Happy Halloween 

Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago, mostly in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1.

This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31 they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.

In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of…

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Detached homes drive Calgary sales growth in October!

City of Calgary, November 1, 2020 –

With strong gains in the detached sector, October sales in the city reached 1,764 units. This is a 23 per cent increase over last year and well above longer-term averages.

The gain in citywide residential sales outpaced the growth in new listings, supporting tighter market conditions and improving prices.

“Over the past several years, higher lending rates and the stress test pushed many out of the detached housing market. However, recent declines in rates, combined with prices that are lower than several years ago, have brought back some of that demand,” said CREB® chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie.

“This is helping support more balanced conditions…

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Christine Geers - MaxWell Elite Realty 

 Edith Ibojie - MaxWell Capital Realty

 Randeep Dhaliwal - MaxWell Progressive

 Gurinder Gill - MaxWell Polaris

 Tarah Nielsen - MaxWell Progressive

 Gurkirat Sran - MaxWell Polaris

 Kamran Amjad - MaxWell Progressive

 Vuong Sam - MaxWell Devonshire Realty

 Alim Mohamed - MaxWell Devonshire Realty

 Colleen Kelly - MaxWell Network Realty

 Hyun Lee - MaxWell Polaris

 Ahmed Khaja Abrar - MaxWell Polaris

 Jasbir Singh - MaxWell Polaris

 Amardeep Gill - MaxWell Polaris

 Kamal Kang - MaxWell Polaris

 James Phillips - MaxWell Polaris

 Jordan Igboji - MaxWell Polaris

 Peter Lloyd - MaxWell Capital Realty

 Rahul Singh - MaxWell Capital Realty

 Jennifer Ellard -…

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Celebration time for our sellers! Congrats to them and their family on this quick sale. Thank you for the trust and confidence in helping you to achieve your goals!

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9 Things To Look For When Touring A Home

Don’t get overwhelmed right out of the gate when starting your home search; peruse your options with confidence, knowing you are comparing apples to apples as much as possible.

House hunting can be exhausting, frustrating, and downright stressful if you don’t know what you’re looking for before you start. Instead of going directly to a house tour, prepare yourself with a list of things you must have, then only look at homes that meet all your criteria. And as always, Ryan and the Team are here to help!

Are you in the market for a new house?  These 9 items top the list of things to consider whenever you tour a home:

Location

Keep in mind all the places you need to go, and how far away they…

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City of Calgary, October 22, 2020 –

Third-quarter activity was far better than original expectations, as sales activity in the city improved by nearly 12 per cent over last year's levels.

Some of the shift in the third quarter reflects activity that likely would have occurred in the second quarter. The housing market also benefited from easing lending rates and previous price declines. Gains were driven by all property types except apartment condominiums.

"As the economy started to re-open, we saw some improvements in the economic indicators," said CREB® chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie.

"Most industries are not back to pre-pandemic levels, but over the past three months we have seen notable improvement across most industries."

The gains…

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It turns out that some common advice that almost all agents, including me, have been wrong about over the decades is the wisdom of purchasing on a golf course WITHOUT examining how financially solvent that course is. Every year it seems another course in the Calgary area fails; a whole host of reasons.

 Join me as we explore the recent past of some course, and the most recent golf course announcement (fall 2020).

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Seven Things Edmonton Historic Home Buyers Need To Know 

Historic homes are full of mystery and culture – owning one can be a great way to connect with both the past and the future of your community.

Older homes are both charming and intriguing – be sure to know the special responsibilities that come along with owning a historic home before you sign the mortgage papers so you don’t end up with more than you bargained for.

Perhaps it started when you walked home from school. You would always slow down your pace as you passed the older Victorian or Craftsman home with its gabled roof and inviting wrap-around porch. Or maybe you were always fascinated by stories of days gone by, and now take day-trips to historic sites near your town.…

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Alberta Retailers Lost Ground In August

   ATB Economics | October 22, 2020

 

After three months of growth, seasonally adjusted retail sales in Alberta fell by 1.6 per cent ($111.1 million) in August. Sales were down by 0.6 per cent ($39.7 million) compared to the previous August.

Nationally, sales edged up by 0.4 per cent ($192.1 million) with year-over-year sales up by 3.5 per cent ($1.8 billion).

Alberta was the only province with retail sales in August below where they were 12 months earlier.

Sales in the province over the first eight months of the year were 6.4 per cent lower than over the same period last year, leaving a $3.4…

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You Love This Home… But Do You Know Its Secrets?

Many homes hold secrets locked inside, be it a structural issue, asbestos or a previous unfortunate bug infestation. Know what you are getting into from the start so you don’t get disappointed later.

At first glance, most homes seem fine – but without taking the time to really get to the bottom of each home’s history you will never know for sure if it has suffered water damage or been the victim of shoddy repair work. Dig up all the dirt you can before buying, and you will end up with a purchase you are proud to own.

You enter the foyer and your heart starts beating faster. Your pulse quickens as you take in the wood parquet floors and elaborate crown mouldings. Only three steps inside, and you…

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