This Canada Day, why not get out and experience some of the exciting activities planned around the city! We’ve put together a few events for you to consider in hopes you will be able to get out and enjoy some of the festivities!

Canada Day Fireworks at Centre Street Bridge 11:00PM

Good viewing locations are along the Bow River corridor, Festival Market (between Eau Claire market and the YMCA), Sien Lok Park, Riverfront Avenue, Tom Campbell’s Hill Park, Nose Hill Park, Max Bell Centre, Shaganappi Point and 26 ST SW, Valleyview Park West Ridge at 26 St SE. More Information

Riverfront Avenue 12PM– 11PM.

During the day along Riverfront Avenue, come and enjoy family friendly activities, interactive booths and food trucks. Experience Francophone heritage and culture with maple sweets, food and music in a festive atmosphere. The Riverfront Stage is located at the Harry Hays Building, on the North lawn, facing the Bow River. Mayor Nenshi will kick off official Canada Day ceremonies at 7 p.m. and the stage will erupt with some of Canada’s most acclaimed performing artists offering a little something for everyone. The high-energy performances will capture audiences and build momentum in anticipation of the fireworks show to close off the celebrations. Evening entertainment to inlcude: Joel Plaskett Emergency, The Zolas, & The Grapes of Wrath. More Information.

Prince’s Island Park 12PM – 6:00PM.

Join the movement! Located across the bridge from Eau Claire Market, Calgary Recreation is offering a variety of active programming for children, including DancePl3y, physical literacy and parachute games. Adults can also get their physical activity in for the day with 45 minute fitness classes, including Zumba, adventure bootcamp, and much more. Classes start on the hour, every hour from noon to 6:00 p.m.

Stephen Avenue Walk 11AM – 8PM

The historic Stephen Avenue Walk will feature its usual assortment of shops, restaurants, patios, street vendors and buskers, in addition to a full day of entertainment including live music on the #IAMDOWNTOWN stage and other special events happening down the avenue. More Information.

Living Flag at Fort Calgary 12PM– 1PM.

Don your red and white and show off your Canadian spirit in this fun, family-friendly Canada Day tradition, presented by Calgary Afterschool and 98.5 Virgin Radio. The first 1000 people to check-in will receive a free red or white Living Flag t-shirt to participate in this enormously popular activity. All participants are asked to wear red or white to join in for the ultimate group selfie on Canada Day.

Aboriginal Showcase and Powwow at Prince’s Island Park 10AM – 6PM

Explore a proud part of Canada’s heritage at a Traditional Powwow presented by Bow Valley College’s Iniikokaan Aboriginal Centre. Prince’s Island Park comes alive with the heartbeat of Canada’s First Nations peoples as they showcase Aboriginal peoples’ ways through storytelling, drumming and dancing. Join us as we celebrate cultural sharing of the First Nations, Metis and Inuit people to all Canadians.

For more ideas of fun and fantastic things to do in Calgary this Canada Day, Visit www.todocanada.ca

Have a great long weekend!

Is buying a condominium very different from buying a single family home?

In a word – absolutely!

To help you to decide if condominium ownership is right for you, we have put together the following important considerations for you to review:

Play well with others – You are not only buying your exclusive use of your unit, you are also buying a shared ownership of the common areas. Because there is “Common Property”, co-operation is one of the keys to a happy ownership experience. An owner should always consider volunteering for a board position to have input in the management of the development.

It’s all about the money – The (usually) required monthly condo fee can be as low as $150.00, up to the sky’s the limit! The fee is used to pay for regular maintenance, like snow removal, lawn maintenance and cleaning of the common areas. Sometimes the condo fee pays for your heat. A portion is also held in reserve – the Reserve Fund – to be used for future larger maintenance items, such as roof or fence replacement. Occasionally if the condominium board has not assessed a high enough condo fee early in the life of the development to cover large future costs there can be a “Special Assessment”. This is why it is so important to review all of the condominium documents during the conditional period at the time of your purchase.

The name game – It could be a Bareland or a Conventional or a Barely Blended Condominium. How does this affect an owner? The type of condominium development is registered with Land Titles and dictates the registered size of your unit. In a Bareland Condominum, the lot itself is often the “Unit”, so you will need to review a Real Property Report or survey during the due diligence period. Sometimes the registered size includes a garage or parking stall.

Does size matter? Sometimes it does! The “Registered Size” according to the condominium plan is not necessarily the actual living area. There can also be different standards of measurement according to the local real estate board and/or the industry governing body. It’s important to always double check which measurement was used in establishing an advertised unit size.

Where do I park my ride?  Parking can be anything from an uncovered stall to an attached garage. It can be “Assigned”, “Leased” or “Titled”. Older apartment style condominiums often have “Assigned” parking. This means you are not guaranteed that the stall offered when you purchased your condo will always be your stall because it could be re-assigned. In most newer developments you will receive a separate “Title” for your parking stall.

Who makes the rules?  The “Bylaws” are the rules that the owners must follow. They cover everything from allowing pets to whether exterior door and window replacement is the responsibility of the owner or the condominium corporation. Bylaws can be changed from time to time but only if the majority of the owners agree to do so.

The benefits on the condominium lifestyle include little to no maintenance responsibility, and developments often include attractive lifestyle amenities. So for those who don’t want to mow the lawn or worry about replacing the roof, condominiums offer a terrific style of ownership.

Knowledge is power! Consider working with a condominium specialist who has the knowledge to help you navigate through all of the considerations so that you will know before you buy.

If you have any questions about purchasing a condominium, or any other kind of property, we’d love to help! Call us now at 403-686-1455 or email: info@cbcalgary.ca!

City of Calgary, June 1, 2016 – Calgary’s housing inventory was on the rise once again in May as new

When compiling this information every month I am sometimes surprised at how differently market segments perform. We have seen improvements in the absorption rates in all reported segments EXCEPT for Calgary Apartments and Cochrane Detached homes.

This data demonstrates why it is so important to look at all of the factors in your particular market segment when you are selling or buying.

Despite the super-heated markets in Vancouver and Toronto, interest rates continue to stay at historic lows, making this an ideal time to buy in any market segment.

If you are curious about the investment market or the current market value of your home, please feel free to contact us.

Hope this helps!

Susanita de Diego

If you are curious about the current market value of your home, please feel free to contact us.

Download Calgary and Area Real Estate Statistics – May 2016