All Blog Entries by Edmonton Homes.ca

The tax laws in Canada are going to put up a few hurdles for homeowners ready to sell their vacation or second home. From capital gains to depreciation, it's clear those with second homes bear a heavier burden than their primary homeowner counterparts. Before officially listing a Sherwood Park home, it helps to have any idea of what the taxes will be like before pulling the trigger.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a financial advisor before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

Capital Gains of Second Homes

Capital gains or losses refer to the appreciation or depreciation of any given asset from the time it was purchased to the time it was sold. A home purchased for $50,000 and sold for $200,000 would have a

A second home or vacation retreat can be a wonderful idea as well as a smart financial decision. But the mortgage qualification guidelines can be more stringent than those for a primary residence. Here's what to know, some points to consider and things to think about before you begin the search for another property:

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed mortgage professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

Financial Basics

Many good reasons exist for buying a second home in addition to the desire for a vacation getaway. It may be that a condo in another city could be used for business as well as pleasure, or a second home might be the perfect answer to housing for a college student or

Real estate clauses will vary slightly for each sale, but there are certain ones that will pop up again and again. While many are obvious standards to protect buyers from purchasing a proverbial money pit, the specifics of each clause are not always universally understood by all buyers. See how the common stipulations work, so the negotiation process can go smoothly from start to finish.

Offer to Purchase

The Offer to Purchase is where buyers make their demands known to sellers. It's not a standard document in that each offer is structured to fit the particular home sale. If the buyer is purchasing a home during the height of a seller's market, they may offer to pay for the property in cash without any conditions. However, most buyers will

Oftentimes the first time homeowners review the intricate complexities of their house warranty coverage is when they discover a major problem, despite having the policy since they purchased the home. Unfortunately, because this happens more often than most people understand, it is imperative for homeowners to review their coverage fully. Are home warranties worth it? Warranties not only vary by the company issuing them but also by the province they're issued in. To avoid unnecessary confusion, find out more about how they work so there are fewer unpleasant surprises down the line.

Not Every Part of the Property Is Covered

Not every part of your property may be covered, as certain housing warranty companies will only cover the building

There is a lot more to a home's roof that many may not realize. Trusses are covered by wood decking which is covered with an underlying membrane. There are valley flashings, chimney flashings, roof vents, drip edges, and more. When most people think about their roof, however, they generally only consider the roof surface, most often asphalt shingles.

This is the most visible portion of a roof that faces the brunt of the sun's heat, wind, rain, snow, and ice. Like most aspects of a home, repairs can become necessary due to age or damage that has occurred. How does a homeowner decide though, when a roof replacement is a better option to a repair? Here are the factors to consider.

Overall Age

A big factor to consider, when deciding whether a

No matter how special a home is to the seller, a successful home sale always starts with seeing the home through the buyer's eyes. And the trends for Canadian buyers are clear—they're looking for practical touches over luxury when they start off on the buying process. The best way to offer home buyers the best view of any property is through good staging. Here are some effective methods to highlight a home's practical touches and biggest selling points.

Start Outside

Hedges, fences, yards, flower beds—buyers have a tendency to make their first impression carry them all the way through the rest of the showing. If the outside is a mess, it sends a strong message to the buyer that the seller is either willing to part with their home for

Beautifully green grass and shrubs accented by lovely flowers and plants can make a yard truly stand out. While having hearty lawns and landscaping plants requires effort to maintain, these basic landscaping tips can help Beaumont homeowners boast a healthy and attractive yard year round.

Mowing Tips for Healthy Grass

First and foremost, avoid mowing when it's wet, as the lawn clippings that remain are heavy and can smother healthy grass. Break out the mower on dry days and mow the grass to an ideal level of 2.5 to 3 inches or 6 to 8 cm to help its root system get stronger and make the lawn thicker. Always mow with a sharp blade, which allows for easier recovering of the grass for owners who want to use some as compost for other plants.

Adding a deck to outdoor landscapes is the number one way to give your family an immediate outdoor respite that can be customized and transformed in countless ways. However, before planning on accessorizing a deck, homeowners must first determine which type of decking will meet their needs, offer a solid return on investment, and will best live up to their lifestyle. These six home decking options range from traditional to trendy, whether you want to install them in a Spruce Avenue home or elsewhere.

1. Pressure Treated Decking

For six decades, pressure treated decking has been the top choice of Canada's homeowners. Resilient, readily available, and affordable pressure treated lumber undergoes a process that applies preservation solutions upon

Life in Edmonton offers residents a wide array of things to do, places to go, natural beauty and almost unlimited opportunity for shopping, dining, culture and entertainment. As Canada's sixth largest metropolitan area, it is thoroughly modern and known internationally for its festivals, its living history museum and the West Edmonton Mall, which held the distinction of being the world's largest for more than 20 years. It is still the largest in North America.

Edmonton is known as "The Festival City" as well as the Oil Capital of Canada. It is also the capital of Alberta, and sometimes referred to as the Gateway to the North because it is a staging area for oil sands operations in Northern Alberta and diamond mining in the Northwest

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