New listing in Airport Heights St. John’s – 7 Kincaid Street
*** SALE PENDING *** Fraser and Stephen Winters have just listed 7 Kincaid Street. This 4 year old 2-story home shows just like new. Hardwood and ceramic on the main floor. Bright open concept eat-in kitchen and family room. Rounding out the main floor is a separate, spacious living room as well as a 1/2 bathroom. Three bedrooms in total on the second floor. The master bedroom includes a 3 piece ensuite and walk-in closet. There is a large rec-room in the basement as well as a separate office (or 4th bedroom) Newly updated laundry room with a half bathroom. This house is located on an oversize lot with panoramic views of the East End of St. John’s. You can even enjoy a surprisingly spectacular view of the ocean from your patio deck. The property is fully landscaped has a fenced backyard and includes a baby barn. As a bonus feature, you can have rear yard access. Asking price is $299,900.
For a virtual tour of 7 Kincaid Street click here
CMHC’s January Housing Starts for the St. John’s Area
CMHC’s Housing Now publications was just released for Newfoundland and Labrador outlining January’s housing starts for the St. John’s real estate market. Below is the outline of the press release. For the full PDF file click here.
ST. JOHN’S, February 8, 2011 – Housing starts in the St. John’s region were flat during the month of January, according to preliminary released today by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). January’s housing starts totaled 105 units throughout the St. John’s area compared to 104 units in January of 2010. There were four additional starts recorded outside the St. John’s area, for a total of 109 provincial urban housing starts compared to 113 last January.
“An 18 per cent increase in single-detached housing construction was offset by lower multiple unit starts activity during January,” said Chris Janes, senior market analyst with CMHC in Newfoundland and Labrador. “While starts activity is expected to come off record highs, continued growth in employment, income and population will remain supportive of the local housing market this year,” added Janes.
In urban centres across Canada, total housing starts recorded in January were down six per cent to 9,773 units compared to last year’s total of 10,438. Single-detached starts declined 28 per cent to 3,463 units, while multiple starts increased 13 per cent to 6,310 units in January. In the Atlantic region, 480 new units were started in January compared to 441 units during the same period in 2010.
CMHC Housing Now report for St. John’s
CMHC just released their First Quarter 2011 edition of Housing Now – Major Centres – St. John’s. You can view the entire PDF release here http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/odpub/esub/64199/64199_2011_Q01.pdf
Here are some of the highlights:
- High prices and an increasing inventory of unsold new and existing homes saw housing market activity continue to slow during the fourth quarter of 2010
- During the October to December period, both new home construction and resale market activity registered declines.
- Average prices, however, advanced compared to 2009, but remained relatively unchanged on a month-over-month basis
- Residential construction activity declined moderately
- Total housing starts were down approximately six per cent, with 488 starts versus 520 in 2009’s fourth quarter
- The overall average new house price for the St. John’s CMA was $326,954
- 50 per cent of all new single-detached homes sold for more than $300,000 during the quarter
- decline in sales and increased inventory, positioned the market as buyers again during the fourth quarter
- buyers had a much broader choice of homes because available inventory increased approximately 40 per cent in the quarter, including a 56 per cent surge in December
- Listings remained on the market for an average of 65 days
- Despite higher inventory, offers came in at approximately 96 per cent of asking
price
- The average MLS® residential price in Newfoundland was $238,696 during the October to December period – an increase of 12 per cent.
51 new developments slated for the St. John’s Mount Pearl Area means 51 new reasons to invest in St. John’s Real Estate
There are approximately 51 major developments that could take place in St. John’s this year. Of these developments, Pleasantville appears to be the hottest topic (as well as the largest development) A new Canadian Forces Base as well as 975 residential spaces. I have received a number of calls in the past few months on this new subdivision already. This will be the hot spot for East End St. John’s homes for sure.
The old Woolworth building is slated to become an office tower/parking garage.
An $18million dollar hotel is to be built at the corner of Prescott and Water Street.
A $15million dollar hotel/condo building is being built on Temperance Street.
The old Arcade building on Water Street as well as the old CBC building are aimed to be converted to office buildings and condos.
On Tiffany Lane in the East End of St John’s a new $10million dollar condo development will be built.
In the West End of St. John’s a new $8million dollar seniors condominium complex will be built as well as another in the Center of the City on Blackmarsh Road.
A 200 home project is expected to get underway off Ruby Line and Heavy Tree Road in Mount Pearl.
Lots of new Box Stores being constructed up on Stavanger Drive Area. (Best Buy, Kesleys, a new RONA building, a new Canadian Tire building) as well as new ones on Kesley Drive near Kenmount Terrace.
Things are certainly booming here in St. John’s. Good times, prosperous times are ahead for Newfoundlanders.
St. John’s Real Estate Average House Prices forecasted to rise in 2011
With only a small rise in inventory in 2010, the growth in prices in the existing home market was higher than expected (approx 15% since 2009). For 2011, average house prices are forecast to increase across Atlantic Canada from a high of close to four per cent in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), three per cent in Nova Scotia (NS) and close to one per cent in New Brunswick (NB). Prices in Prince Edward Island (PEI) are expected to rise less than one per cent in 2011. Existing home sales are expected to decline modestly.
Sales declines will vary across Atlantic Canada from one per cent in NS, close to four per cent in NB and NL and nearly eight per cent in PEI.
Although the economic forecast remains positive, recent concerns regarding the global outlook have tempered the possibility of stronger growth in 2011.
For Newfoundland and Labrador, energy and mining development will continue to be the main source of future growth. Several major capital projects will continue to inject stimulus into the local economy and contribute to a positive outlook.
Growth in commodity prices has also provided a lift to mining companies in the interior of the province. Stronger income growth compared to the other three Atlantic provinces has also helped support the level of consumer spending, as well as the stronger than expected level of housing activity. The fishing industry will continue to pose a challenge for Newfoundland’s rural economies, but population losses will moderate over the forecast period due to improving economic conditions in St. John’s. Natural declines in offshore oil production will restrain GDP growth, although increased royalties received by the province will offset the effects of production declines on economic growth overall.
(source: CHMC)
St. John’s Real Estate Housing Market Activity Cooled During Third Quarter
CHMC just released their latest housing report for the St. John’s Newfoundland Real Estate Market. The Fourth Quarter 2010 edition of CMHC’s Housing Now – Major Centres – St. John’s can be accessed by clicking on the link below. http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/odpub/esub/64199/64199_2010_Q04.pdf or I have some clips of the report outline below.
“Recent price growth and an increasing supply of unsold homes had a cooling effect on the St. John’s housing market during the third quarter, despite growth in population, income and employment. During the July to September period, new home construction activity declined slightly, while resale market activity remained mixed, with sales declining and average
price advancing. From an overall historical perspective, the St. John’s area housing market was strong, but recent record housing market activity went unmatched in the third quarter.
Resale Market Favoured Buyers
Fewer sales and increased inventory,positioned the market as buyers during the third quarter. In terms of resale market dynamics, buyers had a broader choice of available homes and some sellers were forced to reduce the asking price on their properties as the market shifted. Available inventory increased approximately 16 per cent in the quarter (23 per cent in August) and listings remained on the market for an average of 61 days, while prices continued to show gains over the July to September period of 2009. Despite higher inventory, offers came in at approximately 98 per cent of asking price. For the St. John’s area, there were 1,785 new residential listings during the third quarter compared to 1,795 during the same period in 2009.
Active listings averaged 1,796 a month during the quarter, versus 1,548 a month during the third quarter of 2009. The sales-to-active listings ratio averaged 20 per cent during the quarter compared to 26 per cent during the same period in 2009, resulting in buyers’ resale market conditions.
MLS® Sales Declined, Prices Advanced
With fewer sales of existing homes and higher inventory available throughout the St. John’s area during the third quarter, the average MLS® residential price showed little change compared to the second quarter, but continued to advance compared to the same period last year. It reached another record level in the quarter peaking at $262,316 in the month of August. The number of MLS® sales declined 11 per cent with 1,069 sales compared to 2009’s third quarter sales of 1,197 units. The average MLS® residential price in the St. John’s CMA was 15 per cent higher than it was a year ago. Despite tepid sales activity during the July to September period, the average MLS® residential price climbed to $255,496 compared to $221,253 during the third quarter of 2009. The average price appears to have stabilized around the $250,000 level, as the recent momentum has begun to wane. The relative strength in the average MLS® residential price continued to be supported by positive economic conditions, as well as higher priced newly built home sales going through the MLS® system in the third quarter.
At the provincial level, there were 1,323 MLS® sales compared to 1,504 in the third quarter of last year. The average MLS® residential price in Newfoundland was $238,285 during the July to September period – an increase of 15 per cent.“
CMHC: August Housing Starts in St. John’s Newfoundland
ST. JOHN’S, September 9, 2010 – Urban housing starts increased during the month of August, according to preliminary data released today by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). August’s housing starts totaled 179 throughout the St. John’s area versus 151 starts in August of 2009. There were 18 additional starts recorded outside the St. John’s area, for a total of 197 provincial urban starts compared to 190 last August. Year-to-date, starts remain positive, with 1,177 recorded in the St. John’s region versus 1,026 last year.
“The number of new homes started in August is in line with the current forecast and the expectation that new home construction will slow over the remainder of 2010,” said Chris Janes, senior market analyst with CMHC in Newfoundland and Labrador. “New home demand was steady during the first half of 2010, but will taper off in the coming months, due to recent price growth and record high home prices,” added Janes. In urban centres across Canada, total housing starts increased 12 per cent with 14,253 recorded in August compared to 12,734 during August of 2009.
Throughout Atlantic Canada, there were 847 urban housing starts posted versus 907 the previous August, a decrease of seven per cent.
The full press release can be found here.










