It’s often the little things that make a big difference. If your mailbox is in poor shape, replace it. Repaint your door, or get a new one if needed. An understated door knocker and newer hardware can give a door a nice, new, finished look. Improve entryways and front paths with new light fixtures, potted plants, and subtle decorative touches, but remember not to go overboard. The goal is to make your home’s exterior look good within the style of the homes that surround it. Everything should look well-kept and in good repair, but shouldn’t draw too much attention.

Driveways

They’re big, solid slabs of concrete that can take up a significant amount of the property in front of your home, so it’s important they make a good first impression. If yours is already in good condition, make sure you keep it swept and neatly edged where it meets the lawn, and take care that any parked cars aren’t leaking and leaving unsightly stains.

If your driveway is cracking, buckled or badly stained, it’s time to fix it. It might be possible to patch the problem or replace sections of your driveway rather then the entire thing, but be warned that matching concrete color is difficult at the best of times. Whatever you do, be careful you don’t cause bigger problems trying to use quick-fix solutions.

Decks and Patios

Both front and back decks and patio space can have a positive impact on your selling price, especially when smaller homes are paired with larger yards because decks add living space. Make sure you keep decks and patios in scale with the size of your home and don’t take over too much yard. It’s also important to remain consistent with your home’s architectural style. You want a deck or patio that looks like it belongs there, not one that stands out as a hasty add on.

The Garage

If your garage is detached and you’re planning to paint the exterior of your home, make sure you also paint your garage. A neglected garage can negatively impact your final selling price, especially if it looks neglected by comparison to the rest of your home. If it has a rough, unfinished look, consider drywall and matching switch and outlet plates to give it more appeal. At the very least, make sure you give the garage – including the concrete floor – a good cleaning and make sure all the switches and electrical outlets function properly.

One of the oldest residential neighbourhoods in the city, the inner-city community of Oliver is located in central Edmonton, bordering both the North Saskatchewan River Valley and the urban Downtown core. With more than 17,000 people living in over 11,000 homes, Oliver has become one of the densest neighbourhoods in both the city of Edmonton and the province of Alberta. The south-east area of Oliver is more commonly known to residents as Grandin due to this part of the neighbourhood being home to both Grandin School and the Grandin LRT Station.

The vast majority of the Oliver Real Estate market is composed of high and low rise apartment and condominium units, but there are still a number of single-family homes mixed in throughout the neighbourhood. Many of these are older character homes ranging in size from modest post-war infill housing to large heritage properties in the south and west portions of Oliver. In recent years there has been an upswing in new high-rise condominium development in this area, including buildings with high-end luxury suites and penthouses.

Due to its immediate proximity to Downtown Edmonton, Oliver has become a popular area for young and professional singles and couples. Residents of Oliver enjoy quick and easy access to a vast array of local amenities, including shopping, schools and religious centres. The area is within bus and walking distance to the businesses and services of Oliver Square, Jasper Avenue, Edmonton’s Downtown to the east, and the growing and trendy 124th Street arts and shopping district to the west. The neighbourhood is connected to the broader city via multiple high-frequency bus routes and the LRT system, which allows quick and effortless access to the University of Alberta, Whyte Avenue, and Southgate Mall. The Downtown Edmonton MacEwan University campus is within walking distance to all areas of Oliver.

The community also features a number of popular parks and green spaces in addition to overlooking the picturesque Edmonton River Valley, including the Victoria Golf Course, Victoria Park, and MacKinnon Ravine Park. Both Emily Murphy Park and Hawrelak Park are located just across the Groat Road Bridge. The Oliver Community League is very active and maintains a neighbourhood newsletter and shared community gardening space.

Nearby Schools: Oliver School (Elementary), Victoria School of the Arts (Elementary thru High School), Edmonton Academy, Grandin Catholic School (Elementary), St. Vincent Elementary, Edmonton Centre High Campus (High School), Glenora School (Elementary), Westminster Junior High, Ross Sheppard High School, St. Joseph Catholic High School.

Visit our Oliver Real Estate Stats & News page to see current market information for this community and browse nearby amenities, or start searching for Oliver Condos and Oliver Homes for Sale in Edmonton.

There’s no faster way to give your home a visual boost than a fresh coat of paint, and that goes for your house’s exterior as well!

Exterior Paint

Time and money spent on painting the exterior of your home can have an impressive ROI: an investment of $1,000 – $2,000 could mean an extra $3,000 or $4,000 on your asking price. And if you have the skills and the time to do the work yourself, the profit could be even greater.

Even if your home doesn’t need the full treatment, it’s a good idea to check and refresh the trims around windows and doorways, where paint is most likely to peel and crack. This touch up work can usually be done yourself, and can make a big difference.

If you give your home a fresh coat of paint, make sure you pick a neutral colour such as whites, greys, soft blues, and creams. Whatever colour you pick, make sure it’s light and soft: choosing a bold, bright colour may actually make your home harder to sell.

Interior Paint

As with your home’s exterior, a fresh coat of paint can literally make the difference between a successful sale and no sale. This is particularly the case when your home hasn’t been painted in a while, or features a lot of brightly coloured rooms or bold colour choices.

When painting inside make sure you do a good job. There may be fresh paint on the walls, but if there’s also dabs of paint on the ceiling and the paint on the walls is streaky or patchy, then it won’t help your bottom line very much.

Always make sure you paint everything, including trims, baseboards, closets, cabinets, etc. If a prospective buyer opens a cabinet and sees dirty walls or shelves, then you’ve just wasted the advantage you’d gained by painting in the first place.

Like with the outside of your home, interior paint should be neutral shades, preferably whites, off-whites, creams, and light grey tones. This helps a buyer visualize their furniture and decor in your your home, making it easier for them to fall in love with your space.

Edmonton was recently recognized by MoneySense Magazine as one of the top ten places to live in Canada, which we shared with you last week. But our city also appeared high up on two other lists released by the magazine at the same time. Edmonton also appeared in the Top Ten Best Places to Raise Kids in Canada (#10) and on the Top Ten Best Places for Jobs (#5).

Our city was ranked against 190 other Canadian cities, towns and communities. Key Edmonton stats in the Top Ten Best Places to Raise Kids according to the magazine’s ranking system are:

• Kid Population: 105th out of 190
• Student Population: 4th out of 190
• Daycare Spaces: 7th out of 190
• Healthcare: 39th out of 190

From MoneySense:

“Edmonton ranks 4th overall in the country when it comes to percentage of the population that are students and 7th for daycare spaces per 1,000. The city also enjoys relatively low unemployment and crime rates and scores high in the culture rankings.”

When it comes to jobs, Edmonton came in 5th on MoneySense Magazine’s Top Ten Best Places for Jobs in Canada. Again ranked compared to 190 other communities in Canada, Edmonton’s key stats include:

• Low Unemployment: 33rd out of 190
• Household Income: 40th out of 190
• Discretionary Income: 22nd out of 190
• Transit: 23rd out of 190
• Population Growth: 68th out of 190

From MoneySense:

“Edmonton is yet another economic powerhouse in the Prairies and the city capitalizes from being the closest urban centre to the Alberta oilsands. But it’s not all oil and energy in Edmonton. A good portion of the city’s workforce, for instance, is employed in the public sector. Edmonton is also home to the University of Alberta, which is one of the country’s finest places for post-secondary education. On the U of A campus, you’ll find the National Institute for Nanotechnology, which has a business office that assists local nanotechnology firms.”

Alberta communities had a strong showing in both these top ten lists as well. St. Albert, Red Deer, Calgary, and Strathcona County all appeared in the Top Ten Best Places to Raise Kids list, while Grand Praire, Canmore, Lethbridge, Calgary, St. Albert, Red Deer, and Strathcona County all appeared on the Top Ten Best Places for Jobs list. Well done Alberta!

Spring has sprung in Edmonton, and that means the Festival Season is almost upon us! Edmonton is known throughout Alberta and across Canada for having some of the best and biggest summer festivals around.

But you don’t have to wait until the hot days of summer to enjoy first class festivals: there are some fantastic spring festival offerings in Edmonton as well!

Figaro, Edmonton Vocal Arts Festival 2011

Spring Festivals and Events in Edmonton

Edmonton Kiwanis Music Festival
When: April 16 thru May 4
Where: Various Locations
Every year, the festival creates over 2500 opportunities for music students, actors, musicians and music lovers to perform in front of an audience and receive professional adjudication. Come out and see the stars of tomorrow and help us celebrate over 100 years!

Edmonton Poetry Festival
When: April 22 thru April 29
Where: Various Locations
The Edmonton Poetry Festival kicked off in 2006, with the help of Edmonton’s then-poet-laureate Alice Major and an organizing committee representing a wide range of poetry groups in the city. The festival will feature the brief but deadly art known as “blink poetry”; some super cool workshops; and tons of other events sure to satisfy any stripe of poetic interest. Check the schedule for a full listing of events, including those where amateur poets are invited to participate.

Rainmaker Rodeo
When: May 25th thru May 27
Where: Riel Recreational Area, St. Albert
Experience great music, a family-fun midway, and an arena filled with races, bull riding, steer wrestling and other edge-of-your-seat rodeo events. The Kinsmen Rainmaker Rodeo starts with a parade that winds its way through the heart of St. Albert. After the parade, the rodeo begins, with exciting rodeo events, midway, and musical performances.

Edmonton Vocal Arts Festival
When: May 25th thru July 1
Where: Various Locations
The Vocal Arts Festival celebrates Canadian vocal artists while creating an accessible and unique blend of innovative and inspiring vocal performances. Includes concerts, broadway music, and opera performances.

Northern Alberta International Children’s Festival
When: May 29th thru June 2
Where: St. Albert Place & Downtown St. Albert
As the longest running Children’s Festivals in North America, the festival cultivates the hearts and minds of our future leaders and has helped young audiences learn through the arts for over three decades. The Northern Alberta International Children’s Festival is not only a flagship cultural event in St. Albert and region, but also a yearly reminder to each one of us to grow, to develop, to nurture our community, ourselves and most importantly, our children.

Last week MoneySense Magazine put out their 2012 List of Canada’s Best Places to Live, and once again Edmonton made the top ten! This year’s 8th Best Place to Live in Canada, our city has been ranked against 190 other cities as follows:

• Household Income: 40th out of 190
• Discretionary Income: 22nd out of 190
• Affordable Housing: 124th out of 190
• Job Prospects: 33rd out of 190
• Population Growth: 68th out of 190
• Low Crime: 109th out of 190
• Transit: 23rd out of 190
• Walk or Bike to Work: 108th out of 190
• Availability of Doctors: 46th out of 190
• Culture: 38th out of 190
• Weather: 41st out of 190

It’s great to see Edmonton’s great cultural scene acknowledged, and see that our city’s effort to boost the quality of its transit system isn’t going unnoticed!

And Edmonton wasn’t the only Alberta community to make the cut this year: other Alberta cities and towns that ranked high included:

• #9, Red Deer
• #11, Strathcona County
• #12, St. Albert
• #14, Calgary
• #25, Lethbridge
• #26, Lacombe
• #29, Canmore

It’s great to see so many fantastic Alberta communities make the cut!

If there’s one piece of advice every homeowner should remember, it’s this: Plan first, then do. Careful planning and proper research can have a huge impact on your home renovation project, especially when your primary goal for your efforts is to improve the sale value of your home. This goes for both large and small projects: if you haven’t thought everything through in advance, a minor project can often balloon into a major – and potentially expensive – undertaking. We’ve seen a ton of homeowners get in over their heads because they didn’t think things through carefully enough, or didn’t take the time to consult professionals first.

Consult an Edmonton Realtor First

Your best first consult when you’re considering major renovations or remodelling work specifically to sell your home and increase its value is to consult a Realtor first. A qualified Edmonton real estate professional will know best which projects will give you the best ROI when you put your home on the market. Some major changes – like adding in a swimming pool or a hot tub – won’t have a positive impact on your price and may actually make your home more difficult to sell.

Be Methodical

Try breaking your to do list into exterior and interior projects, then break each list down further by room or outside area. Decide which projects you’re going to take on yourself and which will require professional help, then do a rough cost estimate for each job. Remember: whether you hire someone or do the work yourself, always expect to spend more time and money than you initially anticipate. It’s better to come in under budget and ahead of schedule.

Hiring Pros versus Doing It Yourself

If you do the work yourself, you’ll probably recoup more than what you pay out for professional work, and could save anywhere from 10 to 30 percent by removing hired labor from the equation. On the other hand, it’s never a good idea to do the renovations yourself if they require a certain amount of skill or experience that you don’t have. Renovations done incorrectly can actually lower the resale value of your home, especially if they will need to be redone.

Some people decided to split the job and let a contractor do the major work while they do the finishing, allowing them to save some money. Whatever you do, the key lies in doing it well, and if that means hiring a professional for the whole job then hire a professional. A poorly done job can do you more harm than good.

The community of Crestwood can be found in West Edmonton, tucked between two ravines and overlooking the North Saskatchewan River Valley. Bordered on the west by 149th Street, the 2,200 residents of Crestwood have immediate access to Edmonton’s multi-use trail system, including pathways through the McKinnon Ravine and along the River Valley. Views of the valley and the surrounding ravine system feature on all sides of this neighbourhood, making it one of the most picturesque places to live in the city. Because of its proximity to the River Valley, Crestwood’s streets depart from the usual grid structure of the rest of the city, and the community features a unique street structure.

Every year in December, a portion of Crestwood residents participate in the annual Candy Cane Lane light celebration. Residents living along 148th Street between 92 Avenue and 100 Avenue decorate their homes with elaborate Christmas light displays, drawing nightly visitors who are encouraged to bring food bank donations.

The Crestwood community has one of the oldest community leagues in the city, and may in fact be the single longest running community league in all of Canada. Founded in 1917, the Crestwood Community League is an active group that provides neighbourhood programs, public facilities, and plans local events for Crestwood residents.

149th Avenue provides residents with quick and easy access to main arterial roads including Stony Plain Road and Whitemud Drive, and the community’s close proximity to the Downtown core and West Edmonton’s employment centres makes it an ideal place for those who value shorter commutes. Crestwood is close to Mayfield Common and the Terra Losa shopping centre located along the west side of 170th Street. To the south west the Meadowlark Shopping Centre and West Edmonton Mall can be found, as can the Misericordia Community Hospital.

Nearby Schools: Crestwood School (Elementary and Junior High), St. Paul Catholic Elementary School, Ross Sheppard High School, Glenora Elementary, Grovenor Elementary, Westminster Junior High, Parkview School (Elementary & Junior High), Sherwood Elementary, Westlawn Junior High, Jasper Place High School.

Visit our Crestwood Real Estate Stats & News page to see current market information for this community and browse nearby amenities, or start searching Crestwood Homes for Sale in Edmonton.

Once a buyer begins to show serious interest or makes an offer on your home, it’s time to start understanding whether or not your buyer has the financial backing to support their interest. Always expect a buyer to bring a pre-approval letter from a mortgage lender, or proof of funds for a cash purchase, showing that they have access to money to actually follow through and buy your home.

If you can, try and determine the buyer’s motives: the more you know about your prospective buyers, the better placed you will be during any negotiations. Also, make sure you understand any conditions being placed on the sale once an offer is in play: some home buyers will make the purchase conditional on the sale of their own property, which could put you in a bind later one, especially if you need to close by a particular date.

For those first time Edmonton Home Buyers who are purchasing property for the very first time, one of the steepest learning curves is understanding how mortgages work, what different kinds there are, and – of course – deciding which one is best for you. To get you started on the right track when it comes to mortgages, we’ve put together a quick primer based on the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation information.

Remember: this is just a quick guide to get you started, and is not intended to replace a consult with a certified, professional mortgage broker. Always consult a professional before you make a decision.

All mortgages are of two basic types.

Conventional Mortgages

The home buyer can borrow up to 80% of the purchase price or the value of the property, whichever is less. The buyer has to pay 20% down. A conventional mortgage cannot exceed 80% of the value of the property.

Insured or High-Ratio Mortgages

A buyer can borrow up to 95% of the purchase price or value of the property, whichever is less. The down payment can be as low as 5%.

Mortgage Options

You can choose any of these mortgage options which fit into the two basic mortgage types. Lenders may even customize these options to suit your needs.

Open Mortgage

Open mortgages allow for borrowers to repay all or part of the total amount of their mortgage at any time without penalty. Because of this flexibility, this is ideal for borrowers who plan to sell their homes in the near future or who want to switch from a short-term mortgage at high interest rates to a longer term when mortgage interest rates fall.

Closed Mortgage

These usually have the lowest interest rates available, but lack the flexible features of other mortgage options. These are good choices for those who want the security of knowing their monthly payments are fixed for a longer term. Prepayment options are usually available, but are often subject to conditions.

Portable Mortgage

These are flexible if the borrower moves. Borrowers can take the mortgage to their new home or can transfer it (usually with the consent of the lender) to the purchaser of their old home. This is an attractive option if the rate on the existing mortgage is lower than current rates.

To learn more about mortgages or to be referred to a mortgage broker, contact the Terry Paranych Team today.