DURHAM REGION, April 5, 2012 – “Durham Region saw 1,179 re-sale homes change hands in March an increase of 28% or 331 more sales than February. Oshawa and Whitby had the most sales in March with 278 and 261 respectively. So far this year there have been 2,573 sales – a very promising number for the first quarter”, reported Christine Marquis, President of the Durham Region Association of REALTORS®.

At the end of March the inventory of homes available for re-sale had increased by 10% to 1,932 compared to 1,745 at the end of February.

“The average selling price of a re-sale home for the Region saw modest gains of 1.5% in March to $330,481. The year-to-date average selling price for Durham Region now sits at $325,933. Uxbridge had the highest average selling price in the Region for the month at $464,642”, added Marquis.

The Months of Inventory indicator (MOI) has fallen slightly to 2.4 for the Region which means that it would take 2.4 months to sell every home that is currently listed for sale (assuming no additional homes were listed). The tightest market conditions are currently being seen in Whitby with a 1.8 MOI.

~ Durham Region Association of Realtors – DRAR Bulletin – April 2012

Canadian housing starts grew faster than expected in March, led by a surge in construction of multiple units that fueled concern about possible over-building in the Toronto condo market. More on this story.

Brokers and Salespeople must disclose material facts about a property that they are aware of that could affect a purchase decision, including if the home is a former grow op.  Check out Is Your Home a Former Grow Op.

Many of us are becoming more aware of the toxins in our household cleaning products as well as toiletries and cosmetics.  Here is a great link to David Sukuki’s Queen of Green site which is loaded with lots of great tips including how to dispose of toxic household cleaners and a link to DIY eco friendly household cleaner recipes.  If you have any eco friendly tips please feel free to post on this site.                                                                             

Housing markets are expected to remain steady in 2012 and 2013, according to the latest Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) Housing Market Outlook. The report predicts that the Canadian economy is set to expand at a moderate pace and mortgage rates are expected to remain low, keeping 2012 activity levels in both new home construction and resale homes close to 2011 levels. Housing starts are expected to be in the range of 164,000 to 212,700 units for 2012, and between 168,900 to 219,300 units in 2013. To view the report, visit www.cmhc.ca, click on Newsroom from the home page and then News Releases.

After trying to play the property game bythemselves, this professional family finally decided to enlist the help of a REALTOR.

Chris & Philana’s Story

DURHAM — Residents of Whitby will be glad to know they are living in the best spot in Durham Region, while Ajax residents may be less than pleased that their city was ranked last.

MoneySense magazine’s Best Places to Live 2012 list, which ranked 190 communities across the country, included five Durham municipalities, with Whitby ranking the highest at 16.

“We have a vision of being a community of choice, and coming in 16 gives us confidence we are heading in the right direction,” said Robert Petrie, CAO for the Town of Whitby.

“We have a strong financial plan and we take a balanced approach to addressing community needs. It’s about trying to address the needs of everyone in the community as opposed to just being the best at one thing.”

Mr. Petrie pointed to Whitby’s high rankings for best places to raise kids, best places to retire and jobs as evidence of a balanced approach. High rankings in household income and population growth, along with low crime, helped put the town near the top of the pack.

The list was calculated by giving a city points in different categories and then ranking those points with all other cities. For example, housing was worth 15 points, with half for average house prices and half for the time it took to buy a house. Population growth was determined in comparison to the average Canadian population growth rate, with municipalities losing points for being above or below that marker.

Other area cities also fared well in the rankings, with Clarington landing at 20 and Oshawa close behind at 22. The municipalities both had high rankings in population growth, weather, and discretionary income as well as low crime.

Other Durham municipalities did not fare as well. Pickering found itself at 69 due to low rankings for walking or biking to work and population growth, along with a high jobless rate.

Ajax was ranked as the worst place to live in the region, coming in at 93 out of the 190 cities ranked. The municipality was dinged for low rankings in walking or biking to work and affordable housing coupled with a high jobless rate. As the fastest growing municipality in Durham, Ajax was also hit hard for population growth.

“It’s a theoretical argument only that growth creates problems,” said Ajax councillor Colleen Jordan.

“We had a population increase of 23 per cent yet were able to have the lowest taxes in the region while still maintaining services and investing in infrastructure. People are choosing to move here because of the community and the opportunities. We’re very proud and optimistic about our direction.”

For more information on the rankings visitwww.moneysense.ca.

DURHAM REGION, March 6, 2012 – Durham REALTORS® reported 848 sales in the month of February, an increase of 266 sales or 31% from January.

“As of the end of February, Durham Region had 1,745 active listings marking an increase of 19% over January. Oshawa and Clarington have the highest number of re-sale homes available with 389 and 290 respectively,” explained Christine Marquis, President of the Durham Region Association of REALTORS®.

The Months of Inventory indicator (MOI) is holding steady at 2.5 for the Region which means that it would take 2.5 months to sell every home that is currently listed for sale (assuming no additional homes were listed). Tight market conditions continue in Ajax and Whitby with a Months of Inventory Indicator of less than two.

The average selling price of a re-sale home in the Region was $325,307 for the month of February, an increase of 2% from January. “We are starting to see steady but modest increases in home prices so far in 2012 which indicates a strong re-sale market in Durham Region. The year-to-date average selling price now sits at 322,199” added Marquis.

~ Durham Region Association of REALTORS, March 2012 DRAR Bulletin