| Hello October!Every
year I welcome Fall with open arms. I love this time of year in Calgary
and find the changing of seasons not just beautiful, but
thought-provoking. I start to reminisce on the past year and am
beginning to think about the new year (can you believe it’s going to be
2020- a new decade)! It’s never too early to start goal setting, to start implementing new business procedures and fun marketing strategies… OK, I can’t get ahead of myself… we still have 3 months left this year! Also, this month brings a whole lot of gratitude. I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving and am very thankful for all my clients, my friends and of course, my family. Enjoy the Fall season everyone and have a fun & safe Halloween! Cheers, |
September 2019 stats are in, what did the previous month bring? City of Calgary, October 1 2019 – For the third consecutive month, sales activity improved over last year’s figures, and year-over-year new listings and inventories eased. This trend will help support more stability in the housing market. “Price declines have likely brought some buyers back into the market,” said CREB® chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie, noting improvements in the market continue to be driven by homes priced below $500,000. In the condominium apartment market, sales improved by 16 per cent this month. This represents the segment’s best September since 2015. Year-to-date growth in both the attached and apartment sector were enough to offset the modest decline in the detached sector resulting in year-to-date sales growth of nearly one per cent in the city. Despite improving sales and reductions in inventory, the overall market remains oversupplied. This continues to weigh on prices. “While housing demand is modestly improving, sales activity remains relatively weak,” said Lurie. “The market is moving toward more stable conditions, but this is mostly related to supply adjustments in the city.” September inventory levels are still elevated at 6,889 units, but this figure represents a decline of 13 per cent compared to last year. The months of supply in the Calgary market currently sits at five months. These conditions continue to favour the buyer, but not to the same degree seen at this time last year. September’s citywide unadjusted benchmark price of $424,900 is two per cent lower than last year’s levels.
For the full report, click here. What does this mean for you as a future buyer or seller in Calgary? Drop me a line, I’d love to help.
*Stats obtained from CREB.com
From my family to yours, we wish you a very
Happy Thanksgiving!
Offered for $449,900 | MLS C4268244
The ultimate LIVE & WORK opportunity on Mission Rd. One of only a few DC zoned Walk Up units gives you a lot of options for live, work and/or investment. Amazing access to 4th Street, Mission, the inner city core and also just down the road from Macleod Trail. This 1 bedroom 2 full bath has an amazing functional layout. Over 1000sf of living space features a huge kitchen space featuring modernized finishes, custom cabinets, and S/S Appliances. Room for dining entertaining and/or a huge work space. Step down into the living room equipped with its own 4 pce bath and in-suite laundry. Walk up the staircase to the lofted master bedroom space including its own 4pce ensuite. 2 separate entrances, titled secured parking and lots of street parking available. Concrete structure for increased privacy. Tons to love here all for under $450,000.
For more information, click here!
| – Unparalleled luxury in Aspen Estates! – Incredible craftsmanship and mountain views I had the pleasure of assisting some very special people on the sale of their homes this month. Congratulations to you all, you know who you are! I love helping people in their home buying and selling endeavours. Contact me today to get started. I can’t wait! #BlueSold #SorrySold |
It’s the time to dress the kids up and head outside for some trick or treating. Here’s some tips to ensure everyone has a safe evening!
1. Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross.
2. Put electronic devices down, keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street. Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them. And always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
3. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings. Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
4. Join kids under age 12 for trick-or-treating. If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, tell them to stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat in groups.
5. Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colours.
6. Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers.
7. Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
8. Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs. Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
9. Get rid of any distractions – like your phone – in your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
10. Turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances. Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Be especially alert for kids during those hours.
Couple Costume Idea.
DIY Pantone Colour Couple: Put on your best dress, convince him to wear his favorite suit, and then call your pairing the ultimate color combo. It’ll help if you don complementary colors, of course. Get this look here.
Fun, Unexpected Halloween Costume Idea.
This Sea Anemone is easier than it looks! To make, blow up long, pink balloons and attach them by the knot to a pink shirt with a safety pin. For even more detail, create a crown with pipe cleaners and felt, and decorate with plastic fish.
Cactus Costume
No, you don’t have to stand like this all night. Luckily, this easy-to-make costume isn’t nearly as prickly as the real thing … but you’ll still be lookin’ sharp. Full tutorial here.
DIY Balloon Animal Costume.
Feeling crafty and ready to wow at any party? This creative costume is unexpected but so artsy it’ll have everyone gushing. Full tutorial here.
Wondering how to celebrate All Howl’s Eve? Here’s some ideas whether your wanting a fun day/evening with the kids or if it’s date night…
Halloweekends at Calaway Park
This one is more for the kids, particularly the face painting and interactive activities, but adults will enjoy the park rides, games and strolling through Hallotown just as much as the children. Calaway Park goes all out with the decorations and visitors are encouraged to wear family-friendly costumes. You can even meet your favourite characters including Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood, Snow White and the Evil Queen, Batgirl and Harley Quinn and so much more. Make sure to check their website to see who will be available on certain dates.
Dates: Weekends and holiday Monday until October 14, 2019
Cost: Regular admission for ages 3 to 49, $41.95; kids 2 and under, Free
Times: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Calaway Park, 245033 Range Rd. 33, 403-240-3822, calawaypark.com
Hospital of Horror Virtual Reality Experience
SmartyPantz escape room partnered with vrCAVE to create a 10-minute virtual reality experience. Two people put on headsets and go into the haunted hospital together. It’s not an escape room, but you will explore creepy rooms and be frightened. This was designed to be a two-person experience so make sure to bring a partner.
Dates: Throughout the year.
Cost: $30 per person.
Times: SmartyPantz is open Sunday from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Tuesday to Thursday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 3:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Closed on Mondays. 1601 14 St. S.W., 587-318-5640, smartypantz.ca
Calgary Ghost Tours
Walking through Calgary’s oldest neighbourhoods and hearing real ghost stories from the experts is possibly one of the scariest ways to spend an evening this Halloween season. Calgary Ghost Tours will walk you through Inglewood, Downtown, Kensington or even Banff on Friday, Saturday and some Sunday evenings. They also have a pub tour, where your guide will lead you to two of the most haunted bars in Calgary. This year, October 31 is set aside for a tour of Inglewood starting at Rosso.
Dates: Various dates from September through the beginning of November 2019
Cost: Tickets from $20
Times: Times vary Various locations, calgaryghostwalks.com
ScreamFest Resurrected
Calgary’s scariest event is back for one long weekend only. This time, you’ll be able to walk through each of the six haunted houses plus check out all the booths and activities at the Halloween Entertainment Expo (HEX). While the haunted houses are 12-years and up, HEX is family friendly. There will even be a beer garden – perhaps to give you liquid courage to enter one of their terrifying haunted houses. This year, you’ll have the opportunity to meet and get an autograph from Freddy Krueger, Mike Myers (Halloween) and E.T. – or the actors who play them – plus meet many more celebrities from your favourite Halloween movies. Don’t forget to check out The Extreme Zombie House – A World’s End Experience. This one is extra, extra scary with actors brushing up against you and literally breathing down your neck — this one is so frightening you’ll need to sign a waiver before participating.
Dates: October 11, 12, 13 and 14, 2019
Cost: Buy your tickets online and save. General admission, $30; RIP admission (online only) $299; and everything in between.
Times: October 11, 5 p.m. to 12 a.m.; October 12 and 13, 12 p.m. to 12 a.m.; October 14, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The BMO Centre at Stampede Park, 20 Roundup Way S.E., screamfest.ca
17th Avenue’s Spook-tacular Event
This family-friendly event will be featuring live music, games, face painting, a petting zoo and more. Be sure to go all out on your costume because they will be giving away a big box of Halloween treats and a $500 17th Avenue gift card to participating retailers for the best costume.
Dates: October 19, 2019
Cost: Free
Times: 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tomkins Park, 17 Ave. and 8 St. S.W.,
For more fun ideas, check out the list on Avenue!
Have a great rest of your month, a Happy Thanksgiving and a safe and fun Halloween! |