Housing Market at a Glance Summer – a time when we’re beginning to see more people enjoying the outdoors, more boats on our lakes and, after a slow spring start, more buyers snapping up local Okanagan real estate!   Sales & Inventory A total of 1,662 residential sales were recorded across the region* in May, which represents a mild decrease (3.4%) compared to the same month last year, but on the rise compared to the 1,226 recorded a month earlier in April. Chelsea Mann, Association of Interior REALTORS® President, commented on the shift by saying, “Some buyers seem to have recovered f ..read more

Aesthetically Pleasing You’ve heard the term curb appeal, and during the sunnier months this is your chance to really show off your home in quite literally, the best light! During spring your gardens would have bloomed with new growth and colour while your grass would have turned from dry to luscious green. You may have had time to give your home’s interior (and/or exterior) a spruce up with renovations to the front entranceway (think first impressions!), a new paint colour for the kitchen (neutrals are a great way for potential buyers to envision themselves and their belongings there while al ..read more

Home is where the heart is, and for our Stilhavn Realtors®, this rings true not only for where we live, but where we work. Because for the team at Stilhavn Okanagan, our office is our work havn, our colleagues are family and we’re all incredibly proud to call the interior home.   Meet Terry Terry Osti’s parents introduced him to the Okanagan at a young age when they made the move from Saskatchewan. He enjoyed growing up surrounded by the beautiful scenery and welcoming community, however, the allure of the big city life drew Terry to a change of lifestyle, moving to Vancouver in the early ..read more

It’s common for people to tidy up their homes or do big renovations before listing their home. From a renovation to a fresh coat of paint, the goal is to increase the value of a home. Rather than intrusive and costly renovations, consider staging your home to improve your chances of selling at a higher price.    What is Home Staging?     Even if you’ve never staged a home, you’ve likely experienced the effects of staging. Stores like Ikea excel at staging rooms with their products. From an aesthetically designed bedroom with fluffy blankets to an office with the ideal set ..read more

Housing Market at a Glance As the weather started to heat up so too did the demand for local Okanagan property. Residential real estate market demand across the Association* region has been picking up throughout the start of the spring season, however the current supply of inventory is struggling to keep up with buyer demand.   Sales & Inventory A total of 1,226 residential unit sales were recorded across the region throughout April, a figure on the rise from the 1,207 sales that were seen a month prior in March. In comparison to the frenzied market that was April back in 2022 however ..read more

The Housing Market at a Glance As the clocks fell backward and we moved into Spring, it seemed that along with the temperatures, local residential market sales also began trending upwards. Sales activity throughout March began to pick back up after a slower start at the beginning of the year.   Sales A total of 1,207 residential unit sales were recorded across the Association region last month, representing a 37.2% decrease in sales compared to the same month last year, however rising in comparison to February’s 831 unit sales. Lyndi Cruickshank, President at the Association of Interior R ..read more

As a residential property owner in B.C., you may qualify for a Home Owner Grant. Available to homeowners who pay property taxes to a municipality (or to the province if they live in a rural area), this grant helps to reduce the amount of property tax you pay for your principal residence. For the purposes of this grant, you can have only one principal residence, which is considered the place you occupy, or essentially where you ‘make your home’. It’s where you carry out day-to-day life, and the location which the Government records you as living for things like income tax, your driver’s license ..read more

Change is inevitable. We change things almost daily, from our wardrobe to our meal choices to the activities we to enjoy on the weekend. But how about where we live and spend most of our time? Your home was the perfect havn when you bought it. But how about now? We’ve listed our 5 key areas that are worth weighing up to check if your home is still right for you…   Rooms Our homes often grow and decrease in occupants. And when this happens, our homes adjust by either increasing or decreasing in the space that’s available. Bedrooms How many do you have? Are there enough to for your growing ..read more

Your home is your sanctuary, your refuge from the world. It’s where you wake up and start each day, and where you relax and wind down again at the end of it. As homeowners, we take pride in seeking out items and pieces that will embellish our homes so that we’re provided with the maximum amount of comfort and enjoyment. But whether we’re new homeowners and looking for furnish from scratch, or we’re looking to give certain rooms a refresh, there’s always a question of where to go searching for those perfect pieces. To help give you a head start, we’ve collated a list of favourite go-tos from so ..read more

Housing Market at a Glance As we find ourselves getting back into the swing of things, so too is our local Okanagan property market. After taking it easier throughout the holiday season, we’re excited to have 2023 underway and see how the new year continues to unfold. Following in the footsteps of a busy 2021 and 2022, sales activity this January started off a little calmer. A total of 552 residential unit sales were recorded across the Association^ region last month, coming in at just under half (-48.6) of those recorded back in January 2022. Lyndi Cruickshank – Association of Interior Realto ..read more