Winnipeg, MB

WINNIPEG – October 2011 has the second best real estate sales on record for this month. Less than 2% off the strongest sales performance ever in 2007. Year-to date dollar volume is already the highest achieved in WinnipegREALTORS® 108-year history with $2.67 billion dollars worth of MLS® sales.

October 2011 helped get the fourth quarter off to a great start with everything up in double-digit percentages. New listings rose 11%, sales were ahead by 13% and dollar volume reached 20%.

October MLS® home unit sales increased 13% (1,076/949) while dollar volume was up 20% ($256.9 million/ $214.2 million) in comparison to the same month last year. Year-to-date Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) sales are up 7% (11,486/10,754) while dollar volume has increased 12% ($2.67 billion/$2.39 billion in comparison to the same period last year. Nearly 70 % of all MLS® listings entered on the market this year have sold thus far.

Owing to improvement in the overall number of residential real estate listings coming on the market in the last few months, inventory has improved and created a more balanced market. One indicator of this development in October is the total sales price to total listing price ratio falling under 100%. This means there is less price pressure on listings and in fact 56% of homes sold in October went for less than list price.

The average days on market to sell a residential-detached home was 29 days, 3 days slower than last month and only one day off the pace set in October 2010. The average days to sell a condominium in October was 26 days, 9 days quicker than last month and 5 days faster than October 2010.

Please feel free to call Harry Logan @ (204) 667-7653 if you have any questions about the Winnipeg Real Estate Market or if you'd like information about buying or selling a property in Winnipeg.

Great Starter home or Retirement home or rental property in Winnipeg. Monthly Payments are less than $800/Month (Including Property Taxes!). This recently remodeled home has 2 Bedrooms plus a den (could be 3rd Bedroom) a High Efficiency Furnace, Newer Soffits, Fascia & Eavestroughing, New Paint, New Carpet and Vinyl Flooring, 5 Appliances included (3 BRAND NEW Stainless Steel Appliances have never been used), a huge deck, an oversized single detached garage and a new fence. What a great house for the price. Don't miss this one, call Harry Logan today at 204-667-7653 to arrange your own private showing or see it at the Public Open House Sunday November 6 from 2-4 PM.

WINNIPEG – Balmy summer weather in September created summer-like real estate market activity which led to a third consecutive month of over 1200 MLS® housing unit sales. As a result, it makes September 2011 WinnipegREALTORS® best September in 108 years. September 2010 was the previous best September on record.

September MLS® housing unit sales increased 6% (1,214/1,142) while dollar volume rose 12% ($278.4 million/$248.0 million) in comparison to the same month a year ago. Year-to-date MLS® sales are up 6% (10,410/ 9,805) while dollar volume has increased 11% ($2.42 billion/$2.18 billion) in comparison to the same period last year. Two out of every three of the 15,300 house and condo listings entered on the MLS® market this year have sold.

For residential-detached home sales in September, the most active price range by far was the $200,000 to $249,999 with 26% of total sales. The housing market under $100,000 continues to erode with only 4% of the housing market and the longest days to sell of 41 days. The average days on market to sell a residential-detached property was 26 days, 2 days quicker than last month and 3 days faster than September 2010.

Condominium sales were dominant in the $150,000 to $199,999 price range with 39% of total sales. Only 2% of sales were under $100,000. Average days on market in September was 35 days, 5 days slower than last month and 2 days off the pace set in September 2010.

Call Harry Logan at 667-7653 if you have any questions about the Winnipeg real estate market or if you'd like a no cost or obligation market evaluation of your house.

Before selling your Winnipeg home, it is a good idea to examine each room for unfinished or needed repairs. It is very likely that you might need a portion of drywall replaced or cracks caulked outside your bathtub. These small repairs might seem unnecessary, but can easily turn out to be the difference between selling your house that day, or weeks later.

You need to find a Winnipeg general contractor fast! You could easily call up the neighborhood handyman, but it is important to hire someone that has insurance and works for a legitimate business. If the repairs to be done are quite complicated, or involve power tools, the handyman should have insurance. Just one miss with a powertool can end up in a lawsuit if it happens on your property.

Another thing to keep in mind is the cost of the project. Many contractors charge by the job instead of hourly, which could either work in your favor, or end up costing you a lot more! A Winnipeg contractor who offers a free assessment of hours, cost, as well as materials needed is what you need to be looking for.

It is also important to go over his or her credentials, as well as work experience. This will give you a good idea of the quality and quantity of relevant work the contractor has completed.

Bottom line, the contractor must be willing to listen to your input and concerns about the work to be done. There must be a good communication line between you and the contractor, allowing any issues or barriers to be resolved before extra time or money is wasted.

When selling your Winnipeg home you will need someone immediately to fix any outstanding repairs or problems in your house. Hire a repairperson with a solid background in terms of employment and training, affordable price, strong communication skills as well as someone that offers premium insurance. Following these guidelines will help you get a faster sale when you are selling your Winnipeg home.

Ready to spruce up your Winnipeg home this fall? Here are a few different areas you can focus on to help you get started.

Room colour can have a huge impact on the overall appearance of your house. Heading to your local home decor supply store to pick up a tub or two of coloured paint in fall tones would be a great way to start. Even if you decide to paint only one room, it will still help liven up your house, especially with something totally vibrant and different - a bright orange or deep green shade.

Go shopping! Another idea is to re-decorate a room with fall-coloured furniture. If you have been thinking about getting some new furniture, do it now. If it’s not in your budget, pick up some couch or chair covers in a fun new shade of autumn.

Having various types of plants on the inside or outside of your Winnipeg home will give it a natural atmosphere. Although it is important for most plants to receive sunlight to grow, you can purchase specific types that require less light, and can prosper indoors. These plants will look amazing alongside a wall painted brown or dark red, emanating a fall-like appearance and adding comfort to your home.

Another good idea is to hire someone to paint a mural in your living or dining room. This painting of a fall backdrop will quickly become the center of attention for anyone in your Winnipeg home, and may possibly increase the value of your home as well.