Looking back on 2011, we hope that it was a year that you could be proud of; looking forward to 2012, we hope that it will be one that you are excited to experience!

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and all the best over the whole of the holiday season!

Warmest regards,

The Associates and Staff at RE/MAX Real Estate – Southeast

Just wanted to give everyone a quick Holiday update on our office hours…

We are only open on Friday December 23rd from 9 – 12:00.

We will be closed Saturday December 24th through Tuesday December 27th.

Wednesday and Thursday we are open 9 am – 430 pm and Friday December 30th 9 – 12:30 pm

Closed Saturday December 31 through Monday January 2.

Any of our Associates can be reached via the answering service by calling 780-462-5000.

Have a GREAT Holiday Season!

RE/MAX Canada released it’s comprehensive look at markets across Canada today, giving consumers a glimpse of where the Canadian housing market might be going in the next 12 months.  What does it mean for Edmonton?  Is it good news or bad news?  Doom and gloom or wine and roses?  Well, if we want to stick with the cliches, let’s use “steady as she goes!”

The forecast report looked at two real estate statistics – Average overall residential sale price (single family home and condo) and total residential unit sales – the two most common indicators of housing health.  The year over year comparison shows that 2011 was slightly off from 2010, down 1% from $328,803 to $326,000 while transactions were up 2.7% (16,850 vs 16,403) from 2010.  Looking forward, the report sees both sales and price as being flat, with little or no change to either.

What does that really mean for the consumer and why is steady as she goes not that bad of a thing?  Taking a longer look (a 5 year outlook) we see that the Edmonton market has recovered well from the housing downturn experienced in 2008/09, while we haven’t gotten back to the prices or activity of 2006/07, we are seeing that real estate activity is relatively robust –  it is better to think of the current environment as the new normal rather than a downturn.  Pre-boom (before 2006) it was common to see very small to negligible changes in these two areas, Edmonton was a much more consistent market when compared to its sister to the south Calgary which again appears to be on a bit of a roller coaster of activity again.  Edmonton’s prices, when compared to other major cities (Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary) are still relatively affordable and when compared to other cities with lower average prices (Montreal, Quebec City, Hamilton) has one key bonus – it has a growing job market!  Over 2011, Edmonton saw the largest increase in job creation in the country and has experienced positive migration again this year.   Interest rates continue to remain low and there doesn’t seem to be rush to bump them higher.  These facts mean that the Edmonton housing market appeals to two different ends of the market – the investor looking for a good return on investment AND families looking for a home of their own.

It would appear that the Edmonton market could see significant upswing based on these factors, yet, there are some overburdening shadows that are keeping a lid on some of this for now.  Exterior market forces such as the overall concerns of the global economy and a lot of the bad news still filtering in through Alberta’s economic shield continues to keep many consumers on the sidelines with a “wait and see” approach to housing decisions.  This is a principle reason that 2012 will not see much statistical change.  Once this caution and fear begins to disapate then we are most likely to see activity to ramp up in the Edmonton area and prices begin to re-adjust once more.

Slow and Steady, it doesn’t make headlines but it does get you where you need to in the end!

Balanced conditions set to return to most Canadian housing markets in 2012,

while residential values expected to once again set new records, says RE/MAX

Kelowna, BC (December 6, 2011) – Canadian residential real estate defied conventional logic and

outperformed expectations in 2011, posting another solid year of housing activity virtually across the board.  The trend is expected to carry forward into 2012 as Canadians continue to demonstrate their faith in homeownership, despite concerns over the European debt crisis and its impact on the global economy, according to a report released today by RE/MAX. The RE/MAX Housing Market Outlook 2012 examined trends and developments in 26 major markets across the country. Eighty-eight per cent (23/26) anticipated average price increases by year-end 2011—with percentage hikes ranging from one to 16 per cent. The forecast for 2012 shows the upward trend moderating, but still ahead of 2011 figures.  Overall home sales are expected to remain on par or ahead of last year’s levels in 85 per

cent (22/26) of markets in 2011—including Saskatoon with a year-over-year percentage increase of 13 per cent and an eight per cent uptick in Calgary, Winnipeg, Hamilton-Burlington and Sudbury. Almost half of Canadian markets will match the 2011 performance, while the remainder should post increases ranging from one to five per cent next year.  By year-end, an estimated 460,000 homes are expected to change hands, up three per cent from the 447,010 units reported in 2010. Sales are expected to climb one per cent to 464,500 units in 2012. The value of a Canadian home is set to climb to $363,000 by year-end—an increase of seven per cent over the $339,030 posted one year ago. By year-end 2012, the average price in Canada is forecast to appreciate two per cent to $371,000.

“What 2011 proves is that real estate continues to have momentum,” says Elton Ash, Regional Executive Vice President, RE/MAX of Western Canada. “The economic underpinnings support ongoing demand, particularly as job creation efforts continue and unemployment rates edge down further. Nationally, we remain on an upward track, and the confidence consumers have demonstrated in housing over the past decade will prove well founded once again next year. The rising belief in homeownership is key, especially among Generation X and Y—some of whom are making their moves sooner. Boomers and retirees are changing, too. They’re healthier and more active, with longer life expectancy. Overall, we’re seeing an extension of the homeownership cycle, and it’s great news for housing going forward.”

Improvement in both provincial and local economies, especially during the second half of 2012, should serve to further stimulate homebuying activity. Calgary, Saskatoon, and Halifax-Dartmouth will likely lead the country in unit sales in 2012, each with a projected increase of five per cent. Regina, Greater Toronto, Saint John, Moncton, and St. John’s anticipate a three per cent increase in home sales next year.

 “Canadian consumers are intent on making their moves now, in advance of higher housing values,” says

Michael Polzler, Executive Vice President, RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic Canada. “Housing markets are not

impervious to the impact of economic concerns moving forward, but real estate has proven its resilience time and again—2011 was case in point, as residential real estate markets actually experienced an upswing in the volatile third and final quarters, instead of responding to economic concerns both here and abroad with a retreat in sales and prices.”

While tighter supply levels contributed to steady price appreciation in most major markets across Canada this year, an increase in inventory more in line with years previous should ease upward pressure on average price in the year ahead. The highest appreciation is expected in Regina, where values are forecast to increase eight per cent, followed by Greater Toronto, Halifax-Dartmouth, and St, John’s—each posting a five per cent gain. Overall, 81 per cent of the markets examined are forecast to set new records for average price next year. Noteworthy milestones include Greater Vancouver, which will break the $800,000 threshold, as well as Regina and Kitchener-Waterloo, which will reach the $300,000 mark.

“While prices will remain on the upswing, buyers will benefit from greater selection moving forward,” says Sylvain Dansereau, Executive Vice President, RE/MAX Quebec. “Stability or modest growth will characterize sales activity, while GDP moves forward at a more muted pace in 2012. Whether markets will meet or potentially exceed projections will hinge largely on consumer confidence. An unexpected call for interest rate hikes could also serve to bolster sales.”

Other highlights include:

• Population growth and immigration are major factors expected to prop-up housing demand and

household formation in the coming years. Since 2000, Canada’s population has experienced double digit

growth of 11 per cent. By 2031, over 42 million people are expected to call Canada home.

• Investment will also continue in Canada’s major centres, with income producing properties at the top

of the most wanted list. Low vacancy rates and stock market volatility reinvigorated this segment of

the market in 2011 and the very same factors are forecast to influence sales moving forward.

• Condominiums are expected to gain an increasing share of the marketplace, particularly in Western

Canada and Ontario. A focus on higher density urban growth is impacting purchasing patterns and

introducing new, affordable options—critical to the attainability of homeownership as price continue

to move upward.

• Housing stock in major Canadian centres will improve as municipalities focus on redevelopment and

revitalization.

RE/MAX is Canada’s leading real estate organization with over 18,500 sales associates situated throughout its more than 700 independently-owned and operated offices in Canada. The RE/MAX network, now in its 38^th year, is a global real estate system operating in 80 countries, with over 6,200 independently-owned offices and over 89,000 member sales associates. RE/MAX realtors lead the industry in professional designations, experience and production while providing real estate service

Tomorrow, November 11th, is Remembrance Day and for many years the nation has honored the brave sacrifices made by the generations before us that have allowed us to develop the freedoms that we enjoy today. The many brave men and women who served, fought and made the ultimate sacrifice in The Great War, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam should never be forgotten and what little we can continue to do to pay homage to them is a small sacrifice compared to the great difference they collectively made for future generations.

I had the honor and privilege to attend the Birchall Leadership Award last Friday night honoring the men and women of Canadian Forces Task Force Afghanistan. Tomorrow, please do not forget to add your thoughts and prayers to this generation of heroes – the courage and dedication that today’s soldiers have to the cause of Peace, Order and Good Government is no less nor less worthy than those of previous generations.

On behalf of the Associates and Staff at RE/MAX Real Estate Southeast THANK YOU to those who have served in our Armed Forces for all the service and sacrifice they have made thru the years so that we can enjoy living in the greatest country in the world.

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE:

Welcome to this edition of My Monday Morning Message…..I hope all of you had a wonderful weekend and found the time to relax and have some fun. I also hope that you enjoy reading these Monday Morning Messages as much as I enjoy sending them to you. We all need to find a little inspiration in our lives and more importantly we need to pass it on to others. If you really want to make yourself feel better help other people feel better. If you really want to smile and laugh make other people smile and laugh. If you really want to be loved make other people feel loved. We were not put here on earth to work our lives away, to struggle, to feel pain or hurt, or to just reach the end. We were put here so that each one of us could find our own unique purpose. We were put here so that we could make a difference. I know that the road is not always easy and we will struggle and we will feel pain or hurt on occasion. We need to understand that is just part of the journey and that no one situation can make or break us. It maters what happens and what we do over a lifetime. Let’s make every moment, every year, and our life worthwhile.

ENCOURAGEMENT CORNER…

It’s a classic and worth reading over and over and over again…

THE DASH

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth
And spoke of the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own,
The cars, the house, the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard;
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect
And more often wear a smile,
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

© 1996 Linda Ellis

WORDS TO LIVE BY…

In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” Robert Frost

Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” Dr. Seuss

To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” Oscar Wilde

We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.” Anais Nin

Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” George Bernard Shaw

Everything you can imagine is real.” Pablo Picasso

If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” Lewis Carroll

Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” Albert Einstein

LET’S MAKE THIS THE BEST WEEK OF THE YEAR!!!

We have officially moved into the second half of 2011 and being the middle of July I think it is safe to make a few comments on the real estate market in Edmonton as it approaches the dog days of summer.
A good analogy for the Edmonton market is likening it to a bathtub full of water – I know, but bear with me for a second – 2006/2007 saw that tub fill up quite a bit as the number of transactions and prices rose, then in mid-2008 someone threw in a foreign object that caused huge waves to ripple across the tub – while the majority of the unsettled water has stopped sloshing about, there still remain a few waves that are disturbing the water in the tub and it isn’t quite as full as it was. Okay, so maybe it is a horrible analogy but you (hopefully) see what I mean … so far in 2011 we have seen some improvements in the real estate market, but there is still plenty of uncertainty as you look around. Let’s take a look at the year over year comparison (end of June 2010 vs end of June 2011) for the Edmonton market – Residential homes and Condo properties.
Overall, the Edmonton market has seen a drop in the number of sales transactions in both the Residential and Condominium markets. Residential sales to the end of June are down 2.8% while Condo sales are down 7.8%. As is always the case, the mantra location, location, location holds true with some areas of the city showing gains contrary to the bigger picture – the South Central area has experienced a 13.6% increase in Condo transactions, while the Northeast has seen a 7.7% increase in Residential Sales. Here in the Southeast the news is not all that rosy. Sales numbers are down – 5.5% for condos and 8.5% for residential homes – making it that much more difficult for Sellers to find a Buyer for their property.
Prices are also not presenting us with an overall cheery picture. The average price of a Condo fell 5.7% when compared to end of June 2010, while the residential average fell 5.8% over the same period. For Condos, the only areas that saw price increases where the Northwest (3.6%) and the Southeast (0.2%). The only Edmonton market that saw a price gain was the Northwest (1.7%). As we have seen, here in the Southeast, Condo price rose slightly by .2%; Residential house prices “only” fell by 1.1% good news when compared the City as a whole!?
Of interest to those of us down in the Southeast; Beaumont is experiencing a bit of a boom with price increases of 4.9% for residential properties and almost 11% more sales than last year.
What can we expect for the balance of the year? The second half of 2010 was not very good – sales were slow but steady, Condo prices fell month to month to month until the end of the year and residential prices sputtered along as well. I don’t believe 2011 will be as poor of a performance as we saw second half 2010, but I don’t expect a great surge either. Expect the second half of the year to see a small bump in activity in late summer early fall that will even out some of the losses of the first half and cushion the end of year reporting. A positive note is the number of permits for non-residential projects that Edmonton has granted – this increase might foreshadow increased activity for residential markets in 2012/13.
As always, when we talk about real estate trends, we are talking about generalities – there are a great deal of factors that influence what is happening in your local community. Your RE/MAX Realtor® can give you an informed, professional assessment of your neighbourhood and your home. Call them today at 780-462-5000!

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author based on information gathered and interpreted from data collected from the MLS® system of the Realtors Association of Edmonton. It reflects general trends and further consultation should be undertaken to get an accurate opinion of value on a specific property.

When I was a young teenager, I went to a church that was very strict in how it wanted its members to behave. There was no dancing, no movies, no NASCAR, no rock music, and no long hair. Another proscription was a “believer” being married to an “unbeliever”. The rationale was that the “unbeliever” would cause the “believer” to backslide and lose their religion.

When I was in training to be a teacher, one rule of thumb I was advised to follow was to not pair a well-behaved student with one who had behavior issues. The poorly behaving student, it was advised, would pull the well-behaving student down rather than the other way around.

When I became a teacher, administrators recommended that I not associate with those teachers who stayed in the teachers’ lounge and complained. Instead, I was advised to associate with the more successful teachers.

By clearly unscientific observation, the ubiquitous advice of associating with those who exhibit the qualities that you would like to possess for the purpose of assimilating those qualities does seem valid. Successful people often associate with successful people. One often hears famous actors mention some of their early roommates — who have also become famous actors. This is not to say that there is a causal relationship between success and personal associations. It may simply be a correlation. But in any case, it is a phenomenon available for use.

Want to be productive? Associate with productive people. Talk with productive people. Work with productive people. Play with productive people. Email them. Call them. By doing so, one will be able to study applied productivity. You will also notice yourself becoming more productive as you assimilate behaviors that facilitate increased productivity. Remember, being friends with a productive person is just as easy as being friends with a non-productive person.

Congratulations to the REALTORS® Community Foundation! The charitable arm of the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton, the REALTORS® Community Foundation (RCF) is celebrating 25 years of contributions to our community on behalf of all REALTORS®! Over the last quarter century, the RCF has used the contributions and fundraising efforts of your local REALTOR®, to support more than 200 community agencies. In that time, the REALTORS® Community Foundation has donated more than $3 million dollars in contributions. That’s a lot of lives that have been touched through their efforts. REALTORS® participate in a variety of fund-raising activities to make those contributions possible, and participating REALTORS® even make a donation each time they sell a property! Edmonton’s Real Estate market has seen many different peaks and valleys over 25 years, many different types of buying and selling environments. Over that time, the charitable efforts of the REALTORS® Community Foundation are a constant that REALTORS® are all very proud of!