Welcome to 6 Brackenridge in Heritage Mountain.

Listed for $2,100,000.00 

This fabulous executive home is just what you have been waiting for.

Located on a quiet street, this home has had many updates through the years.

Elegant living room & dining area.

The gourmet kitchen is the show piece of the main floor. Stunning wood cabinets, gleaming S/S appliances & shiny stone counters tops, large walk-in pantry would make a chef proud.

Large eating area & family room also finish this area. Large sundeck for bbqing or relaxing & taking in the beautiful greenbelt.

Upstairs boosts 3 bedrooms & 2 updated bathrooms.

The lower floor would make a great teen area or perhaps an in-law suite, with an updated bathroom.

Sliders leads to an extra-large patio.

Beautifully landscaped backyard has easy care green turf, perfect for the kids or Fido.

Truly a pleasure to show…

If you’re fortunate enough to own a home with a covered garage, you know how handy it can be to store things like sporting equipment, tools, off-season tires and boxes of holiday decorations. But if your vehicle is permanently parked outdoors because your garage has become a disorganized catch-all for countless boxes of unused items, it may be time for an intervention.

Heading into the fall, this is the perfect time to clean and organize your garage. Ideally, your garage can be a place where only necessary items live and everything has a home. Most importantly, it’s where your vehicle can be parked, away from extreme cold (and extreme heat), inches of heavy snow and thick layers of ice, which is an inevitability during Canadian winters.

Follow these helpful tips to get your garage in order before the cold weather hits!

1. Set aside a reasonable amount of time (you’ll probably need an entire weekend) to purge and clean out your garage. Categorize items by those you will keep, donate or sell, and toss. 
2. Once your things are organized, give the garage a proper cleaning. Sweep and wash the floor and wipe down the doors and walls. 
3. Everything from tools to golf clubs to household items should have their own designated spot, and proper storage solutions are imperative to maintaining an organized garage. Measure how much space you will need to park your vehicle and safely open the doors. 
4. Once you know the depth you have to work with, install appropriate shelving or cabinets for organized storage. Keep items in clear bins on the shelves for easy access and safe keeping. Install wall hooks or peg boards to hang things like shovels and hoses. If space is limited, use overhead storage racks to keep items you don’t need to access often. Do your best to keep items off the ground to avoid water damage. 
5. Remove any items that should not be stored in a garage, like old paint, propane, unsealed food items that can attract animals, or important paperwork that can be destroyed by moisture.
6. To ensure your garage stays clean and organized, make a point to ‘spring clean’ the space at least once or twice each year. 

Stay in the habit of parking inside the garage. If you know the space in the centre is always occupied by a car, you will not be tempted to fill it up with miscellaneous items. Plus, parking inside can actually extend the life of your vehicle by protecting it from the elements.

Before the cold weather sets in, make sure your home is winter-ready. Be sure to check these important tasks off your list. 

• Clear leaves and debris from your eavestroughs to avoid clogging
• Winterize landscaping and remove leaves your lawn, as this can lead to rotting in the spring
• Drain and shut off all outdoor water supplies, including garden hoses, sprinkler systems and outdoor taps
• Seal your doors and windows with caulking or weather stripping to limit the amount of cold air that comes and hot air that can escape
• Clean and cover your air conditioning unit to protect it from snow and ice. This will help to increase the lifespan of your unit
• Clean and inspect your furnace, gas fireplace and dryer vents to avoid fires when the heat is turned on in the winter. And, don’t forget to replace old filters
• Cover your outdoor equipment and patio furniture to protect it from the elements
• If you have a working fireplace, clean and inspect your chimney before the first use of the season
• Seal cracks in your driveway to prevent water from seeping in, freezing and expanding
• Test your snowblower and other winter equipment in advance
• Replace the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and test them to ensure they are working properly
• Check your fire extinguishers and replace them if they’ve expired

Since the late spring of 2020, Canadian home prices have been rising at historic rates, following the onset of the global pandemic. Widespread lockdowns suddenly forced millions of workers and students to conduct their daily business from home. While the trend of working remotely was gaining in popularity in the years prior, the seemingly unending health crisis accelerated the movement, driving many Canadians living in major urban centres to trade in their cramped quarters for more space in smaller cities and rural communities.

The latest Royal LePage House Price Survey and Market Forecast shows price growth in Kingston’s single-family detached segment was the highest in the country, posting an increase of 46.5% year-over-year in the third quarter. Following Kingston, Ajax had the next highest year-over-year home price appreciation for the detached properties, rising 36.2% year-over-year; then, Langley (34.5%) and Greater Victoria (34.0%). Kingston also had one of the highest aggregate price increases nationwide (36%), second only to Saint John, New Brunswick (36.4%).    

“Competition in Kingston’s housing market is incredibly high. Inventory has reached an all-time low, while demand gets stronger everyday,” said Bob Armer, area manager, Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty. “Today, there are even more buyers from out of town – namely from Toronto and the GTA – than there were a year ago. This migration continues to put a lot of upward pressure on prices, which is especially challenging for local buyers.”

Armer noted that Kingston’s proximity to Toronto has made it very popular among young people who can work remotely but may need to be in the office once or twice per week. 

This is just one example of secondary cities that have grown in popularity and population over the last 15 months. Nationally, home price appreciation is being driven by the detached segment in secondary cities, like Kingston.

Royal LePage is forecasting that the aggregate price of a home in Canada will increase 16% per cent to $771,500 in the fourth quarter of 2021, compared to the same quarter last year, putting real estate values on track to grow 33% by the end of the year from June, 2020.

Read Royal LePage’s third quarter release for more regional and national insights. 

Just Sold 303-2368 Marpole Avenue in Port Coquitlam for a record sale price for the building

Welcome to River Rock Landing.

Fabulous 2 bdrm & den condo is move in ready.

The living room has a gas fireplace & sliders that lead to the a private deck.

Dining room for entertaining.

The kitchen cabinets have been freshly painted white & bright.

New stainless-steel appliances. Stone counter tops & tiled back splash.

New laminate flooring in most areas & new carpet in bedrooms.

The 2 bathrooms have been updated in recent years as well as the washer & dryer.

Principal bedroom has a large walk-in closet plus sliders that also lead to the private deck.

The second bedroom would make a great home office.

Great prime location with parks, shopping, transit, new Poco Rec Centre & a wide array of restaurants & pubs.

For generations, Canadians have been asking themselves this important question:

‘Is it better to buy a home or rent?’

On the one hand, owning comes with more responsibility and higher monthly expenses, but offers more stability and a long-term investment. On the other hand, the money spent on renting will never be recuperated, however, it can offer some flexibility if you’re not sure how long you will live in one place.

According to a recent Royal LePage-sponsored study by economist Will Dunning, it is more financially beneficial to purchase a home than to rent in Canada, more than nine times out of ten. The study uses price data for 278 scenarios (broken out by city and housing type) across the country and assumes the owner is able to provide a 20% down payment. In 91% of scenarios, the monthly cost of owning a home is less than renting an equivalent dwelling, when considering the net ownership costs (total cost of ownership minus the portion of mortgage payment that goes toward principal). This is called the ‘ownership advantage’. 

“While Canadians do want their homes to appreciate, potential homebuyers will find it reassuring that significant price appreciation is not necessary for ownership to be financially worthwhile,” said Karen Yolevski, chief operating officer, Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd. “Historically, home ownership has been very profitable for Canadians, many of whom have factored their real estate investments into their retirement planning. Owning a home is widely viewed as a means to save money and build equity.” 

While home prices are expected to continue rising, the study found that even with a 10% decline in home prices, approximately half of the homeowners studied would still see a positive rate of return on investment, while the other half would break even or see a modest loss as an investment.

“For many people, buying a home – especially the first – is a landmark event and one of the most challenging decisions we’ll make in our lives,” said Will Dunning, president, Will Dunning Inc. “It is a decision that  is usually based on a lot of hard work. This research tests a belief that is held by a lot of Canadians, that owning is better financially than renting. And, it finds that this belief is very often correct.” 

Tor more insights, read the full release and report summary linked below:

The common notion that spring is a better time to sell than winter is being challenged by today’s hot seller’s market conditions. A recent Royal LePage survey found that 79% of real estate professionals say they would advise their clients to sell this winter, rather than wait until spring; significantly higher than the 64% who say they would have given that advice prior to the pandemic citing that current demand is outstripping supply in another year of unusual winter market activity.  

If you are considering listing your home this winter season, be sure to review our top ten tips for preparing your home for a winter sale!

1. Include both winter and summer photographs of your home in the listing so prospective buyers can better imagine themselves in the property all year round;
2. Clear a path to the front door and pathways around the home. Make sure the walkway is free of snow and ice; 
3. Turn up the heat in your home to a comfortable temperature;
4. Seal up any drafts in windows and doors;
5. Provide shoe covers or slippers, or lay down a large mat, so visitors don’t leave your floors looking messy for the next appointment. Don’t forget to remove winter boots and coats from your hall to make the area look bigger and so that visitors have a clear space to enter;
6. Up your winter curb appeal: Upgrade your mailbox and house number; add winter floral arrangements with hearty outdoor perennial planters
7. As the days are shorter and it gets dark earlier, keep outdoor lights on during showings; 
8. Whenever possible, show your home during the daytime and let lots of natural light inside;
9. Make the front door and entrance look warm and welcoming with seasonal decor;
10. And, showcase how outdoor spaces can be enjoyed even in the colder months. Be sure to clear off outdoor furniture that can be used in winter.

For more insights from the Royal LePage Winter Market Survey, read the press release here:

 Metro Vancouver home buyers compete for fewer home listings in October

Home sale activity in Metro Vancouver remained above historical averages in October while the overall supply of homes for sale dipped to levels not seen in three years.

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that residential home sales in the region totalled 3,494 in October 2021, a 5.2 per cent decrease from the 3,687 sales recorded in October 2020, and an 11 per cent increase from the 3,149 homes sold in September 2021.

Last month’s sales were 22.4 per cent above the 10-year October sales average.

“Home sale activity continues to outpace what’s typical for this time of year and the pool of homes available for sale is in decline. This dynamic between supply and demand is causing home prices to continue to edge up across the region,” Keith Stewart, REBGV economist said.

There were 4,049 detached, attached and apartment properties newly listed for sale on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in Metro Vancouver in October 2021. This represents a 27.3 per cent decrease compared to the 5,571 homes listed in October 2020 and a 21.7 per cent decrease compared to September 2021 when 5,171 homes were listed.

The total number of homes currently listed for sale on the MLS® system in Metro Vancouver is 8,034, a 35.3 per cent decrease compared to October 2020 (12,416) and a 13 per cent decrease compared to September 2021 (9,236).

“Rising fixed mortgage rates should eventually help ease demand, but for now sales remain strong and buyers with rate holds will remain motivated to find a property for the rest of the year,” Stewart said.

For all property types, the sales-to-active listings ratio for October 2021 is 43.5 per cent. By property type, the ratio is 33.6 per cent for detached homes, 64.4 per cent for townhomes, and 46.7 per cent for apartments.

Generally, analysts say downward pressure on home prices occurs when the ratio dips below 12 per cent for a sustained period, while home prices often experience upward pressure when it surpasses 20 per cent over several months.

The MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential homes in Metro Vancouver is $1,199,400. This represents a 14.7 per cent increase over October 2020 and a 1.1 per cent increase compared to September 2021.

Sales of detached homes in October 2021 reached 1,090, an 18.4 per cent decrease from the 1,335 detached sales recorded in October 2020. The benchmark price for a detached home is $1,850,500. This represents a 20.5 per cent increase from October 2020 and a 1.2 per cent increase compared to September 2021.

Sales of apartment homes reached 1,801 in October 2021, a 14.7 per cent increase compared to the 1,570 sales in October 2020. The benchmark price of an apartment home is $746,400. This represents a 9.5 per cent increase from October 2020 and a 1.1 per cent increase compared to September 2021.

Attached home sales in October 2021 totalled 603, a 22.9 per cent decrease compared to the 782 sales in October 2020. The benchmark price of an attached home is $975,000. This represents an 18.5 per cent increase from October 2020 and a 1.2 per cent increase compared to September 2021.

Download the October 2021 stats package.