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Michele Talks Growth in The Fraser Valley and Hope for Homebuyers
April 12, 2022 | Posted by: Michele Cummins
Warning! This is a digitally automated transcript of the show so there will be mistakes throughout.
Curtis Pope:
Well, it's that time it's a Saturday morning. That means we have to talk to the Rockstar of the realty world. Michelle Cummings on the commons Real Estate Group show. How are you doing? Michelle?
Michele Cummins - PREC:
I love it that you say we have to talk to you. I'm doing good. I am rocking and rolling all day and all night long. Cronus. How about you?
Curtis Pope:
As much as I can at this point in my life? Yes.
Michele Cummins - PREC:
Well, it's a short life, you got to, you know, gotta have fun.
Curtis Pope:
I rock and roll an adequate amount of time for my age group that say it's a bit of that way.
Michele Cummins - PREC:
For sure you do. Oh, my goodness. I don't know our viewers excited as me for this show today. But we have of course, it's our stats show.
Curtis Pope:
I don't know if I could quite be as possibly as excited about stats as you are. But I do enjoy hearing you tell me about the stats. But you get really excited about the stats.
Michele Cummins - PREC:
I do. It's as a that's like a birthday every every month for me. And so that's how I feel about it. If I could get every month. And in our second segment, we have guests a call in Betty loofah is called in. And she is with Send Out Cards and it's something I've been using for the last so many months now and I love it. And it's so fabulous. So it's it's awesome. And so definitely she has some good tips for keeping in contact with your loved ones and friends and impromptu gifts and oh my gosh, it's so much fun. Very cool. Yeah, it's unique and it's a way of I'll just let her explain that later. But it's been fun using her services and so personalized so but yeah, I wanted to ask though, because I actually I went away just this week for a couple of days I did for the first time and many many years many eons I actually went away for two nights Wow, that
Curtis Pope:
must have been like the strangest thing for you actually get away.
Michele Cummins - PREC:
It was it really was i i got away with my sister in law's and sisters and like pretty family family. It was kind of a girl to get away. And we went up to like in between we actually went through I went through for the first time since it burnt down and Linton Listen, have you ever have you been through there since the burn?
Curtis Pope:
No, I have not been there since the fires. No, it's been a while since I've been through that stretch of the canyon anyway, but not since the fires. No.
Michele Cummins - PREC:
I it's yeah, it's mind blowing what happened? And as you drive through it, it's even more real. Right. But yeah, they it was in between Litton and little little that we went and it was yeah, it's 112 acres and crazy mountains and the river and
Curtis Pope:
just beautiful. Make you think of Montana didn't it?
Michele Cummins - PREC:
It did it did and we ATV then I took this tracker down this hill like tree down and like it was it was awesome. And there's like a cliff on one side. And it's dangerous zone. Right? And it's like, Oh, love it. You know, where your life is in front of you if you're not careful. Hopefully the brakes work. No kidding. Yeah, and then the way off is when I got to gold mine, I bought my gold mining cans and I brought my metal detector and I didn't find anything, you know, worth any value, really. But I had a lot of fun in this trying.
Curtis Pope:
So we're not retiring anytime soon as what you're saying? No,
Michele Cummins - PREC:
no, not at all. But I'm gonna go back again because there was so much fun until you get out and do things in life. You don't realize what you're missing. And that's just that's like I like to tell everyone that is get out once in a while and smell the roses and live your life. And you know, just just explore
Curtis Pope:
Well, you know, I can relate because a little different, but today later on today, I'm getting back at it and I'm gonna start playing softball again.
Michele Cummins - PREC:
Oh, how fun I liked softball better than hardball?
Curtis Pope:
Well, you may remember a few years ago when I ruptured my Achilles I got three games into the season and blew up my Achilles tendon. I have three games today. So we'll see how I make out
Michele Cummins - PREC:
okay, are you gonna videotape it?
Curtis Pope:
I don't know if we'll be able to videotape it but you never know. Maybe there's a chance we'll do something like that. I don't know.
Michele Cummins - PREC:
Yeah, and do boomerang. A boomerang.
Curtis Pope:
No, I'm not gonna be doing any boomerang. Michelle, I know that that just sounds like a bad life choice.
Michele Cummins - PREC:
Have you like batting? are you pitching? Or what? What are you going to play? Are you going to play outfield? Or
Curtis Pope:
generally leave me in the outfield? Yeah, that's a good spot for me. But it'll be interesting this year because my 17 year old son is now old enough to play. So Cody is going to be actually playing for our team here and there and tomorrow. He's gonna be playing with his old man and the tournament. Says you because he's better. He's a bit on the phone to the ball player. He's a better player than me. I don't like that.
Michele Cummins - PREC:
Well, you know, this time out does the father and many many times yeah, no. You know what that is? Because you train them so well.
Curtis Pope:
No, it's just natural athletic ability. But I don't like to go there.
Michele Cummins - PREC:
Are there spectators for your games?
Curtis Pope:
I assume so well, not not to watch me anyway.
Michele Cummins - PREC:
If they're spectators, I want to come. I want to watch this game. I'll videotape it.
Curtis Pope:
Well, people don't want to hear about me playing baseball. They bought it probably want to hear about the stats. Michelle?
Michele Cummins - PREC:
Oh, the staff. Okay. So the Fraser Valley real estate stats. So this came out April 4. So that was the day it came out. And the headlines is continued growth in new listing, a hopeful sign for homebuyers in the Fraser Valley. And further for the third consecutive month, new listings in the Fraser Valley continue to climb in March, giving buyers more to choose from helping to increase overall activity and inventory levels not seen since last July. property sales remain robust. At benchmark prices. The price of a typical home continued to increase month over month, and that is for the typical home. So in March, the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board process 2580 residential and commercial sales on the MLS. That's a decrease of 22.5% compared to March of last year, and a 41.4% more than we will process there in February. So it shows that that the activity was up from February. Now Sandra bans is our new President of the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board. I know Sandra years and years and years back. I've been doing this for 19 years locally, and I was volunteered for many years of the Government Relations Committee on the freezer in the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board. And actually I think I believe I met her the first year I was on that committee. So she's volunteered many, many, many days and time for property rights. And so she's our new President of the Real Estate Board. And so you'll hear me quote her once a month moving forward for this year. So she says that sales were strong again in March as more new listings continued to come on stream. We're hopeful this will can contribute to a slowing in price growth, which is good news for the home buying public. Other encouraging signs such as less open houses, traffic and fewer multiple offers may help us get to a more balanced market. However, until the fundamental issue of lack of supplies address, we won't see that happen anytime soon. The board receives 4580 new listings in March, that's a decrease of 10% compared to March of last year, and 22.4% more than were processed in February. That total active inventory for March was at 4699 And that's a decrease of 6.2% compared to last year's 5012 active listings however, 24% higher than last month. So across the Fraser Valley in March, the average number of days to sell a single family detached home was only 12 days, and a townhome was 14 days and apartments took on average 11 days to sell relatively quick, that's pretty swift. And the benchmark prices overall in the Fraser Valley for single family detached homes are at $1,726,900. And that's an increase of 3.4% compared to February and an increase of 39.5% Compared to last year in March townhouses overall at 886,400 and that benchmark price is an increase of 5.4% compared to February and an increase of 41.9% compared to last year's March and apartments at $643,000. That benchmark prices an increase of 4.6% compared to February and an increase of 38.2% compared to March of last year. And then go into the municipality by municipality starting with Abbotsford benchmark prices are at for detached homes 1,000,005 One Under 22,500, that's an increase of 42.5% from last year and an increase of 1.3% from the month before. However, if you look at the median price of Abbotsford detached, it's actually gone down slightly month over month point. 8% townhouses in Abbotsford are at $732,100 and that's an increase of 42.2% from last year and increases 7% from the month before apartments in Abbotsford of $523,400, an increase of 47.5% from last year and an increase of 5.8% from the month before. However, the median price for apartments in Abbotsford went down month over month. Just point 8%. In mission detached benchmark prices for detached homes is $1,285,200. That's an increase of 44.8% from last year and an increase of 2.5% from the month before. However, the average price of detached homes went down month over month 7.9% And the median price went down 9% townhouses admission are at 692,400 and that's an increase of 37.6% from last year and an increase of 5.7% from the month before. However, the median price of townhouses went down 29.3% from last month, and that's due to just less being sold and the ones that were sold sold, sold for a lot less. And the average price for townhouses month over month went down 10.4% in Michigan apartments are at $501,600. That's an increase of 820 8.7% from last year, and an increase of 4% from the month before, and then White Rock so detached prices are $2,117,100, an increase of 30.3% from last year and an increase of 3.8% from the month before. However, in White Rock median and average prices went down a little bit month over month average about 8% townhouses in White Rock are apt $1,061,300 An increase of 42.6% from last year and an increase of 1.7% from the month before. And then apartments are at 703,000, an increase of 32.3% from last year net increase of 5.6% from the month before in Langley benchmark detacher 1,768,000, an increase of 38.2% from last year and an increase of 2.4% actually 2.5 Sorry, from last month. However, the median and average prices did go down in Langley as well month over month 6.3% for medium and 11.3% for average townhouses in Langley $177,600, an increase of 38.1% So from last year, and an increase of 5.6% from the month before, but again, the average and the median prices went down about 3% month over month apartments at 599,800 and increase still of 38.2% from last year and an increase of 3.3% from the month before. But that average price point again went down month over month, February March 1.3%. detached and delta are at 1,586,000, an increase of 39.9% from last year and an increase of 3.2%. For the month before the median and average prices at month over month went down. On average about 4.5% townhouses are at 901,800. Still an increase of 46.9% from last year and an increase of 4.6% from the month before. Those are benchmark prices but again, median and average prices went down almost 20% For townhouses and delta apartments are at 536,900. And that's an increase of 33.9% from last year and an increase of 5.7% from the month before and then last municipality city of Surrey benchmark prices for detached are at 1,851,600 and increase of 38.5% from last year and an increase of 4.4%. From the month before. However, average prices went down almost 5% month over month, townhouses are at 935,200 and increase of 43.4% from last year and an increase of 5.1% from the month before the average prices have gone down month over month. 1.4% apartments are at 580,200 and increase of last year 36.1% and increase month over month of 4.4%. And that is your favorite Valley real estate for March 2020.
Curtis Pope:
And I would imagine if people for example, wanted to get their hands on these stats, there's probably a place they can go. Michelle cummings.ca We're gonna take a quick break. We're back with more right after this And we're back. It's time for secret number two of the Cummins Real Estate Group show with Michelle Cummins and myself Curtis Pope. And of course, we have a special guest. And, and usually this is where we rely on Michelle to give us one of her big world famous intros, but she's thrown me a curveball today. I understand.
Michele Cummins - PREC:
It's not hardball at softball tomorrow. That's right. Betty loofah, I have known many loofah for a long time now only not Not, not my whole lifetime, but long enough to know her. And she is a delight to be a service provider and to know, and she offers something that is so unique, I actually, it hasn't been a service. I mean, I know a lot of different things that are out there. But this service that she provides, it's called Send Out Cards, and I have had so much fun with it. And what it is you can personalize any card you want, like with photos, and this and that uses go online, to send out cards.com/her name Betty Lou, you slash VIDEOS. But anyways, songs gonna be on my website. So people don't have a look at it. And it'll be all over the place for you to find. But she, it's really great service because it's quick, and it's personalized. But not only are they card, but you can also send gifts, and it's all on your computer in five minutes or less or whatnot. Anyways, I'm gonna let her tell you about it, and explain how she got into it. And Betty Lou, welcome on our show. Thank you so much. It's great to be here. So how did I get into Send Out Cards. So my family and I, and my husband, of course, we, we were overseas for quite a number of years. So all of my children growing up here, basically, we came back to Canada. And I have a lot of family, my sister, and my brother and my husband's family, they did a good job at having lots of children. And I just felt like, my kids don't know, they're, they did not grow up with their family. And they create we have new family for them in China when we live there. But when we came back, I thought I heard about Send Out Cards. And this is a great way to stay in contact and, and bring our family back together again, so that my children myself as an anti can bring bring us back together. Like that. So that's how I started out in the company I just sent to my family, and, and close friends. And then what what I did was then I realized that it could also be a business. And so I used it, I started it as a business, and being able to service other businesses, such as little church. So that's how it all came about. It was so funny, because that's how I started is I started sending to my, my family, and then close friends. And I'm all it's such a great way to touch somebody in a very special, like, who gets mail anymore. And then when you get mail that's personalized like that. And then so I've gotten such great responses. I you know, I've been sending burns and implementing these in my business and yeah, I that's how I started sending the family. Awesome. Yeah, and the nice thing about this service, you can send personalized postcards to panel, three panel. Flight cards anywhere in the world. So very nice.
Curtis Pope:
Okay, so now I'm just kind of following along here. And you guys both know what you're talking about me? I have a rudimentary understanding what Send Out Cards is so. So basically, maybe you can tell me what exactly what exactly are Send Out Cards. Okay,
Michele Cummins - PREC:
so it is, let me just sort of give you our overview thing, it's a connection tool, or a relationship development service, enabling people to act on their prompting by providing an online service, which helps users send personalized greeting cards and gifts as a way to say thank you and celebrate. And so how this works If you have an app on your phone, or you go to the website on your computer, and there's trillions that cards there you can choose from, or you can create your own. Or there's photo dot cards, you can throw in photos that you want. You personalize it, at the address, click Send. It's printed, stamped, sealed, sent for you. You can even send brownies and like little treats and cookies and, and like special tea breads with tea. Like there's all sorts of things. It's so fun to shop on on the website of nobody, Lou, we have a lot of realtors that listen to our show and listen to the podcast and stuff and such Can you please explain what problems does send out card offer for realtors. Okay, so it's a way to stay in touch with clients in a tangible way to go along with that know a lot of people use internet, you know, email, phone calls, this is just a tangible testing, like you touched on it earlier Tammy, or Tammy sorry, Michelle and said that I've been called a lot of things but never Tammy before.
Curtis Pope:
I'm gonna start doing it now because it's kind of fun.
Michele Cummins - PREC:
Sorry. Anyhow, just a tangible way to, to stay in touch and Top of Mind with your clients. So that's one one problem itself. follow up, follow up, it's always a big thing that I think a lot of businesses, a lot of, especially cell phone businesses. They fall short in this area, it can be used as a way of advertising. I know some realtors, that that is their advertising is just sending cards and gifts. And it also is a way to help retain clients and customers. And there's that same middle, right, Michelle, that says it's easier to or cheaper to retain, maintain a customer than it is to get new ones. Yes, follow up and staying in contact are huge for every in any business.
Curtis Pope:
We touched on this a little bit. But what exactly does send out cards offer I know in the shell touched on it, like brownies and stuff, which really got my attention.
Michele Cummins - PREC:
All right, give me your address. Okay, so there's a system. And in the system it offers, you can CRM or you can add all of your contacts, all of your contacts can be in there. And you can just with a click of a button, bring up the contact that you want. And send the card there's you can even go as far as having your own hands thought and signature included. And and put that into your cards. It also notifies you for birthdays and anniversaries. If if you want to go that you know that deep into relationships with your clients. And it's a connection relationship marketing system that will generate business, but will also assist in that can bring the human race together by sharing kindness, with cards with gifts, and treating people really the way they deserve. So for a busy relative is also a virtual assistant that it offers. And so it produces. You can help you organize your clients. So birthdays addresses and helps with social media posts and sending to keep again you top of mind. And it has the auto where you can set up if you have like different birthdays like it, you can do it in the beginning of the year and all your family members, all your clients, your friends, you can sort of set it up for all all in any events throughout the year to automatically send out whenever you want. So you don't you could almost organize it that way too, which is really neat. Exactly. So we just call up the the creating and forget method. Right? That is up what's the date, you want to send out cards throughout the year. And and it's done for you. So it's really nice that way. One of the big questions a lot of people have is what what is it cost? What is the service costs and I know there's different things you can you can do with it but with the cost. It also of course depends on your budget. Now you can start as low as just, if you just want to start to try out the system, you can send a card in, it'll cost like 275 for a card, just a basic account where and and then there'll be postage on top of that. And then we have different subscriptions. So say you send a few cards out in a month, but not a lot. We have a $37 a month subscription, where you can send out 30 cards, either heartfelt or system cards. So the system cards would be like the ones you were just talking about Michelle, where you can put dates on them and send them out throughout the year. And then we have three different unlimited subscription, ones that 97 And that one there, you can send out as many heartfelt cards throughout the month as you want anywhere in the world, and postage is included with that. That is great. Thank you so much, Betty Lou, I can't believe how quickly the time goes by. But thank you so much for coming on and sharing the service that you provide, which is lovely, and it touches the hearts of many people. And so thank you. Thank you for having me. Nice to meet you, too, kurta.
Curtis Pope:
Well, thank you and Betty Lou, we should probably ask you now if people want more information about SendOutCards work and they go
Michele Cummins - PREC:
so they can go to www.sendoutcards.org/user/betty Lou,
Curtis Pope:
nice and easy. Yes,
Michele Cummins - PREC:
not you is just a lowercase letter. That is y o u. It's just the letter U. Yeah. Thank you for waiting. You're all good. Okay, and now I've got some upcoming listings, I must share with everyone. And if you or anybody you know, we're looking for a home that's not on the market yet. I've got a few coming soon. And a few brand new listing. So the Coming Soon I've got is one off Kenny, that is in Michigan across from the sportsplex. If you know that location, it's the west side of Michigan is beautiful. And the views are just outstanding. It's just open. And this property is built into what's built in 2003. And it's almost an acre and it has a suite and it's private. And it's awesome. It's got a huge vaulted ceilings and triple garage, the garage is really deep and big. It's got 220 power in there. It's got it's so cute. It's fence in the back. It's it's gated property. So keep an eye on that one next week. And we've got one off Highview coming up. And this is a subdividable property in Abbotsford on the south side of the highway. That is subdividable. It's a really cool, awesome house, but it's going to really be for those investors and builders out there. And developers and that was priced at 1,698,900. That was coming also probably by the end of next week. And then the third one is all in Mission back in mission. It's a five acre Christmas tree farm right off the amazing exposure of low heat highway and it would make a perfect nursery and it has two residences and a huge workshop. So contact me for more information on that that's coming up probably in a week and a half from now. And then the three newest listings there's one out in Mount Woodside is that 1479 Highlands Boulevard with a vast view of the Fraser River and mountains if you know mount Woodside, it's a beautiful Highlands community Harrison Highlands and this is a rancher with a full walkout basement. It was built really to be a bed and breakfast, but it's never been used as one so it's definitely can facilitate that to 3300 square feet and is fully fenced yard and amazing views that was priced at 1,650,000 and it's literally only a five year old house so it's still under five year warranty. Beautiful. Call me today. Do you want to see that and then I've got a condo in Upper Montrose, the condo in downtown Abbotsford it's on its unit 414 And you can rent in that building. It's a two bedroom, two bathroom, only two years new so it's still covered by the eight year warranty. Almost 900 square foot and that one's on at 550,000 that also just came out yesterday. And then we've got I've got a detached property and mission 10,500 square foot property with a house that has a sweep in it and it's priced at 1,250,000 off time and Avenue and it's almost 2300 square feet. So call me today on that one flat fully usable and it's got future OCP which is overall community plan is for multifamily there so that is a great option. Give me loads of the listings and then to end our show with our quote of the week. If life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change. And that's from Jim Rohn.
Curtis Pope:
Very nice. All right, Sammy. I mean, Michelle, if people want more information about the service you provide, where can they go? And join us again next week and we will talk real estate in order to unlock your real estate potential on the show where real estate is maximized. Thanks for listening
If you missed last week's episode where Michele talks the 5 year Real Estate Forecast, please go back and take a listen - it's well worth it!