From April to June 2009, Newfoundland and Labrador’s population climbed 0.28%, the highest second-quarter growth rate since 1983. In contrast to the other Atlantic provinces, the increase was mostly attributable to a net gain in interprovincial migration. It was also the fourth consecutive quarter in which Newfoundland and Labrador has posted gains in its exchanges with the other provinces and territories.

On July 1, 2009, Canada’s population was estimated at 33,739,900. In the second quarter of 2009, Canada’s population grew by 121,200 (+0.36%)

Alberta was the Western province with the fastest demographic growth rate from April to June 2009, at 0.59%.

From April to June, Prince Edward Island had the fastest demographic growth rate in the Atlantic provinces at 0.53%

This province has been bucking the trend in consumer confidence. In fact, a researcher says consumer confidence in Newfoundland and Labrador is possibly the highest in the western world. Corporate Research Associates CEO Don Mills says it will take a lot to shake that.  Mills says this province leads the country in consumer confidence and continues to enjoy a high level of satisfaction with government. He says we’re in a unique situation, as the rest of the country deals with layoffs and downsizing.  He says if there are a lot of people coming back from Alberta, it could make a difference. Mills says CRA will be going back into the field for research next month. Finance Minister Jerome Kennedy says the continued confidence will help the province pull through.

Read full news article here

An interesting article on the CBC website today titled: Community within a community: Housing plan pitched for Pleasantville discussing a proposal for a new subdivision with a mix of condo’s and houses.  Even more interesting are the comments left by residents of St. John’s.  Most seem dead-set against the idea.  Here’s the article below.  What are your thoughts?

A Crown corporation hopes to see a mix of houses, condos and apartments built on the site of a former U.S. military base in St. John’s, on one of the prime undeveloped areas of the city.

Canada Lands Corp. is showcasing its plans for redeveloping Pleasantville and on Wednesday night will make a formal presentation on how it hopes the site — north of Quidi Vidi Lake, and within walking distance of downtown St. John’s — can be transformed.

Project manager John Dalton said the idea behind the mixed development is to create a community within a community.

“If you get that mix, you get what you call aging in place, where someone can move in as a young couple. If they need a bigger place, they could buy a home [and] they could have children,” Dalton said.

“Then, as they become empty-nesters, they could potentially move to an apartment or a condominium, and finally, at that stage of life which we’re all heading, as you’re getting to be … needing some assistance, we’re even providing an opportunity of assisted living.”

The U.S. military developed much of the land as Fort Pepperrell, which was built during the Second World War.

Years later, the site was turned over to the Canadian government, which used part of it as Canadian Forces Station St. John’s and other parts as offices for government departments. The former Janeway children’s hospital was built there in the 1960s, but was demolished earlier this year.

Canada Lands Corp.’s plan of divesting the lands, now considered surplus, will see about 960 residential units built, including single-family and multi-unit homes and hundreds of condominiums. The plan also includes two 10-storey towers that would be built along Logy Bay Road.

Housing advocates and social agencies have long called for a greater mix of housing in the central part of St. John’s, particularly for affordable housing for low- and middle-income earners.

The plan will come under a lot of scrutiny from residents of neighbouring streets, including Alister Eaton, who lives on Ross Road.

“That’s probably the best site left in metropolitan St. John’s. I mean, I grew up here,” said Eaton, adding that the Pleasantville site has had historic attachments, including a training site for the Royal Newfoundland Regiment in 1914.

“It’s always been a sort of historic place and I think done properly it will be great.”

The plan incorporates a $101-million upgrade planned for Canadian Forces Station St. John’s, which is relocating to one corner of the land it currently occupies.

Canada Lands Corp. will make a formal presentation to area residents on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion on The Boulevard.

Typically this time of year the real estate market slows a little.  We normally see a quieter October, ramping up in November and then slowing as we near Christmas time.

The month of October brought fear throughout most of North America, if not the world. With the stock market tumbling, prime lending rate dropping, rumors of a recession, the cost of oil dropping (currently sits at $64.72 as I write this) and the removal of the 40 year, 100% financed mortgage.  Quite the exciting month.

Have the effects of this past months news slipped into our real estate market?  Most of the real estate markets throughout Canada have been in a slight decline.  (Check out Maggie Chandler’s post on what Canadian cities housing prices are up and what ones are down)

Are we slowing into this trend or are we just seeing a normal yearly slow down?

The breakdown in ownership is Chevron Corp. which owns 28 per cent, Exxon Mobil Corp. the largest shareholder with 37.5 per cent, Petro-Canada and Norway’s state-owned StatoilHydro ASA own the rest. The province of Newfoundland will receive a 4.9 per cent equity stake in the project.

So far this year St. John’s Real Estate has jumped about 20% with a projected 15% increase in 2009. In the beginning of the year CHMC went on record saying 7 – 8% increase in housing prices while Remax was deemed highly optimistic with their 12% projection for 2008.

With this impending news release, how will the real estate market react? When will the oil companies start moving people into the St. John’s and start buying up properties? Is too much of a good thing too fast good for Newfoundland Real Estate?

Speaking of business….the Hebron deal has been postponed as well.  Final last minute details are still being worked out.  The memorandum of understanding expires August 21st.

Officially launched on July 1, 2008, the locally owned and operated website www.DiningInfo.ca caters to the Newfoundland dining community, tourists, and business travelers. It currently lists restaurants in several major centers throughout Newfoundland.  In addition, it has features on local restaurants, chef profiles, current specials and promotions, restaurants that are opening soon and much more!

Wondering where to dine tonight? Check out www.DiningInfo.ca

Check out the St. John’s Farmers Market Saturday at the Lions Club Chalet.  Located right behind the Remax Centre (Curling Club).  9am to 2pm.  Lots of locally grown veggies, fruits, Newfoundland arts and crafts and paintings.  They even have a Facebook Group “I support a weekly farmer’s market in downtown St. John’s”

Every summer in St. John’s at Signal Hill, military drills and music from the 1800s is featured. The Signal Hill Tattoo is now up and running.  Check out the re-enactment of 18th Century military exercises with period costumes, guns and cannon fire this Saturday at the Signal Hill National Historic Site.

The Royal St. John’s Regatta is only a few weeks away.  This Saturday on Quidi Vidi Pond the Time Trials will be taking place starting at 8am.  The purpose of these Time Trials is to determine the makeup of each Regatta Day race based upon the times rowed by the crews participating in the Time Trial heats. Drop down and check out the local rowing crews and see all the hype.

The caplin are rolling! The caplin are rolling around the Avalon bringing hundreds of people to Logy Bay, Middle Cove, Outer Cove beaches.  The presence of the caplin brings with them lots of whales! Check out this quick YouTube clip titled “Caplin in Newfoundland“. If you haven’t seen this phenomenon I highly encourage it.  But hurry….they will not be around for much longer.

And of course….with this beautiful weather you can always enjoy a couple of hours chasing after a little white ball on a golf course.  Newfoundland has a lot of terrific golf courses. My personal favorite is Clovelly Golf Course in East End St. John’s, (in the Clovelly Trails Sub division). Of course you can enjoy a scenic view of St. John’s from Admirals Green in Pippy Park.   For a complete list of Newfoundland golf courses visit golfnewfoundland.ca or the Newfoundland and Labrador Golf Association.

Below I have compiled a list of the more popular websites that cater to people/students looking for St. John’s homes for rent:

The most popular is St. John’s local newspaper – The Telegram.  Their rental classified section has lots of apartments for rent and is broken down by the areas.  East End St. John’s homes for rent being the most popular as well as downtown apartments for rent.

Island Property Management is a property management company who take care of 1000′s of investment properties in St. John’s and surrounding areas.  They have a great selection of houses for rent in all areas of Newfoundland.  You can narrow your search by area, price and by rental type (basement apartment, main floor apartment or by a fully detached home).  Complete with address and google map interface.

Kijiji is becoming more and more popular for classified ads.  While I find this site VERY unfriendly due to all the advertising, it does provide a fairly large list of apartments and condos for rent

Northern Property Real Estate Investment (publicly traded on the TSX as a REIT- Ticker:NPR.UN) manages a number of apartment buildings/complexes in St. John’s.  I stumbled across gscrentals.com which appears to be managed by NPR.  Titled “Apartments for rent in Toronto and Apartments for Rent in Canada” it has a good selection of homes for rent in St. John’s.

If you Google “apartments for rent in St. John’s” you can find many more websites to assist you.

]]> http://www.stjohnsrealestateonline.com/st-johns-apartments-for-rent/feed/ 0 http://www.stjohnsrealestateonline.com/the-janeway-childrens-miracle-network-telethon/ http://www.stjohnsrealestateonline.com/the-janeway-childrens-miracle-network-telethon/#comments Wed, 28 May 2008 14:17:02 +0000 Stephen Winters http://www.stjohnsrealestateonline.com/?p=175 This weekend (May 31 and June 1) the Janeway Children’s Hospital Foundation is holding the 24th Annual Janeway Children’s Miracle Network Telethon. This year’s theme The Heroes Among Us highlights the patients, the physicians and the medical staff of the Janeway Children’s Health and Rehabilitation Centre and the men and women who work so hard to support our province’s only hospital dedicated entirely to pediatric health care.

On Sunday, June 1 RE/MAX offices in St. John’s will be answering phones and volunteering for the Telethon. As well, each year we provide a donation check to this wonderful cause. RE/MAX believes in giving back to the community and in doing so we donate a portion of each home sale to the Janeway.

Since 1992 RE/MAX Sales Associates have raised in excess of $50 million for CMN, $21 million of that in Canada alone, in contributions through RE/MAX’s Miracle Program in Canada.

Together we can make miracles happen for children in your neighbourhood. Please donate this weekend.