The Home Tribe Real Estate Blog

Hello Edmonton Real Estate – What Is Going On? (A Recap From May)

• 1,771 properties were sold in the Edmonton Census Metropolitan Area (up 18% from April)
• 1,119 single family detached homes were sold in the Edmonton CMA (19% percent increase from April)
• 449 condos and 203 duplex/rowhouses sold (up 5% and 37% from April, respectively)
• $382,695 was the average all-residential price for May (up by over 1% from April)

“While new listings coming onto the market were down this May compared to 2015, inventory continues to remain strong with more than 8,000 residential properties on the market at month’s end,” REALTORS® Association of Edmonton Chair Steve Sedgwick said. “The fact that we haven’t seen a significant decline in prices is giving buyers more assurance. They are making purchases based on market stability and good selection.”

What Is Happening In Your Area – Stats Wise?

We are excited to annouce that we are now launching monthly stats based on region. Central Edmonton Dwellers (Downtown & Oliver)  – check out stats specific to this area below. Don’t live in the core? Contact us to get updated on what’s happening in your hood. 

Perfect starter home is awaiting new owners! Enter this fantastic half duplex and experience a large entryway leading into an open kitchen and bright living room. The kitchen has plenty of counter space for cooking and entertaining, while the living room comes complete with a beautiful gas fireplace one can cozy up to. Upstairs, your bonus room awaits, ideal for movie night with the family along with 3 bedrooms. The master bedroom features a full ensuite and a walk in closet. This home is located in the desirable community of Matt Berry which is minutes away from the amenities you need and easy access to the Anthony Henday and Manning Drive. Move quick, as this Matt Berry Home will surely sell fast, contact Elisse Moreno to view!

Last month, the TruHome team was excited to launch our Edmonton Building Age Map in partnership with Beta City Yeg and help from many amazing Edmontonians including Wesley Andreas and Trevor Prentice. The launch of this interactive map in the end brought about much debate and excitement, largely due to the conversations being had city wide about Urban Sprawl and the impact it could have on future city budgets.

On March 18, 2016 – Don Iveson wrote his own blog about “Calculating Our Real Costs Of Our Growth” in which he advises about the future potential cost of new communities. According to their calculations, “when [the city of Edmonton considers] the full life cycle of this infrastructure and the delivery of city services to these growth areas, the model shows a revenue shortfall of $1.4 billion over the next 50 years.” To be fair to Don though, he is certainly not stating that growth of this kind is inherently bad, but is rather trying to provoke a deeper conversation about how growth can be paid for.

Based on his question, one has to ask the question as to whether higher density is the answer? Or, whose taxes should be higher – those in the urban regions of the city or those in the suburban regions? These are not easy answers, nor are we trying to advise on an answer. Our goal, is to present more thoughts and ideas to continue to this discussion as to how we can aspire to build better neighbourhoods no matter where they are built.

Yes, higher density needs to be part of the overall conversation, however, many people may not be aware that the newer communities that are being built are more dense then their neighbourhoods of the past (1950’s-1960’s). In fact, previously one hectre acre would say approx. 10 houses, while now you’ll see 20.

The Canadian Home Builders Association – Alberta is also being proactive in doing their own research on economic growth and how it impacts the city of Edmonton. This week, they are exploring Denver, a city similar to Edmonton, who has been proactively seeking alternative housing solutions to combat these very questions and issues. I had the pleasure of speaking with Paul Cashman, the Communication Manager last week about Urban Sprawl and their organization. From it came some very insightful and interesting dialogue.

Paul brought up some great points about Edmonton highlighting the importance of balance: “giving choices that people want”. We talked about the fact that Edmonton is unique in the sense that not all jobs are located around the core. Many Edmonton employees work in the suburban areas or even outside in Nisku or Leduc, making the southern most  Edmonton neighbours ideal for commutability and raising a family.

We also have discussed the concept that Edmonton is very much a “prairie” city in which many people have grown up and are used to having their own “land”, meaning that not everyone wants to live in a condo type setting. Times are changing though, and the different home ownership options in the Edmonton Real Estate market are definitely highlighting this fact.

Another big part of the equation comes down to affordability. At the end of the day, people are going to go where they can afford to buy the kind of Edmonton real estate they want.

What are your thoughts on Urban Sprawl, and the future of the city of Edmonton’s growth?

Want to learn more about TruHome’s Edmonton Building Age Map? Read more about it in these publications:

• Edmonton Examiner
• Maps Mania
• The Map Room
• Spacing Edmonton
• Canadian Geographic

Buying a home is likely one of the biggest decisions of a person’s life from a financial perspective. For this reason, Home Tribe aims to help people use data and science to make better and more informed decisions related to buying a home. In addition to our Home Tribe Match function, which relies heavily on numerous datasets related to real estate, we will be expanding our blog to bring some of this data out from behind the scenes, and to showcase other cool information that is relevant or just plain awesome. 

Through our participation with the vibrant community of data enthusiasts  in Edmonton, we recently came across a request to redeploy the open source Chicago Building Age Map for Edmonton. The Home Tribe team was excited to take on the challenge. View the visualization of the City of Edmonton’s Building Age Map. 

Creating a local version of this map required some pretty intense data, including one of my personal favourite datasets that has been released through the City of Edmonton’s Open Data Catalogue: the rooflines dataset. I love this set because of the sheer amount of info it contains, which is clearly evident when you load it as a map. Combining this with the more recently released data on the year each building in Edmonton was built, allowed our team to put together the crazy visualization that you see below.

To really give the map a local feel, we figured it would be important to customize the date ranges that allow for focusing on specific periods of Edmonton’s history. Edmonton’s Architectural Heritage website divides our history into five major periods including “Urban Settlement”, “Urban Growth”, “The War Years” and “The Post War Years”. This was a great place to start, but we thought it would also be worthwhile looking at how population changed in Edmonton, and of course when there were major construction booms. Neighbourhood planner and Spruce Avenue Neighbourhood Historian, Wesley Andreas, also helped confirm and refine our planned time periods. Combining much of this information, and balancing it with the actual number of buildings built in each time period from the dataset displayed, we were able to subtly improve the history lesson that goes along with this quite eye-catching display of two extremely intense city datasets.

Have some fun; try to find the answers to these questions:

• What did the city look like at the end of WWII?
• When was your house built and how does this align with nearby areas?
• In what areas has the city been expanding most in the last decade or so?

JUST THINK of what you could do with this newly renovated West Edmonton 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom condo. This modern condo features an open kitchen that leads into a large dinning room and living room area perfect for entertaining guests. From the living room, you can walk out onto the functional balcony for a breath of fresh air and a mid-summers BBQ. Inside is a lavish master bedroom with a walk through closet leading into a full private bathroom. There is also room for everything in the second bedroom which features a large, mirrored closet.  This condo is just a few green blocks away from Bessie Nichols School, a grade K-9 school  making this a great family neighbourhood. If your a busy person coming and going then not far away is the Anthony Henday Hwy and Whitemud Hwy for easy access to any edmonton location. This is definitely a must see condo! Contact Elisse Moreno and the Home Tribe team to learn more and view more details regarding this great South Hamptons condo seen here.

Valentine’s Day is a time of fun, flowers, romance and quality time spent with your partner. It’s also a great chance to search for that special place to spend an afternoon or evening with your loved one. Edmonton’s 104th Street is the hub of the city with historical attractions, great shopping and a degree of sophistication loved by locals and visitors alike. This makes it also ideal for an Edmonton Valentine’s Day date to remember! So what’s happening on the street to help you celebrate this coming Valentine’s Day weekend on 104th Street? What about these three fantastic suggestions to get you started.

Credo Cafe

This favourite cafe of Edmonton folk is more than just a place to grab a quick coffee. It is known as a place where all parts of the coffee experience are seen as an art form. With a range of the finest Intelligentsia Whole Beans (including Black Cat Espresso, House Blend and In-Season Single Origin Beans) and delicious fresh bakery products such as: muffins, cookies and the cafe’s famous carrot cake with cream cheese icing, this is a venue that is suited for a romantic coffee and cake afternoon. For more information visit credocoffee.ca

The Cavern

The unmatched Cavern wine and cheese bar is putting on a Valentine’s evening on Saturday the 13th of February that you and your partner won’t want to miss. A fabulous four-course menu for two for $80 ($150 with wine pairings) will be available from 5.30 to 8.30. Bookings are essential, so be sure to visit thecavern.ca for more details.

 Valentine Pairing: Chocolate, Spirit and Wine (just one block off 104th street)

For something really different why not try a wine, spirit and chocolate pairing event? Chocolate connoisseurs Jacek Chocolate Couture are partnering with The Chvrch of St John, an art bar to bring you a special Valentine’s Day-themed exploration of chocolate with wine, gin and whisky. Limited tickets are available for this one-off event. Visit the Chvrch of St John to get more information on booking and times.

Edmonton’s 104th Street is an eclectic mix of colour, atmosphere, culture and quirky cafes and restaurants. With a rich trading and cultural history, the Street has transformed itself into one of the “go-to” spots in Edmonton for entertainment, festivals and alternative shopping. The street also boasts the popular City Market and annual Al Fresco Block Party amongst its attractions. There’s no place better to explore and spend a wonderfully, romantic Valentine’s Day weekend with your loved one.

Welcome To Callingwood

IMAGINE the possibilities with this 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom condo located in the heart of West Edmonton. This bright, spacious condo layout simple makes sense. The alley kitchen leads to the dining room and living room featuring modern light fixtures and enough room to entertain. From the living room, step onto the nice sized balcony that boasts absolute privacy in the summer. Both bedrooms offer more space, with the master having enough room to fit a king size bed. The master bedroom also includes a nice walk-in closet and a 4 piece ensuite bathroom. Beyond the condo, did we mention LOCATION? Close to major routes, enjoy the amenities of what Callingwood has to offer. Minutes away from West Edmonton Mall, the weekly summer farmers market, grocery stores, schools, daycares and more… This is a must see condo! Contact Elisse Moreno and the Home Tribe team to learn more or view more details about this great new Callingwood listing here. 

On Sunday, I had the opportunity to try a new local restaurant for brunch in the Edmonton region called The Workshop Eatery. Situated in the community of Summerside, the restaurant can be found in The Mosaic Centre, considered Alberta’s most environmentally conscious buildings. The restaurant promises “handcrafted cuisine, inspired by local and seasonal fare, and genuine hospitality”. Overall I would agree with this statement.

Owned and operated by Paul Shufelt, who among his many careers worked with Century Hospitality Group, is bringing his own creative flair to the local food scene in Edmonton. It is always great seeing chefs go there own way and showcase their creative concepts to the world.

The setting of the restaurant is really nice in an unpretentious way with lots of light and an artistic drawing on the feature wall. Some of the selections sounded so incredibly good, like the feature of the day Carrot Cake Pancakes with a maple cream cheese sauce. I almost choose that, but decided to go for the healthier and heartier choice of the “Guilt Free Omelette”. I was not aiming for the least “guilty” meal on the menu, rather I am pescatarian and thus was more limited than my meat eating friends unless of course I wanted to indulge in the super sweet.

We also tried the featured appetizer of Arancini with jalapeno cream sauce. They were absolutely delicious. Overall, it would be a restaurant I would recommend. For southside residents, restaurants like this make a community more vibrant and I hope people will support places like Paul’s.

If I was to change one thing though, it would be the coffee. They individually brew each cup which is great, however you pay a lot for one cup and the coffee mugs are relatively small. I would suggest changing the process or at least increasing the coffee mugs to more “normal” sizes. (think Grande Starbucks size).

This restaurant is the perfect fit for The Mosaic Centre: Beautiful. Sustainable. Healthy. They also serve lunch and dinner and I definitely look forward to going back again in the near future.

Update: Had a great back and forth chat with The Workshop Eatery via Twitter today. First of all, I appreciated their quick acknowledgement of my review. They acknowledged the coffee situation and gave some great insight into their commitment to environmental impacts they create through their restaurant. Part of their goal is to reduce the amount of energy used. That being said, they also said “we hear you” and are looking at coming up with some creative and more cost effective ways that us coffee lovers can better get our fix. Their attention to this, truly shows that they care about their commitment to genuine hospitality. I would like to take a minute to thank Paul and his team for taking the time to acknowledge a minor concern of mine and to share in coming up with new ideas. I am even more impressed with them and look even more forward to recommending their restaurant to my family, friends and client. Kudos – keep up the awesome work.

Situated just west of downtown Edmonton, Westmount is a small residential area that dates back to 1910. It was originally developed as a community for the many young professionals who called Edmonton home, and today, the area stays true to that heritage. With two thirds of residents having attended college or university, Westmount is one of the most well educated areas in the city. Are you ready to discover what life is like in Edmonton’s smartest neighbourhood? Here are just a few of the things you’ll find waiting for you in Westmount.

Lots of Great Schools for Students of All Ages

Westmount is home to the local Westglen School, a public K-6 school that offers daily physical education and fine arts classes. The school also offers a mandatory IB program for sixth grade students, which is designed to prepare students for the challenges of higher education and give them the tools they need to participate in an ever-changing society.

To the southwest sits Westminster Junior High in nearby Glenora, a school that offers two special education programs, including the Strategies program for students with learning disabilities. Westminster Junior High emphasizes critical thinking skills and has implemented a school-wide reading program to improve students’ critical thinking capacities.

Ample Shopping Opportunities at Westmount Centre

The Westmount Centre at Groat Road and 111 Avenue NW is the main shopping destination in Westmount. This mall is home to a variety of retailers, making it easy to get groceries or a haircut, find a holiday gift, or do your banking. The Westmount Centre is also home to a variety of health services offices, including Westmount Dental, the Westmount Eye Care Clinic, and HearingLife Canada. Looking for a quick bite? At Westmount, you’ll find lots of cuisine options, including two pizzerias, a steakhouse, a sub shop, a sushi restaurant, and more.

Easy Access to Parks, Golf, and River Views

The Westmount area is conveniently situated close to lots of different natural amenities for the whole family to enjoy. Looking to take a lazy Sunday stroll? You’ll love the nearby MacKinnon Ravine Park, which offers a variety of hiking and cycling trails for avid outdoor enthusiasts. There are also a few smaller parks nearby, including the local Westmount Park. Situated in the heart of Westmount, Westmount Park is home to amenities like a soccer field, a fitness zone, a baseball diamond, a hockey rink, a water park, and multiple playgrounds.

Golfers will love the nearby Victoria Golf Course, the oldest city-run golf course in Canada. This course has been operating since 1896, before the City of Edmonton was incorporated. This public course is a great course for beginners, with gentle slopes and large fairways making for an easy, relaxing game.

Westmount is a great neighbourhood with lots to offer potential new residents. This beautiful, mature community is home to a variety of upscale contemporary homes and affordable condos, making it a prime area for families. Are you ready to find your new family home in Westmount? Contact us today to start your next Westmount home search.

You might have heard of The Meadows neighbourhood in southeastern Edmonton, but have you ever thought about living there? Well, let us tell you this; it is definitely something you should be considering!

Maybe you’re unsure that a move to the area is right for you; maybe you don’t know about just what is available here. Let us share some of the many benefits with you! Read on for some of the best reasons to relocate to The Meadows, and get convinced.

Perfect Positioning

You will find The Meadows in the southeast corner of Edmonton, inside the Anthony Henday Drive orbital road, giving you great access to Edmonton International Airport and other parts of the metropolitan area. The Meadows is perfect for those who want to experience the benefit of a pleasant residential area while also remaining within striking distance of the city and the surrounding region.

Well Connected

But The Meadows isn’t just well positioned, it is well connected too. Bordered by Highway 14 to the north and Highway 216 to the east and south, access to The Meadows is easy. For trips into town, the region is served by its own Meadows Transit Centre on 17 Street, making getting around a breeze. You couldn’t ask for a better location for accessing the City of Edmonton, the Province of Alberta, and beyond.

Community Spirit

The Meadows Community League operates a range of activities that not only provide fun for residents of all ages, but also pull the community together. Members of the community league also get special rates and discounts on multi-admission passes for City of Edmonton attractions, as well as reduced West Edmonton Mall Choice Passes, cinema passes, free public swimming and more.

Diverse Property Options

The Meadows may pull together as a community, but it is made up of a variety of different neighbourhoods. Across locations such as Wild Rose, Silver Berry,  Tamarack, and Larkspur, The Meadows offers a wide range of diverse property options for prospective residents. Whether you’re looking for an apartment in a low-rise complex, a duplex or a house of your own, you will find it here.

Great Schools

The Meadows provides some of the best educational institutions in Edmonton. The Velma E. Baker Elementary School in Larkspur takes kids from kindergarten through to grade six, while the A. Blair McPherson School in Tamarack provides classes for pupils up to grade nine. Wild Rose is home to the Father Michael Troy Catholic Junior High School for grades seven to nine.

This family will also be joined soon by the planned Edmonton Catholic Schools high school, which is currently in development.

Top Shopping

Shoppers rejoice! As well as being on the doorstep of all the great shopping found at the Mill Woods Town Center shopping complex, The Meadows also has a few tricks up its own sleeve in the retail department. The RioCan Meadows shopping centre can be found on the intersection of Whitemud Drive and 17 Street in the north of The Meadows, while 23 Avenue in the centre of The Meadows is home to its own commercial development.

Facilities, Facilities and Facilities

Residents of The Meadows are never at a loss for things to do. Activities such as kickboxing, softball, skating, yoga and zumba, and a whole range of other ways to get active are found at the region’s many sporting and community facilities. As mentioned above, members of Meadows Community League enjoy discounted rates for many activities, so there is no excuse not to get involved! Not to mention, have you checked out the gorgeous Recreational centre The Meadows has.

Do you live in The Meadows? Is there anything we’ve missed that you think people need to know about? Don’t hesitate to let us know! Call us today at 587-400-SOLD (7653), to discuss buying or selling in The Meadows region.