Hi Everyone,

Like all the sunshine we've been having, the real estate market in Greater Vancouver remains hot. Most areas are still in strong Seller's market territory. This continues to be fueled by a lower than average number of homes for sale, higher than average demand, low interest rates and a weaker dollar.

Our Spring real estate market continues to be very competitive with lower inventory of homes on the market and higher sales than for the same time the previous year. This is putting upward pressure on prices, particularily in the detached home market.

If you've been thinking of selling, now is a great time. Give me a call today and we can discuss a strategy for your property:

Cell: 778.317.9909

Email: kim@kimparish.com

Here's the infographics:

Hello Everyone!

I hope you are all enjoying this glorious spring we are having! The sunshine has been fantastic and the seawall is already packed.

Our spring real estate market has sure heated up too, pardon the pun. Last month's sales were 29.3% above the 10-year sales average for the month. In many neighbourhoods across the lower mainland, lower than average inventory and higher than average sales has created upwards pressure on home prices. For detached homes, multiple offers are almost the norm, with properties selling for sometimes hundreds of thousands over the asking price. The fast-paced market has been fueled by continued record low mortgage rates and a weaker Canadian dollar, making Vancouver all the more attractive to foreign investors.

Vancouver's east side is especially competitive for Buyers. The detached home segment finished the month with just 1.6 months supply of inventory, and the townhouse/duplex market with 1.1 months supply. The condo market had just 2.8 months. This represents a very strong Seller's market.

If you are considering listing your home for sale, this is a great time to do so. If the thought of getting your home ready to list is just too daunting, there are alternatives to listing your home on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). I recently listed and sold a home on an Exclusive contract, making it quick and hassle-free for the homeowners, while still getting them a great price. Every situation is unique. Please get in touch and we can discuss if this, or going the more traditional route, would be the best option for you.

If you're looking to buy, while the market is competitive, there are some properties and areas that are less heated. Additionally, there are strategies we can employ to help make your offer more competitive and attractive to sellers. Contact me for more info.

Come join me on social media or visit my webpage:
Twitter: @kimparish73
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KimParishMacRealty
Web: www.kimparish.com

A large part of my business comes from referrals, so if you or someone you know is interested in buying and/or selling, please pass along my contact information and I would be happy to speak with them about how I can help.

Here's the stats:

In case you were wondering, we're in a strong Seller's market in the Lower Mainland.

If you've been thinking of selling, now is a great time. Give me a call today and we can discuss a strategy for your property:

Cell: 778.317.9909

Email: kim@kimparish.com

Here's the infographics:

Hello Everyone,

Happy New Year! I hope your holiday celebrations were fantastic.

Looking back at 2014, the Greater Vancouver market was a typical year, when comparing it to the last 10 years of activity. Home sales and listings total both rank fifth in this respect. The big news was for detached homes, which showed gains of 8.1% in price when compared to December 2013 in the benchmark price, which strips out the most expensive properties. Also, for the first time, the benchmark price for detached homes exceeded the $1 million mark in December at $1,002,200.

Looking specifically at Vancouver, properties in East Van continue to sit in Seller's market territory, finishing the month off with just 2.6 months supply of inventory for detached homes, and 3.7 and 3.5 month supply for attached and apartment properties respectively. West side homes, while still showing strong sales activity, finished the month out in more Balanced conditions with 5.5 months supply of inventory. However, both attached and apartment properties sat just within a Seller's market at 4 and 4.1 months supply respectively.

There is speculation that interest rates may rise during the second half of 2015. So if you are considering purchasing, the next few months may be a good time to do this. Likewise, if your mortgage is coming up for renewal, it may well be worth renewing slightly early to lock in the current great rates. Speak with your mortgage broker for more info. I can recommend some excellent brokers should you wish to look into this.

Here's the snapshot:

Come join me on social media or call/send an email if you have questions or would like to join my newsletter:
Twitter: @kimmcalpine
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KimMcAlpineMacRealty
Email: kim@kimmcalpine.com

Cell: 778.317.9909

A large part of my business comes from referrals, so if you or someone you know is interested in buying and/or selling, please pass along my contact information and I would be happy to speak with them about how I can help.

Let's make 2015 an amazing year!

For more charts and information, you can join my newsletter by contacting me at: kim@kimmcalpine.com

If you or someone you know has questions about the market or is thinking of buying or selling, let's chat!  I can be reached at: kim@kimmcalpine.com or on: 778 317 9909.

Come join me in on social media or the web:
Twitter: @kimmcalpine

Facebook: www.facebook.com/KimMcAlpineMacRealty
Web: www.kimmcalpine.com

Hello There!

These clear blue skies and sunshine have been absolutely wonderful, but my body is finding it a little difficult adjusting to these barely-above-freezing temperatures!  I swear it was summer just last week :)

The October real estate market for Greater Vancouver continued to outpace the longer-term averages for this time of year.  Sales were up 14.9% compared to October 2013, up 4.6% compared to September 2014 and 16.6% above the 10-year sales average for October.

“We’ve seen strong and consistent demand from home buyers in Metro Vancouver throughout this year. This has led to steady increases in home prices of between four and eight per cent depending on the property,” said REBGV president Ray Harris.

The MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver is currently $637,000. This represents a six per cent increase compared to October 2013.

“Detached homes continue to increase in price more than condominium and townhome properties. This is largely a function of supply and demand as the supply of condominium and townhome properties are more abundant than detached homes in our region,” Harris said.

Looking specifically at Vancouver, with inventory levels at generally lower levels and sales at higher levels compared to October 2013, all market segments finished the month in Seller's market territory, with the exception of detached homes on the west side.  This segment finished out October with 5 months of inventory - right on the cusp between a Seller's and Balanced market.

Here's the snapshot:

Come join me in on social media or web:
Twitter: @kimmcalpine
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KimMcAlpineMacRealty
Web: www.kimmcalpine.com

A large part of my business comes from referrals, so if you or someone you know is interested in buying and/or selling, please pass along my contact information and I would be happy to speak with them about how I can help.

For more charts and information, you can join my newsletter by contacting me at: kim@kimmcalpine.com

If you or someone you know has questions about the market or is thinking of buying or selling, let's chat!  I can be reached at: kim@kimmcalpine.com or on: 778 317 9909.

Come join me in on social media or the web:
Twitter: @kimmcalpine

Facebook: www.facebook.com/KimMcAlpineMacRealty
Web: www.kimmcalpine.com

Hello Again!

Despite the sunshine (which is awesome), it would seem most people are back from their holidays and shopping for real estate.  Last month's sales for Greater Vancouver were 16.1% above the 10-year sales average for the month and rank as the third highest selling September for the period.

The MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver is currently $633,500. This represents a 5.3% increase compared to September 2013.

“Gains in home values are being led by the detached home market. Condominium and townhome properties are not experiencing the same pressure on prices at the moment,” Ray Harris, REBGV president said.  “Individual trends can vary depending on different factors in different areas, so it’s important to do your homework and work with your REALTOR® when you’re looking to determine the market value of a home.”

Looking specifically at Vancouver, we are still seeing a trend of lower inventory and slightly higher median sales prices, when comparing to the same period last year.

Here are the East Van numbers, comparing September 2014 to September 2013:
Detached homes:
-Total inventory down 23.5%
-Median sales price up 10.1% to $1,001,500

Townhouses/Duplexes:
-Total inventory down 26.4%
-Median sales price down 14.3% to $539,950 - this is a very small segment of the market and as such is more volatile.

Apartments:
-Total inventory down 0.4%
-Median sales price up 5.9% to $350,000

And for Vancouver's west side:
Detached homes:
-Total inventory down 12.1%
-Median sales price up 5.7% to $2,320,000

Townhouses/Duplexes:
-Total inventory down 4.2%
-Median sales price up 1.2% to $873,000

Apartments:
-Total inventory down 12.2%
-Median sales price down 11% to $505,000

On both the east and west sides of the city the different market segments are in and around seller's market territory, with the exception of condos on the eastside, which have moved into a firmly balanced market.

Here's the snapshot:

Come join me in on social media or web:
Twitter: @kimmcalpine
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KimMcAlpineMacRealty
Web: www.kimmcalpine.com

A large part of my business comes from referrals, so if you or someone you know is interested in buying and/or selling, please pass along my contact information and I would be happy to speak with them about how I can help.

Hi Everyone,

As our summer still seems to be going strong, spare a thought for our friends in Calgary, who are blanketed in snow!  It looks like they'll get their summer back early next week.

Taking a look back at the Greater Vancouver real estate market for August, activity is tracking close to the 10-year averages for the month.

“Activity this summer has been strong but not unusual for our region,” Ray Harris, REBGV president said. “The volume of home sales has been higher than we’ve seen in the last three years, yet below the record-breaking levels of the past decade.”

Last month’s sales of 2,771 homes were 4.3% above the 10-year sales average for August of 2,658.

Looking specifically at Vancouver, the same trend of slightly lower inventory and moderate increases in the median sales prices continues, comparing August 2014 to August 2013.

Here are the East Van numbers, comparing August 2014 to August 2013:
Detached homes:
-Total inventory down 23.8%
-Median sales price up 3.4% to $954,800

Townhouses/Duplexes:
-Total inventory down 29.5%
-Median sales price up 23.8% to $654,890

Apartments:
-Total inventory down 4.9%
-Median sales price up 9.9% to $355,000

And for Vancouver's west side:
Detached homes:
-Total inventory down 5.3%
-Median sales price up 11.1% to $2,400,000

Townhouses/Duplexes:
-Total inventory down 9.9%
-Median sales price up 1.4% to $745,000

Apartments:
-Total inventory down 7.7%
-Median sales price down 1% to $477,900

In East Van, the months supply of inventory has increased slightly from July, but all market segments remain in Seller's market territory.  For Vancouver's westside, we are seeing more balanced market conditions.

Here's the snapshot:

Come join me in on social media or web:
Twitter: @kimmcalpine
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KimMcAlpineMacRealty
Web: www.kimmcalpine.com

A large part of my business comes from referrals, so if you or someone you know is interested in buying and/or selling, please pass along my contact information and I would be happy to speak with them about how I can help.

Hi Everyone,

I trust you have all had (are having) a fantastic summer?  The sun seems to have kept a lot of people in town and shopping for real estate, so my apologies for getting this out to you a little late!  I will be back soon with the August results.

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that, "The Greater Vancouver housing market continues to see slightly elevated demand from home buyers, steady levels of supply from home sellers and incremental gains in home values depending on the area and property type." 

That translates into a 3.9% increase in sales in July 2014, compared to July 2013 for the Greater Vancouver area with 3,061 sales recorded.

"This is the fourth consecutive month that the Greater Vancouver market has exceeded 3,000 sales,” Darcy McLeod, REBGV president-elect said. “Prior to this, our market had not surpassed the 3,000 sale mark since June of 2011.”

Last month’s sales were 3.8% above the 10-year sales average for July of 2,948.

Looking specifically at Vancouver, the trend of lower overall inventory and slightly higher median sales prices continues, when comparing July 2014 to July 2013.  East Van, specifically, is sitting in a strong Seller's market.  Detached houses on the east side finished out July with just 2.9 months supply of inventory.  Many buyers out there are finding themselves competing to purchase their new home.

Here are the East Van numbers, comparing July 2014 to July 2013:
Detached homes:
-Total inventory down 25%
-Median sales price up 10% to $967,600

Townhouses/Duplexes:
-Total inventory down 31.8%
-Median sales price up 1.8% to $602,450

Apartments:
-Total inventory down 3.9%
-Median sales price up 10.4% to $360,000

And for Vancouver's west side:
Detached homes:
-Total inventory down 5%
-Median sales price up 3.5% to $2,380,000

Townhouses/Duplexes:
-Total inventory down 2.8%
-Median sales price up 7.4% to $798,000

Apartments:
-Total inventory down 1.2%
-Median sales price up 0.3% to $490,000

Here's the snapshot:

Come join me in on social media or web:
Twitter: @kimmcalpine
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KimMcAlpineMacRealty
Web: www.kimmcalpine.com

A large part of my business comes from referrals, so if you or someone you know is interested in buying and/or selling, please pass along my contact information and I would be happy to speak with them about how I can help.

For more charts and information, you can join my newsletter by contacting me at: kim@kimmcalpine.com

If you or someone you know has questions about the market or is thinking of buying or selling, let's chat!  I can be reached at: kim@kimmcalpine.com or on: 778 317 9909.

Come join me in on social media or the web:
Twitter: @kimmcalpine

Facebook: www.facebook.com/KimMcAlpineMacRealty
Web: www.kimmcalpine.com