The commercial real estate market is booming in Canada, and it's not showing any signs of slowing down.

If you're an entrepreneur looking to invest in Canadian commercial real estate, now is definitely the time to take action and start shopping.

Shopping for commercial real estate can be challenging and overwhelming. It's definitely not impossible to find a great property, though. You just have to make sure you're asking the right questions.

Listed below are some key questions you need to ask when you're purchasing commercial property.

Is it in the Right Location?

There are a lot of similarities between the process of looking to rent a property and looking to buy a commercial property. For example, you need to make sure it's in the right location.

When you first start considering a particular commercial real estate property, think about the neighbourhood in which it's located.

Remember, too, that there's a difference between neighbourhoods that are desirable for residential properties and those that are better for commercial properties.

For example, things like self-storage units and car parks might not be appealing to people looking for homes and apartment buildings, but they can make commercial properties much more attractive.

Do plenty of research into a particular area before you decide to set up shop there.

What Developments are Taking Place in the Area?

In addition to thinking about the state of the neighbourhood at the time when you're shopping for a property, you need to think about what it will look like a few years from now, too. 

Certain developments will add to or subtract from a property's value and have an impact on the people who are most likely to patronize your business.

Be sure to ask your real estate broker what kinds of developments are in the works for the near future.

For example, is a new highway going to be built in the area and draw traffic away from local stores? If this is the case, the neighbourhood in question might not be a good option for your business.

How Long Has the Property Been for Sale?

As a general rule of thumb, it takes longer for commercial properties to come off the market compared to residential properties.

If a property has been for sale for a very long time, though, that might be a red flag.

Do some digging to find out how quickly commercial properties in a particular tend to stay on the market. Then, compare that number to the length of the time the property you're considering has been for sale.

If it's been on the market a lot longer than the average amount of time, there might some issues that you need to address.

Is the Developer Trustworthy?

Be sure to learn as much as you can about the property's developer, too.

Find out if they're a trustworthy person or not and how much experience they have. The reliability and business practices of the developer can have a big impact on the long-term potential and profitability of the property.

If you learn anything about the developer that seems shady, you may want to consider purchasing a different building. Even if it's being sold for a great price, there might be a not-so-good reason.

Does it Fit Your Business Goals?

If you're interested in a particular property but aren't totally sold on it yet, be sure to consider whether or not it fits your business goals.

Remember that this extends beyond just the appearance and location of the building. For example, you'll need to find out if there are any zoning restrictions that prohibit you from using the building for your intended purpose.

What Do I Know About the Neighbors?

If you're going to be sharing the property with anyone else -- or working in close quarters with them -- you should do some research to learn about the other businesses and business owners.

Find out if they contribute to common area expenses, how long they've been in the area, and what their annual rent is.

If you plan to rent out properties in the future, this will be useful information. it'll also let you know whether or not they'll be good business neighbours.

Are There Any Issues with the Building?

It's important to do your due diligence and make sure there aren't any serious issues with the building before you purchase it. It pays to have the property inspected by a third-party inspector to make sure everything is in good shape.

Before you hire an inspector, though, you should also be on the lookout for potential issues. This includes signs of wear and tear on the roof, cracks or settling in the concrete, and major health hazards like plumbing or electrical issues.

If you notice any of these issues, find out if the building owner is willing to get them fixed before you agree to purchase the property.

Can I Have a Pro Forma?

A pro forma is an important document for anyone looking to get involved in commercial real estate.

A pro forma provides you with a summary of all the relevant financial figures associated with a particular property. This includes the total income the building produces, as well as lists of expenses the building incurs. It also tells you about the building's total net income.

If you have access to a pro forma, you'll be able to get a better idea of whether or not a particular property is worth investing in. This will save you a lot of time and money further down the road.

Start Purchasing Commercial Property Today

As you can see, there are a lot of questions you need to ask when you're considering purchasing commercial property.

The process of finding the right property can be pretty overwhelming. If you ask the right questions, though, you'll have a much easier time finding a place that suits your needs.

Do you need help finding a great property for your business in the St Albert area? If so, we're here to help at Bermont Realty.

Contact us today to learn more about our services or to take a look at some of the best St Albert listings or check out our commercial listings.

Being on the lookout for a home to rent has its enjoyable moments, but it can also be a harrowing experience. Walking to a sizable pad that is accessible and within your budget: pleasure! Walking into a flat which does not look anything like the pictures: harrowing.

We've observed numerous rental scams in the last few years. To help you avoid scams and to sidestep prospective rentals that are just a waste of time, we have compiled a list of giant rental red flags to keep a lookout for throughout your search.

No invoice or receipt for a deposit

Many renters do not recognize that if a broker or management firm doesn't offer a receipt for your deposit, it is a big red flag. Before giving anyone a big chunk of change, look up their company and be sure they're legit.

If you know you are dealing with real brokers but they say they do not have proper receipts, ask them to email you confirmation, and don't leave them until you see it in your inbox.

You always want a paper trail in case any money changes hands.

Listings without images

Everyone has a camera in their pocket these days, so a property listing without at least a few photos typically suggests that the place is a dump.

If listing details are vague or there are no pictures, there is a good reason.

Too good to be true

You also need to be on the lookout for listings which claim the property is decked out by amenities, is below market value, and attributes photographs that look as though they belong in Architectural Digest.

If an apartment appears to be too good to be accurate in record pictures, then it probably is not accurate.

A bait and switch--where imitation photographs are posted in the list to lure potential renters--can happen, so let your common sense guide you before committing to anything or registering a lease sight unseen.

If it feels just like you are making out like a bandit, then you probably don't have all of the facts, and you need to continue your search elsewhere.

Untidy common areas

It may seem minor, but trash that has blown into the landscaping or a dirty common area may be red flag as well.

"If the property manager does not care enough to arrive a couple of minutes early to set the stage for a fantastic tour, what else might they not care about?" If a rental appears like it isn't well-maintained, then you're bound to become an unhappy tenant.

No credit or background check

A landlord or employee of a management company who doesn't require a background or credit rating might seem easygoing. You do not have to bother with paperwork or cover the fees for these tests? What a dream! However, a laissez-faire landlord might just not care about the condition of the property or having a responsible tenant live there.

A fantastic landlord always wants to get qualified tenants in place, so be careful if you find an apartment and the landlord is quick to ask for money with no background check.

Requesting a large hunk of cash upfront

But if landlords request over the standard amount upfront, then they might be trying to scam you.

Upfront fees vary throughout the nation, and local laws dictate how much landlords can request. Thus doing a simple Google search to see what's normal in your town can save you a lot of money.

Rushed or pristine property showings

If the agent or landlord appears to be trying to rush you through the home, there is usually a reason.

Itt could be a terror of a neighbor, with loudly dogs along with a horrible temper you just never know.

So to find a crystal clear picture of this property--and also the persistent noises about it--take some time to visit the neighborhood at various hours of the day.

Playing phone tag with the property manager

Is it challenging to accomplish a showing with the landlord or property manager? Think about how hard it will be to reach them if you really live there and have a repair or a query about your rent. It may look like a minor inconvenience while looking for a rental, but how they conduct business prior to signing a lease is generally a sign of how they'll treat you after you are officially a renter.

Conclusion

At Bermont Realty we do our best to maintain a high level of customer service.  We are quick to act and available most times of the day to assist your needs be it an emergency repair or a question. List your property for rent or finding a property to rent in St. Albert, Mornville and the surrounding area we are here to serve you better.

When it comes to selling a home, appearances are everything. That is why more and more homeowners hoping to impress buyers are investing in house staging however decluttering, styling, and making your home look its absolute best, this procedure can make you want to pull your hair out.

To make this job a little easier, we asked sellers for their own best home-staging advice, we then compiled their greatest tips. If you are getting ready to put your home on the current market, use these pointers to spruce things up in a jiffy--and help buyers fall in love with your property.

Keep your home tidy 24/7

When showing a home, it is important to keep your house tidy with all your possessions peeled away for two reasons. To begin with, you do not always know who's walking through your house. A listing agent can not be in every room to observe your valuables.

Secondly, a tidy house looks better. You want potential buyers to come in and see a beautiful dream house, not your own clutter. You never know when a potential buyer will need a last-minute tour, so put your dishes away as soon as you're done eating, pick up dirty clothes on the floor, and make your bed daily.

Invest in a few trendy items

Before showing, you need to update your house with a few new, trendy pieces to make it even more on-trend. Look on Pinterest to see what's fashionable at this time, or see open homes to find out how they are staged. After that, re-create the appearance. Don't worry, you are able to do so while being budget-friendly! When selling homes some owners ended up investing in a couple of pieces--a new duvet cover, a few curtains, and a few wall hangings--to make their house look much more like other houses that were on the market. All of this stuff just cost only a couple of hundred bucks, but have a great deal of compliments on personality and, in the end, the home sold for more than anticipated. Bear in mind that spending a couple hundred on décor could end up getting you thousands in the long run.

Make Your House feel like their Property

The very best home-staging wisdom we have discovered is that potential buyers need to see themselves in your property. That is why real estate agents tell you to clean out any personal pictures you have on the walls. You do not want buyers to consider it as your residence, because it is going to make it tougher for them to picture themselves living there. For the exact same reason, do your best not to be home when your house is being toured. If buyers see you, they will recall that they're guests.

Unless you feel very strongly about people taking off their shoes, remember that you're moving, so it doesn't really matter whether people are tracking in dirt. Plus, for some people it's awkward to walk around in their socks, and you don't want potential buyers to feel uncomfortable.

Spray a clean, easy scent

You can kill a individual's curiosity by showing them a house that smells like dirty teenagers and smelly dogs. Houses need to smell fresh and clean, but shouldn't smell like compounds. Invest in a very excellent home odor spray using a gentle odor, like lavender or fresh linen.

Don't try to hide your clutter

It's common to use the garage as a place to stash the boxes you've cleared out of your house for a showing. But you still need the garage to look presentable. People today want to search the entire house. Take this opportunity to clean it all out.

Buyers may also open cabinets. They are not trying to be invasive--they only want to see how much space you've got. Do not believe that you can cram everything behind those doors and it is going to be invisible. People will look through everything, and when they do open closet doors, they probably won't love being fulfilled with an avalanche of stuff. In fact, it will most likely make them think your house does not have sufficient storage, and they'll move onto another.

Get your pets out of the house

The best advice we give before selling a house was to make sure that your my pets and potential buyers feel comfortable. Meeting somebody else's creatures can be stressful. Pets might be protective of their possessions, so owners should think about taking them someplace else during showings.

If someone is coming over for a tour, take that opportunity to walk your dog. However, if you must leave your pets in your home, always make sure that you leave instructions on how to handle them. Offer your list agent instructions on where to put dogs if they get rowdy (such as a guest room), but don't just assume you can just put your pets in the garden, since buyers want to find that the outdoor space also.

Now that you have discovered how to stage your home contact one of our amazing real estate agents to get your property listed.

Are you planning on selling your home? If so, you'll need to prepare if you want to get the best deal possible. After all, the steps you take before showing your house to prospective buyers can make or break your chance of selling for the best profit possible.

Not sure where to get started? Don't worry. We have all the information you need right here.

Keep reading for ten essential tips about preparing your home for sale. Let's get started!

1. Let Go

If you want to prep your house for sale, you'll need to start by letting go of your emotions and attachments. This will make the entire process much easier. Here are some helpful steps you can take to achieve this.

Make Sure That You're Ready to Sell

If you're not emotionally prepared to sell your home, don't. It's better to wait until you're ready. And if you don't feel ready but you simply have to sell immediately, get support from your loved ones.

Recognize Possible Stress

Selling your home can be stressful and emotional. Recognize that these emotions may be a part of the process for you. Don't fight against them, observe them and work with them.

Think of Your Home as a Product

The first step in preparing a home for sale is to disassociate. Stop thinking of your home as a place where you live, but rather a product for sale.

2. Preparing Your Home for Sale Means Decluttering

Removing the clutter from your home is an important step when it comes to preparing your house for sale. It will make your home look nicer during showings and your eventual move so much easier.

Sort through your belongings and keep only your favourite items or things you need. Put the items you'd like to keep away neatly in boxes. Donate everything else to charity.

If you're struggling to declutter your space, consider renting a storage unit to clear things up.

3. Find a Great Agent

A trustworthy and professional estate agent will make selling your home easier, faster, and more profitable. Before you begin the process of preparing to sell your house, connect with an excellent agent in your area.

To find the best match for you, look for the following qualities:

• Experience
• A personality that's compatible with yours
• Familiarity with your area
• Positive feedback or reviews

With an agent that checks off each item on the list above, you can't go wrong.

4. Perform Updates and Repairs

To make your home as attractive as possible to potential buyers, perform some routine updates before your agent starts showing. Update lighting fixtures, replace light bulbs and repaint any peeling or chipped areas. Making your home look modern, bright, and updated will help it sell faster.

5. Gather the Necessary Paperwork

To begin the process of any final sale, your agent and buyers will need the necessary paperwork. Speed that process up by gathering these documents in advance. Look for mortgage details, tax paperwork, utility bills, etc.

6. Take Advantage of Curb Appeal

"Curb appeal" is how nice your home looks from the street. Skyrocket your property's curb appeal by tidying up the front of your home.

Clean your deck if you have one, give your exterior a fresh coat of paint, and touch up your front door if you need to. Add some fresh plants to make your home's exterior look extra inviting.

7. Don't Forget the Back Garden Too

When people view your home they'll be looking closely. Don't neglect the back of your property while tidying up.

Trim the grass, clean the grill, and make the garden look neat and beautiful. Even if you're selling your home during the winter, you can still ensure that things look well-kept and attractive.

8. Continue Cleaning Daily

Once your home is sparkling clean inside and out, don't let it slip. Throughout the process of preparing your home for sale, continue cleaning every day.

Good daily cleaning habits will keep your home looking spotless. This way, whenever your agent wants to show your house to a potential buyer, you'll be ready.

Here are some simple ways to keep your house clean every day:

• Make the bed right when you wake up
• Continue purging items even after your big decluttering project
• Get rid of junk mail immediately
• Start washing dirty laundry in the morning
• While dinner is cooking, clean up your living areas
• Unload the dishwasher at the beginning of the day to keep surfaces clear

If you can focus on making these tasks a part of your everyday routine, you'll keep your home clean and prepared for showings.

9. Make Plans for Your Pets

Although your family may love their furry friends, potential buyers may feel differently. When you have a showing scheduled, make sure that your pet is either secured in a safe place or out of the house.

Have a family friend take your dog for a walk, or create a relaxing environment for your cat in the laundry room with food, water, and a litter box. Let potential buyers know if you have pets around, just in case they have aversions or allergies to certain animals.

10. Let Your Agent Do the Rest

Once your home is fully prepared for sale, it's time to put all of your trust in your agent. After all, an experienced agent will know just what to do to get you the best deal possible. So sit back, relax, and make sure that they have everything they need to get the job done well.

Wrapping Up

As you can see, learning how to prepare your house for sale doesn't have to be stressful. If you follow the ten simple steps above, you're sure to have a successful sale.

Just remember to declutter your home and complete any necessary repairs and updates to both the interior and exterior. When preparing your home for sale, it's important to work with an agent who you can trust. When you find that person, you can feel at ease.

Do you have any questions about selling your home? Check out our selling resources page for tons of information. We're here to help!

It's no surprise that St. Albert is the seventh best place to live in Canada. Out of a list of qualifications and ratings, it beat 410 other cities.

If you're looking for the perfect city to move to, you need to consider St. Albert.

From natural space to a downtown core, you get the best of both worlds. It caters to growing families and single-dwellers. For a small city, it has everything you need.

Keep reading to find out more about your dream hometown. There are hundreds of awesome reasons to move to St. Albert, Canada, but here are the top ten.

1. It's Super Safe

One of the biggest things families look for when moving is a low crime rate. You want to know your children will be safe to play outside and grow up. Low crime rates allow you to feel comfortable and safe in your city.

St. Albert's crime rate is exceptional; it has the lowest crime rate in the province.

This stat represents a significant drop from previous years. The city has put immense effort and money into making the city safer. This means increased police presence and accessible emergency services.

You can feel safe and secure knowing that St. Albert is one of the safest cities in Canada.

2. There's Plenty of Nature

While concrete jungles can be nice, everyone needs a little nature in their space. Luckily, St. Albert offers more than a little. This stunning city is bursting with parks, conservation areas, and outdoor space.

You can go hiking, running, or for a casual walk on the Red Willow Trail. This trail system has over 85 kilometres of paths that wind through forests and fields.

The city has over 100 parks and playgrounds to explore with your family. Since nature is such a big presence in the city, there are many outdoor events and gatherings to join.

3. The Bustling Downtown Core

We all need somewhere to go out for a night on the town. Head down to St. Albert's downtown core. Here you'll find all sorts of entertainment outlets and dining options.

There are hundreds of restaurants and bars to choose from. See a movie at the cinema or a live show at the Arden Theatre.

Explore the various independent cafes and stores. You can buy all your necessities and gifts from local vendors. Thus, further supporting the local economy.

4. Annual Festivals and Special Events

The community of St. Albert is very connected and close. Part of the reason for this is the list of annual events and festivities. Residents gather together for these year-round celebrations.

Here are some crowd-pleasers you'll want to check out:

• Cultural Kitchen Nights

• St Albert Mixed Bonspiel

• Leading Edge RunWild Race

With a city focused on community and involvement, you'll always have things to do.

5. Thriving Local Eats

St. Albert is a city that prides itself on having local food options. The less you depend on importing food in, the more sustainable you can be.

At the St. Albert Farmers Market, you can shop at one of the 250 vendor stalls. Get your groceries for the week as well as some extra goodies. It's the largest market in Western Canada.

6. The Block Party Tradition

You may have heard of neighbourhoods doing a block party once in a while. But, no one takes this community event as seriously as the residents of St. Albert.

Last year, over 150 neighbourhoods in St. Albert participated in this annual tradition. It's a chance to get to know your neighbours and make connections. Kids play, parents prepare food, and everyone gets together.

7. A Variety of Real Estate Opportunities

There are many housing options for you to choose from in St. Albert. While most young families lean toward single-family houses, you don't have to.

St Albert has plenty of condos, apartment buildings, townhomes, and semi-detached options. Some are for sale and some are for rent. No matter your budget, there's a home perfectly-suited to you here.

8. Excellent Education Options

There's no shortage of quality schools to choose from in St. Albert. From daycare to secondary school, the options are all top of the line.

You can even enrol your kids in French Immersion or International Baccalaureate programs.

When it comes time for university, you're a short drive from all Edmonton's institutions. For example, Athabasca University and the University of Alberta.

9. A Strong Focus on Health and Wellness

St. Albert is a city that values health and wellness. Nutritious food options and active lifestyles are popular here. If you're looking for a city to get healthy in, this is it.

There are dozens of fitness facilities you can join, like Orange Theory and Goodlife. You could hire a personal trainer or make use of the hiking trails with your family.

For every 1000 residents, there are over 2.5 doctors. That's an amazing ratio compared to other cities. With access to the best health services, your wellness takes priority.

10. It's Green and Proud

Canada makes it internationally known that we care about protecting the environment. St. Albert is a city that puts that statement to the test.

As an environmental steward, St. Albert provides organic waste removal. This diverts over 60 percent of the city's waste away from the landfills. It also has an intricate recycling program and encourages re-purposing.

Clothing swaps and food drives are popular. This is a city that cares about the planet and our impact on it.

Ready to Buy in St. Albert, Canada?

There are hundreds of reasons that make St. Albert one of Canada's best cities. From its low crime rates to abundant amenities, there's something for everyone.

And, the real estate market is hot for buyers.

If you're ready to see what's for sale in St Albert, Canada, check out these listings. Bermont Realty will make your home shopping and buying experience smooth and stress-free. You'll be moving into your dream home in no time!