Welcome to Calgary, the largest city in Alberta located in the south-western part of the province. Downtown can be recognized by its numerous skyscrapers. Some of these structures, such as the Calgary Tower and the Scotiabank Saddledome are truly unique and have become symbols of Calgary…
Calgary is home to the world-famous ” Calgary Exhibition and Stampede ” which bills itself as “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth. One of the finest rodeos in the world.
Recreation is very popular with our residents the city also has a large number of urban parks and has developed one of the most extensive multi-use walking, jogging, biking and rollerblading, path systems in North America.
Our proximity to the Rocky Mountains has traditionally been a popular destination for winter sports enthusiasts.. with exciting downhill and snowboarding available.
In the summer, the Bow River is very popular among fly fishermen, Golfing is also an extremely popular activity for Calgarians with courses to challenge golfers of all skill levels.
Sports fans enjoy Football with the Stampeders, hockey with the Flames and Hitmen, Lacross with the Hitmen at the 19,000 seat Scotiabank Saddledome also a must-stop for touring artists on their international tours…
Education is exceptional, Professionally-staffed, well-equipped public, private, and parochial schools.
For higher education, there’s The University of Calgary, Mount Royal University, SAIT Polytechnic, and St Mary’s University College to name a few, training the next generation of professionals…
Health Care facilities are state of the art.
Calgary has half a dozen of the country’s most renowned hospitals including excellent specialty and outpatient centers easily accessible, along with the most advanced medical technology in the world at your disposal.
Locally, cultural opportunities are numerous. Visit Heritage Park Historical Village, Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, Devonian Gardens one of the largest urban indoor gardens in the world, to name just a few.
Regardless of your personal religious preferences, you’ll find the right house of worship for you and your family.
The greater Calgary area is more than just friendly people living a great lifestyle… This area is HOMES… You will enjoy pleasant neighborhoods and beautiful homes… reasonably priced homes in planned communities, to spectacular homes in new developments… executive homes in elegant communities, the well-preserved older homes in mature neighborhoods, homes ideal for retirement or for raising a family…
Calgary offers an incomparable lifestyle-come and join us.
Are you looking to Sell or Buy a home in Calgary and need someone who won’t rest until you’ve found your dream home or until your home is sold? I’ll work hard to earn your trust and to deliver exactly what you need. Contact me at 403-465-0210 or at TheHowardTeam.net.
About Bryon Howard
Bryon Howard and his team of Calgary real estate professionals sell an average of two homes a week. He is a member of the MLS Million Point Club, which ranks him roughly in the top 1% of productive realtors in Calgary. His aim is not just to please clients but to help them buy/sell a home in Calgary at the best price, in the shortest time, and with the least hassle. He is a member of the RE/MAX House of Real Estate that leads in the Canadian market. Learn more about Bryon at TheHowardTeam.net.
So, how are you getting along with RECA’s Residential Measurement Standards (RMS)?
It’s been nearly a year since RECA launched the new standards, so the ins and outs of applying it must be routine? You may not agree with every aspect of the RMS, but by now you should be able to present your listings compliantly and explain the rationale and principles to your clients and prospective clients.
All is good and we can move on to other pressing matters . . . right?
If you paused on your response, you’re likely our target audience for this article. The simple reality is that there will never be a measurement standard that pleases everyone—at least that was our experience in the decades that this was CREB®’s work.
From time to time, we would see the need to make some changes, but often it was because new housing products would evolve and we needed to make sure they were included in CREB®’s Measurement Guidelines. This is how different standards evolved over time for single-family and semi-detached product—and then we saw waves of new attached and multi-family structures that drew out even more approaches.
In the absence of any legislated standards, local real estate boards, the new construction industry and other municipalities inched down different paths.
Some time ago, we viewed registered size as a means to establish a consistent size of condominium properties and we know where that has ended up. Maybe the problem is that during all this time, we focused on the structure, rather than the space people use the dwelling to live in? Even NAR on realtor.com advises consumers that, “. . . a home’s square footage can be surprisingly subjective.”
If that’s the case, then maybe we have been too focused on using exact measurements, and perhaps a margin of error or tolerance should be built into the RMS?
It’s sometimes easy to forget that the CREB® measurement standard did not create a perfect world either, and we are not likely to go back to that world in any case. We now have a measurement standard that is principle-based and mandated, which is envied by some jurisdictions like Toronto.
My colleague from the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) has said from an Alberta stage that they would love to have a standard imposed by RECO (Real Estate Council of Ontario) because it would bring order to their chaotic approach.
Meanwhile, RECA has heard the concerns of the real estate community after the RMS launch and has since initiated a request for feedback last November. Over a three-month period, they invited you as industry professionals, as well as real estate boards, to provide input by February.
We hope many of our members took action and provided feedback on this subject, as we did here at CREB®. We continue to be very concerned with the impact of the RMS on CREB®’s MLS® System. I will not retrace all of that ground here, but we will not rest until we have a database that our members and Alberta consumers can rely upon as being fully accurate.
Our main message in our submission to RECA was the need for consultation, effective change management and a concerted lobby effort for the RMS to be adopted by all participants in the residential housing sector. We encouraged RECA to maintain the principle of providing a measurement standard that gives consumers and industry professional’s accurate and consistent property measurements.
Following the principled approach, we also advocated for a measurement standard that is simple and consistent with every type of home. You can read our submission by clicking here and keep in mind that in approving this document your board of directors is maintaining their focus on the big picture.
You will also see how we positioned AREA to play a key role in lobbying for the adoption of the RMS as the only standard of measurement in all aspects of residential housing in Alberta.
As RECA continues to consider making changes to the RMS, we are encouraged that they have embraced greater consultation and proactive change management practices. With a fresh approach, we hope a principle-based standard can meet the test of the common sense approach and that it can be readily determined by industry professionals.
Please take a close look at our submission. We are continually asked to provide input and feedback on your behalf in an endless number of ways. Obviously, when we speak on your behalf, we try to respond in a way that reflects the wishes and objectives of the majority of our members. In the case of the RMS, that is a lofty goal and the additional complication is that by suggesting something new and radical in moving to a fully interior living space approach (paint to paint), thinking outside the box comes with risk, something we have been proud of our directors for taking on judiciously.
Our document may not be popular with some of you, but it does achieve the goals of database integrity and promoting member’s interests by steering the thought process toward a principled approach to landing a measurement standard that is consistent and simple to explain, and provides the opportunity for consumers and REALTORS® to genuinely compare all product types equally.
We invite you to share your thoughts here, or you can come to our Town Hall meeting at CREB® on May 31 at 2 p.m. Among other things, we will update you on the work of the Presidential Task Force—the group of your peers that have been taking a fresh look at RECA’s current enforcement of the RMS, while also making recommendations regarding CREB®’s ability to protect the data integrity of the MLS® System.
Moving this conversation further into the realm of principle may not be an easy route, but what if there is a better way to represent the size of a home? Your board of directors is always thinking strategically and have considered the possibility that REALTORS® leading the way toward a measurement standard that resonates with consumers is the ultimate act of advocacy.
Are you looking to Sell or Buy a home in Calgary and need someone who won’t rest until you’ve found your dream home or until your home is sold? I’ll work hard to earn your trust and to deliver exactly what you need. Contact me at 403-465-0210 or at TheHowardTeam.net.
About Bryon Howard
Bryon Howard and his team of Calgary real estate professionals sell an average of two homes a week. He is a member of the MLS Million Point Club, which ranks him roughly in the top 1% of productive realtors in Calgary. His aim is not just to please clients but to help them buy/sell a home in Calgary at the best price, in the shortest time, and with the least hassle. He is a member of the RE/MAX House of Real Estate that leads in the Canadian market. Learn more about Bryon at TheHowardTeam.net.
It is never easy to watch loved ones grow old – especially when it is your own parents. The aging process invariably calls for one or more lifestyle changes and moves along the way. These moves are often fraught with a tremendous amount of emotion and anxiety. Not everyone is fortunate enough to age in place. When the time comes to make some tough decisions and real estate moves, it helps to have a trusted Realtor who understands the range of options available and can guide you and your parents toward the best possible living arrangement to accommodate your parent’s needs.
We often work with clients whose primary goal is to relocate their aging parents closer to their loved ones. In addition to selling the parental home, we try to focus on educating the entire family on the choices available to today’s seniors in the Calgary area. These choices involve everything from downtown apartments to secondary suites, to 55+ communities, assisted living and long-term care facilities.
Since Canadians can boast of one of the world’s longest life expectancies, the challenge of meeting the needs of a growing elder population is a major hot topic in today’s housing industry. It is difficult to navigate the multitude of choices available, but as professional Realtors, we are here to help. Many of us have already or will soon face the same difficult choices to be made with our own parents. When your parents start to slow down and need more help with everyday tasks, it may be time to sit down and talk as a family before the situation worsens. A professional Realtor can bring objectivity and clarity to a confusing and deeply emotional situation.
Although we all face common problems and tough choices, we start with the premise that every family is unique. While many elderly people remain fully-independent and simply want to downsize and simplify their lifestyle, others will require a higher level of monitoring and hands-on care. Transitioning to a new living arrangement requires respect and sensitivity as well as knowledge of the housing options and resources available. When your family decides that it may be time for Mom and Dad to make a move, take some of the stress out of a difficult situation. Resolve to work with a Realtor who you can trust to take care of the details involved in a major move while you take care of Mom and Dad.
Are you looking to Sell or Buy a home in Calgary and need someone who won’t rest until you’ve found your dream home or until your home is sold? I’ll work hard to earn your trust and to deliver exactly what you need. Contact me at 403-589-0004 or at TheHowardTeam.net.
About Bryon Howard
Bryon Howard and his team of Calgary real estate professionals sell an average of two homes a week. He is a member of the MLS Million Point Club, which ranks him roughly in the top 1% of productive realtors in Calgary. His aim is not just to please clients but to help them buy/sell a home in Calgary at the best price, in the shortest time, and with the least hassle. He is a member of the RE/MAX House of Real Estate that leads in the Canadian market. Learn more about Bryon at TheHowardTeam.net.
Forget what you think you may have learned from watching HGTV. There is nothing simple or routine about most real estate transactions. Almost every home sale or purchase is accompanied by some complication that requires the knowledge, guidance and oversight of a trained, experienced professional. So, before you consider going the FSBO route, consider these five top reasons for hiring a Realtor.
Realtors have access to all sectors of the local MLS data. – The general public can only access a small portion of the MLS information that is available to licensed Realtors who subscribe to the local MLS service. Realtors, on the other hand, can view current and historical sales information and comparable sales data to measure market trends. This information is critical when it comes to pricing your home to sell for top dollar and finding the best home for you in the right neighbourhood.
It takes time to sell a house – lots of time. – Be honest. Do you really have the time it takes to conduct open houses and arrange for showings on short notice? Interested buyers will be put off if they cannot visit a home when it is convenient for them. Today’s homes are marketed across multiple media platforms. In order to compete with other buyers and sellers, you will need to utilize all available forums. A professional Realtor is familiar with the process and prepared to market your home in the most efficient and effective manner.
Selling real property requires the services of a trained real estate professional. – Calgary is a volatile, fast-moving market. Sometimes it seems that the rules and regulations governing our industry change as quickly as the market sometimes swings. The paperwork alone is enough to drown a layman without proper training. Think twice before treating the sale and purchase of your home – your most valuable asset – as a DIY project. You would not try to take apart the engine on your new sports car without any mechanical training, would you? Treat your home as the valuable asset it is and hire a professional to run the show.
It is very difficult to represent yourself. – The best negotiators are able to maintain complete objectivity at the bargaining table. It is almost impossible to remain objective when emotion is involved and buying and selling homes triggers all kinds of emotions in buyers and sellers. That is why you need a Realtor to represent you and defend your interests.
Successful Realtors work with a dependable network of professionals. – When you buy or sell a home, you will also be working with a small army of other real estate professionals – lawyers, mortgage loan representatives, home inspectors, appraisers and contractors – to name a few. An experienced Realtor will have relationships with a network of proven professionals you can rely upon. Even more importantly, your Realtor will serve as the team leader – pushing, prodding and cajoling when necessary to make sure your transaction receives the full attention it deserves from everyone involved.
In the final analysis, you are unlikely to save any money by foregoing the services of a Realtor. Savvy buyers who do stumble upon your listing often feel entitled to deduct the cost of a commission from their offer. Even worse, properties that languish on the market for too long become stale and subject to speculation about hidden defects. In the end, sellers are forced to drop their price and accept less than the home is really worth. Save yourself time, stress, and money and work with an experienced Realtor to achieve your real estate goals.
Are you looking to Sell or Buy a home in Calgary and need someone who won’t rest until you’ve found your dream home or until your home is sold? I’ll work hard to earn your trust and to deliver exactly what you need. Contact me at 403-589-0004 or at TheHowardTeam.net.
About Bryon Howard
Bryon Howard and his team of Calgary real estate professionals sell an average of two homes a week. He is a member of the MLS Million Point Club, which ranks him roughly in the top 1% of productive realtors in Calgary. His aim is not just to please clients but to help them buy/sell a home in Calgary at the best price, in the shortest time, and with the least hassle. He is a member of the RE/MAX House of Real Estate that leads in the Canadian market. Learn more about Bryon at TheHowardTeam.net.
Home staging is a powerful tool in pulling in buyers and selling a home for the highest possible price. It is all about creating a memorable first impression that will stay with homebuyers when they sit down to think about the homes they have visited. Professional home stagers do an excellent job in preparing properties to show, the added expense often brings a stronger offer.
Professional stagers may replace your furniture with updated trendy pieces that catch the eye of buyers. That being said… Here are a few do-it-yourself tips for effective staging – guaranteed to make your house stand out!
Let Your Light Shine
Buyers love homes that permit generous flow of natural light. Pull back all curtains and window coverings and update light fixtures and lamps with newer, brighter, more energy-efficient bulbs. Turn on all the lights for open houses and showings. You don’t want buyers to think you are trying to hide anything.
Clean and De-Clutter
After a thorough cleaning of the house (inside and out) including closets, garages and storage spaces, conduct an exhaustive de-cluttering of the entire home. This does not only mean putting away personal items, memorabilia and photos. All extraneous furnishings should be removed also. The furniture that remains should be arranged in groupings to permit easy flow of traffic through the home. Remember that the goal is to create a blank palate so would-be buyers can envision the home as their own. Arrange for off-site storage of the extra belongings with a friend or at a storage facility. Although it is a lot of work, the good news is that you will already be half packed when your house sells and it is time to move.
Send Your Pets on a Much-Needed Vacation
We know that you love your pets and think of them as members of the family, but the cold, hard truth is that everyone does not love them the same way you do. If possible, make arrangements for pets to be out of the home during open houses and showings. Many potential buyers are allergic or uncomfortable around animals and there is no bigger turn-off to buyers than unpleasant pet odors.
Focus on Curb Appeal
Make sure the lawn is cut and the bushes are trimmed. Remove all dead flowers and then focus on the front entryway. A fresh coat of paint on the front door framed with potted plants and flowers will impress buyers right away. Do everything you can to make the home seem warm and welcoming.
Accentuate the Positive
Choose a room or focal point in your home that ranks among its best features and spend a little extra time and energy in staging that area. It may be a fireplace or a state-of-the-art kitchen or an enchanting outdoor living space. Remember what it was that made you fall in love with your home and then do everything you can to make sure buyers notice.
Home staging is all about taking control of that all-important first impression that buyers have upon walking into your home. Follow these tips, take control and stage your home to sell!
Are you looking to Sell or Buy a home in Calgary and need someone who won’t rest until you’ve found your dream home or until your home is sold? I’ll work hard to earn your trust and to deliver exactly what you need. Contact me at 403-589-0004 or at TheHowardTeam.net.
About Bryon Howard
Bryon Howard and his team of Calgary real estate professionals sell an average of two homes a week. He is a member of the MLS Million Point Club, which ranks him roughly in the top 1% of productive realtors in Calgary. His aim is not just to please clients but to help them buy/sell a home in Calgary at the best price, in the shortest time, and with the least hassle. He is a member of the RE/MAX House of Real Estate that leads in the Canadian market. Learn more about Bryon at TheHowardTeam.net.
Real estate investors and homeowners share a common goal when it comes to the value of their home or portfolio. Everyone is looking to build equity. In real estate jargon, equity refers to the current market value of a property minus the balance of any mortgage loan owed to a lender. Equity is one of the main benefits of home ownership. In frenzied, seller’s markets, equity growth can sometimes appear to be exponential. Other times, it just creeps up in small increments through the years.
Many homeowners are content to take a passive approach and watch their property appreciate over time. Serious investors and homeowners looking to pull equity from one home to finance their next one are well advised to take an active approach to promote equity growth through renovations that will enhance the value of their property. Another way to increase equity is to reduce debt through early pay down of mortgage loan balances.
Here are a few proactive tips for building equity:
Maintenance and Upkeep
A house that is well-maintained will always retain more value than a property that is unkempt. More importantly, a home that is unloved and neglected can lose equity in the blink of an eye. Seemingly small items such as leaky faucets and roofs are equity killers when they lead to major damage. Maintenance can admittedly be boring. If you do not wish to perform the maintenance tasks yourself, consider hiring a handyman or property manager to protect your equity.
Renovation
Renovating is a great way to build equity in a property, but beware that not all home renovation projects offer the same return on investment (ROI). Before sinking hard-earned money into a makeover, talk with your Realtor to learn which projects are most likely to enhance the value of your home. This will vary considerably by property, neighbourhood and price point. On some highly-coveted building lots, a tear down of the existing structure will help build equity faster. In most situations, however, this is not the case. Kitchen and bathroom renovations traditionally bring the best ROI, but homeowners should shy away from over-the-top projects and high end materials that do not always deliver a good return.
Debt Reduction
Imagine owning a debt-free home, unencumbered by the constraints of mortgage loan financing. You can make this dream a reality with an aggressive approach toward pay down of your existing mortgage loan through shorter loan terms and extra payments. Even one extra mortgage payment a year can significantly reduce the duration and total cost of your loan. Each dollar spent to reduce the debt gets added to the equity column on your home’s balance sheet and, by making the extra payments on a voluntary basis, you maintain flexibility and the right to direct those funds elsewhere when the need arises.
Meticulous Tenant Screening
A bad tenant who goes months without paying rent and forces you into court to seek an eviction is a definite equity killer. It can get even worse if you find out they trashed your valuable asset. The best way to guard against bad tenants is to adhere to strict qualifying standards with in-depth screening. In addition to reviewing each tenant’s credit history and financial situation, insist on checking references with former landlords. Make an appointment to check in on the home periodically to ensure that the tenants are respecting your property. This will also afford you the opportunity to attend to any repairs that are needed.
One of the best things about being a homeowner is that it gives you freedom – the freedom to decorate and renovate your home as you see fit without requesting approvals. Once you have built up equity in a property, you will also realize the benefits of financial freedom and the security that comes with the ability to borrow money against the equity in your home. Over time, investing in Calgary real estate has proven to be a lucrative investment. Start building that equity now!
Are you looking to Sell or Buy a home in Calgary and need someone who won’t rest until you’ve found your dream home or until your home is sold? I’ll work hard to earn your trust and to deliver exactly what you need. Contact me at 403-589-0004 or at TheHowardTeam.net.
About Bryon Howard
Bryon Howard and his team of Calgary real estate professionals sell an average of two homes a week. He is a member of the MLS Million Point Club, which ranks him roughly in the top 1% of productive realtors in Calgary. His aim is not just to please clients but to help them buy/sell a home in Calgary at the best price, in the shortest time, and with the least hassle. He is a member of the RE/MAX House of Real Estate that leads in the Canadian market. Learn more about Bryon at TheHowardTeam.net.
Real estate investing can be a highly-rewarding enterprise for those who are willing to hang in through the inevitable ups and downs of the market. As in any investment, there are certain risks involved. The most successful players manage to mitigate the risks and maintain a steady course and “eye on the prize” mentality through down cycles. Are you one of those people with fairly low-risk tolerance who wants to reap the benefits of real estate investing, but you are hesitant to dive in? If you are, here are a few strategies for dipping your toes into the market.
1. Buy a Condo to Rent Out
Calgary real estate has a large inventory of condominiums and a steady stream of qualified renters. The condo sector of the market witnessed a noticeable price decline in recent months, following years of frenzied appreciation. With the region’s economic forecast looking brighter, now might be the perfect time for a newbie investor to enter the market.
2. Build a Legal Secondary Suite in Your Home
Recent changes to Calgary real estate’s zoning by-laws have made it much easier for homeowners to create legal secondary suites within the existing footprint of their homes. Check with your Realtor or consult the city’s website to see if your property is eligible for a legal rental suite. Then start planning your next investment with all the extra income you will derive from your new rental stream.
3. Keep the old home for potential rental investment
New investors quickly learn that three-bedroom, two-bath starter homes make perfect rental properties. So, instead of selling your beloved first home when it is time to move up, why not take advantage of the next big market upswing and hold on to it for a while in the hope of seeing some appreciation? With the right tenant leasing the property for a few years, you can potentially generate income and equity. This is a smart strategy for novice investors.
Real estate investing requires a goal-oriented strategy plus a little bit of patience. If you provide the patience, Calgary Real Estate-by The Howard Team can help you overcome the first-time jitters and craft a strategy to launch your career as a real estate investor.
Are you looking to Sell or Buy a home in Calgary and need someone who won’t rest until you’ve found your dream home or until your home is sold? I’ll work hard to earn your trust and to deliver exactly what you need. Contact me at 403-589-0004 or at TheHowardTeam.net.
About Bryon Howard
Bryon Howard and his team of Calgary real estate professionals sell an average of two homes a week. He is a member of the MLS Million Point Club, which ranks him roughly in the top 1% of productive realtors in Calgary. His aim is not just to please clients but to help them buy/sell a home in Calgary at the best price, in the shortest time, and with the least hassle. He is a member of the RE/MAX House of Real Estate that leads in the Canadian market. Learn more about Bryon at TheHowardTeam.net.
International publications such as The New York Times and The Economist are increasingly aware of what the residents of Calgary have known for a very long time – Calgary is a great place to call home! For the past several years, London’s The Economist has consistently ranked Calgary in the Top 5 among the world’s “Most Livable Cities.” In 2014, The New York Times awarded Calgary the No. 17 spot on its annual list of “52 Places to Go.” We all have friends and acquaintances that took the advice of travel editors and planned a trip to Calgary only to end up moving here on a permanent basis. They fell in love with Calgary for many of the same reasons we all love it. Here are just a few of the reasons we all believe Calgary is such a great place to live.
The Best of All Worlds
Visitors and newcomers quickly discover that life in Calgary eliminates the sometimes-agonizing quandary of city vs. country. Calgary has it all – clean, mountain living with a cosmopolitan vibe. There are not many major cities in the world where you can enjoy a majestic mountain view from a downtown office or apartment loft. It is a well-planned city that is simple to navigate. Designed on a grid and broken down into directional quadrants – North East (NE) North West (NW) South East (SE) and South West (SW). Numbered streets and avenues make it easy to get around. Streets always run north-south and avenues always run east-west. At the axis, where the numbering originates, are Centre Street and Centre Avenue – navigational ground zero. The city has kept pace with its population growth with new infrastructure being introduced on a regular basis to quell any issues
Housing Choices In-Line with Modern Trends
The multitude of housing options available to residents of Calgary is perfectly in synch with the wants, needs and demands of today’s homebuyers and renters who are migrating back to city centres in droves. While these people appreciate the lifestyle and amenities available to them in downtown living, they also yearn for the small-town feel that is alive and thriving in Calgary’s many diverse neighbourhoods.
A City Built for the Active Lifestyle
Most Calgarians are 100% vested in an active, outdoor lifestyle and the city’s beautiful landscape never ceases to impress. The scenic Bow River wanders right through the city and some of Canada’s most epic landscapes surround Calgary. Calgary’s world-class system of parks and trails keeps nature accessible to all who live, work and play here. There are over 8,000 hectares of parklands and 800 km of multi-use pathways connecting them. Some of the world’s finest winter resorts are only a little more than an hour’s drive. Whether it’s camping at Mount Kidd, ski weekends at Sunshine or a simple stroll along the Bow, there are outdoor options for all ages and tastes. No matter what time of the year, there are always well-maintained parks and pathways to enjoy. It is almost impossible to stay indoors with so many year-round options.
Calgary has earned its burgeoning reputation as a “must see” destination. During a period of rapid growth and migration, the city has retained its small town charm and sense of wonder. Many of the people who chose Calgary as their home over the past decade came here for the jobs and ended up staying for the lifestyle. We are fortunate to enjoy an exceptional quality of life here in Calgary and are both proud and grateful to call this youthful, vibrant city our home.
Are you looking to Sell or Buy a home in Calgary and need someone who won’t rest until you’ve found your dream home or until your home is sold? I’ll work hard to earn your trust and to deliver exactly what you need. Contact me at 403-589-0004 or at TheHowardTeam.net.
About Bryon Howard
Bryon Howard and his team of Calgary real estate professionals sell an average of two homes a week. He is a member of the MLS Million Point Club, which ranks him roughly in the top 1% of productive realtors in Calgary. His aim is not just to please clients but to help them buy/sell a home in Calgary at the best price, in the shortest time, and with the least hassle. He is a member of the RE/MAX House of Real Estate that leads in the Canadian market. Learn more about Bryon at TheHowardTeam.net.
Too many novice homebuyers and investors still make the rookie mistake of buying the right house in the wrong neighbourhood. While most people are familiar with the real estate mantra – LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION – some buyers fall in love with the look, feel and features of a particular home and, as we all know, love is blind. Location ends up getting trumped by the hard-to-resist lure of a pretty façade. In truth, buyers are better off buying a home in the right neighbourhood that has only half the amenities on their wish list than buying their perfect dream home in the wrong neighbourhood.
Narrowing a property search to the right neighbourhoods requires the guidance and assistance of a professional Realtor who has a clear understanding of your purpose in buying and your short and long-term real estate goals. Your Realtor also needs to get to know you a little on a personal level to help in targeting the neighbourhoods that will offer the best fit for your personality and lifestyle. The right neighbourhood for an investor will not necessarily be the right neighbourhood for a young couple with school age children or a single person seeking access to downtown amenities.
In order to maximize short-term cash flow and long-term equity growth, investors need to search for properties in up-and-coming communities that attract quality tenants. If you are intending to be a landlord near a university, access to public transit is a critical element since many students and faculty members do not own their own vehicles. Homebuyers with children need family-friendly neighbourhoods with proximity to good schools, parks and recreational facilities.
There are a myriad of factors to consider when buying a home. Pinpointing the right location is a function of all of these considerations. Do you work? Where do you work? Do you have children? How do you feel about commuting? How do you spend your leisure time? Are you a condo or a house buyer? If you are an investor, what are you hoping to achieve? Is this your first investment or part of a larger portfolio? These are only a few of the questions to consider before launching a property search. The answers to these questions, in the hands of a knowledgeable Realtor, will help determine the locations to focus on in your search.
Even though all clients come to the table with wildly-differing goals and expectations, everyone is looking to achieve a positive return on investment (ROI) and location has a huge influence on ROI. At the same time, if you are going to be living in the home, you want to be in a neighbourhood that will accommodate your needs and complement your lifestyle. The suburban home you fell in love with at first sight may start to wear on your nerves if it involves a long commute. And the downtown condo that is close to work may leave you disenchanted if you have always harboured dreams of large backyard barbecues and an expansive garden.
Pinpointing the right location with strong potential for both long term ROI and short-term comfort and satisfaction involves a delicate analysis that is best conducted with the help of an experienced and objective Realtor. You will need a pro to help you weigh all factors and choose the right property in the right neighbourhood for you and your family.
Are you looking to Sell or Buy a home in Calgary and need someone who won’t rest until you’ve found your dream home or until your home is sold? I’ll work hard to earn your trust and to deliver exactly what you need. Contact me at 403-589-0004 or at TheHowardTeam.net.
About Bryon Howard
Bryon Howard and his team of Calgary real estate professionals sell an average of two homes a week. He is a member of the MLS Million Point Club, which ranks him roughly in the top 1% of productive realtors in Calgary. His aim is not just to please clients but to help them buy/sell a home in Calgary at the best price, in the shortest time, and with the least hassle. He is a member of the RE/MAX House of Real Estate that leads in the Canadian market. Learn more about Bryon at TheHowardTeam.net.
The home buying process can be very exciting…choosing the neighbourhood you want to live in, scouring through listings and checking out weekend open houses to find the home of your dreams. I enjoy helping my clients through this process – it’s one of the many reasons I became a Realtor. My job is to give my clients the tools to buy with confidence, which is why I work with specialists and ensure that I am keenly up to date during the many ebbs and flows that is the real estate industry. If you are thinking of buying your first home, or ready to get back into the market after several years of home ownership, a licensed Realtor is essential to help you understand all your options.
Once my client has made the decision to purchase a new home, I help them to weigh their options. These options can be anything from location to budget restrictions – but whatever they are I use my years of experience to help guide them in the right direction. Providing them with a good understanding of what their desired locations means for their budget and lifestyle, as well as ensuring that they are making a good long term investment that will help secure their future golden years.
I also work alongside accredited mortgage brokers who are experienced and knowledgeable. Having them as part of my team allows my clients to secure their financing in the early stages of the process. This relationship bodes well especially when a client is self-employed or has a non-traditional source of income. A mortgage professional can help to easily navigate home buyers through the labyrinth by assisting in getting the required documentation and advising on what type of mortgage and payment plan suits their financial needs.
Whether you are a typical buyer looking for your next place to call home or an investor who would like some assistance in buying additional properties, my team and I have the qualifications you need to make the process a seamless one.
Are you looking to Sell or Buy a home in Calgary and need someone who won’t rest until you’ve found your dream home or until your home is sold? I’ll work hard to earn your trust and to deliver exactly what you need. Contact me at 403-589-0004 or at TheHowardTeam.net.
About Bryon Howard
Bryon Howard and his team of Calgary real estate professionals sell an average of two homes a week. He is a member of the MLS Million Point Club, which ranks him roughly in the top 1% of productive realtors in Calgary. His aim is not just to please clients but to help them buy/sell a home in Calgary at the best price, in the shortest time, and with the least hassle. He is a member of the RE/MAX House of Real Estate that leads in the Canadian market. Learn more about Bryon at TheHowardTeam.net.
