Bill Jones - Realtor® Airdrie & Calgary Area Homes and Condos

Moving is always a challenging time and there are a number of companies that need to be contacted whether your moving in or out.

In order to make it a bit easier for anyone moving into or out of the Airdrie Alberta area, I have listed below the phone numbers of the companies that you will need to contact to arrange for the connection of utilities in you new home.

Direct Energy (Gas) 1-866-420-3174

Direct Energy (ATCO Electric) not Airdrie 1-888-240-3181

To get name of any retailer for area 1-877-427-4088

Epcor (power) 1-800-667-2345 or 310-4300

Telus (phone) 403-310-2255

Shaw Cable 403-716-6000

City of Airdrie (water, sewer, garbage collection) 403-948-8859

Canada Post – Airdrie 403-948-5443

Web Site for energy companies information is www.customerchoice.gov.ab.ca

Local Banks include the following:

Royal Bank 403-948-1130

Bank of Nova Scotia 403-948-5995

ATB Financial 403-948-5989

TD Bank 403-948-5974

Bank of Montreal 403-945-8670

Local Schools:

Calgary Catholic Board of Education 403-298-1411 www.cssd.ab.ca

Our Lady Queen of Peace (K-7) 403-948-4661

Good Shepard (K-7) 403-500-2117

Saint Martin de Porres (8-12) 403-948-6920

Rockyview School Division 403-948-4001 www.rockyview.ab.ca

Ecole Airdrie Middle School (5-8) 403-948-5969

R.J. Hawkey Elementary (K-4) 403-948-3939

Ecole Edwards Elementary (K-4) 403-948-5922

Muriel Clayton Middle School (5-8) 403-948-2445

Bert Church High School (9-12) 403-948-3800

Meadowbrook Middle School (5-8) 403-948-5656

A.E. Bowers Elementary (K-4) 403-948-4511

George McDougall High School (9-12) 403-948-5935

Nose Creek Elementary (K-4) 403-948-1001

If you have questions regarding which school your child will attend, please contact either the Calgary Catholic School District or Rockyview School Division and they will connect you to the superintendent of schools and make the necessary arrangements for you.

I sincerely hope that this will help to make your move to our area less stressful. If I can be of more assistance to you, I can be reached at 403-701-1739 9 am to 9 pm Daily

Bill

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Calgary Housing Market Rebound Continues

Home prices edge upwards as demand holds steady

Calgary, November 2, 2009 – The Calgary housing market continued to rebound in October, according to figures released by the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB^®).

“Calgary’s housing market has clearly turned a corner,” says Bonnie Wegerich, president of CREB^®. “We expect there to be a few bumps on this road to recovery but we believe the worst is over. Home prices have held firm and edged upwards in some markets over the past months. This has helped buoy up the confidence of both buyers and sellers.”

The average price of a single family Calgary metro home in October 2009 was $462,465, showing an increase of 1 per cent from September 2009, when the average price was $459,085, and showing an increase of 3 per cent from October 2008, when the average price was $449,100. The average price of a Calgary metro condominium was $289,155, showing no significant change from September 2009, when the average price was $290,253, and no significant change over last year, when the average price was $289,148. Average price information can be useful in establishing trends over time, but does not indicate actual prices in centres comprised of widely divergent neighbourhoods, or account for price differentials between geographical areas.

“Move-up buyers have clearly entered the market,” says Wegerich. “This is reflected in the average price for a single family home cresting just above $462,000—historically the highest it has ever been in the month of October. Nonetheless, our median price is $410,000, indicating affordability still remains in the market. We expect upwards pressure on prices will ease as more listings come on to the market.”

The number of single family homes and condos sold in October 2009 in Calgary metro are also both up from the same time a year ago.

October saw 1,285 single family homes sold in Calgary metro. This is an increase of 57 per cent from October 2008, when single family home sales were 820. This is an increase of 2 per cent from 1,257 sales in September of this year. The number of condominium sales for the month of October 2009 was 601, an increase of 51 per cent from October 2008 when 399 condominiums changed hands. This was an increase of 4 per cent from the 580 condominium transactions recorded last month.

“Improved consumer confidence has helped fuel this rebound. It seems for many potential homebuyers it was global-wide uncertainty rather than personal financial circumstances that was holding them back from making a home purchase,” says Wegerich. “Many of these buyers are now facing improved affordability, and lower mortgage rates than prior to the recession—together these created a tipping point for market recovery.”

“The recent lift in sales over the past several months does represent a release in pent-up demand that built up in the last quarter of 2008 and first quarter of 2009,” acknowledged Wegerich. “We do expect this recovery to be a gradual one and for sales to taper off in the winter months as this pent-up demand eases.”

Single family Calgary metro new listings added for the month of October totaled 1,819, a decrease of 2 per cent from September 2009 when 1,857 new listings were added, and showing a decrease of 22 per cent from October 2008, when 2,322 new listings came to the market. Calgary metro condominium new listings added in October 2009 were 859, down 9 per cent from September 2009, when the MLS^® saw 940 condo listings coming to the market. This is a decrease of 20 per cent from October 2008, when condominium listings were 1,071.

The median price of a single family Calgary metro home in October 2009 was $410,000, showing a 3 per cent increase from September 2009, when the median price was $399,900, and up 5 per cent from October 2008, when the median price was $390,000. The median price of a condominium in October 2009 was $263,500, down 1 per cent from September 2009, when the median was $265,000, and down 2 per cent from October 2008, when the median price was $268,000.

All Calgary metro MLS^® statistics include properties listed and sold only within Calgary’s city limits. The median price is the price that is midway between the least expensive and most expensive home sold in an area during a given period of time. During that time, half the buyers bought homes that cost more than the median price and half bought homes for less than the median price.

“Canada’s housing market has been a bit of an unexpected bright spot in this current recession,” notes Wegerich. “Unlike recessions in the past, borrowing costs have so far remained very low. This, along with improved affordability, has been fundamental to the recovery in the Calgary housing market.”

CREB^® is a professional body of 5,337 licensed brokers and registered associates, representing 250 member offices. The board does not generate statistics or analysis of any individual member or company’s market share. All MLS^® active listings for Calgary and area may be found on the board’s website at www.creb.com.

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Change Your Batteries When You Change Your Clocks

Remember to service your smoke alarms on November 1, when changing your clocks back.
"It's a great habit to service your smoke alarms in conjunction with changing back your clocks," says Chuck D'Amico, Assistant Chief of Community Safety, Airdrie Emergency Services. "When smoke alarms are properly installed and maintained, the risks of fire deaths are reduced significantly. When a fire starts, smoke spreads fast and the smoke alarms give you time to get out. "

To service a smoke alarm, change the batteries on all battery operated units as well as test those that are hard wired. Other tips for maintenance and installation from the National Fire Protection Association, includes:

· Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.

· An ionization smoke alarm is generally more responsive to flaming fires, and a photoelectric smoke alarm is generally more responsive to smoldering fires. For the best protection, both types of alarms or a combination alarm (photoelectric and ionization) should be installed in homes.

· Test alarms monthly by pushing the test button.

· Smoke rises; install smoke alarms following manufacturer's instructions high on a wall or on a ceiling. Save manufacturer's instructions for testing and maintenance.

· Replace batteries in all smoke alarms at least once a year. If an alarm "chirps", warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away.

· Replace all smoke alarms, including alarms that use 10-year batteries and hard-wired alarms, when they are 10 years old or sooner if they do not respond properly.

· Be sure the smoke alarm has the label of a recognized testing laboratory.

· Alarms that are hard-wired (and include battery backup) must be installed by a qualified electrician.

· If cooking fumes or steam sets off nuisance alarms, replace the alarm with an alarm that has a "hush" button. A "hush" button will reduce the alarm's sensitivity for a short period of time.

· An ionization alarm with a hush button or a photoelectric alarm should be used if the alarm is within 20 feet of a cooking appliance.

· Smoke alarms that include a recordable voice announcement in addition to the usual alarm sound, may be helpful in waking children through the use of a familiar voice.

· Smoke alarms are available for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. These devices use strobe lights. Vibration devices can be added to these alarms

• Smoke alarms are an important part of a home fire escape plan.

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Buying A Home?

Finding the perfect home doesn't happen in one day. There are a number of things you can do to simplify the process, including defining financial parameters, potential neighbourhoods and the desired features in your next home.

Do you need an extra bathroom, a garage, a fenced backyard, or lower utility bills? Do you want a fireplace, a short drive to work, or maybe minimal yard work? Once your list is complete, decide what is most important to your lifestyle.

Then it's location, location, location. Location affects your day-to-day living and is one of the most significant influences on value. Your choice of location may be limited somewhat by the price you can afford. Even so, make sure you consider such things as distance to work, schools, shopping and entertainment.

What type of property do you want? A single-family detached home is attractive to many people because it typically provides more living space and land. On the other hand, a condominium may be a more appropriate choice for you, with an emphasis on maintenance-free living.

A REALTOR® can help you analyze all of these buying issues. A REALTOR® working as a buyer's agent works to find the connection between homes available in the market and the needs and financial capacity of buyers. Talk to and compare the services of REALTORS® to help you navigate through this complicated business transaction. Be comfortable and confident with the REALTOR® you are selecting as your business partner.

As your agent, the REALTOR® owes you the duties of utmost care, integrity, confidentiality and loyalty. Make sure you discuss agency with your REALTOR®. In most provinces, if a REALTOR® is showing you homes, they are automatically deemed to legally be your agent, and owe you all of the associated obligations.

A REALTOR® will use various tools to try and find properties that meet your specifications including the MLS® service. One of the important search tools will be the local MLS® system. By sitting down at a computer the REALTOR® can key in your needs, choice of neighbourhoods and price range and immediately come up with a list of suitable properties available through the MLS® system. You can also view listings posted to the national REALTOR.ca web site.

When you select a property and decide to visit a house, there are many things to consider. Does it have all the features you wanted? Is the neighbourhood what you expected? Try to picture your favorite furnishings in a room. Remember all of the technical considerations:

what type of wiring does the house have?

what about power outlets? Different appliances use different types.

what type of heating system does it use?

what about the roof and foundation?

what condition are the windows in?

what about the plumbing?

There are other things to look at as well. If you don't have time or don't feel comfortable doing it, home inspection services are available for a reasonable fee. Having a qualified home inspector look at the house is always a good idea. The older the home, the greater the need for professional inspection.

Once you find the house you want to make your home, work with a REALTOR® to develop an offer. In the offer, you should specify how much you're willing to pay. State when the offer expires, and suggest a closing date for the transaction. You can also propose some conditions on the offer. Some common types of conditions are:

getting a suitable mortgage (include the amount, interest rates and any other figures you feel important);

selling your current home (the seller may continue to look for a buyer, but will give you the right of first refusal);

the seller providing a current survey, or a "real property report," showing the location of the house on the property owned by the seller and that there are no encroachments;

the seller having title to the property (your lawyer will check this out when he or she conducts a title search to see if there are any liens on the property, easements, rights of way or height restrictions);

if there is a septic system, the seller should have a health inspection certificate, stating the system meets local standards;

if you still have any doubts about the home's safety and construction, you may wish to make the purchase conditional on an inspection by a qualified engineer;

any inclusions - basically, what stays and what goes.

You will need to present a deposit along with your offer. An appropriate deposit will show your good faith to the seller. The seller's agent is bound by law to bring all offers to the seller's attention.

After your offer is accepted and all the conditions are met, the offer becomes binding on both sides. If you walk away from the deal at that point, you may lose your deposit. You may also be sued for damages. Make sure you understand and agree with all of the terms of the offer before signing.

No matter what type of home or property you're buying, plan on some extra expenses. In some provinces, you may have to pay a land transfer tax (a sales tax on property).

You may also have to pay:

a mortgage Broker's fee:

an appraisal fee;

surveying costs (if the seller couldn't come up with a current survey); and,

a high-ratio mortgage insurance premium.

an interest adjustment. Mortgages are normally calculated from the first of each month: if your closing date is the same as the beginning of your mortgage, there will be no adjustment. However, if your closing date is July and you move in on June 15, those last 15 days are the interest adjustment period. Your lender will expect you to cover the cost of the interest during that time.

You'll also have to reimburse the seller for the unused portion of any prepaid property taxes or utility bills. As well, you must also pay any legal fees, and, if applicable, any REALTOR® fees (these are normally paid by the Seller). Be prepared to furnish proof to your lender that you have insured your new house as well.

Before the property can formally change hands, there are still a few things to do. On or before closing day, your lawyer and the seller's lawyer will arrange to transfer title of the property from the seller to you. The mortgage money will be transferred to your lawyer's trust account, and then to the seller, and your lawyer will bill you all additional expenses such as land transfer taxes or outstanding legal fees.

At this time, be sure to check with your lawyer that everything is as stated in the offer-to-purchase. Once you're satisfied and the keys to the front door are in your hands, there's nothing else to say... except welcome home!

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