Allison James

One of the main reasons I love living in Calgary is the fresh mountain air. It invigorates me! I feel that we have the best of all worlds in our urban settling nestled at the foot of the Rockies. My favorite pastime is to go for a long hike in the mountain air that ends with a great cup of coffee and conversation with friends. Give me these few things and I’m in heaven!

Although I love to travel and get away, I find that there is so much to do and so many great events right here in our own backyard. There is always something going on and you don’t need to leave the city in order to escape. All you need to do is get outside and join in the fun. Here are a few of my favorite springtime getaways in Calgary.

Lilac Festival

This annual festival is held at the end of May in the Beltline and Mission neighborhoods of Calgary along 4th Street. There is delicious food, music and local arts & crafts. Get there early as the festival grows every year and is now attracting over 100,000 people. If you’re lucky, the fragrant lilacs will be in full bloom.

Angel’s Cappuccino & Ice Cream Bar

This charming little gem may be my favorite getaway spot. It’s located in Edworthy Park, a wonderful urban oasis along the banks of the Bow River. The park itself is gorgeous with well-tended hiking trails and gardens. Enjoy a healthy meal at Angel’s or simply linger over a steaming cup of cappuccino while enjoying the river views. When the weather warms up, Angel’s hosts open microphone nights with comfortable and covered outdoor seating. If you’re talented, or brave enough, sign up for a slot and sing. Otherwise just sing along under the fir trees and let your troubles melt away, but not the ice cream. It’s too delicious!

Southern Alberta Music Festival

Here’s another great music festival to look forward to in late August. This one is held at Aspen Crossing in Mossleigh, less than an hour outside the city. Aspen Crossing is a unique train-themed campground featuring caboose cabins, shopping and dining. The music festival, now in its second year, features local musicians from Southern Alberta. It’s a wonderful full day of music in the sun.

After a hard day or week at work, we all need time to ourselves and a place to relax and let go of stress. In Calgary, there are hundreds of places to just breathe and enjoy, and many of them are just around the corner. You will never run out of things to do in our beautiful city by the river.

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.

According to 2011 census figures, Calgary is Canada’s third largest city with a population of roughly 1.1 million. The median age of a Calgarian is 36 years, compared to 38 in Toronto and 40 for the nation overall. The past decade saw a mass infusion of youth attracted to the booming economy and robust employment opportunities.

Calgary appears to be a young city in every sense. After all, it is only 130 years old, and half of our current residents did not live here during the Calgary Olympics of 1988. It would seem that the mythical fountain of youth is alive and well and living in Calgary, but on closer inspection, there’s a catch.

The youngest city in Canada is aging and aging rapidly! In 2011, the first baby boomers turned 65 and their fellow boomers will follow in rapid succession. The coming decades will see dramatic growth in the senior population. The City of Calgary states on its website that “it took a full 70 years for Calgary’s population to climb from 5% seniors to 10% seniors…..it will only take 30 years to climb another full 10% to nearly 20% of the population.”

It remains to be seen if the new generation of senior homeowners will follow the downsizing trend established by their own parents. Over the years, I’ve worked with a number of clients eager to rid themselves of the large house and settle into a single story condo or apartment. Others choose to stay in the large family home as long as possible or buy a new single family home in a resort community once they’ve retired.

One thing is for certain – changes will be in store as we strive to meet the needs of an aging population. The shifting demands faced by the housing industry will also confront the health care, transportation and support service industries.

Among my own clients in the 55+ population, I see a renewed preference for downtown living. The active older generation is attracted to the same low-maintenance lifestyle as the younger folks. They want easy access to transportation, urban services and amenities. Several large-scale development projects are currently underway in the southeast quadrant of Calgary comprised of mixed-use communities with rental apartments, condos, office and retail space, schools, libraries, and assisted living facilities. In many respects, this represents a return to our past before the decades of suburban sprawl. Everything old is new again!

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.

Buying your first home is a huge, life-changing event.  First-time buyers face a gauntlet of difficult choices – from budget considerations to neighborhood choices to financing options.  For many, the first and sometimes most difficult decision is whether to buy a condo or a single-family home.

As an experienced real estate professional and Certified Condominium Specialist with a large family of my own, I am well qualified to coach my young buyers in their first dive into the real estate pool.  I urge those who are not quite sure what they want to carefully consider the following questions.

How much money do you have to spend?

While there are certainly many high-end expensive projects, condominiums are, in general, more affordable than single-family homes, even after factoring in the cost of monthly maintenance fees.  For many first-time buyers, owning a condo is the perfect avenue to becoming a homeowner.

Do you plan on having children in the near future?

As any parent will tell you, having kids changes everything.  If you plan on having a large family quickly, you may well want the added square footage and yard space that comes with a single-family home.  If you’re not planning to have children for five or more years, consider starting out with a condo and then moving on to a single-family home when the time is right.

How do you spend your spare time?

Owning a house is a major responsibility and a lot of work.  If you work full-time during the week, that leaves weekends for housecleaning, gardening, lawn mowing, etc.  Snow removal can’t even wait for the weekend.  Imagine yourself with a beautiful day with nothing to do.  How do you want to spend the free time – gardening or snowboarding?  Houses need constant maintenance and repair.  How handy are you when it comes to fixing things?  If you can’t tell a hammer from a screwdriver, start with a condo.  It’s a great way to begin your education as a property owner and begin to understand how things work.

In the end, the most important consideration is often a lifestyle choice.  In general, I believe that many first-time buyers will do well by starting with a condo.  There are countless complexes located in the hub sections of town in walking distance to transportation, shops and restaurants.  It can be a very attractive lifestyle for young professionals.  If you do decide to buy a condo, make sure you are informed and educated as to what you are buying.  Condominiums come with associations, fees, rules and regulations.  Read and understand the rules with the help of a professional and make sure you can live with them.

Life is a series of continual transitions and home ownership is no different.  Many of my clients have found themselves going from a rental apartment to owning a condo to a single-family home and then back to a condo.  It is my pleasure and privilege to help at every stage in the remarkable journey.

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.