February, 2012 (Advice for Home Owners)
If you own a home or you are thinking of owning a home, you are on the property ladder. As you move up or down the ladder you will need advice and that’s where I come in. As your REALTOR® you have my real estate experience, loyalty, honesty and my commitment to helping you make the right real estate decisions.
The Property Ladder News delivers information through three columns. I keep you up to date with the industry through “Market Temperature”, offer knowledge to buyers and sellers through the “Home Advisor” column and provide advice about keeping up with your house as an investment through “Home Maintenance”.
I write my own articles and the information contained within is my own opinion. If you have questions or wish to comment on anything I have written, feel free to use the comment section on my website blog at www.jimperks.ca call or email me.

In This Edition
Market Temperature: February in Calgary
Home Adviser: The First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit
Home Maintenance: Sourcing the Internet for Maintenance Tips

Market Temperature
The January market saw some stabilization and as we move into February, we see the start of the most productive real estate season of the year.
On Feb 1st the House Price Index was introduced to Calgary. This is a tool for Realtors that creates a more accurate picture of pricing both by neighbourhood and by property type. This will complement the Comparative Market Analysis to help Realtors narrow the range of pricing for homes. If you are buying or selling a home over the next while, ask your Realtor to show you how the House Price Index works and what it looks like for properties in your neighbourhood.
There are two big Real Estate events coming up this month for Calgarians. The first is the REDEX or Real Estate Developers Expo. If you are interested in real estate investing , you should not miss this event. It runs sat. The 11th and Sunday the 12th at the Ramada down town on 8th ave. Tickets are $20 at the door but you can enter free by preregistering on line.
The Calgary Home and Garden Show runs from the 23rd to 26th at the BMO Centre and Corral. Tickets are $14.00 at the door. I have purchased a limited number tickets that I make available free to my clients. If you would like to attend give me a call. I can arrange for you to get tickets before the event. Proceeds for the Home and Garden Show go to the CREB Charitable foundation to support some very worthy causes here in Calgary
We’re heading into the peak real estate season as we approach spring. This is the time of year were we see the most number of buyers and seller in the marketplace. If you are looking to buy or sell, give me a call. I’ll show you how the new House Price Index works for your neighbourhood.

Home Adviser
If you bought your first home in 2011 you may qualify for the First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit. The home must be in Canada, must be the first home you have purchased or you have not owned a home since 2006. If you are disabled and are purchasing a home to improve your living conditions, you may also qualify. Watch this video for more information
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/nwsrm/vdcsts/2012/menu-eng.html?clp=ndvdls/hmbyrs-eng

Home Maintenance
The Internet is full of great information on just about any topic you can think of. When it comes to home maintenance, there are a number of great sources you can use to find out the “How Tos” of the work you want done. Last week I needed to do a repair on my single lever kitchen faucet. It was the cartridge type, so when it started leaking I assumed it meant replacing the cartridge. After a little research though, I found that the leak is often caused by one of three possible problems. The cartridge is worn out, the O rings need replacing or the cartridge is coming lose inside the housing of the tap because of repeated use. I shut off the water, removed the housing and tightened the screws that hold the cartridge in place. No more leak!
Before you go out and spend money on parts or a tradesperson, try doing a little online research about your problem. You may be looking at a simple fix. The website I found my information on was www.familyhandyman.com
I hope you enjoyed this edition of The Property Ladder News. As always, your comments and feedback are welcome. If you have any questions about real estate or there is a topic you would like me to cover here in The Property Ladder News, let me know.
Jim Perks
The Property Ladder Guy
403 660 6239