A NEW PERSPECTIVE

Project Calgary will give new perspective on Calgary's neighbourhoods
By Tom Babin
Calgary Herald October 8, 2011

What would make your neighbourhood better?

It’s a simple question, but the answers are not. The answers come wrapped in expectation and are coloured by perception, history and experience. Still, the question should be asked. Without it, our city will never improve.

That’s why we’re posing it. It’s what’s driving Project Calgary, a new initiative of the Calgary Herald that kicks of today and runs for the next 100 days. In hundreds of ways, we will seek answers to that question, and we want your help.

At the heart of Project Calgary lies an ever-growing archive of data that we have spent months compiling. In nearly 50 different areas, we have collected data on Calgary’s 200 individual neighbourhoods that collectively shed never-before seen light on community life in the city. We have crime statistics, housing data, affordability indexes, and measures of neighbourliness and much more. Want to know how much parkspace your community has compared to your best friend’s? We’ve got that. Want to know where your neighbourhood ranks on an index of coffee shops? We have that too. Worried about growing enclaves of poverty, or the plight of seniors living alone? We have data that can shed light.

Over the course of the project, all of that data and more will be made available to everybody, as spreadsheets or in more easily understood maps and interactive charts, on our website. It’s a project of open data, so we want you to take it, interpret it, post it on your blog, share it with your friends on Facebook, and tell us what you think.

The data, however, is just the starting point. It will kick off conversations about how we can make our neighbourhoods, and thereby our city, better. Our journalists have spent months combing the data, looking for stories and trends that will illuminate, inform and perhaps even enrage all of us.

There are a few points to remember as we begin this journey. Calgarians like their city. A poll commissioned for this project found 83 per cent of people satisfied with the quality of life in the city. And Calgarians like their neighbourhoods even more — 85 per cent said they were satisfied with 39 per cent saying they were very satisfied. There is, however, room for improvement.

“I think a question like this shows that (Calgarians are) content,” said Jaideep Mukerji, managing director of Angus Reid, who conducted the poll. “It’s a positive feeling but it’s not necessarily a very intensely positive feeling with respect to Calgary in general.”

Affordability, for example, is still a concern for many Calgarians, and along with this comes questions of poverty, charity and community. Interestingly, our poll found the most important part of neighbourhood life to Calgarians is not safety or amenities, but the old-fashioned notion of neighbourliness.

“It’s the quality of your neighbours and the quality of your housing that really tend to drive overall satisfaction,” said Mukerji. “It’s very much ‘Do I live around nice people?’ and ‘Do I live in a nice place?’ And those seem almost banal, but they actually really do have a pretty big impact on people’s overall satisfaction with their neighbourhood.”

These are just some of the issues that will be addressed over the coming 100 days. We’re kicking off Project Calgary with a look at one of the most contentious areas of civic life: Transportation. Over the next two weeks, you’ll see data and stories related to walkability, traffic and transportation, and it’s sure to spark a discussion — as the launch this week of a new bike lane in the city has proved.

In addition to the stories, photos, maps and data you’ll see in the print edition of the Herald, our website will feature even more.

Project Calgary is intended to be an ongoing conversation about neighbourhood life, so we invite you to get involved. Share your comments on our blog, discuss the data, tell us why you love your community or what would make it better. Project Calgary is being set up as a living initiative, so if you have an idea for us to explore, or some data you think we should track down and share, let us know. Tell us about your community, share your photographs and take part in our regular live chats. This project is intended to be a journey, and we’d love some company for the ride.

THE MAGIC 8 BALL

8 Factors That Devalue A Good Home
By INVESTOPEDIA

If you’re considering selling your home, there are a number of factors you should consider regarding the resale value of your property. Some of these issues may devalue your home or scare some potential buyers away entirely, even if your home is an otherwise outstanding property! Consider these eight factors when listing your home.

1. Location, Location, Location

Many real estate television shows repeat this phrase over and over. Buying a home in an area that provides residents with access to services and effective transportation is important – though many buyers don’t wish to live too close to airports and busy roads for fear of noise.

Visual appeal is another concern. Cell phone towers and power lines can be seen as eyesores – or possibly even having potential health hazards. Local school closures can also deter potential buyers who have children or who are considering having children in the near future. Some buyers may be leery of purchasing homes that are on flood plains.

To ensure maximum resale potential, consider how many of these types of issues exist near the properties you’re considering. Remember, though, there’s no way of knowing exactly how a neighborhood will evolve over time. (A lazy or incompetent real estate agent could spell disaster.)

2. Good Renovations Gone Bad

If your home looks like a DIY nightmare, this can definitely devalue your home. Though putting money into renovations generally increases the value of a home, poorly done renovations can have the opposite effect. If buyers feel that the renovations will have to be redone, there’s a good chance they’ll make a lower offer or keep looking for a move-in ready home.

3. Overly Creative Customization

That bright pink feature wall might have seemed like a good idea at the time, but the truth is that unusual paint choices – both inside and outside the home – can turn buyers off, even if your customization is the cutting edge trend in current home design magazines. Customizing spaces so that they may not be functional to future buyers, like turning the garage into a home gym or a granny apartment, might make some buyers reluctant to buy your property.

The same can be said for unique landscaping choices or renovations that are too high scale for the house. A professional chef’s kitchen or marble bathrooms in a modest home suited to first-time buyers won’t likely provide a good return on investment.
4. Unappealing Curb Appeal

The first thing potential buyers will see is the exterior of the property. If the house appears to be outdated or in poor repair on the outside, people will assume it is the same for the inside. Water features or swimming pools and overly landscaped green space may turn off some buyers since people tend to associate high maintenance yards with expensive upkeep and unnecessary headaches. Old fences and sheds can also devalue your home, especially if they look like they’re in dire need of replacement. Keep the gardens weeded and the lawn mowed so that potential buyers can see how nice the property is, inside and out.

5. Pets Gone Wild

Many people won’t mind buying a home that has had resident animals, but no one wants to live with constant reminders of former owners’ pets. Damage to carpets, walls or a strong smell of animals will put off some buyers – especially those with allergies. Consider letting your pets live elsewhere while the property is for sale. Also, a good cleaning and repairing of any visible damage will help to mitigate the potential devaluation of your home associated with pet ownership.

6. Not-So-Nice Neighborhood

A dodgy neighborhood with a high crime rate or homes on your block that look unkempt can scare potential buyers away. Even if your neighbors have unusual-colored homes or have made strange additions to their homes, this can be perceived by potential buyers as an eyesore.

7. Sinister Reputation

Well-known crimes, deaths or even urban legends associated with your house or neighborhood can decrease the value of a home immensely. Most people don’t want to live in a home where they feel that something awful has happened, much less move in with your alleged resident ghost! Though these kinds of issues may be out of your control, they may certainly have an impact on the resale value of your home.

8. Frightful Foreclosures

Many buyers are leery of purchasing foreclosures that are being sold on an “as-is” basis. The fear is that the home could be a money pit or require a huge amount of repairs before being move-in ready. Some good homes may be available through foreclosures, but it’s important to do your research, ask lots of questions and don’t be afraid to bargain. It’s also crucial that you get a home inspection so that you know exactly what you’re getting into. There’s a good chance that some work will be required when buying a foreclosure, but you may get great value for your money if you’re willing to put in a little work.

The Bottom Line

Neighborhoods change over time, so there’s no way to be totally sure when you buy a property how the area will look in the years to come. However, you should always make your best efforts to address any issues with your property that are within your control. Play up your home’s strong points and get involved with your realtor to ensure that any special features of your home and neighborhood have been highlighted.

Photo By: .Craig