Apr 7

Written by: Mike Bussiere
Thursday, April 07, 2011 

The RE/MAX - “First Time Buyers Report” has been published. The report discusses nineteen major centres across Canada.  It does not specifically cover Muskoka, Almaguin Highlands and Haliburton Highlands. However, the report does indicate the national trend in the Canadian real estate market particularly at lower price points.  About 30 per cent of markets are reporting sales in excess of 2010 levels as a result.  Leading the country in terms of percentage increases in the number of homes sold are Western Canadian markets, including Saskatoon (up close to 15 per cent), Greater Vancouver (up close to 12 per cent), and Winnipeg (up just over 11 per cent).  With an average price hike of close to 20 per cent year-to-date (February), Greater Vancouver continues to show unprecedented strength, followed by Hamilton-Burlington (eight per cent), Quebec City (seven per cent), Winnipeg (close to seven per cent), Greater Toronto (five per cent), and Greater Montreal (five per cent).

  
The report can be found HERE 

  
  
Selling Your Home/Cottage in Muskoka - Almaguin Highlands - Haliburton Highlands

  
Below you will find a brief statistical overview of our market region for the first 3 months of 2011.  I’ll try to keep it brief. If you want more detail let me know and we’ll discuss how to position your home/cottage in the market to sell for maximum dollars in your pocket in the shortest reasonable selling timeframe.

  
Overall Total Listings YTD: -3%
Overall Expired Listings YTD: +14%

  
Unit Sales by Region Huntsville: +6%
Unit Sales by Region Lake of Bays: +29%   (7 units/2010  vs.  9 units/2011)
Unit Sales by Region Bracebridge: -19%
Unit Sales by Region Gravenhurst: +80%   (15 units/2010  vs.  27 units/2011)
Unit Sales by Region Muskoka Lakes: +50%   (8 units/2010  vs.  12 units/2011)
Unit Sales by Region Almaguin Highlands: -22%
Unit Sales by Region Haliburton Highlands: +33%   (21 units/2010  vs.  28 units/2011)

  
Overall Sales by Dollar Sectors < $ 100K: -4%
Overall Sales by Dollar Sectors 100K - 200K: -2%
Overall Sales by Dollar Sectors 200K - 350K: -6%
Overall Sales by Dollar Sectors 350K - 500K: -3%
Overall Sales by Dollar Sectors 500K - 1M: +47%   (17 units/2010  vs.  25 units/2011)
Overall Sales by Dollar Sectors > 1M: +50%   (6 units/2010  vs.  9 units/2011)
  

WHAT IT ALL MEANS

  
Many homes and cottages are coming on the market at too high a price, and are not selling.  Unit sales are typically in decline under $ 500K and are on the rise greater than $ 500K, Listings are down and Expireds are way up!  Understand this it’s important; Based on our current inventory of product in the market, 14% more homes did not sell as compared with the same first three months for last year.  That would indicate if you are going to sell, and are serious about it, it is more important than ever to evaluate and implement a effective marketing strategy for your home and execute a careful analysis as to how and where to position it in the marketplace. 

  
Don’t just list your home/cottage with someone that tells you what you want to hear… in my world it’s called “Buying the Listing”. BUT rather, get the facts, make certain you see the numbers for yourself, and understand what they mean so that you will make an informed decision… it’s in your best interest.  Your Realtor’s marketing approach needs to be unique and the criteria that you and your realtor control needs to be understood and focused.  In today’s market, you want to be better positioned and more appealing than your competition. No, it’s not a fire sale, but you need to execute a methodical strategic approach to the marketing of your home/cottage in today’s market. This is not a hot market in which you have time to ‘puttz-around’… if you want to sell and are serious about it!

  
The best time to sell is the first four weeks your home/cottage is on the market and that is what you should be targeting! Today’s buyers are informed and will do comparative shopping. If you are serious about selling make sure you enter the market correctly when you are first listed as this provides the greatest opportunity to sell to the pool of the “Buyers in Waiting”… after that you will be waiting for new buyers as they enter the market.

  
The shoot-from-the-hip approach in our region is gaining 14% more sellers an expired not-sold listing.

  
If you would like to receive a free special report “Thinking About Selling Your Home or Cottage”
you can order it HERE 

  
Happy Selling!

   
  
Regards
Mike