December 18, 2017

Great Tips For Decorating Your Home This Holiday

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Christmas time is the mother of all decorating holidays -- you only need to venture outside to see giant red ornaments and bedecked trees everywhere.

Here are some gorgeous (and inexpensive!) ways to decorate your apartment, townhome or other home styles for the holidays. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, it's impossible not to be drawn into the wonderful giving spirit that December brings and the sense of seasonal happiness and goodwill that is felt everywhere.


* Use Color Wherever Possible - The best way to make a small room feel festive is to go big in color. Even if your home has a relatively natural color palette, adding a few vibrant red pieces will shock your design system in the best way possible.

* Display your holiday cards on the wall along with pops of greenery. Even if you don't have much floor space, chances are you still have lots of available wall space.


* Bring the Outdoors Indoors - Want to add warmth to your home without adjusting the thermostat? Consider using natural elements in your decor. Whether it’s pinecones or a branch you pick up during an afternoon stroll through the park or around the grounds of your community, bringing the outdoors inside is another great way to honor the season and create a warm ambiance without going over the top. And, that fresh pine smell is absolutely the best!


* Window Dressings - If you prefer to keep the holidays outside, start with the main windows. If you’re tight on space, decorating outdoors can be a good idea. You can use garland, swag lights, center a winter wreath or a holiday banner that spells out something festive. Hanging panel curtains outside the window pane with a solid holiday color like red, blue or green can also dress up space.


* Add a Small Tree - This might seem like the most obvious tip, but just having a tree or even decorating a moderately sized house plant can make a huge difference. Make an adventure of it by chopping a small one down on a farm (make sure you receive permission from the landowner or visit a local tree farm), or pick up an artificial tree if you prefer an eco-friendlier decor.

* Wrapped Presents - Some wrapped presents can also make your home feel festive. Display gifts on a shelf or under the tree with beautifully wrapped paper, bows and trimmings as an easy way to add color, pattern and decorations, rather than stuffing them in a closet until it’s time to gift give.


* Twinkle lights hung from the ceiling and around doorways are perfect when space is at a premium. Hang them on your walls or drape them on things you already have for a festive touch that takes up virtually no space. 

MHA Properties would like to wish you and your family all best wishes for a joyous holiday season and a very happy and prosperous new year!

November 29, 2017

Discover The Tranquil Beauty Of Fort Saskatchewan

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Westland Park complex sits on 15 acres of beautifully landscaped lawns, stunning mature trees, and colorful flower beds. Situated just steps away from North Saskatchewan River, residents of Westland Park in Fort Saskatchewan find that the location provides easy and convenient access to Highway 15.

A variety of restaurants can be found within 5 miles of these townhomes, including Subway, Boston pizza, Mucho Burrito, Domino’s Pizza and many more. Also, Buster’s Pizza & 7 Eleven are just across the street. Shopping is easy too, with Walmart, Canadian Tire, The home depot, Safeway, Doller Store and Cornerstone Shopping Center a short distance away.

Westland Park Townhomes offers spacious two and three bedroom options ranging from 962 to 1102 sq. ft. Each unit has three levels and private fenced yard. These three level units include full basement, 1.5 bathrooms, stove, fridge, washer, and dryer. Each townhome features updated carpeting, abundant kitchen cabinets, patio, storage shed and one energized parking stall. Decorative touches include modern lighting and soothing, neutral color schemes. 

There is ample outside parking for tenants and visiting guests. The on-site manager is available 24/7 to respond to emergency calls from tenants. Westland Park is, however, not a pet-friendly community. 


The spacious grounds are well maintained and have mature trees. These beautifully landscaped grounds offer tenants the opportunity to take a leisurely stroll, visit the playground or access a biking or walking trail. 

Currently, residents of these townhomes attend the Win Ferguson Elementary School through grade 6. Students in grades 7 through 9 attend Rudoplh Henning Junior High school, while grades 9 through 12 attend John Paul II High School

These are just a few of the many reasons why the beautiful townhomes at Westland Park are a great place to live. Give us a call at 780.998.3880 or visit : WestLand Park to find out more!

October 20, 2017

Great Family Living Starts In An MHA Townhome Community

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Looking for a great home to rent in Alberta? Check out our five popular townhome communities located across the province. These family focused neighborhoods are professionally developed, beautifully landscaped, secure communities that feature mature natural surroundings, walking paths, amenities like oversized parks and playgrounds and private management that ensures better safety and that your every care is quickly and efficiently addressed.


These homes are also located in established areas of their respective cities never more than a few steps from superb shopping, schools, entertainment, sports and recreation centers and public transit.

MHA Properties offers homes for every kind of household and lifestyle including family communities with amenities or sleek urban towers for those desiring chic downtown living.

The goal of MHA Properties is to provide our valued customers with a living experience that is nothing short of a love affair. This starts with clean, healthy, beautifully maintained living space featuring premium finishes and fixtures, lots of space, comfortably sized rooms and prompt efficient maintenance when required.

For more information on MHA Properties’ townhome communities or any of its other developments please visit our website at mhaproperties.ca.  


September 30, 2017

When Renting Makes More Sense Than Buying

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When you're young and have been renting for quite some time, you've likely wondered if it's smarter to continue renting or take the plunge and buy your own home. After all, we've all heard that owning a home is equivalent to becoming an adult and having success financially.

But these days, the renting narrative is changing. Recent studies seem to indicate that a different view of renting vs/ owning is emerging, so take heart, you may have been doing the right thing all along.

According to recent research, "the number of rental households is likely to increase by 4.0 million to 4.7 million between 2016 to 2023." For many, owning a home is not only out of reach, it may also not be the best investment for your future. Rent and mortgage costs may not be dramatically different, but the renter also saves on property taxes, expensive insurances and, most dramatically, (especially if you buy an older home) upkeep, repairs and maintenance costs. 

It’s a personal decision to rent or buy, but there are many pros to renting your home rather than buying. Here are some reasons why renting might actually be better than buying:

·       Buying and selling a home is difficult for everyone involved - Selling or buying a home is more stressful than bankruptcy or divorce. Plus, if you move every few years due to your work, do yourself a favor and rent. A 12-month lease is a whole lot easier to break or buy out than a 30-year mortgage. 

·       Property taxes can kill you - Many homeowners are unaware of unexpected costs that come with owning a home. Fees, such as property taxes, insurance, and maintenance, add up very quickly. Taxes can fluctuate wildly now that most markets rely on fair market property values when arriving at your tax payments. These values can vary greatly year to year and if you don’t like your valuation there is very little the average person can do to challenge the municipality’s methodology. Rental terms by comparison are consistent across the duration of your lease.



·       You can take time to repair your credit - Irresponsible spending habits in college and those sneaky credit card scams will haunt you for years. Sometimes, it can take more than seven years to fix your credit score. Renting to re-establish a solid payment history can be a good way to bide your time.

·       You’re financially unable - Those with irregular incomes, such as freelancers or small-business owners, prefer renting as a more stable monthly option. if you’re still unsure about your ability to overcome any potentially rocky housing trends or cycles, consider renting while establishing a bigger emergency cash fund.

·       You remain flexible - Buying a home means choosing a location where you want to plant roots for at least a few years. (Usually 3 to 7 years) For those who aren’t exactly sold on their current living situation, city, career, or may be thinking of changing their lifestyle investing in a home would be a mistake. Mortgages and other ownership obligations are like concrete shoes — don’t expect to pick up and move anytime soon.



·       Maintenance issues are not your problem - Homeowners are often forced to take out a sizable chunk of their savings to make impromptu and unexpected home repairs. But renters may only need to place a call to the property manager when the sink drains are clogged or the dishwasher gets leaky or the fridge stops running. No extra funds required to make the call.

·       There are options for roommates - Roommates are a great option if you’re looking for help shouldering the cost of living expenses. Having someone around to split the cable bill and vent about workplace drama is great, but with home ownership, only you are responsible for the payments at the end of the month.


·       You have more access to amenities – You might enjoy the peace and quiet of a home in the country or a friendly neighborhood environment, but you’ll miss other amenities. Renting in a central community generally allows you access things such as a community pool, fitness center, dog parks, and Wi-Fi. If you still want access to these perks after leaving the comfy confines of rental agreements, you’ll need to shell out more money.

·       Urban living at a cheaper price - It’s been said millennials prefer city living over driveways and yards, but they are unable to afford the fees that accompany urban life. Living near universities and dynamic night life is not cheap, and purchasing an expensive loft will only ever be a dream for many. Finding affordable homes to buy might require moving into less popular areas.

·   There’s better security - Gated communities come at a high price, but most rental complexes have security features already included in their agreements. This is a welcome benefit for women, single renters, or tenants living in urban environments. Homeowners will find neighborhoods with these extra precautions come at a price.

·      You have the ability to invest elsewhere – It’s recommended home buyers put 20% down on a home to avoid being house poor. Even when considering upfront rental fees and deposits, it’s still cheaper than the tens of thousands of dollars it takes to buy a home. Some renters might already have potential savings stacked away for this very purpose, but with other uncertainties and future questions, it might be best to invest that money elsewhere. A few grand could do wonders for your future retirement or help take away those student loans that still burden you.

Ultimately, before you rush into buying your first home, consider renting for longer. Renting is not wasting money, rather it can give you valuable time to plan and save for a home purchase down the line, something that will absolutely take time, consideration, research, and saving.