You and your home have survived another winter! Congratulations! Now is the time to handle these 5 critical spring maintenance activities, not only for your own comfort and enjoyment, but also to maintain and/or improve the value of your home!

Check the A/C: Have a qualified HVAC contractor come out to give your air-conditioning system a tune-up. To help lower your energy bills, do this every year to ensure the system is running at its manufacturer-rated efficiency. Also make sure to inspect your system’s condensate drain hose, especially if you live in a humid climate. This hose could become clogged with algae and sediment, and your contractor may charge you more to clean it out. Avoid this extra cost by checking the hose periodically yourself. Use a wet-vac to suction any blockage out from it.

Roofs & Gutters: The hot summer sun can quickly damage a roof’s shingles, so you may want to call a contractor if you haven’t inspected your roof in several years. Clean out the leaves and other debris that have collected in them. Then check to see if the gutters are safely attached and haven’t sprung any leaks. Also, make sure that downspouts direct water away from the house’s foundation, to prevent a potential basement flood.

Right the Foundation: For further basement flood protection, inspect the foundation around your house before the spring rains. Look for cracks or imperfections, and seal them or call a contractor if necessary. Also look for low areas in the yard near the foundation that might pool water during a heavy rain. Level these yard depressions by filling them with compacted soil. Tend to any other “ponding” areas around the yard, too, because after a hard rain, standing water can develop. These puddles can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Seal the Deck: If you have a patio deck, inspect the wood for stains, discolorations, or warping. If you find any, consider resealing the deck. To verify that your old application still works, pour some water onto the dry deck and check to see that it beads up. Most deck-sealer manufacturers recommend resealing annually, but if there are no immediate problems worth addressing, you can likely wait until the following spring to reseal. Check for any sharp edges, splintered wood, or rotting wood. Also look for rusting nails or any nails that are coming out or weakening their connections. And be sure to check the railings and stairs to make sure they are secure and not wobbly.

Ready the Soil: Spring is the season to prepare for new growth in your garden. Rake beds of leaves and other leftover winter debris. Use a hoe to churn and loosen the soil, and mix in compost for nutrients. If you’ll be planting new seeds, follow the instructions provided on the seed packet for the best results.

You may also want to consider having a professional home inspector perform a Seasonal Maintenance Inspection. This is a great idea particularly in spring or fall! The Jay Magnussen Real Estate Team can refer you to some trusted professionals!

The national average home price was down in March from where it stood at the same time last year. But home prices are not declining. Confused?

Average prices are affected by changes in the mix of sales, so year-over-year price comparisons can be like looking in a funhouse mirror: distorted.

To illustrate: line up a class of kids by height, calculate the average. Now excuse the ten tallest kids and recalculate the average. The average height has declined, but the kids haven’t gotten any shorter.

A year ago, the national average price was pitched up by surging sales activity in some of the priciest neighbourhoods in 5 major cities. With activity in these areas having subsequently returned to earth, the average has declined. The reality is that home prices are still climbing in the five major markets that it currently covers. More stats worth noting:

• Home sales rose 2.5% from February to March
• Actual (not seasonally adjusted) activity stood 1.6% above levels in March 2011, the smallest year-over-year increase since last April
• The national average home price edged down 0.5% on a year-over-year basis in March

If you are interested in more detailed housing market stats, visit: http://creastats.crea.ca/natl/index.htm?emc=lm&m=77071&l=6&v=1358671

Picking up and moving to a different city can be challenging to say the least. Many people have done it and are doing it, but the decision is a big one. Whether you’re moving a short distance inter-province, or across the country, there are a lot of considerations to take in. 

Prepping for a Move – If you are renting, make sure you provide ample notice to your landlord. If you own your own home or condo, make a list of what steps you need to take to sell your home, including: contact your local realtor. If you don’t yet have a realtor, contact The Jay Magnussen Real Estate Team, we can use our network and connections to find you a hardworking and trustworthy Realtor in your area to sell your home. Pre-pack and pack: prioritize what you need to bring, what can be put into storage and/or sold and/or given away.

Finding the Right Neighbourhood – Even if you have visited the city where you’ll be relocating, it’s likely you won’t know the neighbourhoods well enough to know where you want to live. That’s how we can help, we are very familiar with neighbourhoods throughout Calgary and surrounding areas like Okotoks, Airdrie, Cochrane, etc. Based on the location of your new workplace, your needs and the needs of your family, your desires, budget, lifestyle and more, we can match you with the perfect neighbourhood! Google Street View is a fantastic way to preview a neighbourhood online. Also, check out our Community Websites, which will give you some insights into different neighbourhoods in Canada.

Finding a Place to Call Home – Finding a home in another city can be challenging. One option is to plan a house hunting trip ahead of time. Our professional real estate team can find you exactly what you’re looking for and arrange for a number of homes to be seen in a short time. If you are not able to make a trip ahead of time, our team of realtors can preview homes, report back to you, send pictures and videos along with a report to help refine your search so when you arrive the process for finding a home is expedited. We are here to WORK for you!

Financial Costs – For some, the company they work for will pay for their relocation costs. For others, if you’re starting a new job fresh, the cost of moving may be on your shoulders alone. Moving costs can be high if you have to travel large distances. Do some research on moving companies as they can vary in price. You may find that selling your current furniture and buying new in your destination city will be less than moving your current collection of goods. Some costs associated with moving can be deducted on your tax return – check with an accountant on what those could be and save your receipts.

Starting Fresh – Upon arriving in your new city or town, it’s important to get to know people and develop a support system. Existing family or friends you can connect with is one way to ease into the community, but what if you don’t know anyone? Get to know your new co-workers, don’t be afraid to go to a movie or dinner on your own. Join clubs or organizations based on your interests and hobbies or volunteer. Look at your local community centre classes. Moving to a new city can be exciting, but it can also take an emotional toll – meeting new people can ease this stress.

Growing Your Network – Being involved in community groups, volunteering or joining interest groups will help to make friends that had similar interests. This can also benefit you in your new job as well – having a professional network is essential in all realms of business in one way or another.  

Do you have any advice on relocating for work? Share them here in the comments.

Earlier today we were talking with one of our clients about how, even though Realtors have been around for ages, explaining to home buyers and sellers what you do and why it’s so important is still a huge part of the job of a real estate professional.

Many home sellers understand they need a qualified Realtor to sell their home, but very few of them really know what it is we do, or understand the huge range of services we provide.

Let’s face it: real estate is a little abstract. For those outside the industry, selling a home can seem like magic, or can appear extremely easy when you don’t see all the work that goes into it. Similar to any great magic show, there’s always a lot going on behind the scenes to ensure the real estate selling process goes smoothly.

So the real question for Realtors is: how can I get my service message across?

Our Goal

To help our clients sell their homes for the most money possible in the least amount of time, while limiting the amount of interference.

Home Marketing Plan

What exactly do we, The Jay Magnussen Real Estate Team, do to help our clients sell their homes for the most money possible in the least amount of time? Home sellers can find this information easily on our website: www.SoldByJ.com or we provide a detailed breakdown when we meet with potential home sellers about our multi-prong marketing approach.

We take a strategic and aggressive approach to expose your property to as many people as possible, not only to prospective home buyers but also to our network of Realtors. We take a multi-media approach through web: www.SoldByJ.com, our office website and many other we advertise on, social media: Facebook & Twitter, print, word of mouth and networking and more. For all of our home sellers we prepare a professional feature sheet package that is accompanied by an online virtual tour.

We are Your Expert and Educator

As our client you will have access to our extensive knowledge of the local real estate market, our 30+ years of experince in professional sales & marketing, our home staging consultant, and more. Whenever our clients have questions or concerns – we are never more than a phone call away – call us anytime at 403-650-7332. We always have current knowledge about our local real estate market, and by working with us our clients will begin to learn the ‘ins and outs’ of real estate. We have several reliable and effective strategies to help sell your home for the most money possible and in the least time possible.

Have Fun

I don’t know about you, but I always appreciate a personal approach when I work closely with someone. While we are striving to meet our goal (as mentioned above) we are also making our best effort to limit the interference and impact on the lives and lifestyles of our clients and make the experience as enjoyable as possible. We are proud to say that our clients often become our friends, and often refer us to their family and friends.

These are just a few things to consider when start to think about buying or selling a home. At any time, if you would like more information about how we, The Jay Magnussen Real Estate Team, can serve you, please contact us.

I’m often shocked at some of the photos that end up on MLS and other real estate websites. I’ve seen photos of dirty clothes piled on the floor or toys littered across a living room and clutter, clutter, clutter! I wouldn’t want my friends to see my place like that, let alone having sellers view my listing publicly. Having good listing photos is very important in marketing a home to sell. This is why we’ve compiled a list of 15 tips to help make sure your listing is presented in the best light possible.

Homes that show professional, high quality photographs have proven to sell for more money. Given this information, it’s pretty shocking that only some people do not take the time to property stage their home for real estate photos and for showings.

“How should I prepare the home for the photo shoot?” you might ask. To ensure your listing photos come out gorgeous, here is a list of things to think about. Below you will find the many tips we have accumulated through the years. Be sure to consider these if you’re thinking about listing your home or if you have a client who wants to sell!

1. Have the lawn mowed, leaves raked, bushes trimmed.
2. When in season, flowers should be added for a pop of color.
3. Remove all vehicles from the driveway and front of the house.
4. Make sure all garbage cans, hoses, garden tools etc. are put away.
5. If you will be doing any twilight photos, be sure to check all outdoor lights. Change out dim or broken lights.
6. Remove your “cute” yard decorations like garden gnomes and animals.
7. Remove any “clutter” inside the home, and put away toys, clothing, dishes, towels, etc.
8. Make the beds.
9. The counter tops in the bathrooms and kitchen should be as clean and as empty as possible.
10. Make sure the kitchen sink is empty and all dishes are put away.
11. Hide the trash cans.
12. Hide personal photos.
13. Replace any light bulbs that are out.
14. Remove any decorations or magnets that are on the fridge.
15. Before the photographer arrives, turn on all lights and open all blinds in rooms to be photographed.

Without doing major rennovations or changes in your home, these tips can help your property sell. We may have more recommendations to help your home sell, all we need to do is come take a look!

For your FREE, no obligation CMA and home staging consultation contact us today! 

It’s that time of year… tax season!

Owning real estate as your primary residence and/or as an investment property has implications on your personal tax returns so it’s important to understand how real estate holdings can work in your favour. Here is some important real estate related information from www.TaxTips.ca our many friends and clients who own a primary residence, cottage or vacation home, rental property or who are considering buying their first home.

• First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit / Using RRSPs to help buy your first home
• GST rebate for  new housing  purchases and substantial renovations and for new residential rental property.
• Is the sale of real estate taxable? 
• What about my principal residence? Principal residence exemption.
• $750,000 capital gains deduction like… (Qulaified farm property, qualified fishing property and more)
• Tax implications of owning a cottage or second home
• What  expenses can be deducted from property rental income?

For more information visit: www.TaxTips.ca. And remember to always ask an expert! 

• TAX TIPS for Albertans!

Just how do you find a contractor who can trust and who can get the job done right? It’s a matter of knowing what you want, doing some homework and getting it in writing. Here are some more tips to find a contractor who will suite your needs: 

Pinpoint what you want. This may sound easy, but getting what you want means being able to communicate it correctly, and that can be tough. Start a file with magazine clippings, snapshots of the room you’re imagining (even if it’s in a chic boutique hotel), and any architectural drawings or plans that you may have commissioned or scribbled on the back of a napkin.

Know who you’re going to call. Who does your project require: a tradesperson, a specialty contractor, or a professional renovator? If you’re looking to upgrade your heating or air conditioning, look for a tradesperson. Specialty contractors specialize in a certain area of home improvement (such as basements or kitchens). Professional renovators are experts on major home projects such as additions or reconfiguring the layout of your home. If you’ve completely had it with your digs and want to start fresh, a custom homebuilder will get the job done.

Start a list of potentials. Getting referrals from friends and family is a great way to start your hunt for a contractor who is right for the job at hand. But it’s wise to explore other sources for contractors such as contacting the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (www.chba.ca), visiting a home show, or simply checking your local Yellow Pages.

Get to know your list. Once you’re reviewed your list, arrange to meet your favourite potentials in person and get to know more about their companies. Ask each about their professional history, ask if they’ve completed other projects that are similar to your own, and review their portfolio. You’ll also want to check references. Check with your local Better Business Bureau (BBB) – BBB of Southern Alberta: http://www.bbb.org/calgary/accredited-business-directory

Price your project. Get more than one professional to bid on your renovation. This can be tricky since you want to make sure all of the bidders have the same information about what you want done. That’s the only way you’ll be able to compare the bids accurately. All bidders should have a list of plans and specifications customized for your project. Make sure you include any plans or drawings providing measurements, details about the materials you want used such as flooring or countertops, and any other specifics you’re sure about. You’ll also want to let them know the extent of their involvement in your renovation; for example, will you paint or expect it to be done for you.

Get a contract. Once you’ve decided whom you want to hire, the contractor will draw up a detailed contract. While contracts can be daunting and lengthy, make sure you agree with everything specified before you sign on the dotted line. If there are things missing, insist that the contract be revised. Remember that even after signing a contract and the work has begun, you can still change your mind and make amendments. (This, however, may add extra fees to your project so be wary of on-the-spot decisions.) Warranty information will also be included; this may save you headaches down the road.

The Canadian Home Builders’ Association has made available a large resource of valuable information for consumers looking to hire a contractor. Their website, “Get it in Writing!” (www.hiringacontractor.com) is packed with information about finding and hiring a contractor, detailed worksheets to help you with the interview process and checking references, and all you need to know about contracts and how they work. It’s a must-visit for anyone looking to improve their digs.

The Town of Okotoks is reaping the economic benefits of a burgeoning big  city. As Calgary’s population and industry have ballooned in recent years in its  southern expansion, that’s had a positive spinoff effect for Okotoks.

“We are seeing trickle down effects. South Calgary certainly is growing,” said Shane Olson, economic development team leader for the Town of Okotoks. “We’re seeing some of the side-effects here. Growth in Calgary is benefiting  Okotoks and benefiting the region for sure.” That includes some interesting economic developments in the town.

A proposed office building called Westmount Square is currently in the  pre-leasing stage for medical, retail and office space use. The project, by  Optimus Building Corporation, is a three-storey, 88,000-square-foot  structure. “If built, it will be the largest office building in Okotoks,” said  Olson.

Lazzaro Mautone, vice-president of Optimus Building Corporation, said the  opportunity is greater in Okotoks than in Calgary given the land prices and  amenities. “The proximity to the south hospital (Calgary) to Okotoks is like a 15 or 20  minute drive from the south area,” said Mautone. “We feel that the flow will go  in that direction.”

Grant Greschuk, with SMI Commercial Real Estate, said within the entire  Foothills region people are in “dire” need of services. “Speaking outside of the medical professional part, law firms, accounting,  professional, wealth management. Westmount Square is a class A facility and will  serve as sort of the epicentre for that region.”

Also, a Best Western Plus Okotoks hotel is planned. Roanne Bodnarchuk, president of B.W.O. Hospitality Inc., said construction of  the hotel is anticipated to start this spring and the hotel will be open in  early 2013. It will be a mid-sized, limited service hotel comprising 82 guest rooms. It  will also have an indoor-heated pool, waterslide, meeting rooms and banquet  facilities to accommodate 175 people. A building pad will also be constructed on  the property for a future on-site restaurant.

Olson said ATCO Gas is also planning an office building and service shop in  the town. The Okotoks retail sector is also feeling the positive impact of Calgarians  on its doorstep. “They’re coming down to Winners, and Costco, Michaels, Home Depot some of  these stores that we now have here because they can avoid the lineups. That’s  the big draw. You can come down during a week night from South Calgary and  basically walk up to a till. Weekends are a different story. They are busier,” said Olson.

And interest is also being shown in the industrial land in Okotoks. The Okotoks Business Park expansion, which includes 11.7 hectares, has sold  seven lots with two sales pending for $3.9 million in industrial land sales. “Interest has been healthy with most parties seeking one acre or smaller  parcels,” said Olson.

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/Okotoks+reaps+economic+benefit+expanding+Calgary/6071815/story.html#ixzz1liObY9pi

January 16, 2012 – According to statistics released today by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), national   resale housing activity posted an increase from November to December   2011.

The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) is one of Canada’s largest single-industry trade associations, representing more than   100,000 REALTORS working through more than 100 real estate Boards and Associations.

Highlights:

• Sales activity rose 1.8 per cent from November to December.
• Annual activity totalled 456,749 sales in 2011, up 2.2 per cent from 2010.
• The number of newly listed homes increased 3 per cent from November to December.
• A simultaneous increase in sales and new listings kept the national resale housing in balanced territory.
• The national average home price was up just 0.9 per cent on a   year-over-year basis in December, marking the smallest increase since   October 2010.

Sales activity recorded through the MLS Systems of Canadian real estate Boards and Associations rose 1.8 per cent from November to December 2011, marking the fourth consecutive monthly increase.

Activity rose in more than half of all local   markets, including some of Canada’s most active, with monthly declines   posted in most of the remaining markets.

Actual (not seasonally adjusted) national sales activity came in 4.6 per cent above year-ago   levels in December. It also stood above the five- and ten-year average   for December sales.

A   total of 456,749 homes traded hands via Canadian MLS Systems in 2011. This stands broadly in line with the average over the past ten years,   and represents an increase of 2.2 per cent from annual levels reported   in 2010.

“The momentum in sales activity provides clear evidence   that low interest rates continue to draw home buyers to the housing   market,” said Gary Morse, CREA President. “While buyers have become   increasingly cautious, the hand off for sales activity going into the   New Year suggests that Canada’s housing market will continue to benefit   from low interest rates in 2012, and continue making a significant contribution to Canadian economic activity. Even so, prospects among housing markets and neighbourhoods differ, so buyers and sellers should talk to The Jay Magnussen Real Estate Team to understand how trends are shaping up where they live.”

The number of newly listed homes rose three per cent on a month-over-month basis, reversing an equivalent monthly decline in November. New listings rose in almost 70 per cent of local markets, including some of Canada’s most active.

With sales and new listings having climbed in tandem, the national housing market remained in balanced territory in December. The national sales-to-new listings ratio, a measure of market balance, stood at 54.8 per cent in December, down slightly from 55.5 per cent in November.

Based on a sales-to-new listings ratio of between 40 to 60 percent, just over half of local markets in Canada were balanced in December. This result is little changed from November.

The number of months of inventory represents the number of months it would take to sell current inventories at the current rate of sales activity, and is a further measure of the balance between housing supply and demand. Nationally, it stood at 5.8 months at the end of December, down from 5.9 months at the end of November. While it has held fairly steady near six months since April 2011 onward, it peaked in August, with December marking the fourth   monthly decline and a return to where it stood at the end of the first quarter.

The actual (not seasonally adjusted) national average price for homes sold in December 2011 was $347,801. This stood just 0.9 per cent above the average selling price in December 2010, marking smallest increase since October 2010.

“Momentum for national sales activity and average price remains positive but is slowing, which suggests that the continuation of low interest rates is not causing the Canadian housing market to overheat,” said Gregory Klump, CREA’s Chief Economist. “High end home sales seem unlikely to spike again in the first quarter like they did at the beginning of 2011, so national  average price momentum may wane further over the next few months. With interest rates widely expected to remain low throughout 2012,  home ownership will remain affordable, and continue to support home sales activity.”

¹ All figures in this release except average price are seasonally adjusted.   Removing normal seasonal variations enables meaningful analysis of monthly   changes and fundamental trends.

PLEASE NOTE: The information contained in this news release combines both major market and national MLS^® sales information from the previous month.

CREA cautions: average price information can be useful in establishing trends over time, but does not indicate actual prices in centres comprised of widely divergent neighborhoods or account for price differential between geographic areas. Statistical information contained in this report includes all housing types.
MLS^® is a co-operative marketing system used only by   Canada’s real estate Boards to ensure maximum exposure of properties   listed for sale.

Read more: http://creastats.crea.ca/natl/?emc=lm&m=68822&l=2&v=1358671