When it comes to listing your home, there is no set of black-and-white rules that applies to every property and every seller. But check out these things to think about when you walk through it with an agent or stager.

PAINT

Fix - There is no accounting for the massive upgrade a fresh coat of paint can bring.

MAJOR KITCHEN UPGRADES

Don't fix - Unelss there are major structural isses, most new buyers woudl prefer to do something to their own taste.

MNOR KITCHEN ISSUES

Fix - Things like plumbing leaks should be fixed, and small upgrades like swapping out light fixtures cn make a big difference.

ENERGY EFFICIENT WINDOW

Don't fix - While adding new windwos can be a major selling point, it is also a project that can quickly snowball in time and cost.

FLOORS

Fix - From fixing scratched wood floors to replacing cracked tile, to cleaning dirty carpet, a little money spend on sprucing up floors canbe well worth the investment.

Contact me for your FREE, No Obligation Comapartive Market Analysis. iI you know anyone who are thinking buyting or selling a home, I can certainly help with that too.

Spring market is primed for competitive season ahead!

OTTAWA, March 3, 2017 - Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,010 residential properties in February through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® System, compared with 908 in February, an increase of 11.2 per cent. The five-year average for February sales is 872.

“Numbers   continue   to   indicate a positive trend for Ottawa as a whole,” says Rick Eisert, President of the Ottawa Real Estate Board. “Even with the additional day in February last year due to the leap year, sales this year are up in both the residential and condo property classes. Keep in mind though, that all real estate is local, and that prices and conditions will vary from neighbourhood to neighbourhood.”

“A total of 2,066 homes were listed this month, up almost 25 per cent from January, while inventory on hand still remains low compared to last year,” explains Eisert. “Now is a great time to list your home in anticipation of the increase of buyer interest in the spring that will pick up as early as March.”

February’s sales included 233 in the condominium property class, and 777 in the residential property class. The condominium property class includes any property, regardless of style (i.e. detached, semi-detached, apartment, townhouse, etc.), which is registered as a condominium, as well as properties which are co-operatives, life leases and timeshares. The residential property class includes all other residential properties.

The average sale price of a residential-class property sold in February in the Ottawa area was $417,374, an increase of 8.5 per cent over February 2016. The average sale price for a condominium-class proper 713.JPG ty was $258,397, an increase of four per cent over February 2016.

“This month revealed a larger average price gain in the residential property   class   than   usual   due to an increase in the number of properties sold in the $750,000 to $999,999 and over $1 million price range, similar to what occurred with condo prices last month,” explains Eisert. “For example, in the over

$1 million price range alone, there was a significant increase in sales over last year; 20 units sold in

2017 versus 6 units in 2016. It is important to note that dramatic changes in the average sale price is not indicative of all property values. We encourage buyers and sellers to talk to a REALTOR® for more information about the housing market outlook where they live, or want to live.”

“In the residential market the most active price point was the $300,000 to $399,999 range for the month of February, followed by the $400,000 to $499,999 range, combined accounting for 54.6 per cent of the market. The condominium market was most active in the $150,000 to $249,999 price range, accounting for 54.9 per cent of the market,” says Eisert. “In addition to residential and condominium sales, OREB members assisted clients with renting 392 properties since the beginning of the year.”

2017 resale market off to a great start.

OTTAWA, February 3, 2017 - Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 667 residential properties in January through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® system, compared with 598 in January 2016, an increase of 11.5 per cent. The five-year average for January sales is 614.

“The year is off to a great start, with sales up over this time last year, and well above the five-year average,” remarks Rick Eisert, President of the Ottawa Real Estate Board. “Residential-class resales supported this increase, with a 16.6 per cent growth over January 2016. The number of properties listed in January has doubled the amount listed in December, which is very typical of sellers getting a jump start on the spring selling season.”

January’s sales included 119 in the condominium property class, and 548 in the residential property class. The condominium property class includes any property, regardless of style (i.e. detached, semi-detached, apartment, townhouse, etc.), which is registered as a condominium, as well as properties which are co-operatives, life leases and timeshares. The residential property class includes all other residential properties.

“While the numbers indicate a positive trend for Ottawa as a whole, we emphasize that all real estate is local, and prices and conditions will vary from neighbourhood to neighbourhood,” explains Eisert. “We encourage buyers and sellers to talk to a REALTOR® for more information about the housing market outlook where they live, or want to live.”

The average sale price of a residential-class property sold in January in the Ottawa area was $394,001, an increase of 1.9 per cent over January 2016.  The average sale price for a condominium-class property was $288,655, an increase of 16.8 per cent over January 2016.

The Board cautions that average sale price information can be useful in establishing trends over time but should not be used as an indicator that specific properties have increased or decreased in value. The average sale price is calculated based on the total dollar volume of all properties sold.

“The average sale price for the condominium class saw a big increase over last year,” Eisert says. “It’s important to note that three properties sold for over $1 million this January, while none were sold in January 2016. This needs to be taken into consideration when looking at the overall increase in average condo sale price.”

“In the residential market the most active price point was the $300,000 to $399,999 range for the month of January, accounting for 35.2 per cent of the market. The condominium market was most active in the $150,000 to $249,999 price range, accounting for 58.7 per cent of the market,” says Eisert. “In addition to residential and condominium sales, OREB members assisted clients with renting 201 properties in January.”

2016 proves to be a record breaking year for Ottawa resales.

OTTAWA, January 5, 2017 - Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 715 residential properties in December through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® System, compared with 703 in December 2015, an increase of 1.7 per cent. The five-year average for December sales is 656. The total number of residential and condo units sold through the Board’s MLS® System throughout all of 2016 was 15,537, compared with 14,653 in 2015, an increase of six per cent. Separately, residential and condo unit sales each outperformed the 2015 numbers.

“No matter what is said in the history books about 2016, it proved overall to be a great year for Ottawa real estate,” says Rick Eisert, 2017 President of the Ottawa Real Estate Board. “While prices remained fairly flat over the course of the year, the unit sales recorded in five separate months were the highest on record, including December. The spring market picked up early in April with strong sales and this trend continued well into the fall. The monthly unit sale performance in 2016 was often bolstered by a strengthened condo market which recorded increases over 2015 for much of the year.”

December’s sales included 165 in the condominium property class, and 550 in the residential property class. The condominium property class includes any property, regardless of style (i.e. detached, semi-detached, apartment, stacked etc.), which is registered as a condominium, as well as properties which are co-operatives, life leases and timeshares. The residential property class includes all other residential properties.

“The listing inventory for both residential and condos trended lower all year, however units sold trended higher most months, outpacing 2015 by a fair margin,” says Eisert. “Cumulative days on market increased to 123 days in December, while the average for the year stayed steady at 91 days. Average residential sale prices remained virtually unchanged over last year, however we are seeing an increase in December compared to 2015, which could be a result of a higher concentration of properties sold in the $500,000 and up range.”

The average sale price of a residential-class property sold in December in the Ottawa area was $420,750, an increase of 8.7 per cent over December 2015. The average sale price for a condominium-class property was $262,698, an increase of 4.9 per cent over December 2015. The year-to-date numbers for average residential sale price in 2016 was $397,778, an increase of 1.5 per cent over 2015. While the average condominium sale price was $260,982, an increase of 0.4 per cent over 2015. The Board cautions that average sale price information can be useful in establishing trends over time but should not be used as an indicator that specific properties have increased or decreased in value. The average sale price is calculated based on the total dollar volume of all properties sold.

“Looking at the whole year, the two most active price points in the residential market were $300,000 to $399,999 and then $200,000-$299,999, accounting for 54.6 per cent of the market. While the condominium market was most active in the $150,000 to $249,999 price range, accounting for 55.4 per cent of the market,” says Eisert. “In addition to residential and condominium sales in 2016, OREB Members have assisted clients with renting 3,053 properties, the sale of 19 farms units, and the sale of 340 commercial properties.”

Condo sales continue to bolster Ottawa resale market

OTTAWA, December 6, 2016 - Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 995 residential properties in November through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® System, compared with 986 in November 2015, an increase of 0.9 per cent. The five-year average for November sales is 939.

“After a few breakaway months, the Ottawa resale market has come back down with sales typical of November,” says new Ottawa Real Estate Board President, Rick Eisert. “The condo market appears to be on the rise now, a welcome change compared to earlier in the year, with sales coming in at 16.2 per cent higher than November 2015. Several factors could have contributed to this increase – inventory levels trending downwards, steady prices, or buyers affected by the newly changed mortgage rules.”

November’s sales included 230 in the condominium property class, and 765 in the residential property class. The condominium property class includes any property, regardless of style (i.e. detached, semi-detached, apartment, townhouse, etc.), which is registered as a condominium, as well as properties which are co-operatives, life leases, and timeshares. The residential property class includes all other residential properties.

“Year-to-date unit sales to the end of November have now surpassed all previous year-end totals,” explains Eisert. “This year has been an exceptional year for sales for Ottawa Real Estate Board Members, and the year isn’t even over yet. The cumulative days on market have shown a steady decline for the first six months of the year, then has shown the same steady increase, so that the cumulative days on market in November (105 days) essentially mirrored that of January (110 days).”

The average sale price of a residential-class property sold in November in the Ottawa area was $405,320 an increase of 6.5 per cent over November 2015. The average sale price for a condominium-class property was $277,650, an increase of one per cent over November 2015. The Board cautions that average sale price information can be useful in establishing trends over time but should not be used as an indicator that specific properties have increased or decreased in value.

The average sale price is calculated based on the total dollar volume of all properties sold. “In the residential market the two most active price points were $300,000 to $399,999 and then $400,000-$499,999 for the month of November, accounting for 50.3 per cent of the market. The condominium market was most active in the $150,000 to $249,999 price range, accounting for 55.2 per cent of the market,” says Eisert. “In addition to residential and condominium sales, OREB Members have assisted clients with renting over 2,900 properties since the beginning of the year.”