First-time Home Buyers' Plan offers a path to ownership

A house can be a great investment, but saving enough for a down payment can be difficult. The Home Buyers' Plan (HBP), offered by the Government of Canada, is a program that aids the purchase of a first home by allowing part of a registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) to be withdrawn as a tax-free down payment in cash.

"This is about the only program that is available now through the federal government," said David P. Brown, president of CREB®.

How to make moving easier on your four-legged family members

For Erika Lagyjanszki, a 25-year-old wedding photographer, moving out of her basement apartment was a stressful ordeal for both her and her pets.

Finding a new rental that would allow her two dogs – Bailey, a four-year-old husky border collie cross, and Diesel, a two-year-old shepherd husky cross – while trying to time the logistics of the move added to her exasperation.

And, while Lagyjanszki had moved before and knew what to expect, she wasn't prepared for the affect the experience had on her pets.

Finding a new home can be an emotionally-charged process. But as mentally consuming as it can be, it's often accompanied by feelings of optimism, excitement and even relief – especially when you've finalized your purchase.

Then reality sets in. You've got to move... everything.

You have to pack, discard, arrange and re-arrange belongings, abandon a familiar setting and establish yourself in a new community. It can be profoundly stressful and daunting.

New water heater technology and incentives are making tankless systems feasible for more Calgarians

here's nothing better than being in plenty of hot water. Not the metaphorical kind, the real stuff. If you've ever felt the shower go cold while you're still covered with soap and shampoo, you know what I mean.

But new water heater technology is helping reduce the likelihood you'll run out of the hot stuff, while providing environmental and money-saving benefits.

How to welcome spring when you live on an acreage

John Paulsen has lived on his five-and-a-quarter acres in Springbank for more than two decades.

"It was always my dream to live on an acreage."

And he made that dream come true when he designed and built his home in Springbank, after living in Calgary's Silver Springs community.

While there still may be some snow on the ground, with a week or two of warm weather it should disappear rather quickly revealing the damages winter left to your lawn. By assessing what needs to be done early on, it will help alleviate some of the aches and pains of making your backyard ready for the beginning of another spring season. CREB®Now has compiled some tips to help you get your lawn looking normal again.

Spring may have sprung but the snow and the cold keeps coming, and it can be difficult to keep sane while continually being cooped up inside. Frolicking in the snow, tobogganing, skiing, snowboarding or skating may have lost the appeal it once had at the beginning of winter. Searching for new, fun and interesting activities may seem difficult, so CREB®Now has put together some indoor activities that are sure to have you forgetting about the less than pleasant spring weather, even if just for a little while.