Living in Canada during the winter is no easy task. The weather is frigid, cars have to be started 10 minutes before you want to go anywhere, and the amount of vitamin D we get from the sun goes down significantly! We also see changes in the housing market in Winnipeg during winter. However, there are benefits for both buyers and sellers who are looking to make a move in the winter.

Benefits for Potential Buyers

1. Less Competition - Most people don’t want to move in winter and stop their house search until spring comes along. This means that you will be able to avoid more bidding wars, removing some of the higher stress events involved in buying a new house.

2. Serious Sellers - There is typically less inventory on the market during the winter months and because of this, the people who decide to sell their houses are usually selling with high motivation to sell. This will allow for a more honest approach to negotiation then one might find if they are negotiating with someone who is just “seeing how much they could get” for their house.

Benefits for Potential Sellers

1. Less Inventory - Less inventory means that your house is more desirable due to the fundamental economic principle of supply and demand. 

2. Serious Buyers - Similar to the reasons why the sellers are more serious during the winter, the amount of buyers is less, and this means that the buyers who are looking are more serious about buying. This means that the chances of a qualified buyer putting an offer on your house increases. 

3. Flexibility and Time to Prepare Home - In the winter people typically spend more time at home and this allows them to do some small repairs and stage the home better when compared to the business of the spring season. The last thing we want is potential buyers walking in on dirty laundry!

4. Buying Back into the Market - If you are planning to sell and buy back into the same market then you get all the benefits of buying in the winter as well. See the above points on benefits for potential buyers.

Looking to make the move this winter? I want to help you find your next stage in life! I pride myself in the abilities to communicate in a timely fashion with concise useful information. Let’s get together to discuss what the next steps are for you! Call me at 204-227-5081

The city of Winnipeg just recently passed a bill that would alter the zoning laws in Winnipeg. The passing of the amendment also provides Winnipeg with $200 million from the federal government to spend towards increasing the amount of affordable housing initiatives within Winnipeg. Here are the biggest changes:

4-plexes can be built on any city wide lot. Although the size of the lot required will be specified at a later date

4 storey 4-plexes can now be built on single lots within 800 meters of a bus stop.

⚖ Zoning changes no longer need a public hearing. This will help accelerate new construction of small multifamily buildings as the zoning process time will decrease.

While the details of the changes still very much needs to be determined, the passing of the amendment was mostly for the ability to secure federal funding.

I believe this will be a good step in the right direction towards addressing the supply issue in Winnipeg as well as the lack of affordable housing. What do you think about the changes?

c. 204-227-5081
e. cneustaedter@codyneustaedterrei.com

Did you know that a Health Canada survey done in 2012 on Radon gas levels present in homes, had Manitoba ranked as one of the worst provinces? Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in Canada for non-smokers. If you don't currently have a Radon gas detector in your home (especially homes with basements!) then I recommend installing one!

Things like Radon gas, asbestos, lead paint, mold, and other health hazards can often be identified when looking for a home and often cost less to fix than you would expect! Don't risk your personal health by not investigating if your future or current homes have these health hazards. If you are curious about other potential hazards to identify when buying a new home or renovating a current one to sell, reach out to me to see how I can help you with the next steps!