Home Trends from Adrienne & Linda

We’ll move you! The 999 Move Team www.999move.com

Residential, Commercial, Investment, Acreages, Relocations, New Construction

Adrienne Moul REALTOR® Cell: 403-999-6683 adrienne@999move.com

Linda James REALTOR®

Cell: 403-650-1796 linda@999move.com

Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. #10, 6020 1A St SW Calgary, AB T2H 0G3 REALTY PROFESSIONALS

MOUNTAIN VIEW Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. 222, 4645 Varsirty Drive NW Calgary, AB T3A 0Z9

Adrienne Moul : 403-999-6683

Linda James : 403-650-1796

MODULAR HOMES: A DISTINCTIVE HOUSING ALTERNATIVE

In the 21st Century, the concept of a ‘home’ can take on many different forms. One of the least understood, but likely most affordable and easiest to build is the modular home. But what exactly is a modular home? Sometimes incorrectly thought of as a mobile home or trailer, a modular home is a permanent structure offering all the amenities and benefits of a traditionally constructed single-family home but one that has been built in a factory-like setting. In essence, a prefabricated dwelling, the various components of the structure are typically loaded onto trucks and are transported to prepared sites where they are assembled by the builder. A mobile home or trailer has the provision of being easily moved intact to another site. A modular home in contrast is built on a foundation and is as permanent as any other home. The modular home is built off-site and assembled on-site. A traditional home is built from the ground up on-site.

One of the greatest benefits of modular homes is how quickly they can be made available for their end users. While a traditional home might require months to be constructed a modular home can be constructed, transported and erected on a prepared site in a matter of weeks. Built to exacting standards, modular homes are designed and built to specific rules that in many cases surpass the building code requirements of traditional houses. As with any product a modular home is as good as the firm making it, so if you’re thinking of acquiring a property of this type it’s important to do research, shop around and to select the manufacturer capable of building a home to your personal tastes and specifications. If involved with the process from the start a modular home also offers the buyer a great deal of variation when it comes to customization, features, colours and amenities.

adrienne@999move.com linda@999move.com

TYPICAL QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN BUYING A HOME

market? If there’s a problem with the home, the neighbourhood or the land, it’s important to learn that beforehand. A home is more than a building. Good questions to ask are: What comes with the property? Are the appliances new? Is the furnace in good working order? Concerns about the structure itself are also questions that need to be answered before completion. Are there any potential problems? How old is the roof? Has there ever been any flood damage? Learning about the neighbourhood is also critical. Things to consider: Distance to schools, medical facilities, shopping centers, recreation and other amenities. Is public transportation available? Is the area walkable or is a vehicle required? This is by no means a comprehensive list. By asking these questions (and adding those of your own) prior to closing the deal should help to make the process easier, and more beneficial.

Whether for the first time or the tenth, buying a home is a complex and often confusing undertaking. It involves a huge, long-term investment. It commits the purchaser to an acquisition with a value that might rise or fall dramatically depending on the local marketplace, and it requires significant legal entanglements. So before signing on the proverbial dotted line make certain the property you settle on is the right one for you today and tomorrow. The best way to stave off potential problems is to ask questions of your REALTOR® and any other professionals involved with the purchase beforehand. By doing your homework in advance the process should be much simpler, and the long term results much more satisfying for the buyer. While there is no right or wrong list of questions to ask, here are some of the most common: • Finances are crucial, so one of the first is: Can I afford it? Is this home priced within my available budget? If a preowned home, a good question to ask is: How long has this property been on the •

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Adrienne Moul : 403-999-6683

Linda James : 403-650-1796

FSBO: DOWNSIDE OF TRYING TO SELL YOUR HOME YOURSELF

A homeowner may think they know what their property is worth, but without access to current information that figure is at best an educated guess. A home that has been undervalued will deprive the seller of a better return, while an overpriced home will languish on the market. Determining the market value of a property is quite literally a science, and a REALTOR® will not only have their personal experience and local knowledge to draw from when pricing a home to sell, they will also have access to the information powerhouse that is the MLS® System and its depth of resources and data. Created by and operated for REALTORS®, the MLS® System can provide sales professionals with not merely information about current properties on the market, but historical data that can be crucial when setting a realistic selling price. A FSBO home may very well sell, but only a home sold by a REALTOR® will sell for true market value.

If you’ve spent any time at all exploring the intricate world of real estate sales then you’ve no doubt heard the phrase FSBO. An acronym for the term “For Sale By Owner” - a FSBO simply means a home being sold by the person currently owning it, without the aid of a real estate sales professional. But why would someone engage in what is likely the largest sale of their lifetime without the support and knowledge of professionals? Often the key motivator is money, namely saving themselves from paying a sales commission. But does any perceived cost-saving benefit the seller in the long run? Much of that depends on the skill of the seller and the health of the local real estate market. There’s an old financial expression that goes “Penny Wise, Pound Foolish” which could be applied in this case. While a sales commission will be saved by serving as your own salesperson, a non-professional is not going to know what the true market value of their home is. The result is the home may sell below, sometimes markedly below, what a professional may have gotten for it.

adrienne@999move.com linda@999move.com

SIMPLE WAYS TO KEEP YOUR CERAMIC TILE CLEAN

Beautiful, functional, durable; ceramic tile is a popular building product found throughout the modern home. But as with anything else, special products require special care. Despite the rugged construction, ceramic tile can become dirty and as such require specific care and handling. Here are a few tips to keep your tile looking bright and new for years to come. sweeping a floor tile is all that’s required for normal cleaning. An occasional wet mop with warm water will also keep your tile looking new. Depending on the finish of the tile surface it is recommended homeowners avoid adding detergent to the water. The ceramic tile installed on walls, countertops, or backsplashes in your home may be cleaned with any approved non-abrasive soap, detergent or tile cleaner. Some high gloss or unfinished tile may become damaged if abrasive cleaners are used. When it comes to cleaning, ceramic tile is considered low maintenance. Vacuuming or

discoloration can be removed by using a fiber brush, cleanser and water. Specialized products specifically created for cleaning grout are also available at most local home hardware stores. To avoid the grout from becoming stained or yellowed, some homeowners choose to seal the grout with a special coating. Many tile installers feel the sealing of grout is a homeowner’s decision and responsibility. The industry standard does not require builders to seal grout. Once grout has been sealed, it will require regular re-application of sealant. Ongoing maintenance of the seal then becomes necessary. Occasionally, slight separations between tiles and the grout might occur and is a process that builders consider to be normal. The use of grout is intended to provide the tile surface with a finished look but is not used to hold the tile in place or to affect the performance of the tile in any way. Gaps or cracks in the grouting can be filled using premixed grout available at building supply stores, but only if the homeowner elects to.

Grout, the filler found between the tiles, can over time become yellowed or stained. This

Adrienne Moul : 403-999-6683

Linda James : 403-650-1796

Sales remain stronger than pre-covid levels

BENCHMARK PRICE Single Family Dwelling $623,900

BENCHMARK PRICE Rowhouse $361,000

ACTIVE LISTINGS 3,887

DAYS ON MARKET 40

Calgary, November 1, 2022 - October sales eased compared to last year’s levels, mostly due to slower activity in the detached sector. However, with 1,857 sales this month, levels are still stronger than long term trends and activity reported prior to the pandemic. Year-to-date sales have reached 26,823 and with only two months to go, 2022 will likely post a record year in terms of sales Calgary hasn’t seen the same degree of pullback in housing sales like other parts of Canada, thanks to persistently strong demand for our higher density product,” said CREB® Chief Economist Ann-Marie Lurie. “While our city is not immune to the impact that inflation and higher rates are having, strong employment growth, positive migration flows and a stronger commodity market are helping offset some of that impact.” New listings also trended down this month causing the sales-to-new-listings ratio to rise to 85 percent and inventories to trend down. Much of the inventory decline has been driven by products priced below $500,000. While conditions are not as tight as what was seen earlier in the year, with only two months of supply, conditions remain tighter than historical levels. We are also seeing divergent trends in the market with conditions continuing to favour the seller in the lower-price ranges and shifting to more balanced conditions in the upper-price ranges. As of October, prices have eased by four percent relative to the highs reached in May. This is considered a relatively small adjustment when considering price movements in other large cities. It is also important to note that the October benchmark price is still nearly 10 percent higher than levels reported last year. Source: Calgary Real Estate Board | Market values stated are of the benchmark of Calgary and surrounding region. Individual home market values will vary and are affected by factors such as location, size, interior and exterior condition. Please call to get an up-to-date evaluation of your home.