Banff, AB - Marten Court - Entry Level Condo

Tired of paying rent? This is an excellent opportunity for someone to get their foot into the Banff Real Estate Market. This cozy home features in-floor heating, owner's care and pride, heated underground parking, and secure storage.

This is a very well laid out one bedroom plus den apartment style condominium. Plenty of room for a couple who have the occasional guest.

December Real Estate News - Canmore & Banff

The Best November Since 2005

Total Number of Sales By All Companies

Median Sale Price Total Sales by All Companies

In what is traditionally a very slow month, November came blasting out of the gates. The second homebuyers have returned to the Bow Valley while locals are taking advantage of prices and moving up. The only segment of the market that has not yet seen the recovery is the Recreational Properties / Hotel Condos market.

With a total of 45 properties sold this past month, we are now seeing sales volumes comparable to 2007. Homes are generally selling within 95% of asking price, with multiple offers on a number of properties. This year, has generally seen the majority of the market in the entry-level condominium and single-family home segment. We are now starting to see some of our higher-end properties beginning to sell as consumers regain confidence in the market, while taking advantage of significantly lower prices. The positive trends coming out of Canada's larger centres with the recovery well underway in Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary, is beginning to have an echo effect in Canmore and Banff.

With current trends, winter 2010 has the potential to be a stronger than normal first quarter. If ski conditions hold, local tourism operators are hoping for a bump from people choosing the Bow Valley over Whistler this year because of the Olympics. International coverage of the Cross Country World Cup, as well as the Olympics will give the Bow Valley an additional boost. With increased traffic to Canmore, we can hope for increased interest and demand from the Recreational Property and Second Home Buyer.

Volumes of properties on the market continue to remain high and competition for the buyer's dollar remains strong. Prices appear to have hit the bottom of the trough; however, we think they have plateaued for the time being. Prices should begin to rebound by the second quarter of 2010, as we enter a more stable market.

Average Sale Price Total Sales by All Companies

Average Days on Market - Sales by All Companies

Active Listings All Companies October 1st, 2009

Bow Valley Events

There are plenty of great events going on over the next few weeks as Banff and Canmore get into the winter spirit. The ski hills are all reporting the best early season conditions in years, the ponds are freezing and ready to skate on, and the nordic trails are all shaping up nicely.

Have a look at some of these upcoming events around the Bow Valley:

Thursday Night @ The Whyte Thomas Grandi and His Olympic Experience - November 26
Taste of Canmore November 26
Canmore's Ringing In The Holidays November 28
Men's World Cup - Lake Louise November 28 & 29
Warren Miller's Dynasty - Banff November 30
Women's World Cup Downhill - Lake Louise December 4 - 6
Banff Winterstart Festival December 5

Ski Season

And we are off! This is setting up to be one of the better seasons in a number of years. So far this November we have had some very nice mild temperatures, consistent precipitation and a bit of wind. Skiing in the Banff - Canmore region always gets an early start, it is a matter of keeping up the stoke through to the end of May. Sunshine and Lake Louise are reporting great conditions. The boys on trail crew have been working hard and taking advantage of the weather to capture and maintain this early season snow. A number of resorts in BC are looking as though they will open a few weeks early with great snow.

For those of you coming from out of town there are some very good deals available for this season. The global recession and competition are taking a bite out of our tourism numbers and the operators are responding. Hotels and restaurants in both Canmore and Banff are offering some fantastic deals on lodging and food right now. If you are looking for a great deal and a good time come on up to the mountains and slay some of the early season gnar.

Just remember your early season sticks. They don't call them the Rocky Mountains for nothing.

Canmore Real Estate - Reduced $20K

612 - 107 Armstrong Place, Canmore, Alberta
Three Sisters - Private, one level living, backing onto Stewart Creek Golf Course
$419000

Remembrance Day

Please take the time out of your day next Wednesday to respect and remember.

Banff:

• 1015 Parade Forms at Colonel Moore Legion
• 1030 Parade Moves to Banff Elementary
• 1100 Services
• 1105 Parade Returns to Colonel Moore Legion
• 1140 Wreath Laying Servies

Canmore:

• 0930 Parade Forms at Three Sisters Legion
• 0945 Parade Moves to Lawrence Grassi Middle School
• 1000 Public Service at Lawrence Grassi
• 1045 Parade Moves to Three Sisters Legion
• 1100 Act of Remembrance

Exshaw:

• 1400 Service at the Legion
• 1500 Community Gathering

Bankhead:

• 1345 Leave Colonel Moore Branch
• 1400 Cenotaph Wreath Laying in Bankhead

Housing Market Has Turned - Calgary Herald

CALGARY - The Calgary Real Estate Board says the city's housing market has clearly turned a corner after October MLS sales rose to lofty levels.
Sales in both the single-family and condo markets are up from year-ago levels, even higher than October 2007 levels. And the average MLS sales price in the single-family market has also increased from a year ago.
"The local resale market is performing very well," said Rachelle Starnes with Royal LePage Foothills.
A year ago, she said, the Canadian and Alberta economies were going into a tailspin.
"We now have oil and gas showing signs of improvement, interest rates are at a record low and retail spending is back up in most sectors. Buyers are more confident that the economy has stabilized and the uncertainty has subsided," said Starnes, adding that a shortage of listings and improving employment are factors in the market.
The October average MLS sales price of $462,465 for single-family homes is the highest on record and has risen by nearly $180,000 since October 2005.The average condo sale price during the month was $289,155 and that's up by more than $101,000 from October 2005.
"We expect there to be a few bumps on this road to recovery, but we believe the worst is over," said Bonnie Wegerich, CREB president, as the board officially released on Monday its data for the previous month. "Home prices have held firm and edged upwards in some markets over the past months. This has helped buoy up the confidence of both buyers and sellers."
The average price of a single-family home in October of $462,465 represented an increase of one per cent from September and a three per cent increase from October 2008.
The average price of a Calgary condominium was $289,155, no significant change from September when the average price was $290,253, and no significant change over last year when the average price was $289,148.
"Move-up buyers have clearly entered the market," said Wegerich. "This is reflected in the average price for a single-family home cresting just above $462,000 --historically the highest it has ever been in the month of October."
October saw 1,285 single family homes sold -- an increase of 57 per cent from October 2008 when single-family home sales were 820. The number of condominium sales for the month of October was 601, an increase of 51 per cent from October 2008 when 399 condominiums changed hands.
"In the last couple of months, we did see an impressive number of sales mainly driven by recent affordability improvements," said Richard Cho, senior market analyst in Calgary for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. "Looking into 2010, we do expect the sales to increase but at a more modest pace. Sales will be less driven by the recent affordability improvements and move more in line with some of primary drivers of housing demand such as employment and income growth as well as household formation.
"I think recently people have been benefiting from the lower carrying costs and so with the improvements in affordability, that has given many buyers opportunity to jump into the home ownership market."
Wegerich said consumer confidence has helped fuel this rebound.
"It seems for many potential homebuyers it was global-wide uncertainty rather than personal financial circumstances that was holding them back from making a home purchase," Wegerich said. "Many of these buyers are now facing improved affordability, and lower mortgage rates than prior to the recession -- together these created a tipping point for market recovery."
She said the upsurge in sales over the past few months represents a release in pent-up demand that built up from the last quarter of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009.
"We do expect this recovery to be a gradual one and for sales to taper off in the winter months as this pent-up demand eases," she said.
mtoneguzzi@theherald.canwest.com
---------
October MLS Sales For Calgary
DATE SINGLE-SINGLE-CONDO CONDO FAMILY FAMILY SALES PRICE SALES PRICE
OCT. 2009 1,285 $462,465 601 $289,155
OCT. 2008 820 $449,100 399 $289,148
OCT. 2007 1,113 $452,254 501 $331,617
OCT. 2006 1,492 $413,712 619 $283,888
OCT. 2005 1,806 $284,206 760 $187,661
Source: Calgary Real Estate Board
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

Shoulder Season & Hot Springs

Well, it looks as though shoulder season is upon us. Unless of course you are ridiculously hardcore. For those of us who like to take it easy a for a month in the fall, no need to fret, there are lots of options. I personally am a big fan of the 'Hot Spring Road Trip'. Living in the Mountains we are blessed with an amazing array of activities to choose from. Sometimes though, it is nice to do a little car camping some light hikes and some serious soaking. Last weekend as the first few flurries started to come down, we decided to pack up the truck and head to the Columbia Valley in Eastern British Columbia. This area is know as the 'Hot Springs' and 'Wineries Route'. We chose the former for this trip.

B.C. is blessed with many easily accessible relatively original hot springs. With my sometimes too trusty copy of 'Backroads of British Columbia' we headed South on highway 93. Passing the famous Banff, Radium, and Fairmont hot springs in search of something a little more remote and a lot less developed. This was our first tip to Buhl Creek and it was certainly worth it. 50 km up the Skookumchuck Forest Service road these are truly some remote springs. There are a series of warm pools bubbling up right beside the creek. Not the warmest pools that I have ever been to the certainly did the trick. The air temperature was hovering around 3 degrees and the springs were warm enough to soak in for an hour. This is a great spot, as there is a campsite with table and out house right at the springs. We were the only ones in the entire valley and it was a great peaceful place to camp.

Our second set of springs for the trip were the never fail Lussier Hot Springs on the Whiteswan road. These classic springs have been developed with a new path down to the river and some large boulders to enlarge the pools. The top pool is the hottest with the temperature progressively cooling off as you move closer to the river. An easy drive off of highway 93, Lussier are great springs offering good hot water. Much busier than the more remote springs you have to watch out for the occasional European tourist sporting a much too small speedo. But the soak it worth it.

My favourites for this time of year are the Halfway Hot Springs north of Nakusp. These springs have it all. A great camping area, relatively quiet, remote feeling, and a nice cold river to soak in. Worth the extra drive over Roger's Pass, you can do some great hikes going to and coming from the springs as well as have a pint of Mt. Bagbie in Revelstoke.

So all is not lost while waiting for the base to build and those last few days of biking season. Hot Spring season is upon us. With a warm sleeping bag, fire, and some whisky you can have some great times outside this shoulder season - clothing optional.

New Trails For Canmore

CALGARY - Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park is getting 30 kilometres of new bike trails, thanks to an infusion of more than $300,000 from all levels of government.
That's good news for summer visitors, who may have felt left behind four years ago when the province funded multimillion-dollar improvements for cross-country ski trails at the park.
The new money will create a 30-kilometre trail system designed primarily for mountain bikers, but also for hikers and runners.
Centre staff have teamed up with trail builders to design and cut trails for all levels of riders.
The new paths will link up with older trails to create a network with better flow. Vegetation overgrowing some older routes will be trimmed, and a new pump track with undulating terrain will be created in the park's mountain bike skills area, according to centre manager Michael Roycroft.
"This new, integrated trail system will offer something for every level of rider," Roycroft said. "We're really trying to turn this into a year-round centre."
In 2005, about 20 kilometres of cross-country ski and biathlon trails were widened and graded, and a new snow-making system was added. This brought the park up to international standards so it could host the Alberta 2005 World Cup races. The work was part of $26 million in facility upgrades between 2004 and 2008.
The new recreational trail system for summer users is much less ambitious. The province is investing $210,000 in the project. The federal government, through Infrastructure Canada, will spend $77,497 as part of Canada's Economic Action Plan. And the Town of Canmore is contributing $20,000 to create a 500-metre link from the new pathway network to the town's trail system.
Most of this year's pathway work, including five new kilometres, is slated to be finished by the end of October. Work on the remaining 25 kilometres is expected to resume next May and finish sometime in 2011.
For more details about year-round recreation at the park, visit tpr. alberta.ca/parks/kananaskis/parks_canmore.asp.
tedwards@theherald.canwest.com
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

Banff History - POWs

I had a Great Great Uncle who was a POW in Banff during WWI. It is amazing to see how much things have changed in Alberta over the past century. The next time you are travelling the 1A be sure to stop at the Memorial just West of Castle Junction.

The Following Article is from the Calgary Herald.
David Finch is a Calgary historian.© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

Prisoners of war are worth remembering.
PoW number 505 was "committed to insane asylum." Number 62 escaped; 423 escaped and was recaptured; 8 escaped, was recaptured and was later "paroled" of his crimes, and 290 was wounded while trying to escape.
These men were imprisoned during the First World War, but not in Europe. They were interned in Banff National Park, at the Cave and Basin hot springs site and at Castle Mountain --two spectacular tourist settings. Unless you are looking at them through barbed wire.
Like thousands of others during the Great War, these people were designated "enemy aliens." Internment camps were operated in Field, B. C., and Sydney, N. S., --and every province in between.
Amy Zator was just 11 years old, her brothers Tadeus and Vaclaw were seven and two. Baby prisoner Alice Zaoral was six months old. Other families were left destitute when the father was imprisoned and the wife and children had to beg for relief. Saddest of all, perhaps, were the ones who died while in detention.
Hundreds of thousands of Europeans--Ukranians, Poles, Italians, Bulgarians, Turks, Croatians, Serbs, Hungarians, Russians, Jews and Romanians--came to Canada as hard-working settlers and labourers. For their dedication, almost 10,000 of them were declared "enemy aliens" and imprisoned during the war. Another 80,000 had to report to police each month.
In Banff Park, they built roads, worked on the golf course, and generally did whatever the park superintendent commanded. They were "volunteers" in that they were "allowed" to work.
Number 170 was interned first in 1915 in the Lethbridge camp, transferred later that year to the Castle Mountain facility, and in 1916 "paroled" with 25 others
when the Canmore Coal Company needed underground miners. In November 1916, he enlisted to fight for his adopted country in the 21st Infantry Battalion in Calgary. Then an officer noticed him.
An unsubstantiated rumour said number 170 was "an escaped prisoner of war from Detention Camp Castle Mountain" and so he was charged "as an alien enemy joining overseas forces." The day after his battalion left for Europe he was discovered dead in his cell. The coroner found his suicide was a rash act that "would appear to have been committed during a fit of despondency." His remains rest in Calgary's Union Cemetery.
The anger, racism and hatred against Europeans also caused riots. In February of 1916, the press erroneously reported that Germans had bombed the Canadian Parliament buildings and that Canada was being invaded.
A mob of 500 soldiers stormed the two downtown Calgary locations of the While Lunch Restaurant, pushed past the police and destroyed both eating establishments. They were rumoured to employ aliens.
Not content, the mob also demolished the McLennan Dancing Academy above one of the restaurants. No aliens there either.
The next night, 1,500 soldiers attacked the Riverside Hotel--owned by an Englishman, but rumoured to be German-owned--on the north bank of the Bow River. With their blood running high, they charged into downtown, looking for more buildings to destroy.
Luckily the weather was cold and the mob dispersed. Only four soldiers were charged and fined $50, or 60 days in prison.
In response to the riots, city council passed a resolution denying work to anyone born in enemy territory, even if he had changed his name and become a Canadian citizen.
Visit the displays at the Cave and Basin national historic site in Banff next time you visit the mountains to learn more about this part of Canadian history.
Lest we forget.

Mid September Update

The Indian Summer seems to be sticking around in Canmore and along with it strong Real Estate sales. We are currently sitting at 34 conditional / unconditional sales so far this month; with a strong mix of all types of properties. Prices continue to remain very attractive for buyers as inventory remains above 400 active listings.

The Larches and Aspens are all beginning to show their stunning golden colours. The outlook for the weekend is shaping up for excellent hiking and biking adventures. I would recommend Moraine Lake are, the Sunshine Meadows, or South on Highway 40 to take in the impressive show of colours.

Let's hope this beautiful fall is a sign of great things to come. Strong sales and endless Powder...

Warden Service Celebrates 100 Years of Service

This weekend marks the Centennial celebrations for Canada's Warden Service. A number of events are planned in and around Banff. They Whyte museum will also be opening a new exhibit featuring the Warden Service. There have been some excellent articles lately worth the read:

http://www.calgaryherald.com/travel/Wild+woolly+wardens+celebrate+years/1982499/story.html
http://www.albertalocalnews.com/rockymountainoutlook/news/58308092.html
and the Crag & Canyon.

These people ensure that our Parks are not only protected for this generation of Canadians but for the future generations of the World.

September Real Estate News

Real Estate Becoming More Affordable

OTTAWA — Owning a home in Canada is getting more affordable but that trend could soon end as the real estate market continues to recover, according to a report Wednesday by RBC Economics.

RBC said costs related to home ownership eased in the second quarter of 2009 for the fifth-straight three-month period, with “modest improvement” seen across the country.

"Following the biggest quarterly improvements on record in the first quarter and continued improvement in the second quarter, the national home affordability level has been restored to pre-housing boom levels," said Robert Hogue, RBC senior economist said Wednesday.

"However, the recuperative phase of the affordability cycle seems to be drawing to a close with housing prices firming up in many parts of the country and mortgage rates no longer trending downward."

RBC measures affordability by the proportion of pre-tax household income needed to service the costs of owning a home.

"The levelling off of home affordability is not expected to stop the impressive resurgence in the housing market," Hogue said. "Supply of properties for sale is dropping as demand bounces back, which is working to heat up prices again in many parts of the country."

© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

Canmore - Labour Day Weekend

As we continue to enjoy the beautiful weather in Canmore it is time to start planning you final long weekend of the summer. Besides checking out Real Estate, Canmore has two major events this weekend:



Photo Courtesy of the Canmore Highland Games

- Saturday is the 'Downtown Street Fair' with Main Street shutting down for the day and local vendors and artists taking over the streets. 10:00 - 16:00

- Sunday is the Canmore 'Highland Games' pipes, heavy sports, sheep dogs, and Ceilidh. 07:00 - 23:00 in Centennial Park.

Local trails continue to be in great shape for hiking and biking. Hope to see you out here this weekend.

August Canmore - Banff Real Estate Market Update

Welcome to our new look! As some of you know, Christian Dubois and Christopher Vincent have recently collaborated forces to serve you better. This allows us to enjoy this beautiful valley we call home; while still being there for you at your convenience.

July and August thus far have been strong months in the Bow Valley’s Real Estate Market. Overall sales are down slightly from June, yet we continue to see a very positive increase over this time last year. First time buyers and those looking for an entry-level condominium continue to be the largest segment of the buying population. Sales in the low $200 000’s are not unheard of. The segment of sellers who purchased their first home a few years ago and who are now looking to move up into a single family home are taking advantage of the record low interest rates and low house prices as well. They have come to the realization that they may not achieve the selling values of two years ago, yet the opportunity exists for them to move up. There have been recent single-family home sales under the $500,000 mark. The general sense in town is that the current trend will continue, and we will see the Canmore market slowly come back to life. It will take some time to recover the lost ground of the past year and we will remain a buyer’s market for the time being. The follow statistics are for Canmore, Exshaw, Deadman’s Flats and Harvie Heights. The Banff market continues to be a vibrant market with many properties exchanging hands over the past few months. Values have held better in Banff than Canmore primarily due to the limited availability of housing. For investment purposes and people working in the National Park, Banff continues to be an attractive market.

CDN Real Estate Assoc: Best July of Homesales on Record

OTTAWA – August 14th, 2009 – National resale housing market activity continued climbing in July 2009, with salesposting the largest year-over-year gain in two years. It was also the first time on record that sales activity topped50,000 units for the month of July in any year on record.According to statistics released by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), a total of 50,270 homes tradedhands via the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) of Canadian real estate boards in July 2009. This is up 18.2 percent from the same month last year, and stands 3.9 per cent above the previous record for the month of July setback in 2007.On a seasonally adjusted basis, national MLS® home sales posted a sixth consecutive month-over-monthincrease in July, climbing 2.5 per cent from June to reach 42,539 units. Seasonally adjusted activity now stands61.2 per cent above the decade-low in January, and just 1.4 per cent below the all-time peak May 2007.“Sales activity started off the third quarter on a strong footing,” said CREA President Dale Ripplinger. “Thedifference in the resale housing market now, compared to the beginning of the year, is night and day, and nowhereis this more evident than in the West. Homebuyers recognize that interest rates and prices have bottomed out,and are taking advantage of excellent affordability before prices and interest rates move higher.”Resale activity in July 2009 was up from the same month last year in about 60 per cent of local markets. Yearover-year gains in Toronto (28 per cent), Vancouver (90 per cent), Montreal (19 per cent), Calgary (22 per cent)and Edmonton (28 per cent) contributed most to the national increase in activity.Demand is rebounding sharply in some of Canada’s priciest housing markets, which continues to skew thenational average price upward. The national MLS® residential average price rose 7.6 per cent from one year agoto $326,832. Only seven local markets posted new average price records in July. The strong rebound in salesactivity, not price, in some of Canada’s most expensive markets is skewing the national average price upward,just as a sharp decline in activity in these markets skewed the average lower in late 2008.The price trend is similar but more muted for the weighted national MLS® average price, which compensates forchanges in provincial sales activity by taking into account provincial proportions of privately owned housing stock.The weighted national MLS® average sale price was up 4.6 per cent year-over-year in July 2009.The weighted average price increase for an aggregate of 25 major markets reveals a similarly muted trendcompared to its unweighted counterpart. The major market weighted average price rose 2.8 per cent year-overyearin July 2009, compared to an increase of 8.3 per cent for the unweighted major market average price. Themajor market weighted average price compensates for changes in sales activity in major markets by taking intoaccount the proportion of privately owned housing stock in each market in relation to the major market aggregate.The supply of homes coming onto the MLS® market remained down from year-ago levels. Down 13 per centfrom year-ago levels to 73,444 units, this represents the seventh year-over-year decline in as many months in thenumber of new listings.Rebounding demand combined with fewer new listings is beginning to draw down the overall supply of homeson the market. There were 219,982 homes listed for sale on the MLS® systems of real estate boards in CanadaBest July on record for MLS® home salesat the end of July 2009, down 12.4 per cent from July 2008. It is the third consecutive year-over-year decline inactive listings, and the largest in more than six years.The number of months of inventory is equal to the supply of active listings at the end of the month divided bythe number of sales that month. It represents the number of months it would take to sell current inventories atthe current rate of sales activity. Nationally, there were 4.4 months of inventory in July. This is up slightly fromJune, but remains one of the lowest figures over the past two years, and well below the recessionary peak of12.8 months in January 2009.The seasonally adjusted dollar volume of all residential MLS® sales set a new record in July 2009, climbing5.5 per cent from the previous month to reach $13.8 billion.“Home sales through the MLS® systems in July provide clear evidence that sentiment about making majorpurchases continues to improve,” said Chief Economist Gregory Klump. “Activity may level out over the rest ofthe year as home prices and mortgage lending interest rates creep higher.”“The number of new listings coming onto the market is down from last year and the rebound in sales activity isparing inventories, so the number months of inventory is on the wane,” said Klump. “These trends are supportingaverage prices. Average prices dropped sharply over the second half of 2008 but have rebounded since then,so average prices are expected to continue climbing over the rest of the year.”PLEASE NOTE: The information contained in this news release combines both major market andnational MLS® sales information from the previous month. The Canadian Real Estate Association haspreviously released these separately.CREA cautions that average price information can be useful in establishing trends over time, but doesnot indicate actual prices in centres comprised of widely divergent neighborhoods or account forprice differential between geographic areas. Statistical information contained in this report includes allhousing types.MLS® is a co-operative marketing system used only by Canada’s real estate Boards to ensure maximumexposure of properties listed for sale.The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) is one of Canada’s largest single-industry trade associations,representing more than 96,000 REALTORS® working through more than 100 real estate Boards andAssociations. Further information can be found at www.crea.ca.http://www.crea.ca/public/news_stats/pdfs/media_july09e.pdf

Doors Open Banff

Come see some of Banff's earliest and most spectacluar Real Estate. Sunday, August 91 - 4 p.m. This event put on by the Whyte Museum and the Town of Banff. The properties participating in this year’s Doors Open Banff event include:

Bison Courtyard (211 Bear Street) Old Crag Cabin (211 Bear Street)

Cascade No.5 Masonic Lodge (103 Caribou Street) - New in 2009!

Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies Residences and Buildings (111 Bear Street)

St. Paul's Presbyterian Church (228 Banff Avenue)

Harmons Building / Harmony Lane (111 Banff Avenue) - New in 2009!
Duplex (330 Beaver Street) – New in 2009!
Holmes/McGinn Residence (214 Beaver Street)

Beaver Lodge (212 Beaver Street)Tanglewood (208 Beaver Street) - New in 2009!
Luxton Historic Home (206 Beaver Street)

Charlie McAulay House/ Woodside Cottage B&B (132 Otter Street)

Tarry-A-While (117 Grizzly Street) Old Banff Cemetery and Transformer Substation (606 Buffalo Street)

Senator Forget Residence (501 Buffalo Street) – New in 2009!

The Crandell/Peck Cabin (514 Buffalo Street)
St. Georges-in-the-Pines Anglican Church (406 Buffalo Street)

Rundle Memorial United Church (104 Banff Avenue)
Parks Canada Administration Building and Cascade of Time Gardens (101 Mountain Avenue) Fairmont Banff Springs, Heritage Hall (405 Spray Avenue)

http://www.banff.ca/Assets/PDFs/Activities+PDF/doors-open.pdf.pdf

Rocky Mountain Wildflowers

The flowers in the alpine are in full bloom right now! If you are around the Bow Valley in the next few days and when you are done taking a look at Real Estate in Canmore or Banff, be sure to take a hike and see the display of colours. We have had a great combination of hot weather and rain lately which have really put the mountains into bloom. I am quite partial to the Western Wood Lillies, which have come and gone already, along with the Glacier Lillies. The flowers you will see now are Indian Paint Brush, Arnica, Twin Flowers, Purple Flea Bane, and much more. A couple of my favourite hikes this time of year are:

• Sunshine Meadows - Banff National Park - take the bus or hike up the road
• Chester Lake - Kananaskis Country - Smith Dorrian
• Healy Pass - Banff National Park
• Stanley Glacier - Kootenay National Park

Bring a camera and enjoy the sights and smells.

Canmore Second Quarter Market Update

Sales for this past Quarter have doubled over the first Quarter of 2009. Regional statistics see a strong recovery in the larger centres. However, as strong portions of the Canmore market are second homeowners, we are taking longer to recover than some of the larger markets. The recreational property buyers are looking for a ‘deal’ or reducing their budgets compared to 2007 & early 2008. Those whom are choosing to sell, and who may have purchased at the height of the market are slowly coming to terms that their property will not fetch the premium that it would have in the past. Sellers who are determined to sell have been pricing aggressively and are reaping the reward with sales coming in a matter of days as opposed to months. There have been strong sales in the first time homebuyer market with list prices and interest rates being very attractive to those wishing to enter the market. As there continues to be over 400 listings in the Bow Valley, buyers have the opportunity to shop and compare. Although, those listings that are priced to sell are selling and the buyers who are waiting to get the ‘deal’ are missing out. The market continues to stabilize, and it will most likely continue to be a buyer’s market until regional and world markets stabilize and people feel comfortable in the recreational market again.

*See Below for the July Newsletter and Statistics

July & Q II Market Update

Banff Looking into Secondary Suites in Homes

By Cathy Ellis - Rocky Mountain Outlook - July 16, 2009

Town planners say secondary suites offer a way to increase density to meet the demands of Banff’s growing population, without modifying the size of a building.

They say suites can provide income for homeowners, allow families to accommodate aging relatives, and help integrate the town’s shadow labour force into the existing community.

But Darren Enns, Banff’s senior planner, said one of the options under consideration – cabin suites – would only be allowed where there was lane access or on a corner lot.

“We don’t want to overwhelm the town with having cabin suites all over,” said Enns, who is also the project leader of the land use bylaw review.

“The course we’ve taken is to take it slow, and so far, most people think it’s a great idea.”

Other proposals to increase the housing supply include proposals to either rezone green space to residential lands, or tinker with development regulations to encourage redevelopment.

The Town says Banff’s population is growing at a rate above the national average and housing has not kept pace with that residential growth.

It is estimated Banff’s current housing shortfall is about 400 units. In addition, there are currently about 170 names on the Banff Housing Corporation’s waiting list.

As for secondary suites, they have been in existence in Banff for decades, known as cabin houses, granny flats and many other names.

Planners say that in a town as small as Banff, understanding where suites should be permitted is more a matter of context, versus some sort of geographic distinction.

For example, they say a basement suite might work fine within a single family residence or a duplex, but fitting a suite into a four-plex or an apartment unit is a bit trickier.

Under the proposal, enclosed secondary suites would be allowed throughout town, on any lot where the primary use is as a single family dwelling, or a duplex.

Wherever the unit is part of a condominium corporation or subject to a head-lease – for example, Banff Housing Corporation homes – approval from the internal governing body would be required.

Specifically, cabin units would be allowed on any lot in town which has lane access or whose lot has access to more than one road frontage, such as corner lots.

There would be some size restrictions, too.

Secondary suites would be limited to a maximum gross floor area of 900 square feet and a minimum of 300 sq.ft. and must always be smaller than the area of the primary residence.

As is common in other communities with secondary suites, including Whistler, B.C., and Canmore, the Town would require one on-site parking stall per accessory dwelling.

“If we can regulate it, we can make them safe and deal with some of the negative aspects we’ve heard of, such as parking,” said Enns.

Randall McKay, Banff’s planning and development manager, said his department has been in talks with other communities along the spine of the Rockies, such as Vail, Colorado, on the issue of secondary suites.

“They are part of the Banff tradition for decades and are a really good idea,” he said. “They fit in very nicely here.”

Meanwhile, the Town will begin drafting amendments on residential density over the course of the summer, with the intention of presenting recommendations to council as early as September.

After that, they will begin the next public outreach phase of the review, which includes topics such as commercial growth management regulations, commercial build-out, home occupations and bed and breakfast accommodations.

Gilchrist's Picks for Banff & Canmore

With this year's Stampede riding into the sunset, it's time to hit the trail. A posse of good restaurants are in the foothills and the mountains. Here are a few that will tease your tastebuds if you--or visitors-- are taking a trip into the country.
Aroma: 709 9th St., Canmore, 403-609-2000
A restaurant within a restaurant, Aroma resides in Zona's, a Canmore institution. But since Zona's is only open in the evening, Aroma has rented the restaurant to do breakfast and lunch. The food is Mexican, with huevos done in tomatillo sauce, scallop-and-basa ceviche, rellenos poblanos, and tostadas topped with chipotle chicken.
The Trough: 725B 9th St., Canmore, 403-678-2820
Belly up to The Trough for full-flavoured and elegant (yes, elegant) dining in downtown Canmore. (My big debate here is whether to have the jerk pork ribs or the tamarind-braised lamb ribs.) Great wine list, too.
Three Ravens: 107 Tunnel Mountain Dr., Banff Centre, 403-762-6300
The Banff Centre now has a high-end dining room with a fabulous view to match the food. Three Ravens makes a great spot for dinner if you're attending a Banff Summer Arts Festival event. The white asparagus soup is outstanding.
Valbella Cafe: 104 Elk Run Blvd., Canmore, 403-678-4109
Follow your nose to the scent of fine-smoked meats. You've likely seen Valbella Meats on menus all over Alberta, so pop into the mecca of meat itself in Canmore. Have a little lunch and stock up on chimney sticks for the drive.
Wild Orchid: 1818 Mountain Ave., Silver Creek Lodge, Canmore, 403-678-0477
For creative Japanese and contemporary Asian cuisine, Wild Orchid in Canmore fits the bill. It's just off the Trans-Canada in the new Silver Creek Lodge, but has a great view and is remarkably peaceful.

John Gilchrist reviews restaurants for CBC Radio ONE, he can Be reached at:
escurial@telus.netor 403-235-7532.
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

Canmore Mines - 30 year Anniversary: Saturday July 11, 2009

Canmore Leader - 8 July, 2009 -

The Miners’ Day parade will run Main Street this
Saturday for its 11th year. Following close on the heels of the Canada Day parade, some might see the parade as a smaller, and so lesser event. It’s not.
“The fact is that it is real,” Jon Bjorgum, one of the five who started the parade, said ...
...When Bjorgum returned to Canmore, as a member of the museum board, he helped to collect a number of the “old-timers, or good-timers” and sat down to do something to celebrate July 13, 1979: the day the mines closed in Canmore.
It was the 20th anniversary of the day that year and the idea was to do something special to recognize the importance to the town of the day when 120 families lost their jobs and the town had to reinvent its future.
Bjorgum advertised his idea of making family names signs in the paper, but only got 15 respsonses. With his sons, Bjorgum made signs for those interested, and on the day of the parade another 25 or so showed up.
“We may have had 40, but the next year it doubled, and then it doubled and I think we’ve had more than 250 family representatives,” he said. “People walk with great pride with their names.”
Although the parade began modestly, and Bjorgum said it is a “smalltown parade,” it has grown from its simple beginning with 110 people (plus representatives from the RCMP and fire department). In its first year, Town councillors came and set up a barbecue for hot dogs in the parking lot behind the library where parade goers could gather. “Now many families have made it their family reunion time,” Bjorgum said. “I’ve been here 35 years or so, but these guys, their families immigrated to Canada and took mining jobs . . . this is what our town is really about, these people who came with the railroad and then as a result came to Canmore Mines.”
Wayne Hubman worked underground for 17 years. He has taken part in every Miners’ Day parade since it started 11 years ago.
“I really think it’s a great honour,” he said. “When Canmore Mines shut down in 1979, I think the population of Canmore was . . . I don’t think it was even 3,000. We’re over 15,000 now on the weekend. Those 12,000 people that moved in, they didn’t even know there was a coal mine here.”
The coal in town could also produce more energy when burned than the coal found elsewhere. While the trains that stretched the country ran on wood even when they crossed the prairie, it would be fair to say that Canmore coal helped the trains get over the Rockies as they pushed west.
“The reason the coal was so good here . . . was because of the pressure of the mountains on top,” Hubman said. Hubman started in the mine when he was 18, packing timber in the mines, but his work in the mine extended well past their closing, Hubman did the underground mine mitigation for Three Sisters when they were putting in the Stewart Creek Golf Course. He was one of about 20 who stayed on a year after the mine was shut down, as a company man, Hubman was given the task of dismantling the mine and ensuring its security.
As much as Canmore is a part of Canada’s railway history, Hubman, or any mining family could be recognized as a part of Canmore’s history. “I was born here, I was born here in 1944, my grandfather got here in 1920, my cousins were born here, my sons are fourth generation,” Hubman said.
Canmore was a stew-pot of the world, Hubman said “Everybody pretty well got along, there were a couple of disagreements now and then, yeah, but that happens everywhere.”
“Life was really, really good here,” Hubman said. “Actually, life is still pretty good here, it’s a little bit busier and noisier, but I still enjoy it here.”
Bjorgum said that 11 years ago some of the initial reaction was that of concern from the community: the parade was too close to the Stampede or too close to the Canada Day parade, they said.
“The sincerity and intensity of people — the pride of people — made it so very clear that it was not too close to the Calgary Stampede it was not too close to Canada Day, because this is something that is entirely local.”
This year’s Miners’ Day parade is July 11 at 12 p.m.

Bow Valley Real Estate on the Rise

Calgary Herald July 2, 2009
CALGARY- According to the Calgary Real Estate Board Calgary home sales increased for the the sixth consecutive month in June.
The number of homes and condos sold was also up over the same time in June 2008, with 1,837 homes and 738 condos sold in the metro Calgary market in the past month.
The home sales mark a 16 per cent increase over May 2009 and 28 per cent increase over June 2008, when single family home sales were 1,493.
The condo sales mark a 13 per cent increase over May 2009 and a 33 per cent increase from this time last year when condo sales were 556.
According to Bonnie Wegerich, President of the CREB, "affordable prices, low interest rates and pent-up demand continue to fuel this gradual rebound."
According to the CREB turnover for homes and condos is now just over two months, where in January of 2009 the turnover time was 11 months.
Home prices are also up two per cent over May 2009, with the average price of a single family home in June 2009 $447,142. However, the June 2009 figures are a six per cent decrease from June 2008 when the average price was $473,774.
Condominium prices are also up four per cent over May 2009, with the average price listed as $285,595, but down nine per cent from June 2008 when the average price was $315,042.
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

Canada Day Events: Banff & Canmore

Canmore Canada DaySchedule of Events 2009

http://www.canmore.ca/

• 8am - 10am: Rotary Pancake BreakfastSilver Collection - Help Rotary support the community with your donations!B.Y.O.P&C - Help reduce your impact on the environment and bring your own plates and cutlery!
  


• 9am: Family Fun Run Begins3km & 8km Family Fun Run & Kid's Obstacle Course (5 years and under). Centennial Park.Register online at http://www.zone4.ca/ or in person at Ultimate Fit Centre Running Store, 1302 Bow Valley Trail. Visit http://www.canmorenordic.com/ for more information.
  


• Noon: Canmore Canada Day ParadeThe parade start at Main Street and Railway Ave., Be There!To participate in the Canada Day Parade fill out the attached parade waiver and fax it to 403-678-6661.**Railway Ave. will be closed from 10am - 2pm on Wednesday, July 1st for the parade and access to the downtown core will be restricted. **
  


• 1pm-2pm: Mass Band Field PresentationCome feel the music at Centennial park
  


• 1:30pm: Children's Games and Petting ZooLots of fun games for the kids at Centennial Park!
  


• 2pm-5pm: Stan Rogers Stage OpensLive, local entertainment for the whole family! - 2pm: Ronnie & The Bag Boys - 2:40pm: La Jazz - 3:20pm: Treehouse - 4pm: "Canmore Idol" Brigitte Brophy with Jenna Strautman - 4:20pm: Open Road
  


• 10:30pm - Dusk: Canada Day Fireworks!Finish the day off with a BANG with fireworks at Millenium Park!
  

Main Street will remain closed after the Canada Day Parade for a Street Fair.
Wander among the street vendors, enjoy buskers and do a bit of shipping from 2:00 pm until 10:00 pm. Join us for Live Music at 5:00 pm and a Fashion Show at 7:00 pm.
Sponsored by The Canmore Downtown Business Association.

Celebrate with us in Banff on Wednesday, July 1st, 2009:

http://www.banff.ca/

• 9 - 11 a.m. at Banff Canada Place


• 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. in Banff's Central Park


• 5 p.m. Canada Day Parade
  

The Town of Banff in the middle of the majestic Canadian Rockies is the perfect place to celebrate Canada's birthday on July 1st of each year.
This year’s line up of Canada Day activities in Banff is not to be missed.
Start off your day at Canada Place with the annual Parks Canada Pancake Breakfast. Then amble back downtown to Central Park for an all day party with entertainment on the Louis Trono Gazebo and Stampede stages.
The 2009 Parade runs the length of Banff Avenue starting promptly at 5:00 p.m.

• After the parade, head back to Central Park for an evening of great entertainment by the “Local Legends”, a musical review of the Bow Valley’s finest professional bands. Performances run until


• 11:00 P.M. when the day’s events end with our always spectacular fireworks show.
  Remember that entry into Banff National Park is free on July 1st.
  Parking in the townsite is limited, so plan accordingly.

Please take advantage of our Roam public transit bus system to get you around town.

Canmore Real Estate Market Update - June 2009

Banff Real Estate Density Open House

By Cathy Ellis - Rocky Mountain Outlook
Published: June 25, 2009 9:00 AM

Town planners continue this week and next to be out and about in the community to get residents’ opinions on plans to increase residential density, but they are also expanding their public consultation.

In addition to the tent meetings in neighbourhoods throughout the community, the Town of Banff will host two public open houses in July to wrap up the first phase of the land use bylaw review.

An online survey has also been launched to get feedback on proposals to increase density to meet a housing shortage.

“Part of our outreach is to try to not only get out into the public, but also allow people who can’t make it out to give feedback online,” said Darren Enns, the Town’s senior planner and the project leader on the land use bylaw review team.

“We want to use the public open houses as a conclusion step for phase one. The idea is, we had informal outreach events and now we’re trying to do some wrap up in advance of presenting to council.”

The planning and development department will draft regulations over the summer based on the feedback they’ve heard in May, June and July. The proposed bylaw amendments will be brought to council in September.

The key drivers behind the Town of Banff’s plans to increase density include adapting to a townsite that has seen its population, now at 8,800 residents, grow by more than 15 per cent since 1998 and the loss of 60 acres for potential housing.

Town officials say the population is growing at a rate well above the national average and the availability of housing in town has not kept pace with that residential growth.

It is estimated Banff’s current housing shortfall is about 400 units. In addition, there are currently about 170 names on the Banff Housing Corporation’s waiting list for people wanting to buy homes.

The Town is looking at a range of ways to increase density, including changes to setbacks, building heights, adjusting floor area ratios, increasing site coverage, and the creation of more secondary suites.

But one of the biggest issues on which the town has been receiving feedback is potential rezoning of public service, public parkland and environmental protection lands to residential.

Planning and development officials say the idea behind this is that rezoning would help to alleviate development pressure on the existing neighbourhoods, but would often involve the conversion of parkland and green space to residential uses.

The review team will be out at Glen Avenue tonight (June 25) from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.; at Bison Courtyard on Saturday, June 27, from 10 a.m. to noon and Middle Springs Playground next Tuesday, June 30 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

As well, the Town will host open houses on Tuesday, July 7 at the YWCA from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on Wednesday, July 8, at council chambers from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. To take the online survey, go to www.Banff.ca

Banff Leads the Way As An Early Adopter of Green Technology

In the heart of one of the world’s most pristine forests, not just any recycling will do.
So this Canada Day, the town of Banff will store its bear-proof trash bins away and replace them with — count ‘em — four types of blue boxes: for glass, paper, plastics and organics.
In between balloon twisting, kids’ games and sidewalk painting at Central Park, food vendors serving up meals for charity will use biodegradable packaging only; no plastic bags, plates or packaging will be allowed. Volunteers milling around the festivities will remind everyone to recycle.
And that’s just for starters. Banff was singled out recently as one of Canada’s greenest employers for 2009, the only municipality to make research firm Mediacorp Canada’s prestigious annual list.
Tourists and townspeople get around town on an all-hybrid bus fleet. There are organic waste drop-offs throughout the community, whose contents are processed into compost used to reclaim decommissioned landfills, mines and construction sites. There is a commitment to build new public buildings to at least “silver LEED” certification, a measure of sustainable design. Homeowners are given $150 rebates if they book an energy efficiency audit. And the list goes on.
Mayor John Stutz says his council routinely fields requests from companies interested in pilot-testing new products. One of those is the German firm Osram, which partnered with Banff recently to install LED street lighting that has reduced light pollution (streetlight can be directed better to where it’s needed) and electricity consumption by 30 per cent.
Banff has “no problem being an ambassador and an early-adopter” of green technology; the municipality is carving a template for other towns and cities to follow, Stutz explains.
“The fact that we’re a town in a national park within a UNESCO heritage site comes with certain responsibilities,” he says. “We’ve embraced those.”
— Sarah Staples, for Canwest News Service
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

Exciting Weekend in the Bow Valley

There are four exciting events in the Bow Valley this weekend. They feature something for everyone with history, speed, and art. While not running around the events take a moment to see some of the open houses in Canmore this weekend. Real Estate has been picking up in the Valley and we are seeing multiple offers.

Back to Banff:

Sponsored by the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, brings generations of Banffites together to share memories and have some fun. This year the Warden Service Alumni will also be involved celebrating 100 years of Canada's National Park Warden Service.
http://www.whyte.org/programs/index.html

Banff Bike Fest:

Come see some of North America's fastest cyclists as they race through Banff National Park. Races include time trial, crit, road race, hill climb and road sprint.

http://www.banfflakelouise.com/events-and-festivals/bike-fest

Cause Canada Cup Mountain Bike Race:

After watching the road races on Friday come on up the the Canmore Nordic Centre for the Canada Cup on Saturday; again featuring some of Canada's top cyclists. A spectator friendly event with a challenging and technical course this is an exhilarating event.
http://www.cause.ca/2009CanadaCup

Canmore Arts Speak:

This weekend features Bow Valley and area artists from a multitude of disciplines. Music, movies, photography, galleries, and the festival atmosphere. This weekend showcases some exceptional talent.

http://www.artspeakcanmore.com/

Don't Handcuff Your Mortgage

By Garry Marr, Financial PostJune 13, 2009

Would you like to pay an extra $300 per month on your mortgage? Not likely. That hasn't stopped a number of Canadians, with the deal of a lifetime on a variable-rate mortgage, from switching over to a more expensive fixed-rate product and paying the extra freight.

A fear of rising rates is driving the rash decision. But if you've finally managed to pin your banker to the ground, why on Earth would you let him off the mat?

More than 28% of Canadians have a variable-rate product tied to prime, according to the Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals (CAAMP). If you negotiated a deal before October of last year, chances are you are now borrowing money for as little as 1.35%. That's based on deals that at one time saw the banks giving 90 basis points off prime. Prime is now 2.25%.

The average sale price of a home last month in Canada was $306,366. Based on a 25% down payment and a 25-year amortization, your monthly payment would be $962.61 at 1.35%. Convert that to a five-year fixed-rate term and you're probably going to have to consider a 4% mortgage rate and a monthly payment of $1,289.04.

Rates are rising fast. Most major banks upped their five-year rate by 40 basis points this week, although discounters were still offering 4% this past week.

"It's not a mass rush yet, but we are starting to see ... people locking in. But variable rates are still so good," says Joan Dal Bianco, vice-president of real estate-secured lending at TD Canada Trust. She stops short of questioning why a consumer would pull out of these "deals" that are no longer available on the market.

Try to get a variable-rate mortgage today and the best you can probably hope to get is 60 basis points above prime, or 2.85%.

The landscape changed dramatically in October during the credit crunch. As the Bank of Canada lowered rates, the major banks reluctantly lowered prime because of the massive amount of customers with variable-rate products negotiated under the old, higher terms.

"Bonds' yields are going up rapidly and people are starting to realize the rates are going to go up," Ms. Dal Bianco says. Throw in the fact the Bank of Canada used the weasel word "conditional" (on inflation rates) when it promised not to raise rates until June, and you can understand why some people think today's record-low prime rate might not hold.

But if you're someplace between 60 to 90 basis points below prime, the rate is going to have to go up pretty fast to justify locking in today at 4%, even though that is just slightly above the all-time low hit last month for a five-year term.

"I don't understand why you would lock in," says Jim Murphy, chief executive of CAAMP. "Sure, if they start to rise, but [Bank of Canada governor Mark] Carney says they won't rise, so you've got another year at that prime-minus rate."

Don Lawby, chief executive of Century 21 Canada, says even when rates do start to increase they are not going to jump significantly right away. You are not going to get 4% on a fixed rate again, but double-digit rates seem unlikely. "The only logic to locking in would be for someone very sensitive to any rate change and they just want to be secure," Mr. Lawby says.

But at what price? If you're using the "feeling secure" logic, why not go for the 10-year fixed-rate product? Rates on that product can be locked at 5.25%, ridiculously low by historical standards. Yet fewer than 10% of Canadians consider a 10-year product.

There are some compromises you can make. For starters, there is nothing to prevent consumers from having a blended mortgage at most Canadian banks.

Some banks will let you take half your outstanding debt and lock it in. Diversity is preached for stock portfolios, but few people seem to adhere to the same philosophy when managing their debt.

Consumers might want to take their cue from business. Few companies would want all of their debt coming due at the same time -- it presents too much risk. The other option is knocking down principal: Make payments based on a 4% rate and have that extra $300 go straight to your principal every month.

The bottom line: Is if you've got a deal on your mortgage, why would you give it back? Dusty wallet Double check your credit card statements. DW is in a bit of a skirmish with Visa over a taxi cab bill. Of course, DW is too cheap to use cabs, but does succumb to them to get to and from airports on vacation. Last trip, the family took an airport limousine and paid the $56 charge. Guess what? The same amount was billed a month later. So far, the taxi cab company has yet to produce a second receipt. In the interim, DW had to pay the second $56 charge.

gmarr@nationalpost.com
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald