Miranda's Blog

A flurry of recent articles about the Calgary real estate market have touted the increase in MLS sales and average home/condo prices. While year-over-year numbers remain down, there are reasons for optimism as first-time home buyers are recognizing the benefits of buying in this market and improv...

With all of the incentives to renovate right now (government tax credit, low building costs, competition between contractors) you may be wondering what the 'best bang for your buck' is. Of course, if there is a project that you have in mind that will benefit you and your family and raise the comf...

In this time of tight consumer and business credit it is as important as ever for buyers to get pre-qualified with a competent mortgage broker before starting a home search. Whether you are a first-time home buyer or you have bought or sold many properties, you will need to be pre-qualified. The...

Recent developments in the Canadian real estate market have conspired to benefit first-time home buyers or buyers wishing to re-enter the market. Renters who have stable jobs but have previously been priced out of the real estate market are now able to find houses and condos which they can now af...

With lower construction costs and plummeting retail prices, this may be the best time in recent memory to renovate that aged furnace or replace those cracked or inefficient windows. To help you further with your renovations, several levels of government rebates and incentives for replacing things...

In an 8-to-7 split, Calgary city council voted down a motion to implement a real estate transfer fee. 8-to-7! Last I checked, Canada is in a recession and the Calgary real estate market balanced precariously on the proverbial knife edge. Calgary should be encouraging investment, growth and develo...

In fairness to most Realtors and in the interest of balanced opinion, I wanted to show some of the standouts who appear to have an appreciation for good listing photography. With a wide-angle lens, good lighting and some basic understanding of framing and optimal angles, any Realtor should be abl...

The Canadian Real Estate Association has come out with its housing forcast for 2009 and 2010. In Alberta, CREA is predicting a decrease of 8.9% in 2009 and a much more modest decrease of 1.1% in 2010. So, it appears that the worst of the market decreases are yet to come but relief is on the horiz...

No matter what your political stripe may be this government’s new budget will benefit home owners who have disposable income to use on renovating or updating their new or existing home. In an attempt to stimulate the home building sector, Mr. Harper’s government has made it possible for people t...

With its mountain views and rural feel, Cochrane residents may want to keep this gem of a community hidden but it appears that this town has officially been discovered by its nearby neighbours in Calgary. In the last 10 years, the communities surrounding Calgary have grown with a similar trajecto...