Posts from May 2015

Keep it Green while you Spring Clean

It’s that time when many of us do a thorough clean of our home after a long winter. A few of our basic pantry items can do the job just as well or better than the heavy duty supermarket cleaners. Here’s five great tips that don’t need more than four ingredients: Vinegar, baking soda, rubbing alcohol and lemon.

Mattress: Sprinkle baking soda on mattress. Leave for 1 hour and then use upholstery attachment and vacuum. Spray mattress with rubbing alcohol. Let it dry. Remake bed with fresh sheets (see tip below).

Mildew towels or clothes: Wash your load of towels on the hot cycle and add 1 cup of vinegar to the load. Let the washer do its job.

Dishwasher: Place two cups of vinegar in a container in the top rack. Sprinkle baking soda on the bottom and sides. Run on the hottest cycle.

Microwave: Place one cup of vinegar with one cup of water in an uncovered container and microwave to a boil to let it steam and clean. Use microfiber cloth to wipe clean.

Homemade all purpose cleaner: ¼ cup of vinegar, 4 cups of HOT water, 2 tbsp of baking soda, juice of 1 lemon. Combine all ingredients in a spray or squeeze bottle. Use liberally throughout the house.

Are You Sure you Can do That??

Before you begin on any major projects in your yard this year, make sure you have an up to date Real Property Report (RPR) and that you obtain the proper development permit. If your improvements do not comply with the City rules or real property lines, it could be quite costly in fees, fines or even lawsuits down the road.

A general rule, all of the following set-back requirements must be met in order to obtain a Certificate of Compliance (m = meters):

1. A shed that is not attached to the house and is less than 10 sq.m. in size can be located anywhere on the property. A shed of any size, small or large – that is attached to the house must be at least 1.2 m from the side property line.

2. A deck less than .6 m in height, can be located anywhere on the property. The City then regards it as a patio. If the deck is .6 meter or greater in height, it must be back at least six m from the rear property line and 1.2 m from the side property lines.

3. A detached rear garage – must be set back at least .6 m from the rear property line. If the garage has a maintenance free exterior such as metal or vinyl siding, stucco, etc., then it can be built right up to the side property line. If it is a maintenance-free exterior, it must be set back at least .6 m from the side property line.

These are general by bylaw rules for City of Calgary. These rules may vary for different land zoning. Always make sure you consult the city before starting your project. Click here for more details.  http://www.calgary.ca/PDA/pd/Pages/Permits/Development-permits/Development-permits.aspx

Upcoming Calgary Events
Calgary Community Events – May 2015

– 2015 Canadian Open Volleyball Championship – Thursday, May 14  – Tuesday, May   19

– MEC Calgary Race THREE 2015 – Saturday, May 16

– Calgary International Children’s Festival – Wednesday, May 20–Saturday, May 23

– Calgary EATS! Connecting the Local Food System – Thursday, May 21

– Calgary’s 6th Annual Charity Vegan Bake Sale – Saturday, May 30

– Water Polo – National Finals – Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31

New listings decline as home prices ease

Improved sales to new listings ratio reduces inventory gains

After the fifth consecutive monthly benchmark price decline in Calgary, the number of new home listings eased to 3,064 units in April, a decrease of 18 per cent over the previous year.

“With fewer buyers making purchase decisions and improved selection for resale, new home and rental property, sellers have been either adjusting their expectations on price or delaying their plans about when to list their home,” said CREB® president Corinne Lyall.

Sales activity in April totaled 1,957 units, 22 per cent below last year’s levels and nearly 15 per cent below April’s long term averages. Despite weak sales levels, the drop in new listings prevented strong gains in overall inventory levels and helped improve absorption rates in the market.

“While conditions continue to favour the buyer, both the months of supply and the sales to new listings ratio, which represent measures of market balance, tightened in April,” said CREB® chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie. “If this trend continues, it should help prevent resale inventories from rising to previous highs and limit some of the downward price pressures we’ve been seeing.”

Benchmark prices for detached homes totaled $510,200 in April, which represents an unadjusted decline of 0.7 per cent from last month and 1.9 per cent higher than April 2014 figures. Meanwhile, apartment product recorded a monthly decline of 0.7 and a year-over year decline of 0.2 per cent

Year-to-date apartment sales activity has declined by 33 per cent, while new listings have risen by nearly eight per cent. Despite the recent shift in new listings, months of supply in this sector remain elevated, causing steeper monthly price declines and a year-over-year price contraction.

“There’s improved selection across all segments of the market, which takes some of the urgency away for buyers as they consider all of their options before making a purchase decision,” said Lyall. “Sellers have more competition and need to be aware of how much product is available in comparable neighborhoods.”

The detached sector continues to be the most balanced out of the three market sectors. For the second month in a row, the sales to new listings ratio and the months of inventory moved to levels that are more consistent with balanced conditions. However, the detached market does vary significantly depending on the price range.

“Higher priced properties in the detached sector saw a noticeable decline in absorption levels city-wide, indicating there is less demand relative to supply levels,” said Lurie. “This does not come as a surprise as many of the job losses in recent months have occurred in the higher paying sectors.”

Meanwhile, areas outside city limits are also impacted by the slower economic conditions. Year-to-date sales activity in the surrounding areas totaled 1,346 units, a 26 per cent decline. Despite positive growth following the first quarter, April benchmark prices totaled $434,800, 0.4 per cent below last month’s figures and 5.8 per cent above April 2014 figures.

“Market impacts on pricing are wide ranging and ultimately depend on the location, property type, specific features and amount of comparable supply available,” said Lyall. Both buyers and sellers need to be aware of the local market conditions and adjust their expectations accordingly.”