The lovely hot weather has finally hit the Okanagan and with it more buyers came out of hibernation.

As predicted in my last newsletter the Buyers are coming, the Buyers are coming. This was very evident in the number of June single family home sales.

There were 78 single family home sales in June, 2011 as compared to 52 in June, 2010 which is a nice increase. Hopefully, this increase will be carried over into the rest of the year.

The least expensive home sold was for $89,000 out in Falkland and the most expensive home was for $1,150,000 in Coldstream.

There were 870 single family homes on the market at the end of June which was our peak. As of the first week of July, we have tailed off to 858 homes listed on the MLS. A sales to listing ratio of 9% in June is much higher than the 6% per month we have seen for the first part of the year.  This is another encouraging trend.

The only decrease this month is the average and median price of sold homes. From this small sample, it appears that home prices have come down recently.

The median sold price for single family homes in June 2011 was $320,000 and the average sold price was $359,594. In June 2010 the median sold price for single family homes was $364,500 while the average sold price was $431,722.

Condos and Townhouses Update

It is amazing to note that the number of strata homes on the market as of the first week in July is almost the same as in May. There are still 424 strata homes on the market (423 in May).

The number of strata sales in June, 2011 is also much the same with 29 sales in June compared to 31 in May. Sales to listing ratio continues at about 7%.

The median sold price for stata during June 2011 was $222,000 while the average sold price was $225,417.

The average sold price of a strata has also dropped in June 2011 compared to June 2010. Last year the average sold price was $277,152.

Single Family Homes with Acreage Update

They are not making any more land in the Okanagan, but are people still buying acreages here? A category that the industry tracks is called single family homes with acreage. This means the property has to have a house on it and it must be over 1 acre.

During June 2011 there were 10 sales in this category ranging in size from 2 to 137 acres. The average sale price was $577,825 with the median at $435,000. In June 2010 there were 13 sales with the average sold price of $472,346 and a median sold price of $440,000.

Looks like acreages are still popular and still selling, although with 285 homes for sale in this category and only 10 sales in June, those aren’t good odds for a seller!  Buyers though will have a huge selection of homes to choose from. There are also very motivated sellers thay may take any reasonable offer.

Still A Buyers Delight!

It is still a fantastic time for Buyers to either buy their first home, or for home owners to upgrade their existing home for a better one, maybe one with acreage!

From the examples above if you have an average single family home and it is valued at $360,000 you could upgrade to a single family home with acreage for $472,346 or for only $122,000 more. Likely you could find a home comparable to your present one and pay well below market value for the 2 or more acreas you will get in the deal.

By the way, if you wanted to just buy just acreage with nothing on it you will pay an average $224,000 for a piece between 2 and 5 acres.

Okanagans Home Team – what does that mean?

Okanagan’s Home Team is the name of the Real Estate group that Harold Schroth and I operate within the RE/MAX Vernon brokerage. It is a way to differentiate outselves from the other sales representatives and teams in the business. But what does that really mean to you as a valued client, or is it just another meaningless marketing name?

For the longest time, I wrestled with the concept of what Okanagan’s Home Team meant to me. I have a fancy catch phrase “Let Us Hit You Home” that was nice to say, but it didn’t really hit me until recently that the name actually means what it says. Harold and I are not just the only people on Okanagan’s Home Team. For our clients we bring so much more than exceptional Real Estate services.

Our goal is to become not only your trusted Real Estate advisors, but also your advisor in all aspects related to home ownership. Not that we are superior painters or floor layers. However, if you want someone to repair a broken door, we will refer you to an awesome Handyman. If you need to turn your average yard into a garden delight, we will refer you to an awesome landscaper. The list of amazing and talented business owners who specialize in various aspects of home ownership is really quite large. Check them out…

§                Mortgage Broker (250-545-2202) Dominion Lending - Brian Langner

§                Absentee Homeowner Service (250-540-9704) Concierge Care by Deb - Deb Springer

§                Landscaping (250-307-1234) Tip Top Gardens & Patios - Brian Bowden

§                Handy Man (250-938-1963) Yes Dear Handyman Services - Gio Lepore

§                Home Staging/Organizing (250-306-8398) The Main Organizer - Lee Mains

§                Esthetic Services (250-309-0798) Esthetics On The Go - ConnieTraxel

§                Video Production (250-306-2894) Bruce Mol, Video Production - Bruce Mol

§                Wine Maker (250-549-8468) Vernon Vintners - Cheryl Eedens

§                Chiropractor (250-503-0123) Aberdeen Wellness Clinic - Dr. Cameron Grant

§                Home Theater & Stereo (250-260-3336) The HiFi Attic - Lyle Duffield

§                Auto & Truck Repair (250-542-5494) East Hill Auto & Truck Repair - Rob Isles

§                Floor Layer (250-309-8589) Sean's Floors - Sean Hughes

§                Physiotherapist (250-503-2112) Kalamalka Physiotherapy Centre - Tamara Dantzer

§                Virtual Assistant (250-558-0433) My Right Hand Virtual Assistant - Stacey Taylor

§                Job Search Coach (250-558-0404) Virtual Job Search Coach - Stacey Taylor

§                Business Coach (250-550-3964) Tru Leadership - Keith J. Johnston

§                Computer Equipment & Repair (250-558-4794) RAM Computer Services - Ron Pasutto

§                Financial Planner (250-306-8998) Lakefront Capital Management - Lyndon Mains

§                Storage Systems (250-542-9912) Go Go Boxes - David Claeys

§                Website Development (250-309-8418) VNet Consulting - Tim Houle

§                Window Coverings (250-275-2735) Budget Blinds - Doug Hartry

§                Bookkeeper (250-540-7552) Carol Edwards Office Services  - Carol Edwards

§                Water Systems & Spas (250-309-9287) MacDonald Water Systems - Ian MacDonald

§                Accompaniment & Transportation (250-540-0975) Driving Miss Daisy - Michelle Rozka

§                Promotional Products (778-475-1357) Stuart Consulting Services - Stewy Stuart

§                Travel Services (250-549-4432) Uniglobe Kalamalka Travel - Sandi Melnick

§                Accounting Services (778-475-5788) Certified General Accountant - Wendy Hesketh

§                New & Used Automobiles (250-275-4004) Vernon Hynundai - Steven Daschuk

§                New Home Construction (250-503-8220) Sunterra Custom Homes - Ranbir Nahal

§                Hair Styling & Cuts (250-503-5553) Voila Hair Studio & Spa - Barb VanderHoek

§                Janitorial Services (778-475-5650) - OK Janitorial Services - Wade Appell

§                Food Catering Services (250-558-7555) Gumtree Catering - Kyla MacAulay

§                Personal Fitness Services (250-308-8188 - Rozka Fitness Group - Jill Rozka

§               Seafood Restaurant (250-503-3800) Joey's Only  -  Stephan & Colleen Bednarick

§               Fine Furniture & Cabinets (250-545-6499) Into The Woods - Carl St Jean  

If you ever need a service of any description related to your home ownership, or not, please don’t hesitate to give me a call. The list of The Home Team members is also at  http://okhometeam.ca/links.html if you need email and website information on these businesses.

Finally, we are always looking for great businesses that you can recommend and refer to us! Simply give me a call or send an email and I will follow up to see if that business wants to be a member of Okanagan’s Home Team!

Splash on some color!
Painting Tips

Sometimes lighting and shadows can make choosing a paint color a little tricky. Try these tips for getting it just right!

1. Look to your favorite home-decorating magazines and tear out color schemes and ideas that appeal to you and take with you when shopping for paint.
2. Know that color is usually more intense on walls than it seems on a sample card. Play it safe and go a shade or two lighter.
3. Yellow and rosy tones give a room a warm feeling. Greens, blues and grays give a cooler tone.
4. Avoid snow-white except in ultramodern, minimalist environments, because it will seem too harsh, giving a sterile, operating-room effect. It's better to go with a white that contains a hint of peach, beige or pink.
5. Keep bold color schemes for areas such as bathrooms and dining rooms where you don’t spend as much time. That way if you tire quickly, changing it won’t be as large of a project!
6. Take fabric with you if you're matching it, either a swatch, pillow or curtain panel for example.
7. Start small, buying just a quart or so of paint, and then paint a section of wall with a paintbrush or roller, or test the color on a good-size (perhaps 3 feet square) plywood or wallboard scrap, or on a piece of cardboard; set it against the walls in the room as the light changes (including artificial light) and evaluate
   it for a few days.
8. Test a two-tone scheme, such as wainscoting in one color and walls in another, by painting two boards or painting one board in both colors.  Repeat the test, tinkering with colors in small amounts until you're satisfied. While th­e cost for sampling various paints can add up, it is still better than applying the wrong color to an entire room and having to repaint!

5 Handy Household Tips

1. Stains in Plastic Storage Containers: Use a baking soda paste (baking soda and water) and rub into the stain. You can then rinse with vinegar (optional) and wash normally. Another method is to place container outside on a nice sunny day and the sun actually bleaches the stain out. To avoid stains in the first place, spray container with cooking spray before putting things in it that stain i.e. spaghetti sauce.
2. Stickers, Decals, and Glue: To remove them from furniture, glass, plastic, etc. saturate with vegetable oil and rub off.
3. Stuck-On Food in Pots, Pans, and Crockpots: Fill the pan with water and place a fabric softener sheet in the water. Allow the pan to soak overnight. The food will wipe right out!
4. Stovetops: To prevent grease and grime from sticking to your stove top, making it easy to clean, rub it down with car wax on occasion.
5. Tarnished Silverware: Line a cake pan with aluminum foil. Fill with water and add 1 Tablespoon of baking soda per 2 cups of water. Heat to 150 degrees. Lay silverware in pan, touching aluminum foil. Watch the stains disappear!