Real Estate, St. Johns, Newfoundland R. Greg Osmond, Realtor

For golf enthusiasts who are looking for a golfing experience that offers a real challenge mingled with beautiful vistas, a tranquil environment and an attractive layout, the River Course at the Humber Valley Resort, Western Newfoundland, stands out as one of the best places in the province to play a round of 18 holes.

The course is spread out over the beautiful terrain of Western Newfoundland winding its way along the serene Humber Valley. It captures the beauty of the Humber River, the quiet shores of Deer Lake and the towering elevations of the adjacent mountains.

It has been voted Canada’s Best New Course 2007 by SCORE Golf Magazine. It is an 18-hole, par 72 championship golf course measuring 7,199 yards. It offers the experienced golfer the workout of any pro-course that demands long drives and careful accuracy yet the budding amateur will enjoy the beauty and peacefulness of the place without feeling heavy playing pressure from others.

My wife and I played a round at the River Course at the Humber Valley Resort this past August. We were both very impressed with the grandeur of the place! The fairways are overseen by beautiful estate homes, most of them belonging to residents who visit for short periods during the summer or guests who rent them on a daily or weekly basis. We enjoyed the spectacular view of the Humber River from the river side fairways (especially the 14th hole) and we were impressed with the shelter of trees around several others fairways.

The operator Mr. Gary Oak has been managing the golf course and Eagles Perch this year and is doing a great job keeping it open to the public, playable for its patrons and attractive for everyone. Even though the Humber Valley Resort has been suffering from financial troubles, Gary has been dedicated to maintaining the course in excellent condition so that the surrounding communities and golfers throughout the province can continue to enjoy its unique beauty. It really is a destination worth finding!

I love to walk when I play golf so initially we intended to skip the cart rental. However, the elevations were so extreme that we were well advised to take the cart. Having played it now, I would heartily concur! The cart was essential equipment for this one. Happily the green fees at $75.00 each are significantly reduced from previous years and a modern and well maintained cart is included in the fee.

If you love to golf, I would highly recommend you pay a visit to the River Course at the Humber Valley Resort sometime soon. It will definitely impress you and your golfing will be wonderful no matter what your final score. I still endeavor to break 90 when I play but in this case, I was more than happy with my 96. I hope to better it some next summer.

R. Greg Osmond is a Platinum Award winning Realtor serving St. John’s and surrounding areas, Newfoundland and Labrador for over 20 years and can be reached at 709-895-2500. Visit http://www.rgregosmond.com/ for further information.

Most of us know the value of a good education today. Without a degree it is often difficult to get meaningful employment at anything other than serving hamburgers, cleaning hotel rooms or mowing lawns. Competition for well paying jobs has increased and though for a while many workers could move just about anywhere and find meaningful work, the recent recession has changed that picture quite a bit. Now even some of the well educated have found job hunting a necessary life skill.

A few weeks ago, I noticed a mother introducing her little ones to the merits of Memorial University in St. John's, Newfoundland. It seems even the local water fowl are now taking note of the benefits to a good education. While passing along by the university, I noticed this mother with her young brood walked around the Chemistry Building at MUN and waddling in front of the steps in a rather methodical and determined way. I stood quite close to them an snapped several photos of the unique parade.

She and the little ones never flinched. They marched around the building as if they were investigating the merits of a degree in Chemistry instead of heading off to the local pond for a swim. Obviously, some mothers have ambitions for their children that may be a little extreme but perhaps this is a good reminder for us to make sure we encourage our kids to take a serious look at getting a degree before heading out on their own. Even Real Estate is one career that will be easier to manage if you have a degree in business. These little ducks put on a show that was at least worth a chuckle for me so I thought you might enjoy it too.

On July 8, 1892, St. John's, Newfoundland was devastated by a fire that destroyed nearly all the homes and businesses in the east end of the city.  The high winds that day, the incomplete repairs to the water supply system and the simple incident of dropping a pipe in Timothy O'Brien's stable at Freshwater Road at the top of Carter's Hill ushered in what would become the worst fire in St. John's history. 

Together these events combined to create the calamity that leveled much of the city turning it into rubble and soot within twenty-four hours.  The fire spread and devoured virtually all of the houses and buildings in its path, as well as much of its major commercial area before being extinguished. 

It is known as the Great Fire of 1892.  There was an estimated $13,000,000 of damage done that day but only $5,000,000 was covered by insurance.  There were over 12,000 people displaced, left to congregate in the local parks outside the fire zone until financial aid arrived from Britain and Canada.

In an attempt to house the displaced Newfoundland families, a construction project was initiated soon after that saw the rapid erection of row housing so that those who were driven into the streets and parks would once again be rehoused before winter.  This construction project formed the core architecture of the post fire period and remains to this day the unique flavour of the downtown core in St. John's.  Many of these original homes still exist but have now received refurbishment to improve heating costs, fire codes, safety features, insurance premiums and aesthetics.

The above photo that captures part of St. John's that was burned out by the fire was recently taken by Mr. Jim Costello who has a great eye for photography and interesting subjects.  Jim posted this one to an album on Facebook called "Southside Road, Signal Hill and Cape Spear" and he calls the photo Architectural Delight-a blend of the old and new.  As you can see, the "old" are those homes built back in the Fall of 1892 that were quickly constructed to house the displaced families of the Great Fire.  The "new" refers to the interesting and modern Architecture of the Newfoundland Museum called the Rooms sitting at the top left of the photo.  The Basilica of St. John the Baptist to the right and peering over all still remains as one of the few landmarks that out lived the fire of 1892.  If you look closely at the black and white photo above you will notice the two towers standing in the distance observing the devastation of the city just after the fire.

I want to thank Mr. Jim Costello for both seeing this and taking such a beautiful photo of downtown St. John's and for allowing me the privilege of sharing it with you all.  This kind of Newfoundland generosity is what many visitors to the province will speak of and it is why folks like me think Newfoundland is one of the best places in the world to live, bar none!

R. Greg Osmond is a Platinum Award winning Realtor serving St. John’s and surrounding areas, Newfoundland and Labrador for over 20 years and can be reached at 709-895-2500. Visit http://www.rgregosmond.com/ for further information.

This is a good time to own or buy rental properties in Newfoundland....at least when it comes to finding a tenant to rent from you. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) survey of rental accommodations conducted during the month of April indicated that vacancy rates for private apartment structures containing three or more units were lower throughout the province in all centres surveyed.

According to Chris Janes, Senior Market Analyst-NL, the overall vacancy rate in the province was 2.0 per cent during the April survey, with 106 of the 5,285 units surveyed sitting vacant. This represents a reduction of 1.2 percentage points from last April’s rate of 3.2 per cent. The vacancy rate was highest in Bay Roberts CA (Census Agglomerate), while the lowest vacancy rate recorded was in Corner Brook CA.

As expected, average rents were highest within the St. John’s CMA (Census Metropolitan Area), with Bay Roberts CA posting the lowest market rents. The St. John’s CMA rental market posted a vacancy rate of 2.2 per cent for the April survey versus 3.7 per cent last April. This translates into 80 vacant units out of the 3,668 units surveyed.

As the local labour market has remained healthy, a positive net-migration will continue to create rental demand and keep vacancy rates low within the region. Despite rising house prices, solid economic activity, lower interest rates and income growth continue to support demand for home ownership within the St. John’s CMA. Historically high house prices coupled with low levels of new rental supply being added to the market are contributing to the low vacancy rates.

With house prices continuing to advance, demand for rental is expected to remain strong. With a university campus of 1,200 plus students and a solid economy, Corner Brook CA continues to see the fewest vacancies in the province with a vacancy rate of 0.4 per cent compared to 0.6 per cent a year ago. With conditions expected to remain stable within the region, the Corner Brook CA rental market will continue to experience low levels of vacancy and rising rents. In other rental markets, the April survey results were similar.

Gander T (Town), which posted a vacancy rate of 2.3 per cent versus 2.5 per cent last year, continues to be positively impacted by its central location in the province and its international airport. Grand Falls-Windsor CA posted a vacancy rate of 1.3 per cent in April compared to 3.6 per cent a year ago. However, the recent closure of the Abitibi paper mill has created a great deal of uncertainty in this one-industry town. The central region’s economy has been impacted by the current global economic slowdown and has also resulted in a retraction in the surrounding area’s mining industry and many of these transient workers typically rent in Grand Falls-Windsor.

Interest rates are at the lowest they have ever been, the vacancy rate is only 2%, and the availablity of two apartment homes are increasing. If you have been thinking of purchasing an investment property there may not be a better opportunity to take action than now.

R. Greg Osmond is a Platinum Award winning Realtor serving St. John’s and surrounding areas, Newfoundland and Labrador for over 20 years and can be reached at 709-895-2500. Visit http://www.rgregosmond.com/ for further information.

The Battery is known as a small residential area within the city of St. John's, Newfoundland. Situated at the entrance to the harbour and located on the slopes of Signal Hill the Battery is noted for its steep slopes, colourful houses, and its importance as a station for defense of the St. John's harbour during both World Wars.

The Battery is also where Chain Rock is situated. Chain Rock is an outcrop to which a large chain and anti-submarine boom was attached connecting Pancake Rock on the opposite side of the harbour at Fort Amherst. This boom was installed to prevent the entry of German U-boats into the harbour during World War II.

The space between the two rocks is 174 meters. Chain Rock and Pancake Rock were used as early as 1770. A chain was stretched between both rocks by means of a capstan at nightfall to prevent illegal entry of enemy ships. During World War I the chain was replaced with anti-submarine nets.

Today above the Battery stands a large piece of real estate that can be seen from all around the city of St. John's. Its the Inn with a large view of the city of St. John's and its harbour and is referred to as The Battery Hotel and Conference Centre. My wife and I have been there many times and enjoyed a lovely meal at the restaurant. We especially like to sit back and relax after the week and take in the beautiful view.

The staff there are very pleasant and the adequate portions of food are delicious. Surprisingly you won't find the price nearly as high as you might expect given the amenities. Many people have called the Battery a place with a million dollar view.

If you have the opportunity to visit or you are planning to move to Newfoundland, you will definitely want to drop in to the Battery Hotel and enjoy either a quick lunch in the restaurant or just spend an evening of fine dinning there right at the window's edge. You have my word on this! It isn't something you will forget for a very long time.

R. Greg Osmond is a Platinum Award winning Realtor serving St. John’s and surrounding areas, Newfoundland and Labrador for over 20 years and can be reached at 709-895-2500. Visit http://www.rgregosmond.com/ for further information.