Kirby Cox's Calgary Real Estate Blog

Taking advantage of the mortgage wars between Canada’s major banks, investors, first-time buyers, and home owners looking to “move up” are out looking for homes in droves.  The big five banks (BMO, TD, CIBC, Scotiabank and RBC) dropped their fixed rates to record lows and it all started when BMO reduced their Low Rate 5-year fixed mortgage product to 2.99%, the lowest interest rate for a Canadian bank ever.  

But prospective buyers…

We would like to offer a big thank you to everyone who came out to our 15th Annual Pumpkin Giveaway to support the Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank. We had a really successful day; there were so many new faces out to help us, as well as many familiar families from previous Pumpkin Giveaways. We hope that you will make this event a tradition for your family’s future Halloweens. We have a lot of fun hosting this event every year!

The…

When: October 22 from 10 am – 2 pm (as supplies last)

Where: At the Hamptons Co-op, located on the corner of Country Hills Blvd NW & Hamptons Drive NW

The Event

Every year for the last 14 years, we've worked with the Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank to distribute 600-700 pumpkins on the weekend before Halloween to the public in exchange for donations of money or non-perishable food. We also have candy for the kids!

Every…

While the mayor is still fighting for changing the regulation of rental suites across the city, the majority of city council seems dead set against easing rules for renting out basement suites in areas of Calgary where basement suites are not legal at this time. And for many Calgary residents, the lack of change in this area is just the way they want it to stay. 

Due to disagreement by the majority of city council, the changes to…

For beer and German cuisine fans, late September/early October could be considered the most wonderful time of the year because it is time for Oktoberfest!

Oktoberfest is a massive beer festival held each year in Munich Germany that runs for just over two weeks. While you can travel to Germany to take part in this celebration of good food and great beer, in many places across Calgary you can also find some of that celebratory…

While the concept of a condominium for vehicles might seem like something you’d find in a Disney/Pixar movie, this idea has become a reality in the community of Springbank just outside of Calgary. The Dens is more than a luxury storage facility, it is (according to the company) a “condo development, specifically designed for private storage with a club atmosphere”.

This high-end facility is for residents who not only need some extra…

With gas prices up again, many Calgarians are feeling pretty cranky about that drive to and from work every day. According to Stats Canada, most commuters in Canada take between 45 and 90 minutes a day to get to and from work. This roughly adds up to between 195 and 390 hours spent in the car every year. When you factor in the cost of transportation and the cost of these lost hours, it may become evident that you could be spending time…

For anyone concerned about the health of the real estate market in Calgary, the steady increase in sales of single family residences will be welcome news. While the numbers of Calgary home sales have not recovered to the 10 year average rates, experts are optimistic that the local market is continuing to strengthen.

The combination of well-priced homes hitting the market, along with a steady supply of interested buyers has increased…

It seems that most people from outside Alberta know a little bit about Calgary. Perhaps they've heard of the world-famous Stampede, where hundreds of thousands of spectators converge upon the city to witness top-quality rodeo events and an impressive roster of great entertainment. Maybe they recall the city as host of the 1988 Winter Olympics, or are aware of the area's importance as major energy suppliers. But there is a lot more to…

One topic guaranteed to get many Calgarian home owners hot under the collar right now, is the controversial matter of secondary suites in residential districts. In recent years there has been something of an increase in the number of home owners converting their basements, and creating rental units. While the basic principal seems okay on the surface - the provision of affordable housing for low income renters, not to mention the useful…