Posts from April 2016

Consider yourself officially warned, Mother’s Day is Sunday May 8, less than 2 weeks away. Arguably the most important holiday of the year (or at least the one you’ll get in the most trouble for missing!).

Restaurants book up faster than Valentine’s day, Flower shop shelves are bare leading up to the day, and last minute 7-11 gifts don’t really have the pizzazz you’re going for.

Fortunately Edmonton has you covered. With an near endless list of activities ranging from casual to upscale, we’ve compiled the best of the best to honour your Mother.

Mother’s Day Garden Party at the Prairie Gardens Adventure Farm

Bon Accord hosts this kid-friendly outing locale where young’uns can laugh it up with their mamas while chasing bunnies, getting faces painted, enjoying a petting zoo, and gardening, all backed by the jazz stylings of Keith Rempel and his band.  This event is hosted both Saturday and Sunday, an ingenious way to diffuse some of the Sunday-only crowds. The brunch seatings are selling out fast for Sunday but Saturday still has multiple seating time availability.

Admission is FREE. The Blossom Brunch (multiple seatings, both days) tickets are $25 for adults, and half price for children 3-12.

Sport Check Mother’s Day Run, Walk & Ride

Just because you’re doing nice things for your Mother, doesn’t mean that thoughtfulness can’t spillover to others. This year, proceeds from the event will go towards support the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation – a cause very close to the realtors of Re/Max Real Estate and their families. The activites will be hosted at Hawreylak park and warmup begins at 8:45. CLICK HERE for information on how to register and collect pledges. This is a great activity for the enjoyment of all family members of any activity level.

Rejuvenate: Mother’s Day at the Muttart

“Treat Mom to an afternoon all about her at the Muttart Conservatory! Make Mom a special keepsake to tell her how much you love her, give her a Mother’s Day plant, and let her enjoy 15 minutes to herself getting a mini-massage from the students at MaKami College! Your mom will love her day at the Muttart Conservatory!” (From the City of Edmonton)

The event runs from noon until 4pm and regular admission prices apply.

Mother’s Day at the Edmonton Valley Zoo

A spotlight on animal AND human moms puts a unique twist on this Mother’s Day celebration. From 12-4 pm enjoy the sights and sounds of the valley zoo, with children and adults alike. While the zoo celebrates animal mom’s with special afternoon treats, you can celebrate yours with mini-massages, magic shows, face painting, live music, and more.

Afternoon at the Citadel

Treat your Mom to an upscale afternoon taking in the Citadel Theatre’s performance of the classic musical West Side Story. The show, according to the Citadel, is “inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story is one of the greatest musicals of the 20th century – a love story set on opposite sides of a turf war between rival street gangs. Includes such popular songs as Maria, I Feel Pretty, Tonight, America and Somewhere.”

CLICK HERE to view matinee seating options. Performance begins at 1:30 p.m.

Royal Bison Art & Craft Fair

Of course craft shopping is going to appear on a list of top Mother’s Day activities. HOWEVER, Royal Bison is the crème de la crème of craft shopping experiences. The rows of hipsters showcasing handmade jewelry, apparel, and artwork is inspiring. The community vibes, local cuisine, and unique products are “delightfully weird” according to promoters.

The craft fair runs May 6, 7, and 8^th at 8426 Gateway Boulevard.

Rose Sale

St. Albert botanic park is hosting this lovely event from Friday through Sunday showcasing a selection of over 600 roses! The sale provides quality plants, both new varieties and old favourites, while providing rose growing information specific to Alberta. The event is celebrating it’s 20^th anniversary this year!

Sunday Brunch at the Fairmont

Hotel MacDonald will be hosting an extra special Mother’s Day Sunday brunch, with seatings from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Additionally, family photos will be available. Sunday Brunch at the Fairmont is an historic event, described as follows:

“The Empire Ballroom, a designated municipal heritage site, surrounds you with 100 years of history. The spectacular Edmonton Sunday Brunch buffet, with over 50 items to choose from, begins with sparkling wine and orange juice followed by deluxe breakfast entrées and pastries, as well as a wonderful selection of classic and Canadian luncheon cuisine. To further your experience, we have specialty crepe, omelette, and carving stations.  A seasonal patio with a magnificent view of the North Saskatchewan River Valley completes your Sunday Brunch dining experience.”

Spring in YEG means a busy real estate market.

Spring season is a bustling time in the city, and the real estate market is no exception. As the sun comes out and melts the snow that makes the thought of hauling boxes in a blizzard so terribly unappealing, sellers and buyers alike have a renewed sense of enthusiasm.

March 2016 saw an unprecedented 63% increase in residences sold. The promise of better weather saw 1364 properties sold in contrast to the 837 bought in February. In year over year comparisons this shows a negligible 1.5% decrease from the same time last year, as the Edmonton market proves a continual resiliency in the face of a so called nation-wide economic crisis, with a particular strain on Alberta. Of the 1364 property transactions last month, condominiums represented 335 of those and the duplex/rowhouse market represented 144 properties. This shows a respective rise of 44% and 82% in these markets.

Just as the winter lull was predicted this March influx was expected seasonally.  “Sales, relative to last month, were consistent with the seasonal trends that we expect” comments REALTORS® Association of Edmonton Chair Steve Sedgwick.

However, this positive upward market trend should provide no source of concern to buyers as sale prices remain relatively steady in month over month comparisons. Residential sale prices for March averaged out to $379, 524, a small 3% increase from the month previous, and and even slighter 2% increase from March of 2015 where prices held at $372, 289. A market breakdown of this average shows single family home sales up 0.56% from last year at $439,815, and 4.73% from this February. Condominiums ended the month at $251, 093, up 1.62% from the month previous and 0.55% year over year.

“When looking at housing prices, we have to take into account a number of factors,” Sedgwick said. “Last month, we saw sales of two homes in Edmonton that were priced at more than $3 million dollars. This is the first time that properties at that price point have sold in 2016, and those two sales affected the average price by several thousands of dollars. So it is important that we also look at the median prices as well, to gain a clear picture of the market.”

List prices are also reported as steady month over month and year over year, with a March average of $357,750, a drop of about 1%; the same last year showed an average of $360,000. This also shows a 3% rise from list prices the month previous. Single family home prices increased about 1% to $405, 000, down from $410,000 year over year.

Continues Sedgwick, “Inventory is growing, with more than 3,000 properties coming onto the market last month. Despite the inventory growth, prices are holding steady, with median prices on par with last year, and average prices up slightly due to the sale of high-end luxury homes in March.”

Finally, days on market statistics showed a drop in most all categories of residences, with an average of 53 days on market; 4 days less than the month previous. Single family homes also showed a 4 day drop, down to 49 days on average, and duplex/rowhouses dropping 9 days to an average of 62 days on market. Lastly condominiums were up one day from February of this year, to 58 days.