People looking to sell real estate will often host an open house. This means that prospective buyers are welcome to explore the property. This is different from private viewing appointments, as people are welcome to come and go as they please to view the home. Often a realtor or the homeowner will discuss the home’s attributes and price point during these events.

Hosting an open house is important to increase the visibility of the property. Anyone can go online to look up photos of the property, however, being able to experience it themselves can help potential buyers get a sense of how it would feel to live in the property.

Since they do not have to book an appointment, more people can view the home in a shorter amount of time. This leads to an increase in buyer interest, receiving more offers and shortening a home’s time on the market. In turn, this will aid in lower marketing costs. 

Aside from the property itself, it allows people to explore the neighborhood to see if...

If you are thinking about selling your home, hiring a real estate agent instead of trying to do it yourself can be beneficial in many ways. They can help you receive a better offer and have your property on the market for a shorter time.

Real estate agents can properly price the listing through comparative market analysis and expertly handle any price negotiation with their years of experience. They also have marketing resources so the property can be exposed to many potential buyers.

Selling a home can also be a very time-consuming process. From hosting open houses and in-person viewing appointments to the extensive amount of paperwork involved. Having an agent take on this responsibility can help you have your property on the market for a shorter amount of time.

Not to mention, every transaction is nuanced. Even if you train yourself on the steps of how to sell a home, the crucial experience is not there. Real estate agents have learned experience from various transactions so they are...

Staging is an important part of selling a home. It allows potential buyers to visualize themselves living in that home before they move in. There are some steps that you can follow in order to effectively stage your home and prepare it for viewing.

First, it is important to declutter the space. Moving items into storage and keeping a clean space will allow potential buyers to see the full potential of the property. It is also important to remove any personal items. One tip is to think of the space as a hotel room.

The furniture and lighting are essential as well for a properly staged home. The area should be bright so having the windows and doors open during an open house is crucial. The furniture should be placed in a way that allows for open space.

Of course, hiring a professional home stager can greatly help with their experience in interior design and knowledge of home buyers. Home stagers can bring in new decor and furniture to create an aesthetic that suits the target audience. ...

Congratulations to Associate Broker Kamil Lalji for being rated the #3 agent in all of Calgary by RateMyAgent.com, the international real estate agent review site. After almost two decades in the real estate industry and being a local to Calgary, Kamil has shown his passion and knowledge for his work.

When representing any Buyers or Sellers, Kamil aims for client trust and satisfaction. He has strong negotiation skills and ethics and always keeps the client’s best interest in mind. He is a proven professional who has helped many find the perfect homes.

Although Kamil was rated #3 overall, which includes solo agents and teams, he was rated the #1 solo agent.

Tom notes that:

“Kamil went over and above in selling my condo, he developed high quality marketing material (pamphlets, advertisements etc) and was able to get above my expected sale price during the depressed real estate market over COVID. He was fantastic to work with, responsive and a great negotiator. I have recommended...

As many of you may be aware, the Bank of Canada increased the prime rate from 5.95% to 6.45% on Wednesday December 7, 2022. A move widely expected by economists, inflation remains prevalent on the global horizon, slowing economic growth in all hemispheres of the world. This increase will impact all debtholders, which includes those with mortgages to pay off – that is, those paying a variable rate mortgage. 

With interest rates increasing, now is a great time to understand what a trigger rate is. A trigger rate is the rate at which your mortgage payment will only be covering the interest. Since your mortgage payments are often fixed in a variable rate plan, this means none of the payment will go towards paying the principal. This is a worse case scenario you should avoid at all costs – as you will essentially never be able to reduce the debt to your lender. The issue is that you will have stopped paying off your loan – this can also be called negative amortization....

According to the 2016 Census, nearly 22% of all Calgarians live in a condo. This is quite higher than the overall Canadian statistic of 13.3%. Condos are becoming more and more popular as more people move into high density housing locations. 

With warm weather around the corner it’s a great time to find out of the box outdoor activities to try out. Horseback riding is a great way to relax, reconnect with yourself and nature, and try something new and exciting. Many people find horseback riding therapeutic, which is a perfect change for most peoples hectic lives. We have put together a list of Tripadvisor’s Top 10 Trail Riding Tours in the Calgary Area. This list will show the company’s rank, location, as well as a blurb the company has written about themselves.