Edmonton Real Estate Blog

Homeowners do not have to dig deep to improve their home's curb appeal. In fact, there are a number of relatively inexpensive upgrades that can make a home more inviting for prospective buyers. What are a few affordable ways homeowners can boost their home's curb appeal? Understand how to cheaply improve the exterior of a home before listing a property today.

Consider Some Paint

Entry points and other area of a home can often benefit from a coat of paint. Rather than pay for a new door, a bit of paint can cover scuff marks and dings. In addition to this area, paint and spray paint can be used to freshen the appearance of metal and vinyl gutters or help other elements blend in with the rest of a home. Paint is an inexpensive fix to address the

All over the world, countries are continuing to invest their efforts into renewable and energy-efficient technologies at the national, local, and residential levels. Canada is quickly becoming a leader in efficient and renewable means of energy production—at present, Canada ranks second in the world for hydroelectric energy, which provides almost 60 percent of the country’s electricity. The nation’s renewable energy capacity, perhaps most notably in wind and solar, has grown dramatically just in the past several years. Since consumption of energy is on the rise for the average household, it is perfectly natural for homeowners to wonder how they can take part in this movement to become more energy conscious. As it stands, there are plenty of

The one thing everyone understands about moving is that it can take a long time to prepare. Making an effort to do it properly could save a lot of hassle. With these tips, home sellers can plan to move by performing tasks in an ideal order.

Planning and Preparation: 6-8 Weeks Before

Getting ready to move is best done with at least 2-3 months of advance notice. Although not every Westmount household gets this much time to prepare, taking opportunities as they come will make sure that the last few weeks are less frantic. In the beginning, homeowners can start to shift the balance from selling to moving. Creating a moving plan that is easy for everyone in the house to follow will make it easier to maintain over time. It is wise to start with a

Knowing which kind of flooring is appropriate for certain types of spaces can be difficult to decide. Although many types of flooring could work just about anywhere, some materials are limited by the location of the home or the function of the room. With these options, Highlands homeowners can create comfort, elegance, or simply save money.

Hardwood for Dry Areas

Although hardwood is fast becoming the default choice for flooring in all types of homes, there are aspects that homeowners should know before they make the decision. Solid hardwood could last pretty much forever, especially with good care. The planks may be placed identically or in a pattern to achieve a custom look. However, hardwood must be installed carefully to avoid problems with

Popular reality home remodeling television shows make it look so easy to renovate even the shoddiest spaces on the quick. However, these ‘magical transformations' viewed over 60 minutes of air time don't give homeowners a very realistic view of what it really takes to get major renovation jobs done—financially or physically. However, those with a bit of DIY savvy, the right tools and enough ambition can accomplish quite a bit. Yet, there are still several projects that even the most serious amateur handyman should leave to the pros.

When to Hire a Professional for Home Renovation Projects

Certain home projects require special skills, heavy equipment, structural planning, permits and have several complex aspects. The following undertakings are

There are many home renovation projects and upgrades which can make a home more comfortable for homeowners. However, the return on investment is not equal across the board and may even differ depending upon the community in which the energy efficient home resides in. With all of the talk out there, Canadian homeowners are hard-pressed to decide which energy efficient upgrades are truly worth their time. One constant for Canadian homeowners is paying those utility bills, which can cost up to $2,234 any given year. Which projects may serve to cut those regular energy bills and potentially boost home value?

There are more eco-friendly homebuyers than ever before for homeowners that choose to take on projects to improve their energy use. Understand

There are a lot of shows these days that revolve around purchasing fixer-upper properties. Because of this, there are a lot of people who have started jumping into the real estate business by trying to purchase a fixer-upper. The problem is that it is not the right thing for everyone. Before anyone purchases a fixer-upper property, they need to make sure that it is the right move for them. Taking the time for this step can help save money along the way and ensure success if one does decide to purchase a fixer-upper.

Make Sure You Can Afford the Property and the Renovations

Unlike when you first buy a home, when you purchase a fixer-upper, you need to make sure that you cannot only afford to purchase the property but you also can afford to

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

When a Canadian homeowner has difficulty qualifying for a traditional mortgage loan, a private mortgage may be one of the available options which can get them the funds necessary to purchase a home. According to Teranet, in 2015 approximately 4 to 5 percent of the overall mortgage market was attributed to private mortgage lenders. When new B-20 guidelines are implemented, this percentage may rise considerably. How can prospective buyers benefit from a private mortgage?

What is private mortgage insurance? Understand more about the private mortgage product today.

What Is a Private Mortgage?

A private mortgage is a mortgage product for homes to help borrowers achieve specific goals. This type of mortgage solution can help:

• Individuals