Everyone has surely heard about the fall from grace of our local MP for Simcoe-Grey, Helena Guergis so we won't even go there.  One of her last acts before being expelled from the Conservative caucus though was to bring some very good news to our area. Georgian College will receive an investment of $4 million for a new Collingwood Campus through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).  While Georgian has had a presence in Collingwood for many decades, it has been a part-time campus more or less with locations spread out around the town.  In a recent media release, Brian Tamblyn, President and CEO of Georgian College stated, "This investment in a new, permanent home for Georgian College serving Collingwood, Wasaga Beach, Clearview Township, Meaford ... 04/12/2010

The month of March proved to be strong start to the spring market and potentially a sign of having put the recession fully behind us - at least for now. Sales in the Georgian Triangle last month reached the highest level on record for any March since 2004 with a total of 200 MLS® sales in all areas serviced by the Georgian Triangle Real Estate Board for all types of properties.  Of the 200 sales, about 135 were single family homes and 24 were condominiums.  There were also 25 vacant land sales.  The number of new listings also climbed sharply with 614 new listings in March; a level not seen since May, 2008. The 12 month average, residential sale price has returned to 2008 levels in most areas and is now at its highest level ever in some areas.  Condominium sales continue to show a sharp... 04/04/2010

The features that home buyers look for reflect the changing realities of the world we live in.  For example, as the average age of the population rises, so does the demand for one storey homes.  With environmental issues reaching our collective consciousness, so does the demand for "green" features increase. I spent some time this morning reading various reports and studies to find out the trends home builders and renovators might want to pay particular attention to.  What I found was not surprising at all.  Buyers are placing increased importance on:  Open concept floor plans One level living Main floor master bedrooms Universal design Energy Efficiency Recently, the Ontario Association of Home Builders held their meetings here in Collingwood and some of the newer trends they identifie... 03/05/2010

Real estate activity in February in Collingwood, Blue Mountain and area continued to show recovery over the picture we saw one year ago. Sales in the Georgian Triangle in February, 2010 were up 39% compared to the same month last year when we were in the depth of the recession.  There were 107 sales of all types reported in our area in February but this was still well below the 139 sales reported in the same month in 2008.  The number of new listings for the month declined by 13% over a year ago with 347 new listings in February. The 12 month average, residential sale price is returning to 2008 levels in most areas and is now higher in Wasaga Beach and Collingwood than it was in 2008.  Condominium sales continue to show a sharp rise compared to the previous two years. There have been 43... 03/01/2010

I know it will not be a surprise to you to learn that real estate sales in Collingwood, Blue Mountain and area last month presented a far rosier picture than we saw one year ago. Sales in the Georgian Triangle in January, 2010 were up 56% over the same period last year when we were in the depth of the recession.  There were 81 sales reported for January 2010 and 455 new listings representing a decline a just 2% over 12 months ago. Sales in units have not yet returned to 2008 levels however, the 12 month average sale price continues to climb.  Of particular interest is the number of condominium sales last month which showed a sharp rise compared to the previous two years.  These sales occurred across our area in all price ranges and follow the pattern of buyers moving to condominium livi... 02/01/2010

Trying to do a forecast of what is likely to happen in the real estate market in 2010 for the Collingwood, Blue Mountain and Georgian Triangle area is a bit like playing at a roulette table.  There are way too many strategies, systems, odds and lucky omens to consider. I've spent the better part of the last week tabulating, reading, crunching, analyzing and surmising.  You've already seen the data from 2009 over the last couple of posts.  Below are some of the things I've been studying that will impact our market over the next 12 months or so. General Economics Canada is the leading country in the G7 for economic growth.  Foreign investors are attracted to Canadian commodities, stocks and real estate assets There are trillions of dollars of commercial debt outstanding in the U.S. and th... 01/06/2010

2009 Real Estate Market Report for Collingwood, Blue Mountain and Area What a year 2009 was in the real estate market. It was somewhat like driving in a snowstorm trying to sense the road ahead and having to make adjustments with each new gust. First, a quick explanation about the data to follow. The Georgian Triangle area traditionally includes Collingwood, Blue Mountain, Wasaga Beach, Clearview, Grey Highlands and Meaford.  The data collected by our Georgian Triangle Real Estate Board MLS® however, captures a wider area that includes towns on the edges of our typical trading area. As I know most of you are focused on the traditional six communities, the statistics used in this report include only those areas and, only reflect data collected in our MLS® system. We started the year abou... 01/03/2010

I was so excited after reading a news release about the old Tremont Hotel building in downtown Collingwood, Ontario, that it was hard to get to sleep. As I mentioned in another post on the subject,  the Tremont building has sat neglected and abandoned since the town purchased it several years ago with the intention of tearing it down for parking.  Since the building is located in the Heritage District and is considered to be an exceptional heritage asset, it would have been a horrible shame.  Thankfully, the current council stopped to reconsider that decision and ultimately put out a request for proposals to the public. Recently, Collingwood council accepted a proposal from local residents, Richard and Anke Lex.  Rick is a developer and also the current president of the local chapter of... 07/17/2009

Ha!  Got ya with that headline!  Read on... Back in September 2007, I wrote about our foray into the world of real estate investment.  Hubby and I purchased a condo in Collingwood, Ontario that we rented to a fantastic family and, we are still very happy with our decision.  There's more though.  One never knows where things can lead and many things have happened since then. First, I was elected to the board of directors of the condominium corporation last year.  It's been a tremendous learning curve but one I am so glad to have taken on.  Having book knowledge of the Condominium Act and all of the inner workings of a corporation is quite different than having practical knowledge as I do now.  Our little corporation may in fact be one of the more complex ones in the area for a variety of... 07/09/2009

When I meet new people who are considering a move to Collingwood and area, I like to give them what I call my "cook's tour."  What people see driving through or visiting on vacation merely scratches the surface and never meets the core of what a town is really all about. On just such a tour last week, I drove my clients past our water treatment plant.  They thought this was a rather odd thing for me to show off and then, when I told them that Collingwood had one of the safest and best water supplies in the world, I saw them snicker to one another.  I'm sure they were thinking that I was in full sales pitch mode.  But then I explained. Collingwood's Water Works was established way back in 1889 and later became a public utility in 1912.  With our water supply coming from Georgian Bay, our... 05/10/2009

Nothing fires up debate in our fair town of Collingwood better than a plan to tear down a heritage building.  Every time the issue arises, entrenched camps form with flaring tempers, passionate appeals and political hand wringing.  There have often been lines drawn in the sand:  tear it down or, fix it and leave it.  Neither seems right to me. In the last few years, the issue has come up over and over again as the town struggles with the impact of enormous growth pressures.   Many of the properties are public assets such as old schools and the question of maintenance, restoration falls to municipal shoulders. Some people look at an old building and see an unsafe, derelict and ugly structure that is better torn down and replaced by something more modern and functional.  Others see a pie... 05/03/2009

Our daily lives are dramatically impacted by the liveability of the community we live in.  Access to  transit, our civic spaces, community amenities and the form of new development around us impact us the way building heights, trees and sidewalks more obviously do. The Town of Collingwood is undertaking the development of an Urban Design Standards.  Not guidelines but, actual and enforceable standards.   They will direct the way new commercial, industrial, and multi-unit development will look and function in Collingwood. According to a presentation made to council in December, the purpose of the Project is to develop urban design standards that will: 1. direct new development that is guided by the community's Official Plan, Council policy,various policy documents and past community part... 03/21/2009

The local real estate market followed national trends by posting the lowest number of monthly sales in over a decade.  The 46 sales reported in the Georgian Triangle last month represents a drop of 59% over January, 2008 and is lower than December 2008's 53 sales. One interesting and slightly surprising trend is that, for the first time since March, 2008, the number of new listings for the month was lower than in the previous year.  For the fourth month in a row, there was a tiny uptick in consumer confidence being reported and, the North American governments have both passed stimulus budgets this month.  Could it be that potential sellers are hanging on expecting some improvements this spring? The following information was obtained from the MLS® statistics provided by the Georgian Tria... 02/05/2009

Although it's now February, people are still asking about prices in our various neighbourhoods in the Georgian Triangle.  So, in the spirit of wrapping up the 2008 statistics, here is a chart showing the change in the average sale prices between 2007 and 2008 by area:  Please do remember that average sale prices can be skewed significantly by a few really high or low sales so they are not necessarily a fair representation of prices however, they do show the general trends by area. Interestingly but not surprisingly, both Collingwood and Wasaga Beach registered an increase in values; even when I tried eliminating sales under $100,000 and over $1 million.  More rural areas such as Grey Highlands and Clearview showed the greatest declines. Right now, we sure are seeing buyers being very re... 02/01/2009

We interrupt his blog to bring you a little shameless self-promotion. First, let us say that we love most of our fellow REALTORS® around here.  They are a good bunch.  But this is not about them (sorry guys and gals). For a few years now, we've been working hard to keep you in-the-know about everything to do with Collingwood and Blue Mountain real estate or otherwise.  We've gone on ad nauseam about why you should use a REALTOR®.  Now, we present to you more reasons why you should use us, Marg and Chris, as your REALTORS® of choice in the Collingwood and Blue Mountain area. 1. Professionally speaking, we have more than 35 years of real estate business experience under our stylish, but tasteful belts. 2. We're not one-trick ponies:  we've both enjoyed other careers in social work, bankin... 01/31/2009

Since I am based in Collingwood, I track data for Collingwood, Blue Mountain and Thornbury. I also track sales in sales in Georgian Meadows, a new home development of about 400 homes in Collingwood. Further to my last post I invite you to look at the graphs I have made for total number of residential units sold by month for 2007 and 2008 1) all of the Georgian Triangle 2) Collingwood only 3) Thornbury/Blue Mountain only. I update my stats every month. Visit my site www.livingincollingwood.com   01/22/2009

The past two years have been strong in terms of number of residential units sold in the Georgian Triangle. That trend continued until October 2007, with November and December showing even lower numbers. What does that mean for our market? Now is the time to make an investment in Collingwood, Blue Mountain or Thornbury. Prices and interest rates are low and inventory high. It is truly a buyer's market.  Many buyers are holding off, waiting for prices to decrease even more. Although we cannot gaurantee that prices will or will not decrease in the coming months, the opportunity for finding your dream home at an excellent price has never been better. Buyers holding out risk the disappointment of having little choice when the time comes to put in an offer. In summary, I urge my buyers to get... 01/21/2009

According to the 2001 Census, almost 15% of the Collingwood population identified themselves as being Anglican.  Locally, that congregation is served by All Saints' Anglican Church located on Elgin Street opposite St. Mary's Catholic Church downtown. This church is said to be one of the most beautiful historic churches in Ontario and, it stands as one of the most significant early buildings in Collingwood.  I've often noticed people painting pictures or taking photographs of the adjoining former manse which is seen in galleries or books across the country. The church was erected in 1858 and expanded in 1876.  From the history section of their website,  "Over its long history, the church has been enhanced by a number of memorials, including magnificent stained glass windows, white oak or... 01/07/2009

After reviewing, crunching, tabulating and charting, I finally have a report to share on the 2008 Georgian Triangle Real Estate Board performance.  The Georgian Triangle area traditionally includes Collingwood, Blue Mountain, Wasaga Beach, Clearview, Grey Highlands and Meaford however, the data in some cases captures a wider area that includes towns on the edges of our typical trading area.  It's a tough undertaking to provide you with the fairest and most unbiased data because as Mark Twain once said, "Facts are stubborn, but statistics are more pliable." The outcomes change depending on the data used and variables like areas, types of properties, time frames and values all change the picture.  For this reason, I've used a variety of approaches and have provided data that you can inter... 01/05/2009

I have a very talented and smart client.  She recently made a significant life change upon her retirement by leaving Toronto to move to Collingwood to live a quality lifestyle. This gal purchased a run-down condo that had the right bones, a fabulous location and a good price.  Then she set her mind to making it hers and here are the results: Isn't that amazing?  No, she is not a stager or designer but rather, a person with great taste and a good eye. It looks like an entirely different place and rest assured, she has improved the resale value well beyond her investment.  Hat's off to her and congratulations on this transformation! 10/29/2008