What's new with Excel.

Make the most wonderful time of the year even more memorable with a few Christmas DIY décor projects. There are plenty of crafts suitable for all age groups, so gather your elves, deck those halls and bring a little more joy to the world.

Count it Down: A DIY paper cup advent calendar is fun for every age group – and a great way to help younger kids with learning numbers and counting. We like this adorable reindeer calendar. Pop a chocolate for each kiddo inside every cup and let the countdown begin!

Once Upon a Christmas at Heritage Park

December is full of fun events for the family, and this one runs through till December 31^st! Join Heritage Park as they host their annual Once Upon a Christmas. Activities include wagon rides, gingerbread cookie decorating, crafts, a petting zoo and much more! For a complete list of details visit: https://www.heritagepark.ca/plan-your-visit/event-calendar/once-upon-a-christmas.html.

When the weather outside is frightful that fire inside’s delightful. Except for when it’s time to pay your winter heating bill. Calgary’s sub-zero temperatures are already upon us. So, before the next big freeze hits check out these simple eco-friendly winter maintenance tips to help keep your house cozy, body warm and wallet happy:

Here’s a tip. If you’re in the market to purchase a new home, but aren’t sure if now’s the time to buy, it is! Here’s why:

According to the Calgary Mortgage & Housing Corporation (CMHC), the New Housing Price Index (NHPI) is projected to increase by 4.5% in 215. On the price of an average $4, home, that’s an $18, increase!

The Sweat Lab Charity Gala

Who isn’t in love with spin and barre class these days? On November 1^st, The Sweat Lab presents their First Annual Red Carpet Charity Gala in support of the Canadian Mental Health Association. The night will include live entertainment, a private auction, Prosecco, wine and appetizers! Tickets can be purchased here: http://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-sweat-lab-charity-gala-tickets-13299486121?aff=es2&rank=51.

Source: The Sweat Lab

Ghosts, ghouls and goblins (and lets face it - Anna, Elsa and Olaf characters) will soon roam Alberta’s streets in the quest for candy. So the question we have is - is your house Halloween ready for the BIG BOO?

Many of us quiver at the thought of blow-up spiders and fluorescent window vinyl witches upstaging our perfectly landscaped lawns and beautiful new homes. Not to mention trying to stay ‘green’ on this hallowed day of orange and black. Well no need to fear dear homeowners, for we’ve found a few spooky DIY décor ideas that won’t frighten Martha Stewart or David Suzuki.

Buying a new home can feel like quite the undertaking, as there are many factors to consider. Budget, square footage and number of bedrooms are usually the first items on the table. Then you’ll think beyond the home – commuting times, access to transit and available community and neighbourhood amenities. And of course, if you have children, school districts come in to play. Once you have completed the research and found the right home for your family it’s time to rest easy and let your builder to do the heavy lifting.

Farewell, My Lovely

Vertigo Theatre presents their 214/215 Mystery Theatre Series, which will produce and present five shows. The first of the five shows being presented is Farewell, My Lovely, running now until October 19^th. Described as a hard-boiled detective tale, this show is guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat. Tickets can be purchased here: http://www.vertigotheatre.com/farewell-my-lovely-2/.

Source: Vertigo Theatre

Record-breaking migration, continued job creation, rising incomes and historically low interest rates continue to fuel greater Calgary’s hot real estate market.

At Excel Homes, we are so excited to have built our 1^st home. Along with the 29 million combined man hours to build all these homes, the weight of Calgary’s Bow Tower in concrete, and a lot of teamwork, we have been able to make more than 10,000 homeowner’s dreams come true. In celebrating our 26^th anniversary, we found some cool and interesting facts about what it really takes to build 10,000 homes. Check it out!

Our company has been very fortunate to have tremendous support from our friends, our homeowners and our community. In order to celebrate our 26^th year and building our 1^st home, we sat down in June and started brainstorming how we could give back to those who have supported us throughout the years. As we began hearing the stories of the Excel Homes families, we found out that the 1^st homeowner, Barrett Budgell had an inspirational story we knew had to be told. We decided to surprise Barrett and his family in a very special way.

We think of Excel’s Warranty Team as our homeowner advocate. They are responsible for conducting a quality control inspection on each home. This means that they walk through every completed house with a detailed list to ensure that the home is move-in ready. Our team reviews everything from a customer’s perspective – always asking the question ‘would I be satisfied if this were my home?’ Once the answer to that question is ‘YES’ homeowners receive a possession package which includes a key-handoff, homeowner orientation date and two pre-booked warranty appointments for four and eleven months post-possession. All new-home warranty information is also included in the package.