Graphics designed and published by CBC.

It’s been a big year for many of Canada’s hottest housing markets.

The average buying price of a home jumped up over 7% compared to the same time last year, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA).

At the same time, the actual number of homes sold is almost identical in growth (7%).

With having a soft spell earlier this year, this is welcome news for anyone in the market or looking to get into it.

For one thing, October tends to be a softer month than the busier days in the spring and summer, as people are eager to buy and sell. But having an October that is this active bodes well for the busier housing markets, and this includes Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary and Edmonton.

Additionally, the two hottest markets in the city appear to be lifting the numbers slightly. Taking Vancouver and Toronto out of the equation, the average home price for the rest of the country is $330,596 with a year-over-year rate increase of just 5.4%.

Several of our country’s major cities have seen slight declines in year-over-year pricing. Sherbrooke Quebec saw the most dramatic with a drop of 14%. The remaining 8 cities saw pricing declines between 0.3% and 3.7%, which shouldn’t shake up those local markets too badly.

The Edmonton Home Pros Team has worked for years in the hearts and surrounding areas of these communities

• Edmonton
• Leduc,
• Sherwood Park
• Spruce Grove
• St. Albert
• Stony Plain

We’ve seen the numerous market changes and forces at play, and we can help you navigate the market whether you are buying or selling your home.

Don’t be alarmed with steady growth. The Edmonton real estate market is strong and continues to follow a path that many in our industry have seen coming. They say a rising tide lifts all boats, and if you are looking to make a move in the marketplace, there is no better time than now.

So get in touch with us and we can have a conversation about making the right decisions for you and your family.

Here are just a few of the limitless colour options available.

There are few things in an Edmonton autumn more rewarding that a welcoming home. We all love that feeling of entertaining friends or family and just watching eyes light up when they walk through your place. Few things in the world provide that much quiet satisfaction.

But there is one thing that is just as satisfying: Making people feel the same way before they walk in the door.

There are ways to make your exterior incredibly welcoming and elaborate, but that takes time and money, and it requires upkeep.

But what if I told you that with a couple hours of planning and execution and about a quart of paint, you can completely transform the look of your front exterior, adding an incredible amount of personality and creating a focal point that will attract eyes from even down the street?

1. Choosing the door is easy. Choosing the colour isn’t so easy.

You might want to avoid picking a favourite colour first when it comes to painting your front door. Instead, take stock of the architecture of your front of house and look at the accents and root colours. Are there bricks? What are the root colours of the wood being used? You could even coordinate with shutters or other accents. This is a great way to highlight those elements, if they are hidden behind brush or trees.

But make sure that you make it part of your style as well. If you just for the architectural match, you’ll end up with something that matches… likely a little too well.

2. Watch the Sun.

When people design the interiors of their homes, the colours they pick look like the colours should, bold and brilliant. When we take these same colour samples outside, they can lose some of that lustre under direct sunlight. So to reduce the chances of getting to soft a shade, test your samples under different lighting conditions. Choose from bright sunny days, cloudy mid days, and even clear evenings. Explore the colour inside the home too. Remember, half of the door will be visible from the inside.

2. Pick the Right Paint.

Picking the right paint isn’t just about picking the longest pasting paint or the right stuff to bind to the surface. You also have to think about the state of the door and its age. If your door has been around and seen more than its share of bumps, a high gloss paint, though attractive, will reveal imperfections with incredible detail. Choose from the matte, low lustre or even semi gloss paint finishes and be sure that they will work well on the surface of your door.

Painting and personalizing your front door is one of the quickest ways to change the look of your home and add a level of punch to your curb appeal. The Edmonton Home Pros Team hugely supports the idea of making a home yours. If you would like to learn more about homes in Edmonton with great curb appeal, get in touch with the Edmonton Home Pros Team. We’d be happy to talk about what options may be available to you.

Do you want to renovate your Edmonton home, but lack the patience and knowledge? To save time and stress: Ask a contractor for help. Their experience, access to materials, and technical knowledge set them apart as expert home renovators. Many home improvement contractors operate in Edmonton; however, not all of them are true professionals. So take some precautions when hiring a contractor:  (more…)