Located 3.3 kilometres south of Fort McMurray, this 980 acre industrial and commercial area represents opportunities for business to position themselves strategically along the key Highway 63 corridor. Close to the Fort McMurray airport, the Prairie Creek Business Park will feature 3.2 kilometres of highway frontage, ideal for highway commercial and industrial businesses such as restaurants, hotels, fuel sales, fleet service, equipment yards and rental, freight yards, and warehousing.

The Lore Group is excited by the progress being made on the Prairie Creek Business Park, positioned to become a commercial gateway to Fort McMurray, the Wood Buffalo region, and the Athabasca Oil Sands Projects. Keep an eye on our blog for future Prairie Creek Business Park updates!

To learn more about commercial and industrial opportunities in this new development or to see the current draft outline plans, please visit the Prairie Creek Business Park project page or contact The Lore Group at 780-370-3325.

Providing a clear path from the street and driveway to your front door encourages potential buyers to visit the home and it also shows a standard that the current owner keeps for his home. Shovel the snow and scrape the ice.
Access is important, and the worst first impression is a driveway or sidewalk that’s still covered with snow: a snow-free walkway and drive gives the impression lots of prospective buyers have been looking for. Watch for icy spots and make sure to keep slick areas regularly salted or sanded. Ensure decks and pathways to sheds or garages are shoveled in case your prospective buyer would like to view the yard, deck, garage or shed.
Take down the Christmas decor after the holidays have passed. If you usually keep your lights up but off all year round, take them down this year. You’re selling anyway, so consider it a jump-start on packing! We do encourage clients to keep up any winter-themed decorations they have such as welcoming winter door wreaths or table centerpieces. Think seasonal touches rather than holiday ones.

Remember every agent and buyer that comes into your home will have thick winter jackets and snow-covered boots. Provide a convenient place to remove wet footwear and hang coats immediately when buyers enter your home: additional thoughtful touches include slippers, a basket for scarves and gloves, and a chair or bench to sit on when taking off or putting on boots. Buyers will appreciate you protecting the floor of their prospective investment.

Make sure your home is warm when you know your agent is scheduling showings. In particular be mindful of the temperature of your floors: cold hardwood or tiles on the feet is an immediate turn off. If you’re leaving town for the weekend while your agent is showing your home, make sure to keep the thermostat up: buyers who aren’t comfortable won’t stay long. Keeping the temperature low might mean savings on your utility bill but will affect your final selling price.

Encourage showings during daylight hours and keep your blinds and curtains open to showcase your home in natural light. Make sure your windows are spotlessly clean: the angles of winter sunlight highlight grim on glass. If you’re showing at night turn on every light so agents and buyers aren’t spending time looking for switches, and clean lamps and fixtures to make sure everything looks its best. Set up timers to turn outdoor and select indoor lights on when you aren’t home for prospective buyers doing drive-bys in the evening.

Create an inviting and cozy atmosphere and make your home a retreat from the cold weather. Turn on gas fireplaces and place warm throw-blankets on couches or chairs. Provide warm cocoa or fresh brewed coffee and tea. If you enjoy baking, the aroma of cookies complete with a plate of fresh baking to snack on can endear you to potential buyers and make your home a welcome haven from the sub-zero temperatures.

Selling a home during the winter months can be trying: the weather is cold and gloomy, daylight hours are in short supply, and there are less buyers looking. It’s important to remember, however, that even though you may have less showings when selling your home in the winter months, house hunters who are keen enough to brave the cold tend to be serious buyers.

If you’re spending this holiday season looking to buy or sell a Fort McMurray home, don’t forget TheLoreGroup.com is still your source for all your Fort McMurray Real Estate information.

We look forward to helping you with any and all Real Estate transactions in 2012, and hope this holiday season is a fantastic one for you and your family.

The report includes sections on the Wood Buffalo region economic outlook, the Fort McMurray resale real estate market, the new home market, and the rental market. Download the CMHC Fort McMurray and Wood Buffalo Outlook for all graphs.

Fort McMurray & Wood Buffalo Real Estate Market Highlights

• Alberta’s GDP growth is expected to be positive through 2011 and 2012.
• The value of oil sands projects in 2011 is approaching the 2008 levels.
• Full time job growth fuelled by increased oil sands value and opportunity continue to support housing demand in the region.
• Fort McMurray and Wood Buffalo resale MLS® sales are forecasted to continue growing through 2012, with stronger activity in 2011 putting us on pace for a year over year gain.
• Average single-family home prices are setting new record highs. Multi-family home and condo pricing is increasing at a more moderate pace.
• Sales of homes priced greater than $600,000 has increased over last year. Homes priced $600,000 – $800,000 account for just over 40% of sales compared to 35% at this time last year, while homes priced over $800,000 account for 15% of sales compared to 7% last year.
• New single-family detached home starts will have moderate growth through the end of 2011 and are forecasted to remain stable in 2012, while multi-family starts are expected to improve next year.

Saprae Creek Estates entrance road construction.

The west parcel is nearing completion: all trees have been cleared and road construction is well underway. By the end of this week all roads, ditches and lot approaches should be finished, allowing crews to get started clearing the east parcel. The next step will be hooking up utilities to all lot approaches.

Saprae Creek Estates. Clearing a lot on the west parcel.

Saprae Creek Estates is a new development of 2 acre acreage lots and extension of the existing Saprae Creek community, located only 10 minutes away from downtown Fort McMurray and accessible from Highway 69. Currently all lots in the west parcel and three quarters of the east parcel lots are already reserved!

Established in 1987, the hamlet of Saprae Creek has become a popular acreage-style bedroom community of Fort McMurray, and is currently home to over 900 residents. Perfect for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers, Saprae Creek is tucked away in the otherwise untouched forests south of the city. The community feels very removed from the hustle and bustle of Fort Mac, and though it’s only a few minutes drive it feels like you’re miles away!

Saprae Creek is close to several major recreational hotspots in Fort McMurray, including the popular Vista Ridge that gearing up and excited for another busy winter season of skiing, snowboarding and downhill tubing. Points West Trails is also nearby, and is a popular destination for a wide range of summer and winter activities including quadding, snowmobiling, hiking, cross-country skiing and mountain biking.

To learn more about this exciting new residential acreage development and how you can reserve your lot today, visit our Saprae Creek Estates project page or contact The Lore Group at 780-370-3325. You can also learn more about living in Saprae Creek on our Saprae Creek Community Profile page.

1. Admiring the vibrant fall foliage that fills the parks and trails.

2. Indulging in a cafe latte and scrumptious fresh sunshine bread in the afternoon shade of the trees on the deck of Mitchell’s Cafe.

3. Watching the bright colours of the northern lights dance across the midnight sky.

4. Discovering heaps of literary treasures in the Fort McMurray Public Library at MacDonald Island.

5. Getting spooked at Chateau Boo, the scary haunted house hosted annually by the Fort McMurray Boys & Girls Club.

6. Falling in love with a new canine friend at the Fort McMurray SPCA at 155 MacAlpine Cres.

7. Finding new goodies from the vendors at the Fort McMurray Tourism Fall Trade Show at MacDonald Island.

8. Choosing one too many pieces of decadent, rich, handmade chocolate from the showcases at Chocolates & Candelight in Timberlea.

9. Teeing off for the last few nostalgic swings of golf int he fall crisp morning air at the Fort McMurray Golf Club in Timberlea.

10. Dropping a fishing line into the Clearwater River at lunch break.

11. Taking in the marvellously entertaining theatre productions at Keyano College.

12. Getting covered in mud quading on the trails in Prairie Creek.

13. Watching dozens of children run through the spray water at the park for the final splash of the season at J. Howard Pew Park in Waterways.

14. Cheering on the Oil Barons as they kick some butt and take some names at the Casman Centre.

15. Yanking lake trout from the back of my tailgate at Texaco Park.

16. Brisk morning mountain bike rides on Birchwood Trails.

17. Finding a one-of-a-kind work of art from a local talent at the MacDonald Island Public Gallery.

18. Admiring the beautiful sunset as we unwind and relax on the sandy beaches of Gregoire Lake.

19. Finding fabulous fall fashions at the Peter Pond Mall.

20. Devouring a juicy and oh-so-delicious burger at Earls Restaurant Lounge.

21. Delectable sushi by chef John Momo at the sushi bar at Spring Moon.

22. Heritage Park’s gift shop. Not only is there a taste of history, but also a wonderful assortment of great gift items.

What’s your favourite thing about Fort McMurray? Join us on The Lore Group Facebook page or comment here at the blog and share your favourite things with us. You’ll be entered to receive a great gift courtesy of one of our local businesses!

We’ve provided a snippet below, but if you’re interested in reading the entire article please visit Unlimited Magazine.

It’s not a typical tourist trap at first glance, but Alberta’s oil sands have caught everyone from a comedian with The Daily Show with Jon Stewart to plenty of politicians, interested investors, and even Hollywood director James Cameron.

Welcome to the weird world of oil sands tourism, where curious, and sometimes famous, visitors explore for themselves what they hear and read about in brief snippets in the news. While only a select few are likely to kibitz with an oil company’s CEO, as The Daily Show’s Wyatt Cenac recently did with Cenovus Energy vice-president Drew Ziegelgansberger, the growing industry niche does allow for the average tourist to see Alberta’s bitumen belt firsthand.

Flights over the oil sands don’t come cheap: it’s $1,200 per aircraft per hour, and tours can be booked for one to two hours. That cost doesn’t seem to be stopping visitors, though, and cheaper ways to see the oil sands sites also exist.

“People are curious to see our region and the oil sands operations for themselves,” says Denise Barrow of the Fort McMurray Tourism office. While private firms now shuttle guests around the oil sands, Fort McMurray Tourism has been offering visitors a glimpse into the industry for the past 20 years. For about four hours and $40, visitors can tour a Suncor Energy site and go to the Oil Sands Discovery Centre, which guides visitors through the history, science and technology of the oil industry.

…

From the sky, the scope of that science project comes into view. Wood Buffalo Helicopters is one firm that offers helicopter tours of the region. The Fort McMurray-based operator takes tourists on about 70 helicopter tours of the oil sands a year, making up just two per cent of overall business.

…

For visitors, the cost of a tour becomes almost incidental after takeoff. “People are amazed at the scale and almost everybody’s convinced that they wouldn’t have been able to understand it without the helicopter tour,” Morin says. “I call the tour Oil Sands 101. People come back really appreciating the size of it and the 300-year nature of the resource. It’s a lot different than seeing 20 seconds on the evening news.”

Reposted from Unlimited Magazine: Read the entire article here.

What do you think about Fort McMurray Oilsands Tourism? Have you ever seen the oilsands from the air? Leave us a comment!

If you’re renovating to sell your Fort McMurray home, your primary focus should be the return on investment (ROI) of these enhancements. Any upgrades you make while planning to sell should always be done with the bottom line in mind: if major changes, repairs or renovations don’t result in a significantly higher selling price, then you may loose money in the end.

Paint

A fresh coat of paint can do wonders for a home’s resale value. Consider having your home painted just before you put it on the market and make sure not to forget the baseboards and trims.

It’s important to choose neutral colours when painting to sell; you may love bright orange or lime green, but when prospective buyers are walking through your rooms you want them to easily see their own life against the backdrop of your walls. What’s more, unusual colours or wild wallpaper may actually dissuade buyers and force you to lower your price since they will factor the cost of repainting when writing an offer.

Flooring

Hardwood flooring is extremely popular and becomes an instant selling feature of the home for most potential buyers, but beware expensive hardwood. New flooring does add value to your home, but you’ll barely break even if you pick high end floors or granite tile. Quality mid-grade hardwood in a medium tone at a reasonable price is the best option, but a nice, neutral coloured carpet or simple linoleum installed properly can also boost your resale price.

Kitchens & Bathrooms

Giving your kitchen or bathroom a face lift can definitely increase the value of your home, but be mindful of doing too much. Sometimes all it takes is new light fixtures, plates and updated hardware to make a big difference and get significant ROI. Before you tear apart your kitchen or gut your bathroom, bring a qualified Fort McMurray REALTOR® in for a consult: they can point you in the right direction and save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars by sharing which improvements will have the biggest impact.

Whatever renovations you choose to do, unless you have the expertise, don’t do them yourself: pay a professional. We’ve seen sellers accidentally lower the value of their home by trying to teach themselves how to tile or lay flooring. It doesn’t matter if the floor is new or the paint is fresh: buyers can spot poor craftsmanship a mile away, and if the work doesn’t measure up the price of redoing the work will ultimately hurt your bottom line, not theirs.

Remember: it’s important to do your homework when hiring professional tradesmen and contractors. Always check references and do price comparisons, even if you’ve been referred. Many people will instantly go with the most inexpensive option when it comes to contracted work, but if you’re hiring a professional it’s because you want a professional job done. Always call and speak to the references yourself and make your choice based on both price and quality.

Spending just a little bit of time and money on your yard this time of year can make a big difference when it comes to how quickly your home will sell and how much you’ll get for it. Here are just a few ways you can give your Fort McMurray home for sale a spring facelift.

7 Ways to Get Your Home Ready for the Spring Fort McMurray Real Estate Market

Take down Christmas and winter-themed decorations

Any holiday or winter decor should come down ASAP if you’re trying to sell your home, including Christmas lights. Many people leave their lights up all year round even if they don’t turn them on: if you’re selling, this is the year to take everything down. You have to pack them anyway, right?

Spread the snow around

After a long winter of shovelling, most of us end up with snow piled high on certain parts of our lawns. Grab your shovel one last time to knock these piles down and spread the snow more evenly across the lawn. This will help those piles melt faster and prevent snow mould.

Get a jump on spring yard work

Get your spring yard work out of the way as early as possible. Pick up garbage and debris that has accumulated in the snow over the winter, and make sure your lawn is raked, fertilized and aerated as soon as possible. If you have active children who like to play outside, remember to keep your front and back yard clutter free. Find an unobtrusive place to store bikes, skateboards and other outdoor toys and equipment.

Wash siding and driveways

If your siding looks dirty, cleaning away months of grime can make a world of difference. Rent or borrow a power washer, or have professionals come and pressure clean your siding. Giving your driveways and sidewalks a good spray is also worthwhile: cleaning accumulated salt, oil spots and stains off your pavement can make your driveway look like new again.

Wash your windows

Nothing makes the the exterior — and interior — of your house shine better in the refreshing spring sunshine than crystal-clean window panes. Washing your windows inside and out can give your home a polished, well-kept look that attracts buyers.

Refresh decks and fences

While you’ve got that power washer out, give your deck and fences a good clean and, if needed, a fresh coat of paint or stain. A little bit of work goes a long way, and outdoor wood that looks well-cared for is an immediate draw.

Spring flowers

Nothing says spring better than blooming flowers, so get your flower beds cleaned and planted as soon as you can. If you’re worried about late frosts, plant in hanging baskets and movable pots that can be placed outside in the sun and easily brought in if temperatures drop.