Do you have a fondness for collecting, be it comic books, coins, sport memorabilia, shoes, or ninja weapons?

Stars Wars fans fork over insane amounts of money for anything even tangentially related to the Star Wars franchise. Basketball fans wait for hours, even camping out near stores, in order to get their hands on the the latest sneakers. Bibliophiles search far and wide to acquire rare and elusive first editions of iconic books.

Most people have at least one personal obsession they dedicate time and money to. The question is: Are you a collector or a hoarder?

The Characteristics Of A Collector

Collectors have a keen eye for what is valuable and worth procuring. They are passionate and dedicated, and ensure what they purchase is cared for and...

On Monday, October 7, new guidelines from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) came into effect that could make it easier for self-employed individuals to qualify for mortgage financing.

The changes apply to individuals who have put down a down payment of 20 percent or less, as well as all mortgages not already insured under the 20 percent down payment rule.

Under these new guidelines, lenders will be given more flexibility when it comes to providing mortgage financing for self-employed individuals. The options will allow them to assess a broader array of variables when determining self-employed individuals' qualification for a mortgage.

Prior to the changes, it was difficult for self-employed individuals to obtain mortgage financing. Some could not meet the qualifications at all, despite having adequate savings and low expenses, while others would be forced to seek out financing from alternative lenders, who would aptly charge them higher interest rates, due...

Selling your home can take up a lot of time and energy. Showcasing your home to prospective buyers, advertising, negotiating, preparing a mountain of paperwork, etc. Now try doing that and buying a new home at the same time! While this may seem like a monumental task, some shrewd and careful planning can make the process smoother than you think.

Assess Your Personal Financial Situation

Is it economically feasible for you to buy and sell a new home at the same time? You should review your income, expenses, job stability, level of debt, and credit rating, among other things.

Given the difficulty of the undertaking, you should ensure that you have the financial flexibility to weather any contingencies that might arise.

Research The Real...

Security is a top priority for many homeowners. No one wants to come home to find their valuables stolen and personal property damaged. Even worse, no one wishes to find themselves at the mercy of an armed intruder; those who've experienced such an ordeal sometimes end up traumatized, living in fear in what should be their safe haven.

Fortunately, with today's affordable and versatile technology, homeowners can avail themselves of a wide assortment of devices to prevent unwanted intrusions and decrease the chances of being the victim of a break and enter.

Automated security systems allow homeowners to construct a personalized security system that is flexible, reliable, multi-faceted, and easy to manage.

DIY or Professional?

Home security systems can be as simple or complicated as you'd like. The typical configuration consists of an in-home dashboard, or alternatively, the capability of being controlled remotely via smartphone, tablet, etc. Depending on your...

“Both sales and listings typically decrease during August, as many buyers and sellers shift their focus on preparing for the new school year,” says REALTORS® Association of Edmonton Chair Darcy Torhjelm. “As we move into the fall, buyers still have a lot of inventory to look at in all categories of residential properties. For sellers, they may have to be more patient and flexible when selling their properties, but they should still be able to get a good price for their house in the end.”

Average days on market increased for most categories, indicating it continues to be a buyers’ market for the Edmonton CMA.

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“The overall real estate market is softening as the summer selling season begins to slow,” says REALTORS® Association of Edmonton Chair Darcy Torhjelm. “Average prices are decreasing and that may continue in the rest of the year due to the high inventory levels. It is important for sellers to be prepared to negotiate more and expect to be a bit more flexible with their property prices.”

More Edmonton & Area Market Statistics

"Average prices are remaining stable, however sales are slower than typical for this time of year,” says REALTORS® Association of Edmonton Chair Darcy Torhjelm. “With increasing inventory and days on market, couple with decreasing sales, sellers will need to be patient and consider their homes’ competitive advantages to stand out in the current buyers’ market."

More Edmonton & Area Market Statistics

“Prices and unit sales in the Edmonton CMA market remain stable. This is good news for sellers who have been concerned about selling their properties before the summer months in a ‘buyer’s market’,” says REALTORS® Association of Edmonton Chair Darcy Torhjelm. “Buyers continue to have a great selection of properties to choose from, which means sellers need to be competitive with their listings.”

More Edmonton & Area Market Statistics

“We are in the busiest season for real estate in Edmonton, so sales is consistent with seasonal market trends,” says Darcy Torhjelm, REALTORS® Association of Edmonton Chair.

More Edmonton & Area Market Statistics

“We generally see housing market activity increase at this time of year,” says Darcy Torhjelm, REALTORS® Association of Edmonton Chair. “Despite the year over year decreases, the market is still growing relative to February 2018 in preparation for the spring buying season. Market growth should continue in the coming months.”

“More sellers are entering the market and are motivated to move their properties before the summer months, which provides the best selection of properties for buyers who are actively looking and taking advantage of the increased number of listings,” says Torhjelm. “It’s a great time to speak to a REALTOR® for professional advice on navigating the buying and selling process.”

“The increase in the average days on market appears to reflect that buyers are taking time to consider their options before purchasing a new home,” Torhjelm said. “With the mortgage stress test rule changes and the latest interest rate change, it will be interesting to see how that impacts the 2018 market.” 

View More Market Statistics

Real Estate Now Using Augmented Reality Technology

With her new wine bar opening in Somers, N.Y. (Winchester County), Stephanie Small took a long time to decide on which countertop she should get.

She was concerned about the durability of the countertop as well as the price and what was troubling Stephanie the mast was that she couldn’t envision how the countertop would appear on the 16 feet long bar both from the inside and the outside through the window. She stated that she spent several hours attempting to visualize this and could not make it happen.

She had a friend that worked in the countertop industry for a company called Cambria, they are located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and manufacture countertops. Her friend told her that the company released a brand new augmented reality app, and that this was able to apply digital images to the real world that could be observed through the lens...

“2017 was a steady year for real estate in Edmonton and many of the surrounding municipalities, where sales and prices were quite stable for the majority of the year,” said Darcy Torhjelm, REALTORS® Association of Edmonton Chair. “For most of the year we continued to see home buyers take advantage of low mortgage rates and a slightly increased inventory, while sellers enjoyed solid prices for their properties.”

“Now that the holiday season is over and a new year is here, we expect listings and sales to begin to ramp up again,” said Torhjelm. “We encourage both potential buyers and sellers to talk to their local REALTOR® about their options in this market and what is right for them.”....

“2017 was a steady year for real estate in Edmonton and many of the surrounding municipalities, where sales and prices were quite stable for the majority of the year,” said Darcy Torhjelm, REALTORS® Association of Edmonton Chair. “For most of the year we continued to see home buyers take advantage of low mortgage rates and a slightly increased inventory, while sellers enjoyed solid prices for their properties.”

“Now that the holiday season is over and a new year is here, we expect listings and sales to begin to ramp up again,” said Torhjelm. “We encourage both potential buyers and sellers to talk to their local REALTOR® about their options in this market and what is right for them.”.

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For The First Time In Forty Five Years Canada Experiences Falls In Homeownership Rates

Are you put off from homeownership by the ever increasing real estate prices in Canada these days? Statistics Canada have released the latest census for 2016 and it clearly shows that homeownership rates are declining. The rate of homeownership in Canada is now lower than it has been for the past ten years and it is the Millennials that are suffering the most.

More Than 45 Years Since A Decline Like This

The Census 2016 records indicate that homeownership rates across the country are falling. Across the whole of Canada the homeownership rate stands at 67.8%. Compared to the 2011 Census this is a 1.73% drop. If you look at the figures over the longer term...

“Although the year-over-year growth in sales volume is encouraging, the surge is likely related to consumers trying to complete purchases before new restrictive borrowing rules come into force in the new year,” said James Mabey, Chair of the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton.

“There are fewer listings coming onto the market now as we end 2017,” said Mabey. “Looking forward to 2018, we will see higher inventory levels than in previous years, coupled with new mortgage rules that may slow the market, at least temporarily, as consumers adjust their expectations in response to the new lending rules. If this is the case, we may experience some market tightening in the new year.”

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“We continue to see stability in the all-residential average and median prices, and this stability has been primarily due to strong sales of single family homes, which are a staple of our marketplace,” explains James Mabey, Chair of the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton

Average days on market for all residential properties was 61 this month, up 5.17% over last month and unchanged from last year. Single family average days on market was up to 55, condominiums were averaging 67 days on market, and duplex/rowhouses took an average of 61 days to sell in October.

More Edmonton Market Stats

How Blockchain Technology May Change Real Estate

There is no doubt that Blockchain has had a significant influence on the financial services industry and you will be hard pressed to find a segment of it that has not been impacted by this technology. The use of Cryptocurrencies has strongly impacted currency exchange, remittances and payments of all kinds. There has been the introduction of Initial Coin Offerings (ICO’s) and this has strongly challenged venture capital, the investment in stocks and loans for start-ups.

There has been a significant impact from Blockchain on the Real Estate sector as well. It was unthinkable until recently that making transactions via digital channels was even possible for real estate and other high value assets. Transactions in real estate had always been performed in the “off line” mode through face to face interactions with a number of parties. But this has now been challenged through the use of Blockchain. Blockchain platforms now...

"Once the distractions of summer are over, the market usually picks up with buyers looking to move in to a new home before the snow flies", says James Mabey, Chair of the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton. "However, it is possible we didn't see a strong performance for unit sales this September because the Bank of Canada raised interest rates twice this summer, putting some downward pressure on buyer purchase intentions. Despite this, consistent average sale prices last month throughout the Edmonton area (and across most property types) suggest the local market enjoys continued health."

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