Dec 15/2016 -Mike & Nikki’s December Newsletter

NOVEMBER 2016

Prince Rupert / Port Edward Real Estate

The market in November was a fair month in Prince Rupert real estate. The year-to-date total value of all sales ended up being very similar to last year. As of November 30, 2016 it was $49,099,720; last year it was $49,316,251. However, total sales for the month of November 2016 was $1,654,500 as opposed to $3,209,500 last year.

Notably, the “ratio of sales to actual listings” went down to 4.7% in November from 10.34% in October. When reviewing the last 3 years, a low percentage has been the norm for November, December and January. Usually, anything under 15% is considered a buyer’s market, and anything over 20% is considered a seller’s market. The last time we had a number over 20% was in April, May and June of 2014.

We hope all of this hasn’t confused you! It can make your head spin. If you have any questions or want to discuss, don’t hesitate to contact one of us.

SALES (all types):
# of sales in November 2015 – 11
# of sales in November 2016 – 8

YEAR-TO-DATE SALES (all types)
As of November 30, 2015 – 201
As of November 30, 2016 – 189

TYPES OF PROPERTIES SOLD IN NOVEMBER 2016:
1- Land
1 – Duplex
6 – Houses

NUMBER OF ACTIVE LISTINGS (all types):
As of November 30, 2015 – 177
As of November 30, 2016 – 170

AVERAGE SALE PRICE OF A HOUSE (YEAR-TO-DATE)
As of November 30, 2015 – $ 255,867
As of November 30, 2016 – $ 267,045

TOTAL SALES OF ALL TYPES (YEAR-TO-DATE)
As of November 30, 2015 – $ 49,316,251
As of November 30, 2016 – $ 49,099,720

The stats are based in whole or in part on information supplied by the BC Northern Real Estate Board for the period January 1, 2015 through November 30, 2016.

Hosting a holiday party always seems like a great idea — until you get down to the brass tacks of actually planning, organising, worrying about the atmosphere and (worst of all) cleaning up. To make things go a little more smoothly and worry-free this year, try out these tips:

Make grocery shopping easy and quick

When planning your menu, try to stick to standard, easy-to-find ingredients. That way, you will know where everything is in the store and won’t have to traipse around several places to get what you need.

Prepare as much as possible before your guests arrive

You don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen once your guests arrive and the party starts. Wherever possible, choose to serve items that can be made ahead of time. The same goes for utensils, cutlery, glasses and all the other paraphernalia you’ll need. Have it all laid out and easy to access before your guests arrive. You should also check that you have enough of everything. This means that you won’t end up scrabbling in the drawer for a cake fork or reaching into the back of the cupboard for a tumbler.

Now is not the time for experimentation

Speaking of menu, don’t add stress by choosing a complicated recipe you’ve never made before. Instead, go for something that you know how to make and feel comfortable with.

Serve food in more than one place

Party guests tend to gather around the food, leaving one small area crowded and the rest of the room empty. Avoid this by setting up two or three places where guests can get their food from.

Help your guests avoid over indulgence

It’s well-known that food in the stomach can slow down alcohol absorption. Rather than putting out all your food at the beginning of the evening, keep some back to serve later and help people soak up their drinks.

Limit the drinks list

If you have one guest wanting a G&T, another thirsty for Manhattans and a third preferring scotch and soda, it’s going to be a while before anyone gets their drink. Keep things simple by offering one variety of beer, one wine and one simple cocktail that you can mix in a pitcher.

You can also set out a drinks table replete with chilled beers, bottles of wine, cocktail pitchers, glasses and ice. This allows your guests to help themselves and limits the amount of running around you need to do.

Cool drinks outside

If you are short on fridge space, at this time of year drinks left outside will usually keep nice and cool. Just leave them close to your back door or balcony door for easy access.