Interested a town house

[ercchry]

Originally posted by GreyFox
^That page didn't even provide the actual tax rate for this year though, so that doesn't really help.

Anyways, seems to just be a typo...correct me if I'm wrong but all these calculations that we're all getting is based on a tax rate of 0.57%... obviously NOT 5.7%

Also, ercchry, are you able to break down the utilities just as a rough estimate? Would help me out with my budgeting as I pay for some, but not all utilities right now, so would be nice to figure where the difference is going to be coming from.

yeah i reread it later and couldnt find it. but i swear the last time i was looking i found all the info needed

utilities include just the basics, water, gas, electric, recycling, garbage... couldnt tell you the breakdown since we dont pay them there anymore (our renters do) and cant find any of the old bills

didnt factor in phone, tv, internet

[triplep]

Originally posted by GreyFox
^That page didn't even provide the actual tax rate for this year though, so that doesn't really help.

Anyways, seems to just be a typo...correct me if I'm wrong but all these calculations that we're all getting is based on a tax rate of 0.57%... obviously NOT 5.7%

Also, ercchry, are you able to break down the utilities just as a rough estimate? Would help me out with my budgeting as I pay for some, but not all utilities right now, so would be nice to figure where the difference is going to be coming from.

Yeah all I know is i multiplied the difference by .0057

here is the link

http://www.calgary.ca/CA/fs/Pages/Pr...Tax-Rates.aspx

also I am not 100% sure, but typically the condo fees include waste/recycling I would assume, since the garbage is communal...

also I remember when i was looking around during september... it was just shy of 300k for an auburn place... even the smallest one? I don't know if when they advertise they include the GST etc in their prices?

I mean hell you drive around and you see starting from the low 240's but you wont' find a single unit after taxes anywhere near the 240's. I know my place was 275k after everything this included close to 9k in upgrades.. so it was around 258 before taxes and upgrades....

[Cos]

.

[GreyFox]

So I think we're getting pretty close to pulling the trigger on the side-by-side in Auburn Bay. It's either that or we found that development by Homes by Avi in Silverado called "Street Townes". Basically it's townhomes but with no condo fees. Seems like a stellar idea and really good pricing right now as well. Around 310k, includes a detached double car garage, all landscaping and fence and a deck. Interior is nice and they're throwing in granite for free right now.

We're still in a little bit of a toss up as it would really be nice to be closer to transit in Silverado AND have the double car garage. However, a duplex is going to retain it's value alot better, we get a bigger place (about 250sqft) and we feel like in 5 years or longer, Auburn Bay will be more valuable as a community. It too will eventually have a train coming through, hospital is close by at the Seton retail development should really help resale value. We're also considering looking for a person to rent out a room, and with a few thousand employees set to start working at that hospital this summer, it seems like this would be easy to do.

ANYWAYS...

Anybody care to share their experiences with buying a new home (triplep especially you since you bought with brookfield) either with or without a realtor? We're most likely going to opt for not using one. Can we ask for a reduction in the price of the home since we're not using one?

Also, any input concerning lawyers would be helpful as well. I know almost all builders offer free lawyer fees if you use theirs, but lots of people say that's still not a good idea...any huge reason why? And what does a lawyer cost anyways?

[autosm]

Off topic but Jordan just sent me some info on houses forsale in the NW. A single family in hidden Valley for 315K FYI

[stefan15]

What do you guys think about the Enclave? They are pretty strict in the way you want to go about purchasing. Basically, they want 5%, or 10% if you want 5,000 off. We shot for 10%, but then realized the bank misquoted us on an equity loan. So we'd be scraping pretty badly for that 10%. Seems kind of harsh to need so much up front for a complex that won't be done for at least another year and a bit.

Anybody good with this sort of things and can offer any advice? I'm skeptical about the overall value of the location in general. Very pricey townhomes. Ours came to 440ish for a 1400sq ft corner unit.

[tch7]

I bought at Enclave last December. Nowhere near $440k for my non-corner unit, but coming up with the 10% wasn't an issue for me, nor is it particularly unusual for preconstruction townhomes/condos.

They aren't flexible and aren't open to negotiation, but based on the rate the place has been selling, if I were them I wouldn't be flexible either. Other developments I considered have sold maybe 5 units since I bought in, whereas Enclave has sold closer to 50+.

Comps in the area, such as at Mosaic or Zen, sell for right around $300/sq. ft, and I don't think they're as nice, so your $440k for 1440 sounds about right. As you'd be buying one of the last available units, the pre-construction discount is pretty much gone.

[stefan15]

Well that does put things into perspective. Thanks.. I'll try to close the deal.