By Warren McNeil,

I am a little apprehensive saying this because as soon as I say it, we will be hit with a big snowstorm. I hope Spring is here? I love Spring for a few reasons.  I always know when Spring is here because I get to go to the Elmira Maple Syrup festival. Who doesn’t love Sapfest! I can picture those pancakes now.. Yummmmmy!! The second thing is I get to open my fish pond. Hopefully my fish are OK this year. There were a couple of really cold nights. We have had really good luck over the past 5 years so I am expecting this year to be the same.

The other way we can tell Spring is here is the Kitchener Waterloo Real Estate market heats up. I can tell this year is going to be hot. Buyers are “chomping at the bit” to get out house hunting. Some already are.. The biggest issue though is the lack of inventory. There are lots of multiple offers going on and buyers are paying more money for houses. Sellers are getting top dollar for their houses. The is great for sellers but not so great for buyers. With that said, interest rates are still low. I think the key thing buyers should consider is the money they are saving in interest from the bank is offset by the prices  they are paying for the houses.  Move-up buyers will get more money for their houses but they will also pay more money for the house they plan to buy.  

What does this all mean? To me it means that it is still  a good time to buy despite the higher prices. Not all areas are effected. So you can still get good deals if you look for them. Research is important before making decision.

It is important to get out and see everything that is available and act fast when you find the house you like.

Thanks for reading!

We are a full-time real estate team in Waterloo Region, Woolwich & Wellesley Townships. We enjoy assisting buyers and sellers with the purchase or sale of real estate in the Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Elmira, Wellesley, Wilmot, Drayton and  everywhere in between. If you would like us to help you with your home search, please check out our brand-new free search website or if you are thinking of selling, get a free market evaluation.

Warren & Melanie McNeil | Sales Representatives, Team McNeil Re/Max Twin City Realty, Brokerage (   519.579.4110 | 519-498-8118                8 www.TeamMcneil.com, www.ClickThatHouse.com, www.LoftStyle.ca, www.ElmiraRealEstate.ca

Connect with us on the following social networks     Facebook: www.facebook.com/teammcneilremax

By Warren McNeil
 

The Table below shows the most relevant real estate data for the month of Feb 2010 and compares it with the previous month and the previous year, January 2010 and February 2010, respectively. This information is for single detached only in all areas.

The above information is believed to be correct errors and ommissions accepted.

 See my recent post titled What’s going on with the Kitchener-Waterloo Real Estate Market

Thanks for reading!

We are a full-time real estate team in Waterloo Region, Woolwich & Wellesley Townships. We enjoy assisting buyers and sellers with the purchase or sale of real estate in the Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Elmira, Wellesley, Wilmot, Drayton and  everywhere in between. If you would like us to help you with your home search, please check out our brand-new free search website or if you are thinking of selling, get a free market evaluation.

Warren & Melanie McNeil | Sales Representatives, Team McNeil Re/Max Twin City Realty, Brokerage (  519.579.4110 | 519-498-8118                8 www.TeamMcneil.com, www.ClickThatHouse.com, www.LoftStyle.ca, www.ElmiraRealEstate.ca

Connect with us on the following social networks   Facebook: www.facebook.com/teammcneilremax

By Warren McNeil,

The spring market is nearly here and our Team is really gearing up. The Bank of Canada has maintained the interest rates which is really good news.

See: http://creanews.ca/2010/03/02/bank-of-canada-maintains-interest-rates-4/

Buyers are in the market right now looking to buy houses. However the biggest problem is low inventory levels. In January, the number of active listings was down 33% over 2009.

See: http://files.newswire.ca/577/MarketTrendsRpt2010.pdf

 Our team has been doing lots of market evaluations for people lately so we know that it’s going to be a busy spring.

Now is a good time to sell because of the following reasons:

• less inventory can work in the sellers favour. less competition
• low interest rates for buyers making it easier to buy
• there’s an abundance of buyers
• the minimum downpayment requirement is still 5% and not 10%
• the olympics are over. Not sure if that’s a good reason but it sounded good
• higher offer potential
• multiple offer potential

The next three months are going to be really interesting.

Thanks for reading!

We are a full-time real estate team in Waterloo Region, Woolwich & Wellesley Townships. We enjoy assisting buyers and sellers with the purchase or sale of real estate in the Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Elmira, Wellesley, Wilmot, Drayton and  everywhere in between. If you would like us to help you with your home search, please check out our brand-new free search website or if you are thinking of selling, get a free market evaluation.

Warren & Melanie McNeil | Sales Representatives, Team McNeil Re/Max Twin City Realty, Brokerage (  519.579.4110 | 519-498-8118                8 www.TeamMcneil.com, www.ClickThatHouse.com, www.LoftStyle.ca, www.ElmiraRealEstate.ca

Connect with us on the following social networks   Facebook: www.facebook.com/teammcneilremax

Absolutely Adorable

• 1 bath, 3 bdrm 1 1/2 story - MLS® $214,900

Kitchener East, Kitchener  -  Absolutely adorable 1 1/2 storey single detached home! Upper level boasts 2 spacious bedrooms with original hardwood. Bright cozy living room with gas fireplace. Separate dining room with newer hardwood.

Property information

By Warren McNeil

Kitchener Waterloo and Cambridge offer a huge selection of condos, lofts or singles. Whether you want to live in a Kaufman loft, a Keats Way condo, a single-family in Doon South or a townhouse in North Waterloo the choices are  endless. But which is the best option?

I have written similar blogs about this topic before but it never seems to get old. I have lots of clients who say to me they would never pay a condo fee. I have other clients who say, they want somewhere that will allow them the freedom to come and go as they please without having to worry about maintenance. Whatever the case is, people have their preference and here are a couple of thoughts to ponder.

One of the cons to condo living is the extra monthly fee you have to pay for maintenance. I had a client say to me recently that they feel that the monthly condo fee is a waste of money. These people lived in a single-family home for 30 years and were used to doing all of their own maintance and upkeep on their house. My goal with them was to explain the benefits of condo living. One benefit I shared with them was that condo living would allow them the flexibility to travel for extended periods of time while leaving the condo unattended. All maintenane and upkeep is taken care of for them. No snow to shovel and no grass to mow.  We have many clients who own condos and lofts who absolutely love that they don’t have to worry about these types of things.

Choosing a condominium over a single-family home is about choosing a lifestyle. If you are used to living in a single-family home then moving into a condominium could be a huge shock to you. But wouldn’t it be great to not have to be responsible for repairs or other maintenance.  What about underground parking or access to a swimming pool? These are all amenities you can expect from living in a condominium.

 Overall, condominiums are a pretty secure investment for buyers over the last ten years. With diligent research on your part, you’ll be able to answer your own “which option is better?” question in the end and feel good about your decision.

Thanks for reading!
Warren & Melanie McNeil | Sales Representatives, Team McNeil
Re/Max Twin City Realty, Brokerage ( 519.579.4110 
8 www.TeamMcneil.com, www.LoftStyle.ca, www.ClickThatHouse.com  
P.S. Looking for a condo or loft, check out our brand new website at www.LoftStyle.ca!

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