut down things like insurance coverage, but maybe see if you can get a better deal. But remember - You will not do yourself any favors by cutting back on items that keep you safe and a bad decision may come back to haunt you.
9. Take a long hard look at each of the necessary bills you pay and consider ways to reduce them. Save on groceries, clothing, and transportation by shopping around.
10. Consider your employment. Often, the only reasonable option you, your spouse, or your partner has is to increase income by working extra hours,but in Covid times this is more difficult.

When outgoing cash flow exceeds your income you get a clear picture of what you’re spending money on (you’ll be surprised how much you waste) by keeping a log of every dollar you spend. Write down everything, coffee, gas, going to the movies. It is no fun, but if you track your outgoings, the big picture becomes clearer.

Stay Safe!

• How many acres are we talking? 5-10 acres is usually easier for a buyer because the mortgage generally qualifies parallel to a regular city home.   The minimum down payment will normally be 5% of the purchase price if the property is under $1 Million.  Over a million and a minimum down payment will be 20%. Remember that an appraisal will be required in most instances, and a lender will generally only give value for up to 10 acres, the house and garage.  "Outbuildings" such as shops, barns, and Quonsets are almost always not included in the value of an appraisal.   
• Zoning of the property must comply if we are treating it as a regular residential mortgage vs. agricultural land. "Country Residential" is commonly the zoning for these types of properties.  Rural is a larger acreage frequently 40, 80, or 160 acres (160 acres =1/4 section). Agricultural land is for farming use and cannot be financed by normal mortgage companies or banks.
• Septic tanks and wells are typically found on acreages, which means a water potability test must be completed and a septic certificate is required from the municipality to confirm best practice. The lender needs to know that the water is safe. (Your realtor will help you with this.)
• Potability reports are needed for all well water and flow rate, this will be required either upfront with the lender approval or at the lawyers before closing. We don’t suggest leaving it that late, it should be done before waiver day, before the conditions are lifted. No suprises!
• Note. The income generated from a Calgary area acreage will not be included to help you qualify for a mortgage. Remember, if a lot of the income is being generated by the owner from  things like mineral rights, or leasing to a farmer, this may raise a red flag to lenders who could consider this more like a farm or business loan instead, which is a completely different process. 

1)     What is today’s Real Estate Market Like?

One of the big questions we get asked and indicators that show the state of the Calgary market is the average days a property has been on the market. Another example which we show to the seller is the number of closed transactions year-over-year for any given month, average list prices, and the average sale prices.

2)     What steps do I need to prepare my home for selling?

It is all about the first impression and always giving your home its best shot. Curb appeal before they reach the door is important, so make sure there is no outside mess, and in summer the grass is cut and shrubs pruned. Inside, remove all clutter, put what you don’t need away, and fix any small paint jobs.

3)     What is my home worth?

With market comparables, actives and solds in your area we present a CMA price range where the price of your home sits. Adjusted by upgrades, we arrive at the competitive price your home should be listed at.

4)     Is the assessed value an indication of market price?

Not really, there are many Calgary homes that are sold for more than assessed value and many sold for less. The assessed value is used to determine your yearly tax rate. However, there are many home buyers who believe that if a home is listed over assessed value, it is overpriced.

5)     What do you use in a CMA (comparative market analysis)?

We look at the “comparable” solds in your area within the past 6-12 months and current “comparable” actives to see what your listing competition is and answer this question. Comparables would be (but not limited to) comparable square footage, number of bedrooms & bathrooms, developed or not basement, walkout vs. basement, roof age, lot features, kitchen upgrades, style of home, windows condition, and flooring type.

6)     When is the best time to sell my home?

Every real estate market in a Calgary community is different, and a well priced home in good condition will always sell quickly in most markets. Seasons are important, it may take longer to sell in the snowy winter months. Selling in the fall is sometimes good, before winter comes along. But also February or March can be good if it is mild weather, before most sellers wait for the grass to green to list in the spring, and you can have a lot less competition to sell against.

Call today to book a market consultation, we will be happy to go over everything in detail, including our Marketing Strategy to get your home Sold!

E: info@CalgaryDreamHomes.com  Direct: 403-850-0669