Over the past few years, Calgary has witnessed an ongoing, and sometimes fierce, public debate on the topic of secondary suites in single-family homes.  The debate is fueled by a number of factors, including economic and lifestyle trends that are driving the increased demand for legal secondary suites in the existing Calgary real estate housing market.

At first glance, secondary suites seem like a throwback to a bygone era when the extended family housing model was commonplace, but there is nothing old-fashioned about the secondary suites built into contemporary construction.  These apartments have everything needed for independent living and offer a great way to enjoy all the benefits of an extended family lifestyle while preserving privacy at the same time.

Owning a home with a fashionable, legal secondary suite allows families to experience the luxury of accommodating young adults and elderly family members under the same roof.  Multiple generations can live together, learn from, and support one another while retaining the ability to retreat to their own private space.

The 2016 Statistics Canada Census data shows that 1 in 3 Canadians between the ages of 20 and 34 live with their parents.  This number has been on the rise since 2001.  Housing affordability is a driving force behind the trend.  Another reason is that in an increasingly competitive job market, young adults are pursuing multiple advanced degrees before striking out on their own.   A secondary suite offers parents and children the best of all worlds and the ability to keep your loved ones close, but not too close.

On the other end of the spectrum, secondary suites are an attractive option for older adults looking to “age in place.”  Comfortable, private apartments in the homes of their children allow seniors to age comfortably and gracefully while lending a hand with child care and other family duties.  Children can rest comfortably knowing their beloved parents are right downstairs should they require assistance.  The economic benefits of reduced living expenses are shared by all.

Even the closest of families can develop a conflict with one another at times.  People can become particularly sensitive when they feel they lack privacy and a sense of independence in their lives.  Secondary suites allow families to acknowledge valid issues while offering a solution.  Whether you are 21, 81, or somewhere in between, we all need privacy and quiet time in addition to the love, support, and companionship of extended families.  Secondary suites offer a perfect solution for Calgary housing challenges confronting modern families.

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.

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.

Victoria’s restaurant scene is an intoxicating mix of urban charm and rural sensibility. The city is home to a growing number of farm-to-table restaurants specializing in their own brand of “West Coast Cuisine.” Some have compared the city’s food obsession to the ultimate foodie city – San Francisco, but the Victoria restaurant world is uniquely its own. Local farms, markets, wineries and breweries provide the ingredients and a group of young, entrepreneurial chefs and restauranteurs work their magic to create consistently high-quality dining experiences.

When restaurant owners in Victoria talk about locally-grown food, they really mean it, unlike other major cities that are situated hundreds of miles from the nearest farm. Victoria’s location along the coast allow chefs to work with fresh ingredients pulled from the sea and fertile farmland surrounding the city. With a seemingly never-ending supply of fresh seafood, produce. cheese, wine, beer and whiskey, “farm-to-table” is not a passing fad in Victoria. It is a lifestyle that is warmly embraced by restaurants and residents alike.

Victoria’s municipal records show that there are over 500 active food service licenses in the city. If you add in the public markets, food trucks and kiosks scattered around town, that number easily increases to over 600. The food industry is a major player in this beautiful city by the sea. Here are a few of Victoria’s favourite eateries that will not fail to impress even the toughest food critic:

Saveur – This French-inspired local favourite specializes in five-course tasting menus. The food is fresh, fanciful and on everybody’s “Top Ten” list for Victoria fine dining.

Spinnakers Brewpub – Spinnakers is a local landmark that has been delighting locals and tourists since 1984. Blessed with a beautiful water view and excellent food, Spinnaker’s can also boast of being Canada’s first craft brewery in the modern era. Stop by the pub for a good meal and a good pint. As an added bonus, the pub offers a number of moderately-priced, historical guesthouses dating back to 1884.

Pagliacci’s – Victoria may have a British heritage, but the locals love a good Italian meal. Stop by Pagliacci’s to enjoy fresh Italian food and their world-famous focaccia bread. You will not be disappointed.

Olo – The word Olo means “hungry” in Chinook jargon. Every item and ingredient on the menu is organic and locally-grown. The ambiance is friendly and down-to earth and the changing menu is a testament to sustainability and innovative use of local food bounty.

These are just a few of the hundreds of eateries that comprise Victoria’s thriving restaurant scene. The abundance and diversity of dining options in beautiful settings is just one of the many draws pulling people to this special city.

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.

Do not make the mistake of placing your real estate affairs in the hands of an inexperienced agent. In red hot real estate markets, it seems that everyone wants to be a Realtor. After one rainy day of binge-watching HGTV, people start to believe that anyone can flip a house and make a fortune. It all looks so easy on TV, but in reality, it is not.

A successful career in real estate requires knowledge, hard work, formidable people skills, and EXPERIENCE!

Sure – we have all gone to school and earned our credentials, but the real training in this business comes on-the-job. It is the oldest way to learn and still the best.

As experienced Calgary Realtors and business people, we bring to the table everything we have learned through hundreds of unique transactions. Our clients today are the direct beneficiaries of our years developing a “feel” for real estate and fine-tuning our negotiating skills.

We also bring along our network of proven professionals – appraisers, lending officers, contractors, and home inspectors. We know who is good at their job and who is not, as well as who can be counted upon to move quickly when time is of the essence.

The HGTV fans can easily get the impression that real estate is just a fun exercise in matchmaking – nothing more than bringing buyers and sellers together and hoping for a match. In reality, there is so much more to a Realtor’s job, especially in the Calgary real estate market where excellence is expected in each and every transaction.

We know from experience how to make sure our sellers reap the highest and best price for their property – even when that involves looking them in the eye and advising that their property is not worth what they thought it was. We know from experience that we should introduce our buyers to a neighbourhood not on their wish list but worth investigating.

And we know from experience how to whittle down a long list of home inspection deficiencies that leaves our client satisfied while getting the deal done.

Experienced Realtors tend to have more resources – including advertising funds, state-of-the-art digital photography equipment, and administrative support. Perhaps most importantly, experience breeds confidence – an essential tool of successful Realtors and all business professionals. If you do choose to work with an inexperienced agent, make sure he or she has the full backing of an experienced broker and team of professionals.

Experience is not the only factor when it comes to selecting a Realtor, but it certainly belongs at the top of the list. Many real estate transactions start out simple before taking some tricky turns. Make sure your Realtor has the experience needed to help keep your goals and dreams on track.

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 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.

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.

The decision to downsize to a new living arrangement may be one of the best decisions you ever make. The advantages are numerous and you do not have to wait for years to reap the benefits. As a hedge against the impact of inevitable economic cycles, downsizing is a housing option that makes sense for young and old alike. There are, of course, certain fears associated with a move that also heralds a major lifestyle change. The best advice I can anyone contemplating a downsizing move is to summon the courage to make the move that makes the most sense for you. If you are nervous, start by turning perceived negatives into positives.

While expansive homes with plenty of space are a nice luxury, many modern homeowners find that the extras space ends up costing more than it is worth and does not always mesh well with their lifestyle. Young families today are less interested in extra square footage and acreage than they are in proximity to the workplace, urban amenities, transportation and good schools. Downsizing to a smaller home frees up cash each month to spend on family activities or redirect into savings. Families in Toronto, Vancouver and other thriving cities have long embraced the exchange of smaller space for bigger lifestyle and the trend seems to be catching on throughout Canada.

Anyone who has lived in a home for a long period of time will tend to have an emotional attachment to the property – particularly if it was a family home where you raised your children. The attachment is inevitable and understandable. In many instances, the decision to downsize will involve getting rid of a lot of “stuff” that you have accumulated over the years. Rather than viewing the need to rid yourself of belongings as a sad, anxiety-inducing task, think of it as a chance to lighten your load and free yourself of unnecessary clutter. With the right mindset, ridding yourself of extra belongings can actually be a very liberating experience. Do not be afraid to ask friends and family to lend a hand in designating items for gifting, donating, storing or disposing. If you prefer, you can always hire a professional to help organize and sort, or perhaps a moving company to help with the process entirely.

Downsizing will not only lighten your load in terms of clutter, it will also gift you with the one thing we all have too little of – time! By moving to a condo or smaller home, you will free up hours each week to invest in the things that matter most in life. Instead of shoveling snow and cutting grass on weekends, you will be free to travel and pursue your favourite leisure time activities with loved ones. And for many downsizers, the move will result in more disposable income to pursue those passions.

Keep in mind that the memories of life in your old home will remain in your heart forever. In choosing a new home and neighbourhood for the next exciting chapter in your life, make sure to work closely with your Realtor to ensure that the new living arrangement reflects the new you.

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.