The Hawker-Betts December 2015 Market Update and Newsletter is Here!

December 18, 2015 1:27 pm Published by

Canmore Real Estate Market Update – December 2015

What a fabulous start to our Winter, great Alpine and Cross Country skiing can be found everywhere with a little more snow to come before the Holiday break and cool temperatures which are perfect for snowmaking on the local ski trails which will surely continue to be in prime shape.  I have had a few great days already and looking for more (as always).  Drew, Mark and I hope that you are able to get out and enjoy all that the area has to offer this holiday season. 

The Canmore Sales volume for the past 12 month has been off about 19% from the number of  2013 and 2014, and about 3% stronger than 2012 and about 24% stronger than the Average number of sales for the period of 2008 to 2011.

  

The sales volume for November 2015 was 36 units sold equal to Nov of 2014. Active listings are remaining very stable.  The average number of active listings for the last 3 years is 241 and we sit at 225 active listings, about 6.5% less listings than that 3 year average and about 50% less listings than the average number of active listings for the 5 year period 2007- 2011 where the average was 353 active listings.  We are seeing buyer strength from the local market which is seeing the best year in Tourism in decades given the low Canadian dollar we are a bargain for the US traveler and the UK traveller is finding the US too expensive to travel too so we are going to see Many UK skiers here this Winter.  The high US dollar continues to keep Canadians within Canada as well.  Other buyer strength is coming from the retiring Baby Boomers who visualise themselves as being very active for the next 25 to 30 years and they are moving here to enjoy all the activities and cultural events between Canmore and Banff.

The average single family home sale price for the last 12 months is $896,000 compared to $842,000 for 2014 and median sale price for the last 2 years has been ~$810,000 for each of 2015 and 2014, again relatively consistent. 2016 will be similar to 2015 in sales volume until the price of Oil and Gas appreciates, our market will continue to feel a little sluggish until that segment bounces back.  I feel that with the strength in the Tourism sector being great for the local economy and continued low interest rates our full-time living market will remain steady and may even strengthen a little.  Foreign buyers will re-emerge a little in the 2016 given our low Canadian dollar along with our safe environment and high quality of life making us a very desirable place to spend their recreation and/or retirement time.  This will be a strengthening trend as long as the US dollar remains high.  We will see a seasonal increase in inventory growing in February and building through to the Summer where it will flatten out.  The Fall of 2016 will be some of the busiest months of next year after we have another exceptional Summer Tourism season.  Inquiries and bookings for Summer 2016 are incredibly strong already and if the East does not get much snow soon we could see hotel room shortages this Winter in the Bow Valley.

We want to thank all out clients, colleagues, friends and Family for another amazing year in 2015, thank you for your continued support please know we are never too busy for your referrals!  Have a sensational Christmas and happiest and healthiest New Year!

The 24th Annual Royal LePage Christmas Spirit Food Drive is a Rousing Success!

Royal LePage Rocky Mountain Realty held their 24th annual Christmas Spirit Food Drive on Thursday, December 3rd, and we are happy to say that the evening was another smashing success! Brad, Drew and Mark want to thank our over 150 volunteers once again that were able to help out with the Food Drive, we have received some numbers for both food and monetary donations, and we are thrilled to announce that we have had perhaps our most successful drive ever! With over $5,000 in cash and cheque donations and 8,734 lbs. of food donations, the drive was an unqualified success, but it could not have been as successful as it was without all of your volunteered time, whether it be driving, walking, sorting, or organizing.  

This cause continues to be an important one to us at the Hawker-Betts Real Estate Team, the Royal LePage brokerage, and of course the community as a whole, so we will be excited  to head back out again next year and see if we can top these incredible numbers! We are still accepting food and $$$ donations at our office (#101, 710 10th Street – across from the street from Communitea Cafe) so it not too late if you were away.  Thanks again everyone, and Happy Holidays! 

Season’s Greetings from Brad and Drew!

Another Wonderful Year for the Hawker Family!

This past year has proved to be another exciting year in our lives.  Lauren worked very hard at Grade 12 after her previous year in Madrid, Spain on her Rotary exchange. Lauren was ski coaching again last year on the weekends to rave reviews from her skiers and loved her time on the school sports teams including Hand Ball.  Lauren was able to use her Spanish this Summer at the Lake while being a full time Mother’s helper to a wonderful family with 3 young boys.  

Lauren was accepted to several universities prior to graduation and she is loving her first semester at St.  FX in Nova Scotia which she chose for its great reputation, small class size and fabulous school spirit.  St.FX is exceeding expectations and Lauren has been involved in many campus activities outside of her classes.  She has volunteered at Alumni meetings and dinners, Youth Rotary on Campus, and she tried out and made the University Rowing team and was rowing in one of the senior boats! What a great start to the year it has been; Lauren arrives home for Christmas shortly and we are very excited to give her a big hug!

Callum had a transition year last year learning about his 4.5 inch taller body –  Yep, from the 1st race to the last race of the season he grew that much!  Cal is closing in on 5’11’ and has been in the gym this Summer  / Fall to gain some injury prevention strength. This Summer did not see him ski as there was little snow so Cal had July at the Lake and was able to get further along in his lifesaving courses which had been challenging with him skiing most recent Summers.  All of us were able to do more Waterskiing and we loved the Wake surfing board we bought.  Cal is enjoying this year at the National Sports School more than last year and he is doing much better, great work Callum!  Cal was able to forerun several FIS Slalom races in early December which looked great and he has just returned from a “Rising Starts” 4 day camp in Sun Peaks, BC where 8 boys and girls from Alberta went to ski with the top 8 boys and girls from BC, what a great opportunity and memories for a lifetime.  He is very excited to be back on snow and outside skiing, a true passion for him. I am so very proud of both Lauren and Callum, they have been such great children and are now amazing young adults!!

Joanna has been very busy in Calgary with her Real Estate Business even with the slower Alberta economy, she works very hard for her clients and those efforts continue to pay dividends.  Jo will be doing Rutrunners again this year which she loves and continues to share our passion for yoga and staying healthy and fit. We had a fabulous Summer (July) at the cottage (one of my Happy places), plenty of time with friends, warm water, waterskiing, swimming, kayaking, Yoga, gym and wake surfing.  We were able to see all the talent around the Juno awards at Juno week last March, what an opportunity.  The Juno’s are in Calgary this year, and if you have a chance, take advantage of seeing the acts in the smaller, more intimate venues during Juno week prior to the Awards weekend, you will be blown away at our Canadian talent! I know I enjoyed the opportunity to be taken back and remembering seeing wonderful musical acts like these in a smaller settings.

I loved my past year, lots of time with Joanna and the children, plenty of skiing and pursuing all the passions listed above with Jo, and I treasured my time at the Lake as always.  Jo and I were blessed with a wonderful trip to Norway which was simply a trip of a life time, fabulous people, incomparable hiking, great vistas, fabulous Fjords, and of course very fresh sea food.  We loved Norway and would certainly recommend it, just be ready for the prices! We had a few days in Ireland on our way back home and we loved Dublin.  We did get outside of Dublin to Belfast and visited one of the Northern Counties where my Mum’s family came from many generations ago in the 1800’s.  It was very cool to see how much it reminded me of the part of the Eastern Townships of Quebec where my Mum’s family lived.  I have been loving all the early season snow, and as I write this at 5:30am I am thinking that this is my day off and it is going to a fabulous ski day at Lake Louise today! My year in Real Estate was a little slower than last year but we are looking for a stronger year in 2016.  I am still very excited to go to work each day, it is great to have something that you do for work that you love so much. 
I have been blessed with a great life, amazing family and children and true love with Joanna.  I want to thank all my family, friends, colleagues and clients who make this so much fun and for all your continued support.  Without you this would not possible nor as much fun, have a sensational Christmas, an amazing 2016 filled with love, health, happiness and prosperity.

Season’s Greetings from Drew!
 

2015 was another fun year, and it has flown by.  Asher moved from grade two to grade three and continues to love all aspects of the Alpenglow School.  The beginning of 2015 also had Asher wrapping up his first year in Novice Hockey.  He loves hockey and was very committed to playing goalie last year.  This year he moved from a travelling team that went throughout Central Alberta to to deciding to play house league that typically only goes as far as Cochrane.  I am proud to be the head coach of Asher’s team this year and see all the kids grow on the ice. In November Asher’s team was able to be a part of the Big League experience and play at the Saddledome in Calgary.  The team has never been so excited.  They did not win the game but the game was close and Asher scored a couple goals.  The kids enjoyed seeing themselves on the jumbotron and all have a full video to relive the experience and see it all again and again. Asher is still getting out skiing as much as he can which was harder last year with all the traveling we had with hockey.  Asher has also enjoyed getting into Scouts this year from earning/collecting badges to the time outside. 

Cheryl and I were lucky to get away to New York and enjoy a Bermuda Cruise in June.  You really do not appreciate or understand a city like New York until you get there but wow, it was amazing!  The relaxing cruise was much needed, with a day on the boat each direction and 2 full days in Bermuda.  We were able to get around the entire island and hopefully we will get back some day. 

This past summer Cheryl and I were also able to take Asher, Brendan and Hannah out to Thunder Bay to see Cheryl’s folks and her home town.  I had never before visited Thunder Bay and it was beautiful.  We were able to get out on Lake Superior and also see the updated Terry Fox memorial.  After some time in Thunder Bay we made our way down to Wisconsin Dells for a few fun days of waterslides, go-carts and mini golf..  Finally, our trip took us to California for visits to both Disneyland and Universal Studios.  While the kids and parents alike had a great time, we were all ready at the end to head home for a rest!

Thanks to everyone for all your support.  I wish you all a healthy, fun and prosperous 2016.

What’s Happening in the Bow Valley

Christmas in Canmore, Dec. 4th – 31st

Come and see how downtown Canmore will come alive with Christmas Spirit for four weeks during the Christmas in Canmore festival, featuring a Christmas Block Party, Christmas Night  Market, outdoor movies, progressive dinners and so much more! The festival goes hand in hand with other great Town events during that time, including the Festival of Trees, Valley Winds Winter Concert, and the New’ Year’s Eve Party on the Pond! Christmas is a special time of year in Canmore, come and experience it for yourself! More information can be found here
 

Spirit in the Mountain
Canmore Cave Tours, Dec. 18th – 22nd, 2015

Canmore Cave Tours presents a magical evening of Christmas Cheer and Caving Adventure in the heart of Grotto Mountain! Expert guides will lead you down through the twisting passages of Rat’s Nest Cave, past ancient pictographs, bones and cave formations, into the Cave’s largest chamber 10 stories below the surface! 

As you sit surrounded by the wild beauty of the cave, the aptly names Grand Gallery will be transformed into one  of the most unique and spectacular convert settings you will ever see! Click here to get more information and pricing on this exciting Christmas event!

*The Full version of the newsletter can be found at the link below:

December 2015 Hawker-Betts Real Estate Newsletter

 

Categorised in:

This post was written by Hawker-Betts Real Estate Team