Purrfect Properties Blog

Archive for April, 2014

What Not to Look at – When Buying a Home!

Wednesday, April 30th, 2014

When you start the search for your new house you may find that some people have a much different idea of what “style” is than you do.  The key is to not get wrapped up in the downfalls of the home you’re looking at but at the potential of what that home could be.  Walking through homes with clients this Realtor has heard many of the same items come up time after time and some people seem to put to much weight on these items.  So what are the things you should try to ignore when shopping for your next home?

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This short list of terms can help you when selling or buying a home!

Monday, April 28th, 2014


Do you Know what these Common Real Estate Terms mean?

Navigating the process of buying or selling a home can be a little overwhelming to some people. Having a Realtor to guide you through the process helps to make the process much easier. Even with the help of a Realtor you may still be lost in some of the terms used when it comes to talking about real estate. Lets take a look at some of the more common terms used in real estate, and help to clear up some of the confusion.

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The Canadian Dollar and You.

Wednesday, April 16th, 2014

With the Canadian dollar’s value trending lower, and industry analysts expecting it to continue to trend lower to approximately the .90$ level, you may wonder how this affects you. Depending on your field of employment you may be affected very differently. Since the main economic engine in Alberta and Edmonton in particular, is the the energy sector; Alberta is poised to profit from a lower loonie.

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Real Estate Market Report – Spring

Tuesday, April 15th, 2014



The REALTORS® Association of Edmonton, released their first quarter report on April 2nd 2014, the report points towards a very busy spring quarter for the Edmonton real estate market. Sales of all types of residential properties saw growth of 5.8% in the first quarter of 2014 versus the first quarter of 2013. Single family detached sales saw an increase of 5.1%, but the most staggering increase was seen in condo sales with an increase of 11% in the first quarter of 2014.
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Where will land changes give you more resale profit?

Sunday, April 13th, 2014



It has long been joked about that there are only two seasons in Edmonton, winter and road construction. With the snow starting to subside and the weather warming up it’s time that Edmontonians brace for the ensuing season of major road construction. The City of Edmonton has some large transportation projects on the books for 2014. So how will these projects effect you?

That all depends on the area of the city you spend your time in. Some of the largest projects are taking place in the cities southeast area, with the addition of an interchange at The QEII and 41 Ave, complete reconstruction of 41 Avenue SW to a four-lane divided urban arterial. The projects planed for this area are in direct relation to the population increase of the sounding area.

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These Siamese Cats are this REALTORS key go-to companion pet!

Friday, April 11th, 2014



The Siamese Cat is one of several breeds of oriental cats, and the one this Realtor is very familiar with, let me share some of their history. The Siamese is one of several breeds native to Thailand (formerly known as Siam),  (100 Best things to do in Thailand – thanks for the link Joey @ JenReviews.com) they have become extremely popular in North America and Europe. Defined by their blue eyes, slender body and triangular head shape, the siamese is a very intelligent and playful breed.

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Why you should buy your home in Hodgson!

Thursday, April 10th, 2014

The Hodgson neighbourhood was named after John Hodgson (1888-1969) who was the city comptroller and financial commissioner for the City of Edmonton for nearly 40 years.  John Hodgson came to Edmonton from England in 1913, where he had worked as a chartered accountant. 

The neighbourhood began to experience the bulk of its residential development in the early 2000s, and the housing mix is split between low and medium density housing forms.  Prior to urban development in the early 2000s the land was used primarily for agricultural purposes, but there were also limited residential uses, a few woodlots and a natural wetland located within the plan area.

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Tips and tricks for Selling a Pet Occupied Home for more money.

Wednesday, April 9th, 2014

Selling your home can be a fun process, however it can sometimes also be a little stressful. Selling your home when you have pets offers some extra challenges, what to do with your furry family members while the home is being shown is one of the many questions this Realtor gets asked frequently. Unfortunately, not everyone loves our pets as much as we do. It is important to consider why people may have a negative reaction to our pets so that we can remove any possible barriers in order to sell your home. There are many reasons that some buyers may have such reactions, allergies, fear of certain animals, and smells generally top the list. Here is a list of things to consider when selling your, and your pets home.

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Why is Blatchford considered a cutting edge place for your next home?

Monday, April 7th, 2014



Edmonton’s newest community will soon start to take shape, using the land that was formally assigned to the City Center Airport, this new community is billed as a ground breaking departure from other communities in Edmonton. This new community will have an estimated population of 30,000 residents and is expected to create 11,000 places to work for Edmontonians.

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Why should you take time to complete the Census?

Saturday, April 5th, 2014



Well it’s that time again, time for The City of Edmonton, as well as many other cities and towns across our vast province, to conduct a new 2014 census of the population. Between the dates of April 10th 2014 and May 10th 2014, you have the opportunity to ‘count yourself in’.

Being a part of the census is easier now then ever before, as technology advances so do the methods for the collection of information. You have options on how you choose to fill out your census survey, either by answering questions when the census workers come to the door or you can now fill out your census form online. The online forums will only be open for a limited time of the census taking window and must be completed by a certain time.
So you may ask yourself why would the City of Edmonton what to know about my life, well the answers are many. Census data is used in a number of ways, most importantly to plan capital projects, and enables The City Of Edmonton to anticipate and adapt to change, in the demography of our ever evolving city.

Since most grants the City of Edmonton, as well as others, receive are based on the total population of said city, it’s important that you and those living in your household take the time to ensure that you are counted. The last census of our capital city was conducted in 2012, and a quick look back at some recent census data shows a few interesting facts. (more…)

Fun Fact Friday

Friday, April 4th, 2014



The Oxford English Dictionary has recently released the latest amendment the book trusted for over 1000 years, containing over 600,000 words, and over 3 million quotations. In this day and age of computers most would think that this book is no longer relevant, but they would be wrong. The OED is still one of the most trusted sources for what is new and what is proper in the english language. More and more the OED has been changing to adapt to our modern culture and keep up to pace with the new words and meaning of words that the english speaking population continues to invent. Some of the most recent amendments to catch this Realtors eye are as follows.

New words,

beatboxer (n.): a performer who uses (amplified) vocal effects to imitate the sounds and rhythms of hip-hop music.

bestie (n.): a person’s best friend; a very close friend.

bookaholic (n.): a habitual and prolific reader; a compulsive book buyer.

crap shoot (n.): a situation or undertaking regarded as uncertain, risky, or unpredictable.

honky-tonker (n.): a person who owns, works in, or frequents a cheap, sleazy bar or nightclub, typically one where country music is played.

scissor-kick (v): to perform a kick which involve a scissor-like motion of the legs, as in swimming or soccer

wackadoodle (adj.): crazy, mad; eccentric.

Most of these terms have been used in our day to day life, however they have never been, officially part of the english language, according to The OED. This is just a small sampling of the over 900 new words to be added, in the most recent amendment to The OED.

New Subentries, bathroom break (n.): a short period of time within the duration of an activity (often of a prescribed or limited duration) taken to use the toilet. DIYer (n.): A person who engages in do-it-yourself activities; an amateur (in construction, repair, etc.).

New Senses, shotgun N. Amer. colloq. The front passenger seat in a vehicle; the chance to sit in this seat on a particular journey.

Each quarter writers of The OED have the laborious task of scouring the english language to figure out what words should make the list and which words just don’t quite make the cut. As our societies evolve and new technology perforates the cultural norm more and more words are invented and thus must be add to the current record of our language. With the ‘word of the year’ last year going to, one of the new additions from that year, Selfie proved that the internet and social media in general play a large roll in shaping our language.

And That’s The Cats’ Meow!

A Purrfect Property

Thursday, April 3rd, 2014



Being a Realtor in the Edmonton area, I have the opportunity to view a plethora of beautiful homes, one that recently caught my attention is 831 Drysdale Run. Situated in the newer neighbourhood of Donsdale, this house and community make a winning team.

Construction of the Donsdale neighbourhood began in 1995, with the main focus on single family homes and parklands. Ninety nine percent of the homes in Donsdale are owner occupied, according too the 2005 municipal census. In the City of Edmonton’s 2012 municipal census, Donsdale had a population of 1,308 living in 551 dwellings.
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Red Bull Crashed Ice – Coming in 2015

Wednesday, April 2nd, 2014



The City of Edmonton will play host to the Red Bull Crashed Ice downhill ice cross world championships in 2015, a first in Western Canada.  This is just one of the many world class events that Edmonton has and will continue to have the privilege of hosting.

Red Bull Crashed Ice, or by it’s technical name downhill ice cross, is a fast paced sport that takes place on an ice track approximately 600m (1970 ft) long dropping around 60m (197 ft).  With groups of 4 racers at a time, reaching speeds up to 70 kph, this is a quick high intensity sport not for the faint of heart.  Downhill ice cross has seen a huge increase in popularity since its debut in 2001, with stops in major cities across the globe and world wide television coverage for these events.
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