Christmas really is in the air! Come up to Alberta and have a holiday experience like no other!

Community Christmas Carol Sing-A-Long

Enjoy all the holiday cheer brought by Christmas carols at the Community Christmas Carol Sing-A-Long hosted by the First United Church. Event details here.

DATE(S): December 3, 2018

LOCATION: First United Church, Main Street & Gordon Avenue, Fort McMurray

Candy Cane Lane

Check out the all-out decorations of residential homes in Edmonton from December 7 to 31 and give back by donating to the Edmonton Food Bank. Event details here.

DATE(S): December 7-31, 2018

LOCATION: 9915 148 Street, Edmonton

Heritage Village Holiday Celebration

Enjoy...

When leaves have turned and the cold weather sets in, you might think about what activities you can do around Alberta. Here are some of the events that you can enjoy to bask in all the fall vibes this season brings!

Fall TRADE SHOW AND MARKET

September 21-23 paves the way for the largest general consumer trade show in Fort McMurray with over 300 exhibits and over 12,000 consumers. Head to MacDonald Island Park and discover new products, innovative sellers and so much more! Event details and ticket information here.

SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY TASTING

Whisky fan? On September 21, drop by the Shell Place Diamond Ballroom for an evening of whisky sampling with Kelly and Rob Carpenter, the founders of the Canadian branch of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Tickets and event details ...

As the weather gets cooler, you might want to catch up on some home improvement and home maintenance projects before winter sets in. Here are some projects that you need to put on your list and tackle sooner rather than later.

Make any necessary roof repairs and replacements

If there are any leaks or gaps on your roof, snow and ice will find its way in, so start replacing any missing or loose shingles before the first snowfall. Should you have the needs to replace your roof, consider roofing that is durable and can withstand snow and heavy wind, such as asphalt shingles.

Repair cracks in your driveway and walkways

Fill in any small cracks in your driveway and walkways before winter arrives. Small cracks can quickly become large cracks if not properly filled in.

Clean and seal your deck

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Unpredictable bouts of heavy rain from time to time can be alarming especially if your home is not prepared for the damages that it might do. This is especially true if your home has a basement. Be prepared and prevent your home from any possible water damage with these tips.

Maintain grade

Homeowners should take poorly graded yards seriously since water traveling toward the home can cause serious problems and damage foundations and basements. Poor leveling also poses issues with landscaping, gardens and trees. Make sure that your yard is properly leveled especially if your yard have lumps and bumps from tree and bush removal, sewer installation, tree-root growth and create swales if need be away from your home. Here’s a link on how to grade your yard properly.

Clear out window wells

Make sure that your window wells are free from debris. It’s also important to check for proper drainage and to get window well covers if you don’t have them yet. This will make sure that your basement is protected from possible flooding.

Check sump pump

Sump pumps guard your home against flood or accumulating ground water. That’s why it’s very important that they’re inspected periodically to ensure that it’s...

The key to a successful decluttering project is knowing what to actually do with the items that you deem to be cluttering your home. Decluttering doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to throw  all the stuff away. There are things that you can sell or donate, and others that just really needs to be organized or stored someplace else. Let us help you out with categorizing common items that you encounter in a decluttering project. Get a list of which ones should be thrown out, donated or sold, and which ones should be put away for storage.

TRASH

Expired pantry items

Check your fridge or cupboards for expired items. Condiments, spices, snack items, superfood powders that you swore you will try, grains and cereal, pet treats, and other similar items. The real goal here is to be more conscious about the expiration dates of what you buy. Make sure that you don’t let them go bad in your fridge or cupboards and to only buy what you need.

Old makeup or skincare items

Get rid of old lipstick tubes and bottles of foundation that you swore you’ll get the last bit out of 6 months ago. This goes the same for makeup and skincare samples that you set aside to try them out but never did. Now the line is discontinued, but you still have the samples. Wet makeup products, such as foundation, lipstick and primers usually go bad after...

Summer is here!

As the warmer months come in, it gets easier to check out homes that are for sale. This ease makes me more eager to step up my game as a trusted Realtor. I want to make sure that I’m providing my clients - valued clients like you - the best professional service possible. Not just when I help you buy or sell a home, but also with the service that I provide in between those transactions.

You see, my business is built on repeat business and more importantly, referrals from satisfied clients. That’s one of the many reasons why I work hard to be of service to you month after month and year after year.

As a valued client, your opinions matter a lot to me. This is why I would like to ask you a big favor. It would mean a lot to me if you contact me and let me know of any steps that I can take to make sure that you enjoy your home to the fullest. Whether it be answering your questions about real estate, giving you a visit to give you an idea of what your home is currently worth in today’s market, or maybe recommending a trusted professional to help you out with your latest project.

Feel free to let me know of any way that I can help. Clients like you are the most important and the most rewarding part of my job, and I want nothing more than to make sure that you are treated that way.


All the best!

Jennifer Fahey

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Home Price Appreciation / Depreciation across Canada

That is a great question. For parts of Canada where there are major cities and metropolitan areas, the monthly home price appreciation is not only calculated, it is available online here. (Hat tip to my REALTOR friends in Kelowna for the link to that page.) 

Using that online Appreciation map gives us a general idea in the biggest cities in a province how home prices are doing month to month and year to year...and that is good...BUT that does not show us the following:

• How homes are doing in Fort McMurray?
• How is YOUR home doing?
• How much equity do you have in your home?

The good news is that WE can help you with that! Let us provide you with those answers. We are happy to give you at no cost or obligation. Getting started is easy. Simply fill out the information below:

Thinking about going the FSBO route?  You don't have to do it alone.  A highly-skilled and qualified Realtor is here to help you out!  Before you consider selling your house on your own, take the time to read the following reasons why For Sale by Owner listings tend to fail in the real estate market.

Prep Work

Preparing a home for sale properly plays a big role in the success of selling a home.  One of the most common reasons why people who attempt to sell their home without the help of an experienced agent is because they have little to no idea about how to properly and effectively prepare their home before it gets listed for sale.

Some of the most important pre-listing tasks that FSBOs should do before listing their home for sale include:

• Decluttering
• Freshly painted rooms
• Professionally clean carpets and/or floors
• Complete any neglected repairs
• Replace outdated light fixtures
• Make sure your home has good curb appeal

Screening Potential Buyers

An experienced real estate agent talks to buyers and sellers everyday of the week for a living.  This means that they have a certain mastery of how to do this, and they definitely have a keen sense when it comes to screening potential buyers.  A perfected craft is always the best option rather than taking a stab at doing it yourself.  This is another factor that plays a big part on why FSBO sales tend to fail.  The homeowner doesn’t have the same expertise in screening potential buyers like an experienced agent has.  They are unable to quickly identify unqualified buyers, because they do not know how to ensure whether or not a buyer...

Current Fort McMurray Mortgage Rate Environment:

The Bank of Canada announced last month that it would be remaining at current interest rates (for now), but those on adjustable mortgage rates and buyers looking for financing are wondering what’s next. Should they lock in? Which is a better option, variable or fixed? If rates climb, how high will they go? How much extra monthly budget should you allocate for mortgage payment interest increases?

The correct answer is - It depends.

The last two times before the latest meeting when the Bank of Canada met, they raised rates. This time they held the line with the overnight rate at 1.00%, due to their concerns about the increasing strength of the dollar along with the ongoing NAFTA renegotiation.
Variable rate holders after the previous two changes had already seen increases in their interest costs since those mortgages are based on prime rate, which is influenced directly by the overnight target rate.

“Competitive variable rates have risen a smidge over 30 bps since the BoC started tightening this summer,” noted Robert McLister, who dissects mortgage rates at RateSpy.com. “That’s less than two rate hikes. The reason it’s less than two hikes is because discounts from prime have noticeably improved.”

McLister's assessment is that for an average borrower, each 1/4-point rate increase is equal to approximately $1,100 in additional interest cost over five years per $100,000 borrowed.

So if you look at your loan balance, and make a guess at the rate adjustment, you can approximate the additional cost. But the big key is this:

Where Do Mortgage Rates in Fort McMurray Go From Here?...

Selling your house?  You may be thinking about going down the “For Sale By Owner” route.  Here are a couple of things that you need to know before you decide on selling your house on your own.

There are a number of parties involved in a real estate transaction.  People with whom you would otherwise not have to deal with if you were to hire an agent to help you sell your home.  Realtors act as a buffer in negotiations with all parties throughout the entire transaction.  Should you decide on selling your house on your own, here is a list of people that you will have to negotiate with:

• The Buyer
• The Buyer’s Agent
• The Buyer’s Bank
• The Home Inspection Company
• The Appraiser
• The Title Company

With the continuous growth of social media, internet usage, as well as everyone already being equipped with a smartphone, you’ll have to know how to keep up with the ongoing trends to have your house seen by potential buyers.

Nowadays, having an ad on the paper just won’t cut it.  With all the technological advancements available, the most popular way wherein buyers search for real estate listings in by doing an online search.  These buyers don’t...

Home sellers always aim for one thing - selling their home as fast as possible.  In neighbourhoods with lots of homes for sale, sellers must be willing to take their efforts up a notch in order to beat the competition and make sure that their home is on top of every buyer's list.  Here are some of the easiest and inexpensive tips on how to achieve your goal in selling your home in no time.

De-cluttering your home gives way for space to be showcased in your home.  It gives the buyer an idea of the areas in your home that they can utilize for the items that they'll be bringing in once they move in.

De-cluttering is also a way to eliminate the potential of buyers seeing your home as messy or unorganized which might otherwise cause them to steer clear of putting your home at the top of their list.

• Clear your kitchen counters, night stands, coffee tables, etc.
• Organize closets, shelves and other storage spaces.
• Consider renting a storage unit for the sale period.

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A home is one of the most important purchases you will ever make, so the need to make sure that you are getting the best value for your hard-earned money.  It is vital for you to be certain that everything in your target home is checked and evaluated before you buy a home.

Enter the value of home inspection.  A home inspection is an inexpensive way to become aware of the overall condition of a home.  It is important to make sure that you are not making a costly mistake of buying a home that is in need of major repairs or replacements.  In line with this, you also need to know the key questions that you need to ask during the home inspection process - and I'm here to sum them up for you.

The inspector should be able to tell you if the home is in a condition that's ready for move-in, or if you still need to do some work on it.

If the inspector tries to get work fixing the problems, you may want a second opinion.  The inspector should be able to...

How do you stage a home?  First, we must learn what home staging is.  Home staging is when your home is prepared to be sold in the real estate market.  The goal is to make your home appealing to the highest possible number of potential buyers.  In turn, you will be able to sell your home fast and for more money.

Here are some of the easiest and most effective ways for you to get started in staging your home.

Nothing else says, "Welcome Home" more than an inviting porch!  An updated, easy-to-read house number will make sure that your house is easy to locate.  It also immediately gives an impression of a well-maintained home.

If you have a tiny stoop, a clean and cheery welcome mat will do the trick.  Add a potted plant in bloom, and you're golden!  For porches with more room, a few pieces of furniture will also make a huge difference.  A nice rocking chair, a small coffee table and some chairs, or you can also add an outdoor sofa.

Many people thinking about touring your home will often do a drive-by first to see if your home is even worth their time.  Make sure that your home is sure onlooker-magnet with these tips:

1. Power wash sidings and walkways.
2. Give your front windows a good wash.
3. Plant...

End the season on a high note with these simple but super fun summer activities for the whole family!

• Go on a picnic (or host one!). Pack a picnic basket with your favorite sandwiches or salads, and go out.  Eat with your family some place other than a dining table.  You can also host a picnic-style luncheon with friends or your relatives. Be it in a park or your backyard.  One thing for sure is this is a refreshing twist to your usual get together.

• Go camping. Plan a simple camping trip.  Bust out your tents, sleeping bags, board games, and get together with your friends or the whole family for some quality time out in the woods.  A low-key option for kids is taking them on a “camping trip” to your backyard - BUT with all the bells and whistles, so they’d still get to experience all the fun activities associated with spending some quality time with their friends outdoors.

• Go swimming one more time. Enjoy a fun day at the pool, Gregoire Lake, or a splash park one last time before summer ends; or don’t miss out on your chance to go swimming this summer if you haven’t had the chance to do it yet.  Take lots of photos - make memories with your family, and don’t forget to hydrate and wear sunscreen!

• Frozen Treats! Spend a day with your family and friends and enjoy healthy home-made frozen treats, like fruit popsicles made with berries and coconut water,...

There are a lot of home improvement ideas available for your home. Here are a couple of easy ones, so read on!

Jazz up your house numbers. It’s one of the first things people see when they come to your house anyway. Here are some great ideas for you!

Give your windows a makeover. Update your curtains, curtain rods, and holdbacks/tiebacks. Matching them with the room’s overall color palette or theme makes it even better!

Restyle your bookcase. Decorated bookcases are a delight! Use like-colored items for your decor, and add pops of metallic finishes to create a cohesive flow without sacrificing style.

Add some greenery. An indoor plant in the living room, fresh herbs in the corner of your kitchen, or an assortment of  low-maintenance succulents will give more life to your home.

Give your cabinets an Anthropologie feel. Class them up with painted knobs and pulls. They...

So, hows the Real Estate Market in Fort McMurray?

People ask me all the time about the "real estate market". It is funny that with right at a decade in the real estate business in Fort McMurray, my response over the years has always pretty much been the same.

"That depends, what are you looking to do?" -Jennifer

Real Estate, Homes and Condos are Individual

So are you and your family.

There really is not a "real estate market" in Fort McMurray. If you are looking for a condo near downtown, your market will be entirely different than someone looking to sell a home near Gregoire Lake. While the are general factors that determine economic conditions, what that means to each buyer and seller are radically different.

The Fort McMurray Fire affected real estate and property values in different areas different ways. Some areas were burned out. Some areas suffered little damage. The oil economy tends to affect more in a general way, but with two hours of driving in between different projects, even that varies widely when you get down to specifics.

Sure, you can search my website for homes in Fort McMurray, or Anzac or Saprae Creek or any of the other areas. But there is a pretty good chance that I should listen to your needs and answer your questions first.

My goal is to understand what your needs are and to help you get there

What is important is that I answer your question about the real estate market ACCURATELY. And that means that I need to take the time to understand...