I have recently had to tell a homeowner that the renovation they put time and money into, hasn’t increased their home’s value as much as they thought. The client’s home was in a SE Calgary community and although their renovations were beautiful, the amount of money spent exceeded what homes are selling for in that area.

It’s best to give me a call before you decide on a significant renovation (even if you are not thinking of selling).

Most neighbourhoods have a maximum selling price so you don’t want to out price the area making it harder to sell one day. Expensive kitchen and bathroom renovations or over specializing a room may be great for you, but someone else may not see the value. Some renovations will add more value to your home than others. It might not be what you think....

Call me before you renovate.

Most people feel confident about the basics of home security. For example: Keep all doors locked. Have a light on in the house while away. Never hide a key outside in an obvious place, like under the mat.

• Yet, almost a million and a half properties get burglarized in North America each year. So how can you prevent that from happening to your home? Here are a few less known home security basics:

• Actually, never hide a key outside. Thieves know all the hiding places. Instead, make sure all family members have a key.
   
• Two-thirds of home burglaries occur during the day. So beextra vigilant about making sure doors and windows are locked while you're away during the day.
   
• Surprisingly, most thieves are not daring. They are 2.7 times more likely to target a home without an alarm system.
   
• Thieves will attempt to force entry through sliding-style doors and windows first. So make sure these have a locking bar or extra bolt lock.
   
• Surprising, 40% of household burglaries do not involve forced entry. The thief is able to slip in through an unlocked window or door.
   
• Don't show off possessions! An imported racing bike parkednext to the garage, or expensive audio equipment clearly seen through a window, is an invitation to burglars.
   
• Take a look at the lighting and landscaping around your property. Are there spots where a thief could easily hide? If so,make some changes.
   
• When planning a trip, have a trusted neighbour pick up newspapers, flyers and anything else that may accumulate at your door.

Your local police department may have more tips and special programs for keeping your home secure. Give them a call.

According to figures released by CREB® (Calgary Real Estate Board), Calgary residential sales in 2011 increased eight per cent over last year, with 18,568 sales for 2011 compared to 17,267 in 2010.

Recovering from tepid sales activity in the first half of 2011, early improvements in employment and migration resulted in a pickup in housing demand in the second half of the year. By the end of June 2011, year-to-date sales activity had only increased by two per cent compared to the second half of the year, where residential sales improved by 15 per cent.

“While sales activity in 2011 remained below the long run average by 17 per cent, monthly figures point towards the trend of this gap narrowing,” says Sano Stante, president of CREB®.

2011 single family sales totaled 13,186, a nine per cent increase over last year. While sales increased, listings remained low, with an annual total of 24,245, six per cent lower than 2010 levels. The decline in listings relative to sales pushed down inventory levels to 2,761, resulting in four months of supply.

Single family average price in 2011 reached $466,402, a one per cent increase over last year. While there have been some strong monthly increases, primarily due to sales in the upper end skewing the prices, overall prices have remained fairly stable. Meanwhile, the year-end median price of 405,000 remains at levels similar to 2010. Condominium prices have remained persistently low in 2011, while some of the monthly figures have been boosted by high end penthouse sales. By the end of 2011, the average price of $287,172 remained one per cent lower than the previous year.

“Throughout 2011, elevated levels of inventories have limited price growth as consumers benefitted from sufficient supply of housing to choose from; however, as these inventories drop to levels more consistent with a balanced market, we can expect some moderate price growth moving forward,” Stante concludes.

Calgary's top 10 child-friendly neighbourhoods are Vista Heights, Maple Ridge, Parkland, Wildwood, Scarboro, Inglewood, Collingwood, Elbow Park and Glendale. Data collected be Project Calgary measured everything from number of schools to park space and amenities. Want to know where your neighbourhood ranked? (www.calgaryherald.com/projectcalgary)

Home Depot DIY Workshop
Next Workshop: November 12 10:00 am
Duration: 1 Hour

• Learn how to choose the ideal faucet to meet your bathroom needs.
• Learn how to replace grout and ceramic wall tiles.
• Learn how to repair drywall.
• Learn how to choose lights that are appropriate for your bathroom space.
• Learn how to choose accessories that will give your bathroom character and unity.
• Learn about the products necessary for your bathroom repair or upgrade project.
• Learn the basic safety practices for home improvement projects.

Various Home Depot locations across Calgary. For more information visit http://www.homedepot.ca/workshops

Shaganappi had the most household material (junk in yard) complaints while Erlton had the most grass and weed complaints.

In never-before seen data provided by the city to Project Calgary, the public made 65,000 phone calls to the city in 2010 with bylaw complaints, including things like noise, graffiti, unsightly yards, snowy sidewalks, and weeds and long grass.

Want to know how many complaints where in your neighbourhood? Find out at www.calgaryherald.com/news/data-centre/bylaw-complaints/index.html

Which are Calgary’s top 5 best Halloween neighbourhoods?

Pumphill
Rosedale
Scarborou
Chaparrel
Parkhill

Neighbourhoods with the most trick-or-treaters (based on Calgary Herald reader estimates).

See the full neightbourhood list.
www.calgaryherald.com/news/data-centre/trick-or-treat/index.html
 

After eight consecutive months of year-over-year declines, MLS sales for single-family homes in Calgary showed a positive move forward in January to begin the new year. According statistics released Tuesday by the Calgary Real Estate Board, there were 787 single-family sales last month, up from 762 in January 2010. Condominium sales however continued to struggle during the month posting the ninth consecutive year-over-year decline with only 297 transactions in January compared with 376 a year a ... Full Article...

Purchase a kit at any Rona location in Calgary on Jan 22, 2011 for only $39.99 (valued at $250). While supplies last so get there early.

The kit includes:
• 1 Honeywell programmable (2-5 day) thermostat OR 1 8-outlet programmable power bar
• 4 - 13W CFL bulbs
• 4 - 23W CFL bulbs
• 1 low flow (9.5 L/minute) showerhead
• 1 LED night light
• 4 packages of outlet insulators (each contains 8 outlet & 2 switch plate)
• $40 rebate for furnace service with ENMAX
• $50 rebate for duct cleaning with ENMAX
• $100 rebate for an initial home energy assessment with ATCO

www.calgary.ca/savingenergy

 

Calgary Herald MaxWell Realty is a Readers' Choice award winner in the Real Estate Company category for the ninth consecutive year.   Co-founders Ron Stanners and Dick Oakes, who started the thriving company in 1999, say the key to the company's strength lies in staying current and engaged with their realtors, friends and neighbours, as well as being involved in the community. The goal has always been to provide a supportive, engaging and vibrant company for all, they say. MaxWell Realty and i ... Full Article...

Once described as one of the top 100 houses in the world by architecture experts, a unique home in Springbank is for sale for the first time.   The nearly 5,000-square-foot luxury home, designed and owned by architect Marian Liptak, is listed for $2,668,880 and being sold through realtor Robbie O'Leary of MaxWell Westview Realty. "It's only a few minutes from town but this is a peaceful, Zen environment -- very private," said O'Leary. "It's all about the natural environment. Living with natur ... Full Article...

A new survey says more than four out of five home buyers feel comfortable with their debt, but another hike in interest rates might get Canadians squirming next time they’re polled. Canada and Mortgage and Housing Corp. surveyed 2,503 mortgage consumers between Feb. 11 and Feb. 28 and found 81% were comfortable with their current debt levels. However, the survey was done before three successive hikes in interest rates that have pushed the five-year, fixed-rate, closed mortgage from 5.25% ... Full Article...

CALGARY - Fire chiefs across the country are calling on the federal government to ensure sprinkler systems are installed in all new homes and residential buildings.The proposal is one of several the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs is putting to the federal government this week in Ottawa.                             Association president Bruce Burrell said automatic sprinklers - particularly in combination with smoke and carbon monoxide detectors - are key to containing and suppressing bla ... Full Article...

The hottest topic these days is eco-friendly paint. With the government stepping in to put the brakes on environmental health-risk factors, the race is on to come up with safer formulas that remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which pollute our air and are hazardous to our well-being. VOC levels in products can range widely (“low VOC” is anywhere from 5 to 250 grams per litre), so check labels and product literature closely. While the perfect non-toxic, 100 percent VOC-free, z ... Full Article...

It’s time to turn the heat on, if you haven’t already, but before you start heating things up, heed some of these tips from Dave Walton, director of home ideas for Direct Energy. Proper furnace maintenance:  Take the time to ensure your furnace is working properly before the first cold snap hits and schedule a maintenance appointment. Clean or replace your furnace’s filter every two to three months and save as much as 10 per cent on your heating bill. Ha ... Full Article...

Ever since The Twilight Saga began filming in Vancouver BC, fans have been clamoring for a taste of the movie magic that has brought Bella Swan and Edward Cullen to life. Now, some die-hard fans may just get to live their dream - in the home of Edward Cullen himself. The West Vancouver property that is the Cullen house set is up for sale for a reported $3.3 million. The West Vancouver home, designed by Arthur Erikson, features three massive floors, four bedrooms, high ceilings, a pool, and hot ... Full Article...

Is your house smarter than you? In some ways, it probably already is, and building technology is developing all the time to improve on that intelligence. Your house is a system, and all the parts work together. In fact, many or most of its parts already work without your even knowing how they do it. Like your HVAC system, there’s a thermostat that reads the temperature in the room and sends a message to the furnace or the AC unit to heat or cool the house, depending on your requirements ... Full Article...

Whether you're dreaming of a culinary boudoir or planning a modest kitchen renovation, many top kitchen retailers want to help bring your dreams to reality by providing inspiration and practical planning resources.  Here are three sites that offer free money-saving tips: GrowAGreenKitchen.com Designed by high-end appliance-maker Sub-Zero, this web-site is very much like a glossy kitchen magazine with pages and pages of professionally designed kitchens. Not only does this site offer the reno-d ... Full Article...

CALGARY - Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park is getting 30 kilometres of new bike trails, thanks to an infusion of more than $300,000 from all levels of government. That's good news for summer visitors, who may have felt left behind four years ago when the province funded multimillion-dollar improvements for cross-country ski trails at the park. The new money will create a 30-kilometre trail system designed primarily for mountain bikers, but also for hikers and runners. Centre staff have ... Full Article...

Homeowners are taking power into their own hands and onto their roofs, with solar heating panels and photovoltaic cells that might be costly investments but pay back in green karma. Calgarian Kerry Paul, an electrical technologist with Enmax, decided to jump into the home generation business as part of an overall life philosophy to reduce his impact on the environment. He was able to take advantage of a singular pilot project with the city-owned utility to do so, setting up a solar panel and p ... Full Article...

The big debate in kitchen renovations these days seems to be. I've used both and like both. I like natural products - such as hardwood and granite. But there are some huge advantages to using man-made products - such as engineered hardwood floors or engineered stone countertops. They are sometimes more durable, easier to maintain or to work with, and are just as beautiful. Quartz countertops are man-made. They are engineered from a mixture of minerals - mostly, but not 100%, quartz. The miner ... Full Article...

Our homes are our sanctuaries; we entertain in them, raise our families in them and they're where we go to retreat from life's stressors. These days, sustainability is a mantra for our eco-conscious society, so many of us are increasingly looking for ways to make our homes a little friendlier to Mother Earth. Lindsay Coulter, known as the Queen of Green at the David Suzuki Foundation, says there are many simple things we can do to reduce our environmental footprint and still enjoy our homes. ... Full Article...

An architect's rendering shows the TELUS World of Science building. A ground-breaking ceremony was held last week for the $160-million project – Canada's first purpose-built science centre in more than 25 years. When complete, the facility will be one of Canada's largest science centres. CANADA NEWS WIRE / Read More

 Hiring a general contractor is like buying a car: While getting the right one isn’t rocket science, getting the wrong one is an unmitigated catastrophe. Take heart. Although the search for a good contractor may seem fraught with peril, you have one big thing going for you: You’re able to look into a general contractor’s eyes and take your measure of him.  Kelly Deck / Read More

Canadians are among the highest per capita energy users in the world. It’s expensive, both in cost to the environment and to your family’s budget, and we need to find ways to cut back our usage. We’ve been making the switch to compact fluorescents (CFLs) from incandescent bulbs to save energy, but many people aren’t happy with CFLs. They cost more than standard bulbs and they contain mercury - which is an environmental concern. They take time to warm up to full brightne ... Full Article...

Enjoyed playing and sponsorshing the Pink Ring, April 5, 2009. The Pink Ring is a ringette vs. breast cancer event. 80 women of all ages and skill levels laced up their skates and came together at Triwood Arena to play ringette for 12 hours and raise funds for the fight against breast cancer. We are thrilled to announce we raised over $49,000.

Today marks the first day of the new website. The new site offers a wealth of fresh industry information that's constantly being updated. Have a great time checking it out!