EDMONTON REAL ESTATE @EdmontonRealty

With so much information readily available online, clients sometimes ask me, "Why should we hire a real estate agent?" They wonder, and rightfully so, if they couldn't buy or sell a home through the Internet or through regular marketing and advertising channels without representation, without a a real estate agent. Some do OK, many don't. So if you've wondered the same thing, here are 10 reasons why you might want to consider hiring a professional real estate agent. 1. Education & Experience You don't need to know everything about buying and selling real estate if you hire a real estate professional who does. Henry Ford once said that when you hire people who are smarter than you are, it proves you are smarter than they are. The trick is to find the right person. For the most part, they all cost about the same. Why not hire a person with more education and experience than you? We're all looking for more precious time in our lives, and hiring pros give...

WELCOME TO YOUR NEW HOME

When you buy a condo, you're not just buying a place to live. You're becoming part of a community. Before you make an offer on your dream condo, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) recommends that you get some expert advice to help you navigate through the process. CMHC has identified many industry professionals who are available to provide you with information. They are the following: Read more: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/business/Buying+condo+need+your+team/3146316/story.html#ixzz0r3dl0EFc Buying a condo: who do you need on your team? Ivan Abelar www.PremierTeam.ca

Ivan Abelar has sent you a link to a blog: REALTORS� face relaxed housing market with stable pricing Blog: EDMONTON REAL ESTATE INSIDER Post: REALTORS� face relaxed housing market with stable pricing Link: http://ping.fm/sKwM9

Edmonton, June 2, 2010: The housing market was relaxed in May with slightly lower sales than last year and prices generally stable. Despite the sales drop, the current sales figures compare favourably with levels set in 2008. “Financial incentives, changes to mortgage qualifying rules and the threat of increasing mortgage rates caused the local market to peak a little earlier this year,” said Larry Westergard, president of the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton. “Many buyers exercised their options in April leaving the customer base a little leaner in May.” Single family residences in the Edmonton area rose in price by less than one percent and sold on average* for $390,583 in May. Condominium prices dipped just two percent to an average of $248,526. Duplex and rowhouse prices of $320,204 were down 2.3% from last month. Overall, the average residential price was up a quarter of a percent to $340,192. There were 3,670 residential listings in May with residential sales of 1,682 properties...

CONDOs NEEDED, I'm showing condos in central and west Edmonton Saturday and Sunday to some Fort Mac folks.. Anybody have any condos that aren't listed or on MLS that can sell for no more than $150,000. Minimum 1 bedroom....Message me if you may have something! thx Ivan

EDMONTON — Almost 15,000 jobs were created in Alberta in May as the unemployment rate unexpectedly dipped again. The 6.6 per cent rate, down from 7.4 per cent in April, was the third lowest in the country behind Saskatchewan’s five per cent and Manitoba at 5.7 per cent, and well below the 8.1 per cent national average, Statistics Canada reported Friday. Edmonton’s unemployment rate dropped 0.2 per cent to 7.4 per cent, but was still above the 6.0 per cent in May, 2009. Calgary’s rate remained at 7.6 per cent, compared with 6.8 per cent in May last year. Year over year, Alberta’s unemployment rate was Read more: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/business/Alberta+unemployment+rate+keeps+dropping/3112629/story.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter#ixzz0pvk9509f

EDMONTON — Sales of Edmonton-area homes fell 26 per cent in May from the same time last year as rising mortgage rates, tighter lending rules and jittery financial markets kept buyers out of the resale market. There were 3,670 residential listings in May with sales of 1,682 properties, according to figures released Wednesday by the Realtors Association of Edmonton. That's also down 3.3 per cent from 1,740 residential properties sold in April, the figures show. "Financial incentives, changes to mortgage qualifying rules and the threat of increasing mortgage rates caused the local market to peak a little earlier this year," Westergard said. "Many buyers exercised their options in April, leaving the customer base a little leaner in May." Read more: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/business/Edmonton+housing+market+relaxed/3102620/story.html#ixzz0ppKWJHG3 Edmonton housing market ‘relaxed’ http://ping.fm/AQ7cW