June Stats

 PRESS RELEASE 

July 11, 2016 

For Immediate Release 

M LS® SALES REACH NEW JUNE RECORD HIGH OF 1,638 

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MLS® Sales Up 9%; MLS® Dollar Volume Rises 13% 

WINNIPEG - Back to back months of the second and third best months ever on record with 1,638 transactions in June and 1,629 in May makes 2016 the most active year for the first six months and second quarter. Only May 2007 is higher than this June at 1,652 sales. The next busiest second quarter on record was in 2008 when again there were back to back outstanding monthly results with May and June each recording 1,564 sales. 

Sales were up 9% in June over the same month last year and the identical percentage increase for the first six months in comparison to the same period in 2015. It is the first time WinnipegREALTORS® has surpassed 7,000 MLS® sales in six months. 

“There is no question the perfect storm I spoke of earlier in the year is materializing,” said Stewart Elston, president of WinnipegREALTORS®. “The Winnipeg real estate market is supported by strong underlying fundamentals. Helping us reach new heights is the excellent supply of MLS® listings with much to choose from throughout the market region. The difference between this year and last year is stronger buyer sentiment and therefore higher conversions of listings to sales.” 

Single family homes led the way to this impressive June result with 1,252 sales or 76% of total MLS® sales. Condominiums did not perform as well in comparison to the previous two years but still very respectable at 187 sales or over 11% of total MLS® sales. 

Eager buyers vying for coveted single family home listings translated to more above list price offers this June in comparison to last month and June 2015. Over one in four sold for above list price while last June 17% sold for above list price. As for condominiums only 5% sold for above list price in June. However 22% of condos achieved list price. 

MLS® dollar volume of $472.3 million is up 13% over June 2015. It is the highest monthly dollar volume on record. Year-to-date dollar volume of close to $2 billion has risen 11% over the first half of 2015. 

“2016 is exceeding our initial forecast and expectations for MLS® sales this year,” said Elston. “Recent news of a record-breaking 12-month increase of 19,453 people to our province and 63,119 individuals in the last four years is certainly a contributing factor. Along with population growth and a younger demographic comes an increased number of births which often triggers demand for housing. It is worth noting our own membership numbers have been increasing in the last few years and now sit at over 1,900 members.”

Price growth this year is more in line with the forecast for single family homes. A healthy supply of listings for the most part is keeping price increases in check. The chart below illustrates subdued price appreciation for all quadrants of Winnipeg and a similar pattern in the outlying rural municipalities when comparing the first half of 2016 to the same period in 2015. 

Condo prices were not expected to see any discernible difference in 2016 if not facing some downward pressure owing to the abundance of MLS® listings and new condo supply on the market. They have decreased very modestly at this stage. 

The average year-to-date price for single family homes and condominiums is $306,311 and $232,507 respectively. 

Of course depending on the property type you have, its location, the number of competing similar property types with their own strengths and weaknesses, you need to be talking to an expert – a REALTOR® - who can advise you on what you need to do to maximize your chances of achieving the best price possible. For buyers a REALTOR® will be indispensable in imparting critical market intelligence on what prices they can expect to see in the current market for the property type they are interested in purchasing. 

Single family homes in particular are enjoying an exceptionally strong year, especially the last two months. Within some Winnipeg neighbourhoods there are not enough listings to meet existing demand. Fort Garry, Norwood, Windsor Park, Whyte Ridge, Crescentwood, Linden Woods, East Kildonan and Crestview are areas where we are seeing more sales in a month than the number of listings remaining on the market at the beginning of the next month. 

Condominiums on the other hand are not enjoying near the same extent of sales to active listings conversions. This in part explains why there is less above list price sales than single family homes. 

The most active price range in June for residential-detached sales was $250,000-$299,999 (22% of sales), followed by the $300,000-$349,999range (17%) and the $200,000-$249,999 (15%). 

Average days on market for residential-detached sales was 26 days, 3 days quicker than June 2015. The highest priced residential-detached sale was $1,450,000 and the least expensive sale was $35,000.

The most active price range for condominiums was $200,000-$249,999 (26% of sales), followed by the $150,000-$199,999 range (23%) and the $250,000-$299,999 range (17%). Average days on market for condo sales was 43 days, a turnaround that is 6 days quicker than June 2015. The highest priced condo sold for $645,000 while the lowest was $66,000. 

Established in 1903, WinnipegREALTORS® is a professional association representing over 1,900 real estate brokers, salespeople, appraisers, and financial members active in the Greater Winnipeg Area real estate market. Its REALTOR® members adhere to a strict code of ethics and share a state-of-the-art Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) designed exclusively for REALTORS®. WinnipegREALTORS® serves its members by promoting the benefits of an organized real estate profession. REALTOR®, MLS® and Multiple Listing Service® are trademarks owned and controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association and are used under licence. 

For further information, contact Peter Squire at (204) 786-8854.

59 Tyler Bay

Welcome to 59 Tyler Bay, Oakbank. You'll love this home right from the moment you drive up. With the beautiful landscaping, lovely exterior detail, and bright entry, you can't beat the curb appeal!
  Upon entering, the beauty continues. You are welcomed by the large, open foyer. From gleaming hardwood floors running throughout the main floor, to many large windows, this house just invites you in!
  The kitchen will induce envy in even the most accomplished chef. Loads of granite countertop, plenty of storage behind the cherry cabinets, tile backsplash, cooktop, double oven, built in microwave, and a fridge and freezer big enough for all your families needs.
  The great room is a wonderful place to sit and enjoy the company of friends, or even just your own company, in front of the gas fireplace.
  The master bedroom is huge, but still warm and comfortable. With a spacious walk in closet, and an ensuite with jetted tub, and separate shower. A real private getaway space!
   The other two bedrooms are also large in size, with plenty of storage room. Excellent rooms for the kids, or guests! And the main floor full bath offers plenty of space as well!
  Moving downstairs, the rec room space is absolutely enormous! With a wall of built in shelves, big windows, and tons of pot lights, this space barely feels like a basement at all! You'll also find a 4th bedroom, a huge room you can use to fit whatever you can imagine (it's currently a workout room), and a third full bathroom.
  The back yard continues the theme of entertaining. A large deck with "pergola", paving stone patio, beautiful gardens, and even a hot tub!
  This home truly has it all, and it needs to be seen to be appreciated! If you, or anyone else you know, might be interested in a home like this, please call, or email to set up an appointment! 204-990-3467, lukevberg@gmail.com

10 Ways to Protect Your Home

This story was originally part of "Homeland Security" in the November 2015 issue.Subscribe to Canadian Living today and never miss an issue!

Kelly returned to her Bedford, N.S., home after work to find her kitchen cupboards flung open and the floor strewn with garbage bags. (We've changed her name to protect her privacy.) When she and her husband, Jon, who had arrived moments earlier, checked the side door, they found it wide open. Jon bolted downstairs to see if his stereo equipment was gone, while Kelly raced upstairs to the master bedroom to check on her jewellery. "I found my jewellery box on the floor," says Kelly. "The stereo was gone, but nothing was taken from our bedroom, so we think we interrupted the robbery. I was angry that all of my clothes had been manhandled, and Jon was upset that 
I could have walked into the robbery alone."

The burglar was never caught, but the break-in inspired the couple to beef up their home security with new locks, a dog and an alarm system. "We've moved many times since, but we'll always have an alarm," says Kelly. "We don't have expensive things, but the intrusiveness of having a stranger in the house is upsetting."

A lthough Canada's burglary rate has been declining—it dropped 43 percent between 2002 and 2012, according to Statistics Canada—it doesn't feel that way when it happens to you. And, according to Aviva Canada data gathered from 2009 to 2013, if you live in Quebec, Manitoba or British Columbia, you face a higher-than-average risk of being robbed. Wherever you live, warns Const. Amanda Trenchard of the Edmonton Police Service, "burglary is a crime of opportunity. Criminals are looking for the home with the least resistance." Here's what you can do to make your house less vulnerable: 

1. Reinforce your door locks
Don't make it easy for intruders: Lock your doors, even when you're home or in the backyard. In a 2012 study conducted by the University of North Carolina (UNC) in which 422 convicted burglars were surveyed, most reported that they entered homes through open doors or windows, or by forcing closed doors or windows open. Next, check your dead bolts—often located on the weakest part of the door. "In most buildings," explains Const. Trenchard, "the dead bolt fits into a strike plate, which most builders install using only a half-inch screw, so it's very easy to kick in the door." She recommends replacing it with a three-inch wooden screw that goes into the joist and the housing of the door. "It's a lot tougher to kick in, so a criminal would probably give up."

2. Trim your trees 
Big trees with long branches can provide a burglar with the cover needed to break in, unnoticed. Const. Trenchard recommends trimming any branches that fall less than two metres above ground level and keeping shrubs to a maximum height of one metre so they don't block windows or sight lines.

3. Seal your glass doors
Those glass panels and sidelights in your front doorway may look stylish, but burglars simply have to smash the glass to turn the door lock and enter your home. The solution? Security film. "It holds up to a lot of pressure, so if someone throws a giant rock at the glass, the glass may spider but will stay in place, and the rock will bounce off the window," says Const. Trenchard. Security film costs about $12 per square foot and needs to be professionally installed.

4. Light up the night
Installing motion-activated lights in your backyard is a great deterrent—no criminal wants to be seen. For added protection, swap your porch's regular incandescent lightbulb for an LED bulb, which casts a brighter light. Then, leave your porch and side-door lights on all night, says Const. Trenchard. "If everyone does, there's more light on the whole street."

5. Fortify your patio 
Patio doors are the easiest to breach because their locks can be damaged without too much effort, says Const. Trenchard, and sliding doors can be lifted off of their rollers and out of the frame. Secure them easily with a security bar (about $30), a dowel rod or even a cutoff hockey stick. "With a stick in place, the door isn't going to slide open—and the stick is a good visual deterrent." If you have aluminum slider windows in your basement or apartment, putting a screw in the track will prevent the window from being removed, which is easy to do if the lock has been breached.

6. Install an alarm—or fake it
Thinking about installing a home-security system? Consider this: The UNC criminology study found that 83 percent of convicted burglars check for alarms, and of those who do, 50 percent say they'd go elsewhere if a home had an alarm. If you can't afford one, alarm window stickers or lawn signage may also be a deterrent, as long as they're believable, says Los Angeles security consultant Chris McGoey. Most burglars also dislike dogs, he says, so he keeps a "Beware of dog" sign on his fence and an oversize dog-food bowl on his front porch. 

7. Make your home look lived in
If you're going on vacation, suspend your newspaper and mail delivery (to purchase the mail-holding service, visit canadapost.ca). Enlist a neighbour's help to keep an eye on your property and pick up any flyers. And be strategic about lighting: If you leave a light on all the time or use a timer that turns on lights at the same time every night, it's more obvious that you're not home. Instead, opt for vacation timers, which randomly turn on lights in different rooms, or an app such as WeMo, which allows you to control the lights in your home from your smartphone.

8. Keep track of your garage door remote
Don't leave the remote for your garage door in your car—especially if your garage is connected to your house and you park in the driveway. "People often don't lock the door from the house to the garage," says Const. Trenchard. "If someone can get inside the garage and into your home, a burglar has all the time in the world to clean out your house and fill up a vehicle without anyone in the neighbourhood seeing."

9. Be discreet when disposing of packaging
Don't advertise your newly purchased electronics by placing packaging and boxes on the curb for all to see. If your family gets a big haul over the holidays, take the packaging directly to a recycling depot.

10. Keep your travel plans off social media
Don't post vacation details on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or share pictures until you're back home, advises Wayne Ross, vice-president of national property claims for Aviva Canada. If geotagging is enabled on your phone and you post a photo with a caption such as "Be back in two weeks," a burglar may be able to find out where you live while knowing there is ample time to break in.