It’s been quite a crazy summer for weather this year in Fort McMurray. Don’t put your hands over your ears… We know you don’t want to hear it yet but fall to soon fall will be upon us. As the days get shorter and you start planning for the kids to go back to school don’t forget to prepare your home.

CLEAN OUT THE GUTTERS
Gutters get a lot of action in the fall and winter. While this is not the most fun job don’t forget to clean gutters of all debris and repair any leaking areas to avoid water leaking and dripping that can cause dangerous ice build ups where people walk.

INSPECT YOUR ROOF SHINGLES FOR DAMAGE
The last thing you want is water dripping on your head in November. Check ridge shingles for cracks and wind damage. Look for damage to metal flashing in valleys and around vents and chimneys. Scan the entire roof for missing, curled, or damaged shingles. Look in your gutters for large accumulations of granules, a sign that your roof is losing its coating; expect problems soon. If you see any signs of damage consult a roofing specialist before it gets to cold to deal with it. This will save you HUGE dollars

MAKE SURE YOUR ATTIC HATCH IS PROPERLY SEALED
Check your attic hatch to ensure it seals tightly. While you are up there check to ensure all of your vents are clear for proper airflow and that your insulation is even throughout. Attic rain is caused by excessive accumulations of moisture in the attic of the home, which freezes during cold weather and melts when warmer temperatures hit. The resulting damage can be costly, a bit of fall maintenance can help you avoid this issue.

TURN OFF YOUR OUT DOOR SPRINKLERS AND FAUCETS
It might be a little early for this yet. Set your self a reminder as the cold weather approaches. Remove any hoses from the outdoor faucets and make sure you properly drain any in ground sprinklers.

FROST PROOF EXPOSED PIPES
Circumvent frozen pipes by wrapping any exposed areas with heat tape. Frost-proof spigots with a faucet insulator and shut off any unnecessary water supply. This is particularly important in mobile homes.

SERVICE YOUR FURNACE
This is the perfect time to book that annual check up with your Hvac guy. Have your furnace serviced, inspected and cleaned. Replaced old filters with new.

SWITCH YOUR CEILING FAN BLADES
A common preparation for the chillier seasons is to change the direction of your ceiling fans. In the warmer months, your blades are best turning counter clockwise or forward to blow the cooler air down. In the fall and winter, you want the blades to turn clockwise or backward to draw air up toward the ceiling and thrust warm air down. This simple trick can be a huge saving on your heating bill.

CLEAN YOUR VENTS & CHECK THE CHIMNEY
During the summer dust and pet hair can build up in your vents. We often have windows and doors open during the warm season for fresh airflow but as the weather cools off we seal up our home. Cleaning vents allows unrestricted air flow and a healthier environment for your family. Less dust to deal with is also an added benefit. Do a visual check of your chimney to ensure there are no crumbling bricks or bird or squirrel nests inside. If you are not comfortable going onto your roof hire a local professional to inspect.

CHECK/REPLACE WEATHER STRIPPING
Weather stripping loses its effectiveness with age and needs to be replaced every few years. Do a visual check of the stripping around exterior doors and windows (including your garage door) and replace if it appears worn or cracked. If the stripping appears fine but you can feel air moving when your doors and windows are closed, check that the stripping has been installed properly or that you’re using the correct stripping (there is a difference between door and window stripping, and a difference between foam and rubber stripping).

COMPARE ENERGY RATES
This is the perfect time to get out those energy bills we all hate to look at and compare rates. Make sure you are getting the best deal. Check out https://energyrates.ca where you can compare plans of all of the providers and find the best fit for you.

ENJOY THE FINAL DAYS OF SUMMER WITH YOUR FAMILY
This is the perfect time to get out and explore some of the great out door activities Fort McMurray has to offer. Check out Heritage Park https://fortmcmurrayheritage.com. Enjoy the sandy beach and campground at Gregiore Lake, explore the Birchwood Trials. Check out http://www.fortmcmurraytourism.com/things-to-do for a great list of events and things to do with the family this summer.

IS FALL IS GOOD TIME TO SELL??
The warm weather housing market is coming to a close and you may be considering selling and wondering if fall is a good time to sell. This may be exactly the right time. Fall brings a more serious pool of buyers that feel the pressure to get into a Fort McMurray home before the holidays. Did you know that millennials and empty-nesters usually swoop in a bit later in the year. Employers who need to relocate their workers quite often wait for the fall. If you are considering selling your home and would like more tips on how to prepare your home to get maximum value or would like a FREE MARKET EVALUATION feel free to reach out to one of our experienced Lore Group Realtors. We can’t wait to hear from you.

If you’re considering Purchasing a Fort McMurray Condo, there are some awesome deals to be had right now; But how do you know you aren’t buying into a problem? Reviewing the condo documents is vitally important, as it is the only tool you have to assess the stability of the condominium corporation.

Once you find a condo you love, and are ready to make an offer, ensure a review of the documents is a condition in your offer to purchase. Buyers should read and do a thorough review of the documents themselves, but often the piles of documents can be overwhelming. Your Lore Group Real Estate Agent also recommends a professionally review, and don’t worry, our group can provide contacts for Company’s where reviewing pages and pages of documents is there specialty.

A Condominium Document Review can save you $1000’s of dollars. The Condo Document reviewer conducts an analysis of the reserve fund (the big savings account meant for common capital expenses), to determine the financial condition of the corporation. The professional reviewer also looks at bylaws and identifies items such as pet policies, age restrictions, insurance details and other items that may be important in deciding if the complex is a good fit for you. Meeting minutes are reviewed to ascertain whether any upcoming changes, issues or potential special assessments or increases in condo fees are have recently been discussed.

While there are no guarantees, having a review BEFORE you purchase will help give you confidence and PEACE OF MIND. The cost is around $400.00, but could SAVE YOU BIG DOLLARS AND STRESS IN THE FUTURE.

Have more questions about condos? Reach out to our team, we are happy to help 780-370-3325

What is the forecast for Fort McMurray’s housing market? As we enter the 3rd quarter of 2018, it’s cautiously optimistic for those both selling and buying a house in Fort McMurray, the active spring and summer markets suggest a steady path to recovery.

If you’re considering selling your Fort McMurray home, here is some positive news: Sale to list price ratios: Sellers are receiving an average of 95% of their list price thus far in the month of July and  number of sales are strengthening. You should be noticing more of those lovely red sold signs recently, as June posted the highest number of sales for Single Family Detached Properties so far in 2018, with nearly the highest since 2015. 70 Sales= a whopping 45.85% increase over 2017 numbers. Prices fell only an average of 2.5% year over year, with Inventory down year over year.

Pricing your home properly remains essential to gaining the highest and best price and a timely sale, and those that do are selling in very reasonable time frames with the average days on market at 92 days. To stay competitive, conside

r scrutinizing recent sales data for your street and neighbourhood (your Realtor can provide this data) and discuss with your Lore Group Real Estate Agent competitive pricing and marketing strategies.

Buyer confidence is noticeably returning to the Fort McMurray Real Estate Market, with an increase in 1st time home buyers entering the market and scooping up homes while prices have reached a level that is more affordable, renting no longer makes sense for many. There are generally plenty of options out there for a variety of home buyers and incomes. Interest rates remain attractive with Scotia’s Prime lending rate posts at 3.70%. With the expectation that mortgage rates will increase throughout the year, now is the time to take advantage and get pre-approval while rates are low!

What are the hot properties in Fort McMurray? Where can I find deals? The condo market saw the biggest decline, year over year as the average list price of an apartment condo in the month of June was $170,335; representing a 22.81% drop in pricing from June 2017. Condo life has never been more affordable. Vacant lots continue to move with prices falling 15% from May 2018. The average price of a city lot is in areas such as Stone Creek, North Parsons Creek, Beaconhill, Abasand and Waterways is $106,629. Saprae Creek Estate recently rolled back pricing on country residential 2 acre lots starting at $124,900. Keep an eye o

n the repo market, there is currently 45 Fort McMurray foreclosures and more anticipated in the coming year.

Oil has far exceeded what most experts said would happen this year with prices jumping past $71.00 a barrel however the Fort McMurray housing market has been slow to respond as investors continue to exercise caution.The housing market in Fort McMurray isn’t necessarily booming, but it’s not a weak market either. If you’re getting ready to buy or sell and would like more information contact one of The Lore Group, Coldwell Banker Fort McMurray experts to help guide you.

THE NUMBERS ARE IN…Here are January 2016 Fort McMurray Real Estate Stats

TOWNHOUSE CONDO
Active Listing 85
Average Sale Price $399,625
Number of Sales 4
Average days on market 345

SINGLE FAMILY HOMES
Active Listing 382
Average Sale Price $631,014
Number of Sales 32
Average days on market 143

MOBILE WITH LAND
Active Listing 47
Average Sale Price $364,667
Number of Sales 3
Average days on market 44

DUPLEX
Active Listing 69
Average Sale Price $505,000
Number of Sales 2
Average days on market 370

APARTMENT CONDO
Active Listing 124
Average Sale Price $333,725
Number of Sales 4
Average days on market 225

*The interpretations of the data are the opinion of Susan Lore and may not the views of the board or its members.