Everyone has different reasons for wanting to sell their home, but I think we can all agree that you'd like to get most bang for your buck when you sell. With that said, here are three things you should do once you decide to sell, that will add value to your home before you list.

Renovate: this doesn't have to be a huge upgrade, but something as simple as a fresh coat of paint and updating old flooring can make a world of a difference to a prospective buyer. Before you do anything to renovate, it's probably a good idea to consult a REALTOR or other professional on what upgrades would do the most for your Northwest Calgary homes for sale.

Curb appeal: the first thing people see when they come to your home is the exterior, so you should definitely…

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Well prepare for our city's suburbs to keep on growing. According to a new City of Calgary report, population growth is expected to grow almost 120,000 people over the next five years, 94% of that in the suburbs. The 2013-2017 Suburban Residential Growth report says of the 50,600 additional Northwest Calgary Homes for sale to be built in the next five years, 77% will be in suburb developments.

Some trends associated with this report, are that as of the 2012 census, our population is sitting at over 1.2 million, and housing sales are up 10.4% currently.

An article on the report in the Huffington Post reads:

"Calgary has approximately 10-12 years of planned land supply, which will accommodate 310,834 people in mixed single, semi and…

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Okay we won't say these are top secret tips, but these are definitely some easy industry tricks that will make a huge difference when selling your home.

1. Keep the closets half-empty: every buyer is looking for storage, and the more storage the better. Making your rooms and closets look emptier and decluttered will give the illusion of more space and storage.

2. Hide your pets: not everyone is a lover of pets, so having evidence of your pets around (or having them there at all) can sway some buyers to look elsewhere. And in a lot of cases, buyers assume that with pets comes home and yard damage.

3. Remove the 'home' from your house: the buyer wants to be able to imagine themselves living in your house, so make it as much of a blank canvas as…

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Calgary's luxury home market is making headlines again, as a recent report has named our city one of the most 'robust markets for luxury homes'.

Sotheby's International Realty released a report this week that states the baseline entry point for a single-family luxury home in Calgary has reached the $2 million point. Year-to-date, there have been 204 luxury home sales in our city of properties over $1 million (according to statistics from CREB).

A story in the Calgary Herald today stated:

“According to agents surveyed, top-tier single-family homes start at $2 million dollars with a minimum of 3,500 square feet and are typically in the Traditional, Craftsman/Arts and Crafts, Westcoast Modern or Character architectural styles,” said the report.…

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We've already heard the recent reports about the price growth of resale Northwest Calgary real estate, but now we're getting word that new home prices in Calgary are showing price growth—4.3% growth to be exact.

Statistics Canada is reporting that our city is showing the second highest rate of year-over-year growth in the new home market since February. If you're wondering where the highest market is, that would be Winnipeg (5.5%). Because of the rise here and other Western markets, growth nationally is sitting at 2.1%.

According to a Calgary Herald article:

“Calgary was the top contributor to the advance in February, up 1.0 per cent from January. This was the largest month-over-month increase in that region since May 2007. Builders indicated…

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While some reports in the media are claiming that Canadians have lower intentions of buying homes this year, that certainly doesn't seem to be the case here in Calgary. In fact, before March had even come to a close, we set a new record for luxury home sales in Calgary.

By March 27th, 63 homes sold more over $1 million in Calgary, the highest level ever for the month of March. The last time this record was set, was during the real estate boom of 2007 when 60 million-dollar homes sold in March.

In case you were wondering, the all-time record for luxury home sales was made in May of last year when 80 homes valued at over $1 million sold in Calgary in a single month.

With resale home values rising and record numbers of luxury homes selling in our…

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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 restrictions on secondary suites have been thoroughly thwarted thus far. All of the council except for the mayor and two aldermen are firmly against the changes and this stance is not likely to change, according to Alderman Druh Farrell. Calgarians should not expect any change in the position on the secondary suite issue…

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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 garage space to store recreational vehicles, luxury cars, seasonal sport vehicles, motorcycles, boats, and more, but also hobbyists who want a space to gather to share their passion for their collections.

The Dens isn’t just all about vehicles though, management encourages anyone who’s looking for a space to set up their…

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calgary-tower_250It 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 this modern North American city than maybe meets the eye.

As one of Canada's largest cities, home to over 1 million residents, Calgary is a vibrant and fascinating city offering visitors and locals a vast array of attractions and appealing diversions all year round. Located in Alberta's Grassland region, Calgary is nestled…

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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 revenue earned by some struggling property owners - there are those who see this trend as seriously problematic.

Concerns from residents vary. Some are purely practical. A significant increase in immediate population sizes can cause issues of limited vehicle parking, and the potential strain on local amenities that were…

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