Dating vs. House Hunting

    Last summer I was honoured to be involved in the wedding of some very good friends of mine. It was a privilege to be a part of that important step in their lives. Now these same friends have recently given me the privilege to be a part of a  another big step in life. Buying their first home. (They currently rent an apartment). This got me thinking. It occurred to me that dating/marriage is very much like buying a home.
   How? Well, lets have a look. In both cases, sometimes you have to look at A LOT of duds before you find the right one. Sometimes it only takes one. And sometimes, if it's taking a while, you might wonder about one you let go. (Until you do find the right one of course, then there's no going back!)
   In both cases,  I don't think you can ever find the PERFECT one. You just need to find the RIGHT one. The one where the imperfections can be worked around, and even, sometimes, fallen in love with. The one where 99% of the time it feels like it's perfect, and you make the rest work. That becomes part of the joy.
   In both cases you'll probably want to change a few things pretty quickly, but then you settle in, get going, and forget about that, and just enjoy the experience. Or maybe you get in, try your hardest to make the change, and find out it wasn't worth it, and even change it back.
   In both cases, there is a real adjustment period, as you get used to the new situation. And sometimes that means a bump or two along the way. But you know you found the right one when working through those bumps makes things better, makes you fall in love all over again, and they become funny stories to tell later.
   In both cases there will be days where you can't stand the other. Where you just don't even want to be close to them. But then there will be days where you just don't want to be apart, don't want to be away, because it's just right.
   And, finally, for now, (though I'm sure I could go on and on about this!) in both cases, when you've been with the right one for a long time, and things are comfortable, there may be (brief!) moments you think about the ones you let go, or the others that may be out there. But then you think about everything you've been through together over the years, and just how much it means to you, and
you fall in love all over again!
  Ok, so that last point is likely much more true about people than homes, but it can happen! So, while I likely can't help you find the right spouse, I would be more than happy to help you find the right house! The one you can fall in love with. Call me any time! (204) 990-3467, or email, lukevberg@gmail.com. Thanks for reading!

ONE MONTH DOES NOT A MARKET MAKE - But January’s a Good Start

Stats for January 2016. If you'd like more local, neighbourhood specific numbers, please feel free to give me a call! (204) 990-3467, or email, lukevberg@gmail.com

WinnipegREALTORS® was founded as The Winnipeg Real Estate Exchange in 1903 – and one of the founding Objects of the Corporation was to“… compile, record and publish statistics and acquire and distribute information respecting the real estate … business of its Members …”. So we’ve been looking at and interpreting market activity and statistics for 113 years.

WINNIPEG – It has often been said that one month does not a market make. Yet here it is … January 2016 … and we only have one month to look at … so January is the market! And not to disappoint, the activity in the first 31 days does give us a lot to evaluate.

Here’s how the New Year kicked off …

In terms of inventory, we have more listings available this January for buyers than we’ve had for the past 5 Januarys. More supply starts to change the sellers’ markets we’ve experienced since 2003/4 and brings more balance to the marketplace. Just recently we’ve seen a reduction in the number of multiple offers and sales over list price that became the norm in the sellers’ markets. Buyers can again exercise more due diligence by viewing more properties and making offers conditional on financing or home inspections than at the height of the market where demand was always exceeding supply.

At the end of January there were 3,406 listings available for viewing … up over 60% from the 2,125 listings available for sale in 2011.

There were 1,519 listings entered into the MLS® system in January, just 36 fewer than last January. But those 1,500 plus listings were 22% more than in January 2014 and 30% more than 2013!

And sales held their own at 571, 17 fewer than last January, but 6 more than 2014. One month is just too small a sample to see trends or make conclusions … but it appears that the market in Winnipeg remains healthy.

Dollar volume was $149 million this year, off 1.75% from last January’s $152 million … but up over January’s total for 2011 through 2014 inclusive.

“The numbers for January appear to reflect the Association’s forecast breakfast projections presented on January 27^th. Despite some of the negative headlines we see from national organizations trying to figure out trends and movements based on an over-weight emphasis on the Vancouvers, Torontos and Calgarys … in Winnipeg we tend to be less exposed to speculative influences like foreign investors and an economy based on a single resource like oil. So when you see headlines implying Winnipeg’s market is high risk or shows strong indications of problematic conditions … we should remember that real estate is local. The activity you see in our local MLS® stats can be relied upon.” said Stewart Elston, WinnipegREALTORS® 2016 President.

The forecast breakfast referenced by Elston showed that last year’s predictions were bang on and this year’s forecast continues to see the glass as half full.

Referring to the forecast, Elston states that “… with interest rates remaining at historical lows and very positive predictions from other analysts suggesting that everything from employment and confidence levels in Winnipeg and Manitoba are high, immigration is encouraging, and the province’s GDP and overall economy are all favourable … we can’t see any reason to predict that the local real estate market will be anything but stable.”

The most active price ranges in the Winnipeg’s single family residential market as recorded on the MLS® for January were between $200,000 and $249,999 and between $250,000 and $299,999, which combined accounted for 39% of sales. The average number of days on the market was 44 compared to 41 in 2015.

The most active price ranges in the condominium market were between $150,000 and $199,999 at 26%, which was the same percentage as sales between $250,000 and $299,999. But there were only 69 condo sales in January and this is such a small sample that no conclusions can yet be formulated. Average days on the market for condominiums came in at 62 days, on average 16 days longer than last year.

At the forecast breakfast, Association Market Analyst Peter Squire predicted that home sales through the MLS® will increase from 1 to 3% in 2016; home prices will rise from 0 to 2%; condo prices will be up the same 0 to 2%; and MLS® dollar volume will increase from 1 to 3%.

Established in 1903, WinnipegREALTORS® is a professional association representing over 1,850 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.

REALTOR: Salesperson...Or Something Else?

Let me start by telling you what this isn’t. This is not an attack on sales

people, or the sales industry. What this is, is a look at what exactly your REALTOR is, what they do for you, and whether or not that makes them a salesperson, or something else entirely. I believe a REALTOR is not a salesperson, but a facilitator.

First, let’s look at public perception of “sales people”. It’s a fact that the public at

large does not have a very forgiving picture of anyone called a “salesperson”. In studies

about trusted professions, sales professions scored very low on the trust scale.

REALTORs included. People hear “sales” and immediately see a man (or woman) in a

cheap suit, with a slimy smile on their face, looking to make a quick buck by swindling

the next person lucky enough to walk through the door. Whether this is a fair

assessment or not in most sales industries is up for debate. However, I feel it’s even

less fair in the world of Real Estate sales. Wait a minute, you say, I’m biased. Yes, I am. But I believe what I’m going to say here will back up that bias. Are there bad REALTORs? Of course. Just like there are bad car-sales people. But there are also good ones. So, lets focus on how the industry SHOULD be.

Now, let’s look at the actual definition of these words, as given by Merriam Webster.

Salesperson: A person whose job it is it sell things.

Facilitator: To help (something) run more smoothy and effectively.

Two very different definitions, to be sure. But how does this apply to your

REALTOR, as compared to other “sales” industries? To figure that out, we need to look

a little deeper at these two terms. A salesperson sells things. They are stationary. Car

sales people sell cars. You go to the dealership, looking for a car, which is “owned” by

the dealership. They sell you their product. You go to the mall to buy clothes. Walk into

the store, the salespeople help you find the right product that THEY are selling. These

people get paid to sell their own products. A good one will still do a good job getting

you what you need. not what they want you buy. But in the end, they are selling their

own thing, and want you to buy it from them, not someone else.

It may seem like a subtle difference, but stick with me here, as we now take a

look at what your REALTOR will do for you. You can’t just go to the REALTOR’s office

and view their product. You have to actively go out and look at various homes, with your

REALTOR’s help. The product is not (generally) OWNED by the REALTOR. They are

not selling their own product. They are HELPING you find a product, owned by

someone else, and HELPING to make the sales process run more smoothly and

effectively. In so many ways. Helping you with the paperwork. Connecting you with the

other businesses you’ll work with. Working in YOUR best interest. Sounds a lot more

like the definition of Facilitator than Salesperson!

You can even look at how we get paid, as compared to other sales. Yes, I know that many other sales positions are paid on commission, and therefore are directly tied to the amount you spend. But it’s not too many other industries where, if the agent is doing his job properly, when working with a buyer will actively TRY to make LESS

money, by getting the client (not customer! Another small, but important difference) a

lower price on the product. While on the selling side, it is true that the more you get for the home, the more the REALTOR will get paid. But at the same time, if they convince  you to price to high, that your home doesn’t sell, they’ve hurt themselves even worse, because you will now give a bad review. They still work for your best interest, not their own, and they still help to connect you with all the serivces you’ll need.

Please do not read this as an indictment of salespeople, or sales industries at

large. I, personally, have had many great experiences with sales people that are

wonderful people, and really went out of their way for me.

My point is only that REALTORs are not salespeople, they are in a different

industry. A facilitating industry. And really, when it comes to what is likely the biggest, most important purchase you will ever make, wouldn’t you like to have someone like that on your side?

2015 SALES SOLID WITH PRICES HOLDING FIRM

December Sales Up 4%

WINNIPEG -   2015 finished on a strong note.  Following on the heels of a record sales month for November, December sales of 642 were up 4% from last December. They are the third highest for this month, and are only behind the best sales years ever by a very modest amount. 

“It is really quite remarkable how close our year-end sales have been in the last few years including our highest sales year in 2007,” said WinnipegREALTORS® outgoing president David MacKenzie. “They all tend to hover just above or close to the 13,000 level and in percentage terms we are only talking a little over 1% when we compare the 12,927 sales recorded this year to the 13,079 in 2007.”

While sales and even prices have shown consistent and similar results, listings have not chartered the same path. The number of listings entered on the MLS® were 24,603 in 2015, up 7% over 2014, and 41% over the 10-year average of 17,433. With an increase in listings but sales remaining consistent, the market’s inventory has also been rising month to month. This is borne out in having over 5 months of inventory available going into 2016.

“Buyers are in a great position to take advantage of a current market which is providing a large number and array of properties for sale and ones which remain some of the most affordably-priced in the country,” said Mackenzie. “Sellers need to take heart knowing WinnipegREALTORS® is still enjoying one of the best sales years it has ever had. They need to be aware however that more competition for those sales creates more downward pressure on prices since supply is outstripping demand.”

An indicator of stiffer competition for selling your home is evident when you see the number of single family home sales selling below list price.  Properties below list accounted for  65% in 2014 but now represent 75% of the market in 2015. In December alone 87% of all single family home sales sold below list price. Of the single family or residential-detached listings which sold in 2015, on average they achieved 98% of the total list price. 

When 2015 was all said and done a new MLS® dollar volume record was established at $3.5 billion. This resulted in a 2% increase over 2014. Despite sales being higher this December from December 2014, dollar volume actually fell 2.89% when compared to December 2014.

It was a tale of different stories when it came to the two primary MLS® property types. Residential-detached performed exceedingly well with sales and dollar volume up 3 and 5% respectively in comparison to 2014. On the other hand, condominiums never recovered from an unexpectedly poor first quarter where sales were off by 20%. By year end this deficit was cut in half but nonetheless represented a 10% decrease compared to 2014. 

The average sales price for residential-detached was $293, 992, a 2% increase over 2014. The average condominium sales price showed a 1% decrease from $239,171 in 2014 to $236,204 this year.

Residential-detached represented nearly 3 out of every 4 properties which sold on MLS® in 2015. Condominium market share was 12.5%. 25% of residential-detached sales in 2015 happened outside Winnipeg in the capital region. The southwest quadrant of Winnipeg was second with 19% of total sales.

The most active price range for residential-detached sales in 2015 was $250,000-$299,999 (22% of total sales), followed by the $200,000-$249,999 (17%) and the $300,000-$349,999 (14%).  Average days on the market for residential-detached sales was 33 days, 3 days slower than 2014. The highest-priced residential-detached sale was $2.7 million. The least expensive sale was $8,000.

The most active price range for condominiums in 2015 was $150,000-$199,999 (30% of total sales), followed by the $200,000-$249,999 (20%) and the $250,000-$299,999 (18%). Average days on market for condominium sales was 49 days, 9 days off the pace set in 2014. The highest-priced condominium sale was $950,000. The least expensive sale was $57,000.

Looking ahead to 2016, Manitoba’s GDP is expected to increase to 2.3% which is an improvement over the expected increase of 2.0% in 2015. In keeping with one of the country’s best GDP’s, Manitoba’s employment is forecast to grow by 1.6% in 2015 and 1% in 2016. This will keep its unemployment rate below 6%. Manitoba had Canada’s second highest population increase of 1% in 2015.

“While we do have an abundance of listings to work our way through at the beginning of the year, the good news is Winnipeg’s and Manitoba’s economy is performing relatively well,” said MacKenzie. “A most recent survey by CIBC shows Manitobans are most confident about their state of finances so this is another positive indicator that they will continue to take advantage of an excellent selection of properties for sale at some of the most affordable prices in the country.”

               

Established in 1903, WinnipegREALTORS® is a professional association representing over 1,850 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.

2015YearEnd

353 Douglas

If you are looking for a home in North Kildonan, you'll want to check out this great value! Located on a quiet cul-de-sac just, but just off of Henderson Highway, and all the access that provides. It's also just steps from from the Chief Peguis Walking Trail, and so close to parks, schools, shopping, golf, dining, it's all right here!

   When you see the house, you're greeted by a beautiful bay window out front, with lovely exterior finishes, and you'll also notice the newer windows, and shingles.
  Inside, the beauty continues. The main floor is a wonderful open concept, great for entertaining guests. The living room is bright, warm, and inviting. The kitchen is modern and upgraded, with loads of both cupboard and counter space, including a great island counter. There is also plenty of room for a dining table for those more formal meals.

  Also upstairs, you'll find the very large master bedroom, an excellent second bedroom (both with warm carpet underfoot), and an excellent main bathroom.

  Heading downstairs, the theme of space continues, with a great rec-room, perfect for play, or more entertaining space. You also get a second full bathroom, and a spare room to do with as you choose.

  Outside, you'll love the double garage, a patio, and a big back yard. Again, great space for the kids to play, or for outside entertaining, and those summer barbeques!
   Between the location, and the features this home has to offer, if you're considering making your home in North Kildonan, don't miss out on this home, it could be the one for you!

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.