Kelowna Area Home Sales Trends

Posted by on Apr 1, 2013 in Jesse's Blog | Comments Off

A March article in Kelowna Capital News points out that sales in the Central Okanagan are down 17.77 percent in February 2013 compared to 2012. Looking just at residential sales, there was a 12.31 percent drop, but the real drops showed up in condos at 24.07 percent and townhomes at 30.61 percent. At the same time, and pointing...

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New York Times Highlights Canadian Real Estate Market

Posted by on Mar 18, 2013 in Jesse's Blog | Comments Off

A recent New York Times article highlighted the Canadian real estate market in a recent edition of their “Great Homes and Destinations” column. The heart of the article was a profile of a $1.5 million dollar condo in Vancouver, but there was also space given to a description of the Vancouver, BC and larger Canadian...

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Interest Rates Dropping- Again!

Posted by on Mar 4, 2013 in Jesse's Blog | Comments Off

Well, just as we were wondering how long Canadian interest rates were going to stay low before they rose, the Bank of Montreal beats the other banks off the line and lowers their five year rate to 2.99%. This is down from their previous rate of 3.09%. This means that some people will likely be able to negotiate even lower...

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How Real Estate Agents Help

Posted by on Feb 17, 2013 in Jesse's Blog | Comments Off

You may have seen the ads on TV over the last few months from howrealtorshelp.ca It’s quite an informative site and worth checking out especially if you are wavering with the decision of whether or not to access a real estate agent’s services in your home sale or purchase. From the home page of the site you can...

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Home Security Tips

Posted by on Feb 4, 2013 in Jesse's Blog | Comments Off

It’s funny where you can find great advice these days! The Ontario Ministry of Community Safety & Correctional Services has an outstanding list of home secruity tips- written with an eye to eliminating indicators that your home is a good target. The tips range from the obvious- keeping your front door locked- to the...

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Moving to the Okanagan?

Posted by on Jan 19, 2013 in Jesse's Blog | Comments Off

Are you looking to move into the Okanagan area, not sure exactly where, and trying to narrow it down? Here is a user generated list from TripAdvisor that highlights area attractions recommended by travellers. What’s interesting about this list, from the perspective of someone who lives here year-round, is that while it...

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2013 Real Estate Predictions from RE/MAX

Posted by on Jan 7, 2013 in Jesse's Blog | Comments Off

The summary is “moderation, not correction.” While there is greater consumer optimism expected in the year ahead, there is a trend of many Canadians being more cautious in their spending- just as they have been encouraged to do by financial leaders. If you own a single family dwelling or condo, you can expect much...

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Home Buying Steps

Posted by on Dec 27, 2012 in Jesse's Blog | Comments Off

This page on the CMHC website gives you some useful information on the home-buying process. It has a page devoted to each of these five steps: Deciding if home ownership is right for you Determining if you are financially ready to purchase a home How to decide which home is the right one for you and your family The actual...

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Making Use of Small Spaces in Your Home

Posted by on Dec 17, 2012 in Jesse's Blog | Comments Off

The national website of Re/Max recently highlighed some useful information on how to make the best use of those smaller rooms in your home. This article provides links to resources related to bathrooms, spare bedrooms, and awkward sized and types of rooms. If you think about it, probably every home you’ve lived in has had...

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Canadian Housing Market Trends

Posted by on Dec 10, 2012 in Jesse's Blog | Comments Off

A recent special report from RBC highlights the lack of clarity in long term housing trends in Canada. While there was a slight overall decline in house prices in the third quarter of 2012, there are so many variables in play right now that it is hard to say which way the market will go. In reality, it has been quite flat for...

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