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5 Tips For Selling Your Home In The Winter

Are you putting your home on the market this winter? Doing a few simple things goes a really long way in the way that it presents to the buyers.

1. Shovel! Sounds simple, but its the same as curb appeal and first impressions

2. The same goes for your lock box! You want it accessible and out of the snow

3. Add seasonal decor - it makes people smile and looks great

4. Bright lighting - get all those lights on! The sun sets fast and you want it to be bright no matter what time of day a buyer is viewing

5. Make sure there are no drafts. Buyers are going to be looking everywhere for inefficiencies so take care of any drafts you may have.

And lastly, give us a call, because we will make sure that you know even more to sell your home in the winter.

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I am Going To Miss These Littles So Much!

One of my fav "tactics" when looking at homes with littles is to keep them occupied so that mom and dad can have time to look around at things. For these littles we started piggyback rides very early on, and the next thing I knew they were on my back saying "giddy up" as we went room to room in each home. Today when we met for this picture they ran up and gave me the sweetest hug and I am going to miss those special moments.

I am so happy for you and this incredible home. It has all the space that your family needs and can grow for years to come!

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Everyone Is Freaking Out About Interest Rates

It is true, no big secret at all, the interest rates are going up and it can be a bit scary, but what I want you to look at more is what those monthly payments look like. With the prices going down a bit it all balances out pretty darn nicely on a monthly basis.

So don't get all caught up in the news and the fear that people are putting into you. If you want to buy a home, then go buy a home! The best time to buy a home is when it is right for you, not when you think the mortgage rates are the best.

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Don’t Buy A Home In The Winter Is The Worst Advice

Let's talk about buying a home in the wintertime.

There are a lot of misconceptions, one being that because you can't see the yard you shouldn't buy a home. But not seeing a bit of green is no reason to not buy, in fact, I would argue that winter is a better time to buy.

I love seeing how a home performs in the wintertime, you can find all the cold spots and inefficiencies. Being able to see frost in an attic is a huge bonus, or what the windows look like on a -40 day.

So, go put some warm boots on, and let's go look at homes while everyone else is cuddled up in their blankets waiting for the spring market.

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Woop Woop!!!

We looked at a few places, which didn't put much of a smile on our faces. Slightly slanted, has some suuuuuper weird kitchens, and kinda meh homes. When this one came up it was love at first sight.

A beautiful condo, with loads of sunlight, storage space and mint condition in a fabulous location. Right after we saw it we got to work on writing an offer as units in this building sell fast.

I am so happy for you and this fabulous condo. You were a delight to work with and I am happy you are in my neighbourhood now!

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You Need To Plan When Selling Your Home During The Holidays

Just a few days ago I told you that selling your home during the holidays is a great idea... but there is also a bit of planning that needs to go into this.

The average days on market right now is a bit higher, so.... what if your home is on the market and the holidays are done? You now look stale and dated.

Our team puts the right plans in place and has the right conversations with you to make sure your home is never stale! Even if that means us doing double the work, we want to make sure that you and your home are properly taken care of.

So, if you want to get your home on the market, reach out to us, and let's make your goals happen.

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Should You Sell Your Home During The Holidays?

Should you sell your home during the holidays?

While many people avoid listing during the holidays it can be an incredible time to put your home on the market.

There is less competition, if you wait to hit in January you will be launching at the same time as everyone else that held off.

The buyers that are out there are serious and filled with happiness. There is nothing that I love more than walking into a home that is festive and happy during the holidays. I watch faces light up and buyers envision their own holiday season in the home.

So, reach out and lets get a consult in asap and figure out if this holiday season may be right for you.

/ Royal Lepage Top Producers/

Local Real Estate Market Transitioning Toward Market Stabilization

WINNIPEG, December 5, 2022 – A boost in November's year-over-year inventory combined with slowing month-over-month sales have Winnipeg and its regional market performance transitioning toward balanced market stabilization. 

While some small remnants of a seller's market remain, the continuation of October's slowing MLS® sales into November show a market that is trending more in line with the normal seasonal changes seen before the record years of 2020 and 2021.  

Total November sales of 870 in our market region are down 30% from last November's 1,244 and down 14% over the 5-year average of 1015. It should be noted that with the record year experienced in 2021 as a result of the pandemic, some perspective can be applied with this November's sales down only 4% from the 902 sales of the last pre-pandemic year of 2019.

Most of the Winnipeg market region is made up of residential detached homes and there are some interesting shifts happening in this part of the MLS ® market. This November's inventory has seen a nearly two-fold increase of 94% over last November and has crept above the 5-year average by 1%. 

The average residential detached price for November was at $378,905 which is slightly up from last month's $377,165, down 2% from last November but 7% higher than the 5-year average. The year-to-date average price was down to $415,325 from October's $417,867, up 9% over last November but 11% higher than the 5-year average. 

The $0-249,999 price range was the most active residential real estate category in November with 153 MLS ®sales which represents 25% of all sales. Last month's highest priced sale at $1,550,000 was surpassed with 5 MLS® sales at or above that marker this month. The highest priced sale in November was at $2,125,000 and the lowest was at $45,000.

Another interesting trend observed is the continuation of hot demand in the condominium market which saw a year-to-date increase of 11% over the 5-year average and up 27% over the last pre-pandemic year of 2019.  This has resulted in year-to-date inventory that is down 14% over the 5-year average and down 21% over 2019.  

“The trend of a high year-to-date conversion of listings to sales for condominiums continued into November with a 70% rating," said Bedi. “What is especially intriguing is that this conversion rate has inched above the year-to-date conversion rate of residential detached listings to sales by 1%." 

“As we wish Peter Squire, our Vice-President of External Relations and Market Intelligence, a fond farewell as he retires from his high-profile role which included in-depth reporting on MLS® market performance, the Winnipeg Regional Real Estate News will continue to focus on the strength of MLS® data, and the REALTORS® who use it. MLS® data used by REALTORS® offers current and up to date reporting for the benefit of homeowners," said the Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board CEO Marina R. James. “While there are many factors that can be attributed to an organizations' success, quality data is one that is universally sought after. With ever changing market conditions, using an expert REALTOR® gives buyers and sellers a big advantage in providing market performance certainty in a changing environment." 

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What Is A City Assessment?

A general assessment means that new values are established for all properties in the city. Provincial legislation requires the City of Winnipeg to do this every two years using market values as of a specified reference date.

Several factors go into assessing your property:

  1. It is assessed at its market value, or the price your property could generally sell for on the real estate market as of the reference date. The reference date is April 1 of the year two years before the general assessment year.

  2. The City assesses the value of both your land and buildings to get a total property assessment. It estimates your property value by studying sales of similar properties and comparing lot size, local improvements, location, building age, size, quality of construction, and condition. Even if you built it yourself, the City judges your building by the same criteria as other buildings so it can equitably assess all similar buildings.

  3. The City factors depreciation for normal deterioration into your building’s assessment