Allison James

For many people, the opportunity to purchase a vacation home represents a dream come true.  However, before signing on the dotted line, ask yourself a few questions to help you decide if a vacation home is the right investment for you.

What are your Goals?

First of all, is a return on investment your primary goal or are you just looking for a weekend retreat for your family and friends?  Most often, it is a little bit of both.  This is important because vacation homes do not always carry the same equity return that other real estate investments bring.  If there is a severe downturn in the economy, vacation home sales and rentals will feel the brunt of the downturn right away.  If, on the other hand, you view the property as your eventual retirement home, you will probably want to follow your heart and focus on location and amenities vs. equity potential and risk assessment.

What are the Costs?

In addition to monthly payments of principal and interest under your mortgage loan, you will be responsible for real estate taxes, insurance, association dues, repairs and maintenance and property management fees.  You can save on property management fees by self-managing, but this only works if you live a short distance from the property and can handle both scheduled and emergency maintenance and repair issues.  As all homeowners know, appliances and heating systems never stop working at a convenient time.

What is the Property’s Rental History?

If, like most investors, you will be looking to rent the property out to others most of the year, this question cannot be stressed enough.   You will be taking a significant risk if you purchase a home with a spotty rental history.  Work with an experienced Realtor to study rental trends in the neighbourhood and overall area.  A condominium in a busy tourist area will always rent faster than a sprawling farmhouse away from everything.   You will also need to do a little investigation work to determine if any local ordinances or association rules prohibit or limit your ability to rent the property.

How Far from Home?

Distance, of course, factors into property management decisions, but you will also need to decide just how far you are willing to travel to enjoy your vacation home.  This will depend largely on how often you plan to use it.  If you envision yourself heading out to your lake house most weekends, it should not be too far away.  If you plan a one or two week family vacation once or twice a year, you may be more inclined to travel a greater distance.

These are just a few of the many factors to consider before investing in a vacation home.  Work with an experienced Realtor to ensure that your vacation home is indeed your dream come true and not a nightmare.

Do you need to move to celebrate the changes that are happening in your life? Let me serve you in helping you make the move to the place or home that reflects where you are in life’s journey! I will listen to your needs and use my knowledge and expertise to make this a smooth transition to the right place for you to call home in Calgary. Contact me at 403-708-5873, ajames16@gmail.com, or www.allisonjames.com and let’s get on with your journey!

About Allison James

Allison James has been a realtor® since 1999 with Century 21 Bamber Realty Ltd. in the changing Calgary real estate market. A Century 21 Centurion Award 2007 recipient and a member of CREA and AREA, she specializes in residential real estate and has her designations as a Seniors Real Estate Specialist and a Certified Condominium Specialist. These designations testify that she has the expertise and resources to help her clients make a smooth transition to the next step in their life journey. She enjoys helping her clients as they move through many of the same stages of life that she, too, has experienced. The fact that the majority of her business comes from past clients and/or referrals from satisfied clients speaks volumes about her dedication to the high quality of service that she offers her clients to meet their Calgary and surrounding area real estate needs. She is a mother of four who are all on their own now, and a grandmother of eight. Besides helping people buy or sell real estate, she loves spending time with her family, being active outdoors, traveling and meeting new people, photography, playing the drums, reading, scuba diving, listening to music, learning new things, and nurturing her spiritual growth.

The home financing process actually begins long before launching the search for your first home or investment property. Unless you are in the enviable position of being an all-cash buyer, the journey to home ownership starts when you first build a good credit history.

Potential lenders need to see that you can handle the responsibility of borrowing money and paying debts in a timely manner.  While it may seem fiscally prudent to refrain from accumulating debt as a young person, you will need to demonstrate a positive credit history prior to financing the purchase of a home.  A good credit score will result from the timely repayment of car or student loans.  When it comes to credit cards and other forms of revolving credit, make all payments on time and avoid “maxing out” on the available credit line.

Congratulations if you are a young person with a good credit history looking to buy your first home.  Now it is time to visit a mortgage professional and decide on a budget.  If you have not yet established a positive credit rating or have credit problems, a mortgage professional can still help you with financial advice and credit repair tips to get you on the road to home ownership.

One of the first things you will need to discuss is the source of your down payment funds.  Most lenders will insist on a minimum down payment of 5% from your personal savings, RRSP or a documented gift from a friend or relative.  It is best to have the money in easily available and verifiable funds. Your mortgage professional will obtain and review your credit report and will need evidence of your income and employment history.  This may come in the form of paystubs, tax returns and perhaps, a letter from your employer. The lender will tell you exactly what is needed to issue a pre-approval letter on your behalf.  This pre-approval will aid you in establishing a budget number for your home search and give sellers the confidence they will need to proceed with you once you find a home.

A mortgage professional can help you estimate closing costs and advise you on the type of loan best suitable to your unique set of circumstances.  Depending on the size of your down payment and the length of time you plan to remain in the home, they will recommend either a fixed or variable rate loan.  While variable rate loans are usually slightly lower than fixed rates, in choosing a variable rate loan, you assume the risk that the interest rate may increase during the term of the loan.  If you do not plan to stay in the home long, a lower, variable rate loan is often an excellent choice.

Real estate financing can be confusing.  Interest rates and lender requirements are in a constant state of flux.  The smart thing to do is to sit down with an experienced loan officer as the first step on your journey to home ownership.

Do you need to move to celebrate the changes that are happening in your life? Let me serve you in helping you make the move to the place or home that reflects where you are in life’s journey! I will listen to your needs and use my knowledge and expertise to make this a smooth transition to the right place for you to call home in Calgary. Contact me at 403-708-5873, ajames16@gmail.com, or www.allisonjames.com and let’s get on with your journey!

About Allison James

Allison James has been a realtor® since 1999 with Century 21 Bamber Realty Ltd. in the changing Calgary real estate market. A Century 21 Centurion Award 2007 recipient and a member of CREA and AREA, she specializes in residential real estate and has her designations as a Seniors Real Estate Specialist and a Certified Condominium Specialist. These designations testify that she has the expertise and resources to help her clients make a smooth transition to the next step in their life journey. She enjoys helping her clients as they move through many of the same stages of life that she, too, has experienced. The fact that the majority of her business comes from past clients and/or referrals from satisfied clients speaks volumes about her dedication to the high quality of service that she offers her clients to meet their Calgary and surrounding area real estate needs. She is a mother of four who are all on their own now, and a grandmother of eight. Besides helping people buy or sell real estate, she loves spending time with her family, being active outdoors, traveling and meeting new people, photography, playing the drums, reading, scuba diving, listening to music, learning new things, and nurturing her spiritual growth.

Real estate is a highly competitive business.  When you list your property for sale, you immediately enter into competition with every similar property in your neighbourhood that is for sale.  You are all competing for the attention of buyers.  Even in our digital age, very few people purchase a property sight unseen.  Phone inquiries and internet hits are all fine and good, but in order to sell a home, you really need to generate floor traffic and showings.

If you are working with a Realtor and have not had many showings, you need to sit down and pinpoint the problem.  There is a market and a buyer for every home out there, including yours.  You just have to find them and invite them in.  Start by focusing on those factors that are within your control.  You cannot change your neighbourhood and there is not much you can do about your competition, but there are some things you can definitely do to drive traffic toward your property.

Make the home available and easy to show.

Even though it may be inconvenient, you really have to be ready to let prospective buyers into your home at a moment’s notice.  Your Realtor must be reliable and reachable and so must you.  Buyers often view several homes in a neighbourhood at a time and if the house is not available for a showing when they are around, you could lose the opportunity.  Homes that require too much advance notice and complicated instructions for showing are often a turn-off for buyers and their agents. In addition to being accessible, the home should be tidy and free of pet odors, if possible.

Make sure your marketing is up-to-date.

Marketing is the responsibility of your Realtor and to maintain a competitive edge in today’s world, homes are marketed using both traditional and digital outlets.  It starts with good photos and perhaps, a video that entices buyers to want to see more.  In addition to traditional advertising through signage and newspapers, your property should appear in the local MLS and a host of other internet sites catering to buyers in your area.  Your Realtor should be familiar enough with social media to arrange for well-placed postings on Facebook, Twitter and other sites.

Make sure the price is right.

There is no quicker or easier way to discourage showings than to overprice your home.  Your sentimental attachment to your home does not necessarily translate into real value.  That is one of the many reasons you need a professional Realtor to price the property from an objective point of view – free of emotional attachment.  If you are not getting any showings, the first thing to ask is, “Are we priced right?”

These are just a few of the items to consider when listing your home for sale.  If you are not getting the foot traffic you feel your home deserves, sit down quickly with your Realtor and strategize to increase the number of showings.  Price it right, market it effectively and stay accessible to real estate agents and their buyers, and the property will sell itself.

Do you need to move to celebrate the changes that are happening in your life? Let me serve you in helping you make the move to the place or home that reflects where you are in life’s journey! I will listen to your needs and use my knowledge and expertise to make this a smooth transition to the right place for you to call home in Calgary. Contact me at 403-708-5873, ajames16@gmail.com, or www.allisonjames.com and let’s get on with your journey!

About Allison James

Allison James has been a realtor® since 1999 with Century 21 Bamber Realty Ltd. in the changing Calgary real estate market. A Century 21 Centurion Award 2007 recipient and a member of CREA and AREA, she specializes in residential real estate and has her designations as a Seniors Real Estate Specialist and a Certified Condominium Specialist. These designations testify that she has the expertise and resources to help her clients make a smooth transition to the next step in their life journey. She enjoys helping her clients as they move through many of the same stages of life that she, too, has experienced. The fact that the majority of her business comes from past clients and/or referrals from satisfied clients speaks volumes about her dedication to the high quality of service that she offers her clients to meet their Calgary and surrounding area real estate needs. She is a mother of four who are all on their own now, and a grandmother of eight. Besides helping people buy or sell real estate, she loves spending time with her family, being active outdoors, traveling and meeting new people, photography, playing the drums, reading, scuba diving, listening to music, learning new things, and nurturing her spiritual growth.

Continued uncertainty surrounding the oil and gas industry has definitely had an unsettling impact on the Calgary real estate market in 2015, but several indicators in recent months point to positive trends.  Viewed separately, these statistics may not seem like much, but viewed together, they point to a balancing trend that may be exactly what the volatile Calgary market needs.

In its June 2015 report, entitled Calgary Regional Housing Market Statistics, the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB) reports that May 2015 marked the first time this year that residential sale prices improved over the previous month. In addition, CREB Chief Economist Ann-Marie Lurie states, “For the third month in a row, new listings have eased compared to last year, helping push the market toward more balanced conditions, despite the current environment of slower sales activity.”   CREB President Corinne Lyall added, “While some challenges continue to exist for sellers, depending on the property type, price and location, the decline in the months of supply points towards more stability for both buyers and sellers.”

Despite a steep drop in the total number of sales from 2014, home values have not suffered a significant hit yet.   The median sales price in Calgary for residential property in May of 2015 was $433,000, down only .26% from a year ago.  Prospective buyers waiting for the anticipated declines in value have yet to see that occur.  Homeowners with lower-priced entry level homes still find themselves firmly entrenched in a sellers’ market, especially those in sought after neighbourhoods.  Higher-priced homes in the luxury market are remaining on the market longer, but most owners are not yet rushing to drop the price.

After an extended period of steady gains and a robust sellers’ market, the balancing act that is currently underway in Calgary may be exactly what is needed to fend off a steep decline in value across the board.   The 2014 freefall in oil and gas prices was largely unexpected and led to uncertainty and erosion in confidence for prospective homebuyers.  Market movement in the coming months will depend largely on the duration of this economic uncertainty.

Do you need to move to celebrate the changes that are happening in your life? Let me serve you in helping you make the move to the place or home that reflects where you are in life’s journey! I will listen to your needs and use my knowledge and expertise to make this a smooth transition to the right place for you to call home in Calgary. Contact me at 403-708-5873, ajames16@gmail.com, or www.allisonjames.com and let’s get on with your journey!

About Allison James

Allison James has been a realtor® since 1999 with Century 21 Bamber Realty Ltd. in the changing Calgary real estate market. A Century 21 Centurion Award 2007 recipient and a member of CREA and AREA, she specializes in residential real estate and has her designations as a Seniors Real Estate Specialist and a Certified Condominium Specialist. These designations testify that she has the expertise and resources to help her clients make a smooth transition to the next step in their life journey. She enjoys helping her clients as they move through many of the same stages of life that she, too, has experienced. The fact that the majority of her business comes from past clients and/or referrals from satisfied clients speaks volumes about her dedication to the high quality of service that she offers her clients to meet their Calgary and surrounding area real estate needs. She is a mother of four who are all on their own now, and a grandmother of eight. Besides helping people buy or sell real estate, she loves spending time with her family, being active outdoors, traveling and meeting new people, photography, playing the drums, reading, scuba diving, listening to music, learning new things, and nurturing her spiritual growth.

Calgary puts on a great show on Canada Day.  There are historical-themed events, music, food, parades, festivals and more food – all capped off with brilliant fireworks over the Bow River.  There is no shortage of activity and you are sure to find a patriotic celebration whichever way you turn.  Here are a few suggestions for Canada Day fun and adventure a little off the beaten path:

Chinatown Fest

Following its debut last year, Calgary’s Canada Day Chinatown Fest is back by popular demand.  Come on down to Chinatown between 3:00 pm and 10:00 pm to celebrate Canada’s birthday surrounded by the unique sounds, sights and aromas of Chinatown.

Show & Shine

Calgary’s favourite classic car show, Show & Shine, will be held on Canada Day in the East Village in collaboration with the East Village Street Fair.  From 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, in addition to ogling the fine array of festooned classic cars, enjoy the work of local artisans and musicians while sampling some of the fine East Village food.

Celebrate Canada

Celebrate Canada, organized by Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at (AMJ) Calgary, will be held at Prairie Winds Park from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm.  This event beautifully represents Calgary’s tremendous cultural diversity and aims to promote both national pride and neighbourhood spirit. There will be speeches from local and national leaders along with educational displays and recreational activities for children and adults.  You can also participate in guided tours of Calgary’s Baitun Nur Mosque.  This 48,000 sq. ft. building with a steel dome and minaret tower is Calgary’s largest mosque.

Canada Day in Canmore

If you are in need of some fresh mountain air and natural beauty that defies description, head on out to Canmore for your Canada Day festivities.  Canmore’s Canada Day Parade begins at 12:00 noon and the intersection of Fairhoime Dr. and 15th Street.  After the parade, segue into a Centennial Park celebration featuring marching bands, musical acts on a main state and a huge family area with something for everyone.  The music will continue between 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm with live acts on the Civic Centre Center Stage.  Canmore’s fireworks extravaganza will kick off at 10:30 pm in Millenium Park – just a short stroll from Centennial Park.  It all sounds like the ingredients for a perfect day.

On our country’s birthday, we are reminded of all that we, as Canadians, cherish and hold dear.  Despite our differences, there is so much that we all share in common.  Canada Day affords us the opportunity to commemorate the achievements, vision and values of our ancestors while embracing the contributions of today’s generations.

Do you need to move to celebrate the changes that are happening in your life? Let me serve you in helping you make the move to the place or home that reflects where you are in life’s journey! I will listen to your needs and use my knowledge and expertise to make this a smooth transition to the right place for you to call home in Calgary. Contact me at 403-708-5873, ajames16@gmail.com, or www.allisonjames.com and let’s get on with your journey!

About Allison James

Allison James has been a realtor® since 1999 with Century 21 Bamber Realty Ltd. in the changing Calgary real estate market. A Century 21 Centurion Award 2007 recipient and a member of CREA and AREA, she specializes in residential real estate and has her designations as a Seniors Real Estate Specialist and a Certified Condominium Specialist. These designations testify that she has the expertise and resources to help her clients make a smooth transition to the next step in their life journey. She enjoys helping her clients as they move through many of the same stages of life that she, too, has experienced. The fact that the majority of her business comes from past clients and/or referrals from satisfied clients speaks volumes about her dedication to the high quality of service that she offers her clients to meet their Calgary and surrounding area real estate needs. She is a mother of four who are all on their own now, and a grandmother of eight. Besides helping people buy or sell real estate, she loves spending time with her family, being active outdoors, traveling and meeting new people, photography, playing the drums, reading, scuba diving, listening to music, learning new things, and nurturing her spiritual growth.

Everybody knows what not to do when selling your home. It’s common sense – right?  Well, not always. Here are a few of my tips to sellers whose home is being shown. Some of my tips are just general rules for showing homes and others are pulled from my own amusing and very real experiences.

Forget to Take Out the Garbage

Garbage is unsightly and offensive odors leave a strong and lasting impression. Overflowing cans, even in the backyard or garage, are a turn-off.

Go on a Cooking Spree the Morning of an Open House

Limit heavy kitchen use and the accompanying mess and odors while your home is being shown. Stacks of dirty dishes will only serve to hide your beautiful countertop. While you may adore the smell of garlic and onions, not everyone does. Pungent cooking odors should be avoided whenever possible except for boiling cinnamon or homemade bread or cookies which seem to have a universal appeal.

Leave Out All Your Family Photos

Remember that the goal is to depersonalize the space to better enable a buyer to picture themselves living there. You may be justly proud of your kids’ report cards but put them away in a safe place together with the photo albums, diplomas and awards.

Leave Your Pet Home Alone

No matter how well-behaved your beloved little dog is, it’s best to arrange for doggie day care during showings. Many people are allergic, are afraid of animals or simply don’t like them. There are liability issues to consider as pets don’t always welcome strangers invading their turf and can turn nasty. Finally, accidents do happen. Just remember that piles of dog excrement or smelly litter boxes are not likely to ignite a bidding war.

Fail to Cover Your Aquarium Full of Snakes

Believe it or not, some people get jittery when it comes to large snakes. In fact, most people will, so do yourself a favor and send the snakes to a friend’s house. Your potential buyers and your realtor will all appreciate the effort.

Leave Your Sex Toys Out in Full View

I know. It’s nothing to be ashamed of and everyone does it, but please do us all a favor and put your personal pleasure items away. It’s much better to allow the buyers to conjure their own fantasy of living in your home – without the aid of your assistive devices.

Selling a home can be stressful. Remember that you hired an expert for a reason and my goal as a realtor is to sell your home as quickly as possible at the highest price. Pay attention to my tips and before your know it, you’ll be comfortably situated in a new space. Then you can cook any time of day or night, hang every piece of artwork your child ever brought home and even leave your “toys” out if you don’t feel like putting them away.

Do you need to move to celebrate the changes that are happening in your life? Let me serve you in helping you make the move to the place or home that reflects where you are in life’s journey! I will listen to your needs and use my knowledge and expertise to make this a smooth transition to the right place for you to call home in Calgary. Contact me at 403-708-5873, ajames16@gmail.com, or www.allisonjames.com and let’s get on with your journey!

About Allison James

Allison James has been a realtor® since 1999 with Century 21 Bamber Realty Ltd. in the changing Calgary real estate market. A Century 21 Centurion Award 2007 recipient and a member of CREA and AREA, she specializes in residential real estate and has her designations as a Seniors Real Estate Specialist and a Certified Condominium Specialist. These designations testify that she has the expertise and resources to help her clients make a smooth transition to the next step in their life journey. She enjoys helping her clients as they move through many of the same stages of life that she, too, has experienced. The fact that the majority of her business comes from past clients and/or referrals from satisfied clients speaks volumes about her dedication to the high quality of service that she offers her clients to meet their Calgary and surrounding area real estate needs. She is a mother of four who are all on their own now, and a grandmother of eight. Besides helping people buy or sell real estate, she loves spending time with her family, being active outdoors, traveling and meeting new people, photography, playing the drums, reading, scuba diving, listening to music, learning new things, and nurturing her spiritual growth.

The Calgary real estate market continues to grow as 2014 gets underway, and it shows no signs of letting up! Price growth since 2005 has been more than 200% in some neighborhoods, such as Altadore. New and existing homes are selling quickly, and there are plenty of good reasons to celebrate the vibrant city.

Lots of jobs

For one thing, there’s plenty of employment. Genworth Canada’s report on the Conference Board of Canada’s Autumn Metropolitan Housing Outlook predicts that Calgary’s unemployment rates will drop slightly to around 4.6% in 2014, a trend they anticipate will continue for the next few years. Meanwhile, job growth will add nearly 3% to the region’s employment opportunities.

Exciting culture

But of course, employment is just one of the things that make an area attractive. We all want to have lifestyles that allow us to enjoy life to its fullest, and this makes Calgary even more attractive. The city offers many opportunities to celebrate food and fun, which makes it a top choice for residents.

Locals are already familiar with the popular Calgary Stampede that draws thousands every summer. This year, Shania Twain will be the star performer amid rodeo performances, talented youth shows, a petting zoo for kids, exciting carnival rides, and a vibrant midway. This is one of the most popular cultural events every summer throughout the province.

Our location near the Rocky Mountains provides appealing opportunities both for people who want a healthy lifestyle and those who enjoy outdoor activities like hunting, skiing, golf, and fishing. Walking, bicycling, and exercising at local recreation centers are readily available to everyone.

Dining, shopping, and art round out the Calgary experience and have been garnering international attention. Both the New York Times and The Guardian have noted that our city has transformed into a cultural hub worth experiencing in 2014, listing us in their respective annual “Where to Go in 2014” guides.

All these things are what make our city a wonderful place to live in, and the Calgary real estate market has been reflecting this desirability for nearly a decade, with no signs of letting up anytime soon.

Do you need to move to celebrate the changes that are happening in your life? Let me serve you in helping you make the move to the place or home that reflects where you are in life’s journey! I will listen to your needs and use my knowledge and expertise to make this a smooth transition to the right place for you to call home in Calgary. Contact me at 403-708-5873, ajames16@gmail.com, or www.allisonjames.com and let’s get on with your journey!

About Allison James

Allison James has been a realtor® since 1999 with Century 21 Bamber Realty Ltd. in the changing Calgary real estate market. A Century 21 Centurion Award 2007 recipient and a member of CREA and AREA, she specializes in residential real estate and has her designations as a Seniors Real Estate Specialist and a Certified Condominium Specialist. These designations testify that she has the expertise and resources to help her clients make a smooth transition to the next step in their life journey. She enjoys helping her clients as they move through many of the same stages of life that she, too, has experienced. The fact that the majority of her business comes from past clients and/or referrals from satisfied clients speaks volumes about her dedication to the high quality of service that she offers her clients to meet their Calgary and surrounding area real estate needs. She is a mother of four who are all on their own now, and a grandmother of eight. Besides helping people buy or sell real estate, she loves spending time with her family, being active outdoors, traveling and meeting new people, photography, playing the drums, reading, scuba diving, listening to music, learning new things, and nurturing her spiritual growth.

Image Courtesy of Abdallah

So Calgary real estate is red-hot (Best Place to Live in Canada and fifth in the world!); but it wasn’t always this hot. It used to be that when people had to move to Calgary, they’d feel dejected, thinking it was too quiet, too laid-back. Today, there’s no place they’d rather be.

Cowtown

Calgary’s modern history (its full history goes back 11,000 years to Canada’s aboriginal peoples) actually didn’t start out that quietly. It came with the railway trains in 1883 which soon made Calgary an important commercial and agricultural center, and a transportation and distribution hub. It became a town a year later and a city after a decade.

First the chugs of the trains, then the moos of the cows. The offer of free homestead land in the city drew hordes of migrants the world over. Ranching became big in Calgary, until it emerged as the center of Canada’s cattle marketing and meatpacking industries, from which it got its nickname, Cowtown. In 1912, the Calgary Stampede was born as a small agricultural roadshow and rodeo to showcase Calgary’s local products and cowboy culture, and it has since been held yearly with a big local and global following.

Boomtown

But the cows’ moos were all but drowned out by the oil boom in Calgary after the discovery of big oil reserves there in 1947 and the rise in oil prices with the Arab oil embargo in the 1970s. People the world over flocked to the city, driving its population up by 70% in 18 years and then by 50% in the next 18 years. Suddenly, high-rise buildings and skyscrapers lined the horizon and filled the downtown streets, and the city even became the first Canadian city to host the Winter Olympic Games, in 1988. But the drop in oil prices in the 1980s dragged Calgary’s economy along. Yet like a true cowboy, it rose from its fall a decade later by diversifying its economy from mainly oil and agriculture to include manufacturing, transportation, services, IT and e-commerce, and tourism, this last due to Calgary’s natural beauty and diversity from being lodged between the Canadian Rockies and the Canadian Prairies, and with two rivers running through it. Today, Calgary is a highly urbanized cosmopolitan town with an average household income that’s one of the highest in Canada and an unemployment rate that’s almost half the national average, but it has kept its cowboy’s down-to-earth and can-do spirit burning bright, which is what lifted it so quickly from the record flood in June last year.

I’ve proudly been calling Calgary my home since March, 1999 and have been a Calgary Realtor® for 14 years. I still get a high each time I tell people the story of Calgary’s rise from a quiet town to boomtown. Does anyone have other great stories to tell about Calgary? Let’s hear them!

Do you need to move to celebrate the changes that are happening in your life? Let me serve you in helping you make the move to the place or home that reflects where you are in life’s journey! I will listen to your needs and use my knowledge and expertise to make this a smooth transition to the right place for you to call home in Calgary. Contact me at 403-708-5873, ajames16@gmail.com , or www.allisonjames.com and let’s get on with your journey!

About Allison James

Allison James has been a realtor® since 1999 with Century 21 Bamber Realty Ltd. in the changing Calgary real estate market. A Century 21 Centurion Award 2007 recipient and a member of CREA and AREA, she specializes in residential real estate and has her designations as a Seniors Real Estate Specialist and a Certified Condominium Specialist. These designations testify that she has the expertise and resources to help her clients make a smooth transition to the next step in their life journey. She enjoys helping her clients as they move through many of the same stages of life that she, too, has experienced. The fact that the majority of her business comes from past clients and/or referrals from satisfied clients speaks volumes about her dedication to the high quality of service that she offers her clients to meet their Calgary and surrounding area real estate needs. She is a mother of four who are all on their own now, and a grandmother of eight. Besides helping people buy or sell real estate, she loves spending time with her family, being active outdoors, traveling and meeting new people, photography, playing the drums, reading, scuba diving, listening to music, learning new things, and nurturing her spiritual growth.

Image Courtesy of Ashurii from DeviantArt.com

The holidays are over and it’s back to business as usual for most of us, but I’m sure there’s some holiday cheer left to go around. Let me add to that: it’s cold outside, but the Calgary real estate market is seen to shine bright due to projections of sustained economic growth. The city of Calgary capped a year that saw an 11 per cent growth in sales volume for the entire 12 months of 2013. City residential sales sold units for 2013 totaled 23,489. Prices for the year were up by 8.6 per cent over 2012. Housing demand is high and inventory tight, but we expect home listings to take off again this month to help balance out the market.

I invite you to keep reading my blog posts for key information and updates on Calgary, apart from useful buyer or seller tips. Let’s connect on social media. I love meeting new friends online, keeping in touch, sharing my thoughts and feelings and reading about those of others, and helping out in whatever way I can. My online presence makes it easy for me to stay close to my clients through the many changes in their lives, and makes it easy for them to refer me to their family and friends as I meet and even exceed their expectations. Again, though, balance with the good old personal touch is the key.

I’m looking forward to better weather myself after the cold winter. I don’t ski, but I plan on getting out and going hiking as weather permits. One of the reasons why I love living here in Calgary is that we’re so close to the mountains. The feeling I get when I’m up in the mountains energizes and refreshes me.

Another reason is the culture scene. I’m looking forward to going to some of my favorite outdoor music venues in the summer months, and participating in the Circles of Rhythm drum circle that happens weekly all year — sometimes during the summer, taking place outdoors. Music helps soothe me, sharpen my focus, and expand my energy, so I eagerly await Calgary’s summer musical events.

There’s a lot more happening in this highly rated city that would appeal to the most active and discriminating home buyers. All in all, a good life is waiting in 2014 for anyone who’s seriously considering Calgary real estate for their home.

Do you need to move to celebrate the changes that are happening in your life? Let me serve you in helping you make the move to the place or home that reflects where you are in life’s journey! I will listen to your needs and use my knowledge and expertise to make this a smooth transition to the right place for you to call home in Calgary. Contact me at 403-708-5873, ajames16@gmail.com , or www.allisonjames.com and let’s get on with your journey!

About Allison James

Allison James has been a realtor® since 1999 with Century 21 Bamber Realty Ltd. in the changing Calgary real estate market. A Century 21 Centurion Award 2007 recipient and a member of CREA and AREA, she specializes in residential real estate and has her designations as a Seniors Real Estate Specialist and a Certified Condominium Specialist. These designations testify that she has the expertise and resources to help her clients make a smooth transition to the next step in their life journey. She enjoys helping her clients as they move through many of the same stages of life that she, too, has experienced. The fact that the majority of her business comes from past clients and/or referrals from satisfied clients speaks volumes about her dedication to the high quality of service that she offers her clients to meet their Calgary and surrounding area real estate needs. She is a mother of four who are all on their own now, and a grandmother of eight. Besides helping people buy or sell real estate, she loves spending time with her family, being active outdoors, traveling and meeting new people, photography, playing the drums, reading, scuba diving, listening to music, learning new things, and nurturing her spiritual growth.