About Nanaimo, BC

Schools in Nanaimo

When planning to move your family to Nanaimo; an important consideration will be the Schools in Nanaimo. In most cases you will choose a school first and then determine which neighbourhoods are in those catchment areas.

Choosing a school is one of the most important decisions you will make for your child. Some things to consider when choosing a school in Nanaimo are:

· the facilities the school has to support your child’s learning – such as playgrounds, library, home language support, music programs, clubs and sporting teams

• the opportunities for parent and family involvement with the school, and how communication between home and the school is managed
• the school’s size and number of children enrolled
• the location of the school, cost or difficulty of travelling to and from the school, and public transport options

· What options are available for before and after school care?

As a Realtor it is my job to know the city and the different schools that are available. You may find this link to the Nanaimo School District website helpful.

For additional information on choosing the right Nanaimo school for your children please give me a call.

Sales of real estate in Nanaimo in Sepember.

Lots sold 3
Single family homes sold 96
Condos sold 18
Town Homes sold 19

Active Listings

Lots 82
Single Family Homes 642
Condos 188
Town Homes 31

Prices seem to have come back to the 2007 levels on everything except condos and town homes. Conos and town homes have fallen in price about $20,000. There are not as many lots selling as compared to 2007 but the inventory is also about half of the 2007 level as well. The number of homes listed Sept 2011 was 642 compared to 528 in 2007. When inventory falls prices start to go up again. A four month supply of homes in inventory is concidered a balanced market. Condos still have a 10 month supply (a buyers market) which is why prices have dropped on condos and gone up for homes.

Douglas Belcher
RE/MAX Nanaimo Real Estate

Yesterday was our weekly Realtor tour. One of the properties on tour was what I consider to be, a unique investment property in Nanaimo.

This property is situated at 1924 Northfield Road; in what is considered a commercial area of Nanaimo. The property has both a house and a huge, 2000 sq. foot, detached concrete block shop. The shop is well lit and has 12 foot ceilings, an over height Bay door, gas forced air heat and 3 phase power. The shop also has a separate, 600 sq. foot; air conditioned office or showroom attached. The shop has got lane access which makes it very accessible.

In addition to the huge shop/office the property also comes with a home. The home is a 4 bedroom 2 bath, older home. It has a huge sundeck with new decking, a heat pump and a sprinkler system.

I really liked that this unique investment property in Nanaimo offers the buyer numerous possibilities. Perhaps both the home and shop could be rented out or one could live in the home and cross the yard to go to work. Another possibility would be to use the shop as your work space and rent the house or vice versa.

This property is being offered for sale at $549,900.

For additional information on this or other unique investment properties in Nanaimo please give me a call.

Nanaimo real estate statistics- July 2011

The numbers are in for July. VIREB recently released the Nanaimo real estate statistics from July 2011. According to the stats it appears that there are still fewer buyers than sellers. In other words the market is still favouring buyers.

The Cumulative Residential Average Single Family Sale Price is 7% lower than July 2010. The average sale price was $354,077in July 2011 compared to $382,672. In July 2010.

The following are the single family market changes for July 2011 compared with July 2010

- There was exactly the same number of units listed this June as in June 2010.

- 18% fewer units were sold this July compared to July 2010

- The average sale price per unit for July 2011 was 7% lower than July 2010

- The average days to sell in July 2011 were 50 days compared with July 2010 which was 42 days.

It appears that we are still experiencing a buyer’s market!

What does a buyer’s market mean to a buyer?

A buyer’s market is just that – a great time to buy! If you have been waiting to buy your first home in Nanaimo or to buy a second property as in investment; now is the time.

Advice to seller’s in a buyer’s market:

· Do not over price your home - Pricing at fair market value is even more important now than ever if you wish to get your house sold. Buyer’s currently have a lot of choices when they are out house hunting. They are educated and know what houses are priced properly and which ones are not.

· Heed your Realtor – Part of my job as a Realtor is to advise my clients on ways to make their homes more saleable.

For additional information regarding the Nanaimo Real Estate Market please contact me.

Moving with kids – It can be fun

Summer is often a time when families move in Nanaimo. It is important to get settled into a new home before the school year begins. Moving with kids can be stressful, but perhaps, it can be fun too.

I was reading an article by Realty Times on making moving with kids fun. They offered ten tips on making moving fun. Here are a few of the best ones:

1. Movie night: Watching one of your family's favorite movies can make your new house feel familiar. Order pizza and have root beer floats! Forget about the day's stresses and enjoy each other's company, along with a meal that is easy to clean up.

2. Indoor camping: Turn a negative into a positive. When beds are still packed, camp out on your living room floor. This can be a great adventure for the kids. Plus, sleeping in the same space can be reassuring to young children.

3. Pet Project: Most rooms need personalizing. Let your child have a hand in this! Their age will dictate the level of their participation. Younger children could help pick a favorite accent color or a few new accessories. Older children could pick design styles, new bedding, and even paint color. Their involvement will help them feel ownership of their new space.

We moved to Nanaimo with our kids four years ago. It was a big move for us, and a stressful one. Before we moved we decided that we would plan to take a trip a week after we moved into our new home. That turned out to be a brilliant plan. It gave us all something to look forward to after leaving our friends and old neighbourhood behind.

For additional ideas on taking the stress out of moving with kids please give me a call.