Average Sales for Ottawa Canada in August 2014-

OTTAWA, September 4, 2014 -

Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,203 residential properties in August through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® system, compared with 1,216 in August 2013, a decrease of 1.1 per cent. The five-year average for August is 1,199.“As usual, we are seeing a typical end-of-summer slowdown, especially in comparison to July’s record sales,” says Randy Oickle, President of the Ottawa Real Estate Board. “Although sales numbers are down slightly since last year, August’s sales are slightly higher than the five-year average, and continue to be on par with year-to-date sales compared to last year.”August’s sales included 219 in the condominium property class, and 984 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.“Units sold in the residential property class alone, excluding condos, are up four per cent year-over-year. And average sale price has increased for both the residential and condo class,” says Oickle. “If you are planning on buying or selling a home, we encourage you to consult one of our member REALTORS® to get in depth advice on prices in your neighbourhood.” The average sale price of residential properties, including condominiums, sold in August in the Ottawa area was $360,214, an increase of 3.4 percent over August 2013. The average sale price for a condominium-class property was $263,996, an increaseof 2.7 per cent over August 2013. The 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 $300,000 to $399,999 price range continues to have the highest concentration of properties sold,
followed by the $500,000 to $749,999 range – the later range up by 27.4 per cent from last year,” explains Oickle. “This increase may possibly be the contributing factor in the average house price increases this month.”

Published by the Ottawa Real Estate Board September 2014

The Ottawa Real Estate Board is an industry association of over 3,000 sales representatives and brokers in the Ottawa area. Members of the Board are also members of the Ontario and Canadian Real Estate Associations. The MLS® system is a member based service, paid for by the REALTOR® members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board. The MLS® mark symbolizes the cooperation among REALTORS® to effect the purchase and sale of real estate through real estate services provided by REALTORS®. MLS® commercial and residential listings are available for viewing on the Board’s internet site at www.OttawaRealEstate.org and on the national websites of The Canadian Real Estate Association at www.REALTOR.ca and www.ICX.ca. 

Be Sure to Plan for the “Pet Issue”

If you have pets, you probably adore them. They're part of the family! But
when you're preparing your home for sale, you need to think about how
you're going to deal with the "pet issue".
Some potential buyers who view your property may love pets as much as
you do. However, others may be turned off by the tell-tale signs of pet
ownership – such as kitty litter, dander, and smells.
So be sure to make a plan for how you’re going to deal with your pets.
It's a good idea to keep pets out of the house during viewings. Even if your
dog or cat is friendly, some buyers will be uncomfortable around them. So,
you'll need to decide where your pets will go when buyers view your
property. Consider a local kennel or "pet day camp".
"Can't I just take my dog out for a walk?" you might be asking. You could,;
however, you may not always be available to do that during a viewing. So
have alternate plans available.
You should also consider how you will deal with pet dander and everyday
pet odours. You're probably used to them. Unfortunately, some buyers will
be turned off or even be allergic. So, in addition to cleaning your home
before a viewing -- especially in those areas where pets spend time like a
favourite cushion or scratching post – consider using specialty air sprays
available on the market that will neutralize pet odours.
Finally, it's a good idea to advise buyers that they're viewing a home with
pets. That way, they'll be more forgiving if they catch a whiff of cat dander.
Need more tips on preparing your home for sale? Call Ian today.

How' The Housing Market?

Article: Courtesy of the Ottawa Real Estate Board

OTTAWA, April 4, 2014 – Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,126 residential properties in March through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® system, compared with 1,160 in March 2013, a decrease of 2.9 per cent. “Sales picked up month over month, with 256 more properties switching hands in March than in February,” says Randy Oickle, President of the Ottawa Real Estate Board. “That’s  a 29.7 per cent increase, which is to be expected of a spring market.” March’s sales included 230 in the condominium property class, and 896 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.

“A total of 2,776 properties were listed in March, indicating that sellers were getting ready the busy spring market,” explains Oickle. “The average days on market stood at 49 for the month of March, lower than the average of 61 days in January and February, indicating that properties are starting to move faster as we enter the second quarter of 2014.” The average sale price of residential properties, including condominiums, sold in March in the Ottawa area was $359,051, an increase of 0.3 per cent over March 2013. The average sale price for a condominium-class property was $251,381, a decrease of 2.1 per cent over March 2013. The average sale price of a residential-class property was $386,690, an increase of 0.2 per cent over March 2013. 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. “It’s a great time to buy or sell real estate,” says Oickle. “

Talk to Ian an Ottawa-area REALTOR® with Royal LePage Performance Realty today for help with buying and/or selling a home, and you will have an ally from start to finish, and everything in between.”

A quick lesson in wood floors

Thinking about installing wood floors? The first decision you need to make involves the type. According to the National Wood Flooring Association, there are four types:

• Unfinished. This type requires you or your installer to sand and apply a finish. If you want a specific colour or style, or you're trying to match existing flooring, this might be the best option for you.

• Factory finished. As the name suggests, this is flooring that has its finish applied in the factory. Although it is more expensive, factory finished flooring can be installed faster and can be walked upon immediately.

• Solid. This is flooring that is made from a solid piece of wood, top to bottom. The advantage is that it can be sanded and refinished many times over the years, or even decades.

• Engineered. This is flooring that is made of thin layers of wood pressed together. It can be engineered to be very durable and expand and contract less than solid flooring.

The type you choose depends on your needs. Talk to your dealer or contractor about your specific application.

Ottawa remains stable in 2013, devoid of large fluctuations -

Courtesy of the Ottawa Real Estate Board
Ottawa, January 6, 2014 Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 610 residential properties in December through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® system, compared with 615 in December 2012, a decrease of less than one per cent. The five-year average for December sales is 646, with sales from December 2011 and 2009 increasing that average.
The total number of homes sold through the Board’s MLS® system in 2013 was 13,873, compared with 14,326 in 2012, a decrease of 3.2 per cent. The average sale price for residential properties, including condominiums, sold in 2013 was $357,348, an increase of 1.6 per cent over 2012.”
“Looking back at the 2013 market, home sales in the first part of the year were, for the most part down, in comparison to the year before,” said new President of the Ottawa Real Estate Board, Randy Oickle. “The introduction of tighter mortgage rules in July 2012 largely affected the market well into 2013. However, as the year progressed the market began to pick back up, and then leveled out in November and December. Impending mortgage rate increases may have caused the increase in the second half of 2013, as many first-time home buyers jumped into the market in advance of these increases.”
December’s sales included 145 in the condominium property class, and 465 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 residential properties, including condominiums, sold in December in the Ottawa area was $340,021, an increase of 0.9 per cent over December 2012. The average sale price for a condominium-class property was $245,349, a decrease of 5.1 per cent over December 2012. The average sale price of a residential-class property was $369,543, an increase of three per cent over December 2012. 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.
“Although, the government succeeded in its plan to “cool down” the market over the past year and a half, Ottawa remains steady and balanced, devoid of large fluctuations in resale activity,” says Oickle. “We are truly fortunate to live and work in such a stable market area, and it seems buyers and sellers agree that Ottawa remains a great place to call home.”
The Ottawa Real Estate Board is an industry association of over 3,000 sales representatives and brokers in the Ottawa area. Members of the Board are also members of the Ontario and Canadian Real Estate Associations.
The MLS® system is a member based service, paid for by the REALTOR® members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board. The MLS® mark symbolizes the cooperation among REALTORS® to affect the purchase and sale of real estate through real estate services provided by REALTORS®. MLS® commercial and residential listings are available for viewing on the Board’s internet site at www.OttawaRealEstate.org and on the national websites of The Canadian Real Estate Association at www.REALTOR.ca and www.ICX.ca.
Trademarks are owned or controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA  (REALTOR®) and/or the quality of services they provide (MLS®).