Fireworks for Victoria Day Weekend in Kitchener -Waterloo Area

           

Victoria Day celebrations 2

Children enjoy the festivities in this Independent file photo.

New Dundee is hosting its fifth-straight annual Victoria Day Fireworks on Monday May 23.                         

The fireworks are part of an all-day celebration, beginning with a community garage sale throughout the village from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The fireworks committee will be set up at 1388 Bridge Street and last year their own sale raised over $1,200 for the festivities.

Early morning sale-goers can enjoy a “Grab N Go” breakfast menu, featuring breakfast sandwiches, starting at 7:30 a.m. on the site of the sale.

Vendors will be at the  New Dundee park on the corner of Bridge and Main streets starting from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Sunglasses, toys, jewelry and other items will be available for purchase. Food vendors will also be open for business starting at 10 a.m.

There's also a silent auction and the “Discover Your Wilmot” community parade will start at 1:30 p.m.

An antique car show and midway rides for kids will also be part of the Victoria Day fun at the park on May 23.

The festivities will move to Doug Fischer Memorial Park in the evening. A BBQ dinner will start at 6 p.m. and will be followed by live performances from Erick Traplin, The Doug Clayfield Trio and The Collective until after 9 p.m.

Fireworks will begin, following the culmination of the live entertainment, at 9:30 p.m. During the display sections of Queen Street and Oxford Waterloo Road will be closed for safety reasons. The display is in support of the Children’s Wish Foundation.

Locals are encouraged to donate items to the garage sale, and if they wish to do so they can contact Jen Tate at 5159-656-0535. A representative from the sale will be available for either pickup or drop off at any time. Proceeds from the sale go toward keeping the event running annually.

The rain date for the BBQ and fireworks display is Saturday May 28. More information can be found at www.newdundeefireworks.com, or at the event’s Facebook page.

Home Seller's Checklist

Whether you’re moving to accommodate your growing family or looking for a smaller space to be your empty nest, selling your home is a big decision. To help you make smart decisions, it’s important to think with your head and not your heart. The Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) shares their tips for being home smart when you’re looking to make the sale.

 

 

Shop around. Don’t be tempted to hire the first real estate professional you meet. Make sure the fit is right, check their references and visit the RECO website to confirm their registration.  To find out the three questions you HAVE to ask a prospective Realtor, click here https://youtu.be/dFVQC4RCeeU

Understand what you’re signing. Before you sign a listing agreement with the brokerage, ensure you know what it means, how long it will be in effect and what the different clauses mean. Ask questions and seek independent legal advice if you’d like a second opinion.

Show the facts. Include all your home’s details in the listing, from the square footage to recent renovations to items that are and aren’t included (water heater, appliances, drapery, etc.).
Plan your open house wisely:

• Be proactive. Speak with your real estate professional before the open house to set ground rules and identify ways to protect yourself and your property.
• Minimize risk. Remove all valuables and securely store anything with your personal information, like credit card statements and receipts.

Know your options. When reviewing offers on your home, the details of the offers will remain confidential between you and your real estate professional. You may get multiple offers, and your real estate professional is there to help you make the best choice.

Budget accordingly. Remember that there are closing costs associated with selling a home: real estate commissions, legal fees, moving expenses, and more.

Expect the unexpected. Does your closing date on the sale align with when you’ll be moving into your new home? Have a contingency plan in place in case the dates don’t match up.

Contact me today for a Free Home Value Report or to chat about the real estate market in your area!

Seller's Market Proven with April Sales Statistics in Kitchener - Waterloo

Residential sales through the Multiple Listing System (MLS® System) of the Kitchener-Waterloo Association of REALTORS® (KWAR) continue to outperform previous years, and the month of April was no exception. There were 667 properties sold in KW and area which represents a 9.5% increase compared to April of 2015, and a 19.3% increase compared to the 5-year average for the month of April.

With 2,019 home sales year-to-date, 18.8% above last year’s total for the same period and 18.4% above the 5-year average, monthly sales in April stand as the highest on record.

While sales activity has been strong, the number of active residential listings on the KWAR’s MLS® System to the end of April was sitting at 1,272, which is 29.4% fewer listings compared to same period last year.

"It’s safe to say that buyers are out in full force here in Waterloo Region," says Charlotte Zawada, President of KWAR. "We’re seeing record setting sales activity this month, but it’s a different story on the inventory side." The president notes that by comparison to April of 2007, when sales were almost on par with this month, we had 42% more listings on the market than we do today.

"In April, buyers were competing for a limited number of listings," says Zawada. "However, with these favourable market conditions we should see more sellers coming off the sidelines soon to take advantage of the traditional spring market and strong home buying demand."

April’s sales included 427 single detached homes (up 2.6%) and 161 condominium type units (up 42.5%) which include any property regardless of style (ie. semis, townhomes, apartment, detached etc). Sales also included 41 Semi-detached homes (up 24.2%) and 33 freehold townhouses (down 28.3%).

The average sale price of all residential sales increased 2.9% to $367,444 compared to April 2015. Single detached style homes sold for an average price of $424,552 an increase of 5.7% compared to last year. The average sale price for an apartment style condominium was $226,240, an increase of 2.3%. Townhomes and semis sold for an average of $271,661(up 0.6%) and $283,201 (up 3.0%) respectively.

Contact me today to find out what your home is worth!