Robert W. May, Realtor/Mortgage Expert Lethbridge Mortgage & Real Estate Info

Lethbridge real estate, mortgage, and open house info. Stop by this property and talk about Lethbridge real estate, mortgage financing options, or about real estate investment options. I am glad to talk about what is going on in Lethbridge with anyone who finds it as interesting as myself. Come check this home out and lets meet face to face.

Open House

Saturday October 17th, 2-4pm

2509 18 ST North LETHBRIDGE

2509 18 ST North LETHBRIDGE

Come check out this open house, this is a great family home in an excellent location. The home features a large fenced and treed backyard for the kids, 2 car parking off the rear lane for dad, a freshly renovated kitchen, living room, and dining room with sliding doors out to the deck for mom. Upstairs, the master bedroom has a full 3 piece ensuite, 2 more bedrooms for the kids, and a renovated main bath.

The 2 lower levels feature a large playroom for the kids, laundry area, storage area, a rec room, and a 4th room which can be used as a bedroom or office, plus a brand new 3 piece bath too.

This great family home is in move in condition and ready for a new family. It is located at the very end of a cul-de-sac and so the street is free from traffic and safe for the kids. This nice and quiet location yet close to shopping and tranportation and is great for those who want peace and security and know the value of location location location.

BONUS: stop by my open house and enter your name into my draw for tickets to the sold out Brooks & Dunn concert!

Lethbridge Real Estate

Lethbridge real estate and mortgage blog providing direct access to local Lethbridge Realtor and mortgage broker. If you are shopping for a forclosure, bank owned, repossession, fixer upper, distress sale, or Lethbridge court ordered sale, you need to be in my direct call list. If you are interested in selling, you need to make your Lethbridge home available to my cash money investors who are actively seeking houses and land in Lethbridge.

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I am asked by both clients and real estate professionals on a weekly basis for information and advice regarding basement suites. This is a very serious issue here in the Lethbridge Alberta real estate market as our basement suite marketplace is prime for investors who are looking for maximum return on their real estate investment, and also for home buyers who wish to supplement their income and help make their mortgage payment with a little revenue out of a secondary suite in their property.

So, as a matter of interest and public benefit, here is a link and the original text of the Alberta Fire Code which governs these suites. It is pretty important to read it and understand it before buying or selling a property with a suite in it. It is also very important the all real estate professionals familiarize themselves with the code prior to listing, marketing, or showing such properties as they may accidentally walk into some liability due to being uninformed. I did write a similar post on these suites which you may be able to dig up with a little effort, or you could just give me a call directly if you need some assistance.

So here it is. It is pretty dry reading and unless you have the personality of a lawyer or a rock (sorry rocks), your likely going to be speed reading and skipping lines before you get one third of the way through it. Enjoy.

Robert May

Lethbridge Fire Code for Suites

Requirements of the Alberta Fire Code 2006 Section 2.16 Secondary Suites:
1. 2.16.2.1. Height of Rooms and Spaces
1)Unless acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction, the height of rooms or spaces in
a secondary suite over the required minimum area in accordance with Table 9.5.3.1. of
Division B of the Alberta Building Code 2006 shall be not less than 1.95 m.
2. 16.2.2. Bedroom Windows
1)Except as permitted in Sentence 9.7.1.2.(1) of Division B of the Alberta Building Code
2006, each bedroom within a secondary suite shall have at least one outside window that
meets the requirements of Articles 9.7.1.2. and 9.7.1.3. of Division B of the Alberta
Building Code 2006.
3. 16.2.3. Exit Stairs
1) Exit stairs shall have a clear width of not less than 860 mm.
4. 16.2.4. Landings
1) Landings for stairs shall be at least as wide as the stairs and not less than 900 mm in
length.
5. 16.2.5. Handrails and Guards
1) Handrails and guards shall conform to the requirements of Subsections 9.8.7. and
9.8.8. of Division B of the Alberta Building Code 2006.
6. 16.2.6. Public and Exit Corridor Width
1) The clear width of every public corridor and exit corridor shall be not less than
860 mm.
7. 16.2.7. Unenclosed Exterior Stair or Ramp
1) Where an unenclosed exterior exit stair or ramp provides the only means of egress
from a secondary suite and is exposed to the hazards of fire from unprotected openings in
the exterior wall of another dwelling unit, the openings shall be protected in conformance
with Articles 9.10.13.5. and 9.10.13.7. of Division B of the Alberta Building Code 2006.
8. 16.2.8. Exit Doors
1) Every exit door or door that provides access to exit from a secondary suite shall be
a) not less than 1 980 mm high,
b) not less than 810 mm wide, and
c) permitted to swing inward.
9. 6.2.9. Means of Egress
1) Except as permitted in Sentence (2), each dwelling unit shall be provided with at least
one exit that leads directly to the outside.
2) Dwelling units may share a common exit meeting the requirements of
Article 2.16.2.10.
10. 16.2.10. Protection of Exits
1) Every exit, other than an exit doorway, shall be separated from adjacent floor areas by
not less than one layer of 12.7 mm thick gypsum wallboard or equivalent material on
each side of the walls. (See Appendix A.)
11. 16.2.11. Dwelling Unit Separations
1) Dwelling units shall be separated from each other by not less than one layer of
12.7 mm thick gypsum wallboard or equivalent material on the ceiling and on each side
of the walls. (See A-2.16.2.10.(1) in Appendix A.)
12. 16.2.12. Protection of Public Corridors
1) A public corridor shall be separated from the remainder of the building by not less than
one layer of 12.7 mm thick gypsum wallboard or equivalent material on each side of the
walls. (See A-2.16.2.10. (1) in Appendix A.)
13. 16.2.13. Furnace Room Separations
1) A furnace room shall be separated from the remainder of the building by not less than
one layer of 12.7 mm thick gypsum wallboard or equivalent material on the ceiling and
on each side of the walls. (See A-2.16.2.10. (1) in Appendix A.)
2) A door shall be provided to each furnace room.-
14. 16.2.14. Heating and Ventilation Systems
1) For an existing secondary suite, a single heating and ventilation system may be used to
serve both the secondary suite and main dwelling unit.
15. 16.2.15. Smoke Alarms
1) Smoke alarms conforming to CAN/ULC-S531, “Smoke Alarms,” installed in
accordance with Subsection 9.10.19. of Division B of the Alberta Building Code 2006
shall be provided in each dwelling unit.
2) Smoke alarms shall be installed by permanent connections to an electrical circuit and
wired so that activation of one smoke alarm will cause all alarms within both dwelling
units to sound.
3) Smoke alarms shall be installed in areas that are common to both dwelling units and
connected in conformance with Sentence (2).
16. 16.2.16. Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of Smoke Alarms
1) Smoke alarms required by this Section shall be inspected, tested and maintained in
conformance with the manufacturer's instructions.

Makes you wonder why any customer would get a mortgage from one of the banks instead of using a mortgage broker? My rates beat RBC by almost 2 percent!!!! This is an insane amount and could be hundreds of dollars per month and tens of thousands of dollars you would pay extra to take a RBC mortgage. Insane!!!!

Look at these rates, mine are waaaaaaayyyyyy lower than these. Call me.

RBC Royal Bank changes residential mortgage rates

TORONTO, Oct. 9 /CNW/ - RBC Royal Bank announced today that it is increasing its residential mortgage rates effective October 10, 2009.

The changes are as follows:

Fixed Rate Mortgages

Six-month open 6.45 per cent (increase by 0.10 per cent)

Six-month convertible 4.65 per cent (increase by 0.10 per cent)

One-year open 6.45 per cent (increase by 0.10 per cent)

One-year closed 3.80 per cent (increase by 0.10 per cent)

Two-year closed 3.95 per cent (increase by 0.10 per cent)

Three-year closed 4.45 per cent (increase by 0.10 per cent)

Four-year closed 5.29 per cent (increase by 0.35 per cent)

Five-year closed 5.84 per cent (increase by 0.35 per cent)

Seven-year closed 6.80 per cent (increase by 0.20 per cent)

Ten-year closed 6.95 per cent (increase by 0.20 per cent)

Variable Rate Mortgages

Variable Closed RBC Prime + 0.00% (no change)

Special Fixed Rate Offers*

----------------------------

Six-month convertible 4.15 per cent (increase by 0.10 per cent)

Four-year closed 4.24 per cent (increase by 0.35 per cent)

Five-year closed 4.54 per cent (increase by 0.35 per cent)

Seven-year closed 5.35 per cent (increase by 0.20 per cent)

* The rates indicated are special discounted rates and are not the

posted rates of Royal Bank of Canada. To calculate a rate discount

compare the Special Offer rate against the posted rate for the

applicable term.

Special Offers may be changed, withdrawn or extended at any time,

without notice. Not available in combination with any other rate

discounts, offers or promotions