Kirby Cox's Calgary Real Estate Blog - Kirby Cox

Buying a Vacation Home

Do you dream of waking up surrounded by nature, whether that’s opening your eyes to a sea of spruce trees and glistening mountain tops or hearing the gentle waves from the lake washing ashore on the beach below?

Cottage season is just throwing open it’s shutters and for many it reawakens the dream of owning a second home. Prices of recreational properties have sky rocketed in recent years and like the housing market as a whole, there’s a serious shortage of homes available in Canada. Before you turn that dream into a reality, here are some pointers to guide you..

Location, location, location…

Distance is key. It is so tempting when scrolling through MLS to see a beautiful property and stretch the travel time to put it in reach. The reality is…

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The New Home Dilemma

The liberal budget & your new home. 

So you want to buy a new home but it feels like the mountain ahead of you is too steep. House prices keep rising. Interest rates and inflation mean your mortgage now costs more and so does your cost of living. If you’re looking at a new build, add to that lumber prices, aluminum prices and supply chain delays. Enter the Liberal budget with it’s focus on housing. Is relief finally in sight?

Doubling the number of new homes

We constantly hear it’s a sellers market. That’s because there’s a lack of available homes for sale across the country. Basically to catch up with demand the government aims to double the number of new homes being built in the next ten years. The budget put forward a host of new measures. Top…

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3 Smarter Way to Save on your Energy Bills

Smart home technology is booming. 

So smart technology offers convenience but that’s just the start of it’s selling points. Younger buyers and renters appear willing to pay more for homes that have smart technology, so the investment could produce real results. Another huge factor is energy savings. Here’s some of the new smart technologies that can help you save money and the planet without breaking the bank.

Smart Thermostats

It’s the biggest contributor to your energy bill. Heating and cooling your home makes up around half of your bill. In Canada where the climate can be…

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Calgary Housing Market – What to Expect 2022

As we head into the New Year, we would all like some certainties, to feel the ground under our feet and know where we are heading.

The rollercoaster of Covid continues to take its toll on every aspect of our lives. The one thing that has grounded so many of us throughout the pandemic is our homes. They’ve become our safe harbour in the storm. With a fourth wave of Covid on us, our homes are more important than ever, and this is one of the factors why Calgary’s housing market is forecast to thrive this year. So, what can we expect?

Prices will rise

Yes, prices are still going up but at a slower pace than 2021. Last year saw Calgary’s real estate market make a big comeback with sales coming close to all-time records. Prices too rebounded and…

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Housing Affordability

It was one of the hottest Election topics.

Housing affordability and how the parties would help Canadians buy a home in the current high market. Many parts of the country have seen skyrocketing house prices which has made home ownership unobtainable.

National House Prices

Across the country the price of an average home has risen by more than 50% in the past 5 years according to the Canadian Real Estate Association. It’s now at $663,500. Covid didn’t slow the pace of rising house prices and even contributed to it. Lockdowns meant people put more emphasis on their homes. Many chose to upgrade and go for more space. Even as the Canadian economy recovers, spending on housing continues to be a priority. Sales and prices are rising faster than the…

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Fixing leaks in your home: simple tips

The City of Calgary says leaks can account for over 10% of the average water used in a home—that can mean a lot of wasted money too.

Early detection of leaks can save money and often advert potential disaster and avoid expensive insurance claims. Here are some tips to make sure your home is leak free.

Check your water meter

One of the best ways to tell if you have a leak in your plumbing system is to check the water meter. To do this, you'll first have to turn off all the water in your home. Shut off all faucets, and make sure the dishwasher and washing machine are not running. Next, watch the meter and see if it begins to change. If it does, you likely have a fast-moving leak. If the meter doesn't change immediately, wait a few hours and…

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The Fast Track to Suburbia?

The Fast Track to Suburbia?

It’s been a worldwide trend. Calgary like other cities across the world has seen more and more of its population moving to the suburbs and choosing space over proximity to the office. Calgary’s latest assessment figures show property values have increased by more than 10% in some parts of the suburbs. So far that move seems here to stay.

There’s another trend that’s been quietly taking the world by storm that can make the suburbs even more accessible and affordable. Electric Bikes sales have been on the rise worldwide. Deloitte recently predicted there would be around 300 million e-bikes in circulation worldwide by 2023. Calgary is keeping pace. Bow Cycle’s electric bike store saw sales exponentially boom this year, up…

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Top Real Estate Trends for 2021: Calgary Forecast

What will the 2021 Economic Climate bring to the Calgary Housing Market?

The year 2020 was meant to be a hopeful one for the Alberta Real Estate market. After years of decreasing prices and high inventory levels, it seemed as if Calgary was on an upward trajectory. Then, struck by the global pandemic in Spring 2020, sales ground to a halt. However, it was short-lived, and the market made an impressive rebound as people realized how, and where, they lived mattered.

As we settled into life with Covid-19, our homes became extremely important to us. We often think of Faith Popcorn’s term “Cocooning” coined in 1981, to best describe what has transpired over the past year. This term seemed ahead of its time, but most accurately sums up our pandemic…

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Canadian Bank Offers Mortgage Rate Below 1%

While the pandemic has caused great devastation to the Canadian economy, for those lucky enough to have kept their jobs, they are able to take advantage of record low mortgage rates.

HSBC's variable rate for five-year, closed term mortgage, is the lowest in Canadian history at a rate just under 1% percent. The 0.99% percent rate is available for high-ratio mortgages, meaning a mortgage with a downpayment of less than 20% percent of the purchase price. This variable rate will change as HSBC’s prime rate fluctuates, meaning it could increase over the next few years based on a number of factors, including the Bank of Canada’s rates.

After being stuck at home for months because of COVID-19, many people want bigger homes with more space and home…

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Calgary Taxes: Assessed Value vs. Market Value

Yay, The Taxman Cometh. . .

It can be very confusing determining the difference between the terms “assessed value” and “market value” when either buying or selling a home. Assessed value is often much less than market value, so buyers would prefer the assessed value while sellers would much rather sell at the market value of the home. It is because of this discrepancy that assessed values are not very reliable when calculating true Real Estate values. Let me explain further.

Market Value

Simply put, the market value is how much your home is worth on the market today. The market value is usually what the home will sell for and is typically the price used when calculating a listing price for the property. True market value is ultimately the…

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