About Halifax County, NS

Clean Homes Sell Faster

Often when I meet with potential sellers they look for tips or suggestions on how to layout their furniture or what colour they could paint a room that would be appealing to buyers. But one simple, and low cost item that really helps to sell a home is a good, deep cleaning. Wash the walls, windows, carpets and every nook and cranny.

I've had sellers that owned a home for five years and maybe painted one room but really didn't do much, if any, upgrades. But one key thing they did do right; they had the house professionally cleaned. The feedback from the showings was great. They all commented on how well maintained the home was and it also sold in weeks. A clean home tells buyers you've maintained the home and take pride in it and it gives buyers a sense of ease in making the purchase.

Believe me, it will help to sell your home quicker. It's definitely worth the investment to hire a professional cleaner just before you list the home. They'll also notice things you may not. If funds are a problem, then take a full day to scrub the house yourself. Of course keeping it clean while it's listed is also key.

Happy Selling.

Be it the nicer weather, the lower prices or the super low interest rates, Canadians are starting to buy Real Estate! With the thawing from a harsh winter, the unfreezing is also happening with home sales. CREA (The Canadian Real Estate Association) said yesterday that the volume of existing home sales was up 7% in march and that is on top of the gains of 10.3% in February. Halifax Real Estate More affordable housing With the price reductions that have happened over the winter we have seen buyers coming out of the woodwork to take advantage of the more affordable prices and interest rates. We also have the Home Renovation Tax Credit, which people want to take advantage of after they buy a home. EXIT Realty Nova Scotia Halifax Real Estate Halifax is still bucking the trend when it comes to average sale price. The average sale price in the month of March 2009 for Halifax MLS areas 1-50 was $248,830 with the number of units sold in that month being 346. In March of 2008 the average sale price for these same areas was $245,027 but with 399 Sales. The number of Homes SOLD is the month of march is down somewhat but average sale price is up! EXIT Realty The Average Sale Price for Halifax-Dartmouth MLS areas(Including HD105) for the month of march is $245,990. Sackville Real Estate

The Real Estate Market seems to be picking up more and more each day. Halifax Real Estate is a great market to be in. Selling Real Estate for EXIT Realty Nova Scotia in the Sackville Real Estate market is one of the best career paths I could have ever taken. If you would like to learn more about a Halifax Careers with Exit Realty then just ask!

The 2008 resale housing market in Beechville and Lakeside was similar to 2007 in numbers, but with an increase in the average sale price. There was very little change in the number of sales with 62 sales in 2008 compared to 61 in 2007. While the average price of a home in 2008 was $228,000 compared to $207,000 in 2007.

Although, there was little change in the overall numbers, there was a change in the types of homes being sold. The biggest changes were seen in semi-detached homes where the number of sales increased 64 per cent with the average price of $209,000 compared to $193,000 in 2007. There were also more homes selling for more money. In 2008, 13 homes sold for more than $250,000 compared to only two in 2007.

With all the media attention focusing on the recession and negative real estate stories, it's easy to see why sellers and even buyers are nervous. Yes, the market has changed. For the last few years we've been in a sellers market and now we're experiencing a more balanced market.

Fortunately, for Halifax, we are not experiencing any major corrections in price and volume as seen in other parts of the country. House prices have not fallen in Halifax-Dartmouth, in fact, while there was a decrease in the number of sales, home prices did increase by 6.6 per cent in to $229,000 compared to $215,000 in 2007.

For 2009 it is expected that prices will be moderate and will show little growth from last year with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) predicting a 0.4 per cent increase for Halifax.

What does this mean to you? For sellers, it's more important to price your house realistically and to be prepared for it to take a little longer to sell than in the past. For buyers, it's a great time to buy. Interest rates are at historic lows, and real estate still remains a sound investment.

Theatre Lofts/Best Halifax Condo Purchase

I recently visited an exciting new project in the North End of Halifax that is going to help reshape the neighborhood and make it even more attractive for people to live their. Theatre Lofts are beautifully designed contemporary loft-style condominium townhouses that are fresh and vibrant and will give a whole new look to Gottingen Street and the North End of Halifax. I was so impressed with this project that I am thinking of purchasing a unit myself. The development team is Atlantic Developments Inc. and the architect is Michael Napier an award-winning designer of nearly 2,000 highly acclaimed condominium units across Canada. I spoke with David Graham president of Atlantic Developments Inc. on February 12 about this exciting new project. Below are bullet points with relevant information that a prospective buyer should know.

- 43 residential units available and 2 commercial units

- prices start at $139,900 and go up to $299,900

- 28 underground parking spots, additional $10,000(only for larger units)

- completion date, summer of 2010

- storage unit for all residents

- condo fees range from $93.50 to $256.63

- to secure a unit you would need 5% of the purchase price down

- designed for maximum energy efficiency and comfort

- heating is in floor radiant on first two levels and electric baseboard on top level

- landscaped courtyard

- terraces and balconies

- all units are separately metered

With it's uniqueness and proximity to the downtown core I do not see these units lasting long. To get more information on this project you can contact me at 902-488-0012 or email andrewperkins@exitmetro.ca . As well If you are looking for a mortgage broker Scott Walker of Home Loans Canada would be more than happy to sit down with you and go over your options.

Below is an artists rendition of the project.

I also mentioned at the beginning of the week that I would be visiting McCully Worklofts on Agricola, Unfortunately that project as been put on hold.

Andrew Perkins

Your Halifax Condo Expert