Recently moved to Calgary from Edmonton

[rapid_business]

Stucco is shit, siding is just as bad. Hardie Board is where it is at as an alternative to other acceptable but more expensive external finishings such as brick, glazing, and EFIS.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by davee930

Disagree all you want, but it's 1000x safer than plastic gas.

[defaultuser]

Originally Posted by mr.steevo

I'm not familiar with the area of the first property you pointed out. What is Mount Pleasant like?

it inspired a song

http://www.imeem.com/people/f9Z7zm5/...ount-pleasant/

[DizzyEdge]

I live in da hood known as Mount Pleasant

[mr.steevo]

Hi,

I just find it surprising that we're ready to buy and there is nothing, at the moment, unique or interesting for a half a million dollars.

Seems odd.

Speaking with our realtor, when asked what happened to the "cool" 1950's homes and the impressive 1900's period houses, she just shook her head.

Apparently builders have been busy tearing down.

s.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by mr.steevo

what happened to the "cool" 1950's homes and the impressive 1900's period houses

They never really existed (again, Calgary is 90% post-1960) and those that do, cost a hell of a lot more than half a million dollars.

Half a million buys you a slightly-better-than-average house in the suburbs in this city. I'm perplexed that you'd think you could find a much rarer, likely inner city (and therefore heavily desirable location) gem for the same price - maybe you just don't "get" the market here.

In many (most?) cities older and centrally located housing is the cheapest. Calgary just about the polar opposite of that.

[mr.steevo]

Hi,

Maybe you're right.

s.

[mr.steevo]

Hi freeweed,

Sorry, I had to sign off to catch my bus.

I understand that Calgary's market is expensive, but what I am looking for doesn't necessarily mean expensive. The problem we're having is that everything we've seen so far looks the same, and the areas where we think there would be houses of interest have been converted to new infill. We are currently in a 1910 house in the Marda Loop area, but all around us the character houses are being torn down and replaced with brown boxes. It's sad to think that the little bit of history and character that our province has is being cut down for the "sameness". But now I am digressing ...

What I'm hoping is that someone out there will read this and think "I wonder if this area/street/house has been considered". We've all been out to a neighbourhood that took us by surprise with it's uniqueness, and while I am trying to get out to see as much of the city as I can, I could use a bit of help to find them.

Again, all thoughts and suggestions are welcome.

Thanks.

s.

[drew]

Originally Posted by mr.steevo

Hi,

I just find it surprising that we're ready to buy and there is nothing, at the moment, unique or interesting for a half a million dollars.

Seems odd.

Speaking with our realtor, when asked what happened to the "cool" 1950's homes and the impressive 1900's period houses, she just shook her head.

Apparently builders have been busy tearing down.

s.

My sister just bought a pre-1920's 1-1/2 story house in Mount Pleasant on a double lot for ~420k. It's not a huge house, but apparently completely reno'd and in great shape.

Apparently it's a decent deal for Calgary, and by looking at Google Maps, the area is pretty central, and not out in the suburban sticks.

Of course I had to give her a couple digs about her mortgage payments being triple that of my own for our vintage 1907 house in Winnipeg located in an comparable "inner" city pre-WW1 suburban area.

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by mr.steevo

Hi freeweed,

Sorry, I had to sign off to catch my bus.

I understand that Calgary's market is expensive, but what I am looking for doesn't necessarily mean expensive. The problem we're having is that everything we've seen so far looks the same, and the areas where we think there would be houses of interest have been converted to new infill. We are currently in a 1910 house in the Marda Loop area, but all around us the character houses are being torn down and replaced with brown boxes. It's sad to think that the little bit of history and character that our province has is being cut down for the "sameness". But now I am digressing ...

What I'm hoping is that someone out there will read this and think "I wonder if this area/street/house has been considered". We've all been out to a neighbourhood that took us by surprise with it's uniqueness, and while I am trying to get out to see as much of the city as I can, I could use a bit of help to find them.

Again, all thoughts and suggestions are welcome.

Thanks.

s.

That is what happens when the land is worth more than the house that sits on it. Not many people are really looking to spend $500k on an 800 sq ft house just for the "character" of it. Hence the reason that they are torn down and replaced with larger infills.

Calgary never really had a huge stock of 1900-1950's homes. Calgary was a tiny city up until the early 60s. Even then the majority of the homes were smaller (under 1200 sq ft) residences for the working classes. Calgary in the early years was not filled with merchants, bankers and lawyers like a city like Winnipeg was.

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by drew

My sister just bought a pre-1920's 1-1/2 story house in Mount Pleasant on a double lot for ~420k. It's not a huge house, but apparently completely reno'd and in great shape.

Apparently it's a decent deal for Calgary, and by looking at Google Maps, the area is pretty central, and not out in the suburban sticks.

Of course I had to give her a couple digs about her mortgage payments being triple that of my own for our vintage 1907 house in Winnipeg located in an comparable "inner" city pre-WW1 suburban area.

The same house in Winnipeg (fully renovated and on a double lot in Wolseley) probably wouldn't sell for that much less now.

I have been looking at the nicer character homes in Winnipeg and the ones properly renovated (not 80s renovations) are selling in the $250-325k range and finding a double lot is next to impossible in Winnipeg. A 33 ft wide lot is often the best you can do.

[drew]

^ that's true. I guess my mortgage comparison is a little unfair, considering I bought in 2005, when Winnipeg was in the middle of its own real estate value boom.

[Jimby]

how do property taxes compare?

[Rusty van Reddick]

Your realtor is an idiot.

STUNNER in Bankview for 599- http://www.mls.ca/PropertyDetails.as...ertyID=7978155

[drew]

Originally Posted by Jimby

how do property taxes compare?

They don't. The actual city property taxes are similar, but then MB tacks on the education tax on top as well which basically doubles it on a comparable house.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by drew

Of course I had to give her a couple digs about her mortgage payments being triple that of my own for our vintage 1907 house in Winnipeg located in an comparable "inner" city pre-WW1 suburban area.

I'll only give you one dig, but my 2008 T4 shows that I paid nearly as much in income tax for the year as some of my colleagues back in Winnipeg earned in net income.

Mortgage payments out here really aren't that scary by comparison.

But yeah, both cities' real estate markets have changed dramatically since 2005. What's interesting is that Calgary's continues to fall, when Winnipeg's is staying fairly stable, from what I hear.

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by drew

^ that's true. I guess my mortgage comparison is a little unfair, considering I bought in 2005, when Winnipeg was in the middle of its own real estate value boom.

I would guess that is actually prior to the Winnipeg real estate boom.

Things were certainly picking up but didn't really take off until 2006.

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by freeweed

But yeah, both cities' real estate markets have changed dramatically since 2005. What's interesting is that Calgary's continues to fall, when Winnipeg's is staying fairly stable, from what I hear.

Winnipeg is starting to come down now too.

I have been watching the listings over the past 6 months.

[devonb]

Originally Posted by mr.steevo

Hi freeweed,

Sorry, I had to sign off to catch my bus.

I understand that Calgary's market is expensive, but what I am looking for doesn't necessarily mean expensive. The problem we're having is that everything we've seen so far looks the same, and the areas where we think there would be houses of interest have been converted to new infill. We are currently in a 1910 house in the Marda Loop area, but all around us the character houses are being torn down and replaced with brown boxes. It's sad to think that the little bit of history and character that our province has is being cut down for the "sameness". But now I am digressing ...

What I'm hoping is that someone out there will read this and think "I wonder if this area/street/house has been considered". We've all been out to a neighbourhood that took us by surprise with it's uniqueness, and while I am trying to get out to see as much of the city as I can, I could use a bit of help to find them.

Again, all thoughts and suggestions are welcome.

Thanks.

s.

We bought in Crescent heights last summer for just over $500K. House needs some work, but overall we found a gem for about $100K less than it should of been due to a motivated seller, though I'm sure value may have gone down recently. We were lucky and bought it hours after it went back on to the market, though in some ways I feel we were fated to get the house. We were scheduled to view it 12 hours after it went on the market, and it was sold before we got the chance. We were really upset because we felt that it was the house we were supposed to raise our future family in. Original buyer backed out and we were the first to see it and made an offer the same hour.

We love the area and it's great to be a 10 minute walk from the downtown or Prince's Island Park. I highly recommend the area and there are occasional deals to be found, especially on the east side of Centre St.

Good luck.

I'll try and attach a couple of pictures, but I've never done it before...

[devonb]

Okay, that didn't work... sorry.