Coming Soon! 113 Signature Way SW

Calgary, AB T3H 2X9

Original owner, excellent shape, custom built home, walking distance to the LRT, Walking distance to Sunterra West, close to Downtown, close to Westside Rec centre, south backyard, and more!

Call (403)207-1748 for your preview today, or check back to learn more about this home!

REALTOR.COM

Wendy Helfenbaum

Jul 17, 2019

You’ve lived in your home for years and haven't exactly been on top of regular maintenance tasks. Now, your windows are covered in plastic wrap to cut down on the cold drafts, your ceiling seems to be leaking, and those shrubs you planted to conceal a few small cracks in the foundation just aren’t cutting it anymore.

Hey, we’re not judging! But if you’re ready to put your home up for sale, know this: Buyers and their agents are going to zero in on all those things that need doing—as well as some things you hadn't even noticed yourself.

So why not get ahead of the curve by hiring a licensed home inspector who can pinpoint what needs fixing?

Of course, most sellers don’t get their homes inspected before listing them, because the buyer usually orders an inspection during escrow, says Marc Lyman, a Realtor® with Pacific Sotheby's International Realty in San Diego. And who wants to pay for something they don't have to?

But if you're willing to invest the time and money, a thorough inspection before listing your property can make it easier to price your home, manage repairs, and even help sell it faster—and for more money.

So what are the some of the reasons why a pre-listing inspection makes sense? Let's take a look.

It can save you if you've neglected home maintenance

If you have a busy life—or maybe even if you don't—chances are that obsessing over regular home maintenance might not be your No. 1 priority during downtime. Trouble is, letting painting, roof repairs, and other routine chores slide can lead to bigger issues down the road, says Chicago-based Frank Lesh, ambassador for the American Society of Home Inspectors.

“In a lot of cases, people think, ‘I've been here for 30 years; the house is fine. There's nothing wrong with it,’" he says. "But they’re looking at it with rose-colored glasses.”

Instead of worrying what a buyer’s inspector will uncover—and which could potentially kill the sale—be proactive with a pre-listing inspection, Lesh says. This way, rather than being blindsided, you can then decide whether to make the necessary repairs or to account for that deferred maintenance by reducing the list price. Which leads us to…

You can make a bigger profit on your sale

Sure, a home inspection that you don't have to do is going to cost money. (An inspection for a 1,200- to 1,500-square-foot house in an average market, for instance, will cost between $350 and $600, Lesh says.) But as the saying goes: Sometimes you have to spend money to make money.

After all, if you invest a little more to repair and spruce up anything the pre-inspection reveals, you can justify listing your home at a higher price, Lyman says. Plus, he adds, in most states, home improvement repairs you carry out before selling your house are deductible from the profit you make from the sale.

Sometimes, just knowing that a pro has given the house a proper once-over can persuade a buyer to make a bid (assuming that you actually follow the inspector’s recommendations).

“It minimizes surprises for a buyer, and can give a buyer more confidence in the property," Lyman says.

You won't have to scramble to fix things at the last minute

Once a buyer’s inspector submits a report, sellers are usually faced with two choices: If problems are found with the house, they can then either slash money from the sale price, or opt to carry out repairs before the closing date. That often leaves sellers in the lurch, having to get work done pronto—and sometimes paying a premium for the rush work.

After a pre-listing inspection, sellers can research contractors and make the necessary repairs within a time frame of their choosing, so that everything is ready before potential buyers even visit the property.

It'll minimize back-and-forth negotiation

Buyers often use their home inspection as leverage, asking the seller (that's you!) for steep discounts based on what their inspector’s report reveals. Not surprisingly, the buyer’s inspection is often where the deal falls apart.

If you’ve already uncovered the issues and addressed them, you can raise the price of your home accordingly, Lyman says. “That gives the buyer less leverage in the request for repair process,” he explains.

Also, in red-hot markets where multiple bids come fast and furious, there's always a chance that buyers might accept your pre-listing inspection without insisting on doing their own. This can make for a quicker sale, Lesh says.

But make sure a pre-inspection doesn’t work against you

As advantageous as a pre-inspection can be, don’t forget that the inspector’s report could be a double-edged sword: Once you know about a problem, you can’t ignore it, Lyman says.

Sellers are legally obligated to disclose any problems that a home inspection unearths.

“For sellers unwilling to do repairs, their own inspection could be used as leverage to negotiate on price and in the request-for-repair process,” he says.

Before committing to a pre-inspection, find out what other sellers in your area are doing. Your agent can help guide you on whether it's necessary to sell for more, or if there's a better—and more affordable—strategy for getting your home sold.

Source: https://www.realtor.com/advice/sell/why-get-a-home-inspection-before-putting-your-home-on-the-market/?identityID=545051f1edb28406c00001ba&MID=2019_0719_WeeklyNL&RID=2818564022&cid=eml_promo_Marketing_NonPRSL_WeeklyNL_cons.10896162_2019_0719_WeeklyNL-blog1homemarket-RDC

THE GLOBE AND MAIL 

Matt Lundy

July 19, 2019

The interest rate used in Canada’s mortgage stress tests has fallen for the first time since 2016, making it slightly easier to become a homeowner.

The mortgage qualifying rate dropped to 5.19 per cent from 5.34 per cent, where it had been locked since May of 2018, according to new figures from the Bank of Canada. The rate is derived from the most frequently occurring five-year, fixed posted rates at Canada’s Big Six banks. (Market rates are much lower, and some discount lenders offer five-year fixed rates as low as 2.47 per cent.)

The qualifying rate had increased several times during 2017 and 2018 as the Bank of Canada raised its key interest rate, and as bond yields headed higher.

CALGARY HERALD

Joel Schlesinger

July 23, 2019

Calgary’s luxury market is still slow, according to a recent report by Sotheby’s International Realty Canada.

Despite positive signs for lower priced homes in the city, Sotheby’s found the $1 million-plus market for real estate has not experienced similar momentum in the first half of the year.

“We’ve started to see a lot of activity in the under $500,000 category, particularly in the single-family dwelling,” says Don Kottick, president and chief executive officer of Sotheby’s International Realty Canada. “But when you get to the million-plus market, it’s still a buyers’ market and we’re still seeing an inconsistent performance.”

The 2019 Mid Year End Real Estate Report from Sotheby’s International Realty Canada revealed the luxury market for Canada’s largest cities is bifurcated.

“The big story in this report is that top-tier markets have veered in different directions in the first half of 2019,” he says. “That’s even with the second quarter gains we started to see in the overall housing market.”

The report suggests Toronto, which had experienced a correction of past year, is now “revitalized,” Kottick says. What’s more, Montreal is on pace for another healthy year of growth for its luxury real estate market.

“Then you have the Vancouver market, which is still a buyers’ market,” he adds.

Similarly, Calgary is struggling largely due to the difficulties faced by the province’s leading industry: energy.

Overall sales in the $1 million-plus market in the city fell 21 per cent in the first six months of the year compared with the same period in 2018. In the first half of the year, 275 properties changed hands as opposed to 350 in the first six months the previous year.

The numbers were slightly better in most categories from January to June this year than the last half of 2018, except in the condominium category.

“The condo market is still a little bit vulnerable based on the weakened demand for condominiums, but with the job situation picking up, hopefully, we see things improve going forward.”

Indeed, the economy is looking better, Kottick adds, pointing to a recent report by Calgary Economic Development that forecasts the city’s economy will experience steady growth over the next five years.

Recent job numbers also “are looking positive for all of Alberta, specifically Calgary,” he notes.

To that end, Calgary added 7,500 jobs in May and June, mostly in the energy sector, Statistics Canada data show. Kottick further suggests the latest provincial election and approval of the Trans Mountain Pipeline should bolster sales activity in the coming months.

“There’s the go ahead for the pipeline; the job numbers are looking better, and there is more activity in the market,” he says. “Plus, there’s an (federal) election coming up and depending on how that goes, it could breathe more life into the economy in Calgary.”

In the meantime, he says reasonably priced properties in sought-after areas generally face fewer headwinds.

“Properties are still selling,” Kottick says. “But it largely comes down to buyer and seller expectations.”

Source: https://calgaryherald.com/life/homes/new-homes/calgarys-luxury-market-quiet-through-first-half-of-2019-while-home-sales-under-500000-pick-up

Coming Soon!

This beautiful home is in pristine condition and located just steps to shopping, parks, and all amenities. Coming Soon! 95 Panora Square NW Calgary, AB T3K 0R3