Radon is an invisible radioactive gas produced by the breakdown of uranium in the ground and is also the No. 1 cause of lung cancer for non-smokers. It?s found in every home in Canada, but testing is the only way to truly know if a home has dangerous levels.
Radon and COVID-19
As Canadians continue to spend more time at home, now, more than ever, it?s important for buyers and sellers to test their homes for radon. People confined to their homes during the pandemic are at greater risk of being ...
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posted in home tips
at Sun, 29 Nov 2020 22:53:58 +0000
From staggeringly low sales numbers in the spring, to a breakneck summer recovery, Canada?s real estate market has felt like a roller coaster ride these last few months as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response to broader economic turmoil and uncertainty in the early days of the pandemic, Canada?s central bank cut its mortgage-market influencing key interest rate to the lowest level it says is possible. Many economists watching the central bank closely say these low rates will be here ...
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posted in Investing
at Fri, 27 Nov 2020 18:04:14 +0000
With winter knocking on the door, it?s a good time to decide if your home could benefit from some improved insulation.
Trevor Brown, president of Ideal Insulation & Roofing, says having a properly insulated home has two main benefits.
?Certainly, comfort is a big one,? said Brown. ?And using less energy is something that most Canadians are interested in ? reducing your carbon footprint.?
He says higher than normal heating bills are a sign your home could benefit from an insulation retrofit. ...
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posted in home tips
at Thu, 26 Nov 2020 22:08:07 +0000
Choosing a home security system can seem daunting. There are as many different options to protect your property as there are styles of home construction.
The advent of integrated smart homes mean that DIY setups are increasingly common, leading professional services to expand their features and lower their prices. Modern security systems don?t just monitor for break-ins, either ? many systems contain a variety of sensors that can detect everything from a carbon monoxide leak to a flood in the ...
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posted in home tips
at Thu, 26 Nov 2020 00:03:03 +0000
The Mortgage Refinance Process
When interest rates are low, it can be the ideal time to refinance your mortgage. After all, who doesn?t like a lower interest rate? There are lots of good reasons to refinance your mortgage, such as streamlining your expenses, investing in a secondary suite, or purchasing another rental property. But what?s really involved in the process?
Mortgage Refinancing: The Basics
Perhaps the best news any homeowner can get when it comes to a ?refi? is that it?s not ...
posted in Investing
at Tue, 24 Nov 2020 16:13:01 +0000
The Nature Conservancy of Canada is asking us to reconsider raking this fall, and instead leave the leaves on the ground."You can leave a layer or two on your lawn. It acts as free fertilizer for your lawn ? those break down on your property just as they do in a forest, so basically it enriches your soil because it provides nutrients for your lawn," said Andrew Holland of the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
Some Calgarians say they enjoy raking leaves but understand why it's OK to leave some on ...
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posted in home tips
at Fri, 20 Nov 2020 23:50:18 +0000
Nose Hill Park looms large over Calgary?s northwest ? an expanse of unspoiled grassland enveloped by the vastness of an ever-evolving city. Nearly unchanged from the days when herds of buffalo roamed the Prairies, the park now serves as a stomping ground for the herds of Calgarians that jog, walk and bike their way around its 300 kilometres of trails every day.
Created in 1980 following a lengthy battle between developers who planned to turn the area into a residential community and area ...
When you own a rental property, you know how important it is to have the right tenant. Good renters will take care of the property as though it were their own, leaving it as close to how they moved in as possible. Bad renters, on the other hand, make it obvious that they don?t care, since it?s not actually their house; it can take a significant amount of time and money to get your property back to rentable condition after they move out. Wouldn?t it be great if you could only rent to the first ...
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posted in Investing
at Wed, 18 Nov 2020 16:37:01 +0000
Calgary has a new park, and it's six storeys off the ground.
High Park, located on the top floor of the City Centre Parkade at 340 10th Avenue S.W., opened in October.
Peter Oliver, president of the Beltline Neighbourhoods Association, said while planning for the park began in late 2019, before the pandemic, it provides a solution to help people meet safely outdoors.
"We're inviting Calgarians to come up and escape above the rooftops of the warehouse buildings in the Beltline ? with full sun ...
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As summer days give way to cooler weather, good times had on the patio or balcony need not end ? especially, when outside is one of the safest places to be thanks to COVID-19. From simple additions to more elaborate fixes, there are many ways to winterproof outdoor spaces for year-round enjoyment.
?Right now, the biggest trend we?re seeing is any way to get heat into your backyard,? said Krystin Pierce, assistant store manager at Barbecues Galore ? Calgary South. ?We?re seeing a ton of ...
posted in home tips
at Wed, 11 Nov 2020 16:36:49 +0000
It?s November, and time to start planning for winter. After a summer full of park picnics, patio meals and backyard hangouts, the arrival of cold weather and the wet stuff will require a pivot to winter-appropriate outdoor activities. And if the rush to snag home fitness gear and bikes this spring/summer was any indication, equipment for traditional winter sports might soon be hard to find.
Here are a few ways you can stay active and social in and around Calgary this winter:
Downhill ...
When the pandemic hit Canada in March, and we were asked to stay at home, and that all but essential services remain open, many were concerned about how they were going to pay the bills, including their mortgages. To their credit, lenders and mortgage insurers stepped up to the plate and offered homeowners the option to defer their mortgage payments by up to six months.
That strategy worked. The number of Canadians who asked for a deferral or a skip-a-payment was 778,000. Roughly 32% of ...
posted in home tips
at Sun, 08 Nov 2020 18:39:28 +0000
A crucial portion of the city?s southwest ring road that traverses land purchased from the Tsuut?ina First Nation is now open to traffic.
The 12-kilometre section of the 101-kilometre freeway encircling the city has proven the most complicated and frustrating portion to begin and complete, and its construction is still generating concerns among those who live alongside it.
But beginning October 1, traffic will begin flowing southwards from Glenmore Trail and Sarcee Trail over three crossings ...
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What is a ?good investment??
A good real estate investment, in our mind, is one that generates or has the ability to generate cash flow to offset the property costs. By using this simple evaluation method you are enabling yourself to withstand a reduction in rents should that occur.
How do I choose what type of investment property to purchase?
There are many types of investment properties to choose from ? everything from houses to apartment buildings to commercial strip malls to industrial ...
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posted in Investing
at Fri, 06 Nov 2020 19:22:49 +0000
For most, the fantasy of building a dream home is just that?a fantasy: the perfectly styled gourmet kitchen, the shower big enough to fit an elephant and every tiny detail carefully considered to be exactly what you want.
With so much to consider, where do you begin? As always, a good place to start is with your budget.
The Basics: what is a construction mortgage?
If you want to build a home from scratch or if you?re planning significant renovations or expansions to an existing property, a ...
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posted in home tips
at Thu, 05 Nov 2020 16:51:42 +0000
Are you thinking about breaking your fixed-rate mortgage? While traditionally considered a financial faux-pas, many Canadians choose to break their fixed-rate mortgage when they find their current terms and conditions no longer meet their needs.
?Breaking a fixed-rate mortgage occurs more often than you would think,? Jared Ksenica, Regional Vice-President, Mortgage Specialist, with BMO Bank of Montreal said.
Of course, there are penalties to pay for breaking a mortgage. When you break a ...
posted in home tips
at Wed, 04 Nov 2020 16:53:08 +0000
Many Canadian mortgage holders renew without asking any questions?often receiving a higher rate with a mortgage product that doesn?t suit their needs. Do yourself a favour, and don?t sign a renewal letter without doing your due diligence. Take an assessment of your current situation, put a plan in place, and let the lenders compete for your business to ensure you receive the best mortgage possible. Here?s what you need to consider before renewing your mortgage.
Put a plan in place
Don?t wait ...
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posted in home tips
at Tue, 03 Nov 2020 16:20:01 +0000
Detached homes drive Calgary sales growth in October
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 ...
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