YOUR CREDIT RATING – Understanding ‘Hard Hits’ VS ‘Soft Hits’ Hard Hits are credit checks that appear on your credit report and count toward your credit score. Anyone who views your credit report will see these inquiries.Examples of hard hits include: an application for a credit card some rental applications some employment applications Soft Hits are credit checks that appear on y ...

Home improvement November marks a rise in sales The November housing market was spurred by a rise in sales, particularly in the lower price ranges. Sales totaled 1,411 units in November, an increase of 15 per cent over last year. This is comparable to longer-term averages for the month of November. Improved sales activity occurred in each of the housing segments, with most of the gains occ ...

New mortgage rules are coming into effect in January 2018 so now is the time to buy for anyone who does not want to be impacted by the changes.  If you have not had time to save up for your down payment, borrowing from your RRSP is a viable option.  Here is what you need to know. 1.  You will need to access the Government of Canada’s Home Buyers’ Plan In order to use your RRSP savings as a ...

Earlier this year, it was announced that qualifying for a mortgage is about to change.  Effective January 1, 2018, the rules will make it a little more difficult for some Buyers to secure a mortgage.  If you do not want to worry about how the changes will affect your home buying process, then now is the time to buy.  Here is some advice to help you buy a great home, at a great price, before t ...

  New Mortgage Rules Set Canada’s top banking regulator has published the final version of its new mortgage rules, which include a requirement to “stress test” borrowers with uninsured loans to ensure they could withstand higher interest rates. The new guidelines for the mortgage industry will come into effect on January 1, 2018.Among the major new rules is a requirement to stress test ...

Status quo for Calgary's housing market Prices remain similar to last year, but ease in October October's housing market conditions closely echoed previous month's trends with easing sales, rising inventories and downward price pressure. Like last month, the monthly activity was not enough to derail gains that occurred earlier in the year. October sales and inventories totaled 1,467 and 6, ...

Effective January 1, 2018, home buyers in Canada will have another hurdle to jump in order to qualify for a mortgage.  Anyone who applies for a mortgage will need to qualify for a mortgage rate that is 2 percentage points higher than the posted Bank of Canada 5 year rate or the contract rate, whichever rate is greater.  This qualification process is already in place for Buyers who are putting ...

Three Questions to Ask Before Removing a Tree Many home owners are fortunate to have a property with mature trees and shrubs. Although it is always best to save a tree when you can, there may be times when you question tree removal as an option for aesthetic or safety purposes.Here are three questions to ask yourself before making a decision:1 Is it causing structural damage? Tree roots ca ...

Inventory increases and sales drop in September, but overall sales for the year remain higher than last year. Strong gains in the first-half of 2017 has put the Calgary year-to-date sales at seven per cent above last years' levels and 11 per cent below long-term averages, but challenges remain with easing sales and rising new listings. Inventories rose across all property types to 6,861 uni ...

There is just something about the fall and early winter months that compel many people to put out seasonal decorations.  Fall foliage wreaths, Thanksgiving table runners, spooky Halloween decorations, and Christmas ornaments can be seen in neighbourhoods across the city from September through to January.  Many Sellers worry they will have to abandon festive decorations once their house hits t ...