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The new year brings good tidings for Albertans, like projections of sustained economic and housing market growth. But for those who are building a new home in this booming city, there’s more great news. In case you didn’t know it yet, hopefully by next month, home builders will already be mandated by law (specifically by the Government of Alberta’s New Home Buyer Protection Act) to provide warranty protection for new homes, so all new home buyers and investors in Alberta will soon enjoy protection for their investment! That should give you peace of mind like no other.

Here’s a quick look at the coverage:

• one year for labor and materials;

• two years for defects in labor and materials related to delivery and distribution systems;

• five years building envelope protection (protection for the building’s exterior shell, including its roof and walls), with a requirement for the warranty provider to offer the consumer the option to purchase additional years of coverage; and

• 10 years for major structural components.

Covered are single-family homes, condominiums, modular homes, mobile homes, and dwellings on recreational properties, but not dorms, work camps, hotels, and rental apartments.

Alberta Minister of Municipal Affairs Doug Griffiths described the warranty program as “one of the strongest warranty programs in the country.”

When the Act takes effect, the Alberta government will require builders to show proof of home warranty coverage to obtain building permits for all new homes constructed in the province.

Currently, new homes in Alberta are not legally protected by warranties, but people are encouraged to choose builders who offer such protection.

I just wanted to quickly share with you the good news, but if you need more information on this exciting development, you can visit the Government of Alberta website. Now you have all the more reason to choose Alberta for your new 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 2% 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.

Image Courtesy of Land Rover MENA

Are you all set for 2014? This is my first post for this new year, but unfortunately, it’s nothing new. In the last year, I raved on and on about Altadore real estate and about Calgary real estate in general (even during the great flood when the Calgarians’ volunteer spirit shone bright), and I’ll just keep doing that now! All indicators are telling us that this year will be quite a strong one for Calgary, especially as it is projected to lead in job growth throughout Canada. So personal incomes are expected to rise, as is population growth driven by in-migration. With that, housing demand should be on an upswing and the city, in building hyperdrive.

Let me just quickly share a few exciting facts here on how the Calgary housing market is doing. Last year was a record year for the city, as home prices across the board as well as sales volume hit all-time highs! The price increased almost 7% year-over-year to $456,703, and the sales volume, by 11%, spurred by several factors such as higher-than-expected employment growth and net migration, low unemployment rates, low mortgage rates, a decrease in new listings, and the lowest vacancy rates in a decade. This year, not only Calgary but the entire province of Alberta is seen to outperform national markets, due to sustained employment, income, and population growth.

I’m ready. I’ve made my goals, and I am always very focused. Maybe I get that from competitive biking, where I have to be fast but to keep my eyes on the road even as I have to know what’s coming from all around me. That should bode well for my clients, who can expect better service and smoother transactions. I will continue to keep close to them and to reach out to all who need help with their real estate needs here in Calgary, through this blog and my overall online presence, and through the good old personal touch.

Of course, there’s again the Calgary Stampede to look forward to this year. We saw it happen come hell or high water last year just days after the record flood, so I’m excited to see what it will do now especially to get everyone fully back to our usual fun and festive spirit. Get your tickets early!

Bring it on, 2014!

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 one home a week. He is a member of the MLS Million Point Club, which ranks him roughly in the top 8% 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.

Image courtesy of _neurotik

The holiday season is here, and fewer people are listing their homes for sale, as they prepare to entertain family and friends, get caught up with a hundred and one Christmas chores, travel, or just take a much-awaited hiatus; or else they think buyers are too preoccupied, unavailable, or unwilling to brave the snow. But someone told me recently to give him 3 good reasons why he should sell his house over the holidays. I’ll do better than that – I’ll share 11 reasons why!

 1. People who look for a home during the holidays are more serious buyers.

Most home buyers shop around in the spring when most sellers put their house on the market. But if someone takes the time and the effort to look at your house over the holidays, he really needs to buy soon. For you, the seller, that’s gold. So listing your house at this time lets you catch the best buyers and save your own time and energy in selling your house by eliminating buyers who are “just looking around” or aren’t in a hurry.

2. Serious buyers have fewer houses to choose from during the holidays.

By selling your house over the holidays, you’ll not only get serious buyers, but you’ll also find it easier to sell to them because there’s less competition.

3. Since the supply of listings will dramatically increase in the spring, there will be less demand for your particular home then.

You’ve heard the old adage: “The early bird catches the worm.” You can up your chances of selling your home if you get a headstart in the market. You just may catch the early buyers, who want to get a headstart themselves in looking at homes.

4. Houses show better when decorated for the holidays.

Homes are preened and lit up during the holidays, so they’ll look better at less cost to you and will thus be easier to sell.

5. Buyers are more emotional during the holidays, so are easier to please.

Buyers may be drawn to your house just because it reminds them of their childhood home at Christmas and all the good times they had there, or they may just be generally in a better mood that makes them easier to talk to.

 6. Buyers have more time to look for a home during the holidays than they do during a working week.

Not all people are busy at Christmas, and those who really need to buy a house soon can find the extra time now to look at what’s on the market.

7. Some people must buy before the end of the year for tax reasons.

There are people who are determined to buy at year-end so that they could deduct the property taxes, mortgage interest, and loan points from their tax return that year.

8. January is traditionally the month when employees start in their new jobs.

Many people start the year with brand new jobs for which they have to relocate, which they do over the holidays.

 9. You can still be on the market, but you have the option to restrict showings for six or seven days during the holidays.

You need not be available for home showings the whole time over the holidays. You can arrange to take a break over Christmas and New Year week, when you and home buyers would most likely be busiest.

10. You can sell now and arrange for a delayed closing or extended occupancy until early next year.

If you don’t want to sell your home over the holidays because you won’t be able to move at Christmas, take heart because you can sell your home now and come to an agreement with the buyer to set the occupancy date at up to 120 days later.

11. By selling now, you may have an opportunity to be a non-contingent buyer during the spring, when many more houses are on the market for less money.

 You can time your purchase of that new home that you’ll be moving to in the spring, when there are more houses to choose from and prices are more competitive, if you sell your home now.

These should give you more than enough reasons to decide to sell your house over the holidays. If you decide to sell, better act fast. But if you just want to take it slow and have all the fun you can get this Christmas, you won’t be making a bad decision at all. Whichever way you go, have a merry Christmas!

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 2% 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 holidays is a great time to sell (photo courtesy of davedehetre)

The Christmas season is here, and people typically take a break from buying or selling real estate at this time with all the distractions of the holidays. But I always tell sellers this is actually a great time to sell, mainly because there’s less competition. Now if you’re a buyer and you either need to move this season for a new job after the holidays or just want to take advantage of the lower prices and your free time, you surely have a good idea already as to what to look for in your home. If not, you may want to check out my house-hunting guide. But let me just quickly caution you on what to watch out for when buying a house over the holidays, so you won’t end up regretting your purchase after all the Christmas cheer.

Don’t Let Your Emotions Get the Better of You.

It’s easy to see everything with rose-colored glasses during this happy season, so it’s more important than ever to focus on the basics. Those basics are a good location and amenities, plus the house features you’ll need. It’s easy to think, though, that at this busy time, any place is a good place, with all the lively activity going on. So investigate more closely on the real score when all the bustle of the season dies down. Three good things to note at this time, though, are the community spirit, how bad the traffic goes, and whether or not the crime rate goes up and if it does, how the residents are protected.

Look Beneath the Trimmings and the Snow.

Some sellers choose to sell over the holidays because it’s easier to stage a home then with all nice and colorful Christmas decors, and where there’s a white Christmas, it’s easier to hide imperfections with the thick layer of snow. So if you’re the buyer, you might need to have X-ray vision, or the ability to make sure you can strip down a house in your mind to its barest. Don’t hesitate to ask the seller if you can look beneath the trimmings – it’s your right as the buyer – and to ask to see any pictures of the house before it was decorated for the holidays. You may also want to ask for your agent’s help to negotiate a home warranty with your seller to protect yourself from unexpected defects after the sale. And just because it’s Christmas doesn’t mean you have to forego the home inspection; it could be your best bet for a peaceful new year. I’ve been dealing with Joel Rollefstad’s Canadian Residential Inspection Services for a long time now; they have a good, professional team and they could generate an impressive home inspection report on-site.

Don’t Set Your Expectations Too High.

This may be good advice for setting your new year goals, but it’s just as good advice for buying a house over the holidays, if only because you won’t have a lot of inventory to choose from. But that’s not to say that finding your dream home over the holidays can’t happen; remember that the best gifts can come in the most unlikely packages. And if you’re willing to balance your home expectations with your desire for a bargain price, this is the best time to act; who knows, some low-cost repairs may yet transform your steal of a house into a customized home that could be your best gift ever for the new year!

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 2% 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.

In buying a home, it’s always great to know that your agent understands what you need and want for your family as well as being clear on what to expect in the process. Watch as Calgary’s top-producing, real estate agent, Bryon Howard, talks about how he helps his clients buy their dream 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 the Author:

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 2% 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.

Are you looking to buy or sell a house in Altadore and want to check out first how the market’s been doing, especially with all the irregularities that came up after the June record flood in Calgary? It’s always smart to check the stats before you make a move, and I’m happy to share them with you in my new video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au_zzYU1UMo

One of many scenic views; my wife Shirley AND River Park (photo courtesy of Bryon Howard)

How do you relax after a hard day’s work? Well, after a busy day helping people buy or sell Altadore real estate, I take a walk in the park. I’m pretty lucky to live in a neighborhood that has one of the most beautiful urban parks in Calgary: River Park. (In fact, it’s why Altadore was voted one of the Best Neighborhoods in Calgary.) River Park is a wonderful place to unwind because there’s lots of green space where you can have a small picnic, engage your family (and your dog!) in some outdoor fun, or just plain chill out. That’s why if Altadore’s our “hill of gold,” River Park is our “green gold” – our green patch of heaven in our neighborhood!

Adventures at the park

I love to run at River Park in the early mornings. I’ll run down to Sandy Beach, then back up and down the trails to below the Reservoir… climb again and perhaps take the bridge over the Glenmore Reservoir past the Rockyview Hospital all the way to Heritage Park.

My wife, sister and brother-in-law also frequently walk our dogs with their kids along. After a nice dinner at home, we take a walk out to the ridge, then down to the river, and just enjoy the evening. Every once in a while too, my son and I would have some father-and-son bonding there, like during that winter when he learned how to drive by going round and round the park.

On my more adventurous days, I participate in races there like the Calgary Roadrunners Series (I’m running at the River Park Classic Cross-country Race on October 5). Or I go mountain biking underneath the reservoir where there’s a picture-perfect waterfall. There are really nice quieter trails there that not many people visit. And for super-fun family adventures, the Foothills Wanderers Orienteering Club often holds orienteering events in the park for all ages.

Dog alert!

One thing River Park is known for is its off-leash area for dogs. It’s a great place for dogs to socialize with other dogs. (Tips to dog owners: don’t bring toys or your dog will just play with them and not socialize; and if you forget your poop bag, you’ll find lots of them hanging around in the park.) Sometimes, though, my dog has other ideas of fun. Once, he decided to go for a swim in the park all on his own and ran down ridge to the river. Then he ran back all the way to our house and shook his wet, muddy fur — I guess he thought the sign said ‘off and running’!

Let’s keep River Park beautiful.

We always have such a great time at River Park and we felt sorry to see the pedestrian bridge damaged after the record flood in June. But the city is hard at work to rebuild the bridge, and in fact, has great plans to make River Park even more beautiful and fun! Now if all of us residents will keep the park clean and do our share to support the plan (share your ideas!), I won’t be surprised if Altadore real estate would soon be the greenest property in Calgary!

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 one home a week. He is a member of the MLS Million Point Club, which ranks him roughly in the top 8% 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.

Planning for success (Photo courtesy of Tatiana12)

All real estate agents promise to sell a home fast and at top dollar, but how will you know upfront who can really deliver? Well, a promise is just a promise unless one has a plan of action for achieving it; and then you’ll know who really knows what he’s talking about. What’s more, an agent with a clear plan can be held accountable for what he says he’ll do, every step of the way! Those are exactly what my team had in mind when we developed an 18-point plan of action for selling homes, and it has helped us sell an average of two houses a week for the past two years! Eighteen steps make for a pretty long plan, but they should tell you loud and clear that we do everything possible to sell a home fast and at the highest possible price.

You’ll find our full 18-point plan here, but we’ve grouped the 18 steps into just three big ones because they’re really as simple as these!

We’ll get your home as ready as it can be to realize its full market potential.

Chances are someone out there needs a home exactly like yours and will be happy to pay you what it’s worth to him, but you’ll need to be able to find him and let him know as clear as day that your home has the features he wants. So first, we’ll highlight what we know most people want in a home like yours. And if your home can use some improvements to make it more saleable or to jack up its price, we’ll suggest what changes you can make to it. Then we’ll help you price your home strategically to open the market for it or to invite higher bids.

We won’t rest until we sell your home.

When we’re sure we’ve done everything we could to make your home as attractive as it can be to buyers, we’ll lose no time and leave no stone unturned to find your best buyer! We’ll submit your home to our local Multiple Listing Service to make sure everyone knows you’re selling it; promote it at our company sales meeting to get our entire team on board; fax a feature sheet to the top 40 agents in the marketplace for their potential buyers; contact our buyer leads, centers of influence and past clients for their referrals, and prospective buyers directly, over the next seven days, and prospect for at least two hours a day and talk to at least 20 people a day to look for potential buyers (we surely won’t be sitting on the job!); catch even casual passersby through a professional sign and lock-box in front of your home; and when possible, have cooperating agents in the area tour your home.

We’ll relieve you of all the stress – Relax!

We know your life doesn’t stop when you’re selling your home, so we’ll make sure you won’t get stressed. We’ll follow up with the salespeople who have shown your home for their feedback and response; constantly update you on any changes in the marketplace and inform you of the various methods of financing that a buyer might want to use; whenever possible, pre-qualify prospective buyers ourselves; assist you with arranging interim financing if needed; represent you on all offer presentations to negotiate the best possible price and terms; handle all the follow-ups before the contract-signing such as the mortgage, title and other closing procedures; and deliver your cheque at the closing!

The beauty of my 18-point plan of action is that you can go back to the list anytime and make sure it’s been done, so that you won’t have just pretty promises to hold on to but detailed action commitments that will give you the best assurance that you’ll get that cheque with the right price fast!

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 2% 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.

Pine trees in Altadore Park (photo courtesy of John Vetterli)

It’s been 10 years since I bought Altadore real estate in southwestern Calgary to take advantage of the best schools here for my two children. And I wasn’t wrong—my children’s education is going great! But a lot of other people have been moving to Calgary for many years for other reasons besides the impressive schools—like the especially strong economy! That has in fact made this part of Canada one of the best places in the country to own property.

Hill of gold

I’m particularly happy to have chosen to live here in Altadore because it’s on high ground—in fact its name means “hill of gold”—yet it’s within walking distance of one of the city’s busiest business and shopping centers, Marda Loop, and first-class schools, hospitals, parks and other recreation areas and amenities. No wonder it’s been voted one of Calgary’s best neighborhoods and is luring a great many families and trendy young professionals to settle here. If you’ve decided to move here or are still thinking about it, you’ll be glad to know you have lots of housing types to choose from.

Full range of homes

Luxury single-family homes and condominiums that sell for more than a million dollars abound, with stylish classic to modern designs, high-quality interior and exterior features, and city, downtown or mountain views, and in secure new or mature neighborhoods. There are also lots of more affordable single-family homes, townhouses and maintenance-free low-rise, mid-rise and high-rise condos for first-time buyers, young professionals and investors. House prices average $531 per square foot, and condos, $401 per square foot. If you want brand-new homes, you’ll also find them here! That’s what’s great with a still fast-growing community like Altadore.

Know something else that’s great here? Utility cost is low, and residents can choose between the many electricity and natural gas companies that are based in Calgary.

With all these choices offered by Altadore real estate, you’ll just have to decide on what location, amenities and home features you and your family need and want, and then check out my home listings at http://www.thehowardteam.net/community-profiles/calgary/altadore_river%20park or else come on over and take a look around. I’d be happy to show you around myself and help you narrow down your choices; call me at 403-589-0004 or contact me at TheHowardTeam.net, and let’s set a date!

About Bryon Howard

Bryon Howard and his team of Calgary real estate professionals sell an average of one home a week. He is a member of the MLS Million Point Club, which ranks him roughly in the top 8% 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.