It Was A Pleasure Working With You

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💛 Thank you so much for the thoughtful review — it truly means a lot to hear that the process felt smooth and easy for you! ✨⁠

🏡 Selling or buying a home can feel like a big step, so my goal is always to guide clients through the process with:⁠

✅ Clear communication⁠

✅ Strong market knowledge⁠

✅ Support every step of the way⁠

🌟 Helping people navigate the Winnipeg real estate market is something I care deeply about, and I'm really glad you felt confident and well taken care of throughout the experience. 🙌⁠

📞 Being available when clients need answers or reassurance is an important part of how our team works. 🤝⁠

🙏 Thank you again for trusting me with your real estate journey and for recommending my services as a Winnipeg Realtor. It was truly a pleasure working with you. ❤️⁠

The Average Home Price In Winnipeg Keeps Rising

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📈 The average home price in Winnipeg keeps rising. 🏡💰

📊 Just 10 years ago, it was nearly $100,000 less. 🤯

🏷️ For Sellers: You could be sitting on piles of equity 💰 — the kind of equity that can fund your next move, unlock retirement plans, or open the door to your dream home. 🔑

🛒 For Buyers: You can afford much less than you could a decade ago, and you need to strategize differently about what you're going to buy. 🧠

🙌 The right plan makes all the difference — whether you're buying, selling, or both.

💬 DM me 📩 and let's talk more about your plan and what the market looks like for YOU. ✨

Here's To Your Beautiful New Home!

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Reading this back, what I feel most isn't pride; it's gratitude. Gratitude that you trusted me with something as big and as personal as finding your home, from another city no less, and that you let me be part of that journey with you. That kind of trust is not something I take lightly, ever.

Thank you for seeing me, for trusting me, and for taking the time to put all of this into words. Here's to your beautiful new home. Congratulations, again and again.

River Park South: A Home for Everyone

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🏡 River Park South is a neighbourhood filled with homes of all sizes and ages! 🌳

🏗️ Construction started back in the 70s and was just finished a few years ago. 🆕

📊 Because of this, the neighbourhood is fantastic for all kinds of people — bringing you different sizes AND price ranges of homes. 💰

✨ You'll find:

🏘️ Cozy starter homes

🏡 Spacious family homes

🆕 Brand-new builds

📐 A little of everything in between

🙌 It's just one of the things that makes River Park South such a fantastic neighbourhood to live in! ❤️

💬 Curious about buying or selling in River Park South? DM us 📩 — we know this neighbourhood inside & out! ✨

This Week’s House Hunt is officially ON! 🏡✨

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Can you help?

We're working with Noah & Kristin, and they’re dreaming of finding:

• A home with at least 2 bedrooms

• They would love 2 bathrooms

• South end of Winnipeg

• 450k

*A garage would be a bonus

If you’ve got a neighbour thinking of selling, or you’ve been hearing whispers about an upcoming move on your street, your tip could literally help a family start their next chapter.

Winnipeg is tiny in the best way, and word of mouth works magic here.

If you know of anything coming up, message me. Let’s make a match. ♥️

How Much Down Payment Do You Need for Your Next Home?

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How much down payment do you actually need for your next home? If you're picturing a steep 20% and feeling discouraged before you've even started, take a breath — that number usually only applies if you're buying a rental property, not the home you'll actually live in.

The 20% Down Rule Isn't What You Think

You've probably heard that a second home requires 20% down, and that's technically true — but only in one specific situation. That 20% threshold applies when the property you're buying is a rental or investment property, something you won't be living in yourself.

That's a very different scenario from what most people mean when they talk about their "next" home. If you're not adding a second address to your life but instead moving from the home you're in now to a new one, different rules apply.

Moving Up? You May Only Need 5% Down

If you're living in your current home and simply making the move to the next one, you don't need to hit that 20% mark. In many cases, all you really need is 5% down, depending on your specific mortgage qualifications.

That's a meaningful difference. On a $500,000 home, the gap between 5% and 20% down is $75,000 — money that, for many move-up buyers, doesn't need to sit in a savings account before they can make their next move. Your qualification details (income, credit, existing equity, and the specifics of your mortgage product) will determine exactly what you're eligible for, so this is always worth confirming with your mortgage professional before you set a savings target.

Why This Matters When You're Planning Your Move

This distinction matters most when you're thinking about moving up in the housing market — trading a starter home for something bigger, or repositioning into a new neighbourhood. The idea of saving 20% on top of everything else involved in a move can feel daunting enough to stall the whole plan before it starts.

But if you're transitioning from one primary residence to another, that 20% figure usually isn't the number you should be planning around. Understanding the real requirement — often as little as 5% down — can change the entire timeline for your next move. A goal that once felt years away might actually be closer than you think.

It's also worth remembering that your existing home equity can play a role here too. If you've built equity in your current property, that can factor into your down payment on the next one, further narrowing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be.

The Bottom Line

Don't let an inflated down payment number talk you out of your next move before you've even looked at the numbers. The 20% rule is real, but it's built for rental properties — not for someone moving from one home to the next. If you're planning your next step, it's worth having a conversation early, before assumptions about what you "need to save" shape decisions that don't actually apply to your situation.

Ready to Talk About Your Next Move?

Wondering how much down payment you'd actually need based on your own situation? Every buyer's numbers look a little different, and the only way to know for sure is to walk through your specific mortgage qualifications.

I'm Nicole, a Realtor with Your Winnipeg Realtor, and I help Winnipeg homeowners figure out exactly what a move up in the market looks like for them — down payment included. If you're thinking about your next home, reach out and let's talk through what your move could look like.

20% Down For Your Second Home?

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🤔 You often hear that for your second home, you need 20% down — but what actually counts as a "second home"? 🏡🏡

📊 Here's the truth:

💰 For 20% down, that second home would need to be a rental property. 🏘️

🔑 But if you're going to be living in that home — simply moving from one home to the next — all you really need is 5% down (depending on your mortgage qualifications, of course). ✨

📈 So as you're planning that next move, don't feel like you need to save up 20% 💸 — especially when you're moving up in the housing world, that can feel like a very daunting task. 😩

🙌 The right strategy makes all the difference.

💬 Ready to make your next move? DM us 📩 and let's map out your path forward. ✨

How To Choose The Right Realtor

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🤝 When you're interviewing multiple realtors in Winnipeg, it can be really hard to decide who's best for you. 🤔

You're hearing a lot of different opinions on pricing 💰, commissions 📊, and suggestions on getting your home ready. 🏡

✨ Here's what I promise you when you interview me:

You are going to get nothing but pure honesty — even if that honesty is hard to hear. 💯

🚫 I will NOT tell you that your home is worth more than it truly is simply to appease you and get your business.

📈 What I WILL give you:

✅ Data & numbers that are realistic

✅ My gut feeling backed by 15 years of experience in this industry

✅ A clear, honest strategy to move forward

Because the wrong price can cost you thousands 💸 — and the right one gets you sold. 🔑

💬 Looking for an honest opinion on what your home is worth? DM me 📩 and let's get together. ✨

How to Choose the Right Winnipeg Realtor: Why Honest Advice Beats a Big Number

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What should you actually look for when interviewing Winnipeg realtors?

The realtor who gives you the highest number isn't always the one who gets your home sold — the one who gives you the most honest, realistic number usually is.

Why Interviewing Multiple Realtors Can Feel Overwhelming

If you're getting ready to sell your home in Winnipeg, chances are you're talking to more than one realtor before deciding who to work with — and that's a smart move. But it can also leave you with your head spinning. Every conversation seems to bring a different opinion on pricing, a different commission structure, and a different list of suggestions for getting your home market-ready.

By the third or fourth conversation, it's easy to lose track of what's actually true about your home and what's just being said to win your business.

The Temptation to Tell You What You Want to Hear

Here's something worth knowing as you interview Winnipeg realtors: some agents will quote a higher listing price than the market supports simply because it's what sellers want to hear in the moment. It feels good to hear a big number. But if that number isn't grounded in real market data, it can lead to a home that sits on the market too long, price reductions down the road, and a much harder selling experience overall.

When you interview me, you're going to get something different — pure honesty, even when it's not the easiest thing to hear. I won't tell you your home is worth more than it truly is to appease you and win the listing. My job isn't to make you feel good for one meeting; it's to help you make a confident, informed decision and actually get your home sold.

What an Honest Home Valuation Actually Looks Like

A realistic valuation isn't a guess or a number pulled out of thin air to flatter you. It's built from two things working together:

  1. Real data — recent comparable sales, current market activity, and trends specific to your neighbourhood

  2. Experienced judgment — the instinct that comes from years of watching how homes actually perform once they hit the market

After fifteen years working in the Winnipeg real estate market, I bring both to every conversation. The numbers tell part of the story, and experience fills in the rest — things like how a home shows in person, what buyers are currently responding to, and how your specific property is likely to be received once it's listed.

What to Ask When You're Interviewing Winnipeg Realtors

As you meet with different agents, it's worth paying attention to more than just the price they suggest. Consider asking:

  1. How did you arrive at this number, and what data supports it?

  2. What would you recommend I do to get my home ready before listing?

  3. How do you handle it if the market shifts after we list?

  4. Can you walk me through your commission structure and what it includes?

A realtor who can answer these clearly — and who isn't afraid to give you a number you might not love — is being straight with you from day one.

The Bottom Line

Choosing a realtor is about more than finding someone who tells you what you want to hear. It's about finding someone who will tell you the truth, back it up with real information, and stand by you through the entire process — even the parts that are hard to hear upfront. That honesty is what protects you from a longer, more stressful selling experience down the line.

Curious What Your Winnipeg Home Is Really Worth?

If you're looking for an honest, experience-backed opinion on your home's value — not just a number designed to win your business — I'd love to connect. Reach out today and let's talk about what your home is really worth in today's Winnipeg market.

— Nicole, Winnipeg Realtor

Helping You Navigate Divorce

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Divorce. 💔

It's a hard word to say.

It's a hard emotion to feel.

It sucks, to put it plainly.

We've recently helped several clients going through a divorce or separation navigate the home sale process. 🏡

We know that divorce is already a difficult and emotional time, and we want to do everything we can to make the sale of the home as stress-free and smooth as possible. 🤝

We've learned a lot about how to navigate a home sale amid a divorce — and we've found that communication and amicability between both parties are key. ❤️

We work closely with our sellers to ensure everyone is on the same page and that the sale is handled in a way that feels fair and equitable to everyone involved. ⚖️

We have "rules" in place for how we communicate and handle things during a divorce to ensure everyone is involved, listened to, and part of the process. 🕊️

If you or someone you know is going through a divorce and needs help selling their home, we're here to support you. 💛

Don't hesitate to reach out with questions or to talk more about the process from start to finish. 📩

Helping Clients Every Step Of The Process

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Thank you so much for the kind words! It was truly a pleasure working with you through the home-buying journey. Helping clients navigate every step of the process, from start to finish, is exactly what we strive to do, and we're thrilled it made a difference for you.

Wishing you all the best in your new home, and don't hesitate to reach out if you ever need anything in the future!

Is Winnipeg's Real Estate Market Starting to Shift?

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Winnipeg's housing prices just hit new July highs — but sales are slowing down. That combination is a signal worth paying attention to, whether you're planning to buy or sell in the months ahead.

Record Prices, But a Cooling Pace

July 2026 set new average price records in Winnipeg for both detached homes and condos. The residential detached average price climbed to $454,264, up 2% from last July and 6% above the 5-year average. Condos followed the same pattern, averaging $290,522 — also up 2% year-over-year and 5% above the 5-year average.

Here's the part that tells a different story: sales activity didn't keep pace. All MLS® sales across the region came in at 1,475 for July, down 9% from last year. Detached home sales fell 7%, and condo sales dropped 21%. Meanwhile, active listings rose 9% year-over-year to 4,005 — meaning there's more inventory sitting on the market than there was a year ago.

Put simply: prices are still climbing, but fewer homes are trading hands, and buyers have more to choose from. That's the shift.

President of the Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board put it this way: "While MLS® sales fell below last year, sales have been within 5% of the 5-year average in every month of 2026 so far." So this isn't a market in freefall — it's a market finding a new, steadier rhythm after a few frenzied years.

What This Means If You're Buying

More listings and a slower sales pace generally add up to a little more breathing room. You're less likely to be stuck in a bidding war on every property, and you may have more time to make a confident decision instead of a rushed one.

That said, don't mistake "more balanced" for "cheap." Prices are still at record highs, and the most active price range in July was $400,000–$499,999, accounting for nearly a quarter of all detached home sales. Homes priced well and shown well are still moving — the shift gives you leverage, not a discount.

What This Means If You're Selling

This is the moment when pricing strategy and presentation matter more than they have in the past couple of years. With active listings up 9% and buyers facing more options, homes that are priced realistically and market-ready will still sell — but "list it, and it'll sell itself" isn't a safe assumption right now.

Winnipeg detached home sales specifically were down 8% from last July, even as the average price held essentially flat at $460,114. That tells sellers the market is still rewarding well-positioned homes, just not automatically.

A Few More Numbers Worth Knowing

  1. Year-to-date, all MLS® sales across the region sit at 8,762, down 6% from 2025 but only 1% below the 5-year average — this is a normalizing market, not a collapsing one.

  2. Total dollar volume for the year is over $3.6 billion, down slightly from 2025 but up 6% from the 5-year average.

  3. Twenty-one detached homes sold at $1 million or more in July, with the top sale over $2 million.

The Bottom Line

Winnipeg's market is shifting from the intensity of the past few years toward something more balanced — rising prices paired with more inventory and a slower sales pace. For buyers, that means more options and a bit more room to plan. For sellers, it means pricing and presentation matter more than ever. Either way, this isn't a market to navigate on assumptions from a year or two ago.

If you're thinking about buying or selling in Winnipeg and want to talk through what these numbers actually mean for your situation, I'd love to help. Reach out anytime — as your Winnipeg REALTOR®, I'm keeping a close eye on these shifts so you don't have to.

— Nicole, Your Winnipeg REALTOR®

Source: Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board, July 2026 Monthly Market Analysis

Record High Prices KILLING Winnipeg Sales?

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Winnipeg home prices just hit a new July record, but sales are slowing down. 👀

Here's what that actually means 🏡

📈 Detached avg price: $454,264 (up 2% YoY)


📈 Condo avg price: $290,522 (up 2% YoY)


📉 Sales: down 9% from last July


📈 Listings: up 9% — more inventory hitting the market

Translation: prices are still climbing, but buyers finally have a bit more breathing room and choice. Sellers, pricing and presentation matter more right now than they have in years.

Whether you're buying or selling in Winnipeg, this is a good time to have a real conversation about strategy.

Drop a comment or send me a DM 📩

Practice Paying Your Mortgage

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💡 Let's say your rent is $2,000/mo 🏘️ and you're considering a $2,500/mo mortgage payment 🏡.

🛑 Before shopping for houses, spend 3-4 months practicing that payment. 📅

💸 When you go to pay your rent, immediately put $500 in a separate account. It's gone with your rent. Poof! 💨

🤔 How does the rest of your month feel?

✨ Are you still living your best life? 🥳

😬 Or do things feel tight?

📊 Adjust accordingly.

🎁 Bonus: now you have more 💰💰💰 saved for a down payment, closing costs, or any other costs associated with buying your next home! 🔑

Should You Renovate Before You Sell?

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🛠️ Should you renovate before you sell? 🏡

🤔 It's one of the most common questions we get from sellers — and the answer isn't always what you'd expect.

✅ For some: it makes perfect sense and will get you more money in your pocket. 💰

❌ For others: it's just time and hassle 😩 — and you end up no further ahead than if you'd sold as-is.

📊 There is no blanket answer. But with us, you get a custom approach and answers tailored just for you. ✨

💬 DM us 📩 to book your own consultation and figure out your plan before selling your home! 🔑

Selling Your Winnipeg Home This Winter? Take Your Photos Now

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Should you shoot your listing photos months before you list?

If you think you might sell your Winnipeg home this winter, yes — July and August, while your yard is at its best, is the right time to get your photos and video done.

Why Timing Your Photos Matters

Winnipeg winters are beautiful, but they don't do your curb appeal any favours. Snowbanks, bare trees, and grey skies hide the very things that make a property stand out: the flower beds, the mature trees, the green lawn, the deck you spent all summer on.

If you list in December or January and only have winter photos to work with, buyers are left guessing what your yard actually looks like. Some won't bother guessing — they'll just scroll past.

Give Buyers the Full Picture

Shooting your photos and video now means buyers browsing your listing in the colder months get to see exactly what they're getting: a yard in full bloom, not a shot of snow and bare branches.

That matters more than it might seem. Buyers are picturing their life in a home, and a lush backyard photo does a lot more of that work than a mental "trust me, it's nice in summer."

One Less Thing to Stress About

There's also a practical upside for you. Once your photos and video are done, you don't need to worry about the state of your flowers, lawn, or landscaping when the actual listing date arrives. Winter can do what winter does — your listing already tells the real story of the property.

A few things to keep in mind if you're planning this way:

  1. Book your photographer for a clear day in July or August when the yard is at its peak.

  2. Capture both photos and a video walkthrough of the exterior while everything is green.

  3. Keep the interior shots closer to your actual list date, so furniture, staging, and lighting reflect the home as buyers will see it.

  4. Ask your REALTOR® how far in advance photos can reasonably be used before they need a refresh.

The Takeaway

If a winter sale is even a possibility for you, don't wait until the ground is covered in snow to think about your listing photos. Booking them for July or August protects your curb appeal, gives buyers the full picture, and takes one more thing off your plate when it's time to list.

Thinking About Selling This Winter?

I'm Nicole Hacault, REALTOR® here in Winnipeg, and I help sellers plan — including timing things like photography so your listing looks its best no matter when it goes live. If you're weighing a winter sale, let's talk through your timeline and get a plan in place before summer's gone.