This is part six of a series of posts on the process of buying a property in Calgary.5. SOLD - also known as a 'firm sale'The deal is done, all the conditions have been met and now the property is considered sold.  What now?  Things that you will need to do before closing will be:Lawyer Home Insurance Moving Company UtilitiesAfter you visit the lawyer and pay the funds that are required as part of the mortgage and purchase agreement there is only one more step left...6. Move In!No explanation needed!  The intention of these posts is to give the first time home buyer an idea of the process as well as to provide some assistance for them in the search. If you need any further information or would like to discuss your needs in person you can contact me directly. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part... 05/10/2007

This is part five of a series of posts on the process of buying a property in Calgary.4. Offer Process & NegotiationsSo you have found the perfect home - now what?Writing up the offer to purchase is the part of the process that requires a level of experience and knowledge to ensure that your interests are looked after.  This is where a REALTOR® can be of huge benefit to you.  It is not simply a matter of putting down a price and hoping that the seller will take your offer.  Negotiations can and do involve more than the price of the home.  They can involve everything from:Price Possession Date Inclusions & Items Excluded Terms ConditionsOf course each property is unique as are the needs of the home owners and the potential buyers.  The negotiation process can be quick or it can be long a... 05/10/2007

This is part four of a series of posts on the process of buying a property in Calgary.3. Starting your home searchThe majority of home buyers today initally start their search online.  With all the resources available it can almost seem overwhelming.  We are here to help you weed through all of this information and to give you the tools that you need to help you find your home.Direct links to the MLS® system updated on a regular basis.  You can be emailed the newest listings before they hit the MLS.ca® site. Direct Contact to us when you need to get in touch (all messages are emailed as well as text messaged for a quicker response time). We take care of all the details such as contacting the listing REALTOR® and setting up appointments to view a number of properties at a time.  You will... 05/10/2007

This is part three of a series of posts on the process of buying a property in Calgary. 2.  Determining your needs in a home (What type of Home?) Deciding on the number of bedrooms and bathrooms is the easiest part.  A number of other important factors will play a part in your choice of home:Location, Location, Location!  The old saying about the most important factor when choosing a property is still as relevant today as it has ever been.  Location can be one of the toughest choices especially when you have a budget to stick to.  Many factors apply when you are thinking about location:Work Family Schools Shopping Transportation EntertainmentLifestyleInner City or Suburbia.  City, Town or Acreage Living.  What you plan to do while you are at home will be an important deciding factor in ... 05/10/2007

This is part 2 of a series of posts about buying a home in Calgary1. Mortgage Pre-ApprovalWhen looking through the various web sites about mortgages you will often come across a couple of different terms.Pre-Qualification or Pre-ApprovalPre-qualification is finding what you can afford based on your current level of income, savings and expenses.  This is not an approval from a lender for a loan but merely gives you a good idea of what you can afford.  The CMHC web site has a good calculator to determine what your level of affordability is.CMHC Mortgage CalculatorGetting a mortgage pre-approval is different than pre-qualification in that you will need to provide documentation to your mortgage professional as well as having a credit check done.  A pre-approval will help to prevent you from... 05/10/2007

This is part one of a series of posts on the process of buying a property in Calgary.When you start the process of buying a home it can be both a daunting and exciting experience at the same time.  By breaking down the process into step by step it becomes a more enjoyable and rewarding experience.  The Calgary Real Estate market is very active and first home buyers can get caught up in the details.Essentially the steps to buying a home can be broken down into the following:Mortgage Pre-Approval Determining your needs and the type of home?) The Home Search Offer Process & Negotiations Firm Sale Move In!The intention of these posts is to give the first time home buyer an idea of the process as well as to provide some assistance for them in the search. If you need any further information o... 05/10/2007

According to statistics released today by the Calgary Real Estate Board the month of April was another good month for activity.The combined total residential sales amounted to 3,5052,529 single-family residences 960 condominium 16 mobile homesAn increase in listings over the same month last year by 43.36 percent.  For April a total of 5,118 new listings came onto the market.  Down from the previous month by 1.48 percent.  The average prices for residential properties were also up again this month with an average 1.32% over the previous month at an average price of $420,807Single Family homes average price $458,668Condominium $326,884Mobile home $71,812"This is a stabilizing month for MLS®. Sales and listings are down moderately from March; however new listings in April are approximately... 05/02/2007

Wow what a market we have had this year to date!! Homes in Calgary have gone up an average of 38% this year alone. Great news for homeowners, not so great news for those who had to buy a home or condo this year.The market started heating up right after Christmas last year. We anticipated a fast and busy 2006, but no one could have fully estimated the impact. Bidding wars became the norm, especially for properties for sale under the $300,00 range. Buyers could expect anywhere from 4 to 15 offers on an average  on the property of their dreams. There seemed to be a trend for the first quarter there seemed to be a trend of winning bidders going $15,000 over the list price to "win" but as time went on, winning bidders were know to pay $40k to $100 k over list to secure the home.Where are all... 01/04/2007

We just found out about this G-R-E-A-T website and want to share it with everyone since I think it is so unique and effective to get clients. On January 1, 2007 will be the launching of a network of 36 web sites targeted to various housing markets across North America (United States & Canada). The difference here is that each website is specializing in just ONE GEOGRAPHIC AREA so you can focus on your own TARGET MARKET and establish yourself as a sought after, knowledgeable professional in your housing market area.We were wondering why there was not a website like this before since the best way to advertise yourself is LOCALLY. These sites will be a great source for news, numbers and opinions regarding your local housing market. Every site will have content written by professionals from... 12/06/2006