Working on Behalf of Buyers

We’ve had the opportunity to work with a number of buyers recently and are pleased that we have been able to successfully negotiate on their behalf to purchase new homes. These new homeowners will be settling in Charleswood, River Heights, and Transcona. We’re also currently working with buyers in St. Vital, Wolseley, and Windsor Park.

Here are a few of the homes we’ve helped find new owners for:

 

Congratulations to all our recent buyers!

 

Market Update – January Sales High

Excerpts from WinnipegREALTORS January Press Release:

WinnipegREALTORS® is having its fifth highest January sales performance on record for MLS® sales. A new record January MLS® dollar volume was established too.

January MLS® unit sales were up 16% (566/487) while dollar volume jumped 22% ($124.5/$102.1) in comparison to the same month last year. Current or new MLS® listings increased 16% and of those the equivalent of one in two sold in January.

Interestingly enough, with all the talk this year of another potential major spring flood, the best January ever at 660 sales (far surpasses anything since then) was in 1997.

For residential-detached, the higher than list price sales decreased from 35 to 31% and for condominiums, the percentage of above list price sales dropped from 24 to 10%. The big difference as well for condominiums was the large gains in ‘at list price’ sales from the same month in 2010. The majority of sales for both property types this month were ones under list price.

Of course, there are still a number of MLS® areas and highly sought after price ranges where existing inventory and new listings are being depleted quickly so while system-wide statistics show more balance, it by no means applies in all instances. You need to be calling a REALTOR® to seek professional advice and counsel on what is happening with respect to your preferred MLS® property type, neighbourhood, price range and supply.

Speaking of MLS® areas, the rural MLS® areas represented 28% of total MLS® residential-detached sales in January with R16 or the Steinbach and surrounding area leading the way with 26 sales. This rural MLS® area has become the highest annual WinnipegREALTORS® MLS® selling area the last two years running with approximately 400 sales each year.

Looking ahead, it will be important to see continuing improvement in the supply of MLS® listings to help moderate large price increases due to the strong demand for resale homes as a result of immigration and scarcity of good rental options in Winnipeg.

The most active residential-detached price ranges in January were the $150,000 to $199,999 and the $200,000 to $249,999 with 18% each of total sales. Not far behind was the $250,000 to $299,999 with 15% market share. January included two million dollar plus home sales with one selling for over $1.7 million. The average days on market to sell a home was 42 days, 9 days slower than the previous month and 10 days off the pace set in January 2010. This breakdown is shown in the graph below.

 

July MLS Stats are Like the Bombers?

According to WinnipegREALTORS, the current state of the real estate market can be favourably compared to how the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are doing this season. That is, they may be down, but they’re not out, and the numbers don’t actually look so bad.

Here at Hearts and Homes, we’ll have to take their word for it. We’re happy to cheer on the Bombers, but we don’t consider ourselves rabid fans, and certainly aren’t football experts. But, we do know real estate – and totally agree that it’s a good time to enter the market as a buyer or seller!

Although the number of listings and the number of transactions in July were down slightly from last year, the year to date numbers tell a different story. From January to the end of July, properties marketed through the Multiple Listing Service are ahead of last year’s record setting pace. Dollar volume is up, too.

Overall, though, real estate is still affordable in Winnipeg, and a great investment. Contact us if you want to know more!

Market Update – Now is the time to sell!

WinnipegREALTORS is reporting excellent news about the real estate market in Winnipeg this Spring. Claude Davis, president, says that “all indicators show that consumer confidence remains high,” and that both buyers and sellers have been entering the market in large numbers.

Almost 30 neighbourhoods have had listings in short supply, and almost 60% of residential detached homes have sold for at or above list price. For example, in Fort Richmond, there were only three new listings in April, but 14 sales! If you are considering selling, contact the Hearts and Homes Property Group to take advantage of this opportunity.

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