Second Best April on Record for Area Home Sales

  Residential sales activity recorded through the MLS® System of the Georgian Triangle Association of REALTORS® remained very strong in April 2012, marking the seventh consecutive month of double digit year-over-year growth. 

 Home and condominium sales totaled 186 units in April, this was the second best April sales figure ever reported, the record was set back in 2002.  Sales this year also reflected an increase of 27% from April 2011.

    Some 543 residential properties have traded hands so far this year, up 22% from levels in the first four months of 2011, and the second best start to any year on record after 2002.

  New residential listings numbered 575 units in April 2012, up 9% from a year earlier and the highest level of any month on record.

  There were 1,656 active residential listings on the Association’s MLS® System at the end of April 2012, an increase of 4% from levels at the end of April 2011.

  At the end of April there was 9.8 months of housing inventory available on a seasonally adjusted basis, down from 10.3 months at the end of March. The number of months of inventory is the number of months it would take to sell current inventories at the current rate of sales activity.

  The value of all residential transactions in April was $56.4 million, jumping 37% from a year earlier. This was the highest monthly dollar volume on record.

  Total sales of all property types which includes vacant land, farm and commercial numbered 206 units in April, an increase of 22% compared to the same month in 2011. The total value of all properties sold in April 2012 was $60.5 million versus $48.9 million in April 2011, an increase of 22%.

  In my next posting I will review sales activity by Municipality and across the various price ranges.

Wilbur The Pot Bellied Pig

Watching Collingwood Council tonight (April 30th)  I can't help but commend the Councilors for keeping a straight face while debating the plight of "Wilbur" the pot bellied pig. A motion was put forth so as to allow pot bellied pigs to be kept within the Town's limits. Perhaps I am dating myself but the proceedings reminded me of the TV sitcom “Green Acres” (1965 - 1971) where a couple of the show’s characters Fred and Doris Ziffel, adopted a pig as their son “Arnold.” Click on the following link to see why I am comparing tonight’s Council debate on Wilbur with the high jinks of Green Acres.  It would appear that Wilbur is about to be run out of Town.  As in the following video, perhaps Wilbur needs to hire a high profile lawyer to plead his case.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBpYQ7e9uQw

Watch, Listen and Learn

 Real estate professionals in Ontario are regulated by provincial law under the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act 2002 (REBBA 2002). The Act was amended in 2002 with various changes brought forth including the category those that practice real estate hold of which there are three. These are: Salesperson or Sales Representative, Broker and Broker of Record with the latter being owners of a real estate brokerage.

  As soon as it was legally possible, I obtained my Broker license. The reasons I wanted to attain this are many and I have since taken additional courses and added other designations to my credentials as well. Why? The function of today’s REALTOR® has changed some of it brought on by technology some of it brought on by changes in consumer behavior and demands. Essentially, REALTORS® are no longer sales people. I do not want to be thought of as a salesperson. Perhaps REBBA 2002 needs to be amended to reflect a new category that better reflects the role and responsibilities of today's REALTOR®? I know of no other profession where sales people are required to procure a license. REALTORS® are in fact advisors much the same way consumers have a financial advisor, a legal advisor and so on. As advisors, it is our responsibility to know intimately the market in which we trade in, the legal requirements of buying, selling and leasing real property in Ontario, zoning, environmental issues and a host of other matters in order to be able to "advise" consumers with respect to real estate related transactions.
  In addition to requiring the knowledge associated with the aforementioned topics, one other trait stands out in my mind as being essential. For today’s REALTOR® to be a “trusted advisor” you must be a good listener. The fact is, being a good listener applies to most areas of our lives personal and professional. Being a good spouse, parent, employee etc. is heavily reliant on being a good listener and this often starts with asking the right questions. How many times have you had someone try to “sell” you something without even finding out what you want or really need?
  If you are in the midst of or are contemplating a real estate or other major purchase or transaction, it’s best to determine if the party your are working with is a good listener and to do so requires being one yourself.
  As a former business executive turned REALTOR®, I have followed the rise, fall and rise again of Donald Trump. Like him or not he’s been a great success and the following quote is worth noting.
“Watch, listen and learn. You can’t know it all yourself, and anyone who thinks they do is destined for mediocrity.”



– Donald Trump