Kirby Cox's Calgary Real Estate Blog - Calgary Living

It's Coyote Breeding Season: What you should know.

There has been an influx of calls to the City of Calgary regarding coyote sightings in northwest Calgary, and the City says this is because it is breeding season. 

Officials report that coyotes breed in February and March and their pups are born in April or May with litters of five to seven.

So what do you need to be aware of as a resident of this area?

"The important part for people to be aware of around this is that during mating season they can become more protective of their resources, their mates, and so it's a really important time for us to think about that and keep animals on leash." [CBC]

If you are a dog owner, you want to be more vigilant about keeping your dog close by when you are out in a park, or even if they are in…

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Where to check out YYC Hot Chocolate Fest in Northwest Calgary

During February, our city has one of the year's best festivals happening — YYC Hot Chocolate Fest! Cafes and restaurants all over Calgary create unique hot chocolate beverages, all vying for the coveted title of the city's best. But the best part is, all the proceeds go towards Meals on Wheels. 

If you are looking for a delicious way to spend the Family Day long weekend, here is where you can take in YYC Hot Chocolate Fest in northwest Calgary: 

• Euphoria Cafe 124, 5403 Crowchild Trail NW, the drink is 'Cirque du Chocolate'
• Famoso Neopolitan Pizzeria: 5149 Country Hills Boulevard NW, the drink is 'Nutella Mocha'
• Hexagon Boardgame Cafe: 1140 Kensington Road NW, the drink is 'Matcha Koro'
• Higher Ground Cafe: 1121 Kensington Road…

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A look at the new Rocky Ridge YMCA

As of earlier this week, northwest Calgary is officially home to the biggest YMCA facility in the world! The 284,000 square-foot facility opened its doors on Monday at 11300 Rocky Ridge Road NW, and it's an amazing addition to our city and the northwest quadrant. 

The new YMCA is incredible, and if you haven't had a chance to check it out yet, here is what you have to look forward to: 

• 8-lane 25-metre pool, wave pool with a waterslide, lazy river and hot tub
• One NHL-sized rink and one leisure rink
• Three full-sized gymnasiums
• Fully-equipped strength and conditioning centre, with functional training area and state-of-the-art equipment
• Four-lane, 180-metre indoor running track
• Indoor climbing wall
• Three fitness and activity…

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2018: The year of the condo buyer

This week, Royal LePage released their House Price Survey results, which showed many encouraging trends for real estate in Canada and Calgary. For instance, 2017 saw strong growth in the housing sector and looking forward in 2018, condos will be the ultimate choice for affordability. 

“To prospective homeowners in our largest cities, condominiums represent the last bastion of affordability,” said Phil Soper, president and CEO, Royal LePage. “This is especially true for first-time buyers whose purchasing power has been reduced by tightening mortgage regulations.” c

For the last couple of years, the condo market has been saturated, due to an influx of inventory. While this hasn't been overly favourable to condo sellers (though pricing is…

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The Calgary Food Bank needs your support this holiday season

For many Calgarians, the holidays can be an especially stressful and hard time. For clients of the Calgary Food Bank, this is especially true. Your support is more important than ever, and Kirby Cox & Associates is proud to support Calgary Food Bank as well. Here's how you can help: 

• Donate Food: Drop off non-perishable food in Calgary Food Bank donation bins at any major grocery store in your neighborhood. Drop off fresh or non-perishable donations directly to the Calgary Food Bank warehouse at 5000 - 11 Street SE, Door #3 at the loading bay.
• Donate Money: You can donate online here You can call 403-253-2059 for more information about donations
• Donate Time: There is an increased need for volunteers now through December 24th for special…

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How to have a successful Thanksgiving weekend

The Thanksgiving long weekend is already here (can you believe it!?) At this point, you may be feeling the pinch of feeling unprepared for holiday guests, grocery shopping, and so on. To save you some time scouring the Internet for hours, here's some quick links to all the Thanksgiving tips and advice you'll need this year. 

• How to avoid holiday dinner disasters 
• 10 ideas for dressing up your Thanksgiving table
• 15 kitchen organization ideas
• 60 of the best ever Thanksgiving recipes 
• How to use natural elements in your Thanksgiving decor
• How to get your homer easy for guests in under 30 minutes  
• 6 places to get Thanksgiving dinner to-go in Calgary
• 8 Calgary restaurants serving Thanksgiving dinner this year

And to get you…

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Green Cart Pickup Starts in Northwest Calgary Next Week

Green cart composting bins will start being collected by the City from about 100,000 homes in the northwest next week. After successful rollouts with the blue bins (recycling), the City of Calgary is now completing the launch of the green composting bins in our city. 

Green carts are the same size as the blue and black bins, but will be used for all food and yard waste including meat, bones, plate scrapings, tree branches and pet waste. Starting on August 14th, green and blue carts in northwest Calgary will be picked up weekly, with black carts being picked up once every two weeks. 

“One of the biggest adjustments for residents is going from one to two collection days a week,” spokesperson Philippa Wagner said in a news release. “But we have…

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Many northwest communities are among Calgary's best

Yesterday, Calgary's Best Neighbourhoods 2017 was released by Avenue Magazine. This is an annual survey that the local publication releases, giving Calgarians a chance to rank their community on a number of factors from community engagement, to walkability, to amenities and more. The much anticipated list gave a lot of love to the northwest quadrant. 

Here's which northwest communities made the top 25: 

• Varsity, 1: Homes in Varsity are highly sought after due to local schools, beautiful parks, and the Silver Springs Golf Course. Learn about Varsity here. 
• Edgemont, 3: The elevation of Edgemont offers homes stunning city and mountain views. The area features pathways through beautiful ravines, tennis courts, skating rinks, and playgrounds.…

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What to know about coyotes in Panorama Hills and Hidden Valley

Earlier this spring, a park in Panorama Hills/Hidden Valley (Country Hills Boulevard and Hidden Creek Boulevard NW) was closed due to the presence of an active coyote den there. Because coyote pups were in the area, there was protective behaviour by the coyotes and the area was deemed unsafe for residents. 

As the pups got older, the hope was that they would leave the area. The City of Calgary has been monitoring this situation closely, and it appears the animals have returned to their usual shy behaviour around humans. Because of that, a portion of the park has been reopened this week.

What you need to know right now, is that the green space remains closed, and residents are to remain on the pathways only. For the safety of the dogs and owners, no…

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Calgary Neighbour Day event listings for northwest Calgary

Every year (since 2013), our city marks the anniversary of the flood with community gatherings, block parties and family events to celebrate the neighbourly spirit in Calgary. 

If you're looking to take part in Calgary Neighbour Day, happening this Saturday, June 17th, here's what's happening in northwest Calgary:

• Beddington: open to Beddington residents, take part in a barbecue at the park on Berwick Road and Berwick Drive NW from 12 to 2pm. More information online. 
• Highland Park: the Highland Park Community Association is putting this free pancake breakfast on, which will include games and entertainment as well. Join at 3716 - 2 Street NW from 9am to 12pm. 
• Highwood: this unique event is actually a plant exchange, where you can bring…

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