Urban Upgrade & NewInfills

SAVVY HOME BUYERS ARE SHOPPING NOW

Posted on Jul 03, 2025 in For Buyers

Summer isn't usually the most popular time to shop for a new home, but there are plenty of reasons why shopping THIS SUMMER is a smart decision!

1. More Listings = More Choice

The most recent market data confirms it: inventory is finally on the rise. After years of extremely tight supply in the Calgary housing market, rising new listings—particularly...

SHOULD I BUY BEFORE SELLING?

Posted on Jun 03, 2024 in For Buyers

Should you buy first or sell first? Sometimes this feels a bit like asking whether the chicken or the egg came first. The answer to the buy/sell dilemma has so many variables attached to it, but it's definitely not a hopeless loop of circular reasoning if you look at the current market. And perhaps if we remove the should or should not vocabulary a...

ALL ABOUT NEW HOME WARRANTIES

Posted on Jun 01, 2024 in For Buyers

If you're thinking about buying/building a brand new home, are you confident in your knowledge of the new home warranty that comes with it? As the resale market in Calgary keeps tightening, new builds are increasing in popularity, so it's more important than ever to make sure you know what you're getting. There's a lot to know, but the good news is...

BUY NOW OR WAIT FOR LOWER RATES?

Posted on Jan 19, 2024 in For Buyers

There is a lot of talk circulating about interest rates coming down this year. In fact, fixed rates (which are based on the bond market) have already started to improve slightly and are expected to continue to improve. Variable rates, which are directly affected by the overnight lending rate set by the Bank of Canada, are also expected to start com...

THE DOs & DON'Ts OF COMPETING OFFERS

Posted on Nov 20, 2023 in For Buyers

So, you've been tirelessly searching for that perfect property and finally found it! Excitement builds, and you start to plan your offer, when suddenly you learn that yours is not the only offer on the table. You are going to be competing against other buyers interested in the same property as you.

Finding yourself in a competing offer situation ca...

HIGH INTEREST RATES HOLDING YOU BACK?

Posted on Feb 15, 2023 in For Buyers

Maybe the time has come to upgrade to a larger home or one that is a better fit for your lifestyle or location. Maybe the kids are gone, and it’s time to downsize to something that works better.

When interest rates start increasing, some people start to feel held back from purchasing a new home, especially if they have a lower rate locked in on th...

THE DEBATE ON FIXED VS VARIABLE RATES

Posted on Oct 25, 2022 in For Buyers

Prospective home buyers must make many decisions while shopping for a home. What neighbourhood to live in? How many bedrooms? How much should they spend? However, one of the most important yet overlooked decisions is what kind of interest rate to get: fixed or variable?

Most homebuyers are not overly familiar with mortgage lingo or the differences b...

7 REASONS TO CONSIDER A CONDO

Posted on Feb 25, 2022 in For Buyers

Considering a condo but not sure if it's the right move for you? Whether it's your first encounter with the real estate market or merely an addition to your real estate resume, here are seven great reasons to consider buying a condo:

Low Maintenance Living
Whether retired, semi-retired, or working full time, condo living offers minimal maintenance so...

CHOOSING THE RIGHT REALTOR

Posted on Jan 03, 2022 in For Buyers

It is 2022, so we're all aware at this point that everyone has an opinion about, well, pretty much everything. When booking a vacation, you can check out reviews on Trip Advisor and Airbnb. When choosing a restaurant, you can read up on Yelp and Google. When you are making your course calendar in university, a website ranks professors on a scale of...

OPEN HOUSE ETIQUETTE

Posted on Jul 29, 2021 in For Buyers

A true real estate staple: the open house. Open houses offer a fantastic opportunity for you to get a feel for available homes in the early stages of your buying process - whether you're considering a particular neighbourhood or browsing different types of homes available. In fact, according to the 2019 Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report...

NOW IS THE TIME TO SECURE YOUR RATE!

Posted on Apr 29, 2021 in For Buyers

As you have likely heard, fixed rates are on the rise! If you are looking to buy a new property, or your current mortgage is up for renewal in the next 2 years, now is the time to secure rates. Since our fixed rates in Canada are directly tied to the Bond market and with government forecasts, we expect we could see fixed rates close to 2.5-2.75% by...

HISTORICALLY LOW INTEREST RATES

Posted on Apr 06, 2021 in For Buyers

Although interest rates have been quite low for some time now, the onset of COVID-19 led the Bank of Canada to reduce the overnight rate 3 times in March, which, along with falling bond yields, jumpstarted falling mortgage interest rates.
“Best available” 5-year fixed rates fell from 2.44% in March 2020 to a low of just 1.39% in February 2021. In re...

THE HOME BUYING PROCESS

Posted on Aug 31, 2020 in For Buyers

When considering the prospect of becoming a homeowner, especially in the current climate, it can be difficult to know where to start. And while it may feel overwhelming at times, we're here to share our favourite steps. The seven steps outlined below will help you navigate the buying process with as few hiccups as possible.

1. Evaluate - is now the...

WHERE TO CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS

Posted on Jul 10, 2020 in For Buyers

Congratulations! Your deal is now firm, and you have either bought or sold a property. Although a mail-forward with Canada Post can help ensure you don’t miss any important mail while you transition, you will still need to update your address eventually.

Here is a list that should help you not miss anyone important:

▫️ Family and Friends
▫️ Landlord...

ADVANTAGES OF BUYING VS RENTING

Posted on Jun 09, 2020 in For Buyers

Deciding it is the right time to buy a home is a personal choice that involves crunching the numbers, various financial factors, and individual preferences. Comparing the costs of buying is more complicated than renting, so it is essential to look beyond the obvious numbers when considering your best move. While renting allows greater flexibility t...