Mar
12
Check Your Homeowner IQ Part 1
Filed Under Home Tips | Leave a Comment
Check your know-how on various homeownership related matters. See how many questions you can answer correctly. (The answers are listed below.)
1. Which cut lumber is thicker: a 2-inch by 4-inch board or a 2-inch by 6-inch board?
2. Which is thinner: a termite’s waist or a flying ant’s waist?
3. Which is colder: 30 degrees Celsius or 30 degrees Centigrade?
4. Which is typically hotter: the air supply temperature of a warm air furnace or the air supply temperature of a heat pump?
5. Which is longer: a six penny nail or a ten penny nail?
6. Which wood is denser: oak or pine?
7. Which will freeze first: hot or cold water?
8. Which produces more light: a 20-watt compact fluorescent bulb or a 60-watt incandescent bulb?
9. Which is lighter: natural gas or propane gas?
Here are the answers:
1. They are the same thickness.
2. A termite’s waist is thicker (probably from eating your house).
3. Both these measurements indicate the same temperature, although the Centigrade scale was formally changed to Celsius in 1948.
4. A standard furnace delivers hot air in the 130-140 degrees F range while a typical heat pump’s temperature range is 90-100 degrees F.
5. A six-penny nail is 2 inches long and a ten-penny nail is 3 inches long.
6. Oak wood is approximately 50% denser than pine wood.
7. While hot water will cool to a lower temperature faster than cold water, cold water will freeze first.
8. An energy efficient 20-watt CFL bulb can actually produce more light than a standard 75-watt incandescent bulb and is expected to last 10 times longer.
9. LP (liquid petroleum) gases, which include Propane, are heavier than natural gas. Since LP gases are heavier, they will accumulate at low points and pose a higher risk.
Remember, these tips are only general guidelines. Since each situation is different, contact a professional if you have questions about a specific issue. Improve your Homeowner IQ by subscribing to the complimentary HouseMaster Homeowner Electronic Newsletter. This monthly how-to newsletter is full of household information and maintenance tips. It pays to be informed. More home safety and maintenance information is available online at housemaster.com.
This information is provided for general guidance purposes only. Neither HMA Franchise Systems, Inc. nor the local HouseMaster® franchise warrants its accuracy and assumes no liability related to its use. Contact the local franchise office and/or qualified specialists for advice pertinent to your specific house or circumstances.
© Copyright 2008 HMA. Each HouseMaster franchise is an independently owned and operated business. HouseMaster is a registered trademark of HMA Franchise Systems, Inc.
Mar
6
Top Teams for 2007
Filed Under Real Estate General | 1 Comment
We want to give a big thank you to all of our clients who worked with us last year… It was a great year and again, thank you for trusting our service, and for all of your referrals. We were honored and blessed with not only being in the top 10 in our office, but we were in the top 5.
Thank You!
Mar
5
February 2008 Market Review
Filed Under Monthly Stats | Leave a Comment
Calgary’s MLS® Sales for the month of February show signs of increased market pace, according to ?gures released by the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB®).
Single family Calgary metro properties changing hands in February 2008 were 1,252, an increase of 15.6 percent over the 1,083 sales reported in January 2008 but showing a decrease of 35.5 from the same period last year, when the sales were 1,942. Single family Calgary metro new listings added for the month of February totaled, 2,981, a decrease of 1.4 per cent from January’s new listing of 3,023 and an increase of 35.1 per cent over the 2,206 new listings added in February 2007. The median price of a single family Calgary metro home in February 2008 was $428,000 showing a 4.9 per cent increase over February 2007, when the median price was $408,000 and showing a 4.4 per cent increase from last month when the median price was $410,000. All Calgary Metro MLS® statistics include properties listed and sold only within Calgary’s City limits. The median price is the price that is midway between the least expensive and most expensive home sold in an area during a given period of time. During that time, half the buyers bought homes that cost more than the median price and half bought homes for less than the median price.
Calgary metro condominium new listings added in February 2008 were 1,244, showing an increase of 39.9 per cent from the 889 new condominium listings added in February 2007. This is an 11.5 per cent decrease from last month, when the new listings added were 1,406.
Calgary metro condominium sales in February 2008 were 562; a decrease of 37.2 per cent from February 2007 when 895 condominiums changed hands and an increase of 23.8 per cent from the 454 sales recorded in the month of January 2008.
“It appears as though things are picking up, as we move into the ?nal month of the ?rst quarter. I don’t anticipate we’ll see the blistering
market that we experienced in the early parts of 2006 and 2007, but I do anticipate stability in this now corrected market,” remarked CREB® President, Ed Jensen. “Calgary is a very desirable place to live at the moment, with our strong economy, low unemployment rates, strength in the oil and gas industry; people are still moving here and that’s great for real estate.” concluded, Jensen.
The average price of a single family Calgary metro home in February 2008 was $471,696, showing a 5.2 per cent increase over February 2007, when the average price was $448,557. The average price of a metro condominium was $311,812, showing a 3.3 per cent increase over February 2007 when the average price was $301,812. Average price information can be useful in establishing trends over time, but does not indicate actual prices in centres comprised of widely divergent neighbourhoods or account for price differentials between geographical areas.
Source: Calgary Real Estate Board
The Chamberlain Group
