It’s that time a year where we predict what will happen next year. According to this market forecast, not a single Canadian city will see house prices fall in 2011. In fact, national average price are forecast to rise by 3% next year, bringing the average sold home price to $350,000.

I like round numbers.

There will be fewer sales however. It is predicted that we will have around 5% fewer transactions and 2011. We are returning to a more traditional market situation.

Earlier predictions, from the Canadian Real Estate Association were not so positive. CREA warned that lackluster economic and job growth and resumption of interest rate increases would negatively affect real estate markets across Canada.

With that in mind, I guess we will have to wait and see what happens in January or February with interest rates to see where our real estate markets are heading next year.

There’s more.

According to The Economist magazine, Canadian real estate prices are over valued by almost 24%. In it’s report that compared twenty countries around the world. Canada had one of the highest appreciation rates, but still seemed modest compared with Australia at 63% and Spain at 48%.

Experts abound. Someone is bound to be right.

Keith Marshall as a realtor with Prudential Grand Valley Realty serving Kitchener Waterloo and Cambridge. You’re thinking of buying or selling a home, please give me a call.

Filed under: Around Kitchener Waterloo, Buying Real Estate, canada, editorial, general news, home owners, interest rates, real estate trends by Keith Marshall
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Merry Christmas. To my friends and their families, I hope the season brings much happiness to you. I wish everyone a contented and comfortable life in 2011.

Next to our families, our friendships are the most important thing we have. Friendships are a reflection of ourselves. We should cherish and nurture them. I am blessed to have so many friends.

Thank you, and Merry Christmas

Filed under: About me, just for fun by Keith Marshall
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Direct comparison is an approach in appraisal analysis based on the proposition that an informed buyer will pay no more for a property than the cost of acquiring another existing property with the same utility. This is the method that realtors most often use when determining the current market value of a home.

It is the best approach when an active market provides sufficient quantities of reliable data that can be verified from authoritative sources.

The other two approaches to value are the:

Cost approach: the house is worth what it costs to build it (plus the land) and the

Income approach: this approach is used when appraising income producing properties. It capitalizes net operating income into a value estimate.

I’m Keith Marshall, a realtor with Prudential Grand Valley Realty, serving Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo. If you’re thinking of buying or selling a home, please give me a call. I aim to take the stress and mystery out of the home buying and selling process.

- Real Estate Encyclopedia

Filed under: Buying Real Estate, real estate vocabualry, Selling Real Estate, video by Keith Marshall
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Last week on 365 things to do in Kitchener Waterloo, we started out the week with Elmo, Big Bird, Bert and his little buddy Ernie at Sesame Street live.

Because it is holiday time for the kiddies, we visited Bingeman’s Funworx Playland and enjoyed some personal arcade games, some games of redemption, skill and chance.

Then, we went to Woodside to see what Christmas was like way back when. Quaint.

Next, we were in downtown Kitchener to have a lookie look at the holiday window displays. It was very downtown, very festive.

Once the shopping started, it was hard to stop. Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas at all without a trip to the Conestoga Mall. We found parking by using our “secret” method, which is whenever we enter a parking lot, we say “I will find parking. I will find a good spot” and one always appears. At the mall, I noticed extra security – People’s Jewelers has a security guard right out front.

I wonder why?

Also on 365 things to do in Kitchener Waterloo last week, we noted that its not only fun to stay at the YMCA, we introduced the rewarding experience of volunteering as a mentor for new Canadians that’s run through the Y.

Around the offices of 365 things to do in Kitchener Waterloo, we finished off our shopping. Now the wrapping begins.

We’re all ready for Christmas, looking forward to next week already. We have a week off, not enough time, really, with so much to do, but we’ll do what we can and make it memorable, and so might you.

From 365 things to do in Kitchener Waterloo, Merry Christmas to you.

Filed under: 365 things to do in Kitchener Waterloo, Around Kitchener Waterloo, general news by Keith Marshall
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Thieves in Waterloo Region have been targeting homes under construction. Stealing copper wire has been the intention.

A few weeks ago the police arrested a 30-year-old Cambridge man and charged him with three counts of break and enter and possession of stolen property under $5000. He was breaking and entering homes under construction, stealing the wire and selling it to scrap dealers. The price of copper has been going up steadily mostly because it’s used in the construction of new homes in appliances

Filed under: Around Kitchener Waterloo, general news, Industry, scam by Keith Marshall
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