Comment on Calgary Alberta Considered Best Real Estate Investment Market For 2013 by sam mcintyre

sam mcintyre — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 16:18:26 +0000

Hello- I live in Edmonton and would like your opinion on it's future as well. Also I have heard Cold Lake Alberta is booming. Any thoughts? Thanks

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Comment on Calgary Resale Real Estate Market Expected to Remain Strong by piracetam

piracetam — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 01:38:51 +0000

With the amount of increase in new properties being listed outdoing the amount of sales activity, the national housing market became closer to balanced market territory throughout last year. Will that change in 2013? Who knows, we'll have to see.

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Comment on The Ins and Outs of Real Estate Fraud by Anita Clark

Anita Clark — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 15:17:49 +0000

All the more reason why it is vitally important for consumers to do their homework before deciding to work with a Realtor, lender, or other "professional". While you can't completely insulate yourself from fraud, you can take precautions to help weed out the villians. Good consumer information on fraud!

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Comment on Golf Course at Highland Park Up for Sale by Janet

Janet — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 16:28:48 +0000

I have a wonderful view from my deck onto Highland Golf Course… I heard there was a drainage issue .. I hope they leave it green!

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Comment on Competition Bureau At Odds With TREB Over Information On MLS by Andy

Andy — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:57:10 +0000

I would like rules changed so that no one can access Land Titles information without my consent. I think it is an invasion of privacy for anyone to be able to find out information about my home without my permission.. Additionally, I don't think it is the general public's right to know what I sold my home for unless they are specifically interested in purchasing it somewhere down the line. It really upsets me that private information will be made fully available to anyone, not just those buying homes. As a homeowner, I feel I should know who is going to look at Land Titles information and would prefer sales information not be made available to anyone – particularly family. Additionally, it is frightening to me the power that the Competition Bureau has to take a site paid for by Realtors and turn it over to the public – and people in Alberta are worried about land being taken away for powerlines . . . . Why not just give all new babies a real estate licence at birth along with their birth certificate. It seems the Competition Bureau doesn't think all the rules and regulations for Realtors now in place mean anything much and they want to encourage the public to do all on their own with lawyers – but then the head of the bureau is a lawyer. Is that not a conflict of interest? If sellers are including a commission portion and won't let a Realtor have a portion of it, forcing people with Realtors to buy directly if they want that property, pay the same or more for the home than if listed at the formerly supposedly standard 7 and 3 percent, the seller should be charged with anticompetitive behaviour – plus should have to include that commission portion, or a deemed portion, as income and pay taxes on the money. There should maybe be a deemed commission portion, certainly stated what will be paid to a Realtor – not 1 cent or depending what the offer is will depend on what the seller pays, if anything. Realtors have to list with a percentage or dollar amount of commission stated. For sale by owners don't have to say anything except 1 cent. Do buyers who use Realtors for a long while to show them property, not want the Realtor to be paid if they find a home obviously including commission for sale by owner? No one has to buy that particular property, but if they want it, it seems buyers are being forced to buy privately in many cases now – all by the Competition Bureau. It is unfair to buyers to go to a seller and know there is a commission portion that the seller won't pay to a Realtor or take off – and to know that the Competition Bureau is encouraging that. Prices aren't coming down when there are for sale by owners. They want more and the same commission amount and don't want to share it. Not all buyers want to argue with sellers directly. I don't know why the Competition Bureau thinks buyers benefit from more for sale by owners or how MLS information will be helpful in the future when it will be a mishmash. Is it working out the way the Competition Bureau thought it would so far? If electricians can't work underground without paying taxes, why can for sale by owners act as Realtors and be paid the commission portion without paying taxes on it or having to share it with Realtors? Private sellers can sell for what they want, but if they are including a commission portion, obvious when prices are the same or higher, then that commission portion should be shared with Relators with buyers who do not want to buy directly. Or, why don't buyers have to have insurance so a buyer won't have to sue them directly if there is a problem, or a holdback portion if leaving the province or country?. Why is the Competition Bureau basically saying all the rules Realtors have don't matter and that it should be a free for all with buyers buying directly? Why, also, should Realtors have to send property information for property they won't be paid for or be considered anticompetitive? That is crazy. I can receive all information, but much of it I can't go to see as the Realtor won't be paid if I can't pay up front – or if the Realtor doesn't go and argue to be paid or else has to write a contract and then hope to be paid, depending. It feels like the Competition Bureau has too much power – more like Russia or East Germany. Also, isn't it more like a dumping policy when the site is flooded with for sale by owners that are supposed to bring prices and commissions down even if that doesn't happen? Why is the Competition Bureau, with the internet out there for anyone to start a site, meddling so readily thinking buyers and sellers should just do whatever they want without any regulation much to speak of except to use lawyers, perhaps, after the fact. The lawyers I know don't know what to look at regarding condo documents and the like and contracts are written before they see them quite often. For sale by owners should have started their own national site and not messed up the data in MLS. MLS – too successful, so steal it for others and destroy it. The Competition Bureau has a lot of clout. If Realtors speak out they can be fined. If I could sell for sale by owner and keep an obvious commission portion, I would. If I am a buyer with a Realtor, though, I don't understand why the seller doesn't have to pay a reasonable amount to that Realtor if he or she is keeping a huge portion for themselves without paying tax on it – ie an obvious commision portion (Com-free – keep the commision). Is forcing buyers to go to homes themselves really benfiting buyers? Is forcing buyers to pay a Realtor up front while still paying a high price for a home that includes commission, obvioulsly? Buyers don't have to buy those homes, but more and more of them are out there like that. In slow markets one can try to hammer out a deal, but then not everyone wants to go head to head directly, as mentioned. Why don't for sale by owners have to take out a licence like a garage sale or take a course like a boat operator? It seems the Competition Bureau wants all buyers and sellers to do everything on their own without actually knowing what they are doing – so need to hire lawyers who never have seen the home, etc. This is progress . . . ??

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Comment on Calgary Real Estate Market Sees September Price Increase of 6.5 Percent by Carlos Suladrene

Carlos Suladrene — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:11:58 +0000

Come October of this year, it showed 5 increase in the over all worldwide sales which is equivalent to a total of 640,000 units sold for the month.

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Comment on City Welcomes High End U.S. Apparel Retailer Express Inc. by Tony Bihn

Tony Bihn — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 02:48:19 +0000

As an Express fan I can't wait till it opens as I experienced that store in both Las Vegas and Hollywood. Great selection of clothing and definitely fashionable!

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Comment on Calgary One Of Most Affordable Cities In Canada For Real Estate by Danny Welsh

Danny Welsh — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 16:46:50 +0000

That is certainly great news for the Calgary housing market. Always great to hear some good news in the real estate market. Thanks for sharing.

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Comment on Canadian Pickers TV Show Stars Local Duo by christine collins

christine collins — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 04:00:32 +0000

My husband Ken and myself never miss watching the two of you,
you guy's ( sheldon & scott ) you rock………:):)!!!!

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