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.

What’s going on in Our Fort McMurray Market?

 Real Estate Markets are constantly in flux and Fort McMurray is no exception.  Our Group would love to share with you real information based on facts and statistics, and clear up some of these common recent misconceptions. For home sellers, knowing all the data and facts surrounding the market is critical to helping you maximize the selling price.

 #1 The market is flooded with listings; 

Currently there are only 610 active and conditional listings on the market in the Fort McMurray Region. With the exception of  2018 (a very low listing month) This is actually a 12-25% decrease in number of homes for sale compared to the same month (January) during the last 5 years.

#2 All Homes are taking a long time to sell.

This is a Myth…There are many variables which impact the number of days it takes for a home to sell. Price, marketing, area, type of property, etc. While certain properties may take longer, the average days on market in Fort McMurray for January was only 78 days… so less than 3 months. So with the right price and a great marketing team on your side your home may be sold very quickly.

#3 Spring is the best time to sell.

Historically our busiest time of year is late spring. These months tend to mean higher number of sales, as well as lower average days on market. But does that mean you should wait? Sometimes, listing your home PRIOR to the spring market can give you an advantage. There is LESS competition, and buyers are out shopping for their homes in hopes to move in before the summer.

What does this mean for Sellers? January market stats still indicate a Buyer’s market, but the market IS moving, and homes ARE selling. If you are considering selling your home, and would like professional advice and our teams strategy for a timely & successful sale, at no obligation, we would love to hear from you.

Please contact us anytime.

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