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Home Buying Blogs – Calgary

Home buying advice for Calgary, Alberta residents.

Found 81 blog entries about Home Buying Blogs – Calgary.

What Homeowners Need to Know About Renting Out Their PropertyRenting a property to tenants can help increase a South Calgary household's cash flow and keep the home from sitting vacant. This step requires a lot of forethought, however, as there are many important things to consider. From insurance to taxes, and everything in between, keeping the top considerations in mind can help homeowners avoid common pitfalls and achieve great results. Here's a look at the most important things to know when renting a Canadian property to tenants.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

Insurance Companies May Require a Change in Policy

Before renting out a property, Canadian homeowners must first check with their

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Are You Flipping Homes? Here's What You Need to KnowFor many people, home flipping is their first experience in residential real estate investment. The job of a home flipper sounds easy: buy a home at a low cost, fix it up to increase its value and then sell the home for a higher cost. Home flipping is a popular activity because it's relatively affordable and many people enjoy the process. If you're new to home flipping, the following seven tips can help.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

1. Do Your Research

Before a home flipper purchases a property, they should know the standard value of the homes in the area where they're thinking about buying. This tells them how much they can expect

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Real Estate Terms To Know Before You Purchase a HomeBuying a home is an uncommon experience for most people. As a result, many people are unfamiliar with the terms and phrases that industry professionals use. This glossary of real estate terms can help you understand some of the most common words that get used in the process of purchasing a home.

Mortgage

A mortgage is a loan to a home buyer to help them purchase their house. Most people need a mortgage because they don't have the full amount of money required to buy a house.

Mortgages last 5 years. At the end of the 5 year period, unless the mortgage has been fully paid off, the homeowner must refinance and get a new mortgage. Many homeowners take 25 years to repay their loan. If a homeowner decides to move to another house before the home is

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Difference Between a Single Family Home, Condo, and Town HomeCondos, single-family homes, and town homes are very different from one another. The type of property you buy when you're looking for a place to live can have a big impact on your happiness and quality of life. In the right home, you should be able to live out your preferred lifestyle. If you choose the wrong type of home, you could find yourself struggling to maintain the type of life you enjoy.

Knowing the difference between the types of properties can help, especially if you are a first-time home buyer. If you're thinking about buying a place soon and you're not sure whether you should buy a town house, condo or a single-family home, here's what you need to know.

Single-Family Home

Single-family homes are independent structures sitting on

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Should You Buy a Wood Frame or Brick Home?Whether you're building or buying a home, you'll have to make a multitude of decisions as you acquire your new home. Two of the most common building materials are brick and wood. Knowing the differences between these two materials can help you decide which one is right for you.

Brick Homes: Advantages and Disadvantages

If you're a home buyer who is thinking about purchasing a brick home, there are many factors to consider.

Pros:

  • Brick homes have a traditional stately appearance that some buyers appreciate.
  • They never need to be painted.
  • Brick retains heat well and can stay warmer for longer in cold weather.

Cons:

  • Brick is more expensive than wood.
  • Because brick is never painted, the home will always look the same.
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Making Your Home Wish ListWhen buying a new home, especially in a sellers market, buyers typically have a general idea of what they want out of the home. Maybe three bedrooms, at least two bathrooms. But what about countertops and floors? Keeping everything organized can be difficult, especially for buyers who really want something specific. Keeping a wish list can help buyers make sure they aren’t forgetting anything important when going to showings or missing the forest for the trees. Here are some of the important things buyers need to consider when deciding what they want out of a new home.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

Wants and Needs

The first thing a

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Create a Home-buying BudgetWith the advantages of buying a home, many Canadian residents wonder how much home they can reasonably afford. After all, the price of a listed home is not the only factor to consider before making a purchase.

A home buying budget is important, although not the most exciting part of the home buying process. Rather than struggle with mortgage payments and maintenance costs, Canadian residents can feel confident with the knowledge that they have the extra funds they may need for unexpected expenses. Make timely mortgage payments and build equity when starting off with a home-buying budget.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed mortgage professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

Examine Current

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Historic Homes: What Home Buyers Need to KnowHistoric homes are beautiful, romantic and fun to own. However, if you're thinking about buying a historic home and you've never owned one before, preparing yourself can help make the experience a good one. Here's what you need to know about buying a home with historic value.

Budget for Maintenance

Historic homes may have a lot of deferred maintenance. Original features in particular tend to need extra love and care to ensure that they can continue to function. Homeowners are encouraged to budget at least 1% of their home's value for home maintenance every year. Homeowners with historic properties may need to set aside more to ensure they can keep their home functioning.

One of the factors that affects the cost of maintenance is whether

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Popular Floor PlansA different floor plan can help homeowners meet their unique objectives. Buyers may have to ask themselves what they hope to accomplish before choosing among popular floor plans when buying a new home. Times have changed and so have the options available to today's home buyer. Learn more about the open floor plan and traditional floor plan to get real value from a future home purchase.

What Is an Open Floor Plan?

One of the most popular floor plans seen in homes is the open floor plan. This layout can serve to improve the flow in a home and make spaces look larger. This is achieved through the elimination of some non-essential partition walls. Two or more different spaces may then be joined together. Since the early 90s, this floor plan has

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4 Things You Should Know About Tiny HomesDownsizing is a great option for many home buyers, but right now some people are taking downsizing to the extreme by building or buying tiny homes. Tiny homes are exactly what they sound like, but in order for a tiny home to truly be tiny, it should fall between 400-600 square feet, though some can be as small as just 160 square feet. They cost anywhere from $10,000-100,000 depending on how it’s made, which can make them sound appealing, but tiny homes come with a lot of risks and variables that need to be accounted for. Here is what every buyer needs to know before investing in a tiny home.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

Tiny Homes

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