There's nothing like lounging on your patio, enjoying the long lazy days of summer with a cold drink in your hand. However, when summer transitions into fall, your thoughts turn to back to school shopping, carpooling to sporting events, and re-organizing your sweater collection. Many home sellers are faced with myths about selling in the fall real estate market, we've put together some useful tips to help sell your home.

There's nothing like lounging on your patio, enjoying the long lazy days of summer with a cold drink in your hand. However, when summer transitions into fall, your thoughts turn to back to school shopping, carpooling to sporting events, and re-organizing your sweater collection. Many home sellers are faced with myths about selling in the fall real estate market, we've put together some useful tips to help sell your home.

There's nothing like lounging on your patio, enjoying the long lazy days of summer with a cold drink in your hand. However, when summer transitions into fall, your thoughts turn to back to school shopping, carpooling to sporting events, and re-organizing your sweater collection. Many home sellers are faced with myths about selling in the fall real estate market, we've put together some useful tips to help sell your home.

Preparing your house for sale can be a daunting and overwhelming task, whether you have lived in your home a few years or many. The longer you've lived in your home, the more things you will have acquired.

It's necessary to take a step back and recognize that this is no longer your home, but rather an investment for your future. You want your home to have broad buyer appeal among members of your target market. Remember, most people want to move into their new home without having to make updates to it.

Here are 10 home-staging tips to save you time, money and energy:

You asked, we answered

The people have spoken! We asked you for your most pressing real estate questions, then threw them to our expert panel of experienced REALTORS®: John Hripko (Royal LePage Benchmark), Laura O'Connell (RE/MAX House of Real Estate), Sam Crick (RE/MAX Realty Professionals) and David P. Brown (The Real Estate Company Ltd.).

How to get the sell and still be festive

With the holidays hot on their heels, homeowners will have plenty of opportunities over the next couple of months to indulge in outdoor decorations that range from the gruesome and garish to the feel-good and festive.

Yet housing experts still urge homeowners to keep curb appeal in mind when it comes to going over-the-top this Halloween and Christmas.

Former CREB® president Joyce Travis remembered moving beyond 9/11, adapting to circumstances

Four months after devastating terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, left thousands dead in the U.S., the pain was still palatable – even as far as Calgary.

"Everybody was just shell shocked," said Travis, who, amid that atmosphere of uncertainty, took over as president of CREB®.

In Calgary, the attack led to hesitancy that was manifested, at least early on, by a sluggish housing market. Travis said consumers were reluctant to make major decisions, such as buying or selling a house.

What you should consider before listing your home

A smart seller knows that there is work to be done before listing a property. When you're up against a buyer's market, diligence is required in order to gain a competitive advantage. Curb appeal will translate value to potential buyers when they view your property.

Here are five things to consider before taking your property to market:

1. Take a look from the buyer's perspective

Give the house and yard (all things within the scope of property) an honest aesthetic assessment. Within the first few moments of viewing a property, a buyer has formed either a negative or positive biased.

How to stage your home during the 'off-season'

Your home has been on the market. You want an offer. You want it fast.

Problem is, nothing kills your property's curb appeal than winter – piles of snow, leafless trees, mud and ice.

So how do you make your home stand out in a buyer's market during the "off-season?"

Calgary-based home stager Pam Fieber suggests you start by keeping all walkways — front and back — safe, clean, hazard-free and easy to access.