City Assessment Value vs. Market Value

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Every now and then, and usually in the busy spring market, I will meet with home and condo buyers who make reference to “City Assessment Value” of homes.  These folks were placing a lot of weight on the City of Winnipeg Assessment Value of the homes the either own, or wish to purchase, and were questioning whether the “Listing Price” of a certain house was realistic, or whether it was too high.

Now, anyone who has ever read any of my blog, or spoken to me directly, knows that in my opinion, “Listing Prices” in Winnipeg are most often set unrealistically LOW….  so having people suggest that the listing price was too high was something new….:-)

I explained that City Assessment has, in actuality, very little to do with real Market Value.  There are several reasons for this, including:

1) City Assessment does not know about recent improvements to the home, such as New Furnace, New Windows, Fully Finished Basements, etc

2) City Assessment does not take into consideration any additions to the home, such as sunrooms, family rooms, swimming pools

3) City Assessment is unable to keep up with fast changing market increases in Winnipeg.

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I went thru this exercise a couple of years ago, but I am confident that the results would be no different today.  In 2010 I checked a dozen different, random sales.

Neighbourhood        Style                      List $              Sold $           City Assessment

River Heights                Bng                         219,900            219,900            196,000

River Heights               2-St.                        279,900            295,200            251,000

Charleswood                  Bng                        249,900            249,900            226,000

Charleswood                  2-St                       289,900            282,000            231,000

LindenWoods                2-St                        289,900            297,000            276,000

River Park South            Bng                        199,900            232,500            179,000

River Park South            Bng                        249,900            285,700            237,000

River Park South            2-St                       299,900            280,200           223,000

Island Lakes                     Bng                      239,000             245,000           196,000

St.James/Assin.              2-St                      279,900              279,000           242,000

St.James/Assin.              Bng                        249,000            280,500           211,000

W/Kildonan                     Bng                        209,900            217,000           188,000

Garden Grove                  Bng                        239,900            239,000           204,000

Some astute folks will no doubt point out that some homes actually sold for less-than-asking, but that’s the subject for a different blog post altogether.

If you are looking to buy a house, or buy a condo, or thinking of selling, contact me via cell at 333-2202 or email me anytime.  I’d love to help!

Related articles

• Expired Listing? House did not sell? What is the next step? (bokauffmann.com)
• Top 6 Winnipeg Real Estate Blog posts of 2011 (bokauffmann.com)
• Winnipeg spring 2012: A great time to sell real estate? (bokauffmann.com)

Technorati Tags: city assessment, condominium, Condominiums, houses, market value, real estate, real estate market, realtor, realtors, winnipeg, winnipeg real estate, Winnipeg Real Estate Market Update

Secrets Resort in Huatulco Mexico in January 2012

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We recently visited a great resort in the little-known town of Huatulco Mexico.  We had been there before, at the “Dreams” and found the town to be safe, very friendly and super affordable.  This time around, we decided to stay at the brand new (opened in Dec. 2011) resort of “Secrets”, which is operated by the same folks who run Dreams.  Here is a review:

Huatulco Mexico

Pronounced ‘wah-tool-ko’, this is the name of the resort area according to Wikipedia.  An easy, $6 cab-ride takes you to the town of Le Crucecita which offers a few shops and restaurants.  If you’re looking for a lot of nightlife, this might NOT be the place.  Another popular destination is the harbour town of Santa Cruz, where cruise ships now dock.  Here you will find a few more jewelry shops, restaurants and souvenir shops.  Also a $6 cab-ride from the resort.

The Resort

This brand new resort features approximately 400 rooms, all with ocean view.  Be aware, however, that if you end up in a main-floor suite of one of the upper buildings, your view will be somewhat restricted by the roof of the building in front of you.  Super clean, all-marble resort.  Rooms are spacious (ours was a junior-suite with a king sized bed) and ultra modern bathrooms.  Showers were a very pleasant surprise, with excellent water pressure and no shortage of hot water.  This resort is an Adults-Only, all-inclusive resort

Restaurants

Secrets Resort in Huatulco Mexico includes 8 restaurants.  The casual “Market Cafe” is usually open for breakfast and most lunches, and offers buffet style eating.  Evening dining can be enjoyed at the Tamarindo (Mexican fare), “Cin-Cin” (Italian), “Bordeaux” (French) and “Spice” (Pan-Asian food).  All of these 5 restaurants are located near the front of the building, just beyond the lobby.  Another two restaurants, “Castaway” (Steakhouse)  and “Oceana” (Seafood) are found near the beach, and the last one is the “Barefoot” restaurant, located between the pools and open for lunches every day.  As the name suggests, this is the most casual of all, serving excellent burgers (around 8 or 10 oz each) and hot dogs, ribs, chicken and a great assortment of other items.

Bonus:  NONE of the restaurants require reservation….just walk up and enjoy.  The only one exception being the chef-side seating in Spice, which is similar to Ichiban or Benihana style restaurant.  If you want to sit at the table and see the chef throw the knife around, you will need to book a seat.  Note:  almost all restaurants require men to wear long pants in the evening….which can be quite warm.  Make sure to pack very light pants.

Bars

There is the “SKY bar at the top of the building, the pool swim-up bar, and just about every restaurant has one as well.  NEVER a shortage of beer (they serve Modelo Especial (light) or Negro (dark).  Most liquors are available, and with Preferred Club you can get just about anything you can think of, including Grey Goose Vodka, Frangelico liquors, Crown Royal and Contreau, just to name a few.

Pools

Three pools, two of which are absolutely massive.  They are ‘infinity’ pools, meaning that the water flows gently over the edge of the pool wall, giving it an illusion of endless water when you’re inside the pool.  No shortage of lounge chairs at this time, although when the resort is full, there WILL be a shortage of umbrellas, unless the resort orders more.  Another item in hot demand are the blue “floaties’, foam floating mattresses to be shared around the pool, and only 10 are available at this time.

The Weather

Huatulco Mexico is HOT….and dry.  You can never be ‘guaranteed’ anything, but for 13 days we did not even see a cloud in the sky at ANY time.  On one day, some clouds moved in a 3 pm and cleared out by 6.  No rain, just dry heat.

Overall Impression

We had to keep in mind that this is a brand-new resort, and some things were not yet up-to-par.  Free Wi-Fi in each room, which was a perk offered in the Preferred Club level, was not operational in all buildings, or at all times.  The sports-bar had 4 small TV’s, mostly set to the same game, and staff did not know how to change the channel.  But staff are super friendly, and continue to tell us that this is OUR (Canadian) resort… they truly love Canadians down there.  Once they get the bugs ironed out, this will be a super resort, and we WILL be back to Huatulco Mexico.  Thanks to Sheyla in the Market Cafe, Juan Talavera in Cin-Cin, Julio and Ernesto at pool-side and countless others for making our vacation super-enjoyable.

Here is a video of Secrets Resort 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YYgcPeZGFk

If you enjoyed this post, please click the +1 button at the top, and/or share on facebook or twitter.

Winnipeg’s Prairie Theatre Exchange

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The recently-renovated Prairie Theatre Exchange has been in existence for more than 35 years as a provider of theatre education in addition to presenting live theatre shows throughout the year. The Prairie Theatre Exchange’s mandate is “to challenge, ‬provoke and touch Manitobans by mirroring their realities and drawing from their experiences.” It accomplishes this by consistently putting on quirky, unique and fun performances for its audiences.

One of the really neat aspects about the Prairie Theatre Exchange (PTE) is that it focuses on theatre education for youths. When I myself attended high school at the University of Winnipeg Collegiate, we were lucky enough to take our Dramatic Arts classes at the PTE. It was an amazing experience to be able to see what an actual theatre studio was like, to perform in class plays at the PTE itself, and to have a professional actress for our instructor. But the PTE does much more than just partner with the University of Winnipeg Collegiate: the theatre company also has its very own school for performing arts. Welcoming everyone “from age 4 – 84,” the PTE School emphasizes one-on-one work for new performers with professional artists and offers the opportunity to get involved with participating in on-stage performances.

Building upon this foundation of theatre education, the PTE goes on tour every year to bring live theatre to children all over the province. They reach close to 17,000 children who get to view the theatre in their home community – a wonderful way for children to learn about theatre and to become enthralled with the performing arts at an early age.

Take a Trip Downtown to the Prairie Theatre Exchange

This professional theatre company is located in downtown Winnipeg on the third floor of the Portage Place Mall. Its central location makes it a great choice when looking for local theatre; the theatre itself is quite intimate, bringing the performers that much closer to the audience.

Because the PTE is a smaller theatre, it is also fairly inexpensive. Ticket prices can be anywhere from $10 for a student at the door to $45 for an adult for the best seats in the house; the Special Student Package offers three plays for $30, plus two more for free – a very good deal! This package is perfect for any aspiring young actor or actress.

In addition, the PTE has “Talkback Tuesdays,” which gives the audience the change to meet some of the performers, and “Wine Tasting Wednesdays” where you can sample wines before the performance. These are just some of the fun ways that PTE connects the artists with the audiences and ensures it is upholding its commitment to reaching out to the community.

To learn more about the Prairie Theatre Exchange and to buy tickets to any of their upcoming shows, please visit www.pte.mb.ca. Enjoy the show!

Related articles

• The Royal Winnipeg Ballet: Canada’s oldest ballet right here in Winnipeg (bokauffmann.com)
• The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra: An important piece of Winnipeg’s cultural scene (bokauffmann.com)
• Centennial Concert Hall: Bringing Cultural Experiences together (bokauffmann.com)
• Manitoba Opera: A glamorous way to spend an evening in Winnipeg (bokauffmann.com)

6 Most-Read Posts of Winnipeg’s Real Estate Blog in 2011

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It has been a very good year for Winnipeg’s Real Estate Blog.  Lots of new readers are enjoying the posts and updates featured here.  Here are the 6 most-read blog posts of the past year.

Winnipeg REALTORS® Keystone Matrix® tutorial – Winnipeg’s Real …

Winnipeg REALTORS® are using Keystone Matrix®, a new search program to help educate buyers in Winnipeg. Here is a short tutorial on how to use this new system. Great info for buyers of houses and condos in Winnipeg.

Publish Date: 06/06/2010 15:48

http://bokauffmann.com/winnipeg-realtors%C2%AE-keystone-matrix%C2%AE-tutorial/

Private Sales posted on the MLS®? Selling your home without a …

The main reason for the success of the MLS® system in Canada is the commission-sharing incentives between it’s agents.  Remove THAT, and you end up reducing the effectiveness of this system down to that of just another private sale website., …

Publish Date: 03/23/2010 10:27

http://bokauffmann.com/posting-private-sales-on-the-mls-be-careful-what-you-wish-for/

Closing Costs: What Winnipeg Home Buyers need to know before …

House and Condo buyers in Winnipeg face an assortment of Closing Costs when purchasing a home. Here is a list of these costs.

Publish Date: 11/15/2010 20:21

http://bokauffmann.com/costs-involved-in-buying-a-house-or-condo/

55 plus Condominiums in Winnipeg. Right choice for the active …

55 plus Condominiums in Winnipeg: Are they right for YOU? by Bo Kauffmann on September 10, 2010. After reading this, be sure to check out Winnipeg Home Finder · Print This Post · Share 55 plus Condominiums in Winnipeg: Are they right …

Publish Date: 09/10/2010 14:41

http://bokauffmann.com/55-plus-condos-in-winnipeg/

Why an NHL return to Winnipeg would be good news for our city

A NHL return to Winnipeg is much more than just a good thing for hockey fans. It’s great for Winnipeg’s image and economy. NHL return would be a good thing.

Publish Date: 05/21/2011 9:41

http://bokauffmann.com/why-an-nhl-return-to-winnipeg-would-be-good-news-for-our-city/

What to do on Date Night in Downtown Winnipeg

Looking for a few suggestions on what to do on a ‘date‘ in downtown Winnipeg? Here are some ideas.

Publish Date: 05/18/2011 9:35

http://bokauffmann.com/what-to-do-on-date-night-in-downtown-winnipeg/

I truly hope you enjoy reading this blog, and find the information helpful.  If and when the time comes to SELL you house or condo, please do not hesitate to  e-mail me  or call me on my cell at 204-333-2202.

If you’re looking to BUY a house  or a condo, please call me so that we can set up a meeting and get started on the right path.  I love working with home and condo buyers AND sellers.

Housing and Condo Real Estate Market outlook

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Credit to bernat's photostream on flickr

At this time of year, news organizations, real estate associations/companies and mortgage industry experts all like to predict the future of the real estate market for the upcoming year.  We need to be aware that many of these organizations, especially the national news media, take an overall look at the canadian market in general.  However, if you live in Winnipeg, and are thinking of buying or selling your house or condo here, you need to know what the LOCAL real estate picture looks like.  When attempting to predict the real estate market, we need to look at several factors, including mortgage rates, unemployement rates, rental vacancy rates and availability of houses and condos for sale.  So here are my personal* predictions for the upcoming spring market:

Interest Rates

Advertised rates as low as 2.5% will certainly help in pushing sales.  Bank of Canada has recently indicated that these rates are expected to remain low thruout 2012 and into 2013.

Unemployment Rates

Winnipeg and Manitoba are enjoying some of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, a factor which helps stimulate the local real estate market as well.  Another factor is immigration, where the Manitoba Government has been active in promoting and opening up our Province to immigrant from all around the globe.  New immigrants need homes….

Rental Vacancy Rates

A recent study showed Winnipeg rental vacancy rates at below 1%…..the lowest of the 38 municipalities included in this study.  Low vacancy rates adds pressure on the housing market…..after all, if people can not find a rental property, they may be forced to buy a house or condo.

Real Estate Market availability

What REALTORS® call ‘Inventory”, the numbers of available houses and condos in Winnipeg.  Thruout 2011, the number of available houses fluctuated between 600 at the low end, and up to over 1,000 during the fall months.  Available condos are usually between 200 and 300 thruout the year.  Right now (early January 2012) we have approximately 450 houses for sale, and only 160 condos for sale.

So my personal* forecast prediction for Winnipeg’s real estate market in the upcoming months: HOT.  All the indicators seem to point to a significant buyer-activity at the same time when available inventory is at an all-time low.  Supply and Demand….

If you are looking to buy a house, or buy a condo, or thinking of selling, contact me via cell at 333-2202 or email me anytime.  I’d love to help!

* This is my personal prediction/forecast and is in no way endorsed by my broker or by Re/Max.

Related articles

• Winnipeg Real Estate Market Snapshot December 2011 (Video) (bokauffmann.com)
• WHEN is the best time to buy a house (or condo)? (bokauffmann.com)
• Winnipeg Real Estate Quick-Update: 1000 Houses & 213 Condos available (bokauffmann.com)
• What’s wrong with this Condo? (bokauffmann.com)

Technorati Tags: condominium, Market Update, market value, mls, real estate, real estate agent, winnipeg, winnipeg real estate, Winnipeg Real Estate Market Update

Condo Spotlight: Chimney Ridge Condominiums at 3040-3080 Pembina Hwy, Winnipeg

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Located on the east side of the street, from 3040 to 3080 Pembina Hwy. we find the Chimney Ridge Condos.

Year Built:  ca. 1977

Total Condos:

Chimney Ridge Condominiums are made up of 98 condos in 5 separate buildings.  There are 2 distinct styles of units, each 1100 sq ft in size.  One type is the main floor, one-level unit, and the other type is a two-story unit which is actually located ABOVE the main floor condos.  This second type of condo requires the owner to walk up one flight of stairs to get to the living-room/dining-room/kitchen space, and then walk up a 2nd flight of stairs to get to the 2 bedrooms and bathroom.

Condo Restrictions:

Just the usual condo-restrictions, such as “No Laundry to be hung from the balcony” etc.  Pets are allowed, so long as they don’t pose a nuisance to other owners.

Property Taxes

Gross Property Taxes are currently at approx. $1920.00 per unit.  Of course, as an owner who actually lives in their unit, you would qualify for the Provincial Home Owners Assistance Rebate, similar to when you own a house.

Condo Fees

Condo fees are $155 per month, which includes snow removal, property maintenance and management fees.  Owners pay for their own hydro, telephone, and water bills.

Laundry and Parking

All units have their own insuite laundry, and units have one parking spot included.  At this time (Jan 2012) no additional parking spots were available for rent, although a neighbouring condo complex WAS renting out a few stalls to owners of Chimney Ridge Condominiums.

Amenities of Chimney Ridge Condominiums

This condominium is a bare-bones condo.  No pool, fitness room or other amenities, which helps to keep the condo fees nice and low.  Of special note is the fact that the main floor units feature a small yard, while the upper condos have a balcony.  All units have central furnace and c/air conditioners.

Location

Located right on a bus route of Pembina Hwy, and just south of the University of Manitoba, this condo complex has become very popular with students and property investors who are looking to purchase the units and rent them out.

Prices

During the 2 yr period of 2010-2011, condos at Chimney Ridge have sold for between $170,000 and $190,000  (MLS® stats)

If you’re in the market to buy a condo, whether at Chimney Ridge Condominiums or anywhere else, please click on Condo Finder Form.  If you’re thinking of selling your condo, anywhere in the city, please go to my Free Market Evaluation Form.

Related articles

• Selling or buying a Condo? Here is a Guide! (bokauffmann.com)
• Featured Condo: Oak Ridge Pointe Condominiums at 697 St. Anne’s Rd. Winnipeg (bokauffmann.com)
• Can Condo Sellers keep their portion of the Reserve Fund? (bokauffmann.com)
• Featured Condo: Fountain House 300 Roslyn Rd. Winnipeg (bokauffmann.com)

Technorati Tags: buying rental property, condominium, Condominiums, winnipeg

Is NOW a good time to list/sell your house or condo in Winnipeg?

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Photo Credit to "emples' photostream" on Flickr

Home sellers often ask me :”When is it a good time to list your home or sale?”

In Winnipeg, during the past 5 years, the answer would have almost always been :”Right Now”.    Winnipeg’s Real Estate Market has remained hot, even during the economic slow-down which effected the rest of the country and world.  However, RIGHT NOW (spring 2012) our market is truly ready for home-sellers to list their houses and condos.

Buyers are starting to come out and look for their next home and a finding a severe lack of good homes.  For example, here are the numbers of homes available in the following areas:

Windsor Park:  6 Homes

Southdale: 7 Homes

River Park South AND South St.Vital:  13 Homes

Richmond West: 3 Homes

Whyte Ridge:  1 Home

LindenWoods and LindenRidge : 5 Homes

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These are just some of the examples of neighbourhoods running short of listings.  So if you are thinking of selling your house (or condo) NOW may be an excellent time to take a look at your options.

Please call me anytime for a free market evaluation.  I look forward to helping you.

Here are a few of the most common questions home-owners have, and answers to them:

Q: What kind of questions should we ask a prospective Listing Agent?

A: Here is a guide to some of the important points to ask a Listing Agent. Please see the video in this post.

Q: How do we create a ‘bidding war’ for our house or condo?

A: There are several ingredients to creating a bidding war, including: Setting a realistic Asking Price, generating lots of Buyer Interest and also the status of the current market. For a video explanation, see this post.

Q: If we receive a full-price offer on our home, are we obligated to accept it?

A: No. If you were a store-owner, advertising a quart of milk for $1.00, you WOULD be obligated to sell at that price (or issue rainchecks), however home-owners are exempt from the laws that govern this issue. However, while no one can force a home-owner to sell at an advertised price, the question remains: “If he/she was not going to accept $220,000 for the home, WHY did we LIST it at that price?” For more indepth explanation, please watch the video in this post.

Q: We’ve just received a letter from a Real Estate agent claiming that he has “several buyers for our house”. What should we do?

A: Call me direct, at 333-2202, anytime. By listing your home with me, we will find ALL the agents who have buyers for your home, thereby assuring you complete exposure and the best possible chance at getting multiple offers. For a further explanation, please check out the video in this post.

Q: What about these Free Over-the-Internet Home Evaluations? How do they work?

A: In this fast market, where the values of homes change on a weekly basis, you need to know precisely what your home is worth. The ONLY way this can be established is by having an agent come into your home. These “over-the-net” evaluations are a hook to get the home-owners to call these companies, which then sell your information back to a REALTOR® who ends up having to come to your house anyway. For a personal market evaluation, call me anytime. For more info, watch the video in this post.

Q: Since this market is so hot, can’t I sell my home by myself?

A: In many cases you CAN sell your own home. It’s not secret that there are many buyers looking at houses, so simply by placing a “For Sale” sign on your property, you may indeed have strangers come to your door or call you up, showing interest in your home. But here is the key: In a HOT market, there may be MANY people interested in your home. Private Sales have, traditionally, made up between 5% and 10% of the entire market…. always have, and probably always will. Since you are looking for the BEST BUYER for your home, what are the chances that this elusive person is in that 5-10% portion of the market? Add to this the fact that the most serious Buyers are working with Real Estate Agents, and you quickly come to the realization that by trying to sell privately, the home-owner is missing out on a huge, and very important part of the market.

Q: Is there a difference between REALTORS®? I mean, they all provide the same service, don’t they?

A: We are all called REALTORS®, we all place homes on the M.L.S.®, but that’s pretty much where the similarities end. Just as no 2 lawyers are the same, no 2 doctors are the same, so we can quickly see the differences between Real Estate professionals. I always say: You hire a REALTOR® for one reason: To do the marketing and advertising for your home, and this is where a huge difference becomes apparent. To see my marketing plan, click on the video at the top right side of this page, I think it tells the whole story.

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I update this Blog on a regular basis, adding new listings, market updates, news and interesting (well, at least I think they’re interesting) pieces of information. You can make sure that you receive the posts by two ways: Subscribe to the RSS (check the toolbar along the bottom of the screen) or fill in this form and you’ll get the latest blog posts via e-mail, once a week.

Bo Kauffmann of Remax Performance Realty is the recipient of the 2009 Silver Medallion Award from Winnipeg REALTORS®, the Platinum Club Award from Remax, and is one of Winnipeg’s top-producing Real Estate Agents. Check out his website at WinnipegHomeFinder, follow him on Twitter or email him at boknowshomes@gmail.com

Technorati Tags: real estate market, realtor, selling, winnipeg real estate

Winnipeg Real Estate Market Update for January 2012

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Every month, I produce a Real Estate Market Update for Winnipeg’s real estate market.  I’ve divided the housing market along 3 different price ranges, from ‘entry level’ homes (between $50,000 and $199,999), to ‘mid-range homes’ (between $200,000 and $399,999)  and finally ‘luxury homes’ (above $400,000).  This real estate market update will also report on Condo Statistics in Winnipeg.

For this report, we will look at all houses and condos inside Winnipeg, with E.St. Paul and Headingley added as well.  This real estate market update does NOT include vacant lots, but DOES include duplexes, mobile homes, detached and attached homes and townhouses.

One of the statistics we are providing is “Inventory Levels”.  We arrive at this figure by diving the currently available homes into the number-of-homes-sold in the past 30 days.  A really hot market will report inventory levels at 1 to 2 months, whereas a ‘Buyers Market” will show inventory levels around 8 to 12 months and more.

Entry Level Houses ($50,000 to $199,999)

This segment, along with the mid-range homes, is the most active in Winnipeg.  Right now, Winnipeg has just 143 available listings for sale in this price range, a sharp decline from the previous months’ numbers of 253.  During the past 30 days, Winnipeg REALTORS® have also sold 127 homes in this price range (down from 167 in the previous month), resulting in an inventory level of 1.1 months.  In other words, if NO ONE listed their home, it would take, on average, about 4 weeks to run out of homes-for-sale.

Mid-Range Houses  ($200,000 to $399,999)

This is the most active segment of the Winnipeg real estate market.  Currently we have 170 listings available, and sharp decrease from last months’ 286. In the past 30 days, we have sold 175 houses in this price range, resulting in 1 month of inventory on the market.  This is an even tighter market than last month, mostly a result of fewer listings in this price range.

Luxury Houses (over $400,000)

A decidedly slower segment of our market are luxury homes, and over the past month, it slowed down even more.  However, when compared to other cities, even the luxury home market in Winnipeg is fairly hot.  We currently have 133 listings available in this price range, a significant drop of nearly 30% from last months’ available homes of 204.  A large reason for this is the fact that many listings were set to ‘expire’ at the end of the calendar year, and so if they did not sell, simply dropped out of the market.  REALTORS® have sold 77 homes in this range in the past 30 days, resulting in an inventory level of 1.7 months, as you can see, a significantly drop from the previous month.

Condominiums in Winnipeg

While condos are definitely NOT for everyone, here are 7 reasons why you might consider one.  Currently, we have only 158 Condos to choose from,  while having sold 72 units in the past month, making inventory levels at around 2.2 months, a steep decline from December.
If you are looking to buy a house, or buy a condo, or thinking of selling, contact me via cell at 333-2202 or email me anytime.  I’d love to help.

Here is the graphic look at Winnipeg Real Estate Market

Related articles

• Winnipeg Real Estate Market Snapshot December 2011 (Video) (bokauffmann.com)
• Winnipeg Real Estate Market Snapshot November 2011 (Video) (bokauffmann.com)

Technorati Tags: condominium, Condominiums, first time buyer, market conditions, Market Update, real estate agent, winnipeg real estate, Winnipeg Real Estate Market Update

Winnipeg’s Children’s Museum inspires creativity in children

If there’s one place to take your kids to on the weekend, during school break or throughout the summer months, the Children’s Museum is it. There’s nothing quite like an entire building dedicated to kids to get them excited about!

You can easily spend an entire day – or more – exploring this wonderful Museum. Located at 45 Forks Market Road, it is a great place to drop by whenever you happen to be in downtown Winnipeg. Being right at the heart of the Forks, you have the opportunity to do any shopping after you hit the museum, or to stretch your legs by strolling along one of the walking paths nearby. Restaurants also abound in this area.

There are a total of 12 permanent galleries at the Children’s Museum (not including the travelling exhibitions). Covering everything from an Engine House to a Lasagna Lookout and a Tumble Zone, the Children’s Museum is a very safe and exciting environment for children to enjoy at whatever pace they please. The travelling exhibitions are usually only around for a couple months – so there will be something new for your kids to play with and learn about at every visit!

Starting at only three galleries in a 4,000 square-foot space back in 1986, the museum has certainly expanded, grown and flourished substantially! The building it is currently housed in was once a train repair facility, and is the oldest surviving building of its kind in Manitoba.

Museum hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. every Friday and Saturday, making it perfect for a fun-filled day-trip.

Education and play combined in the Children’s Museum

What really makes the Children’s Museum special is the fact that it invites children to play and get as hands-on as they want to. The exhibits in the galleries are open to being handled; a sharp contrast to so many museums which have strict no-touch policies.

Children as young as one year old can enjoy the Children’s Museum, too. It has been specially designed to accommodate children of all ages, encouraging learning and play for our youth.

The Children’s Museum does its best not to discriminate, even in its admission fees: no matter your age, it costs $10 to get into the museum. For “repeat” families and for kids who just can’t get enough of this museum, an individual membership with the Children’s Museum is the best choice. It costs $40 each year for unlimited museum admissions and also includes a number of discounts in that annual fee.

You will also find a range of services at the museum, as it is prepared for all kinds of situations. Stroller rentals, family washrooms, nursing rooms, storage lockers and high chairs are all available should you be in need.

Play and learning are both equally important for every growing child. Bringing your children to the Children’s Museum will only serve to benefit them! You can learn more about the museum and its current galleries and events by visiting www.ChildrensMuseum.com.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-o68lywLP4

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Technorati Tags: Children's museum, Manitoba Museum, winnipeg

Best time to buy a house or condo?

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credit to ted.sali's photostream on flickr

A common question among prospective home buyers is “when is the best time to buy a house”?  Keeping in mind our HOT Winnipeg real estate market, my (tongue-in-cheek) reply is “4 years ago“.  But since we don’t have a time-machine, and are forced to deal with the current reality, lets look at some realistic answers:

How about the spring-time?

While there are usually a flood of listings in the spring, this is also the most popular time for buyers.  After a long winter, home buyers come out to buy a home for early summer possession.  This means that there is usually a competition for the available homes.

So perhaps the middle of summer?

This used to be a case.  Most buyers take a break from home-shopping in the middle of summer, instead heading on vacation, the lake etc etc.  I have found there are 2 types of home-buyers:  Those who want a home, and those who really really want a home.  While in the spring time, both groups come out to look and shop, the second ground (the one who really really wants or needs a home) comes out all year long.  So where a home might receive 10 offers in May, it may only receive 3 in July, but those 3 are the really serious buyers.

Add to this the fact that there are generally fewer listings to choose from, and the end result is pretty much the same.

In the fall-time we usually see an increase in activity once again, as buyers want to get a home before christmas.  I see the fall market as a smaller version of the spring market:  more listings, but also more buyers.

So what then is the answer to the question:  I have found that perseverance pay off.  Don’t give up, just because you lost 2 or 3 offers.  Many times I have had a buyer say “This is my last attempt” ….and then get the house they wanted.

You may also be rewarded by occasional ‘blips’ in the market:  perhaps a listing has been just slightly overpriced, or a poor-weather weekend has kept other buyers away from the showings.  Any number of things can happen, but if you don’t try, you won’t succeed.

Perhaps the worst advice has been to wait until the market cools down:  I’ve known buyers who gave up their search for a home a couple of years ago.  The homes which sold for $180,000 at that time are now commanding $250,000 plus…

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