August is typically a slower month for real estate in Calgary. Kids are getting ready for school, vacations are finishing up and we all want to squeeze the last little bits of fun in the sun. While this slower pace rang true again this year, I see signs of great things to come! Here's how the numbers break down:
-We have just under 7000 listings in the metro Calgary area right now, down over 1000 from this time last year. This means that if you are selling your home today you have a lot less competition than last year!
-In year-to-date sales we have outpaced last year by 6.4% with just over 13,000 home sales so far this year. Buyers are no longer sitting on the fence and are snapping up great homes right now. We have a strong oil patch and low interest rates: who wouldn't want to buy?
-In June and July this year we sold approximately 20% more homes than in 2010. This indicates that our market is getting stronger as the year has progressed: a great sign of things to come.
I believe that we will end the year on a strong note and enter 2012 with a rising housing market. Oil projects and production are ramping up in our province and we really see a reflection of that in housing prices. While I don't think that we will see 2006 type of growth I do think that we will see a return to rising prices, not dropping!
On another note I was sent the link below today. When people ask me what I think of for-sale-by-owner companies I always reply that they should try them out. Never once have they sold it alone and we have always had success listing it on the MLS system and professionally marketing and advertising their home. Click the link to take a look!
For sale by owner company owner uses REALTOR
Wednesday 31 August 2011
Monday 8 August 2011
August winner, the redux!
Here it is!!
Congrats Jill! I'll be in touch!! Want an iPad2 16GB wi-fi for yourself? I would love to give you one, check out the referral program... 7 people have already found out how great it is!
Monday 1 August 2011
August begins with another winner...
Well we did it again! After reaching 100 "likes" on my facebook page it is time to give away another iPad2 16GB wi-fi!!
Congratulations to...
#22- Odessa Bennett
I will be contacting you shortly to make arrangements to meet you and get your iPad2 into your hands.
Thank you everyone for your support. Stay a member of my facebook page in order to continue to be entered into random drawings and stay on top of the latest real estate numbers for Calgary.
And if you'd like to know: What is my home worth? What is _______ community like? What are the most promising areas for income property potential? What did my neighbours REALLY sell for??? Any questions you may have, I'd love to answer. Email me or give me a call anytime.
Congratulations to...
#22- Odessa Bennett
I will be contacting you shortly to make arrangements to meet you and get your iPad2 into your hands.
Thank you everyone for your support. Stay a member of my facebook page in order to continue to be entered into random drawings and stay on top of the latest real estate numbers for Calgary.
And if you'd like to know: What is my home worth? What is _______ community like? What are the most promising areas for income property potential? What did my neighbours REALLY sell for??? Any questions you may have, I'd love to answer. Email me or give me a call anytime.
Monday 18 July 2011
Brokers Open Tour July 18... Steady!
Stampede is over in Calgary and we made it through in fine form! The market slowed a bit but not a huge amount and we seem to be holding steady right now. Listings in the Calgary area are holding at around 6800, pretty much the same as last week, and sales are staying strong at around 1800 for the last 30 days. The average price of a single family home sold on the MLS system is approximately $470,000 right now, a strong number for sure! Homes are certainly selling better than last year and prices are slowing starting to inch up. In all we have a pretty strong market right now; a great time to move up before prices take off!
Now the tour: I saw 11 homes this morning in the southeast of Calgary and I am seeing that the older, more established neighbourhoods are starting to turn-over. We are used to seeing newer communities with a lot of listings and good selection but now areas such as Parkland and Bonavista are getting more listings. Some of the homes are original owner homes that are too big for a retired couple; some are simply young, growing families who need more room. But the opportunities are coming up in these areas and, given the demand for these communities, I don't think that they will last long.
My pick for a winner was a bungalow with 4 bedrooms on the main floor and a fully developed basement in Parkland. Quiet street (a cul-de-sac in fact), large yard, and a clean, gently updated home make this one a winner. Priced at $459,900 I think it's a great deal for a growing family looking for a quiet street and community. What an opportunity! Give me a call if you want to check this one (or any home) out.
Remember, if a home near you or anywhere comes up for sale or sells and you want the "low-down" on it I can certainly provide that information for you. As a member of the real estate board I have access to all of the information on every sold property in Calgary and the surrounding areas including what conditions were put on the deal and exactly how much the home sold for. Just call or e-mail me with the address and I would be happy to let you know the scoop!
Now the tour: I saw 11 homes this morning in the southeast of Calgary and I am seeing that the older, more established neighbourhoods are starting to turn-over. We are used to seeing newer communities with a lot of listings and good selection but now areas such as Parkland and Bonavista are getting more listings. Some of the homes are original owner homes that are too big for a retired couple; some are simply young, growing families who need more room. But the opportunities are coming up in these areas and, given the demand for these communities, I don't think that they will last long.
My pick for a winner was a bungalow with 4 bedrooms on the main floor and a fully developed basement in Parkland. Quiet street (a cul-de-sac in fact), large yard, and a clean, gently updated home make this one a winner. Priced at $459,900 I think it's a great deal for a growing family looking for a quiet street and community. What an opportunity! Give me a call if you want to check this one (or any home) out.
Remember, if a home near you or anywhere comes up for sale or sells and you want the "low-down" on it I can certainly provide that information for you. As a member of the real estate board I have access to all of the information on every sold property in Calgary and the surrounding areas including what conditions were put on the deal and exactly how much the home sold for. Just call or e-mail me with the address and I would be happy to let you know the scoop!
Monday 11 July 2011
Brokers open tour July 11... strong market!
What an interesting market we have in Calgary!
We started the year wondering if we would recover at all from a very flat end of 2010.
A few months ago we were very cautiously optimistic and hopeful that the strong sales would not slow down as they did in 2010.
Today we are excited to see that we have surpassed sales from last year and that we are not seeing the huge inventory sitting on the market. We have around 6800 listings in the metro Calgary area right now compared to over 8000 last year and strong sales of nearly 1900 in the last 30 days compared to around 1400 last year. Great numbers but the most interesting part is that May and June this year were the strongest months since 2007!
Now on to the tour! I think that the theme of the day was clean. Physically clean, clean lines, uncluttered space and a clean price with no fluff. Despite the strong sales and the low inventory levels your home still needs to shine and the homes on the tour that were clean really stood out. I know which homes I would like to show to my clients and those are the homes that they would likely prefer.
The winner from the tour was a great villa over in Aspen with an amazing view of downtown. Easy access to the new C-train line, low maintenance lifestyle and a great price: $459,900.
The market is changing. The last few years have been a grind but we are starting to see the beginnings of a turn-around. As the market balances out it is going to take a realtor on your side who can market your home for top dollar as well as negotiate powerfully on your behalf to get the best deal on your purchase. I know that I can deliver a great result for you so give me a call, I would love to show you how!
We started the year wondering if we would recover at all from a very flat end of 2010.
A few months ago we were very cautiously optimistic and hopeful that the strong sales would not slow down as they did in 2010.
Today we are excited to see that we have surpassed sales from last year and that we are not seeing the huge inventory sitting on the market. We have around 6800 listings in the metro Calgary area right now compared to over 8000 last year and strong sales of nearly 1900 in the last 30 days compared to around 1400 last year. Great numbers but the most interesting part is that May and June this year were the strongest months since 2007!
Now on to the tour! I think that the theme of the day was clean. Physically clean, clean lines, uncluttered space and a clean price with no fluff. Despite the strong sales and the low inventory levels your home still needs to shine and the homes on the tour that were clean really stood out. I know which homes I would like to show to my clients and those are the homes that they would likely prefer.
The winner from the tour was a great villa over in Aspen with an amazing view of downtown. Easy access to the new C-train line, low maintenance lifestyle and a great price: $459,900.
The market is changing. The last few years have been a grind but we are starting to see the beginnings of a turn-around. As the market balances out it is going to take a realtor on your side who can market your home for top dollar as well as negotiate powerfully on your behalf to get the best deal on your purchase. I know that I can deliver a great result for you so give me a call, I would love to show you how!
Winner winner!!
We reached 50 likes on my facebook business page today so we made a little draw! Congratulations to Christal Fenning! I will be in touch soon Christal. Remember, when we reach 100 likes I am giving away another iPad2 16 GB wi-fi so tell you friends to head over to my page. Everybody (expect our first winner) will be entered in the second draw.
Would you like to receive an iPad2 16 GB wi-fi from me without the draw? Check out my referral program (there is a link on the sidebar directly to the post).
Thank you for the support everybody! I have a full recap of the market in Calgary and the brokers open tour from today coming up later today, be sure to come back and check it out. If you have any real estate questions don't hesitate to e-mail me here or call me at 403.630.0904.
Alan
Tuesday 5 July 2011
Brokers open tour... July 4, 2011
What a busy day! Lots of homes to see and lots of information coming our way from the real estate board. First, let me start with some statistics:
Last year, from January to the end of June the Calgary real estate board reported just approximately 9800 sales of homes and condos. It was a good year but things were really slowing down and the rest of the summer was quiet with listings going up and sales going down for the balance of the year. Well, 2011 is shaping up differently! From January to the end of June we have around 10,200 sales but, more importantly, sales are picking up in the last couple of months. Typically Calgary real estate slows down around Stampede as we all celebrate our western heritage but the market is staying strong this year. Inventory levels of homes for sale are staying at about the same and average days on market are inching down... All signs that our market is slowing coming back.
Now on to the tour. I saw a lot of great homes all over the south of the city. My big thought from the day is this: staging! You do NOT need a professional company to come into your home in order to stage the rooms but you do need to take a large step back and try to look at your home with "fresh eyes". While it is convenient to have toys or computers or knitting in every room it looks bad to buyers. They start to think that your home doesn't have enough storage or space to bring in all of their treasures. This is not the impression that you want to create, so here are a couple of brief tips:
1) Purpose every space. If you have a bonus room that you never use it is wasted space with no value. Put a couch or some chairs in there with a TV or stereo and call it a retreat. Every space needs a purpose!
2) Remove or add furniture to seat 4 to 5 people. The average size of a group viewing your home is 3.4 people. If you set-up the main rooms in your home to seat 4 people then the group will have enough room to sit and remark how they still have room for their kids/friends/in-laws/etc.
3) Clean your carpets and deodorize your home. It costs a few hundred dollars to get your carpets cleaned but it can make a massive impression to buyers. Scent is a huge factor as well, so use fabreze well in advance of any showings to get rid of strong smells, however, do NOT use strong plug in scent devices as buyers tend to think that you are using these to mask bad smells! Any smokers... no smoking in the house or even the garage!
Now, the winner this week: A wonderful home in McKenzie Towne (prestwick side) with 3 bedrooms upstairs, a unique design on the main floor that feels open and bright and, to top it off, a large yard to play in! Nearly 2000 square feet and a list price of $429,000... I don't think this one will last very long!
Have a great week getting geared up for Stampede!
Last year, from January to the end of June the Calgary real estate board reported just approximately 9800 sales of homes and condos. It was a good year but things were really slowing down and the rest of the summer was quiet with listings going up and sales going down for the balance of the year. Well, 2011 is shaping up differently! From January to the end of June we have around 10,200 sales but, more importantly, sales are picking up in the last couple of months. Typically Calgary real estate slows down around Stampede as we all celebrate our western heritage but the market is staying strong this year. Inventory levels of homes for sale are staying at about the same and average days on market are inching down... All signs that our market is slowing coming back.
Now on to the tour. I saw a lot of great homes all over the south of the city. My big thought from the day is this: staging! You do NOT need a professional company to come into your home in order to stage the rooms but you do need to take a large step back and try to look at your home with "fresh eyes". While it is convenient to have toys or computers or knitting in every room it looks bad to buyers. They start to think that your home doesn't have enough storage or space to bring in all of their treasures. This is not the impression that you want to create, so here are a couple of brief tips:
1) Purpose every space. If you have a bonus room that you never use it is wasted space with no value. Put a couch or some chairs in there with a TV or stereo and call it a retreat. Every space needs a purpose!
2) Remove or add furniture to seat 4 to 5 people. The average size of a group viewing your home is 3.4 people. If you set-up the main rooms in your home to seat 4 people then the group will have enough room to sit and remark how they still have room for their kids/friends/in-laws/etc.
3) Clean your carpets and deodorize your home. It costs a few hundred dollars to get your carpets cleaned but it can make a massive impression to buyers. Scent is a huge factor as well, so use fabreze well in advance of any showings to get rid of strong smells, however, do NOT use strong plug in scent devices as buyers tend to think that you are using these to mask bad smells! Any smokers... no smoking in the house or even the garage!
Now, the winner this week: A wonderful home in McKenzie Towne (prestwick side) with 3 bedrooms upstairs, a unique design on the main floor that feels open and bright and, to top it off, a large yard to play in! Nearly 2000 square feet and a list price of $429,000... I don't think this one will last very long!
Have a great week getting geared up for Stampede!
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