All Blog Entries by Justin Havre

There’s an inordinate amount of paperwork produced in the mortgage application process.  Banks and lenders have to cover their bases.  They even have steps to prevent potential borrowers from laundering money through the home-buying process.  It’s not that they want to make it difficult for you – they must need to be careful in this age of scams and con-artists. 

If you’re one of the many Edmontonians that are self-employed or maybe working in an underground economy with non-reported income (although you might want to reconsider that), you may not fit into the conventional application process at many institutions because you don’t fit the criteria.  But you will be subject to some pretty close scrutiny unfortunately, especially now after the 2008

The latest food delivery service has entered traffic on Edmonton streets and it has a slightly familiar name.

Uber Eats launched last month in Edmonton, after efforts to drive people in the city stalled. The City of Edmonton put the brakes on the ride-share service because it failed to operate under new city by-laws.  Now Uber is driving diner to Edmontonians, delivering meals picked up from some of Edmonton’s most popular restaurants. 

Stay-at-home diners simply download the UberEATS app on their smart phone and have instant access to menus from 40 Edmonton restaurants.  People who already have subscribed to Uber can use their existing customer profiles.  Meals are selected and purchased using the app and like Skip the Dishes, the Uber Eats vehicle

It used to be that people finished university and launched their careers.  Now, for the first time in a generation or two, there are more 18 to 34-year-old people living at home in the U.S. than living in other arrangements. That could include living alone or with room-mates, sibling, common-law or with a spouse.

This information was made public recently by the Pew Research Centre based in Washington, D.C.  

Two years ago in 2014, 32% of young adults 34 and under were living in their parents’ house which was the highest percentage out of other possibilities.

The primary reason cited for this shift towards staying cozy in the nest is because there has been a sharp decline since the 1960s of young people in America settling down into long-term

As a homeowner, you know that you are responsible for the upkeep of the yard surrounding your home.  This is actually mandated by zoning by-laws written by the City of Edmonton.  Property owners, including landlords, must by law landscape any part of their yard, be it the front yard or side, that are visible from the street where the public travels.  The back yard is a matter of opinion only, often a matter between you and your neighbours.

If you have purchased a newly constructed home, the builder will often provide very basic landscaping.  If the builder hasn’t, it is your responsibility to ensure that the yard surrounding your home, visit from the public street, is landscaped within 18 months of the time you occupied your home.  The by-laws

The importance of adequate insurance for your home has never been as brutally illustrated as it has been the past week in Fort McMurray. Not only the importance of having it, but in having all your valuable possessions covered as well.

Case in point

From the safety of a temporary home in Edmonton, Fort McMurray evacuee Shawn Chaulk is rethinking his expensive and extensive hobby.

Chaulk is known as one of this country’s most prolific sports memorabilia collectors – specifically, Oilers and Wayne Gretzky collectibles.  He’s actually been called the Wayne Gretzky of all Wayne Gretzky memorabilia.  He managed to get out of Fort Mac, and at this point be believes his home was actually spared.  But the fright he had and the effort he went to save

One of Edmonton’s most popular malls has a new attraction.  Southgate Centre, on 111 Street NW just north of Whitemud, has introduced an interactive display in which users use a touch screen to see how clothes look like on a mannequin.  It’s the modern way to play dress up, only digitally.

The program is called “My Virtual Look”.  Users can scroll through pictures of clothes and accessories which are available from retailers throughout the mall.  Once they find an outfit they like, they can drag the item over to a virtual mannequin to see what they look like when they’re not on a hanger.

The touch screen is 208-centimetres wide giving shoppers the big picture of what a potential outfit might look like on them.  My Virtual Look also provides an

There are two camps to the current issue on Edmonton’s Whyte Avenue.  Yes – build it.  And no – don’t you dare.

The issue is a proposed 16-storey building called Mezzo, full of condo units just off Whyte Avenue, at 105 Street and 81 Avenue actually.  Edmonton city council will be voting on it this Monday and even councilors are divided on whether it’s a good development for the district.

Old Strathcona isn’t quite the right area, from an aesthetic point of view, for a shiny new condo tower built on a podium, full of classy retailers and sparkling store-front windows.  But the “yay” camp says that this venerable old neighbourhood will start losing its popularity if it doesn’t keep up.  Suburban malls and inner-city revitalization in other areas will

There’s often period of time in an older person’s life when they are almost too frail to look after their home but too healthy to be considered for a long-term care facility.  Plus, multiple studies show that people fare better and heal more quickly in their home – a place they’re comfortable and where their friends and community are.

Seniors are often on a fixed income, so what happens when their beloved home begins to fall apart or critical mechanical systems in their home, such as the furnace, quit working?

The province of Alberta is developing new guidelines for our senior citizens who want to remain at home but need financial assistance to pay for much needed home repairs or renovations to retrofit homes with assisted devices.

Legislation

From the moment a potential buyer drives up to the front of your home, they’ve made a decision about whether or not they even want to come into your home.

The intelligent seller understands that plenty of work should be undertaken before putting a sign up on the front lawn especially in a buyer’s market where there is way too much choice.  You need to have a competitive advantage and it starts from the moment a potential buyer drives up to the front of your home.

So, where do you start?

Look at your home from a buyer’s POV

Stand across the street from your house and have a good look at it.  Pretend you are someone else looking at the property for the first time.  There was something about this house that, after all, caught your eye when you

Don't wait until you list your home to simplify your surroundings. Clean up your space, simplify your life and keep your home in show home condition all year long. But so often with lifestyle changes, people don't always know how to start or where to start, and if you have a lot of stuff, what do you keep and what should you get rid of?

Here's a little check list of action items to help get you started to living large with less:

Make a List

Grab a notebook or a piece of paper and write down all the reasons why life would be better if you made it simpler. Your reasons don't have to be stuff-related. It can be anything that would make life easier, such as living without debt. Lack of hours in the day to do what you want. More sleep, less food. A