November 2017

Home smart technologies are quickly becoming the norm in many households. Innovative options such as being able to turn on lights, open doors, and control home security from most anywhere using WiFi and Bluetooth connected devices are simplifying people's lives and improving home safety. Wondering how to make your home a smart home? Here's a rundown of the best home gadgets popular with today's homeowners of real estate in Calgary.

Central Hubs and Voice Assistants

With voice assistants that activate speakers such as Echo and Echo Dot that can connect directly with Alexa, homeowners can control multiple gadgets simply by making voice commands. Homeowners can perform numerous tasks including:

• Set timers
• Control smart home features

When you're planning to a buy a home, you must offer up a down payment. How much money do you need for a down payment in Canada, according to the law? Find out what you need to put down up front plus why it's a good idea to offer more, if you can.

What are Canada's Down Payment Requirements?

For homes that cost up to $500,000, the minimum down payment required in Canada is 5 percent of the purchase price. For example, if a home cost $280,000, you would need to put down 5 percent of $280,000, which is $14,000.

For homes from $500,000 to $1 million, you still pay 5 percent on the amount up to $500,000, plus 10 percent of anything over $500,000. If you were considering a home worth $620,000, you would pay 5 percent of $500,000 plus 10 percent