There is talk of a bubble in the Canadian real estate market. Analysts have pointed out some “hot spots” that are causing some worry and some to say the national market is over valued. When you dig a little deeper you learn the concern is mainly about two markets: Toronto and Vancouver.
“When we look at the overall marketplace, there might [...]
I recently did a post about buyer brokerage agreements and it seems they are becoming more and more common, as I’m getting asked by people who are looking to buy a home if they will have to sign one or if they will have the option to sign one. Some agents will not work with you unless they have a [...]
Some Edmonton communities like Terwillegar Towne, Summerside and Windermere have “home owner association” fees. An HOA fee is usually a very small fee, usually around $100 – $200 per year but it can be more depending on what is all covered. The fee usually pays for maintaining extra things that the developer put in the subdivision that are over and above [...]
It’s that time of year and many people are not aware that the government of Canada is offering a tax credit to first time home buyers. You can qualify for the tax credit even if you bought your second home in some cases. In addition, if you bought a home to accomodate a person with a disability you can qualify [...]
On a recent post one of our regular readers was lamenting about a Calgary real estate agent who reduced their listing by $100.00. He added that real estate agents will do all kinds of tricks to get clients. In fairness, I don’t know anything about the situation or the agent but of course I’ve got my 2 cents to throw in.
First [...]
It’s tough on young people starting out. Over the years I’ve helped hundreds of people buy their first home, and inevitably mom and dad show up in the picture at some point and the outcome never surprises me. As a father I understand that they want to protect their offspring, and some ask some very relevant questions while others… [...]
While the cities of Edmonton, St. Albert, Sherwood Park tried to keep property tax increases to a minimum this year, the provincial education tax will see its largest increase in 10 years.
The education budget is determined by the province, but the levy is collected by the municipalities (along with property taxes) on behalf of the province.
With huge class sizes and [...]
Sheldon and I have long thought there would be another decrease in the maximum amortization period for mortgages this year. It makes sense since the Federal Government decreased the maximum amortization from 40 to 35 years a few years ago, and then further decreased it to 30 years last year – we always assumed the end goal was to go [...]
We have finally completed our annual “Year in Review and 2012 Forecast.” We will be emailing it out to subscribers and fans tomorrow (Jan. 24) afternoon. Don’t miss out – subscribe or like us today! [...]
I always like to tease my Calgary counterparts. When I was on the Real Estate Council of Alberta as a council member, the pre-meeting banter would always include some sort of comment welcoming the Calgary members from their carbon monoxide filled commute. They would counter with a humourous comment about Edmonton and on and on it went. My [...]
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The Edmonton Real Estate Blog is written by Sheldon Johnston and Sara MacLennan of Coldwell Banker Johnston real estate; both are licensed real estate associates in the Province of Alberta.
Aside from blogging, Sheldon manages the brokerage and assists clients buying and selling real estate in the Edmonton area, while Sara focuses on marketing and business development. If you're thinking of buying or selling real estate, or if you're interested in a career with one of Edmonton's most successful teams, contact them at blog@teamjohnston.com.
The opinions contained herein are those of the authors and are just that - their opinions. For legal information, consult a lawyer. For mortgage information consult a mortgage professional. For tax information consult an accountant. This information is not intended to solicit clients already under contract.
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