Heritage Landing: Yesterday’s Prices Today

1 & 2 Bedroom Fort McMurray Condos Starting at $259,900

Reserve Today: 780-370.3325

The Do’s and Don’ts in Purchasing a Condo

DO Hire a Professional REALTOR®

It’s FREE. Do your homework. Find the professional who’s experience in the condo market is undeniable.

DON’T Let UNCLE FRED Lead The Way

While Fred’s advice may be great, base your decision on facts. A subjective view is always best when investing in real estate.

DO Hire a Certified Home Inspector

Enough said.

DON’T Become House Poor

Finding a great REALTOR® is only the start, aligning yourself with a mortgage specialist is a must do. Understanding how much you can afford will ensure you do not break the bank!

DO Read

Condo ownership involves a joint interest set under the provisions of a Condo Corporation. Documents including bylaws, condo fee schedules, reserve fund studies, etc., are available, Read these documents thoroughly and hire a condominium document specialist or lawyer to red flag any potential issues.

For more information about Heritage Landing, check out the Heritage Landing Project Page on our website, or visit www.fortmaccondos.com.

Today marks the longest day of the year and the official start of summer here in Fort McMurray, and we know you’re all excited to enjoy the long, warm days. But if you’re trying to sell your Fort McMurray home this summer, you’ve probably got other things on your mind besides camping trips and BBQs.

Selling a home in the summer can be a tricky affair for exactly the same reasons most people love summer so much: it’s warm, we’ve got vacation plans on the brain, our kids are out of school, and buying real estate is often the last thing on people’s To Do list. Fort McMurray home sellers often have fewer showings when they put their home on the market in the summer, and it’s vitally important to make the most of the showings you do get. Buyers are out there looking, and if you want your home to get noticed you’ll need to spend some extra time getting your home – and your yard – in tip-top summer shape.

Outdoor Appeal

Curb appeal and outdoor spaces are never more important than during the summer months, and sellers should make sure they keep their front and back yards impeccable to capitalize on a home buyer’s natural inclination to notice these spaces more this season.

• Mow your lawns regular: at least once a week, and when the grass is growing fast twice a week is a must. Reseed and sod any patchy bits of lawn, and water regularly to ensure it stays a rich, health green colour.
• Trim any trees, bushes or shrubs to make sure they’re neat and tidy.
• Plant colourful flowers in gardens, boxes and hanging baskets. It’s summer time, and your yard planters should look the part and be in full bloom. Make sure you weed and water regularly.
• Decks and patios should be cleaned and looking their best. Use a power washer to get off must and caked-on dirt, and if your deck has been stained it might be time for a fresh coat. If you have patio furniture make sure it’s clean and appropriately sized for your space. Staging is just as important for outside spaces as it is for indoor ones!
• If you have a pet who roams your back yard, make sure you clean up after it regularly: the last thing you want is for one of your buyers to step in something your dog has left behind!

Indoor Details

Make sure the inside of your house looks great and is kept clean all the time: you don’t always get much warning when it comes to showings, so it’s best to be prepared and accommodating to anyone willing to view your home.

• Pay attention to the temperature and adjust accordingly. If it’s been hot and you don’t have air conditioning, you may need to bring out a few fans to keep the indoor temperature down. When it comes to fans, remember to turn them down just before you leave for a showing: a gentle breeze is fine, but a fan on high can be noisy and annoying to prospective buyers.
• Pack away all your winter boots and clothing. In the heart of summer, the last thing a prospective buyer wants to think about is winter!
• Fresh flowers add a lovely summer quality to your rooms. Make sure they’re colourful and in good condition: wilting flowers should be tossed immediately.
• Open the windows. Unless it’s raining, it’s better to keep air moving and prevent rooms from getting musty. Keep blinds up and window treatments pulled neatly back to showcase your home’s summer views. Keep your winds clean and free of fingerprints and streaks.

Time to Show

When it comes time for potential buyers to view your home, it’s important to make sure they feel comfortable and can focus on the task at hand: falling in love with your home!

• Leave your home while buyers are viewing to ensure they feel comfortable in the space and don’t feel like they’re being watched.
• Take your pets with you. Take your dog to the park or for a drive while your home is being shown. Your pet might be adorable and friendly, but it’s best if buyers don’t have to navigate around pets or worry about accidentally letting them escape while they’re viewing your property. If your cat or dog must be at home during the showing, crate them or put them in a closed room and leave a note letting the agent and buyers know there is a pet in the house and where it can be found.
• Provide cool beverages for prospective buyers. A jug of ice water or lemonade on particularly hot and muggy days is always greatly appreciated and leaves a positive impression.

Recently members of The Lore Group spent a morning checking up on the progress made so far at the site of the new Prairie Creek Business Park south of Fort McMurray. As you can see, the first phase of clearing is now complete and the land is begin readied for development phases such as grading, road construction, highway improvements, and servicing.

Located 3.3 kilometres south of Fort McMurray, this 980 acre industrial and commercial area represents opportunities for business to position themselves strategically along the key Highway 63 corridor. Close to the Fort McMurray airport, the Prairie Creek Business Park will feature 3.2 kilometres of highway frontage, ideal for highway commercial and industrial businesses such as restaurants, hotels, fuel sales, fleet service, equipment yards and rental, freight yards, and warehousing.

The Lore Group is excited by the progress being made on the Prairie Creek Business Park, positioned to become a commercial gateway to Fort McMurray, the Wood Buffalo region, and the Athabasca Oil Sands Projects. Keep an eye on our blog for future Prairie Creek Business Park updates!

To learn more about commercial and industrial opportunities in this new development or to see the current draft outline plans, please visit the Prairie Creek Business Park project page or contact The Lore Group at 780-370-3325.

Curb appeal and staging your Fort McMurray home for a showing is never more important than during the winter. Getting the details right can make the difference between a sale and another week of waiting in the slower winter market.

Providing a clear path from the street and driveway to your front door encourages potential buyers to visit the home and it also shows a standard that the current owner keeps for his home. Shovel the snow and scrape the ice.
Access is important, and the worst first impression is a driveway or sidewalk that’s still covered with snow: a snow-free walkway and drive gives the impression lots of prospective buyers have been looking for. Watch for icy spots and make sure to keep slick areas regularly salted or sanded. Ensure decks and pathways to sheds or garages are shoveled in case your prospective buyer would like to view the yard, deck, garage or shed.
Take down the Christmas decor after the holidays have passed. If you usually keep your lights up but off all year round, take them down this year. You’re selling anyway, so consider it a jump-start on packing! We do encourage clients to keep up any winter-themed decorations they have such as welcoming winter door wreaths or table centerpieces. Think seasonal touches rather than holiday ones.

Remember every agent and buyer that comes into your home will have thick winter jackets and snow-covered boots. Provide a convenient place to remove wet footwear and hang coats immediately when buyers enter your home: additional thoughtful touches include slippers, a basket for scarves and gloves, and a chair or bench to sit on when taking off or putting on boots. Buyers will appreciate you protecting the floor of their prospective investment.

Make sure your home is warm when you know your agent is scheduling showings. In particular be mindful of the temperature of your floors: cold hardwood or tiles on the feet is an immediate turn off. If you’re leaving town for the weekend while your agent is showing your home, make sure to keep the thermostat up: buyers who aren’t comfortable won’t stay long. Keeping the temperature low might mean savings on your utility bill but will affect your final selling price.

Encourage showings during daylight hours and keep your blinds and curtains open to showcase your home in natural light. Make sure your windows are spotlessly clean: the angles of winter sunlight highlight grim on glass. If you’re showing at night turn on every light so agents and buyers aren’t spending time looking for switches, and clean lamps and fixtures to make sure everything looks its best. Set up timers to turn outdoor and select indoor lights on when you aren’t home for prospective buyers doing drive-bys in the evening.

Create an inviting and cozy atmosphere and make your home a retreat from the cold weather. Turn on gas fireplaces and place warm throw-blankets on couches or chairs. Provide warm cocoa or fresh brewed coffee and tea. If you enjoy baking, the aroma of cookies complete with a plate of fresh baking to snack on can endear you to potential buyers and make your home a welcome haven from the sub-zero temperatures.

Selling a home during the winter months can be trying: the weather is cold and gloomy, daylight hours are in short supply, and there are less buyers looking. It’s important to remember, however, that even though you may have less showings when selling your home in the winter months, house hunters who are keen enough to brave the cold tend to be serious buyers.

Mortgage interest rates are at an historical all-time low. This is the most validating piece of information that you can consider at the forefront of your decision to purchase a home at any time. Lenders have had the upper hand for many years and have used their wise strategies to keep you, the buyer, locked in and provide an exceptional bottom line for their business. Lenders are now adapting to the savvy-minded buyer and can help to provide a much more appealing purchase decision to you…FINALLY!
A lower interest rate of 2.74% over 5yrs as compared to a previous rate of 5.27% over 5 yrs, can save you $3768 annually. What does that mean? How about that yearly vacation you have been talking about? What about a larger home or mortgage to accommodate your expanding family or upcoming renovations? You could also take the advice of your wise folks and pay down your mortgage a little faster each year. Extra cash in YOUR account is always sweeter than your lender’s bottom line!
How stable is the market right now for new homes? New housing starts have trended higher in recent months and the home prices have remained very stable, if not flat over the last year helping to support housing affordability as incomes continue to rise within Fort McMurray. Price per property listing has remained constant over the last 12 months, averaging $729,000, with lowest values present in the first quarter of the year, rising throughout second and third quarter. If you wait, you will most likely not get the lowest price for that home this year.
What about the current properties on the market? Should you just wait until the spring and see what else goes on the market? In looking at the number of listings, there is definitely more supply in the real estate market (this means more choices for you and your family) at this time as well, and this is certainly the ideal time to buy and not wait until March, when typically the trending is higher valued properties at a lower market supply.
Selection is vast, prices are stable and interest rates are in YOUR favor!
If you are buying a home in Fort McMurray, there has been no better time than now! The market is finally working for you.

The best part of the holiday season is remembering those who have helped make the past year meaningful both personally and professionally! The Lore Group would like to wish all our friends, associates and clients the happiest of holidays and a prosperous new year!

If you’re spending this holiday season looking to buy or sell a Fort McMurray home, don’t forget TheLoreGroup.com is still your source for all your Fort McMurray Real Estate information.

We look forward to helping you with any and all Real Estate transactions in 2012, and hope this holiday season is a fantastic one for you and your family.

The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation Fort McMurray Real Estate outlook reports are available for the remainder of 2011, with forecasts through 2012. Overall things in the Wood Buffalo market are continuing to increase and are expected to grow at a steady 6% pace.

The report includes sections on the Wood Buffalo region economic outlook, the Fort McMurray resale real estate market, the new home market, and the rental market. Download the CMHC Fort McMurray and Wood Buffalo Outlook for all graphs.

Fort McMurray & Wood Buffalo Real Estate Market Highlights

• Alberta’s GDP growth is expected to be positive through 2011 and 2012.
• The value of oil sands projects in 2011 is approaching the 2008 levels.
• Full time job growth fuelled by increased oil sands value and opportunity continue to support housing demand in the region.
• Fort McMurray and Wood Buffalo resale MLS® sales are forecasted to continue growing through 2012, with stronger activity in 2011 putting us on pace for a year over year gain.
• Average single-family home prices are setting new record highs. Multi-family home and condo pricing is increasing at a more moderate pace.
• Sales of homes priced greater than $600,000 has increased over last year. Homes priced $600,000 – $800,000 account for just over 40% of sales compared to 35% at this time last year, while homes priced over $800,000 account for 15% of sales compared to 7% last year.
• New single-family detached home starts will have moderate growth through the end of 2011 and are forecasted to remain stable in 2012, while multi-family starts are expected to improve next year.

Last week The Lore Group’s newest team member Brandon Cooper took a trip out to the west parcel of the new Saprae Creek Estates development to check in on the status of the site, and is excited to report back.

Saprae Creek Estates entrance road construction.

The west parcel is nearing completion: all trees have been cleared and road construction is well underway. By the end of this week all roads, ditches and lot approaches should be finished, allowing crews to get started clearing the east parcel. The next step will be hooking up utilities to all lot approaches.

Saprae Creek Estates. Clearing a lot on the west parcel.

Saprae Creek Estates is a new development of 2 acre acreage lots and extension of the existing Saprae Creek community, located only 10 minutes away from downtown Fort McMurray and accessible from Highway 69. Currently all lots in the west parcel and three quarters of the east parcel lots are already reserved!

Established in 1987, the hamlet of Saprae Creek has become a popular acreage-style bedroom community of Fort McMurray, and is currently home to over 900 residents. Perfect for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers, Saprae Creek is tucked away in the otherwise untouched forests south of the city. The community feels very removed from the hustle and bustle of Fort Mac, and though it’s only a few minutes drive it feels like you’re miles away!

Saprae Creek is close to several major recreational hotspots in Fort McMurray, including the popular Vista Ridge that gearing up and excited for another busy winter season of skiing, snowboarding and downhill tubing. Points West Trails is also nearby, and is a popular destination for a wide range of summer and winter activities including quadding, snowmobiling, hiking, cross-country skiing and mountain biking.

To learn more about this exciting new residential acreage development and how you can reserve your lot today, visit our Saprae Creek Estates project page or contact The Lore Group at 780-370-3325. You can also learn more about living in Saprae Creek on our Saprae Creek Community Profile page.

There are some great reasons to live in and move to Fort McMurray, and as long time residents, the team at The Lore Group wanted to share our favourite things about living here in beautiful northern Alberta!

1. Admiring the vibrant fall foliage that fills the parks and trails.

2. Indulging in a cafe latte and scrumptious fresh sunshine bread in the afternoon shade of the trees on the deck of Mitchell’s Cafe.

3. Watching the bright colours of the northern lights dance across the midnight sky.

4. Discovering heaps of literary treasures in the Fort McMurray Public Library at MacDonald Island.

5. Getting spooked at Chateau Boo, the scary haunted house hosted annually by the Fort McMurray Boys & Girls Club.

6. Falling in love with a new canine friend at the Fort McMurray SPCA at 155 MacAlpine Cres.

7. Finding new goodies from the vendors at the Fort McMurray Tourism Fall Trade Show at MacDonald Island.

8. Choosing one too many pieces of decadent, rich, handmade chocolate from the showcases at Chocolates & Candelight in Timberlea.

9. Teeing off for the last few nostalgic swings of golf int he fall crisp morning air at the Fort McMurray Golf Club in Timberlea.

10. Dropping a fishing line into the Clearwater River at lunch break.

11. Taking in the marvellously entertaining theatre productions at Keyano College.

12. Getting covered in mud quading on the trails in Prairie Creek.

13. Watching dozens of children run through the spray water at the park for the final splash of the season at J. Howard Pew Park in Waterways.

14. Cheering on the Oil Barons as they kick some butt and take some names at the Casman Centre.

15. Yanking lake trout from the back of my tailgate at Texaco Park.

16. Brisk morning mountain bike rides on Birchwood Trails.

17. Finding a one-of-a-kind work of art from a local talent at the MacDonald Island Public Gallery.

18. Admiring the beautiful sunset as we unwind and relax on the sandy beaches of Gregoire Lake.

19. Finding fabulous fall fashions at the Peter Pond Mall.

20. Devouring a juicy and oh-so-delicious burger at Earls Restaurant Lounge.

21. Delectable sushi by chef John Momo at the sushi bar at Spring Moon.

22. Heritage Park’s gift shop. Not only is there a taste of history, but also a wonderful assortment of great gift items.

What’s your favourite thing about Fort McMurray? Join us on The Lore Group Facebook page or comment here at the blog and share your favourite things with us. You’ll be entered to receive a great gift courtesy of one of our local businesses!

An article recently appeared in Unlimited about Alberta and Fort McMurray Oilsands Tourism that struck us as interesting.

We’ve provided a snippet below, but if you’re interested in reading the entire article please visit Unlimited Magazine.

It’s not a typical tourist trap at first glance, but Alberta’s oil sands have caught everyone from a comedian with The Daily Show with Jon Stewart to plenty of politicians, interested investors, and even Hollywood director James Cameron.

Welcome to the weird world of oil sands tourism, where curious, and sometimes famous, visitors explore for themselves what they hear and read about in brief snippets in the news. While only a select few are likely to kibitz with an oil company’s CEO, as The Daily Show’s Wyatt Cenac recently did with Cenovus Energy vice-president Drew Ziegelgansberger, the growing industry niche does allow for the average tourist to see Alberta’s bitumen belt firsthand.

Flights over the oil sands don’t come cheap: it’s $1,200 per aircraft per hour, and tours can be booked for one to two hours. That cost doesn’t seem to be stopping visitors, though, and cheaper ways to see the oil sands sites also exist.

“People are curious to see our region and the oil sands operations for themselves,” says Denise Barrow of the Fort McMurray Tourism office. While private firms now shuttle guests around the oil sands, Fort McMurray Tourism has been offering visitors a glimpse into the industry for the past 20 years. For about four hours and $40, visitors can tour a Suncor Energy site and go to the Oil Sands Discovery Centre, which guides visitors through the history, science and technology of the oil industry.

…

From the sky, the scope of that science project comes into view. Wood Buffalo Helicopters is one firm that offers helicopter tours of the region. The Fort McMurray-based operator takes tourists on about 70 helicopter tours of the oil sands a year, making up just two per cent of overall business.

…

For visitors, the cost of a tour becomes almost incidental after takeoff. “People are amazed at the scale and almost everybody’s convinced that they wouldn’t have been able to understand it without the helicopter tour,” Morin says. “I call the tour Oil Sands 101. People come back really appreciating the size of it and the 300-year nature of the resource. It’s a lot different than seeing 20 seconds on the evening news.”

Reposted from Unlimited Magazine: Read the entire article here.

What do you think about Fort McMurray Oilsands Tourism? Have you ever seen the oilsands from the air? Leave us a comment!