Blog posts created to help clients gain more knowledge about the process and purchase Calgary properties with confidence!

Are you hunting for a home in a market where inventory is low and there's often a bidding war for properties in your price range?

Follow these key tips to maximize the chance that you will close at the end of the day.

1. Treat your hunt seriously. House hunting must be your priority, not your weekend hobby. Check new listings regularly, be prepared to drop everything to view a home when it hits the market, and be ready to make a quick decision. 2. Bring paperwork, not promises. Want to be taken seriously by the seller? When you visit homes, provide a mortgage pre-approval letter or a "proof of funds" form from your bank showing you won't have any issues with financing and have enough to cover the down payment. 3.…

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In life, we always have to be looking for opportunity. 

If you don't think that hyperinflation, rising interest rates, and overall emotional uncertainty is going to have an impact on the real estate market in the coming years, then you need to give your head a shake. Warren Buffett says that it is wise for investors to be “fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful.” 

Everyone always tells me, I'm going to act when the market is down, or I want to jump on deals when times are slow. As humans, the trouble is the social impact of tough markets. The negative news [as usual], the anxiety of being in the reds with an asset and the stress of dealing with friends/family and their opinions. Generally in good markets, everyone is…

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I've lived in Calgary for almost 20 years now. Since then I've amassed a great love [and understanding] of our city. 

As a newer resident, perhaps like yourself, what better way to get to know the city with a series of 5 questions that can commonly come up in conversation. Let's dive in:

Why is Calgary called YYC?
Calgary is referred to as YYC as that is actually what the airport code is. So when you're flying to YYC, you're heading to Calgary! When our country started assigning three letter codes to airports, very few foreign airports began with “Y”, so Canada put a “Y” in front of each nearby train station code to create the airport code and to differentiate it from U.S. airports. A lot of local businesses have even utilized YYC in…

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A two year GUARANTEE on rental rates? You betcha! Investors: feast your eyes on this opportunity. It's not too often you get offered a guarantee in life, let alone in the real estate world! This is your chance to pick up a unit [or two] in a high-end concrete tower well located in Calgary's east side Betline, Victoria Park area.

This is a ONE DAY sales event in which the developer will provide an addemdum to the purchase contracts, offering a guaranteed rental rate on a select number of available floor plans.

Saturday, October 24th commencing at 12pm.

To attend you will need to RSVP by clicking on this link and submitting your information in the form below.

The Orchard, by Lamb Developments, will be a stunningly unique project boasting an…

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Tough question! Most people would immeditely say 'no'. But, looking around the market, there are becoming more and more options around this size. Why? Well, as I address in a previous blog helping out condo dwellers with space issues, to gain entry into certain desirable areas, sometimes you gotta go small! But is small really all that bad? It forces you to purge more often, riding yourself of unused items. It creates a minimalistic lifestyle, one free of the 'stuff' we tend to collect over the years. It also demands smart and stylish design. Finally, it's easier on the wallet! Hey, I'm starting to see a lot of plusses here.  

So let's examine what 500 or even sub 500 sqft looks like these days, from some of the most popular, upcoming condo…

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It seems we're always focused on the do's in life. And why wouldn't we? Positivity is king, and such a powerful tool in a healthy and flourishing lifestyle. But let's take a moment and focus on the do not's, as they can be just as important. Here are a few tips on what not to do, when purchasing real estate:

- Don't buy because it looks nice furnished. It might be set up in a way to wow you, but when it is vacant and empty on move-in day, will you still love it?

- Don't buy without researching the neighborhood or building. What's the history and reputation of the area? In due time, what is getting built next door?

- Don't buy thinking an auction/foreclosure is always a great deal. Typically a very risky play, fancy yourself a gambler?

-…

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Yes, we’ve all heard of the various ‘Keep Calm’ commercialization slogans over the past 10 years. And are we getting tired of them? Perhaps, but this is one mantra I used this summer during one of the busiest events in the world in hopes to gain some promotion and have a little fun at the same time. I’ll give you three guesses on what that busy Calgary event was, and two don’t count … Stampede, yes, of course!

Being in sales and devoted to creative marketing, I figured what better occasion to have some fun with it than the good ole Calgary Stampede? I mean, the tally at the gate to the grounds was over one million with a day to go during the 10 day city wide celebration. The motto was this: Keep Calm and Buy Condos, i.e. select a specialist such as…

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With construction set to commence soon, I'm very excited to announce a ONE DAY EXCLUSIVE SALES EVENT at the 6th And Tenth Condo Development.

RSVP HERE!

Saturday, October 19th from 12-5pm  //  633 10th Avenue SW

This is your chance to save up to $35,000 on a pre-construction, brand new condo! What else? We are offering an extended 6 month deposit schedule and a free storage locker as well. Talk about value!

The development is anticipated to be completed in the 4th quarter of 2015 and has already had a great response from inner city enthusiasts due it's sleek design, flawless floor plans, high end finishings and impeccable location. 6th And Tenth's address boasts a walk score of 95, describing it as a "walker's paradise".

One Bedroom…

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If there's one way to get a buyer's attention it's putting 'mortgage' and 'free' together in the same sentence!

Construction is set to commence soon on 6th And Tenth, so developer Brad Lamb is offering another unique and exciting incentive to get Calgary inner city enthusiasts out and buying into his first project in the city. Lamb and his sales team are offering the next 20 buyers to LIVE MORTGAGE FREE FOR ONE YEAR! Of course with a deal like this there are always terms. The "No mortgage payments for one year" offer will be applied as a cash-back credit at final closing based on 75% of the purchase price with a mortgage rate of 2.6% amortized over 25 years. So it looks like you must have a decent downpayment ready to qualify, which is always a…

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Condos in Calgary are getting more functional, fashionable and modern. People’s lives are becoming more minimalistic. However, construction costs and price of homes tend to rise with time. So what does this mean? Small, boutique style condos are becoming popular due to their affordability.

Upcoming Calgary condo developments seem to be introducing smaller floor plans to appeal to individuals looking to enter the market sooner. Here are a few examples of condo designers making the most of out of a small situation:

STEPS [Bridgeland] units start at 344 sqft [nope, not a misprint]

Drake [Connaught] units start at 398 sqft

6th And Tenth [Connaught] units start at 449 sqft

Mark on 10th [Connaught] units start at 452 sqft

To answer your…

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