Hi everyone:

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I've written about the subject of selling privately on the MLS®, which at this point in time is not an option. In fact, to my knowledge, it is never going to be an option, as this would simply reduce the M.L.S. ®' effectiveness to that of just another private sales website.

So what then are a Winnipeg home sellers options for selling his house or condo:

1) Word of Mouth: Just ask your friends, neighbours and relatives. Perhaps put a poster up at the church, your local grocery store and a few telephone posts. Advantage: Its FREE. Disadvantage: Your market access is very limited, and chances of getting a full price, let along top-dollar offer are very remote.

2) KIJIJI, Craigslist, Local Newspapers: Run some ads on local community sites like those mentioned here. Many of these are even free, although for a few dollars you can 'highlight' your listing. Advantage: Still very low-cost. Disadvantage: Although you are accessing a larger market than with word-of-mouth, your 'reach' is still limited.

3) Private Sales Companies: There are dozens of these, just Google "private sales companies" and you will see lots of choices. Advantage: Larger market reach, internet exposure and better chance of finding A buyer. Disadvantage: More significant cost and no money-back guarantee. If you cant sell your house or condo, you've missed out on being a "NEW LISTING", once you call a real estate agent, because home-buyers will know that you could not sell for x-number of weeks. So these are the options for selling privately.

4) Listing with a REALTOR® on the M.L.S. ®.

Access the entire home-buying market all at once. Disadvantage: Not the cheapest method. There are discount brokers around who will list your home on the M.L.S. ® for less, but like most things in life, you get what you pay for. Advantage: Access to a huge market of buyers, best chance at getting multiple offers and top dollar for your house or condo.

Even if you DO choose to list with a REALTOR®, you have plenty of options. Each REALTOR® has their own marketing plan and price. Click here for a look at my marketing plan.

If you're thinking of selling your house or condo, please call me anytime for a personal market evaluation and one-on-one consultation and discussion of all your options. Bo Kauffmann 333-2202

Hi everyone:

As we do every month, Winnipeg REALTORS® have issued their monthly real estate market update on MLS® statistics regarding the sales and listings of houses and condominiums in Winnipeg for September 2010.

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As always, these statistics cover the sales and listings for the entire south-east area of Manitoba, including Winnipeg, Steinbach, and all towns and rural areas in this vircinity. For a look at my own real estate market update of Winnipeg-only, see this Real Estate Market Update Video.

For the month of August, 2010, Winnipeg REALTORS® report that sales were down 12% when compared to August 2009, and dollar-volume was off 5%. Overall, however, dollar volume for the year was up 11% to this point, when compared to 2009. As well, the numbers of listings entered onto MLS®, at 14,843 so far, was up 15% when compared to the same time in 2009.

As usual, the most active segments of the market were homes in the $150,000 to $199,999 range, and the $200,000 to $249,999 range, which had 22% and 21% of the market, respectively. This is to be expected, as these usually represent the price ranges for 'first time buyers', who are after all the driving force behind the Winnipeg Real Estate Market.

Days on Market, which measured the time it take to sell a home, for residential detached homes was at 30 days, which is equal to August 2009, and 2 days slower than July this year. Of note is the fact that homes in the $150,000 to $200,000 range sold in only 20 days. Condominiums are still an excellent alternative for the first time buyer.

As for condominiums, the most active price ranges were in the $150,000 to $199,999 range, followed by the $100,000 to $149,999 range at 33% and 27% respectively. Average days on market for condos was 34 days, which is 3 days slower than July, but 6 days faster than August 2009.

For a complete look at the press release, click on Press Release 09-09-10 August 2010 MLS Statistics

If you're thinking of buying or selling a house or a condo in Winnipeg, call Bo Kauffmann of Remax Performance Realty for a realistic market evaluation. Call 204-333-2202 today.

Hi everyone:

With approximately 1400 Real Estate agents in Winnipeg, home sellers appear to have a lot of choice when it comes time to sell their house or condo in or around Winnipeg. Some choose to go with an agent they've used before, perhaps even a relative or close personal friend. Some folks shop around for the lowest commission, but selecting a Listing Agent isn't the same as buying a pound of flour: All REALTORS® are NOT the same, and they don't use the same marketing plans. So when it comes time to list your Winnipeg house or condo, compare agents based on what they do for you!

Perhaps the biggest difference between Listing Agents is their Marketing Plans. The average agent is content to placing the home onto the MLS®, perhaps show it on their own website (assuming they HAVE a website) and advertising it in the local Winnipeg Real Estate News. Here is a graphic of what their plan might look like:

Average Agent Marketing Plan

I've always been taught: average efforts bring average results. The average agent sells 17 homes per year in and around Winnipeg, and the average Listing has a success rate of approx. 70% (give or take a point or two).

Now, with 80-85% of buyers starting their search on the internet, I personally feel that no marketing plan is complete without comprehensive Internet Promotions. My listings also go on the MLS®, into the Winnipeg Real Estate News and into my website, but my plan goes well beyond those points. Here's a look

My Marketing Plan for your Winnipeg Home

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I believe that when it comes to marketing your home or condo, 'more is better'. Some of my competitors have said "Achh, you don't need all that stuff, Winnipeg's market is hot and houses sell quickly". Keep in mind that 70% of houses sell...... which means 30% DON'T. By the time a home-seller discovers himself to be in that 30% group, it's usually too late to add "all that stuff"....   Like my dad always said "Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it."

For YOUR market evaluation, call me anytime. Bo 333-2202

Real Estate Market Update report for Winnipeg in September 2010. Stats on listings and sold houses and condos in Winnipeg's hot real estate market

Here we take a look at how many homes are available on the real estate market in Winnipeg, and how many have sold in the past 31 days in Winnipeg. By combining these factors, we get a good idea of where Winnipegs Real Estate Market is heading.

If you're thinking of buying or selling a house or a condo in Winnipeg, please call my anytime. Bo 333-2202

Hi everyone:

I just came across an excellent resource for mortgage rate, interest rate, insurance rate and credit card rate information. Check out the blog at ratesupermarket.ca

This site features input by some very impressive contributors. While NO ONE can predict interest rates with 100% accuracy, being able to draw on the experience of some of the countries top mortgage experts gives ratesupermarket a nice advantage in this effort.

The site blog includes categories such as Mortgage Tips, Housing Market, Real Estate and dozens of others.

This month's Mortgage Rate Outlook predicts that fixed rates are expected to remain the same, 'with downward bias', and variable rates are also expected to remain the same.

This continues to be an excellent time to purchase a house or condo in Winnipeg. Inventory levels are up slightly, and due to summer vacations, buyer activity is down a little, meaning that your chances of finding and actually getting a house are increased.

If you're looking to purchase a home (house or condo) in Winnipeg, please call me anytime. Bo 204-333-2202