Sunday, June 27, 2010

Mobile MLS Search For I Phone Available!

Want to check out MLS on your iPhone? Now you can! With GPS integration with Google Maps, this new tool will automatically locate the listings nearest your current location. From there, you can get full MLS info for each of the properities nearby. Want information on another area? Simply type in a location, and you will get all the listings that are close.

This is an amazing new service for all of us mobile junkies out there... check it out at www.Edmonton-HomesForSale.com/m and let me know if you have any questions!
Unfortunately, this service is not currently available for Blackberry users, but I will keep you posted...



Here is a quick list of what you can do in this application

  • Automatically locate yourself via GPS and see all available listings for sale in up to 1km radius around you
  • Have the application "follow" you by updating your position and nearby listings as you walk or drive
  • Drag the map to pan around and see the nearby listings automatically searched for you
  • Manually override your current location by entering the address of your choice
  • Login into your Virtual Office Website (VOW) account to see and do more
  • See full details of each individual listing, including all photos
  • Email listings to family and friends
  • Inquire about the listing with the agent/team/broker
  • "Star" the listing for later review through the Virtual Office Website (VOW) account
  • Sign up for a Virtual Office Website (VOW) account
  • Make a phone call and/or send a SMS message directly from the contact forms

Monday, June 7, 2010

REALTORS® face relaxed housing market with stable pricing

The housing market was relaxed in May with slightly lower sales than last year and prices generally stable. Despite the sales drop, the current sales figures compare favourably with levels set in 2008.

“Financial incentives, changes to mortgage qualifying rules and the threat of increasing mortgage rates caused the local market to peak a little earlier this year,” said Larry Westergard, president of the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton. “Many buyers exercised their options in April leaving the customer base a little leaner in May.”

Single family residences in the Edmonton area rose in price by less than one percent and sold on average* for $390,583 in May. Condominium prices dipped just two percent to an average of $248,526. Duplex and rowhouse prices of $320,204 were down 2.3% from last month. Overall, the average residential price was up a quarter of a percent to $340,192.

There were 3,670 residential listings in May with residential sales of 1,682 properties resulting in a sales-to-listing ratio of 46%. The average time to sell a home was 44 days (the same as April) and inventory at month end was 8,780 residential units (as compared to 8,056 in April). At current sales levels the inventory will last for over five months.

“Buyers, sellers and REALTORS® can all relax and enter a sales transaction without pressure,” said Westergard. “That does not mean that you can delay making or accepting an attractive offer because 50-60 homes sell each day and you would hate to see your dream home snapped up by someone just a little more eager to live there.” He emphasized that the REALTOR® can be a calming influence in a sale but can also be relied upon to provide expert advice and coaching