Thank you to Mayor Peter Brown, The Calgary Real Estate Board Team and the Ramada Inn - all in Airdrie this morning to give us the inside scoop on the Real Estate Market.

A snapshot of what was said,

Airdrie sales are up 38% for 2012  

Our Market is fairly BALANCED right now

WE are still 5% below our PEAK prices of 2007

Prices are up 3 1/2 % from last year

CALGARY market is still about 20% higher priced than AIRDRIE

BUT in Airdrie you can GET a LARGER HOME - MORE YARD and a GREAT lifestyle. 

** Apartment Condo's and TOWNHOUSES have not recovered and lag behind by 26% from the PEAK prices of 2007.

ADDING A TOUCH OF COLOUR

White: for centuries has been used as a symbol of purity and sterility, which

Is why it is often the colour found in public washrooms. White is a simple colour that looks good in any bedroom, and can be used to join two colours together.

Black: this colour brings forth very strong feelings. It can be used as an accent colour, but should be avoided as a main colour.  Studies have shown that prolonged exposure to rooms painted black can bring on depression

Blue: Overusing blue can make a room appear cold.  Blue is ideal for offices as it has been shown to make people work more productively.

YELLOW:  This is a cheery and happy colour that is perfect for a child’s room or nursery.  Lighter shades of this colour are preferable, as rich tones have been shown to bring on headaches and nausea.

Pink:  This is a very feminine colour that should also be used in small doses.  Lighter shades are ideal, as darker hues can make a room look tacky.

Green:It’s a fresh, cool and calming colour that is great for bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom or living room.  Throughout history green has been associated with nature and the earth.

Red: This colour is perfect for dining rooms or kitchen as its believed that it simulates appetite.

Orange:If you’re looking for a colour that will stimulate the mind and give you energy then orange is the colour your looking for.  This would be best for a study or play room.

A new survey indicates that home prices were on the increase throughout most of the country last month, including Calgary.

According to the Canadian Real Estate Association's Home Price Index, prices edged up more than 5 percent in March when compared with one year ago. Some of the biggest price increases were in specific metro areas, such as Toronto, which posted a year-over-year increase of 7.3 percent, followed by Vancouver at 5.3 percent, Fraser Valley at 3.3 percent and Calgary at 2.6 percent.

Gregory Klump, CREA's chief economist, noted how the rise in home prices is in line with how the market generally fares in the springtime.

"With that in mind, it's important to look at month-to-month movements in the context of how they compare to the same period in previous years," said Klump. "While the overall monthly price increase was on par with last year's figure, it masks slowing price momentum in the Lower Mainland area of British Columbia."

He added that the more reduced pace of price gains in these areas was countered by the considerable growth in Calgary, Toronto and Montreal.

Prospective homeowners looking to capitalize on the improved valuation of properties can take advantages of affordable Calgary mortgages with Jencor, as fixed rates have hit record lows. 

Courtesy of Cathy Lewis from Jencor Mortgage

I've personally used Cathy's services for over 10 years.

403-245-3636 (Calgary)