When it comes to purchasing power, the three most important factors are your income, debts and down payment. Any one of these can greatly impact the amount of mortgage you qualify for. Lenders are primarily concerned that housing expenses not exceed a certain percentage (28% - 32%) of the homeowner's gross monthly income. Housing expenses include monthly mortgage principal, interest payments, property taxes, condo fees, utilities and homeowner’s insurance.

Here's some solutions to some common debt and down payment problems:

DEBT

  • Consolidate your debts by taking out one loan and paying off your bills with the money.
  • Pay off long-term debts by using some of your cash and making a lower down payment.
  • Pay off long-term debt by selling…

1331 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

It's patio season—that time of year when your backyard becomes another living space. A lot of people will be building decks this over the next few months, so here are some helpful tips we came across to help you pick the right materials for the job.

Whether you plan to do it yourself or hire a pro, the key to success is factoring in all the critical design issues, picking the right material for your budget, climate, and lifestyle, and building a structure that will stand the test of time. [This Old House]

CREATE THE BASE

  • The footings for your deck must meet local codes and be installed properly. The depth of your footings, which will be set in concrete.

CHOOSING THE WOOD

  • Cedar resists moisture, rot and insect infestations.
    • …

9781 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

We heard today was National Pizza Day, so we thought we'd highlight some of the delicious local pizzerias in northwest Calgary. 

  • 4th Spot Kitchen & Bar: Located at 2620 - 4 Street NW, website and menu
  • Pulcinella: 1147 Kensington Crescent NW, website and menu
  • Matador Pizza: 4625 Varsity Drive NW, website and menu
  • Nick's Pizza and Steak House: 2430 Crowchild Trail NW, website and menu
  • Brooklyn Pizzeria: 412 - 8888 Country Hills Boulevard NW, website and menu
  • Sidewalk Citizen Bakery: 338 - 10 Street NW, website and menu
  • Famoso: 5149 Country Hills Boulevard NW, website and menu
  • Avatara: 3406 - 3 Avenue NW, website and menu
  • Gus' Cafe & Pizzeria: 1620 - 29 Street NW, website and menu
  • Al's Pizza and Steakhouse: 735 Ranchlands…

2294 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

The Calgary Food Bank reported this week, that usage has climbed this year, largely due to the economic conditions in our city. To put things in perspective, Calgary Food Bank usage is up 17% from 2015, and 47% from 2014. 

“More than 300,000 of those helped were children,” said Shawn Pegg, the FBC’s director of policy and research. “That’s enough kids to fill 6,000 school buses.” [Calgary Sun]

In saying that, 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…

1558 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

To celebrate National Coffee Day today, we searched Zomato.com for the top-rated coffee shops in northwest Calgary: 

  • Higher Ground Cafe: located in Kensington (1126 Kensington Rd NW), open 7am to 11pm
  • Euphoria Cafe: located in Varsity (5403 Crowchild Trl NW), open 7am to 9pm
  • Lina's Italian Market & Cappuccino Bar: located on Centre Street north (2202 Centre St N), open 9am to 7pm
  • The Roasterie: located in Kensington (314 10 Street NW), open 8am to 10pm
  • Cafe Le Matin: located in Silver Springs (5720 Silver Springs Boulevard NW), open 830am to 5pm
  • Cadence: located in Bowness (6407 Bowness Rd NW), open 8am to 4pm
  • The Daily: located in Kensington (1126 Kensington Road NW), open 7am to 10pm
  • Extreme Bean: located in Parkdale (3303 3…

7633 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

If you love a peaceful and scenic surroundings, but crave the accessibility of the city, then acreage living is perfect for you. Calgary is lucky to have some great acreage communities that offer the best of both worlds. 

  • Bearspaw and Springbank: Surrounding the Calgary city limits, the acreage communities in Bearspaw & Springbank offer an array of homes in a rural setting yet minutes to all the amenities of the city. With pristine views of the mountains & rolling countryside at every corner, a variety of custom-built homes can be found to suit to your every whim. More on Bearspaw and Springbank. 
  • Lynx Ridge: Lynx Ridge is small acreage community, located at the western edge of Calgary. This beautiful community contains many homes backing onto…

1553 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

If you're wondering when the right time is to say goodbye to your family home and downsize to a home more suitable for your lifestyle and needs, here's five easy signs.

  • You plan on travelling: if you're nearing a time in your life when you plan on travelling more and more, then leaving a big home just sitting doesn't seem feasible. You can downsize to a home that makes more sense, and then rent it out for the months you are away.
  • The kids have moved out: with your kids moving out and you becoming an empty-nester, you likely don't need the same amount of space anymore. This also leads into the next point...
  • You have empty rooms: if you have rooms in your house (especially bedrooms) that are sitting empty and you can't come up with a purpose for…

1496 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Monday, September 5th is the International Day of Charity, and in the spirit of charity, we thought we'd share a bit about the non-profits and charities we support. 

Royal LePage Shelter Foundation
The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation is Canada’s largest public foundation dedicated exclusively to funding women’s shelters and violence prevention programs. Since 1998, the Shelter Foundation has raised more than $22 million and currently supports 200 local women’s shelters and national partners. More information.

Calgary Food Bank
Every year in the fall, Kirby hosts "The Great Pumpkin Giveaway" in which over 1000 pumpkins are purchased and given free to the public in return for a donation to the Calgary Food Bank. Established in 1982, the Calgary Food…

1564 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Living in a golf community has a lot of bonuses aside from your beautiful house. Being the largest city in Alberta with population of more or less 1,500,000, a lot of real estate communities are established in Calgary with different target markets. When talking about peace and recreation, the best residential place to live in is in a golf community. Numbered below are some of the advantages of living in a golf community.

  • Beautifully maintained park-like scenery: Golf courses require well maintained lawn, and being able to wake up facing a refreshing lush green scenery is one of the reasons why a lot of families choose to live in a golf community. There are more trees and grass compared to other subdivisions which make the ambiance of your…

1428 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

We often advocate for living in northwest Calgary, with all the great communities and amenities there. However, recent research from the 2016 City of Calgary census and the Avenue Magazine Best Calgary Neighbourhoods List give us even more reason to preach investing there. 

Overall for 2016, Calgary's population increased by 0.36 per cent to 1,235,171, but two northwest neighbourhoods saw an increase of over 1,000 residents in the past year: Nolan Hill and Evanston. 

Here's some notable figures on northwest Calgary real estate from the census and Avenue survey: 

  • The northwest communities of Tuscany and Panorama Hills are the top communities in Calgary with the most single-family homes. Tuscany and Panorama Hills are also among the communities…

1334 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post