All Blog Entries by Justin Havre

When it comes to making a first impression, you only have one shot.

A potential buyer is assessing your Edmonton home for sale from the moment they drive up to it. A nicely landscaped front yard is the first thing they see. After that, an eye-popping paint colour on your front door will grab their attention and set the stage for what lies beyond.

What Buyers Remember

If buyers are out touring around Edmonton neighbourhoods, give them a front door they'll remember. When discussing which properties they liked most, imagine these people saying "remember the house with the blue front door?" That could be your home they're talking about. It's much better than recalling the lesser qualities of your home, like "remember the house with the brown carpet"

There are loads of ways to have fun in Saskatchewan. Start by visiting Fort Saskatchewan, which is only 25 kilometres from Edmonton. Here you will see flocks of sheep in the downtown area grazing on grass. Just one way to keep the lawn trimmed. Free roaming sheep are highly known in this area, and the city mascot is a sheep named Auggie.

The Area

There are about 23,000 individuals who live in Saskatchewan. You will find the economic district located on the North Saskatchewan River. They have many advance recreation, culture and historical offerings in this area. Among this, you will find a 50 kilometre walking trail, fitness centre at the Dow Centennial Centre, performing arts theatre, and the 1875-1855 NWMP Fort Representation located in the

If you’re a fan of authentic Mexican food, look no farther than Tres Carnales Taqueria. Known for their tacos, tortas, and quesadillas, this restaurant also has tasty sides and delicious drinks.

How it all Began

Tres Carnales Taqueria was dreamed up by three guys who all have a passion for good Mexican food. They had all eaten food like this many times near Pacific Mexico and with no place to eat authentic Mexican food like that in Edmonton, they turned their passion for restaurants, good food, and Mexico into Tres Carnales Taqueria.

Tacos, Tortas, and Quesadillas

The owners believe in making food the right way so you won’t find just the basic ingredients in their food. Here are just a few of their best creations.

• Hongos Mixtos: If you

Ask any of the locals and they'll tell you straight up. The West Edmonton Mall may be an OK place to visit, but no one lives there. There's more to Edmonton than West Ed.

Edmonton, the capital city of the province, also has the distinction of being home to the backbone of Alberta's oil industry — the blue collar workers. But it is also cultural and educational hub. Edmonton is "Canada's Festival City" and where students from cross Canada come to attend the University of Alberta. But within the city limits lies the heart of what Edmonton is all about. Day-to-day life in Edmonton's best neighbourhoods.

Let's take a look at Edmonton's most desirable communities as ranked by Money Sense Magazine:

North East Inner-City

Look to the communities of

If you have a home or condo close by Roger’s Place, put a check in the win column.  You’re about to score some real estate points.

According to a new report issued by the Real Estate Investment Network (REIN), home values are positively impacted when in the vicinity of a newly-constructed arena or sports stadium.  REIN is a Vancouver-based organization which provides market analysis and neighbourhood research for real estate investors.

One of the principle highlights of REIN’s recent findings indicates that homes in neighbourhoods where there is a new facility or even a proposed new facility, can increase in value from 3 to 15 percent.  The variable percentage is due to the type of dwelling, accessibility to parking and the actual distance to the

Nightlife is what many people get into especially on the weekends, and if you are looking for some new places to check out, there are some fun places to consider whether you’re flying solo or out with a group of friends. Here are some places to check out that are great for dancing and meeting new people while in Edmonton.

Cook County Saloon

This has become a popular club to hangout and has become one of the nation’s top country and western clubs. The stage is frequented by a number of well-known artists making this a great location for music lovers. You can enjoy a quiet and relaxed ambience allowing you to kick back, relax and enjoy a beer.

There’s a dance floor allowing for plenty of room to dance. You can enjoy a game of pool while watching

Fringe Theatre is located in Edmonton and was created to intentionally provide a year-round theatrical experience not only for local artists, but also for national and international professionals as well. They cater to all ages to provide a challenging and uplifting experience to audiences and artists.

Westbury Theatre

The largest venue in the Fringe Theatres Artful Barns is Westbury Theatre. It has the ability to house groups of 100 or even larger. The maximum amount it can hold is 370 people. Due to its large size it has the capability of offering special seating possibilities.

PCL Studio Theatre

This is the second largest theatre that the Fringe Theatres Artful Barns offers. It is a quaint black box type of venue which is best for hosting

Commuters in Edmonton’s suburban neighbourhoods are once again watching City Hall’s debate over adding BRT bus routes to the roster of transit options.

With LRT expansion decades in the future, an advisory group is bringing the subject up again, hoping to improve commute times for residents outside of the current service area.

What is BRT?

BRT, which stands for “bus rapid transit”, a high-speed bus route with high-frequency service, would operate where future LRT corridors are planned.  BRT service operates in larger centres such as Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver and should be back on the table for Edmonton.  The city’s current growth and stunted transit infrastructure depends that a city of one million plus citizens have a more efficient

The only similarity between Edmonton and Calgary’s housing market is the fact that both cities are in Alberta.  

One might think the provincial Capital and its rival to the south would experience similar trends in real estate, since both centres ride the up and down oil and gas market roller coaster. But, that doesn’t seem to be the case. 

Edmonton has experienced a boom in new construction, single-family housing, and Calgary has not.  Calgary home prices are higher, while Edmonton’s are not.  Let’s examine the differences. 

New Home Starts 

In the first eight months of 2015, Edmonton new home starts were nearly double those of Calgary.  Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp (CMHC) reports that ground broke on 4,043 single-family units in the