Kamloops Real Estate New-Home Starts Increase in October 2010

Kamloops Real Estate News

This article appeared in the New Home Buyers Guide included in the Kamloops this Week dated November 24, 2010.

The construction industry in Kamloops continues to roll along as the number of new-home starts for the month of October outpaced the total in the same month last year.

According to new figures from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, there were 23 housing starts in the Tournament Capital last month, compared to 18 in October 2009. The 28 per cent increase in starts eclipsed other cities in the region, including Kelowna and Vernon, which saw a 25 and 67 per cen decrease respectively.

That brings the total number of single-family housing starts in Kamloops in 2010 to 314, up from 134  the previous year, which is a significant increase. Once again, those numbers are the highest in the region, as other Interior cities are experiencing increases of between 50 and 75 per cent in single-family housing starts.

However, the city is slightly off last year’s pace for multi-unit construction starts. With two months left in the year, there has been 209 multi-unit starts in the Tournament Capital, down from 217 the previous year.

Overall, the number of total units built in Kamloops this year is up, to 523 from 351 in 2009.

National resale housing activity improves in October. (CREA)

National Real Estate News

OTTAWA – November 15th, 2010 – National resale housing activity rose for the third consecutive month in October 2010, according to statistics released by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA).

Seasonally adjusted national home sales activity via the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) Systems of Canadian real estate Boards climbed 4.6 per cent in October 2010. The monthly rise in activity builds on similar increases in August and September. As a result, activity now stands 13.3 per cent above July levels, when it reached this year’s low point. Three-quarters of local markets posted monthly increases in seasonally adjusted activity in October, led by Toronto and Vancouver.

As further evidence that the market is returning to normal, sales activity in October stood halfway between the recessionary low reached in December 2008, and the record level activity posted in December 2009.

Actual (not seasonally adjusted) national sales activity in October 2010 was 21.6 per below levels for October 2009, when activity set a new record for the month.

National sales activity rebounded last year without a single monthly decline and hit record levels in the second half of 2009. As a result, large declines in activity compared to year-ago levels are masking recent monthly gains in national sales activity. Record level activity late last year is expected to continue stretching year-ago comparisons over the rest of 2010 (Exhibit 1).

Read the rest here. Link

Kamloops and District Real Estate Associations Statistics For October 2010

Kamloops Real Estate Statistics

The Kamloops and District Real Estate Association has posted it’s latest statistics for October 2010. The number of residential sales has dropped in comparison to October 2009 (229 units in 2009 vs. 146 units in 2010). The median sale price is also down significantly from last month. However, the median sale price can easily be affected by a large volume of high priced home sales. Click on the images below to enlarge.

Comparative analysis by property type October 2010 Kamloops Real Estate Statistics

Kamloops Real Estate Comparative Analysis By Property Type October 2010

MLS Activity October 2010 Kamloops Real Estate Statistics

Kamloops Real Estate MLS Activity October 2010

Sales by Subarea October 2010 Kamloops Real Estate Statistics

Kamloops Real Estate Sales by Subarea October 2010

Kamloops Home Inspections: Reduce Your Home Energy Bills

Home Inspection Information

Todd Hrycenko Kamloops Home InspectionsSpend a little bit of money on your Kamloops home and save a lot on your home energy bills. Here are some tips on cutting your energy costs year round.

A lit fireplace sucks furnace-heated air up the chimney, which is replaced by cold air that comes in the opposite direction through the same opening. Turn the thermostat down and close your damper when it’s not in use.

Soot buildup, dusty fans and loose fan belts can add hundreds of dollars to your heating costs each year. Have your furnace tuned up regularly by a heating contractor, this can save up to 10 percent on heating bills.

Heating water makes up about 11 percent of our utility bills. Switching your unit for a more efficient storage model could save you 10 to 20 percent on heating bills.

Small changes can make a big difference.

Maintenance Matters

Air filters, included on all forced air furnaces, remove dirt and lint from heated air. This keeps the fan, heat exchanger and air conditioning coil clean. It also helps clean the air of your home as air circulates through the system.   The air in houses in Kamloops and area can be very dusty due to the low humidity, and filter maintenance is essential to keeping your home healthy.

Maintenance is based on the type of filter, how often the unit is running and how you use your home. The three basic types of filters are media, electronic and electrostatic.

The standard filter on most furnaces is a 1-inch thick media filter, usually made of fiberglass. This filter should be changed when visibly dirty – usually every month or two, depending on the quality of the filter and the amount of dirt in your home’s air. Children, pets, plants and activity tend to produce more dirt that finds its way into the heating system.

Filters are designed to be installed with one particular side facing the air stream. Most filters have directions or an arrow telling you which side should be installed toward the furnace.

Todd Hrycenko, Global Property Inspections
Phone: 250-371-2787 [email protected]
1 … 204 205 206 207 208 … 234