I just flew back from a vacation in the States. This is the time of year when the Real Estate Market in Halifax, Nova Scotia and surrounding area just starts to wake up. If you know someone ready to buy or sell a home please contact me. I am never too busy for your referrals. Here is a photo I took from my iPhone flying into Boston for a connecting flight to Halifax. So while I was away the Real Estate Market received a bit of bad news. January home sales were down slightly. (About 2.8% from December) And there are new Mortgage rules coming that are going to make it even tougher for new home buyers to get Mortgages. Specifically, in the past, new homeowners were only subject to the standards of a three-year, fixed-rate mortgage. This standard will be raised to five-year, fixed mortgage ... 02/19/2010

When I speak with people everyone is so happy that their Real Estate value is going up throughout Halifax and Nova Scotia at large. Because their homes are worth more, right? Real Estate prices in Nova Scotia were up an average of 4.2% in 2009. But the flip side of that is the property assessments are going up too. Assessments were up an average of 6% in 2009. So why 6% if prices were only up 4.2%? That's a good question! Click on the thumbnail above to read the very short article on assessments. Mike Smith is a Realtor in Halifax, Nova Scotia 01/20/2010

A very common question I get asked as a Halifax Real Estate Agent is, "Mike, you're a Realtor, what is going on with the market. Is my house value going up or down?" Well here are the statistics so you can answer your own question from CREA. This is follow up from my post yesterday: Please click on the this thumbnail to go direct to CREA's PDF file for more stats than you can possibly handle. But back to the original question. Real Estate values went up 4.2% in 2009 in Nova Scotia. 01/16/2010

King's Wharf just had their grand opening for their model suite! This is a very exciting project especially for me as I live just a few minutes walk away. It will also have a huge positive impact for Dartmouth. (Finally, we are going to get some good coffee shops). Please click on the thumbnail above to visit their site. I was able to get in yesterday to get a sneak peak. Here is a short video of the King's Wharf Model Suite posted here with permission: I would be happy to introduce you to the King's Wharf Condos and show you around Dartmouth. Whether you are looking for a Condo to move into, or if you are looking to purchase a few units as an investment, Nova Scotia has never seen such a Real Estate Project!  10/22/2009

Over-Under DUPLEX that is perfect for investors Beautifully maintained DUPLEX located in popular Hydrostone area of Halifax on a unique corner lot with a park-like setting directly across the street where you can play with the dog. The lower unit. Halifax Real Estate for sale. The lower unit, currently rented for $1100 per month, is spacious & bright! Features cherry colored hardwood flooring, new laminate, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, updated kitchen and features it’s own little porch. EXIT Realty NS! The top Unit The top unit could be rented for approx. $1500 per month and features 2+1 bedrooms and 2 full baths. Mostly hardwood flooring on the main level with some laminate floors on the upper level. The living room and dining rooms are bright and spacious. Kitchen features a big pantry and lot... 09/11/2009

Beautifully maintained, tastefully decorated duplex in sought after Hydrostone area of Halifax. Owner unit - 3 bedrooms, two full baths, original hardwood, eat-in kitchen. Two bedroom rental unit with all new windows, doors, trim, floors and cabinets. Tenant pays heat & lights. Park/green area in front of house. Lovely, double corner lot. Back yard abuts private lane and has large brick BBQ/fireplace. Oil tanks replaced 03 & 09. Two new furnaces in 2007 and chimney redone. New roof shingles 06. New windows 01 & 06. This Halifax Real Estate is an absolute must see! 08/13/2009

The Real Estate Market seems to be picking up more and more each day. Halifax Real Estate is a great market to be in. Selling Real Estate for EXIT Realty Nova Scotia in the Sackville Real Estate market is one of the best career paths I could have ever taken. If you would like to learn more about a Halifax Careers with Exit Realty then just ask! 07/11/2009

Theatre Lofts/Best Halifax Condo Purchase I recently visited an exciting new project in the North End of Halifax that is going to help reshape the neighborhood and make it even more attractive for people to live their.  Theatre Lofts are beautifully designed contemporary loft-style condominium townhouses that are fresh and vibrant and will give a whole new look to Gottingen Street and the North End of Halifax.  I was so impressed with this project that I am thinking of purchasing a unit myself.  The development team is Atlantic Developments Inc.  and the architect is Michael Napier an award-winning designer of nearly 2,000 highly acclaimed condominium units across Canada.  I spoke with David Graham president of Atlantic Developments Inc. on February 12 about this exciting new project.  ... 02/13/2009

It could not be a better time to start to renovate your home.  The government has recently announced a new program to help home owners with renovation projects.  Coupled with the the Eco Energy retrofit grants, this makes renovating your home not only logical but economical as well.  Below is a list of a few highlights of the program - 15 per cent tax credit of up to $1,350 for eligible renovations to home or cottage - The credit can be applied to projects like a new kitchen or bathroom,  a new furnace, water heater, or a resurfaced driveway. Items like new furniture, appliances or home electronics would not be covered - The total cost has to be in excess of $1,000 and the credit tops out after $10,000 - the 15 per cent credit is applied to the amount between the $1,000 minimum and $10,... 02/06/2009

4th Quarter MLS residential stats for Halifax, Dartmouth and surrounding areas, released by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.  Lets have a look at some of the highlights of this report. Sales Decline but Prices Steady # of Sales 6205 - down by 10.7% from last years record total of 6945 Despite the decline in sales 2008 remained above the 10 year average. Dartmouth City had the most sales with 1669, only 4% fewer than 2007 Sales in Halifax City declined by 11%, Bedford-Hammonds Plains declined 15.6% and Sackville declined by 13.1%.  Fall River showed the largest decline in sales by 22%. These numbers are based against last years stats which were a record for HRM. Despite the decline in sales the average price continued to rise by 6.6%.  Which is consistent with the annual 10 year ... 01/29/2009

Do you remember the cheesy joke about the guy who tries to swim across the Atlantic....gets half-way.... doesn't think he can make it to the other side, so he turns around and swims back! haha Well some days I feel like that swimmer, not sure if I'll make it to my goal but I've gone too far to swim back....so on those days when I'm 'treading water' I try to keep these points in mind: This is a career of my own choosing. Compared with other businesses, it's really inexpensive to grow. All undertakings are challenging in the beginning. A positive affirmation will kick-start the day. It's important to surround yourself with successful, upbeat people. On a day when the phone does not ring, pick it up yourself. Do something that makes you happy.....with me, it's playing my fiddle. Remind mys... 01/27/2009

As it happens, my daughter and her partner are moving to another province; I had already mader her aware that I would be happy to represent them in this business if the opportunity should arise. As  a new agent, it will be good experience for me and it will save them some $. Although I intend to represent them in the same thorough manner I would serve all clients, I am wondering if others might share opinions as to working with family members. [my two sisters did business together years ago and are no longer on speaking terms.] I would say at the outset that communication is probably the key.....they must be upfront with me in giving their opinions every step of the way; similarly I must be direct with them, as I would be with all my clients. How can I ensure a happy successful experien... 01/24/2009

A recent release from Nova Scotia Association of Realtors states that the real estate market in our province is still going strong.  2008 was another great year according to Robert Wambolt, President of NSAR.  See the below article Nova Scotia Real Estate posts near-record results in 2008: NSAR HALIFAX - The Nova Scotia residential MLS re-sale housing market defied national trends in 2008, posting near-record results for the number of units sold and the dollar value of residential transactions. The year also ended with a record residential average MLS price for the province and a record for the number of new listings. By comparison, the national housing market ended 2008 with a slight decline in average price, and with a 17 per cent drop in the dollar volume of residential transactions.... 01/23/2009

My last Saturday in Halifax this summer, I was delighted to meet Zimbabwean, Mufaru Chakabuda, who had organized a day of African dance - I love dance.  Mufaru recently emailed very exciting news!!!   Her Maritime Centre for African Dance Adult Troupe is the only Canadian dance troupe invited to perform at the African Inaugural Ball for President Elect Barack Obama, at the Washington DC, Hilton Hotel. That's very soon!  Congratulations Mufaro!   (Mufaro with some tiny students in Nova Scotia) The dancers will be Vida, Dally, Ruvimbo and Mufaro accompanied by drummers, Glenn Fraser, Wayne Hamilton and Jeff. Executives from the Council on African Canadian Education and the Office of African Nova Scotian Affairs will be speaking about the history of African Nova Scotians. Thanks to NS Tour... 01/13/2009

Maybe it's because we are mathematical beings.... you know.....the length of your eye is equal to the distance between your eyes....your hand size coordinates with your shoe size etc. So when I noticed that my point total presently ends with 999, this bit of trivia turned my attention to numbers. A friend and colleague advised me when I joined active rain that people like lists.....not bulleted lists, but numbered lists. And now I am told, the lists should be odd numbers, not even. [And I recall when participating in art lessons years ago, the instructor advising me to paint three clouds, not two .......five flowers, not six etc.] We are always looking for ways to make our newsletters more functional; so in my next newsletter, I will depart from my usual format of paragraphs and arrange... 01/10/2009

Because of the time of year and situation with the economy, I must confess I've been a bit deflated lately! Being a new agent, I haven't as yet experienced that surge of adrenalin when the phone rings! Then I realized it's time for attitude adjustment!  I've come back to something my broker suggested......use positive affirmations each day. Well I've started doing just that.....my personal favorite is "if I work hard, and work smart, I will be successful!" That really says it all......and since coming to that realization, I've been much more  confident and optimistic about my future in the real estate industry. 2009....bring it on! 01/06/2009

No matter the gender, it's a fact of life that we must be security-conscious. As a new agent, I would be very interested in knowing how others handle the issue of the first meeting with prospective clients. My office is located in an industrial park about 30 minutes away from my residence and I'm not sure I would feel any more secure having new clients meet me there after hours. There is a coffee shop nearby but this may not be professional or private enough for a first meeting; as we all know....first impressions are important! Thanks in advance for your suggestions.....have a wonderful day! Melva 01/04/2009

We all know how important the online factor is to the Real Estate business; but IMHO the personal touch will always be at the centre of customer satisfaction and networking. This week I began door-knocking my neighborhood, which is also my farm district......simply to introduce myself, wish my neighbors a Happy New Year and leave them with a gift of a magnetic fridge calendar [with my business card attached]. People are more likely to keep a calendar than a newsletter so this will be my brand 'me' strategy for January. So far the response has been positive....and hey, it's good exercise! From winter wonderland......have a great weekend! Melva 01/03/2009

Predictions for the Halifax Real Estate Market 2009 The New Year is upon us and who knows what is in store for 2009.  2008 was a tough year on everybody.  With all the doom and gloom in the financial industry it is safe to assume that in 2009 we may be in for a rough ride here in Canada.   Hot Real Estate markets like Calgary, Vancouver, and Fort Mac Murray have seen a drastic declines in the number of sales and prices have tumbled. What is in store for us in the Halifax Real Estate market?  In my professional opinion I think Halifax is positioned nicely to not feel the sting of this so called recession we are in.  Last year we saw a 6.5% increase in average price and this year TD financial fore casted another rise in price but only by 2%.  This is a modest increase but it is still an i... 01/02/2009

HRMbyDesign will increase vibrancy and beauty of downtown Halifax HRMbyDesign has engaged the public in a democratic, community-led process to determine the vision for our downtown and to establish new policy that will make the vision a reality.  Over the past two years the citizen-led Urban Design Task Force has consulted, engaged and communicated with thousands of members of the public to ensure that the resulting plan creates a vibrant, exciting and beautiful downtown for residents and visitors. It is a plan that balances our rich past with a vibrant and beautiful future. Without this plan, we will continue to see parking lots on our waterfront, vacant and underused properties throughout the downtown, crumbling heritage resources in need of support through legislation and incentives ... 12/16/2008