Kirsten Mason, Author at Kamloops Real Estate Blog

Understanding Market Conditions

January 23, 2009 Kirsten Mason Information For Buyers, Information For Sellers, Real Estate Information

Numerous factors affect the real estate market. There may be more buyers than sellers. There could be more sellers than buyers. Interest rates, employment statistics and pricing. The supply of resale and new homes are also considerations when selling a home. Generally speaking, there are three types of markets that affect the sale of your home. Understanding each of these can make a difference to your bottom line.

Buyers’ Market
Description: There is an abundance of homes on the market. Supply exceeds demand.
Characteristics: Many homes available for sale. Fewer buyers than homes. Homes remain on the market longer. Stable prices. Prices may also drop.
Impact: Less panic in buying. Buyers shop longer for homes. Upon negotiation, they often have more leverage.

Sellers’ Market
Description: There are more buyers than homes available.
Characteristics: Few homes on the market. Many buyers. Homes are sold quickly. Prices often rise.
Impact: Home prices are higher. Homes prices often rise. Buyers purchase quickly, and tend not to shop as much. Multiple offers are common. Sellers may prefer offers with no-conditions.

Balanced Market
Description: There are roughly the same amount of buyers, sellers and number of homes on the market. Supply equals demand.
Characteristics: Demand equals supply. Sellers accept reasonable offers. Homes sell within a reasonable time period. Prices generally remain stable.
Implications: There is less tension among buyers and sellers. There is a reasonable number of homes to choose from.

We have seen exponential growth in the Kamloops real estate market over the past five plus years. Often buyers would have little time to place an offer to purchase a property because of the sense of urgency in the market. Multiple offers was commonplace at that time. This fortunately for buyers has changed recently with the economic downturn. Buyers have time on their side and an abundance of homes to chose from. Today in the Kamloops real estate market we are seeing a strong buyers market. It will not be a buyers market forever, but it is expected that it will be this way for a while. Eventually, the market will cycle into a balanced market, which we have not seen in quite a number of years.

Selling Your Home: For Sale By Owner

January 22, 2009 Kirsten Mason Information For Sellers

What is your home worth? Click here for a free online home evaluation.

FSBO Many people don’t realize that selling a home is a complicated, time-consuming process. With numerous factors to consider such as open houses, advertising, pricing, negotiating and handling the numerous kinds of inquiries, it can be very exhausting and even worse – unfruitful. Many homeowners report the familiar grief after an open house: “I got lots of people, but most were just looking.” “They wanted it for next to nothing.”

You may be thinking, “Why would I need a Realtor to sell my home?” Let me give you just a few of the key reasons why a For Sale By Owners need Help in today’s difficult market:

1. Without working day in and day out in the real estate market it is quite unlikely that a FSBO will have complete understanding about pricing. Often a seller is forced to reduce the price and may have to accept less money for the home than the seller would have received had he or she started at the right price. When a Realtor goes to work with you, they ensure you will receive the most current market stats along with a thorough market analysis report to place your home in a solid market position.

2. A property depreciates the longer it is on the market. Many owners fail to take advantage of this excitement by limiting the market to their immediate contacts and advertising. Ensure your home is advertised 24 hours a day until it is sold. Realtors use a home selling system that is constantly being tested and improved to ensure your home is exposed to the largest pool of QUALIFIED buyers.

3. The two most common people who prey on FSBO’s are:

– #1. Investors / Bargain Hunters: these are people who are looking to capitalize on a FSBO’S lack of negotiating experience and market knowledge to score their next deal. Any time a buyer doesn’t buy from a store or through a sales person they expect to pay substantially less. In a sense they would expect to save the sales commissions or profits that would normally go to a sales person or store owner. Why should someone do all the work a salesperson would do and still pay the same price? For example if the seller is trying to save six percent and the buyer is trying to save six percent, now they are 12 percent apart!

– #2. People who can’t qualify to buy your home: These people will often approach FSBO’s because they have had previous financial difficulties and would want the owner to finance them. While for the right person, this could be a profitable investment, most sellers need to pull as much equity out of the property as possible to be able to move on with their next home.

4. It is important to ensure that only prospects who can qualify are introduced to your home. This eliminates the hassle of “lookers” and non-serious buyers and reduces the chance of strangers who may have activities in mind other than buying a house will come. Realtors often also have some of the best mortgage brokers in the industry working with their team who can pull the necessary strings to help finance a purchase.

5. Did you realize that any time a private seller is away from home, the home is off of the Market? It is important that someone will always be available to handle and follow up with inquiries during both peak hours and off-peak hours.

6. A seller selling privately can expect to put a minimum of 80 hours “work” into the project, without a guaranteed result. This does not account for out-of –pocket expenditures such as advertising, lawn signs, etc. Selling a home can be extremely stressful! Often FSBO’s don’t have the time available to take care of the details, from the first step of marketing to the final sale, because you have a life outside of the sale of your home.

In past markets it was very easy for a For Sale By Owner to sell their home. By all means, if you can do it on your own, go for it! Don’t wait around for a prolonged period of time and hope for that qualified buyer to walk in your door. I have found in the past few months many FSBO’s have had a lot of inquiries about Rent to own options. This sometimes is possible and works for the seller, but not often.

For Sale By OwnerThere are a lot of sellers trying to sell their homes today, that have the advertising power and exposure behind them because they are listed on the MLS with a Realtor. The majority of buyers begin their search on the internet, including FSBO sites, unfortunately the bulk of the current listings exist on the MLS. Once buyers begin their search they often pick a Realtor to help them, they do this because Realtors are free for buyers. Buyers do not have to pay a fee to work with a Realtor and often Realtors have the most qualified buyers.

Selling your home For Sale By Owner is difficult, but can be done. Give it a try and if you get frustrated interview Realtors and find the right one for you.

B.C. Assessment Information and How It Affects Your Property.

January 19, 2009 Kirsten Mason B.C. Real Estate News

For the 2009 Property Assessment Roll only, BC Assessment will be providing property owners with the market value of properties as of both July 1, 2007 and July 1, 2008. The lower of these two values will become the 2009 assessed value for most properties.

On November 27, 2008, the provincial government passed the Economic Incentive and Stabilization Statutes Amendment Act (Bill 45), which provides special valuation rules for the purpose of the 2009 tax year only. Part 3 of Bill 45 provides that properties valued at market value will, on the 2009 assessment roll, be valued at the actual value calculated using either a July 1, 2007 or July 1, 2008 valuation date, whichever is lower. This initiative is part of the B.C. Government’s economic strategy to provide stability and predictability to British Columbians in response to the downturn in the real estate market which began mid-2008

About 94 per cent of property owners in British Columbia will see an identical or lower assessed value on their 2009 notice compared to 2008. Eighty-two per cent of BC’s 1.85 million properties will reflect last year’s assessed value. Another 12 per cent of properties will be assessed at July 1, 2008 values because that value is lower than July 1, 2007. The remaining six percent have undergone changes that are described online.

If you were wondering if your property taxes were decreasing this is not necessarily the case. BC Assessment does not have a direct role in setting property taxes. Taxing authorities (municipalities, regional districts) set their tax rates for property taxes based on their budget requirements.

For further information or questions about your property assessment visit BC Assessment online here.

East Barriere Lake Real Estate Information

January 18, 2009 Kirsten Mason Surrounding Communities

For up to date Barriere, Kamloops and surrounding area homes for sale click here.

East Barriere Lake is located less than an hour north east of Kamloops. This lake is one of the last undeveloped lakes in the interior of British Columbia. East Barriere Lake is clean, full of fish and uncrowded. It is a beautiful lake that boasts a variety of activities year round. It’s shallow bay and warm waters make water skiing, wakeboarding, tubing, kayaking, swimming, canoeing and fishing very popular activities in the warmer months. The shores are sandy, surrounded by beautiful scenery to hike for hours makes this lake an undiscovered gem. For those who love to fish, East Barriere has plenty of rainbow trout. There are 100’s of kilometers of logging roads and off road trails for dirt biking and ATV’s in the spring, summer and fall. There are many winter activities to enjoy such as snowmobiling, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating on the lake and sledding.

East Barriere’s elevation is only 2,100 feet above sea level. The Max. depth of the lake is 302 feet with a mean depth of 156 feet. East Barriere Lake is approximately 10 Km long. The average summer water temperatures are between 75 – 82 degrees Fahrenheit.

Shuswap Highlands is a residential/recreational area on East Barriere lake where the lots are freehold parcels all belonging to a strata. Water and sewer system included in the strata. Telephone, internet & hydro are available to this area bringing the convenience of city life to the outdoors. There are a variety of homes located both on the lake shore and set back from the water. There are a lot of log homes custom cabins in this area. There is a shared sandy beach at the foot of the lake, as well as a boat launch, grassy recreational area and boat moorage. The access road to the development is plowed in the winter making it easier for property owners to access their homes.

The Sands is a leasehold area of East Barriere Lake. The Sands is directly beside Shuswap highlands (to the east) and covers a large part of the southern shoreline of the lake. There are many private beaches and beautiful log homes along this stretch.

Currently there are a number of properties for sale on East Barriere lake. There is a prime building lot that is located in the Shuswap Highlands. It sits at the foot of the popular South East bay of the lake and has beautiful views up the stretch of the lake. There is direct access to the shared beach and the boat moorage is seconds away. This lot is the only lot available in Shuswap Highlands. Properties with newer cabins on them in this development go anywhere from $450,000 +.

There are also eight waterfront building lots, and 19 water view sites. These properties are priced from $125,000 to $250,000. Roads, water and sewer are in for these properties. These properties are located on the north side of the lake.

To get more information about these properties on East Barriere lake or any other lake front properties click here.