Glenmore Reservoir Kayaking: A Great Place to Start Learning Water Sports

The Glenmore Reservoir is a great way to get out on the water for a morning or afternoon. There are three access points you can launch your kayak from: the Calgary Canoe Club, Heritage Park and Glenmore Sailing School. Bylaws include no pets allowed on boats, no inflatable boats permitted and no power motors permitted.

The majority of Calgary's drinking water comes from the Glenmore reservoir; and thus the Bylaws of the City of Calgary must be followed. Boating is only permitted between May 1 and October 31. There will be no drinking of alcoholic beverages or swimming in the reservoir. You should also consider the season; sometimes the park is closed for various reasons, so make sure you check this before embarking on your excursion. There could be an abundance of huge floating and semi-submerged debris in the reservoir, producing hazardous conditions.

Elbow River

While in past years Elbow River has been a popular destination for canoeing and kayaking, one common thing we are hearing this year is concerns of the water quality.

The Elbow River is a shallow and slow moving river that runs through, and is influenced by, a dense urban area. Water quality can be influenced by a variety of factors including heavy rainfall, agriculture, storm water discharges, groundwater and high river flows. AHS will continue working with the City of Calgary to monitor river quality.The Elbow River is a shallow and slow moving river that runs through, and is influenced by, a dense urban area. Water quality can be influenced by a variety of factors including heavy rainfall, agriculture, storm water discharges, groundwater and high river flows. AHS will continue working with the City of Calgary to monitor river quality.

For a more beginner friendly location check out some of the smaller lakes in and around the city: Lake Chestermere offers an easy accessible space that is only a few minutes outside the city to the East.

Bow River

A family-friendly rafting and tourism activity that is among Canada's most popular urban excursions is the Bow River. For a water craft, the most popular forms are rafts, tubes, kayaks, and stand-up paddle boards. The City of Calgary provides excellent river navigation information for kayakers, rafters, and tubers who are out on the Bow River in late summer and early fall. Rental businesses such as Sports Rent, AQ Outdoors, and Lazy Day Raft Rentals all provide inflatable rafts for kayakers. River users in Calgary must meet a series of criteria set by the Fire Department, and you this should definitely be an option considered for intermediate users with some experience and awareness of water safety.

Items required for full functionality are shown with an asterisk: A river-appropriate watercraft that can accommodate your group's weight capacity, with the necessary life jackets and personal flotation devices for everyone on board, a mobile phone, drinking water, and sunscreen; also, have a bailer on board to deal with water within the watercraft. One of Calgary's most famous tourist attractions, the Bow River offers a sprawling expanse of a playground for the water savvy (Did you know there is a surfing spot on the Bow?). The CN Railway that runs beside and over the river seems like a steady handrail for the walker along the beautiful path. Being able to enjoy this fun outdoor sport right on our doorstep is a blessing. One of the greatest hurdles to overcome during your event is the process of setting up and taking down your group's equipment.

One popular destination is Lazy Day Raft Rentals: They provide an affordable and easy raft delivery service with a vehicle that picks up the rafts at your launch site. You'll also see more skilled kayakers and whitewater river surfers perfect their craft on the man-made rapids. Feel the thrill of adventure with your family this summer and check out our blog about Skyline Luge for a unique family activity.

Feeling a bit more confident in your Kayaking Skills? It may be time to check out the amazing spots in the Rocky Mountains

There's unbeatable canoeing and kayaking opportunities across the province. In Banff, visit the Banff Canoe Club for rentals, advice and some fantastic paddling on the Bow River. In Jasper, stop at the historic Maligne Lake Boat House, rent a canoe, kayak or rowboat and paddle across the famous lake. In Waterton Lakes National Park, visit Blakiston & Company to get sorted out with canoe and kayak rentals.

Lake Miniwanka offers both waterfront campsites and motorised boats. Make sure to check the weather beforehand, while this spot is fairly easy to access it’s known for strong winds.

Lake Louise and Moraine Lake are small but breathtakingly beautiful, and if you go on a weekend when the parking lot is full and vehicles are parked on the road, they will waive you through to the parking lot if you have a boat on the roof.

Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park is also worth a visit. There are two backcountry campsites, one 11 kilometres and the other 21 kilometres from the boat launch. Tour boats are restricted to the centre of the lake and may only be propelled by electric engines or paddle and oar. The campsites fill up quickly, although there are a lot of cancellations. Because to the possibility of strong winds, stay close to the coast. Awe-inspiring scenery.

If you are new to working from home or feeling the fatigue from having done so thus far, here are a few things you may need to review as a bit of a reality check. The novelty is over and it’s time to get comfortable with this kind of lifestyle!

Here we are at the end of August 2021, and we are learning about more and more offices announcing their work from home policy will carry into 2022! My team has certainly learned to adapt to this new normal, and as we and other real estate teams in Calgary learn to adapt, here are some of the tips we came up with that have served to make the work life balance feel a bit more fair.

“Punch in and punch out” – No working after hours.

Write out a daily schedule and stick to it without fail. Workers who work remotely often discover that it is useful to have guidelines for when to work and when to call it a day. Long nights are harmful to your health, and they are just as damaging to remote employees.

When you're taking everything into account, working remotely may need pushing your day later or getting up early to suit another person's time zone. Do not forget to get a head start and/or sleep in, or get that morning workout done for the day. Putting in place a time-tracking software with automatic scheduling helps you maintain tabs on whether you are meeting your goals, but it’s up to you to create a distraction free space where other parts of life cannot interfere with your job (your family will thank you too)

Ban yourself from social media.

It's fair to say that all of us have been in this situation at some time:  a multitude of mobile applications now share with users how much time they spend on different activities on a daily basis. Ask yourself how this number has changed since you started working from home. Getting a second device for personal use only is a great strategy for people who use social media casually. Familiarize yourself with your company's social media rules and processes. LinkedIn included, make separate time in your day for networking. You'll have less of a problem focusing on your job if you limit your social media usage.

Dress in a manner suitable to the occasion (and that means no sweatpants)

Why is it that so many people love working from home? A key element is the fact that they may want to wear casual clothes while working. The "dress for success" concept is much more than a cliché when it comes to working from home.

It’s not appropriate to be caught off guard in pyjamas on a video chat or check-in with a colleague, and dressing like you’re going into the office helps get yourself psychologically prepared for work. You'll be ready to complete your assignment, and you'll be ready to tackle the remainder of the day.

Find your optimum productivity hours.

The time of day when people feel most productive is unique to each individual. It’s a bit cliché to say we’re night owls or early risers, but you know your schedule and you know when you are the most awake – that is crunch time!

One strategy we love is to go work from the coffee shop for mornings 2-3 times a week – if there are no calls or zoom meetings, this change of environment helps the day go by quicker and motivates us to stick to our schedule.

The majority of people feel that they are most productive during the late hours of the workday. To maximise your productivity, try to schedule your most important tasks during your most productive times. This way, you will be able to complete your work more quickly.

Remote teams must meet often, and companies that want to form such a team will find that their workers want to do so.

One option for doing this is to have a remote approach to teambuilding. Increase the importance and effectiveness of the process of establishing and strengthening relationships. You should be careful with the agenda to maximise the team development benefits.

What sort of teambuilding exercises can you adapt to Zoom or conference calls? Get creative and come up with ways to engage each other.

Some of our friends have a ritual of playing an online card game twice a week after a meeting.Our team has a group chat where we post cool property videos and crazy things people are doing with drones and gopros,

This helps us stay engaged and come up with cool new marketing strategies, a fun way to check in on some of the houses for sale in Calgary and get new ideas

Most Alberta workers poll favorably towards wanting to visit their office quarterly: This fosters a feeling of connection and membership in the group. Spend lunch hours making new contacts in other settings outside from the office.

We just got through one of Alberta's worst summers in terms of smoke and poor air quality. How do we get ready for next year?

Wildfires will alter the face of Canada's housing market: The number of available properties has been reduced by thousands, according to real estate agents. We were fortunate in Alberta this summer not to have too many wildfires near to urban areas, but other provinces were not so fortunate.

When wildfires raged throughout British Columbia, people in the path of the flames were showered with powdered debris, while people living kilometres distant inhaled air polluted with dangerous chemicals and microscopic particles from burnt building materials and plants.

Here are some more steps you can do to protect your home against smoke, eliminate odours from interior air and furnishings, and quickly make your yard more fire resistant.

Ensure your home is Weatherized

The federal government recommends home weatherization to reduce the amount of energy required for heating and cooling. While weatherization is being completed, steps should be taken to limit pollutants within the home.

Furthermore, householders should be aware of signs of inadequate ventilation, such as stuffy air, moisture condensation on cold surfaces, or mould and mildew growth. Additional weatherization measures should not be put in place until these concerns are rectified.

Storm windows, weather stripping, caulking, and blown-in wall insulation, on the other hand, can reduce the amount of exterior air that enters a property.

It's the end of August, and Calgary HVAC Companies are finally open for business. Is it time to maintain your home?

On a daily basis, inspect your heating filters. You will need to change or clean them more regularly due to the level of wildfire smoke. According to Consumer Reports, once a filter is full, it no longer captures particles. Make sure you have the appropriate size filter to capture particles.

Make backup filters. Health specialists and others advocate only HEPA filters, which force air through a small mesh and catch particles in central heating, ventilation, cooling, and air systems. If you have a central HVAC system, the setting the fan to different modes to see what works best for your home: I.e. cycling the fan on clear days, and keeping it on a much lower setting on smokier days.

HVAC systems do not bring in outside air. Air purifiers that can clean the air in an area at least four times per hour are suitable for allergy and asthma patients.  Turn off your fresh air system until the smoke has passed since it will bring in filthy air from outside. Once the smoke has gone, turn it back on.

An Air Purifier is a fantastic idea, but it is essential to select one that is appropriate for the space. When deciding on the right size air purifier for your requirements, take into account the square footage of the room you want to clean.

A General guideline for sizing and space:

• Small: These air purifiers are designed for personal usage or spaces up to 300 square feet in size.
• Medium: Look for an air purifier for rooms that are 300 to 700 square feet in size.
• Large: For use in rooms ranging up to 2000 Sqft, or more.

There is no air cleaner or filter that can eliminate all air pollutants. According to the EPA, air purifiers with HEPA filters may reduce particle concentrations by up to 85%.

According to Consumer Reports, an air purifier with a carbon filter that absorbs odours is required to remove the odour of smoking. Both types of filters may be found in a variety of units.

We recommend selecting a portable air cleaner with a clean air delivery rate (CADR) greater than 300 cubic feet per minute for densely crowded regions or a bedroom for someone with asthma.

If the air in your room is stagnant, you run the danger of just cleaning the air in a small area around your purifier. The optimum configuration is a purifier with an integrated air projection system that pushes clean air into all corners of the room while cycling dirty air back into the unit for purification.

The tumultuous real estate market may be stabilising, especially for first-time buyers and those searching for a modest home.

What’s going on with Canada’ oil prices, and some key events abroad; the Taliban’s impact on Afghanistan’s economy could cause ripples felt throughout most of the world.

At the moment, inventory remains low countrywide, down 33.5 percent in July compared to the previous year. However, the reduction is less than the 43.1 percent loss in June, new listings are up 6.5 percent countrywide compared to the same month last year, and the inventory coming on the market might be good news for buyers seeking for a low-cost home: According to the data, smaller residences are gradually obtaining a bigger part of the inventory.

We think one of the biggest things to keep in mind is how when oil prices are rising along with other commodities, the Calgary real estate market gets a boost. Real estate prices in Calgary have just begun to rise, although they are still lagging behind national price increases. Historically, the area has underperformed when oil prices have been low. Home prices are expected to rise now that crude is at an all-time high, according to the economist, at least on a relative basis.

The share of houses for sale between 750 and 1,750 square feet in July 2021 jumped to 36.3% in July. The inventory of homes between 3,000 and 6,000 square feet dropped to 20.1%, down from 24.2% in 2020. Overall, this means a rosier outlook for homebuyers.

Taliban, Afghanistan, Oil Prices, and it’s impact on our market.

Real estate values in Calgary have typically risen and fallen in lockstep with oil prices, which makes sense. Although it is a huge metropolis, the oil sector is one of the most important economic drivers in the area. During the 2010 oil price boom, as well as the one in the early 1980s, home values skyrocketed. Oil prices are rising again, but housing values in Calgary are lagging behind the rest of the country, and the fate of housing prices in the medium term could depend heavily on one major factor.

In May, the MLS home price index (HPI) in Calgary increased by 11% year over year. It's a lot of growth in a regular time, but not so much in the middle of a boom. Over the same time period, national house prices climbed by 23%. Even with the current surge in oil prices, Calgary's prices have yet to rise. What might make or break the trends in current investors, however, is the situation in Afghanistan  

Experts think Afghanistan's political unrest might have an impact on global crude oil prices. Iran, along with other nations like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, is a significant oil producer in the globe. Oil prices might rise if the Taliban return to their former methods and provide sanctuaries for Islamic extremists from the hydrocarbon-rich Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia, according to energy analyst Narendra Taneja.

Tensions in the "Middle East have the potential to raise prices," according to Barrons, a Dow Jones & Company newspaper. It was highlighted that JP Morgan had previously projected that growing demand and tight supply would push oil prices to $80 per barrel. Increases in global petroleum prices have a direct impact on India's economy, especially as the nation imports more than 80% of its total crude needs.

Reduced competition and lower pricing despite a potential rebound in pricing

Regardless of what happens with oil prices in the coming weeks, there have been some other shorter term changes to the market. People no longer cite bidding wars as the main reason they weren't able to get the home they wanted, for the first time since 2018. Homes are spending slightly longer on the market — 16 days on average — than a few months ago. The National Association of Home Builders released its annual Housing Trends Report this week.

Sellers are have also started dropping their prices, with the share of listings that had price drops in July rising to 4.7%, the highest percentage since 2019, according to Redfin. Mortgage applications dropped 1.7% week-over-week during the week ending July 30, hitting their lowest level since May 2020.

In the United States, gasoline and fuel costs have already surpassed all-time highs. Meanwhile, in order to reduce its dependency on a few exporting nations, India has attempted to diversify its oil-importing markets. The United States and Nigeria, for example, have emerged as major oil suppliers to India. Now is a good time to pay attention to world affairs before planning out any long term investment strategies, and we would advise that coming fluctuations on oil prices might be one of the biggest driving forces in the coming weeks.

Technology and social media-obsessed society bombards us with content. Just because something is popular doesn't mean it's accurate. The source of our information is more important than ever. Does the website's creator have a specific reason for posting certain content? In what way does this website serve its purpose?

This is one of the biggest questions that is raised as we watch the battle unfold among tech companies to eat up US home stock and dominate the increasingly competitive high-tech house-flipping sector, sometimes known as the fast-growing "iBuyer" industry.

Zillow were among the first high-tech middlemen to enter the housing market a few years ago.

Armed with cash and seeking to benefit off the bedrock of American middle-class prosperity, “iBuyers” hunt for well-maintained mid-level properties, offer to buy them for cash, and then quickly resell it after a few minor repairs, likely at a higher price. In exchange, they charge the seller a fee that fluctuates depending on a variety of factors. During a recent earnings call, Zillow announced similar ambitious plans. So what’s it like to use Zillow?

You can "click" to be contacted by an agent if you look for properties on Zillow and find one you like. There are two options for doing so. The first is to choose a listing agent. These listing agents have previously signed a confidentiality and fiduciary agreement with the seller, outlining his obligations to that seller. To put it another way, he can't legally offer you any information that isn't in the seller's best interests, and this Realtor is usually barely up to speed on the specifics of the listing, and often the area or niche of that certain type of property.

Furthermore, Zillow's data is notoriously erroneous, and it frequently updates improperly (with price and property status changes, for example). It may occasionally display properties that appear to be for sale but are not. In most cases, it also won't show "coming soon" listings. So unless you're working with a (good) agent you've chosen based on your personal needs and style, you're not likely to see all of your possibilities.

What does Zillow mean for the average consumer?

Despite a huge database of fragmented, misleading information, it is becoming incredibly popular. When our team looked into Zillow this year, we heard several horror stories, one about a woman who put her listing on line and was repetitively pestered by Realtors for hours on end by agents who “bought” her lead. The number of deals that went wrong due to misinformation, poorly formatted contracts and other glitchy technical problems doesn’t seem to be dissuading clients who notice the possible opportunity to save a tiny fraction on their fees:

Starting off the year with a purchase of 3,800 properties in the second quarter, Zillow is planning to scale massively through the remainder of 2021, estimating that its Homes segment would generate $1.4-1.5 billion in revenue next quarter, about double what it did this quarter. One has to wonder if Zillow is pushing for this rapid expansion at the expense of user experience, and what this means for a fair playing field for smaller, private investors, families and first-time home buyers who are continuously getting priced out of their cities.

Allen Parker has claimed that "Zillow has been selling homes at a 13 percent premium to what it paid for them in the past," a figure that the corporation intends to fall over time. In July, the News & Observer reported that OpenDoor, a competitor, had risen to become the top buyer of single-family homes in Wake County, North Carolina, and that it resold them for an average of $14,000 more than it paid.

What does Zillow mean for Canadians?

The Federal Trade Commission, at least in one case, appears to have had its interest piqued by some of these companies. "Opendoor's advertising claims relating to the amount of its offers, the repair costs charged to home sellers, and the amount of net proceeds a seller may receive from selling to Opendoor versus selling in the traditional manner" were "inaccurate and/or inadequately subscribable," according to an SEC filing from February. With Zillow expanding into Canada, we can expect similar controversy as customers experience similar issues.

Every day in the news we hear more and more about ways technology, AI and machine learning is changing the way people do business, the way people do sales and make deals. We don’t know how the market will look next decade, but at the moment, not only are these systems are in their infancy, but the user experience is riddled with errors, questionable fine print and elusive at best customer service.

We still recommend going with a seasoned Realtor who knows their neighborhood with a good reputation and a strong network. They can save you money, make the transaction go much more smoothly, and have a great deal more intrinsic knowledge of if a neighborhood will work for your family than a half baked computer algorithm.

Interested in learning about some of the modern marketing strategies Realtors use to stay competitive in today's market? Check out this aerial tour we did of an inner city property in the Northwest!

This Bridgeland lot truely stands out among many houses for sale in calgary. Canada's market is still hot, check out what all the buzz is about!

This week in Calgary as the smoke cleared and we finally got some nice clear skies, we were very lucky to check out a unique and special lot in Bridgeland-Riverside that presents a variety of possible opportunities – Holding, rental or redevelopment; many different types of clients would be interested in such a unique location in a vibrant area. The existing home on this lot has 3 beds, two 3-piece baths and a lot of character unique to the original 1912 build. Canada has changed a lot, and so has it's real estate market, since this original home was built, the contrast truely reveals the big changes that are happening in some of these amazing inner city neighborhoods!

This neighborhood has all the makings of one of the most walkable, livable neighborhoods in all of Calgary, and investors are truely beginning to notice!

Bridgeland-Riverside is known for its walkability, convenient neighbourhood amenities, and accessibility to downtown. What we found when we came to check out this location was that the neighborhood has a growing community character: fun, welcoming, historical, community-minded, eclectic, and eccentric are just a few of the adjectives that come to mind when describing this place.

With new developments, parks and infills forming what appears to be the beginning of a nice high street area both along 4th street, Edmonton Trail and in the surrounding area by Murdoch Park, it’s only a matter of time until Bridgeland becomes it’s fully realized inner city community. Bridgeland is gradually becoming one of the coolest areas in town, with award-winning restaurants such as Diner Deluxe.

New developments will offer further choices for shopping and dining, there’s already lots to chose from just a few blocks to the northwest along Edmonton Trail.

After taking a quick browse through inner city Calgary MLS listings, our Realtor friends agree that action is picking up in this area. An opportunity to develop in such a prime inner city lot is rare!

Close enough to the urban core, but far enough out to provide some privacy. Not everyone wants to live in the busiest part of the Core, but many do want to be close to work. Bridgeland has the best of both worlds: it's close enough to be convenient, but far enough away to have its own identity.

The location is close to Princess Island, Rotary Park, and Centenary Park, and is only minutes away from the Bow River's trails. Excellent spots for an evening run or an afternoon picnic; the option is yours.

Thinking of selling soon? Check out my good friend and colleauge Patrick Hospes' recent blog post on how to spruce up your property prior to selling!

Since 2002, Ron Garneau has had the pleasure of helping countless clients in the Calgary area. Contact Ron today for a free home evaluation or with any questions about your next move!