Do you live in Cranston? Or maybe you just love garage sales? Come and take part in the Cranston Parade of Garage Sales, June 2nd from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. We will have more than 60 homes taking part this year (maybe more), and we’ll have signage everywhere to direct you. Last year’s event was a huge success, and we’re looking to improve on that.If you live in Cranston and want to take part, here’s how: (more…)

If price always follows activity in a real estate market, (which it does) sellers are about to experience something in the Calgary real estate market that we haven’t seen since before the stock market meltdown of 2008; a seller’s market. Realtors have been seeing an increase in activity and not surprisingly, sales through the first quarter of 2012. We have not seen a corresponding increase in new listings to cover this increase from buyers, so inventory has shrunk month after month. How much?    (more…)

I’m excited to announce our new Home Page is live on CalgaryHomeListings.ca. After months of re-design, our ’2.0′ version of our website makes searching for homes, condos, and acreages a snap. We’ve improved the Quick Search area to make it cleaner and with more choices for your search parameters, moved our featured listings up to the top for easy reference, and made it simple to click on whatever you’re looking for, like community prices, a mortgage calculator, and an easy home evaluation button. The Acreage Search is now just above our Featured Community area. It’s the simplest way to find any Calgary MLS listing. (more…)

The commercial and retail development talked about for the Deep South is one step closer. This recent article outlines more specific plans for the area immediately surrounding the new South Hospital, which will open in stages beginning in the spring of 2012. Seton will be a massive mixed use area of retail, office space, recreation, and multi-family residential. Have a look at the article I have linked to this blog post above. It has a really cool 3D video of Seton as developers invision it over the next 6-10 years. (more…)

My fan page on Facebook now has a tab to find hundreds of the newest listings. Just click on the link above, or go to www.facebook.com/ScottBakerRealtor. On the left hand side, click on ‘Calgary Home Listings’, and, Voila! It’s a super easy way to see all of our office listings. Just email or call me if you see anything you like. The best ideas are always the simplest.

The Cranston Community Association and my team are holding our parade of garage sales on June 11th in Cranston. All you have to do is register with me and I will provide the signage and some maps to hand out at the office. For more information please email me at info@CalgaryHomeListings.ca. If you are thinking of selling in the next six months, this is a great way to get ready for it. It’s also a great way to get the exposure you need to sell off all those things cluttering your home. Even if you’re not selling any time soon, de-cluttering is essential to enjoying your home space. Let’s hope for good weather, but we’ll be going, rain or shine!

The general feeling in real estate so far this year is one of cautious optimism. Support for this rather unscientific feeling is found in an article about Calgary’s Economic Growth in both GDP, as well as net migration by Canadian Mortgage Broker News. I know that within my own RE/MAX office, we are seeing signs of movement in properties, and a slight uptick in sales that may very well become a seller’s market in the next few months.  (more…)

Here’s some of the latest sales information on Calgary area real estate sales. The Southwest showed the highest average price, but that’s not really surprising, given that there are more high priced neighbourhoods. McKenzie Towne showed the largest    sales activity in zone D, which is roughly the southeast area of the city.

The RE/MAX Canadian Market Outlook for 2011 predicts a ‘static’ year. I see the Calgary Market, specifically, as stable but not dynamic in either sales or price increases. This provides for opportunities, depending on your needs and wants. (more…)

With the ‘market correction’ as some experts are calling this, still continuing for some time, I am sometimes surprised by sellers who take a stand on their price, having seen their homes languish on the market for months. I don’t expect sellers to stay on top of the market, that’s my job. What I have witnessed while out with more than one buyer recently though, is a seemingly stubborn attitude that ‘ I am not dropping below (fill in the price), I paid more than that!’ That, of course, has nothing to do with the market. (more…)