Ben Officer-REALTOR®

The more you know about the best way to reach a goal, the more likely you are to get the result you want. So, whether you’re hunting for a new job, assembling a backyard BBQ, or training for a 3 mile run, you’ll want to use a proven process to help you get there.

That certainly holds true when shopping for a new home.

There is a proven process to getting the home you want, in the neighbourhood you want, at a price you can afford. Here are the highlights:

1. Get Ready

There’s a lot you must do before you pack your energy snacks in the car and go looking at homes. If you own your current home, you must prepare that property for sale. You should also get financing for a new home pre-approved, so you know exactly how much you can afford.

2. Go shopping

Your next step is to view the right homes currently available on the market. It’s a good idea to make a wish list of property and neighborhood features you’re looking for in a new home. You may not be able to get everything you want, but you can probably come pretty close.

3. Make an offer

When you see a home you like, the first thing you’ll need to do is to make an offer. This can be tricky especially if there are other interested buyers.

4. Get an inspection

Always get the home checked out by a qualified home inspector. A property may have issues, such as a foundation leak, that are not obvious during a viewing.

5. Prepare for the move

Once you’ve made the purchase, you need to arrange for moving and deal with other details, such as utilities, telephone, mail forwarding and so forth.

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The Advantages of being Pre-Approved for a Mortgage

One of the best things you can do to ensure you get the home you want is to arrange for financing before you go shopping. This is often referred to as getting “pre-approved”.

Getting pre-approved simply means that your lender has calculated how much of a mortgage they’re willing to offer you, depending on your down payment and current financial situation.

There are two advantages to having a pre-approved mortgage. First, you know exactly what you can afford when shopping for a new home. Second, when you make an offer, you’re likely to be taken more seriously.

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Want a smooth home buying process? Call me today.

Ben Officer, CD   REALTOR®

RE/MAX Real Estate (Edmonton)

I am posting this free information session on my blog so it can get the widest distribution. The REALTORS® Association of Edmonton is hosting this without REALTORS® present, to give you

a comfortable, informative session. No pressure.

Ben

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Home Buyers Seminar

Feedback from our last seminar - over 95% of registrants surveyed found the information presented at the Home Buyers Seminar useful, easy to understand and made them more comfortable about the home buying process.

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There have been a whole lot of changes in the Edmonton real estate market over the last little while. So as a perspective home buyer, where do you start if you've never bought a home before? Or what if it's been a long time since you last purchased a property? Do you know all of the steps required?

The REALTORS® Association of Edmonton is pleased to offer a free, no pressure Home Buyers Seminar to familiarize you with the home buying process. Representatives from the mortgage, home inspection and legal communities will be joining a REALTORS® Association spokesperson to present unbiased advice and information.

Join us on Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at 7:00pm at the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton Auditorium at 14220 112 Avenue. Light refreshments will be served.

Pre-registration is required. Click here to register. You can also contact the REALTORS® Association at 780-453-9350 for more information.

Your name and e-mail address are being collected to provide registration numbers and to remind you of the event (via reply e-mail) and the files will be discarded after the event.

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Ben Officer, CD REALTOR®

RE/MAX Real Estate (Edmonton)

The deadline for the changes that were recently brought in by the Canadian government to put some caps on sectors in the housing market is April 19th, 2010.

Now, that doesn’t mean some banks and lenders haven’t already implemented the changes in advance of that date.

One of the bigger changes was that CMHC (Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation) will not insure the mortgages of people who are buying properties that will NOT be owner occupied. Also known as Revenue Properties.

The theory that many investors followed was to purchase revenue properties with a 5% down payment, pay the CMHC fee, and have their tenants pay down the mortgage. With just 5% down, they had more money available to buy more properties.

Did or will that modus operandi cause the market to bubble? Maybe. Maybe not. I don’t know. All I know is, it made for more buyers, then more sellers could move on with their plans.

Should you try to find a lender that will still allow you to do the 5% down to beat the deadline? I suggest you take a hard look at what you want to accomplish. When you do have to renew the mortgage on a revenue property in say, 5 years, the rates will not be as low as they are right now.

Making the requirement to put a minimum 20% down payment on revenue properties was a sound fiscal move for the future, according to many analysts.

Planning and preparation is always prudent, no matter what the situation is.

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The inventory of homes is at a low-level right now in some segments of the Edmonton and St. Albert housing and condo markets. If you are waiting until “Spring” to list your home, give me a call now!

It could be to your benefit financially to sell your home before the spring rush.

Ben Officer, CD   REALTOR®

RE/MAX Real Estate (Edmonton)

February 24, 2010

Kelowna, BC – Lack of inventory will be the greatest challenge facing housing markets across the country this Spring, according to a report released today by RE/MAX.

The RE/MAX Market Trends Report 2010, which examined real estate trends and developments in 16 markets across the country, found that unusually strong activity during one of the traditionally quietest months of the year has led to a sharp decline in active listings in 81 per cent of markets surveyed. The threat of higher interest rates, tighter lending criteria, and in British Columbia and Ontario, the introduction of the new Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) have clearly served to kick-start real estate activity from coast-to-coast, prompting an unprecedented influx of purchasers. As a result, 87.5 per cent of markets posted an increase in sales in January. Average price appreciated in 81 per cent of markets surveyed.

“Affordability is the catalyst for the vast majority of purchasers in today’s housing market,” says Elton Ash, Regional Executive Vice President, RE/MAX of Western Canada. “While homeownership is still within reach in many major centres, levels are slipping. There is a growing sense, on both sides of the fence, that the time to act is now.”

Markets experiencing the tightest inventory levels include Toronto (- 41 per cent); Kitchener-Waterloo
(-33 per cent); Ottawa (- 30 per cent); Victoria (- 30 per cent); Greater Vancouver (- 27 per cent); Halifax-Dartmouth (- 19 per cent); London-St. Thomas (- 18 per cent); Regina (- 16 per cent); and Winnipeg (- 13 per cent). Conditions were still balanced, but starting to tighten in Calgary, Edmonton and Saskatoon, particularly in the single-family detached category.

The highest year-over-year sales gains were reported in Greater Vancouver (152 per cent), Kelowna (121 per cent), Greater Toronto (87 per cent), Victoria (69 per cent), Hamilton-Burlington (58 per cent), London-St. Thomas (55 per cent) and Calgary (47 per cent). Western Canadian cities dominated the list of centres with the highest increases in price appreciation. These included Victoria at 25.5 per cent, Kelowna at 22 per cent, Greater Vancouver at 19.5 per cent, and Winnipeg at 17 per cent. St. John’s (23 per cent) and Toronto (19 per cent) were also among the frontrunners for price growth.

“There have never been so many motivating factors in play at once,” says Michael Polzler, Executive Vice President, RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic Canada. “We’re in for a heated Spring market that will, in all probability, spill over into the summer months as the window of opportunity draws to a close. The supply of homes listed for sale has been drastically reduced, housing values are once again on the upswing, and banks and governments are moving in unison toward stricter lending policies.”

While buyers are taking advantage of favourable conditions, sellers too are reaping the rewards. Competing bids are a factor in the marketplace once again, with well-priced listings—especially at the entry-level price point—experiencing multiple offers. Properties priced at fair-market value will likely sell quickly for top dollar. The overall pressure on sales and price is significant across the board – and it’s not likely to subside unless more inventory comes on-stream.

“The level of frustration is growing, as pent-up demand builds,” says Polzler. “For every successful offer, there are those that will walk away empty-handed. They’re thrust back into the buyer pool and the process starts all over again. Some buyers are upping the ante, while others are considering alternate housing options. Still, purchasers remain cautious in their bids, with most careful not to max out debt service ratios.”

Recent revisions to lending criteria will add fuel to the fire in the short term. Buyers considering a variable rate mortgage will step up their plans for homeownership in the next month or so just to get in under the wire. In the longer term, buyers will adjust, but move forward. Compromise has long been a reality—particularly in the larger centers. This simply means they may go smaller or further in their pursuits.

“It’s been a 180 degree turnaround from this time last year,” says Ash. “It’s clear that real estate from coast to coast has roared back to life and markets are once again firing on all cylinders. The vast majority of markets are now recovered and fully-evolved, with all segments working in tandem. At the luxury price point, activity was brisk in seventy-three per cent of centers surveyed, with momentum ramping up in the remainder. Opportunity exists in some areas, but the question is for how much longer?”

RE/MAX is Canada’s leading real estate organization with over 17,000 sales associates situated throughout its more than 677 independently-owned and operated offices across the country. The RE/MAX franchise network, now in its 37th year, is a global real estate system operating in more than 70 countries. Over 6,700 independently-owned offices engage nearly 100,000 member sales associates who lead the industry in professional designations, experience and production while providing real estate services in residential, commercial, referral, and asset management.

For more information, visit: www.remax.ca.

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Ben Officer, CD   REALTOR®

RE/MAX Real Estate (Edmonton)

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Insured Mortgages (CMHC)

February 16th 2010:

Jim Flaherty, Canada's Minister of Finance, announced new lending guidelines for CMHC backed mortgage loans in an announcement earlier Tuesday.

The new rules are as follows:

1.  All borrowers must qualify for a mortgage using the five year fixed rate regardless of the term chosen.

(Example: if you wish to take out a 1 year mortgage at 2.65% you will still need to qualify at the 5 year closed rate of 3.89%)

2.  When refinancing a home, Canadians will only be able to refinance up to 90% of the value instead of the previous 95%.

3.  If you want to purchase a revenue property, CMHC will no longer insure you. You'll need to put 20% down and take out a conventional mortgage.

These changes come into effect April 19th 2010.

What has NOT changed:

*  You can still purchase a property with 5% down!
*  You can still do a 35 year amortization!
*  You can still have GDS/TDS ratios up to 44% if you have a credit score over 680!

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I would like to thank Natalie Wellings of Mortgage Success (http://YourEdmontonMortgage.com) for itemizing this info.

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Ben Officer, CD   REALTOR®

RE/MAX Real Estate (Edmonton)

Recently I was asked the question: “Ben, should I keep my house fully heated after I move out and it’s vacant? I will be spending money to heat it for an hour or two of showings each day or two.”

My answer was quick and to the point. “How would you feel walking into a cold house and having to get cold feet walking around in your socks?” Not too kindly I bet.

(Also check with your insurance company, they may have rules that must be followed too)

I have shown houses on occasion that are listed and vacant in Edmonton and St. Albert, where the owner decided to turn the heat way down or even off completely. Boy does it get cold in there. And does it ever turn OFF a potential buyer.

They literally get a cold feeling for the house, right off the bat.

I suggest to my sellers:

1. Have the heat set to a normal temperature during any time the home may be shown.

2. Check to make sure the keys work properly in the locks.

3. Check that all the lights work and that the bulbs are not burnt out (check again every week or so)

4. Ensure the furnace filter is changed. It’s a sign to some, of poor home maintenance.

It’s best to sell your home before you move out but if it doesn’t please keep these points in mind.

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If your thinking of selling your home this spring, maybe you should think sooner rather than later. There is a shortage of homes available on the market right now. It might pay to get a jump on the spring market.

Call me to find out more.

Ben Officer, CD   REALTOR®

RE/MAX Real Estate (Edmonton)

I have recently been asked the question: “Ben, the different condos we’ve been looking at have either titled or assigned parking. What’s the difference?

Titled or Assigned Parking? It’s a big difference.

Titled parking means that you physically own the parking stall. You have the title deed to the parking stall.

And no it doesn’t mean you can build something on it. (They would probably frown on that and it might be a bit of hassle getting a building permit….)

What it does mean is that it has a value to it, it can be bought or sold, that it transfers like normal properties, and goodie…. it has a property tax bill.

Assigned parking generally means you are assigned a parking stall by the condo board/property management company. It is yours to use but not to own.

The type of parking stall and whether it is above ground or underground makes a big difference to a lot of people when they are looking to buy a condo. It also makes a difference on the value given to it.

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If you have any questions or are looking to buy a condominium/ house give me a call now.

Ben Officer, CD   REALTOR®

RE/MAX Real Estate (Edmonton)

There are dozens of ways to make your property more enticing to potential buyers. For example, you can invest in getting your home professionally “staged”, which involves making it look a little like a
model home. Or, you can do a major renovation to improve your home‘s look and value.

But what if you don’t have a lot of time and are on a limited budget? What can you do today to make your home irresistible to buyers tomorrow? Here are some ideas:

1. Paint

It doesn’t cost much to paint key areas of your home, like the foyer, kitchen or master bedroom. Yet the impression it makes on buyers is significant. In fact, compared to most other types of home
improvement projects, painting gives you the highest payback when you sell.

2. Create space

Homes naturally get cluttered over the years. Even a double car garage can seem claustrophobic if there are a lot of boxes, equipment and other items stored in it. Go through each room of your home and do a major decluttering. It will make your property seem more attractive and, when you sell, make moving easier too!

3. Clean and tidy

Obviously, you’re going to make sure your home is clean for viewings. But you’d be surprised what a homeowner can miss and a buyer notices. Closets, laundry rooms, side yard, basement
furnace room and all other nooks and crannies should be as tidy and clean as possible.

4. Roll out the red carpet

Not an actual red carpet! But you do want the entrance way to your front door and into the foyer to make the best impression possible. After all, those are the areas that a buyer sees first. Make sure
walkways are clear and clean. Ensure that when a buyer opens the front door and walks in, the impression he or she gets is that of a great looking place to live.

These four tips don’t take much time or money to implement. Yet, they can all help make your home even more irresistible to buyers than it is today.

Want more tips on preparing your home for sale? Call me today.

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Ben Officer, CD   REALTOR®

RE/MAX Real Estate

From my experience in the Edmonton and St. Albert real estate markets, most buyers know what style of home appeals to their tastes, how large a home they need, and extras like garage, yard etc… If they are coming from outside the area, then the search centers on which neighbourhood fits the bill for them.

One thing you can’t change as a home-owner selling a home, is the neighbourhood you are located in. Often young families buy their first home in a newer area with smaller, affordable houses. They get to own their own home, while keeping their mortgage payments affordable.

Fast forward 4 to 5 years. “June and Ward” now have 2 or 3 children, are making a fair bit more income in the household, and they need a bigger home. Sometimes they choose a newer, larger home or maybe an older home in a mature neighbourhood.

The newer home has its advantages with upkeep and area amenities' while the older homes usually have larger lots, big trees, and nice area parks.

When and where is their next move? Relocated to another city or maybe staying until the kids are grown and move-out? Then it’s likely down-sizing to a condo. Again, who knows?  The skies the limit.

It is often said that Canadians sell and move an average of once every five years.

It’s hard to predict the future, but keeping in mind what your future may hold could help you decide on what kind of home you buy, in a certain neighbourhood, so you can enjoy it for as long as you want without say…out-growing it.

Like you did with that 2-door Mercury Capri that had to go, when the first baby came along. I’ve been there myself.

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Looking at buying your first home? Do you want to work with someone who knows and cares. Give me a call. My family and I are now living in our 5th home (to stay for a long while), and I know what it’s like to

be in your shoes.

I hope you enjoy my blog, and find the different blog posts useful. Please don’t hesitate to post any comments or questions you may have.

Ben Officer, CD   REALTOR®

RE/MAX Real Estate

A group known as Demographia International has released a large study of housing affordability around the world. They make the assertion in the work, that housing density has a large effect on housing affordability.

They took a look at the housing affordability of many real estate markets around the world, and state that Vancouver is the most unaffordable city in the world for the average person/family to purchase a home.

Edmonton is ranked above the median (#19 of Canadian cities – Vancouver is tops at #29, with Calgary at #22) 

Edmonton's average real estate price (all types) was $286,700 with a median income of $70,300.

Calgary’s average real estate price (all types) at $353,900 and median income of $76,500.

Vancouver’s average real estate price was $540,900 and a median income of $58,200. 

You can find the .pdf document of the study at: http://www.demographia.com/dhi.pdf

Taking into account the price of homes and condos in Edmonton and area, with the median household income we have, this makes Edmonton only slightly to somewhat unaffordable. Not a great statistic and definitely something to keep an eye on.

If city planners and city councils use this information in the future to apply to new developments, then they can help to keep housing affordable for those who want and need it.

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Looking to relocate outside the Edmonton, St. Albert area? Just fill-out my “Send Relocation Info” page on RightHouseRightTime.com or BenOfficer.ca and I can get you in touch with a good Realtor in your new area.

Ben Officer, CD   REALTOR®

RE/MAX Real Estate

The lure of getting a good deal on house or condo that is foreclosure is strong. Why not? If you can get a good place for a reduced (read cheap…) price, go for it. There are a number of foreclosure listings in the Edmonton, St. Albert real estate markets.

We’ve seen lots of television reports from the U.S. listing the huge number of foreclosures that are causing a glut on their housing markets in certain areas. Here in Canada the story is quite different. We have a very low percentage of foreclosed properties.

The foreclosure process in Canada can take a long while, from the first missed mortgage payment, all the way to someone buying it from the Bank or Court of Queens Bench etc…

The process is also geared to let the home-owner buy their way out of the problem at any point before it reaches the market as a foreclosure.

Depending on the foreclosed home and who is selling it, you may or may not be able to get it officially inspected by a home inspector, or for that matter to put any conditions on your offer to purchase.

I’ve seen all kinds, from very nice to “holy crap I can smell the inside from the street!” Nasty.

From what I understand, almost all areas in Canada have legislation that generally says that foreclosed homes have to be listed for their approximate market value. That's not to say that you can’t get it a lot cheaper, it just depends on the situation and how much work is required to fix up the property.

Foreclosure listings are an entity unto themselves, so if you have questions please feel free to ask.

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You can send your home search criteria (including foreclosure properties) to me through RightHouseRightTime.com or BenOfficer.ca. I can help you find what you are looking for.

Ben Officer, CD   REALTOR®

RE/MAX Real Estate

The Edmonton, St Albert, and area real estate market has seen a bit of an up and down oscillation in 2009. The number of homes for sale (listings) on the MLS went down to 1118 from 1894 in November.

The average price of a single family home decreased by about $2600 and condominiums increased by about $12000. This could be just another seasonal adjustment, with a bit of a change in the homes and condos sold.

The average sale price for a Single family home started out at $352,689 in January, and finished at $366,761. Average Condo sale prices started at $238,535 in January, and finished at $244,174.

On the whole, I think the market still has done much better than a lot of people thought it would in 2009.

Here is the chart comparing the months average prices, for 2009.

The announcement from the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton forecast was  “We anticipate sales of about 21,000 units in 2010

which is up 10.5% from the 19,000 residential properties sold in 2009.”

The market should continue to improve as 2010 carries on, although condos look they will remain flat in pricing this year.

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If you would like to find out what homes are selling for in your neighbourhood, just go to www.BenOfficer.ca and click on the “Market Snap-Shot” tab.

Fill-in the info and you will get the report. Tooooo easy.

Ben Officer, CD   REALTOR®

RE/MAX Real Estate

Members of the Canadian Forces and the RCMP are relocated within Canada and sometimes outside of Canada. If they own their own home or condo, they usually select a REALTOR® to list and sell their home.

As an ex-Canadian Forces member I have been through the process several times while I was serving. Now as an Edmonton and St. Albert real estate agent,  I can assist them to get their home sold and to find a reputable Realtor in their new location.

Normally, when they go to their new location to look for a home to purchase they have an abbreviated time (5 to 7 days) to find a home. These are known as House Hunting Trips or HHTs.

During the HHT they have to find a home, offer on the home, get a home inspection, and try to get as much done before they have to return to their old home. Busy for them and for their agent????  You better believe it.

The process of selling your existing home then finding a home in a new city and often a different province requires hard-work. Sometimes this involves making some tough choices for the RCMP or Military member and their families. I am one of the professionals that they can utilize to help them with their moves.

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Please refer to my HHT and Relocation pages on RightHouseRightTime.com and BenOfficer.ca  for more information or to get me working for you.

Ben Officer, CD   REALTOR®

RE/MAX Real Estate

The REALTORS® Community Foundation with REALTORS® and Friends are proud to announce the RIDE For KIDS is continuing again for 2010.

I am co-chairing the ride this year with Dave Schroeder, plus with the assistance of quite a few people I will name in future blog posts.

PointeWest Honda Powerhouse in Edmonton and Honda Canada have very generously donated a Honda VTX1300 motorcycle  to be the 1st Prize in our raffle this year.

We will continue with the Wednesday Bike Nites, to be held at Billy Bobs (the old Ranch Roadhouse location we used in 09).

Again this year, we will be raising money to support E4C Edmonton School Lunch Program and the Youth Emergency Shelter Society (YESS).

We will be out showing off the motorcycle raffle prize at the Edmonton Motorcycle Show Jan 15th – 17th, plus at Castrol Park raceway and hopefully other events.

If you are interested in going on the ride, it’s tentatively slated to go 20, 21, 22 August, 2010. If not, then please pledge to riders on the ride.

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Ben Officer, CD   REALTOR®

RE/MAX Real Estate

Some of the aspects of my profession as a real estate agent, are to represent my clients best interests, to carry out their lawful instructions, and to work to get them the best price.

The art of negotiation is very often required to successfully bring two parties to an agreement.

Now, during the negotiation process its not necessarily just the price that’s negotiated. It can be the possession date, the deposit, the terms, or the conditions. All aspects of the transaction could be subject to negotiation.

As a Realtor, I believe our clients benefit from our experience while we take a lot of the emotion out of the negotiation, and that is a good thing. If we help the buyers and sellers to reach a mutually acceptable agreement then both sides can feel well served.

It is often said that “3rd party negotiation saves money”. This means that having a professional Realtor, like me, negotiating for you, can save you money as opposed to you negotiating with the other person yourself.

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If you are thinking of selling your home yourself, please have a look at the information on either of my websites -  RightHouseRightTime.com or BenOfficer.ca. It will help you to get a feel for just how much service I put into listing and selling your home or condo.

Ben Officer, CD REALTOR®

RE/MAX Real Estate

You see the ads on Kijiji and in small papers saying they will buy your house for cash, any condition, and quick possession. No Realtor required.

You say “What is this about?”  Very straight-forward actually. They are almost always investors.

What they are offering is a fast, fairly hassle-free way to sell your home.

Is there a catch, you say? Well  …. sort of. The price they will probably offer you is around 15 to 30 % below the actual market value for your home.

They have to build-in a profit margin for themselves, to be able to offer this to home-sellers. As with anything in life, if there is need then there will be someone to fill it.

Now who would look at selling their house through an investor like this? Maybe someone behind on their mortgage payments and they need to sell to beat foreclosure? Or someone who just has to sell fast and can’t wait for it to be listed and sold by a real estate agent.

No matter the situation, the homeowner should still get an appraisal done to establish the value of their home and also use their own lawyer to protect their interests.

Also, like any transaction…. read the fine print and ask lots of questions up front.

Investors can help someone out of a tough situation, when needed.

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Also, don’t forget to check out the listings search pages on RightHouseRightTime.com or BenOfficer.ca. If you sign-up for the extra info, I won’t bug you.

Ben Officer, CD   REALTOR

RE/MAX Real Estate

I’m going on a scuba-diving trip soon to Florida and I just don’t know what to do!  I’m a full-service Realtor and I want to be able to answer my Blackberry, whenever I need to.

Do they make a water-proof Blackberry Storm? Good to 100 feet?

Maybe they have a blue-tooth device for doing that?  Will the blue-tooth attract sharks?????

Help me, please…….

         Ben

Happy New Year and Welcome to 2010!!! I hope everyone had a good holiday season.

I used to be someone who didn’t worry about getting a permit from the city for new installations in my home. I am fussy about it being done right and I figured I didn’t need to spend the time, effort, and money when I knew it was done safely.

I was wrong for a few reasons.

The requirement to get permits not only protects you but it also protects others who come into your home, and subsequent owners of your home. Is this important you say? You betcha!

For example, a home I had in North Edmonton didn’t have any power to the detached garage when I bought it, so I had a licensed electrician come in and do it (to a higher standard than what the building code requires). He said don’t bother with a permit. Well, a while later I decided it’s best I should get a permit. The inspector from the city was, quite rightly, not very happy everything was done and buried. Also, the permit cost me twice as much, as a just punishment for not doing it in the first place. Lesson learned.

Here are a few more reasons to get the permit first:

- a friend of mine is have a problem with his insurance company not paying for water-damage from a burst pipe in his fully-finished basement. They say the work was not permitted by the City of Edmonton, so they aren't going to pay!

- permits help to ensure the work is done to a safe and acceptable standard for everyone’s safety.

- permits are kept on file with the city, so if there are any future questions about them you can consult the city planning and development office to see what permits were taken out.

Information on Permits can be found at:

For the City of Edmonton,  you can go to: http://www.edmonton.ca/bylaws_licences/licences-permits.aspx

For the City of St. Albert you can go to: http://www.stalbert.ca/development-permits

In my opinion, getting the permit for whatever work you are doing or having done, just makes sense. Please do the research on what permits are required, before you start the work.

If you have any comments or input, please feel free to comment.

Ben Officer, CD   REALTOR®

RE/MAX Real Estate

A friend of mine and his wife are well into the development of a new country residential acreage subdivision.

It is over 150 acres of rolling, treed land located about a 12 to 15 minute drive west of St Albert.

You might not see any new country acreages like this around Edmonton and St Albert in the future, because the Capital Region Board (and its member municipalities) are putting restrictions on these developments. (See my blog post from Nov 20, 2009)

 Victorian Ridge Subdivision Plan.pdf     and   Victorian Ridge Lot Pricing.pdf

The website for this development is: http://www.VictorianRidge.com

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If you are interested in acreages in the area around Edmonton and St Albert, please give me a call.

Ben Officer, CD   REALTOR®

RE/MAX Real Estate

As a kid growing up in southern Ontario, we used to go out to a farm near Winterbourne, Ont to cut a Christmas tree each year. It was an enjoyable outing.

Then along came a busy life, artificial Christmas trees that look ….okay, and are easy (mostly) to put up and take down. Although, I’ve heard that they are not very environmentally friendly.

Fast forward to current times. Christmas tree lots sell pre-cut trees that are easy to buy, already cut and wrapped, ready to take home. Nothing wrong with them. They also help to raise money for some worth-while organizations in Edmonton and St. Albert.

I still like to go out as a family (okay our 15 year old was working at McDonalds so she couldn’t make it) to cut a nice Balsam Fir at Gunlor Pines Tree Farm, northwest of St. Albert.

The weather was quite nice this year. Last year, it was about –30 C when we went there. Brrrrr.  My wife Lisa and daughter Natalie are posing with the tree, which is in a sleigh named Comet.

A fresh cut tree smells nice and it is a welcome addition to our Christmas.

For more info and the location of Gunlor Pines, you can call them at 780-489-6508.

Have a great Holiday season, from my family to yours!

Ben Officer, CD   REALTOR®

RE/MAX Real Estate