Excel Homes has been a leading builder in Calgary for 20 years. Excel builds more than just great homes; it also build great futures. Cathey Tracey, area manager with Excel, started off her association with the company when she was buying her first home. “I was in the process of buying an Excel home when the area manager suggested that I come to work with Excel,” says Tracey. “I started as a hostess and now, 14 years later, I am an area manager in charge of three different areas, and am living in my third Excel home.” Excel is a company that promotes within the company, training and offering upward mobility, providing employees with great careers, and customers with staff that know the business from the bottom up. “The people here are terrific,” says Tracey. “Once I got here I never wanted to leave.”

Another reason why Excel is able to offer its customers a high level of satisfaction and confidence is the fact each area is run by an integrated team. The sales centre for each area has an in-house team that includes an area manager and sales associate; site supervisor; site assistant; site labourer; and customer care and quality control specialists. Having an on-site team allows a consumer to have all their questions answered promptly right at the sales centre.

Francis Dziuba, senior construction manager, is another long-term Excel employee and has learned in his 11 years with the company just how much this team environment assists customers. “As senior construction manager, I directly oversee all Construction operations in the field. There is a wide scope of things I do, but most important of all, I contribute as a team member to ensure we are providing a safe and positive work environment where we can provide an excellent quality product to the purchaser,” says Dziuba. “I think having a full team of staff in every community instills a lot of confidence in potential buyers and home owners. It also creates a positive attitude in the staff as they have a warm, clean office with all the equipment to do their jobs effectively instead of working from the confines of a truck.”

In addition to the incredible teamwork that Excel Homes brings to the home-buying process, also utilize other professionals whose expertise in related fields provides reliable sources of information for Excel’s purchasers. Currently one of the most frequently asked questions is whether or not this is a good time to be entering into the market place. According to Jan Graham and Eldon Symington, Realtors with RE/MAX Landon, the answer is a resounding YES! “No matter what the economy, real estate has always been a sound, solid investment,” says Graham. “Historically, the real estate market experiences highs, lows and plateaus, but if we reflect back in terms of three- to five-year increments, we have always seen significant gains. As long as your plans are not too short-term, how can you lose?” Prices have been adjusted to reflect market conditions. Interest rates are low and all indicators are pointing to a gradual balancing out in the marketplace. “The current buyer’s market will not be around forever,” says Graham.

If you are a seller, it’s important to remember that in the past three years, there has been an incredible rise in Calgary’s property values. Most homeowners have experienced tremendous equity gains. “There is no question that sellers need to be realistic about the current value of their home and must be prepared to put their best foot forward in terms of presenting their property to the marketplace,” says Graham.  Homes that are priced realistically and show well are attracting offers. Excel Homes offers a program called “Smooth Move.” This innovative program offers huge piece of mind by eliminating the risk of owning two homes.

Bill McFarlane, sales manager of builder markets with the Royal Bank of Canada, also confirms the opinion that this is a good buyers’ market. “Compared to a year ago, new home prices are down, and interest rates are at an all-time low,” he says. “This is probably as good a time as any to get into the market, as it may turn on potential purchasers while they are still waiting for the perfect time. New home builders are pricing homes so low that prices probably can’t be brought down any further without removing features and offering less in the way of specifications.” McFarlane also points out that net migration into the province is still positive which means that the demand for housing hasn’t disappeared. “RBC’s most recent economic projections show that we still have a very solid economy,” says McFarlane. “Historically, buying activity picks up in the new year for the spring market.” What this means is that between now and the new year just might be the window of opportunity buyers have been waiting for.

For more information about Excel and the company’s floor plans and value added programs, please visit http://www.excelhomes.net