Calgary Real Estate Blog - Calgary Homes Real Estate Partners Team

Getting a Mortgage Pre-approval - Dos and Don’ts

For many Canadians, owning a home is a life-long dream. It’s a dream that requires a lot of planning and hard work if it’s going to come true, however. From finding the right realtor to sifting through home listings, fighting bidding wars and navigating open houses, buying a home is a big commitment. 

Of course, most people will need a mortgage to purchase a home. This can be a major obstacle for some, but you can improve the process by getting pre-approved for a mortgage. A mortgage pre-approval will let you know how much you can borrow with minimal risk. This will give you the confidence to get out there and see what you can afford.

How does mortgage pre-approval work in Calgary?

Whether you’re looking to buy your first home or you’re an…

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How To Buy a Home When You're Single

Calgary is one of the most affordable major cities in Canada when it comes to real estate. With the city having one of the highest overall average single incomes, historically lower unemployment rate, and general population growth,  its no surprise that Calgary is a highly sought after hot spot for single people looking to purchase a property.

Whether you're looking to buy a loft, condominium, townhome, or single family home with some backyard space, this city has it all, with many different and dynamic lifestyle opportunities. From living in the downtown core or in one of the many lake communities, to living in the West for quick escapes to the mountains, there's an enormous amount of options for single home buyers and in this article, we'll cover a…

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App For Browsing Homes

Lets face it, more and more we're on the go and as life gets busy, utilizing mobile phones and technology simply provides balance and flexibility. In the old days, you found homes as they hit latest MLS® publications via the paper, or through your agent, but as technology progressed more and more home buyers and sellers flocked to online resources to find homes and the latest real estate information, it's the same reason you're hear reading this article! While computers and tablets were the go to for most home buyers, more and more consumers are now shopping online for homes via their mobile phones. Whether it's during your trip to the grocery store, or on a casual walk in the neighborhood, having instant access to the latest Calgary homes for sale is…

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How To Buy A House With Bad Credit

The idea of purchasing a home can sometimes be daunting. If you have bad credit, getting started with the process of buying a home can be an even tougher task to accomplish. 

If you have bad credit, getting started with the process of buying your first home can seem especially difficult. There are ways of buying a home, and getting the loan that you need, even if you have a poor credit score. Bad credit home loans have been established and are available for those that qualify for them. This means that your credit score may not be as big of an obstacle that you think it is for purchasing a home.

This article will go over how to get a mortgage with bad credit, what you need to know about your credit score, what you need to qualify for a home loan, and…

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What is a Real Property Report

A Real Property Report which can also be referred to as an RPR for short is a survey of a property. These surveys will reflect various elements and featuresof a property including the structures     (house, garage(s), fences, larger sheds, driveways,) as well as other elements including encroachments, easements, right of ways, etc. 

It is the sellers responsibility to provide an up to date report. 

All improvements on the real property report must be compliant with the city's bylaws and set back requirements, non compliant improvements must have a encroachment agreements or relaxations in place from the city. 

Real Property Reports shouldn't be used to establish a fence line on a property. If you need a boundary line for your fence…

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Buying vs Renting in Calgary: 2021

The rent vs buy conversation in Calgary is certainly not something "new" on the scene in 2021.  Clients ask on a regular basis if we think it's a good time to buy or if they should keep renting.  In the past 5 years in Calgary, we've seen reasonable vacancy rates and market rents have been affordable. Because of this, finding a great accommodation to rent hasn't been a difficult task in Calgary and lots of newcomers to the city have chosen to rent instead of buy.  But, the question to ask is, "What is the best for your long term financial goals?"

Renting a Home in Calgary

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What Is A Bully Offer? Real Estate Bully Offers Explained

With homes selling incredibly fast, and demand sustaining, the fast paced Calgary real estate market has proven once again how dynamic it can be and as more and more of the homes we list entering into multiple offer situations, buyer bidding wars, and sellers setting up (Bring your best) dates, it's important to stay up to date with current market trends and terms. 

Our blog covers bully offers or pre-emptive offers, current market trends, situations our sellers are seeing, and the various lengths we're seeing some buyers go to secure homes.

How Does A Bully Offer Work?

First things first, we unpack a bully offer and what this term means. As you may have guessed, a bully offer acts and works similar to how it sounds.

A bully offer is an…

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When is the Best Time of Year to Buy a House?

If you’re browsing the housing market and find yourself asking the question “when is the best time of year to buy a house,” the short answer is: it depends! We unpack some external effects including the time of year, mortgage rates, and other factors that will help you determine when is the best time to purchase a home. 

Pro Tip: Have you locked in interest rates? Saavy home buyers should have taken advantage of the low interest rates and would (or should) have locked them in, (typically for up to 120 days). If you haven't click here to jump into our mortgage approval form. We'll get you in front of the top mortgage partners we work with and have them assist you in locking in the best rates in the market, and helping you understand how much home…

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Should I Renovate My Home Before Selling It?

So you’ve made the decision to sell your home. You look around for similar properties on the market, and find that many homes similar to yours seem newer, nicer and generally more attractive to a potential buyer.

Your home might need some exterior repairs, or the kitchen and bathroom might be outdated. There might be some noticeable wear and tear on the floors or walls - overall, it could use some work.

This might lead you to a common home seller’s dilemma. Should you renovate your home before selling it? Is selling a house that needs repairs a good idea? What’s involved in fixing up a house to sell?

The answer depends on your situation, but one thing is for certain: the need for repairs or renovations can affect a sale. With that in mind,…

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How To Find Cell Phone Tower Locations in Calgary

With the launch of 5G in Canada back in September 2020 and the recent announcement of Rogers looking to acquire Shaw Cable, the 'big three' providers of Telus, Rogers, and Bell seem to be gaining more traction and control over the cell phone market, Many consumers are speaking out against the latest proposed Shaw acquisition to the competition bureau of Canada, citing that this is just further strengthening the stranglehold that the big three have over consumers and their limited options. Shaw was seen as an outlier and disruptor in the cellular space, forcing price wars with their freedom mobile data plans.

If the proposed plan goes through, Rogers will be investing over $2.5 billion throughout western Canada to build a bigger 5G network,…

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