Rentals for the summer months!

If you have been thinking of wanting to rent a place for the summer but just put it off till the weather got warm, you might be too late! Most cottages are rented for the summer by early April and some of the renters book their place a year ahead, when they rent for their week.
But there are still some great places available for summer weeks as we have sold places and the new buyers want to rent them part of the season to help pay for taxes and expenses. This link is to one of those places, where the whole summer is not full, so get ready for summer at the Bend and give these folks a call.

Contact:  Paulbedford@renthuron.com

Website: www.renthuron.com

 

Best April EVER

A resounding 1,068 homes exchanged hands in April 2016, up 10.8% over April 2015. "This makes last month the best April on record," says Stacey Evoy, President of the London and St Thomas Association of REALTORS®. "The only other April to crack the one thousand mark was April 2010, when 1,017 homes sold." Year-to-Date sales are up 10.7% over last year.

1,650 homes were listed in April, down 14.2%, and Active Listings End of Period – or inventory – was down 23.3%. " According to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's Senior Market Analyst Anthony Passarelli, current market conditions are starting to resemble the seller's market conditions in 2003-2007, when quarterly prices were up 6 to 9% from the same period a year earlier," says Evoy. "Our relatively low inventory of listings seems to support the idea that we may, in fact, be moving towards a seller's market. All that adds up to now being a very smart time to list your home."

The good news extended beyond London's city limits. The City of St. Thomas also had an outstanding April. 86 homes sold in St. Thomas last month, compared to the 77 sold the previous April. The average price of a home in St. Thomas so far in 2016 stands at $219,560, up 1.3%.

The best-selling house style in LSTAR's jurisdiction for April 2016 was the two-storey, then the bungalow, followed by ranches, then townhouse condominiums, then high rise apartment condos. The average price for a detached home Year-to- Date stood at $290,773 up 3%, while the average price for a condo over the same period stood at $196,903, up 3.7%. The average price of all homes sold through LSTAR's MLS® Year-to-Date stood at $272,663, up 3.1%.

7480 DUNE DR PORT FRANKS, ON N0M1T0

Property Site: http://tour.circlepix.com/home/FBZ2VU

Year round home in Port Franks just steps to the beaches of Port Franks situated on a large double lot in Windsor Park. Mature pines surround the property for privacy with a large circle driveway and single car garage for parking. Open concept kitchen, dining and living room with updated flooring and large windows with 3 sided natural fireplace. Spacious family room with on the main floor with updated flooring and patio doors to the back yard. 2 spacious bedrooms upstairs with a den for extra sleeping space. Lots of room for entertaining throughout the home and spacious outdoor living spaces including the multiple patios and outdoor volleyball court in the side yard. Most furniture negotiable. Main beach access just a short walk away and the marina is just at the end of the street.

Bedrooms: 3

Bathrooms: 2.00

Price: $379,900

For more information about this property, please contact GARRETT PEDLAR at (519) 238-5700 or remaxgarrett@hay.net. You can also text 3590381 to 67299.

See more listings at: www.grandbendrealestate.com

MLS ID: 581933

Spring is Finally Here in Grand Bend

You know it is spring when...

• You walk down the Main Street and the store owners are cleaning up their store fronts!
• You walk down the Main Street and the new Band Shell is being built and ready for May!
• The Main beach is still littered with branches from winters storms, but the beach looks good.
• Everyone is trying to get their lawnmowers working.
• The lawns are getting rolled and fertilizer is being unloaded.
• So it is officially SPRING here in Grand Bend!!!  Come out to the beach and watch the activity.

March Homes Sales Out Like A Lion

860 homes sold in March, up 11.8% over March 2015, making last month the best March since 2006 – a good two years before the Global Financial Meltdown caused markets across North America to falter. "March 2016 may have come in like a lamb, says Stacey Evoy, 2016 President of the London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS®, "but, as far as home sales go, it went out like a lion." Year-to-Date, sales are up 10.8%.

1,579 homes were listed in March, down 1.7%, and Active Listings End of Period – or inventory – was down 16.6%. "Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation predicts that 2016 will see more sales than listings," says Evoy. "If you are thinking about listing your house, this is the kind of market you’ll want to take advantage of."

 The average price for a detached home Year to Date stood at $291,281 up 3.2%, while the average price for a condo over the same period stood at $192,619, up 1.5%. The average price of all homes sold through LSTAR's MLS® Year to Date stood at $271,920 up 2.8%.

Spring Brings con artists out!

Rob Parker, in todays London Free Press says with spring officially here many homeowners are starting to think about projects they would like to have done around the home. But, watch out for the con artist and some of the scams including Roofers, Driveway sealers, Chimney sweeps and Painters, to name a few.
The "Driveway sealers" is one I am familiar with, having had a paved drive and every year, one or two would come around wanting to seal your drive. Rob says to watch out for the low price and low quality that comes with it, as the sealant may be not much more than a black coloured spray that washes away with the next rain! Find out who does the best job in your area and has the best reputation before spending money on making the lane look good for the weekend!

February Sales are Great!

The London St. Thomas Association of Realtors reported that 652 homes sold in February, up 21.9% over February 2015. "That makes last month the best February since 2008!" says Stacey Evoy, 2016 President of the London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS®. " Year-to-Date home sales are up 9.6%.

1,146 homes were listed in February, down 2.7%, and Active Listings End of Period – or inventory – was down 19.1%. "According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's forecast, sales are expected to grow more than new listings in 2016," says Evoy. "If you're thinking of putting your home on the market, this would be a great time to do that."

The best-selling house style in LSTAR's jurisdiction for February 2016 was the two-storey, then the bungalow, followed by ranches, then townhouse condominiums, then high rise apartment condos. The average price for a detached home Year to Date stood at $289,572 - up 2.6%, while the average price for a condo over the same period stood at $191,940, up 1.1%. The average price of all homes sold through LSTAR's MLS® Year to Date stood at $271,018 - up 2.5%.