About Waterloo County, ON

The average sale price of all residential properties sold in Kitchener-Waterloo and area held steady at almost $266,000, down only slightly from last month's average of $267,500 and up from last year's overall average of nearly $248,900. Industry experts from RE/MAX and CMHC predicted average price increases of 5 and 6.2 percent respectively for 2008. Year-to-date average sale prices for all residential properties sold through the Kitchener Waterloo Real Estate Board are up 6.7 percent to $265,500.

While sales results were mixed depending on the particular price range, demand for higher priced homes remained buoyant in August, with sales of properties in the $400,000-plus jumping 26 percent.

Karen Shartun, President of the Kitchener Waterloo Real Estate Board says, "Properties in lower price ranges experienced a more general decline in sales. For example, the number of homes selling for between $200,000 - $225,000 were down almost 50 percent." This sounds like a decline, but not really... Properties in these lower price ranges have increased in value and are now selling in higher price ranges. Buyers at or around the $200,000 mark are becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of decent product at this price point. Multiple offers and "bidding wars" remain common in this market.

The summer is traditionally a slower real estate market while buyers, sellers and agents are distracted vacations and other summer activities. Fall is a great time to be in the market for both buyers and sellers, second only to the Spring Market. More sales activity means faster sales for sellers and more properties to choose from for buyers.

If you want to get moved this year or early next year, now is the time to get the ball rolling. Give me a call or send me an email. I'm never too busy for your business or referrals.

This house is a lovely bungalow which we were called in to help with before it went on the market. The home owner was an older lady who had moved to a nursing home and her relatives who lived outside the country were put in charge of getting the house sold. Our first impressions of the house were a lot of wallpaper, clutter and religious items. We were hired to stage but also to manage the wallpaper removal/painting project, general repairs and to de-clutter the house.

Once done, the house was neutral and appealing to a wide range of buyers - and within 10 days a young family had snapped the house up!

Small second bedroom. This room actually contained a double bed and the larger bedroom contained this single bed. We switched them and then had all the patterned wallpaper, flowery border and religious effects taken down.

Second bedroom "after" we were finished.

Master Bedroom "before" but also after we had the pink wall colour neutralized and the flowery border removed.

Master Bedroom "After"

Dining Room Area "Before"

Dining Room Area "After"

Living Room "Before"

Living Room "After"

All in all, we were really pleased with how the house turned out. We believe that by removing all the wallpaper/borders and staging the home simply we allowed buyers to see the potential and charm of the home.

Sales of residential properties in Kitchener-Waterloo and area rebounded last month, more than matching July 2007 results.

There were 657 home sales last month, surpassing July 2007 results by two sales.

All price categories above $225,000 experienced double-digit sales increases last month, while sales of lower priced properties tempered overall results. Sales of homes over $400,000 showed the greatest strength last month, jumping 67 percent relative to July 2007 results.

The average price of all residential properties sold in the Kitchener-Waterloo area last month increased a comparable 5.6 percent to $261,936. Single family detached homes sold for an average price of $302,394, a 5.5 percent increase over one year ago.

The median sale price of all homes sold in the Kitchener-Waterloo area in July jumped 7.9 percent to $243,800, while single family detached properties had a median sale price of $275,000, a 7.1 percent increase for the same period.

The number of active residential listings remained consistent year over year at 1,941. However, the 928 new listings recorded in July represented an increase of almost 14 percent relative to July 2007.

The strong pace of home sales was accompanied by a significant decrease in the average number of days these properties were listed for sale.

"An increase in the pace of sales activity has accompanied the rebound in unit sales," says Karen Shartun, president of the KItchener Waterloo Real Estate Board. "Not only are we seeing more sales activity, but there is also a greater readiness on the part of buyers to act on properties that reflect good market value."

Sales in Kitchener-Waterloo and area are expected to continue to outpace sales activity generally across Canada for the balance of the year given the positive market dynamics.

I am a real estate sales representative with RE/MAX in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario. I currently have clients from Ontario looking to invest and/or buy a winter home in Arizona. I am currently working with an real estate representative from Arizona, but would love to get more contacts and information about the real estate in Arizona and any listings you think my clients may be interested in. I also have a mortgage contact in Arizona, but would love to be able to open up options to my clients.

If you are a snowbird looking for a home in Arizona, I do have some experience in deal with the real estate market in Arizona. I would be more then happy to assist in finding the right home for you. My son just recently moved back to Ontario from Arizona. I am glad he is back, but I will miss visiting him and enjoying the Arizona climate and everything else the Valley of the Sun has to offer.

I post a Quote of the Day every day on my website. I am going to try my best to post one every day here. I find some of them very inspiring, some funny, and some give you something to ponder over.

I would be interested in hearing any quotes you may have and with your permission I may place it on my website one day as the Quote of the Day.

Today's Quote is: "Aging is not 'lost youth' but a new stage of opportunity and strength." - Betty Friedan