The stakes are high as the Lloydminster Men’s Shelter is moving forward on building a new shelter for its clients and Saturday’s Coldest Night Of The Year event comprises part of the seed money.

The soon-to-be-released city survey on housing needs has revealed about 193 people are experiencing some form of housing insecurity, says Michael Davison, with the Men’s Shelter.

“In our current facility we are only equipped to handle less than 30 at any given time and there’s obviously a big gap between what the requirements and the needs of the city are in terms of support and what we can provide.”

Davison adds there are other organizations in the community doing similar work, but notes the extra demand for the services that the Men’s Shelter provides.

Coldest Night Of The Year fundraiser is being held on Saturday, Feb. 24 at Bud Miller Park. Currently, the Men’s Shelter has raised $18,640 towards its $20,000 goal. There are 50 registered walkers and nine teams. People can come as individuals to provide support or register to walk, fundraise, or volunteer.

“The initial amount of money is about making sure that every step we take is the right step and will lead to a larger success for our organization and all of Lloydminster,” says Davison.

Participants will walk and can reflect on the challenges facing the unhoused, especially in sub-zero temperatures.

Check-in for the event begins at 4:00 p.m. at the PSM Park Centre building in Bud Miller Park. The walk goes from 5:00-6:00 p.m. and ends with a hot meal.

Participants are encouraged to pre-register, but organizers will register up to the start.

“It’s a walk around Bud Miller. We will all be there to answer questions. There will be some food and drink and just people out to support the charity.”

The weather forecast for Saturday indicates sunny conditions with a daytime high of minus one.

The real estate market has been changing here in Lloydminster, and it’s common for potential buyers to feel concerned and challenged by these changes. 

But rather than shying away from buying a home in this kind of market, it’s even more important to think about the long-term benefits of homeownership! 

Consider some of the people in your life who purchased their homes 5, 10, or even 15 years ago. Chances are high that they don’t regret buying their homes. In fact, they’re probably proud to be homeowners and are happy with their investment in real estate. 

This is because real estate nearly always appreciates in value over time. This means that buying a home will allow your investment to grow in value and increase your personal wealth as a result. 

In addition to appreciating over time, you’ll be building equity over time as you pay into your mortgage as a homeowner. This is a long-term benefit of homeownership that directly translates into more profit and cash in your pocket when you sell your home down the line. 

While owning a home provides some incredible short-term benefits like a safe, stable place to live, the best of real estate is all in the long-term benefits. 

When you rent housing, you don’t get the investment potential or equity growth that makes owning real estate such a smart financial decision. Instead, your monthly rent payment goes straight to your landlord–you never see that money again. 

But when you own a home, you’re building equity with your monthly mortgage payments, and you get that money back when you sell your home. 

The market may feel challenging today, but becoming a homeowner brings those long-term benefits that are unparalleled. 

If you’re questioning if it makes sense to buy a home today, remember the incredible long-term benefits that come with owning a home. Let’s start the conversation today–Feel free to reach out!

Harpreet Christie
RE/MAX of Lloydminster
780-205-7654
harpreet@bordercityrealestate.com

What better way to make fun summer memories than by moving into a beautiful new home with your family?

If you’re wanting to spend the summer enjoying a home you love with your family, just follow this schedule!

February: Connect with your agent. Now is the time to get your agent lined up and get a home search plan put together. If you don’t have an agent in mind, start getting referrals and talk with at least 3 agents. This will help you get a feel for the different styles out there and find the agent that works best for you!

March: Focus on finances. Once you connect your agent, you’ll start prepping your finances and shop around for mortgages. In this month, make your budget and get all your financial documents pulled together so you can easily submit pre-approval paperwork to lenders. Once you’re pre-approved, you’ll be able to start the next step.

April: Start the search! With your agent secured and pre-approval in hand, you’ll be starting house hunting in April. Your agent will help you identify the best neighborhoods, review listings, and attend showings and open houses. The best thing to do in this month is to keep an open mind–you might see homes that you never would have expected to love but they might just be perfect for you!

May: Negotiate offer terms. By the end of May, you’ll be in the negotiation process with the sellers. Your agent will help you make an irresistible offer that sellers can’t ignore. Then you’ll negotiate on the offer terms with the sellers to make sure that you get the best deal possible.

June: Close and get your keys! The closing process typically takes a few weeks. You can spend this time packing up your current home and getting ready for a fantastic summer in your brand new home!

In just 5 short months, you can be in a new home, ready to make a summer’s worth of happy memories with your family and loved ones.

Ready to get started? Let’s Chat!

Harpreet Christie
RE/MAX of Lloydminster
780-205-7654
harpreet@bordercityrealestate.com

Most buyers would love to have a more affordable mortgage payment. Cutting costs on your mortgage can translate to getting your mortgage paid off earlier and saving money on interest, resulting in paying less for your mortgage overall. 

But when you’re crunching the numbers for your home buying budget and getting pre-approved, it can feel challenging with all the different loan options and tricks. 

With these 4 tips, you can make your mortgage more affordable and save money on your mortgage payment. 

Tip 1 - Refinance Your Loan: A loan refinance replaces your old mortgage with a new mortgage. Your new mortgage will have a different principal amount and interest rate. This results in a lower monthly payment. If you have a high interest rate, a refinance is a super smart way to decrease the amount you pay in interest and save on your mortgage payments. 

Tip 2 - Consider Bi-Weekly Payment Plan: This tactic adds one extra month’s payment that’s applied to your mortgage principal. This can help shave years off your mortgage since you’ll be paying off the mortgage more quickly. As a result, you’ll save thousands on interest by the end of your loan. 

Saving money on your mortgage means you can use that money for other things. These tips will help you save money on your home mortgage so you can save the money for a down payment or use it on something like home renovations! 

Want to talk more about mortgages and how to save? Feel free to contact me so we can discuss more.

Harpreet Christie
RE/MAX of Lloydminster
780-205-7654
harpreet@bordercityrealestate.com