Inner-city Feature Looking for Calgary’s next big thing
IT TAKES TWO
THE ART OF LIVING
Dual-master homes a growing trend
Giving your home a splash of inspiration
INDUSTRY A6
DEBORAH HARRISON A8
A7 FREE mar 25 to mar 31 2016 issue 06-11 editorial 403-781-1324 advertising 403-263-4940 crebnow@creb.ca
real estate news from industry experts
SIGNS OF SPRING Warm weather brings indications of spring market to city
‘‘
so there’s typically more buyer interest and potential foot traffic for sellers,” said CREB® president Cliff Stevenson. “When the snow is gone, buyers can see the full yard with all the shrubs and trees, so there’s less guess work about what they’re getting for a particular property.” Although the drop still represents a 37 per cent decline from long-term averages for the month, prospective spring buyers are still being greeted with conditions conducive to buying, including warm weather and benchmark prices that have fallen by 3.45 per cent in comparison to last year. Additionally, buyers have also seen an uptick in the number of homes up for sale – all factors of a typical spring market. “In the spring is when we typically see more people out looking for homes,” said CMHC analyst Richard Cho. According to Cho, Calgary’s unseasonably warm weather may have encouraged at least a few prospective homebuyers to wake from their winter slumber and begin the hunt for a new home.
CODY STUART
managing editor
F
ollowing the second warmest February on record, the warm, sunny snow-free conditions emblematic of a spring housing market are already on display in our city. And while Calgary’s housing market hasn’t yet fully emerged from the doldrums, there are at least some signs of life. With double-digit declines being the norm in 2015 for year-over-year sales, including several months of declines in excess of 25 per cent, the first two months of 2016 have seen the decline lessen. Since October 2015, when yearover-year sales in the city fell by 33.2 per cent according to CREB®, Calgary’s housing market has seen those declines lessen to 28.7 per cent in November, 18.1 per cent in December, 12.6 percent in January 2016 with February seeing the first single-digit decline in the city since December of 2014. “It makes a big difference. People want to get out and enjoy the weather,
PEOPLE WANT TO GET OUT AND ENJOY THE WEATHER, SO THERE’S TYPICALLY MORE BUYER INTEREST AND POTENTIAL FOOT TRAFFIC FOR SELLERS.” CLIFF STEVENSON
CREB® PRESIDENT
SPRING MARKET A3
CREB® president Cliff Stevenson says Calgary’s early spring allows sellers to show their property in the best possible light while also encouraging interest amongst buyers.
MICHELLE HOFER/FOR CREB®NOW
CITY OF CALGARY
MLS® BENCHMARK PRICE* FEB ‘14 – FEB ‘16
ALBERTA NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION SLOWS IN JANUARY
$445,000
$447,800
$452,800
$454,800
$457,400
$459,300
$459,300
$459,100
$459,300
$457,800
$456,700
$458,900
$460,900
$462,400
$461,700
$462,200
$462,800
$461,900
$460,600
$459,800
$458,000
$453,200
$446,300
$439,700
$433,800
FEB14 MAR14 APR14 MAY14 JUN14 JUL14 AUG14 SEP14 OCT14 NOV14 DEC14 JAN15 FEB15 MAR15 APR15 MAY15 JUN15 JUL15 AUG15 SEP15 OCT15 NOV15 DEC15 JAN16 FEB16 OPEN HOUSE SAT & SUN 1-4
OPEN HOUSE: SAT 2-4
NEWS BRIEFS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3 FIVE THINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4
CREB® STAFF
Curb appeal
N
ew homes construction in Calgary fell by 19.3 per cent in January. According to Statistics Canada, investment in new housing construction declined overall in Alberta by 19.3 per cent in January 2016 over last year. Spending in the province decreased in all dwelling types except apartment and apartment-condominium buildings, which rose 22.5 per cent to $195 million. With spending falling from $849.5 million to $685.4 million, Alberta’s drop was the largest decline nationwide, with Saskatchewan’s 30 per cent decline amounting to a cut of just $30 million.
CONSTRUCTION A3
*All statistics based on monthly data compiled by CREB® via MLS® activity. Includes detached, attached and apartment.
CONTENTS
OPEN HOUSE: SAT 1-4:30
WEEKLY FEED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A6 EVENT LISTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A6 MAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1 OPEN HOUSES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B19 @crebnow
CREBNow
@crebnow
www.crebnow.com
Lori Dahlberg Independently Owned and Operated
$599,900
MLS C4044763 ®
68 SNOWDON CRES SW Totally renovated split in Southwood, 1742 sq. ft. with 5 bedrooms, 3 & 1/2 baths, gourmet kitchen, main floor family room, oversized single garage. MINT.
$289,900
MLS C4049964 ®
#81 630 SABRINA RD SW Corner townhouse unit with 2 parking stalls, 3 bdrms, updated kitchen with granite & new appls, new decorator paint, new windows, furnace and electrical.
$377,000
MLS C4050571 ®
701, 1997 SIROCCO DR SW Cactus Ridge two storey w/main flr mstr, single O/S garage, total 2 bdrms and den 2 full baths, heat and W/S included in condo fee. Assumable mortgage.
$278,000
MLS C4050588 ®
156 ELGIN GARDENS SE Elgin Village Townhouse with 2 master bdrms, 2 ensuites, open main floor with large living area and cozy kitchen. Private location with oversized single garage.
$728,000
MLS C4052270 ®
12 DISCOVERY RIDGE CO SW Custom Alanridge 2342 sq. ft. two storey fully developed home with 4 beds, spacious open main flr, main flr den, fabulous yard. Beautifully decorated.
$548,000
NEW LISTING
2109 32 AVE SW 1676 sq. ft. Marda Loop Infill with double garage. Older infill with good bones, great starter for someone who wants to be inner city.
In Calgary call 403-289-3322 Out of town Call 1-877-565-5674 For more information go to www.LoriDahlberg.com lori@royallepage.ca