Clovelly Trails Phase 3a lot prices are now up on the website for the public and purchasers to view. Clovelly Trails appears to be the most popular subdivision in St. John’s this year. 69 of their lots have had deposits on them for months. Some dating back to 2007.

The lot prices range from $69,900 to $94,900 (plus HST). A hefty jump since the last phase (base price was approx $54,900) but the demand is there to justify it.

Almost all subdivisions in St. John’s and Paradise have increased in prices since last year some as much as ten to fifteen percent.

Remember Fraser and Stephen Winters can represent your interests in the buying of your new construction home. We will be there from lot and house design selection, through signing the paperwork, choosing your paint colors - all the way to final walk-through and beyond.

There are ZERO costs to use our services on the buying side of purchasing your new (or pre-existing) home. There is no cost to you - no decreased incentives - no increased price - the developers actually pay us to work with you through the buying process. Contact us and we’ll show you how we can assist you in finding the new home you’re looking for in ANY subdivision.

Venmar Ventilation has received several reports of major home fires where the suspected cause is a heat recovery system. Therefore, Venmar Ventilation released this press release which affects heat recovery systems as these systems can fail and pose a potential fire hazard to homeowners.

I looked into mine and it was determined that I had one of the HRV’s in question. (Model: 43720) You can fill out the Request Form Product Recall - Safety Upgrade Program and find out if your model is listed as well.

The recall is for models manufactured between 1991 and 2001 as well as between October 2006 and August 2007.
Owners of air exchange systems that are covered by this Safety Upgrade Program must immediately turn their unit off and unplug it, and contact Venmar as soon as possible. (1 866-441-4645) or by visiting their website at www.venmar.ca

It has come to Venmar’s attention that an unlikely series of circumstances could lead to a motor overheating in certain models of air exchangers that may result in a potential fire hazard. For models manufactured between 1991 and 2001 Venmar will provide a safety upgrade device, called Power Plug Adaptor free of charge. For models manufactured between October 2006 and August 2007 Venmar will send a field technician who will inspect and fix the affected units, free of charge.
The Safety Upgrade Program affects certain units distributed under the names: Venmar, Venmar AVS,Flair, vänEE, Sears, Guardian by Broan, NuTone, Conformax, Payne, Day & Night, Carrier, Bryant, Heil, York, Rheem, Ruud, Protech and Weatherking Heat Recovery Ventilators sold in North-America. This program covers units with the following model numbers only. This model number is located on a silver or a black label positioned on the outside panel of the unit.

There has been quite a debate around the “real estate water cooler” in recent weeks.  Towards the end of 2007  some local builders and subdivisions in St. John’s implemented a new “Economic Clause” to their contracts.  Buyers have been noted to shy away from certain subdivisions and proceed to others that do not insert this clause.  The debate is over whether this clause protects the buyer or the builder.   Does it protect the buyer from an increase in purchase price of the house?  Does it allow the builder the option to raise the price of the house prior to starting construction?

The clause states:

“This Agreement of Purchase and Sale is subject to the Vendor confirming to the Purchaser or the Purchaser’s Agent in writing the final sale price on or before the expiry of 14 days prior to excavation of the dwelling. If no written confirmation of the final sale price is issued by the Vendor on or before the expiry of 14 days prior to excavation of the dwelling the Purchase Price referenced herein before shall be deemed to be the final sale price. If written notification of an increase in the final sale price is issued with which the Purchaser is not satisfied then this Agreement of Purchase and Sale shall be void and of no effect. Upon receipt of the written notice of the increased final sale price from the Vendor the Purchaser must acknowledge in writing within 72 hours their agreement with the increase in price, and failure to do so renders this Agreement of Purchase and Sale void and of no effect with the Vendor returning the Purchasers Deposit or down payment.”

What are your thoughts on this clause? Are you in favor of the builder being protected or the buyer?

Statscan recently released information on new housing prices throughout the major cities in Canada. The prices reflect December 2006 to December 2007.

On the west coast, the 12-month increase for Vancouver was 6.4 per cent .

The fastest pace was Saskatoon, which led the nation with an annual price increase of a whopping 45.1 per cent .

Regina, the year-over-year increase was 25.9 per cent.

Calgary, prices rose 6 per cent between December, 2006 and December, 2007.

Edmonton, home buyers saw prices that were 21.5 per cent higher than in December, 2006, down from the high of 41.5 per cent recorded in December, 2006.

Winnipeg experienced a year-over-year increase in December of 15 per cent.

Prices were more moderate in Ontario and Quebec

• 5.9 per cent in Greater Sudbury and Thunder Bay,
• 3.4 per cent in Toronto and Oshawa
• 3.1 per cent in St. Catharines-Niagara
• 3.1 per cent in London
• 0.6 per cent in Ottawa-Gatineau
• 6 per cent in Quebec City
• 4.1 per cent in Montreal

Halifax Real Estate market increased by 10.4 per cent.

And last but certainly not least, the St. John’s Real Estate Market year-over-year increase in new housing prices was 7.9 per cent.

While new home construction in Newfoundland and Labrador is booming, it is not uncommon now to see a six month closing date on new home construction. With a good percentage of the trades people presently working in Western Canada, some contractors are finding it difficult to recruit enough local trades people.

It is estimated that as much as10,000 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are working out west for companies such as Syncrude, Suncor and Flint Energy, to name a few.

An estimated 4,000 are working on a rotational basis commuting to and from the province, bringing millions of dollars to local communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. Some of these commuters are staying in camps, where food, lodging and travel to and from the province are all fully paid.

Workers are drawn to jobs that often start above $100,000 per year and lots of overtime.

While it all may seem wonderful, it has to be a burden on the family structure with 20 days away and back home for 8 days of rest in a repeat cycle.

Can it last? What kind of wages would be required to keep at least some of our trades people home, and what affect will this have on the price of new construction?

With all the new subdivisions in St. John’s and surrounding areas, it’s becoming a common question: “is this property covered under the Atlantic Home Warranty?” A follow up question is”what does it cover?” People hear about the Atlantic Home Warranty but it’s apparent they are unaware of the details.

Atlantic Home Warranty offers a 7-year limited home warranty. This is automatically transferable and increases the value of your home. The warranty stays with the house, not the owner.

The coverage details are listed below.

1. Optional Deposit Protection, up to a maximum of $20,000.
2. A guarantee that the Builder will repair eligible defects in workmanship or materials supplied by the Builder during the first year of ownership.
3. Protection against major structural defects during the remainder of the warranty period.
4. A conciliation service to handle any disagreements between you and your builder during the first year.
5. A total aggregate limit of liability of $50,000.

To determine if a specific builder is a member of the Atlantic Home Warranty program, they are listed on their web site by province and area. Simply click here and follow the directions. You may also contact AHW directly to verify if the Builder is a Member.

It is important when looking to buy a new construction home that you find a builder that is a member of the Atlantic Home Warranty program.

• St. John’s Builder Members
• Conception Bay Members

Your home will be one of the biggest investments in your life, make sure you have the peace of mind….make sure your home is covered.

R-2000 homes are the most energy-efficient and environmentally responsible new homes on the market.

The R-2000 Program was created in 1981 as a partnership between the Canadian Home Builders’ Association and Natural Resources Canada to begin moving this exciting new technology into the marketplace. The R-2000 Standard was formalized, home builders were trained in the new design and construction techniques, and consumers began to learn about these “better-built” homes.

R-2000 homes are extraordinary homes built to demanding standards for energy efficiency and indoor air quality that far surpass others in the marketplace. They are designed and constructed by extraordinary builders, who are committed to providing the very best for their customers. They are backed by a quality assurance process that’s unique in the industry. And every R-2000 home is certified by the Government of Canada.