By Holly Amaya

We know, we know: Coming up with a design scheme from scratch in any room is difficult, let alone your primary living space. You might be tempted to pick out a sofa and a coffee table and call it a day. That's all you really need, right?

Nope! In order to design a truly inviting living room that's also at its most functional, you'll need to do a little extra thinking. Where will your guests sit? Where do the wires go? Where will your kids' 10,000 Lego blocks actually live when they're not scattered all over the floor?

We consulted with design experts across the country to suss out the top things people forget when creating a living room that's not only beautiful but also, well, livable. Take a look.

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August sales in Red Deer hit the highest single monthly total so far this year, while the number of active listings fell slightly compared to last month, bringing the market close to balance. Sales across central Alberta were also better in August, bringing year to date sales in line with the same period last year.

A good month & the improvement indicates that we may be turning the corner. There haven’t been any highly visible events that point to the change, but strong GDP growth in both the Canadian and Alberta economies suggest there is potential for continued recovery.  Unfortunately, a strong Canadian economy may cause another bump in the Bank of Canada rate which will trigger another jump in mortgage rates. Tougher mortgage qualifying…

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As recently reported by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) the number of homes sold across Canada via the MLS system fell by 6.2% in May 2017 compared to April 2017. The month over month percentage decline was the largest since August 2012. Toronto had the greatest decline at 25.3% while some markets such as Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton saw increased sales in May 2017 compared to May 2016. This latest report indicates a more balanced and healthy housing market.

Interest rates are still very low but based on recent comments made by the Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz, rates might not stay this low for much longer. “The interest rate cuts the Bank of Canada made in 2015 have largely done their job as the economy appears to be gathering…

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As per the Canadian Real Estate Association’s (CREA) latest update, national home sales fell 1.7% from March to April and 7.5% compared to last year. Newly listed homes, however, were up 10% from March to April. This is good news if you are looking to purchase a home now with more home listings entering the market and hopefully less bidding wars which have contributed to rising prices.

The above chart shows all single family, residential SOLD listing statistics for Red Deer. Keep in mind this does not include listings that failed to sell & were either cancelled or expired. Accurate & strategic pricing is key to selling your home in today's market. There is no better time to buy in Red Deer then now! Click on the link below to contact us today &…

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First Time Home Buyer's Information Session.

Choose the date & time that works best for you.

We have a total of four sessions:

  •         9:30 - 10:30am on Tues, April 11
  •         6:30 - 7:30pm on Tues, April 11
  •         9:30 - 10:30am on Tues, April 25
  •         6:30 - 7:30pm on Tues, April 25

These 1 hour information sessions will benefit those looking at purchasing their first home in Central Alberta. However, if you are repeat home buyer & it's been awhile since you've been in the buyer’s market, you too can benefit. There will be a 20-25 minute presentation followed by an open discussion.

If you wish to have one on one discussions with any of our advisors, you will be able to do so near the end of the event.

Scheduled to…

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January 2017

Homes provide shelter and refuge, but they are also most Albertan homeowners’ single largest investment. Housing represents 47% of total assets for the average Alberta family – much higher than stock market investments and pension plans combined (29%). Why is this important? Because homeownership benefits the economy as a whole, as well as individual homeowners. Let’s look at this in the context of the most recent stats on Alberta’s real estate, reported by the Canadian Real Estate Association.

Investing in housing in Alberta is better than buying stocks

Over the last 18 years, house price appreciation in Alberta has outpaced Toronto stock market returns. Between 1999 and 2016, with average annual residential sales of roughly 57,000,…

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Red Deer, Innisfail, Sylvan Lake, Blackfalds, Penhold & Lacombe - YEAR IN REVIEW

Alberta has endured a challenging year overall, and as you’ll notice each area in Central Alberta handled the changing market differently.  Below you will find some helpful real estate market information for Red Deer, Innisfail, Sylvan Lake, Blackfalds, Penhold and Lacombe.

While some of the annual data reflects the market in a negative manner.  It is important to note that some areas, such as Red Deer, started experiencing turnaround/recovery trends in the final quarter of 2016.

If you have any questions about how the market may influence your home, your real estate plans, or other market areas, please feel free to contact me.

Thinking of a move this year?  I…

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I hope the New Year is off to a great start!

Did you know you can claim $5,000 for the purchase of a qualifying home in 2016? This is true if both of the following apply:

  • You or your spouse or common-law partner acquired a qualifying home; and
  • You did not live in another home owned by you or your spouse or common-law partner in the year of acquisition or in any of the four preceding years (first-time home buyer).

If this applies to you, be sure to include this amount when you file your taxes. For more information, please visit the following link:

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/hbtc/

Have a great day!

If you'd like to browse homes for sale in the Red Deer & surrounding area click here.

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McDouall Real Estate WebsiteWelcome to PropertyinRedDeer.com, your one-stop shop for all of your Red Deer real estate needs. Jay McDouall is excited to announce his new website with a sleek look and an easy-to-use navigation system. Whether you're looking to break into the Red Deer real estate market or you're a seasoned veteran, you'll be able to find everything you need to get started with McDouall Real Estate.

Professional Red Deer Real Estate Services

Alongside Century 21 Advantage, Jay McDouall brings his expertise and his persistent attitude to help you achieve all of your real estate goals. With a carefully constructed website, a strategic marketing plan and a comprehensive buyer's resource guide, Jay wants you to Consider It Done. From helping you set a…

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Good afternoon,

My trusted Mortgage Specialist has forwarded on the following email. Please contact either Robyn Darling directly or myself to determine whether or not this change will have an affect on your situation. We want to be the first to inform you of these changes & hope that we can answer any of the questions that you may have.

I wanted to quickly touch base with the upcoming changes to mortgage lending October 17.

Our clients looking to qualify for a mortgage on a 5 year fixed term with less than 20% as down payment MUST qualify at benchmark. Right now that is 4.64% regardless of what rate they secure. As it stands any terms less than 5 years and variable rates already need to be qualified this way. Keep in mind some of…

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