Is It Better To Buy A New Home?   When buyers look at Nanaimo properties many struggle with making the decision of whether to buy a new home or a resale home. Both new and resale homes have their advantages and disadvantages.   Here are some of the common reasons why buyers might choose to favor a new home inNanaimo over a resale home. 1.  In a new home, everything is new, so there will be fewer problems. It’s true that in a resale home you may have to do some updating or repairs.  But making the assumption that everything will be perfect in a new home can be a mistake.  For example, some people would argue that the quality of construction now days is not what it used to be. 2.  I can choose my own landscaping in a new home. In a resale home you are going to be stuck with the previous o... 09/25/2012

How's the Nanaimo real estate market? As a Nanaimo Realtor I am often asked ' How's the market'?  This question spurred me on to add a special section on my site called' How's the market?'.  I post monthly, short videos on the current state of the Nanaimo real estate market. I just uploaded a new video that looks at the stats effective the end of August 2012. 09/15/2012

Government incentives for first time home buyers in Canada The Canadian government has a few incentives available to first time home buyers.  If you are considering buying your first home in Nanaimo you might want to take advantage of one or more of the following offerings: The Home Buyers Plan: One of the best known and most utilized programme is the Home Buyers Plan.  This plan allows eligible people to withdraw up to $25,000 tax free from their RRSP to purchase or build a home.  People using this plan have to start repaying the amount two years after withdrawing the funds and the quantity must be fully repaid within 15 years. Tax free savings account: This is a great incentive to people saving for their down payment.  The tax-free savings accounts allow people to save money and not p... 09/13/2012

Nanaimo Clippers schedule for the 2012-2013 season The 2012-13 hockey season is now underway here in Nanaimo.  This year the Nanaimo Clippers have a busy schedule.  Here is the full schedule for the Nanaimo Clippers for you to print out.  May they have a great season! Below you will find ticket information on where to buy Clipper game tickets and pricing. 2012-2013 Single Game Ticket Pricing  Adult                           $14Senior (55+)               $12Student ID Required   $10Children 6-12             $  8Children 5 & under    Free   2012-2013 Season TIcket Pricing Adult                           $317Senior (55+)               $265Student ID Required   $209Children 6-12             $  99     Tickets available in advance at Nanaimo Clippers office NEW LOCATION Beban House, 2290 Bowe... 09/13/2012

Sales of Nanaimo homes by price range The summer concluded with much slower activity levels in the Nanaimo real estate market.  August sales were down by 38%.  According to a recent article in the Globe & Mail, the record low interest rates and  strong economic growth in Canada, should support Canada’s real estate sector, Reviewing the local real estate market can be more effectively done over a period of time rather than by an individual month’s performance.  I have prepared a chart of home sales in Nanaimo by price from January 1- August 31 2012.  I believe this chart better reflects what is going on in the local market. The highest number of sales, of single family homes, occurred in the price range between $300,000 & $ 400,000. 09/07/2012

Nanaimo Real Estate Market as of September 1 2012 - What’s selling & for how much? The Nanaimo real estate sales numbers for the month of August, 2012 have been published.  Here’s the type of real estate that sold in Nanaimo in August 2012 (source VIREB):  Property Type    Number of unit’s        Average price Single Family            68 units                   $341,434 Condo (Apt)               13                              $ 186,608              Condo (Patio)              2                             $ 302,000 Condo (Townhouse)    9                             $240,613 Lots                               2                            $ 179,250 The single family home, unit sales were down this past August by 38% compared to August 2011 and unit price was down by 7% this year over last... 09/06/2012

Things to do in Nanaimo in September Fall is here, though happily it still feels like summer.  If you are like me; you want to hang onto summer as long as possible!  One way to do that is to get outdoors and enjoy our beautiful city. Some options include: Nanaimo Harvest Festival – Saturday Sept. 15 – Old City Quarter Nanaimo’s second annual Harvest Festival celebrates all things culinary in a very colourful way! The heart of the Festival is a street full of educational displays and interactive presentations around local food issues such as sustainability, food security, urban agriculture, natural and organic local food sources, edible wild foods and the culinary arts. Visit a Farmers market The Bowen Road Farmers' Market: A fun & vibrant market with wonderful locally grown produce. The... 09/06/2012

10 Things To Look For In A House   Sometimes there aren’t a lot of homes for sale in Nanaimo to choose from and sometimes it seems like there are too many choices. Either way, it helps to have a check list to make sure that your top wishes for a new home are being met.   Here are 10 things to consider when buying a new house in Nanaimo: 1.  Curb appeal: Will you be proud of driving up to your new home each day, or is there some landscaping work that needs to be done? 2.  Outside storage:  Is the car port or garage large enough, and is there a storage shed outside to keep your yard tools in? 3.  Floor plan:  With older homes sometimes the floor plan, or interior layout, doesn’t match today’s lifestyles. 4.  Kitchen:  If you cook a lot or entertain, is the kitchen functional enough for yo... 08/31/2012

Nanaimo school district calendar 2012-2013   This August, as every August, I start looking around to see where I put all the information my son came home with, the last day of school.  Usually we receive a list of school supplies and a Nanaimo school district calendar.   I find that I refer to the Nanaimo school district calendar many times throughout the school year.  It’s wonderful to be able to refer to it when planning holidays etc.  With that in mind, I thought it would be very helpful to other Nanaimo parents to post this calendar online.  Please feel free to print off a copy for your bulletin board.   Nanaimo school district calendar 2012-2013   • Tuesday, September 4: Schools open   • Monday, October 1: Non-instructional day - Students do not attend   • Monday, October 8: Thanks... 08/28/2012

How to Prepare For Your Move Houses are selling in Nanaimo. With the right realtor, they’re selling quickly and at a fair market price, so its best if you prepare for your move even before you put your home in Nanaimo on the market for sale.   Here are a few of my favorite tips to help the move to your new home go as smoothly as possible. Know where you’re moving to This might seem like common sense, and even a little bit silly, so you might be surprised at how many people selling a home in Nanaimo don’t give a lot of thought where they’re going to move to. Remember, houses are selling in Nanaimo, and with a good realtor your home could probably go quickly and your sale could close a lot quicker than you think. Start packing now If you haven’t moved for a while you’ll find that it takes... 08/19/2012

How To Spot Overpriced Homes For Sale In Nanaimo   Everybody wants to make money in real estate.  Even if you’re just buying a home in Nanaimo to live in and enjoy, it’s satisfying to know that at the end of the day you’ll have some equity built up in your home – maybe even something to pass along to your children or grandchildren. But just as with any other investment, to make money in real estate you’ve got to buy low and sell high. So the big question is, how do you know if a home for sale in Nanaimo is overpriced?   Here are two ways to spot overpriced homes for sale in Nanaimo:   1.  Look at the days on market, but be skeptical.   It’s easy enough to find out how long a home has been listed for sale in Nanaimo, but there are ways to play tricks with this listing data.    For exampl... 08/19/2012

Nanaimo real estate statistics for July 2012 The real estate statistics from July 2012 reflect the following changes in single family home sales. Nanaimo real estate statistics for single family homes The Cumulative Residential Average Single Family Sale Price is up by 2% over July 2011.  The average sale price was $360,007 in July 2012 compared to $354,077 in July 2011. The following are the single family market changes for July 2012 compared with July 2011 -  There were 213 units listed this July compared to 224 units in July 2011. – down by 5% -  There were 114 units sold this July compared to July 2011 which was 84 units.  This is an increase of 36% this year over last -  The average sale price per unit for July 2012 was 2% higher thanJuly 2011 -  The average days to sell inJuly 201... 08/04/2012

Nanaimo Real Estate Market as of August 1 2012 - What’s selling & for how much? The Nanaimo real estate sales numbers for the month of July, 2012 have been published.  Here’s the type of real estate that sold in Nanaimo in July 2012 (source VIREB): Property Type    Number of unit’s        Average price Single Family            114 units                   $360,000 Condo (Apt)               26                              $ 201,016              Condo (Patio)              7                             $ $269,464 Condo (Townhouse)    8                             $244,612 Lots                               4                            $ 147,500 How does one analyze the state of the Nanaimo real estate market?  This is a very important question for both buyers and sellers.  For buyers lookin... 08/04/2012

How To Avoid First Time Home Buyer Mistakes If you’re a first time home buyer it is easy to get caught up in the excitement of buying your first home. While buying a home for the first time can be fun and exciting, it’s a good idea to not let emotion get in the way of reality.  Doing this could cost you a lot of money in the long run. Here are some common mistakes that first time home buyers make and what to do to avoid them: Talk with several lenders.  If you’re going to be financing the home that you buy, it’s a good idea to shop around for a mortgage and talk with a few different lenders.  You may find that rates and terms differ from one to the other.  Plus, you’ll also want to find a lender that you’re comfortable working with and whose advice you can trust.  Often times your realt... 07/31/2012

Does It Make Sense To Sell our Real Estate In Nanaimo? “Should we move or stay put?” is a common question that many sellers agonize over when trying to decide whether or not to list their home in Nanaimo for sale. Here are a few things to think about when trying to decide whether or not to sell the real estate in Nanaimo that you have now: #1.  You have a lot of equity in your home.  Compared to almost anywhere else in the world, Canadian real estate prices have been barely hurt by the global economic problems.  So, you may think that it’s time to “cash out”, take your money and move somewhere else.  This could make financial sense, as long as  . . . #2.  What are the financial consequences?  Be sure to consider any tax and financial consequences of selling your home along with the expe... 07/31/2012

Tips On Selling Houses In The Summertime Summertime is a great time for selling houses in Nanaimo, but there are also some challenges to keep in mind this time of year. Because the weather’s so nice, it’s easy to make sure that the outside of your house has a great curb appeal for that all important first impression. Potential buyers may also be more motivated to make an offer on your house for sale, since summertime is the perfect time to move or relocate. But there are also more distractions that could make selling your home in the summertime a bit more challenging.  In addition; the Nanaimo real estate market is currently experiencing a buyer’s market. First, the kids are out of school.  Both yours, if you have any, and your prospective buyers’ kids too. This is where good marketing ... 07/28/2012

5 Things to Do Before You List Your Nanaimo Home If you’ve just decided to list your Nanaimo home for sale , the first thing that you probably decide to do is call your real estate agent to come by and complete a listing agreement. Today I wanted to cover a few things that you should do before you sign on the dotted line of the listing contract. Here are 5 must-dos to do before you list your home in Nanaimo for sale: 1.  Do your own competitive research.  Attend some open houses, make calls from the signs that you see, and talk to neighbors who currently have their home on the market.  This will give you one view of the current market conditions and who your competition really is. 2.  Do a pre-listing home inspection. There may be things in your house that you’ve learned to live with th... 07/27/2012

Steps to Buying Your First Investment Property in Nanaimo Around the world we’re seeing more and more first-time real estate investors looking to buy houses to rent, so today I wanted to cover a few tips on how to buy your first investment property in Nanaimo. For a first time investor, it makes sense to buy a house to rent near where you live.  Since you’ll be a new investor, if you buy your first investment property in Nanaimo, you’ll be able to keep an eye on the property even if you choose to have a professional property management company deal with the renting and management of your rental. The second tip in buying a  is to not get emotional about your rental house.  Buying an income property is a lot different from buying a house that you’re going to live in yourself.  With your o... 07/27/2012

Things to do in Nanaimo in August August is a fantastic month in Nanaimo.  It is a time to get out on the water and into the community. Many of the things to do in Nanaimo this August revolve around the community.  Some options include: August 17-19between 9am-9pm: The Vancouver Island Exhibition (Beban Park). The motto for this event is"Critters, squeals and ferris wheels" .  The exhibition has been around since 1894.  Some of the activities and events you can expect to see are horse shows, silent auction, livestock displays, a Kid’s Zone, goat milking demonstrations, Jack Russell terrier races, as well as lively tribute bands.  I f you get bored with any of that you can enjoy some lively fun on the rides. The Bowen Road Farmers' Market: A fun & vibrant market with wonderful locally gr... 07/16/2012

Nanaimo Real Estate as of July 1 2012 - What’s selling & for how much? The Nanaimo real estate sales numbers for the month of July, 2012 have been published.  Here’s the type of real estate that sold in Nanaimo in July 2012 (source VIREB): Property Type    Number of unit’s        Average price Single Family            95 units                   $358,290 Condo (Apt)               18                           $ 210,978              Condo (Patio)               6                          $ 222,795 Condo (Townhouse)    15                          $ 293,893 Lots                               3                         $ 140,000  How does one analyze the state of the Nanaimo real estate market?  This is a very important question for both buyers and sellers.  For buyers looking at real estate in... 07/14/2012