Karen Hayes: (250) 927-9798 | Susie Mattner: (250) 228-1960 | sold@teamw.ca
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PARKSVILLE QUALICUM BEACH REAL ESTATE NEWS-August 2015

PARKSVILLE QUALICUM BEACH REAL ESTATE NEWS August 2015   

Hi,

We would like to invite you all to a "Customer Appreciation Event"!
Wed. Sept 2nd from 3 till 7 p.m. at our home
1478 Madrona Dr. Nanoose Bay
Come and join us to celebrate a great year so far & the beginning of fall with some food and drinks! There will be plenty of beer & wine, local corn, pulled pork on a bun, veggies and dessert!

We look forward to seeing you all there! Its just a small token of our appreciation of you all and your ongoing support. We want to thank you for using us as your realtors and sending your family and friends to us as well!

This month’s newsletter also has some tips on how to keep your credit score in top shape. There are also a few essential tips on how to properly secure your smartphone as well as a really simple yet delicious barbeque recipe that’ll appeal to almost everyone!

Thanks so much for checking out this month's newsletter.  Please come to the party or get in touch if you have any questions or comments regarding the articles, or real estate in general -- it'd be great to hear from you!

Building Relationships, Fullfilling Dreams since 1989
Rudi & Trish W.
In this issue...
PARTY INVITE!
Housing Market Remains Strong
Give Yourself Some Credit
Smart Security for Smartphones
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms with Goat Cheese
PARTY INVITE! 

                                ITS A BBQ PARTY!


                              WEDNESDAY  SEPT 2ND


                                     3 p.m. to 7 p.m.


    1478  MADRONA DR  NANOOSE BAY

                                       250-468-1498

    
                                                                PLEASE R.S.V.P.

                        (JUST SO WE ARE SURE TO HAVE ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE!)

Housing Market Remains Strong 

VIREB’s robust spring and summer housing market cooled slightly in July but August has been overall a  good month, especially consideriing the historical summer slowdown. I has been significantly stronger than one year ago.

Last month 515  single-family homes sold on the MLS® system compared to  636 in June 2015, a decrease of 19 per cent; however, year-over-year sales rose by 13 per cent from July 2014.

Inventory levels continue to decline, with active listings down 14 per cent since last July.

BCREA Chief Economist Cameron Muir states that although experts are predicting a “technical recession” for Canada, B.C.’s economy continues to lead the country and shows no signs of slowing down.  The province’s gross domestic product (GDP) is holding at between 2.0 and 2.3 per cent. “Low interest rates and high consumer confidence continue to drive housing sales throughout the province,” says Muir.  “Waning inventory is also accelerating prices in many markets. When you have a finite supply of homes and high demand, a local REALTOR® offers unique insight and knowledge to ensure you’re paying the right price when buying and pricing your home appropriately when selling,”


He emphasized that the services of a REALTOR® are especially valuable in an active housing market to ensure consumers make smart decisions when buying or selling a home.

VIREB President-Elect Margo Hoffman confirms that sales in our area reflect what is happening in the rest of the province.  In fact, although the summer months are traditionally quieter, REALTORS® in the VIREB area are very busy. “We haven’t slowed down this summer, which is unusual,” she says.  “Normally, July and August are quieter due to consumers’ holiday plans, but not this year.” She also notes that although inventory levels have declined each month since the beginning of the year, our benchmark price for single-family homes is up just under five % from a year ago.

We strongly feel that the market is still in balanced territory, but some areas are on the cusp between a seller’s and buyer’s market, depending on the type. This is particularly true for "newer ranchers". ( *less than 10 years old) In fact we have a number of buyers looing for that and little or no product to show them. If you are thinking of selling please give us a call we have buyers!!

In July 2015, the benchmark price for a single-family home in the VIREB coverage area was $338,700, up approximately 5 % from 2014.  Benchmark pricing tracks the value of a typical home in the reported area.  The average price of a single-family home was $364,277 compared to $346,811 in July 2014, an increase of 5 %.

The July 2015 benchmark price of a single-family homes are almost all up from 2014
Campbell River area           up 5.22 %
Comox Valley area              up 1.77 %
Duncan area                        up  6.34%
Nanaimo area                      up 5.88 %
Parksville-Qualicum area     up 5.89 %  to $375,500.   
Port Alberni area bucked the trend & saw a decrease 3.25 %
( their price is significantly lower at $194,300)

Give Yourself Some Credit 

It’s essential to know your credit score before you start house hunting.

The home of your dreams has finally hit the market!  You anticipate it’ll be easy to get a mortgage but if your credit's not in great shape, your dream home may remain just a dream.

It's important to have a clear understanding of your credit score ahead of time as it'll make you more attractive to financial institutions which means you'll enjoy better rates and terms, which over time, can save you thousands!  Here are a few things to consider:


  1. Clean It Up - If there's a blemish or two on your report, try to clean it up ahead of time. (ask us how)
  2. Credit Balance - It’s important to show you’re responsible, so don't continuously max out your cards.
  3. Consistency - Lenders look for a long track record of consistent payments.  Time is all that will help so get started today!
  4. Payment History - It may not be a big deal if you’ve missed the odd payment but if you’re consistently late, it’ll raise a red flag.
  5. Number of Applications - The number of times you’ve applied for credit can affect your rating so don't apply for credit unless you plan on using it. 
  6. How Much You Owe - Lenders don’t want to lend to someone with a whack of financial obligations so try to pay off smaller debts and avoid any big credit charges such as a car purchase before buying a home.Also don't make big employment changes proir to buying, as those sorts of changes can raise a red flag for lenders, even for people with perfect credit.

.                                                                                                                  
Knowledge is power so find out where you stand ahead of time, even if you don’t think there’s an issue.  If you know your credit’s in need of repair, start fixing it right away as a good credit rating will entitle you to preferred rates which can amount to thousands in interest savings.  Please don't hesitate to get in touch for more information on how to perfect your credit rating.

Smart Security for Smartphones 

Mobile devices are major targets for today’s savvy cybercriminals.

Smartphones contain huge amounts of sensitive data yet many of us don’t protect them in the same way we do our computers.  From locking your phone to installing security apps here’s what you need to know:

  1. Screen Lock - Always protect your phone with a password.

  2. Back Up - Regularly back up your data including contacts, music, photos and important documents.

  3. Stay Updated - Download software updates as they often contain important security patches.

  4. Cyber Attacks - Exercise caution when opening links and make sure to download an anti-virus app.

  5. Don’t Be Too Appy - Only download apps from reliable sources and take the time to read the permissions.

  6. Toothache - Bluetooth can expose your phone to attacks so turn it off when you’re not using it.

  7. Delete It - Always delete personal information before recycling your old phone.

Threats such as loss, theft and cyber-attacks are common issues associated with smartphones so it’s important to regularly take steps to proactively protect them.  If you do, your smartphone will truly be smart instead of naive.

Grilled Portobello Mushrooms with Goat Cheese 

Are you looking for something new to throw on the grill?

If so, we’ve got just the thing – portobello mushrooms with savory goat cheese!  Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 6 large portobello mushrooms
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 oz goat cheese
  • fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • fresh chives, chopped


  1. Remove the stems and gills before drizzling olive oil over both sides of the mushrooms.
  2. Grill top side down on medium for 5 minutes.
  3. Combine the goat cheese, basil and garlic and spoon the mixture into each mushroom.
  4. Grill cheese side up for another 5 minutes.  Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh chives.

Portobello mushrooms are considered to be the steaks of the mushroom family so this is a great dish for meat eaters and vegetarians alike.  Enjoy!


PS  Oh by the way, we are never too busy for any of your introductions.  If you know of anyone that may benefit from our individualised help please contact us with their name and number and let them know that we will be in touch.  We would be privileged to assist them!

If you would like to keep up on the market and would like automatic email notifications of new listings, sales, etc. Click here or drop us an email or give us a call:  250-468-1498 / 250-248-1071 - team@teamw.ca

 For the latest real estate updates, including new listings, price changes and upcoming open houses follow me on  Twitter  and "LIKE" us on Facebook

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TeamW - Susie Mattner & Karen Hayes
Susie:250-228-1960
Karen:250-927-9798
Office:250-752-6926
TeamW at Royal LePage Parksville - Qualicum Beach Realty
679 Memorial Avenue
Qualicum Beach, BC
V9K 1T4 CA

MLS® property information is provided under copyright© by the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board and Victoria Real Estate Board. The information is from sources deemed reliable, but should not be relied upon without independent verification.