My Listing of the Week

360 Cob Lane, Upper Mission Kelowna, BC. $799,000.00

Gorgeous Home with Incredible 270 degree Lake Views. 4 beds + Den, 4 bath & huge room under 3 car garage. Quartz counter tops throughout, Hardwood, S/S Appliances. 9' Ceilings on main, 10' in huge fully finished walkout basement & unobstructed views. Room for a pool. $3,000 Landscape package for back yard upon possession. Central Air upon possession. HST not included. Vacant, but please Call Steve to view 250-864-7893 MLS#10055884

2013 First Quarter Housing Forecast Update

The British Columbia Real Estate Association released its 2013 First Quarter Housing Forecast Update today.

BC's MLS residential sales are forecast to increase 5.6 per cent to 71,450 units this year, before increasing a further 6.1 per cent to 75,830 units in 2014. The five-year average is 74,600 unit sales, while the ten-year average is 86,800 unit sales. A record 106,300 MLS residential sales were recorded in 2005.

2013 is shaping up to be a transition year in the BC housing market, said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. The groundwork has already begun for stronger housing demand as a significant number of part-time jobs in BC were converted into full-time employment last year. Residential values are expected to be on a more solid footing in 2013 as lower prices, both actual and inflation adjusted, have improved affordability. Many potential buyers that stayed on the sidelines in 2012 will likely enter the marketplace over the next year as the relatively strong financial condition of BC households precludes any deflationary spiral.

The average MLS residential price in BC is forecast to edge down nearly 1 per cent to $510,400 this year and remain relatively unchanged in 2014, albeit up 0.6 per cent to $513,500.

Wendy's DreamLift Day

Today January 30th 2013 is Wendy's 19th annual DreamLift Day. I bet you are wondering what is DreamLift day, it is a day to raise money for a special needs flight for children to attend Disneyland for a day in December. From 6 am to closing, the nine Wendy's restaurants in the Southern Interior will donate all of the net proceeds from today's sales, plus staffs, managements and owners wages to the Sunshine Foundation of Canada. Last year's Wendy's DreamLift day raised $114,276. 

If you know a child that would qualify, go to their website www.sunshine.ca click on Dream and you can refer a child that is challenged by severe physical disabilities or a life threatening illness.
I'll be heading to Wendy's for dinner tonight hope to see you there!

The Vernon Winter Carnival

It's time to get rid of those winter blues at the 53rd annual Vernon Winter Carnival, being held from February 1st to February 10th 2013. The theme for this year is a Prehistoric Carnival, the Okanagan Science Centre will be hosting events with dinosaur and prehistoric themes.

This popular festival features dozens of events and activities, many of which are free to attend. There are a lot of adult events and family events going on. There is something for all ages to take part in. It provides something low-cost for everyone.

Carnival officially kicks off February 1 and the balloons are back. There may be up to 10 massive, hot-air balloons are expected, as part of the annual Balloon Fiesta.
All flights are weather pending, if Old Man Winter co-operates, the first flight should take place at around 9 a.m. February 1st. Morning and afternoon flights planned for Saturday, with the pilots taking off once on Sunday for the annual competition over Swan Lake.

On Saturday the carnival parade. There will be more than 100 floats in the event that draws more than 10,000 people. The parade starts at noon and follows the traditional route.

Silver Star Mountain Resort will once again be hosting the B.C. Snow Sculpture Championships on February 1st and 2nd, the winner will compete in the national event next year in Quebec.

There are numerous other events are also planned throughout the work week. For a full list of activities, go to vernonwintercarnival.com, or pick up a free carnival brochure.

If you have nothing to do this weekend why not head up to Vernon and take in the festivities.

Feeling Sad Today?

If you are then you are not alone, today is Blue Monday. Blue Monday is the most depressing day of the year due to a combination of debt after the holiday, failed New Year's resolution, the cold grey weather and the shorter days. These things tend to converge in depressing ways on the third Monday of January each year. I hope this is not affecting any of you but if you are feeling blue today know that it will pass as longer sunny days are ahead!

I will give you Intergrity, Honesty & Trust

The foundation of building my Real Estate business. It's treating others the way I would want to be treated. Returning phone calls promptly, doing what I say I am going to do, then doing it and always putting my clients' needs first.

For my buyers, my ultimate goal is to really listen to you,  then to find the home that exceeds your expectations.

For my sellers, my ultimate goal is to expose your home to the greatest number of buyers, thus resulting in the highest selling price the market will bear. To expose your home, I will list your home on multiple internet websites and blogs. I promise to provide consistent feedback from viewing agents, guaranteed communication, and top-rated service.

I also can offer staging advice if you are interested, so that we make sure your home makes it's best first impression.

Both my buyers and sellers will benefit from my strong negotiating skills

Fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis

Do you want to help a cause, have fun and do some putting then the 26th annual Kinsmen Fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis is the place for you! The Kinsmen Fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis is looking for teams and sponsors for the Pub and Putt for Cystic Fibrosis. There will be team of four that will be shuttled by designated drivers to six pubs, there you will play a mini golf course at each pub. The two team that raise the most money will be chauffeured to the pubs in limousines.

Prizes and plaques will be awarded and the pubs will be supplying food throughout the day. The Pub Putt for Cystic Fibrosis will be held on Sunday February 17th 2013. It will start at Dakoda's Pub.

Register you team of four for $300 a $100 deposit is also required with registration. Once you have pre-registered your team you then can start collecting pledges to raise the most funds for that limo ride.
For more information and to pre-register your team, go to kelownakinsmen.com/pubputt

Housing Market Update January 2013

Click on the link below to watch BCREA Chief Economist Cameron Muir discuss the December 2012 statistics:

 http://www.youtu.be/m8YLqa1Cj6U

Nominees Invited

For women's award the Central Okanagan Women's Resource and Education Foundation is looking for nominees for the Gert Beadle Award. If you know of any women over the age of 18 or groups in Kelowna and area that are committed to advancing women's equality and social justice then you can nominate them by emailing cowref@gmail.com or for more information check out their facebook page, Central Okanagan Women's Resource and Education Foundation.

Nomination packages must be submitted by Feburary 25th 2013. The award with be presented at the International Women's Day celebration on March 8th 2013

BC Home Sales Decline in 2012

The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that a total of 67,637 residential sales were recorded by the Multiple Listing Service in BC during 2012, a decline of 11.8 per cent compared to 2011. Total sales dollar volume also declined 19.1 per cent to $34.8 billion over the same period. The annual average MLS residential price in the province was $514,836 in 2012, down 8.3 per cent from 2011.

A noticeable drop in consumer demand in Vancouver and Fraser Valley during 2012 was more than enough to offset the increases in home sales in the Okanagan, Kootenays and BC Northern regions.

At least half of the 8 per cent decline in the BC average home price was the result of fewer luxury homes selling in Vancouver and fewer overall Vancouver home sales relative to the rest of the province in 2012. However, there were more luxury homes sold in Kelowna this year.

In December, BC residential sales dollar volume was down 28.6 per cent to $1.5 billion, compared to December 2011. Residential unit sales declined 26.4 per cent to 3,011 units, while the average MLS

residential price was down 3 per cent to $498,205 over the same period.

A Kind Review from my Clients

My husband and I have recently sold and bought a home through Steve Higgins of Remax Kelowna.  We would highly recommend him to anyone interested in buying or selling their home.  We found him accessible, very flexible and highly professional at all times.  He always represented our best interest and negotiated aggressively, on our behalf.  We felt he really cared about us and spent a lot of time making sure we were comfortable with all aspects of each transaction.  We were never rushed or pushed into any decisions and found that he provided us with all the information we needed to proceed with our deals in a manner that suited us. 

We tried to sell our home through a discount broker the year before unsuccessfully, and felt that we did not receive the service or accessibility to the MLS market that we had with Remax, and Steve in particular.  He knew we were in a tougher buyers market and we would require a good deal of exposure and promotion to get our home sold and he was willing to do open houses, pamphlets and calls to get the job done.

Thanks Steve

Yours truly,

Ron and Megan Smaha

Jan 9/13

You get to Eat and help out the BC Cancer Foundation

Eat It to Beat It Seventh Annual Campaign will be held on February 6th 2013. Prospera Credit Union and Subway restaurants have teamed up for this BC Cancer Foundation's fundraiser. For a $20.00 donation you can have lunch delivered to your office. There is a minimum of five lunches per delivery, your lunch will include a six inch Subway sandwich, Subway apple, a chocolate chip cookie, Sun-Rype juice and a fruit snack, this all comes in a thermal bag which you can keep. 

The deadline for lunch orders is January 31st at 5 pm. To order go online to bccancerfoundation.com/eatittobeatit or call 250.712.3921 to pre-order. All proceeds go to the foundation's Southern Interior division.