Corollary - Montreal Market Activity Holds Strong in April 2010 A colleague commented on my recent post "Montreal Market Activity Holds Strong in April 2010" and I thought I would answer here as a corollary. The Question:"Would the decrease in listings combined with the increase in sales be especially significant ? A lot of agents we speak to have been complaining of the difficulty in getting listings lately. A shortage of inventory as they would say. So if volume is down and sales are up that seems doubly significant." My Reply:Significant to whom? It does define the market state, a sellers market. Whereby sellers may experience shorter sales periods and tighter negotiations towards their asking price, providing it is reasonable and at times even obtain a premium. There are factors and... 06/08/2010

Montreal Market Activity Holds Strong in April 2010 The Greater Montreal Real Estate Board (GMREB) report for April shows we have recovered our losses for 2009 due to the financial crisis. Here is there report published on the board's site earlier this May. There were 5,513 sales transactions in the Montréal Metropolitan Area in April 2010, a 16 per cent increase compared to April 2009, according to the Greater Montréal Real Estate Board's MLS® statistics.“At this time last year, the Montréal real estate market was still feeling the effects of the recession, but was showing signs of recovery. Sales were down by only 6 per cent compared to April 2008,” said Michel Beauséjour, FCA, Chief Executive Officer of the GMREB. “With a 16 per cent increase in sales this April, the Montréal real es... 06/02/2010

Market Report For Notre Dame-de-Grace (NDG) For April 2010 Homes: In April, single family homes in NDG sold for, on average, $582,696 on 16 sales increasing by 9.3% on the 1st quarter average of $533,073 for 9 sales in Jan, 8 sales in Feb and 20 in Mar this year and considered a new high for the sector’s average sale price.There were 16 sales reported which were a little lower than the 20 reported in April. The days on market (DOM) are still below the annual average days for the last 9 years and the second lowest time delay since Nov 2009 in the last 10 months.Inventory has remained sparse in April for single family homes in that they come on the market and are sold very quickly. Since July 2009, only August ’09 and Feb ’10 showed inventories above 4 months. The average inventory this m... 05/19/2010

Facebook Privacy Heads Up!! As of today, there is a new privacy setting called "Instant Personalization" which shares data with non-facebook websites and is automatically set to “Allow". This information allows your information and your friends information to be shared on thrid party sites. Go to:      Account           Privacy Settings                Applications &Websites                     Instant Personalization Pilot program                          Edit Setting                               and un-check "Allow." Feel free to re-blog this notice because even if you un-check this and your friends don't, they will still be sharing information about you! 05/18/2010

Market Report For Downtown Montreal Condos For April 2010   Our Real Estate Board reported April condo sales shot up over 40% to 41 sales versus the previous month's 29. For the first time this season, supply and new listings dipped somewhat perhaps indicating that the season has peaked for the spring and was supported by the lowest month inventory yet this year of 4.9 months for available property. Average price smoothed out to $532,510 on 41 sales over March's average of $570,952 on 29 sales and this year's high average of $575,877 on 15 sales in January. Discounting off the last asking price has stayed steady indicating as always that right-priced properties sell within normal parameters. something that the majority of clients learn from experience and not from their agent for many r... 05/12/2010

Market Report For Downtown Montreal Condos For March 2010 Downtown Montreal (Ville-Marie) condominiums (Condos) sold for $570,952 on average on 29 sales coming close to this year’s high of $575,877 done in January for 15 sales. Sales take a much longer downtown as these are high rise buildings requiring a little more effort to sell represented by the 109 days on market in March with a 7 month inventory. As a consequence, sales discounts are a little steeper at 94% off the average asking price. There is also a greater supply of available property of 202 units in March with 64 units of them new to market.   04/13/2010

Market Report For Notre Dame-de-Grace (NDG) Montreal For March 2010 NDG home sales in March 2010 reported 20 sales with a slightly lower average of $ 528,052 in a sector with short supply of 26 active listings. This in a sector with homes and condos totalling over 12,000 and when I add the active condo listings of 115 it is still kind of slim. March sales discounting is remaining high at 97% of asking and hovered there since at least July 2009 give or take a percent or two. What I find impressive is that homes are selling this month at 144% of their total evaluation, a record for the last 8 months at least. Inventory is the lowest we’ve seen this year at 1.3 months on 26 active listings while maintaining a lower than average 44 days on market. High demand is spurring on frequent multipl... 04/13/2010

My listing for a St. Laurent 3-bedroom condo just sold for 98% of the asking price and in 30 days. The market average for this type of property was 93 days.  No price reduction.  No languishing on the market.  The recipe for success here had many ingredients: Sellers who trusted me and my expertise in knowing what buyers for this type of property are looking for. A painter/handyman I've worked with for a long time who knew how to identify and address outstanding maintenance issues. A Montreal real estate agent (me) with a background in Montreal home staging, with the knowledge, resources and inventory of lighting, art and accessories to make this home shine. Sellers who were patient enough to wait until their property was ready before it went on the market. A detailed comparative market... 04/13/2010

Montreal Population Is Concentric   The greater Montreal area is centered around Montreal island. Montreal island has our mountain, Mont-Royal at it's center and the most valuable properties and neighbourhoods fan out from there in concentric circles. The population of Montreal is expanding away from the mountain in greater and more numerous rings away from the mountain. As it expands, property values decrease, in general, as you move further away from the mountain.Montreal   03/31/2010

Market Report For Downtown Montreal Condos For February 2010 Downtown Montreal condo activity as reported in MLS in February 2010 saw a rise in active listings to 181 from 126 in December and 140 in January while sales actually decreased from 24 in November progressively to 14 in February.New listings increased to 62, their highest in 8 months. Even though the number of average days properties stayed on market decreased to an 8 month low of 97 days, the current inventory is the highest it has been for the last 8 months at 12.9 months with an average price of $473,893. Montreal's downtown area is split in to 2 sectors by MLS: the "Centre-Ouest" sector West of University Streetand "Centre" for the East side. Downtown is also noted by it's French equivalent of "centre-ville" and the area k... 03/30/2010

Market Report For Notre Dame-de-Grace (NDG) Montreal For February 2010   Notre Dame-de-Grace saw homes selling like hot cakes at a country fair in February 2010 averaging 36 days on market for the 8 sales  with multiple bids driving prices up to $540,500. This is a return to rising prices seen in the last 3 quarters of 2009 after a stall in November and December averaging $530,500. As more homes came to market in February, the inventory level was driven up to 4.1 months over the recent norm of around 2.5 months. Notre Dame-de-Grace (NDG) condos consist principally of duplexes converted to either divided or undivided co-ownership dwellings. They are somewhat more affordable averaging at $ 311,636 in February 2010 for 22 MLS reported sales. The average days on market were 58 days showing ... 03/29/2010

When and how did it become all about the glamour shot in real estate?  I don't think it was always like this.  But now, everywhere you look, you've got real estate agents' faces plastered on For Sale signs, in newspaper ads for open houses, on business cards, on billboard signs for lots and developments.  What gives? Are we selling houses, property and land?  Or are we selling the talents of our team of stylists, make-up artists and photographers? I was once told that photos are important in real estate because they allow consumers to get to know us a little bit before we handle such an intimate affair as buying or selling their home.   I get that. So I guess I understand having a photo on a business card maybe, or on our web-site and/or blog. But why the million-dollar smile in an ad f... 03/23/2010

The proof is in the pudding: staging is way more than smoke and mirrors.  In this case, it helped an agent in my office sell a vacant Montreal condo that she had had on the market for a year. A year!  Our vision: to make the condo appeal to a young and hip clientele.  Being located within walking distance of two of Montreal's major universities, this was prime real estate for students and/or students' parents looking to make an investment while at university.  Once staged by Ready, Set...Sold! Inc., a Montreal home staging company that I started three years ago (before I got my real estate license), it sold with multiple offers within two weeks.  No price change, no difference in marketing...with one big exception: great photos for the MLS listing.         Before: Nice but...           ... 02/16/2010

I just received a Montreal casting call for a new home reno show to premiere on W Network in May.  Filming will take place in Montreal.  So, do you wanna be on TV? If you've got a room you want to renovate, that can be done in about 2 days, you or your partner is handy, and you wouldn't mind being filmed while you agonize over details, argue over paint colours, smash your finger with the hammer, sweat like a pig, and pull your pants up constantly (no flashing! this is TV after all), then read on. By the way, if you're accepted, the cost of all materials is covered (the show is partnered with RONA). Good luck!!  Show airs in May. Here's what they're looking for: - English-speaking handy men or women (DIY types or pros) in Montreal who have a room in their own home they need to renovate. ... 02/04/2010

Here are the top 5 things I love about Montreal.  If you like trying new things, and don't mind flying by the seat of your pants sometimes, you've GOT to visit.  Here's why: 1. The Restaurants We have restaurants on every corner, featuring food of every ethnicity, in every price range.  And it's GOOD. Variety is the spice of life, and here Montreal excels.   From the usual Greek and Italian, to sushi and Japanese grill houses, to Ethiopian and Indian, to Polish and Jamaican...you name it, we've got it.  And the universal dress code in Montreal is ... jeans and a great top!  And great shoes.  That'll get you in and comfortable just about anywhere.   2. The Fashion Montrealers are known for dressing beautifully. The city is home to some great fashion designers, but I'm talking about the w... 01/22/2010

Despite the best of intentions, I really got nothing done over the holidays. As a certain someone was thinking of the time he would have off during Christmas and New Year's as an opportunity to perfect his Guitar Hero performance of all things Van Halen, I was relishing the opportunity to get my Montreal home staging and Montreal real estate business in gear for 2010: to assess how 2009 had played out, input all my expenses, make sure my invoices were all aligned with accounts receivable, lay out my plans for 2010 and the steps involved to get there, etc. You know, all the stuff we business owners really should be doing to prepare for the year ahead. I got none of that done. Here's what I did get done: Skating with my family and friends on the outdoor rink in the Old Port of Montreal on... 01/01/2010

  Divided And Undivided Condominiums Together In One Complex In Mile End, Montreal Most recently, I was involved in 2 condominium sales of a different nature. The "Villeneuve" project is a renovation/restoration project of some 47 units on 3 Streets in Montreal. The buildings are triplexes (3 units per building). On Villeneuve Street, in the Mile End sector of Montreal, it extends from Jeanne Mance eastward to the next Street which is Esplanade. Bordering this row of buildings on both Jeanne Mance and Esplanade are 2 semi-detached buildings on each Street. A unique feature of this complex: a boiler heating building at the back with a studio condo unit newly added within. This is the central water boiler heater for all units within the complex. I understand this was the first and now onl... 10/03/2009

   Two major North American holidays have already passed this summer, as time flies quite quickly. These holidays were Victoria Day for Canadians and Memorial Weekend for Americans. For many of us, these holidays are considered the beginning of summer although, not officially. Many homeowners who are preparing to sell their home are faced with having guests stay with them during their transition. This leads to guests from out of town temporarily staying while the open house is taking place and while potential buyers are busy looking at every aspect of your home.      Your guests might not have their quarters in tip top shape. After all, they are on a vacation and tend to be more laid back as they should be. This is where staging a guest room is very important. What can be done to make y... 06/10/2009

   Summer is quickly approaching, for many property owners of vacation homes business may be quite slow. Due to our countries economic situation, one of the first forms of entertainment that consumers eliminate is their vacations. For many summer vacation home rentals this can become a major loss in revenue. Setting the stage for home staging your vacation home can make a big difference. Although, the market is down, there are a still a very high number of people who are still going on vacation and are still looking for summer rentals. Staging your summer home for potential clients can attract vacationers who never knew that about your rental or who never knew of your home's location as a vacation destination.    Your vacation home can be a condo or a small home located out of town, or ... 05/09/2009

As spring rolls into town, we visualize tulips and beautiful gardens beginning to bloom. Spring brings out the home owner who is looking to sell their most valued asset. Their property. As potential buyers come to view your home, you must make some adjustments to the homes exterior appearance. As the interior scene is very important, so is the front lawn and other parts of the property that are exterior. These areas must be taken care of that have been overlooked since last season. If your entrance screams community trash and items that should be recycled, this does not give your home any curb appeal to potential home buyers.    What home owners should do is clean up as much as they possibly can and if possible hire a gardner or landscaping company to complete the rest of the job. A sim... 04/27/2009