Genesis launches neighbour-friendly development in Airdrie

Genesis has a vision every time it puts a shovel into the ground: construct a home that reflects your dreams, but that is entirely within reach.

Now, that reach extends to Airdrie, where the award-winning land developer and residential homebuilder has recently opened three new show homes in its Bayside Pier 11 neighbourhood.

How making some adjustments to your yard can spur home sales

They say you can't judge a book by its cover, but when it comes to buying a new home, curb appeal is often everything.

Dandelion décor and weathered wood decks won't work in your favour to draw buyers to your property, said Donna Balzer the gardener, speaker and TV personality behind www.gardenguru.net. Balzer cited a seller in Scarboro who contacted her after potential buyer's commented on his home's outdoor esthetics.

You don't have to get all your gardening done in one go

Are you doing all your own gardening this summer?

Are you ready to rock 'n roll in the radish patch and primp your patio?

While your internal kettle is boiling and your energy is high, you probably think you can do it all in one big push.

And then reality sets in.

You just don't have enough time. Instead of a marathon garden workout, you need the small-bite approach to gardening. Don't look at your garden as a huge mess needing to be tamed over a weekend. Lighten your load and start looking at tasks in tiny nibbles or tasty snacks wedged between your other daily tasks.

Calgary Area Manager for Mortgage Specialists with BMO

Laura Parsons is the Calgary area manager for mortgage specialists with Bank of Montreal. She recently took some time to chat with CREBNow about how oil prices have affected the lending market, what borrowers should know about low rates and what the Calgary Stampede means to the city.

Mustard Seed, RESOLVE campaign join forces for The 1010 Centre

A new 12-storey development has officially opened in Calgary to provide affordable homes for low-income residents.

The 1010 Centre, owned by The Mustard Seed, includes 224 furnished units, as well as support services including employment coaching, a computer lab and assigned support workers for residents.
The centre is located downtown on Centre Street S.E.

"For 30 years, the Mustard Seed has been caring for Calgarians experiencing poverty and homelessness. With the completion of The 1010 Centre, we are now able to provide 224 safe, new, affordable home to low-income and formerly homeless residents," said Mustard Seed CEO Stephen Wile.

Resale market impacting housing starts outlook

The sound of hammers has quieted in Calgary.

Following a record-breaking year for new home construction in the city, the pace has slowed considerably in 2015.

Through the first five months of year, the number of new homes starts in Calgary has numbered 3,954 – a 32.5 per cent drop from the same period in 2014.

The decline was even more dramatic in April, with just 777 homes breaking ground during the month compared to 1,952 during the same time last year – a decline of more than 50 per cent.

Green spaces in Calgary a hop, skip and a jump from all residential communities

With an average of 2,396 hours of sun each year, Calgary holds the title of Canada's sunniest city. Not surprisingly, residents, in turn, tend to take full advantage, especially when it comes to the city's parks and greenspaces.

Calgary boasts almost 8,000 hectares of parkland – as well as Fish Creek Provincial Park and nearby Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park. Connecting the city and its greenspaces are nearly 800 kilometres of pathways.

Calgary housing prices change direction in May

For the first time since December 2014, Calgary's residential unadjusted benchmark prices improved over the previous month. Within the city of Calgary, housing prices totaled $454,100 in May, a monthly and year-over-year increase of 0.55 and 0.96 per cent.

"For the third month in the row, new listings have eased compared to last year, helping push the market toward more balanced conditions, despite the current environment of slower sales activity," said CREB® chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie. "This has helped prevent further declines in the unadjusted benchmark price."

Why interest rates are not the only consideration

The common misconception is all mortgages are created equal –  the only piece you have to pay attention to is the interest rate.

 That couldn't be further than the truth.

In fact, if you consider the mortgages of the five big bank – RBC, BMO, TD Canada Trust, Scotiabank and CIBC – the only commonality is the interest rate. The 20 or so pages that make up the rest of the mortgage document are completely different.  

Walk scores playing a factor in property values

As the old adage goes, "location, location, location" is one of the main factors in determining a home's value.

It can also help contribute to the overall health of a city, depending on how accessible it is to nearby amenities, said Robert Dalton with online sustainable city publication This Big City.