Andrew Perkins's Blog

Halifax Condos/Theatre Lofts

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:32:52 -0800

Theatre Lofts/Best Halifax Condo Purchase

I recently visited an exciting new project in the North End of Halifax that is going to help reshape the neighborhood and make it even more attractive for people to live their. Theatre Lofts are beautifully designed contemporary loft-style condominium townhouses that are fresh and vibrant and will give a whole new look to Gottingen Street and the North End of Halifax. I was so impressed with this project that I am thinking of purchasing a unit myself. The development team is Atlantic Developments Inc. and the architect is Michael Napier an award-winning designer of nearly 2,000 highly acclaimed condominium units across Canada. I spoke with David Graham president of Atlantic Developments Inc. on February 12 about this exciting new project. Below are bullet points with relevant information that a prospective buyer should know.

- 43 residential units available and 2 commercial units

- prices start at $139,900 and go up to $299,900

- 28 underground parking spots, additional $10,000(only for larger units)

- completion date, summer of 2010

- storage unit for all residents

- condo fees range from $93.50 to $256.63

- to secure a unit you would need 5% of the purchase price down

- designed for maximum energy efficiency and comfort

- heating is in floor radiant on first two levels and electric baseboard on top level

- landscaped courtyard

- terraces and balconies

- all units are separately metered

With it's uniqueness and proximity to the downtown core I do not see these units lasting long. To get more information on this project you can contact me at 902-488-0012 or email andrewperkins@exitmetro.ca . As well If you are looking for a mortgage broker Scott Walker of Home Loans Canada would be more than happy to sit down with you and go over your options.

Below is an artists rendition of the project.

I also mentioned at the beginning of the week that I would be visiting McCully Worklofts on Agricola, Unfortunately that project as been put on hold.

Andrew Perkins

Your Halifax Condo Expert

Now is the time to Act On Home Renos!

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:28:53 -0800

It could not be a better time to start to renovate your home. The government has recently announced a new program to help home owners with renovation projects. Coupled with the the Eco Energy retrofit grants, this makes renovating your home not only logical but economical as well.

Below is a list of a few highlights of the program

- 15 per cent tax credit of up to $1,350 for eligible renovations to home or cottage

- The credit can be applied to projects like a new kitchen or bathroom, a new furnace, water heater, or a resurfaced driveway. Items like new furniture, appliances or home electronics would not be covered

- The total cost has to be in excess of $1,000 and the credit tops out after $10,000 - the 15 per cent credit is applied to the amount between the $1,000 minimum and $10,000 ceiling, hence $1,350. It's a non-refundable credit, which means it will reduce your taxes owing, but you don't get the cash if you have a positive balance.

- The federal goverment estimates as many as 4.6 million homeowners will take advantage of this new program

- Homeowners can also do some double-dipping, as the renovation credit can be claimed on projects that also qualify for ecoEnergy Retrofit grants. Under that program, Nova Scotians can qualify for a federal grant of up to $5,000, and a matching provincial grant of up to $1,500 for renovations that make your home more energy efficient.

- Last week's budget also included some tax relief for first-time homebuyers. This includes a credit of up to $750 to cover closing costs, such as legal fees, title insurance and deed transfer taxes. This credit covers 15 per cent of eligible closing costs, up to a maximum of $5,000.

- As well, the amount first-time buyers can withdraw from their RRSPs for a down payment has been increased from $20,000 to $25,000, the first major change to the RRSP homebuyers plan since it was introduced in 1992.

Information Taken From Chronicle Herald

This is great news for homeowners and first time home buyers. This will add a much needed boost to the ecomomy. If You would like more info on this program do not hesitate to contact me at 902-488-0012 or email andrewperkins@exitmetro.ca

- Great News For Halifax Home Buyers

- Goverment Announces Money For Green Projects

Andrew Perkins

Your Halifax Real Estate Expert

4th Quarter MLS Stats Are In!!!!!

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:24:15 -0800

4th Quarter MLS residential stats for Halifax, Dartmouth and surrounding areas, released by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Lets have a look at some of the highlights of this report.

Sales Decline but Prices Steady

# of Sales 6205 - down by 10.7% from last years record total of 6945

Despite the decline in sales 2008 remained above the 10 year average.

Dartmouth City had the most sales with 1669, only 4% fewer than 2007

Sales in Halifax City declined by 11%, Bedford-Hammonds Plains declined 15.6% and Sackville declined by 13.1%. Fall River showed the largest decline in sales by 22%. These numbers are based against last years stats which were a record for HRM.

Despite the decline in sales the average price continued to rise by 6.6%. Which is consistent with the annual 10 year average of 7.7%

Areas of Note

2. South End/ Sales down 17.6% Average price up 17.3%

7. Spyfield/ Sales Down 10.6% Average Price up 19.1%

13. Cricton Park/Alboro Lake, Dartmouth/ Sales up 13.4% Average Price up 15.8%

26. Beaverbank,Upper Sackville/ Sales down 28.2% Average Price up 12.6%

These areas saw dramatic increases and decreases in both sales and average price. If you would like to know what the numbers were in your area you can email me at andrewperkins@exitmetro.ca. I would be more than happy to provide you with those numbers.

I am still in the process of revamping my website and my blog. I am hoping to complete this in the near future. Change is always good.

If you are looking to buy or sell real estate in Halifax, Dartmouth and surrounding areas do not hesitate to call me at 902-488-0012.

- Nova Scotia is just fine going into 2009

- Downtown Halifax Condo Market Update

Andrew Perkins

Your Halifax Real Estate Expert

Nova Scotia Real Estate is Just Fine going into 2009!!!

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:17:29 -0800

A recent release from Nova Scotia Association of Realtors states that the real estate market in our province is still going strong. 2008 was another great year according to Robert Wambolt, President of NSAR. See the below article

Nova Scotia Real Estate posts near-record results in 2008: NSAR

HALIFAX - The Nova Scotia residential MLS re-sale housing market defied national trends in 2008, posting near-record results for the number of units sold and the dollar value of residential transactions. The year also ended with a record residential average MLS price for the province and a record for the number of new listings. By comparison, the national housing market ended 2008 with a slight decline in average price, and with a 17 per cent drop in the dollar volume of residential transactions.

"There is no doubt 2007 was the record-setting year for real estate in Nova Scotia. It may be a while before we surpass those statistics," says Robert Wambolt, president of the Nova Scotia Association of Realtors. "That said, it's always a good time to buy in Nova Scotia. As the results of 2008 show, our market fundamentals are solid. Interest rates remain low, and there is still consumer confidence in the housing market in our province."

2008 Nova Scotia Real Estate Market Snapshot (2008 compared to 2007):
--There were 12,480 properties of all types sold through the MLS system (Down 9.1%);
--The total value of all sales processed was $2.2 billion, the second highest value of record (Down 5.3%);
--There were 10,874 residential properties sold (Down 8.4%);
--The total value of all residential sales $2.1 billion, the second highest value of record (Down 3.8%);
--The MLS average price of a residential property for the year was $189,902, an annual record (Up 5%);
--There were 20,117 new listings processed through the MLS system (Up 6%).

The number of new and active residential MLS listings began to increase in the final quarter of 2008, marking the move to a more balanced market. "The real estate market in Nova Scotia is moving towards a more balanced position for both buyers and sellers, and doing it without the major price and volume declines reported in other parts of Canada," adds Wambolt.

December 2008: The residential MLS average price in Nova Scotia set both an annual record in 2008 and a monthly record at the end of December. The monthly residential average in December was $181,646, up six per cent from the end of December 2007. This continues the trend through 2008 of monthly increases in average price of six per cent or less. The annual residential average price was $189,902, also a record.

"That's an important barometer showing we are escaping the major price fluctuations of other markets, and showing continued consumer confidence in our real estate market," Wambolt says.

The total value of all MLS sales reported in the province in December was $82.8 million, down 16 per cent from the total value of all MLS sales in the same month of the record-setting 2007. There were 504 properties sold through the MLS system in Nova Scotia in December, a decline of 16 per cent from December 2007.

During December, the decline in sales combined with a higher number of active listings continued to push the real estate market in Nova Scotia towards a more balanced position. There were 664 new MLS residential listings added in December, so by the end of the month there were 6,292 active residential listings, a 23 per cent increase in the number of active listings compared to December 2007.

"As sales activity continues to slow from its record-setting pace in 2007, listings are staying on the market longer," Wambolt adds. "That emphasizes how important it is for sellers to work with a realtor to price their homes realistically and benefit from their marketing expertise."

Based on the number of residential units, sales in December were most active in Cape Breton and the north shore. In the Halifax-Dartmouth region the value of MLS residential sales in December was $54.5 million, a decrease of 12 per cent compared to the same month a year ago. A total of 233 residential properties were sold in Halifax-Dartmouth through the Association's MLS system, a 22 per cent decline in units sold compared to December 2007. The average residential price in the Halifax region in December was $234,063, up 12 per cent compared to the average price in December 2007.

In the area served by the Annapolis Valley Real Estate Board, all MLS sales in December totaled $5.5 million, a 32 per cent decrease from December a year ago. There were 34 residential properties sold through the board's MLS system in December, down 32 per cent compared to the number of units sold in December last year.

The average residential MLS price in the Annapolis Valley in December was $125,849, a five per cent decline from the average price in December of last year. - Staff

This is a very positive report for the Nova Scotia Real Estate market. With all the news of how bad the economy is, it is good to see that the market is remaining strong.

I am in the process of making major changes to my website and my blog site. I am hoping to have things clued up in a couple of weeks. I am very excited for these changes so stay tuned.

If you are looking to buy or sell Real Estate in Halifax, Dartmouth and surrounding areas give me a call 902-488-0012, I would be more than happy to assist you.

- Downtown Halifax Condo Market Update

- Atlantic Canada Leads the Way

Andrew Perkins

Your Halifax Real Estate Expert

Halifax Real Estate Market 2009 Predictions

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 12:43:10 -0800

Predictions for the Halifax Real Estate Market 2009

The New Year is upon us and who knows what is in store for 2009. 2008 was a tough year on everybody. With all the doom and gloom in the financial industry it is safe to assume that in 2009 we may be in for a rough ride here in Canada. Hot Real Estate markets like Calgary, Vancouver, and Fort Mac Murray have seen a drastic declines in the number of sales and prices have tumbled.

What is in store for us in the Halifax Real Estate market? In my professional opinion I think Halifax is positioned nicely to not feel the sting of this so called recession we are in. Last year we saw a 6.5% increase in average price and this year TD financial fore casted another rise in price but only by 2%. This is a modest increase but it is still an increase unlike other markets in Canada or the United States where the average price has gone down in some places by more than 50%.

I see the first half of 2009 being a buyer's market, right now we are seeing record volumes of inventory and days on market has increased. Combine those two and there are deals to be had. Interest rates are getting close to an all time low which will help more buyers get into their next home.

If you are looking to buy a home this year make sure you get a Realtor to represent you in the transaction, it could be worth thousands of dollars in your pocket. A strong agent who understands this market is going to get you a better bang for your buck.

In the next few months look for new changes to my blog. In the meantime if you are looking to buy or sell Real Estate in Halifax, Dartmouth and surrounding areas you can email me at andrewperkins@exitmetro.ca.

Andrew Perkins

Your Halifax Real Estate Expert

HRM By Design

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:34:53 -0800

HRMbyDesign will increase vibrancy and beauty of downtown Halifax

HRMbyDesign has engaged the public in a democratic, community-led process to determine the vision for our downtown and to establish new policy that will make the vision a reality. Over the past two years the citizen-led Urban Design Task Force has consulted, engaged and communicated with thousands of members of the public to ensure that the resulting plan creates a vibrant, exciting and beautiful downtown for residents and visitors. It is a plan that balances our rich past with a vibrant and beautiful future. Without this plan, we will continue to see parking lots on our waterfront, vacant and underused properties throughout the downtown, crumbling heritage resources in need of support through legislation and incentives for restoration, and an ongoing out-migration of young, highly skilled workers looking for a dynamic and progressive place to live and work.

This Plan will neither encourage nor allow 30 high-rises in the central business district, nor will it encourage the demolition of heritage resources. On the contrary, HRMbyDesign will provide strengthened heritage protections and directs any future tall buildings to those areas where tall buildings already exist, thereby preserving the heritage heart of the downtown. Finally, HRMbyDesign is creating new planning policy and has no ability to influence applications being processed under current policy.

The establishment of the Barrington Street Heritage Conservation District (HCD), HRM's first ever HCD, will occur with the adoption of the Downtown Plan. It will help protect and conserve this continuous, well-defined heritage area through improved demolition and rehabilitation guidelines, and a tax incentive and grants program designed to stimulate the revitalization of this historic streetscape.

Improved demolition control is also being sought through provincial legislative amendments to help protect the stand-alone heritage buildings not located in the Barrington Street HCD, and through the identification of two other future heritage conservation districts - Historic Properties and Barrington Street south. Heritage design guidelines in the new Design Manual will guide appropriate development and design of buildings integrated with, and next to existing heritage buildings both inside and outside of HCD's.

Another protection for heritage exists within the proposed development approvals process and proposed downtown land use by-law. Under the existing development agreement process, new development projects can be negotiated to heights up to the ceiling of the Citadel and Ramparts View Planes. We have seen this occur countless times over the years, as evidenced by the many tall buildings in our central business district. In many cases, HRMbyDesign is actually reducing heights below those attainable under current policy, to a pre-established maximum that has been agreed upon by the public throughout this process. These heights have been widely consulted and are informed by the local neighbourhoods, adjacency to heritage conservation districts or other tall buildings, view planes, access to public open spaces such as the waterfront boardwalk, and many other factors. Further, the new bonus zoning agreement process will provide protection 2 for heritage through onsite restoration or improvements as a public benefit to be provided by the developer.

Excerpted from www.halifax.ca website

I am an avid supporter of this plan. Halifax needs to move with the times and create an exciting downtown core. I was driving in the downtown area today and there are too many buildings not being occupied. The downtown core needs to be the heart of the city. I hope this plan gets final approval and moves forward. I will keep you posted as things change.

If you are interested in buying or selling real estate in Halifax, Dartmouth and surrounding areas you can email me at andrewperkins@exitmetro.ca.

- Halifax Real Estate Market Update

- Atlantic Canada Leads The Way

Andrew Perkins

Your Halifax Real Estate Expert

Atlantic Canada Leads the Way

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:19:57 -0800

Atlantic Canada Still Affordable/New housing starts down

With all the trouble surrounding the economy these days it is very nice to see a positive story for once. After reading this article, the next article I read was how housing starts are down over last year. It is hard sometimes to decipher what to think. As I have said before Halifax prices have had only modest increases over the last 10 years not like some of the other Canadian markets. I look for Halifax to continue this trend next year although probably not at the same pace. Check out the articles below.

Atlantic market Canada's newest housing hotspot: RBC
EDITED BY STAFF, TRANSCONTINENTAL MEDIA
The Nova Scotia Business Journal

TORONTO - According to the latest housing report by RBC Economics, rapid price increases in the past two years have eroded Atlantic Canada's affordability conditions, although some improvement is on the way in
2009.

"Forget the West. The new housing hotspots are in Atlantic Canada," said Robert Hogue, senior economist at RBC. "St. John's housing market is firing on all cylinders, trailing only Regina in terms of year-over-year price increases. Saint John and Halifax are also showing solid price momentum, creating favourable conditions for sellers."

The RBC Housing Affordability measure for Atlantic Canada, which captures the proportion of pre-tax household income needed to service the costs of owning a home, improved slightly across all four classes in the third quarter of 2008 as the benchmark detached bungalow moved to 35.4 per cent, the standard townhouse to 30.3 per cent, the standard condo to 27.6 per cent and the standard two-storey home to 41.2 per cent.

The report noted that despite recent meaningful price gains across the region, housing affordability has not deteriorated excessively during the boom of the past two years. Affordability measures in Atlantic Canada currently stand only five to 13 per cent above long-run averages. Nonetheless, momentum in the region's market is expected to wane in 2009 as economic uncertainty takes the wind out of its sail.

RBC's Affordability measure for a detached bungalow for Canada's largest cities is as follows: Vancouver 74.8 per cent, Toronto 53.3 per cent, Calgary 47.3 per cent, Ottawa 43.3 per cent and Montreal 40.4 per cent.

The report also looked at mortgage carrying costs relative to incomes for a broader sampling of cities across the country, including St. John's, Saint John, and Halifax. For these cities, RBC has used a narrower measure of housing affordability that only takes mortgage payments relative to income into account.

The Housing Affordability measure, which RBC has compiled since 1985, is based on the costs of owning a detached bungalow, a reasonable property benchmark for the housing market. Alternative housing types are also presented including a standard two-storey home, a standard townhouse and a standard condo. The higher the reading, the more costly it is to afford a home. For example, an Affordability reading of 50 per cent means that homeownership costs, including mortgage payments, utilities and property taxes, take up 50 per cent of a typical household's monthly pre-tax income. - Daily

Total housing starts decline in Halifax
EDITED BY STAFF, TRANSCONTINENTAL MEDIA
The Nova Scotia Business Journal

HALIFAX - Residential construction continued to moderate in Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) last month as total starts declined 34 per cent compared to November 2007. According to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's (CMHC) preliminary data released today for Halifax, there were 118 total housing starts last month, compared with 178 in November 2007.

Single-detached starts recorded a 22 per cent decrease to 97 starts in November compared to 125 in November 2007. Multiples moderated to 21 starts last month - all of which were semi-detached or row housing starts.

"Although single starts were up 12 per cent year-over-year through the first three quarters in HRM, they were on average 16 per cent lower in October and November," said Matthew Gilmore, senior market analyst with CMHC's Atlantic Business Centre. "Our recent forecast called for starts to moderate in the fourth quarter and into 2009. The reasons for the decrease include the current economic environment, reduced spillover demand from the existing homes market and rising prices for new construction."

In urban centres across Canada there were 12,780 total housing starts in November, 28 per cent fewer than the 17,816 starts in November 2007. There were 5,348 single-detached housing starts across Canada last month, 37 per cent less than the 8,490 single starts in November 2007. At 7,432 units, multiple housing starts represented a 20 per cent decrease from the 9,326 units started in November 2007. - Daily Business Buzz

- Halifax Real Estate Market Update

- Great News for Halifax Home Buyers

Andrew Perkins

Your HRM Real Estate Expert

Thanks Active Rain

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 11:42:59 -0800

5 leads, 2 closed transactions and a referral

I have been blogging on Active Rain for about 6 months now. I have to admit I am no literary genius for sure but I figured if I kept at it I would only get better. For the first few months nothing was happening but I keep posting blogs. I like to post on market stats, this way I keep informed of what is happening in our market.

About a month ago I had a client contact me through the Active Rain contact form. He invited me to his house to present my marketing plan to get his income property sold. I was not up against any other agents and signed the paperwork that night and the listing was on the market the next day. Within 2 weeks I brought a buyer to the property and he wrote an offer. Just yesterday the deal went firm. I double ended the property all from the lead from on Active Rain. I also am working with another lead that is looking to purchase a condo. Larry Estabrooks from Moncton sent a lead my way that I am working with and I used Liz Toles from Lethbridge Alberta to help with my brother's relocation. Not bad for blogging a couple a days a week. If anyone thinks that blogging doesn't work I am proof that it does.

THANKS ACTIVE RAIN

Andrew Perkins

Exit Realty Metro

Halifax Real Estate Market Update

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:34:51 -0800

Halifax Real Estate Market update, December 3, 2008

How has the real estate market in Halifax performed in the last two months? With all the doom and gloom in the financial sector of the news lately I figured it would be a good time to look at the HRM real estate market as a whole compared to the previous year.

Halifax Real Estate market update for all areas of HRM for October, November 2008. Based on MLS stats for single family homes, condominiums and new construction.

MonthAverage List Price Average Sale Price Sale to List Price Average List DurationNumber Of Sales

Halifax Real Estate Blog Market Update 2008
NOV-2008	248024	238845	96%	104 days	239
OCT-2008	240011	233161	97%	89 days	383
Averages:	243090	235345	97 %	95 days	622

Halifax Real Estate market update for all areas of HRM for October, November 2007. Based on MLS stats for single family homes, condominiums and new construction.

MonthAverage List Price Average Sale Price Sale to List Price Average List DurationNumber Of Sales

Halifax Real Estate Blog Market Update 2007
NOV-2007	229987	223989	97%	98 days	409
OCT-2007	228744	221646	97%	87 days	479
Averages:	229317	222725	97 %	92 days	888

Total Active Listings - 3063

As you can see from these numbers the market is definitely softening over the last two months. Sales are down by 30% over last years numbers. Albeit last year was a record for sales but this is still a significant decline. The silver lining I guess is that price continues to increase. The average price has increased by 5.6%. Days on market has also increased by 3 days which is not too significant.

Right now we are seeing a buyers market in the Halifax Real Estate market. There is a lot of inventory out there and not a lot of buyers. Homes are sitting on the market for a long time. If you are looking to buy real estate in Halifax now is as good a time as any. There are deals to be had.

If you would like more info on market stats in your area, send me an email or call 902-488-0012. I would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have pertaining to real estate in Halifax, Dartmouth and surrounding areas. In the coming weeks I am going to be looking at HRM by design and new condo projects coming on board, so stay tuned for that.

- Sackville Real Estate Market Update

- Fall River Real Estate Market Update

Andrew Perkins

Your HRM Real Estate Expert

Green Condominium in Halifax

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:16:59 -0800

Green Condos in Halifax

I was browsing through The Coast weekly Halifax newspaper and noticed this project that Greater Homes is constructing on the Northwest Arm Drive. Looks like a great investment and place to live.

Located in a desirable area of Halifax, The Waterton is Halifax's first condominium project to use geothermal. The Waterton condo project uses the breakout geothermal heating system that extracts stored heat energy from the crust of the earth. Geothermal takes the guess work out of your energy costs by using renewable energy.

It is great to see projects like this in Halifax. I think in the coming years we will be seeing more and more green projects come to fruition. The green shift is starting to happen and I feel in the coming years it is going to accelerate at crazy pace. We have waited to long to shift our focus and our environment is paying dearly for our neglect.

If you would like more information on this condo project or any other condos in Halifax send me an email andrewperkins@exitmetro.ca or call 902-488-0012. I would be more than happy to help you out.

- Goverment announces money for Green Projects

- Green Real Estate

Andrew Perkins

Your Halifax Real Estate Expert

Great News For Halifax Home Buyers!!!

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:02:47 -0800

Halifax Home Buyers Take Notice!!!!

Thinking about buying a home and not sure how the financial crisis will affect your purchase. The Government of Canada is injecting 75 billion dollars to purchase Insured Mortgages. This is great news for home buyers. This should also help interest rates go down and make the purchase of your next home that much more affordable. Below is a press release from the government.

Federal Government's $75-Billion Purchase of Insured Mortgages Should Benefit Home Buyers

As part of its efforts to address the current financial crisis, the federal government announced that it will inject $75 billion of new money* into the financial system, by buying insured mortgage pools from Canadian financial institutions.

The purpose of this measure is to add liquidity to financial institutions - money they can then lend to businesses and consumers. The main effect of such an initiative is to increase the availability of credit while, at the same time, making the cost of credit more affordable. As a result of this plan, financial institutions' mortgage interest rates should drop, which is likely to stimulate activity on the resale market.

This announcement is good news for our financial system and for the economy in general. Ultimately, it is borrowers who will benefit from this initiative, particularly future home buyers.

This federal government intervention was made necessary by the fact that the financial crisis has led to a significant reduction in the amount of credit made available by the private sector and, as a result, higher costs. In this context, banks' financing costs increase, which translates into higher prime rates and mortgage rates.

The purchase will be made through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and will focus exclusively on mortgages that are already insured under its mortgage loan insurance program.

*Minister of Finance, Jim Flaherty, made an initial announcement of $25 billion last October 10, and announced an additional $50 billion on November 12.

"Excerpted from The Montreal Real Estate Blog"

The Halifax Real Estate market is starting to show signs of slow down in the last couple of months. Sales are down although average price continues to rise. Now is not a time to wait to buy, it's a buyers market right now. If you are thinking of getting into the spring market you will be looking at higher prices, although inventory will be up and more selection will be available.

If you would like more information on market stats and trends in the Halifax Real Estate market contact me or send me an email at andrewperkins@exitmetro.ca.

- Halifax Housing Market Outlook

- Halifax Real Estate Historical Data

Andrew Perkins

Your Halifax Real Estate Expert

Halifax Housing Market Outlook

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:47:08 -0800

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

Fall 2008

Economic Overview for Halifax

Halifax has had sound economic fundamentals in the past few years but the economy is starting to show signs of change. Overall Employment in Halifax remains strong, rising 2 percent in 2007 and reached near record levels midway through 2008, however growth has moderated to 0.7 percent and is expected to remain near 1 percent in the next two years.

Metro Halifax is experiencing a high level of economic activity. Commercial and residential construction projects have boosted the demand for labour. Developments such as Dartmouth Crossing, Russell Lake West, the parking facility at the airport and hotel construction spurr on economic growth

Both residential construction and home sales are fore casted to ease, however sustained employment and strong unemployment will help bolster housing demand.

New Home Construction

2008 saw a decline in new home construction and is expected to remain the same in 2009. New Single detached homes however has remained strong. After the record year for sales in 2007 inventory was depleted and builders built new to catch up to demand. Single starts are up 12 percent in the first three quarters compared to 2007. This trend should soften in the last quarter and into 2009.

There are several reasons for the expected drop in single family detached starts. Inventory is up giving buyers more choice. Also increased economic uncertainty, weaker economic growth, slower employment and wage growth will result in weaker demand for new housing.

Resale Market

In the re-sale market, home sales have cooled compared to last years record. Average price for an existing home continues to rise while price growth will remain positive through next year. Sales are down 7 percent over last years record. Average price is forecast to be 235,000 in 2009. New home average price is forecast to be 355,000. Average days on market has decreased from 89 to 84 days on market.

The Halifax market is sound and there is no reason to panic. Sure sales are down, but only from last year which was a record, they are on par with 2002 and 2005 which were records at the time. Average price continues to increase. I hear a lot of people saying they are going to wait it out to see if prices come down. In our market this is not a good idea, prices are forecasting to rise steadily for the next couple of years.

If you are in the market for Halifax Real Estate, give me a call and I can discuss your options. I have a great team of mortgage brokers, inspectors, insurance agents, tradesman, contractors at my disposal to make your next home purchase as stress free as possible. I can be reached at andrewperkins@exitmetro.ca or by phone 488-0012.

- Halifax Real Estate Historical Data

- Halifax Real Estate 3rd Quarter Stats

Andrew Perkins

Your Halifax Real Estate Expert

Sackville Real Estate Market Update

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:57:02 -0800

How is the Sackville Real Estate Market performing in the Last 3 months?

Sackville Real Estate Market update for August, September, October 2008 for single family detached and semi-detached homes.

MonthAverage List Price Average Sale Price Sale to List Price Average List DurationNumber Of Sales

Halifax Real Estate Blog Sackville Market Update
OCT-2008	195396	190686	98%	72 days	28
SEP-2008	210579	206769	98%	71 days	36
AUG-2008	204205	200016	98%	64 days	40
Averages:	204040	199842	98 %	68 days	104

Sackville Real Estate Market update for August, September, October 2007 for single family detached and semi-detached homes.

MonthAverage List Price Average Sale Price Sale to List Price Average List DurationNumber Of Sales

Halifax Real Estate Blog Sackville Market Update
OCT-2007	183873	179752	98%	64 days	33
SEP-2007	192301	188185	98%	81 days	37
AUG-2007	194631	190164	98%	46 days	35
Averages:	190429	186194	98 %	64 days	105

Number of Active Listings = 216

The Sackville Real Estate continues to be one of the fastest growing markets in HRM. Average sale price continues to rise, the last three months by 7.3%. Unlike many other areas of HRM which saw a sharp decline in the number of sales, Sackville only declined by 1 sale. Days on market are up by 4 days. I attribute this to Sackville still remaining affordable. For what you get in Sackville for your money and what you get in Halifax, Bedford, Hammonds Plains, there really is no comparison.

If you are interested in Sackville Real Estate or have any questions regarding Real Estate in Halifax and surrounding areas contact me at 488-0012.

- Dartmouth Real Estate Market Update

- Fall River Real Estate Market Update

Andrew Perkins

Your Halifax Real Estate Expert

Fall River Real Estate Market Update

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:37:53 -0800

How is the Fall River Real Estate market doing in the last 3 months?

Fall River Real Estate Market update for August, September, October 2008 for single family detached and semi-detached homes.

MonthAverage List Price Average Sale Price Sale to List Price Average List DurationNumber Of Sales

Halifax Real Estate Blog Fall River Market Update
OCT-2008	364392	380067	104%	94 days	12
SEP-2008	294159	284697	97%	76 days	17
AUG-2008	345033	338189	98%	110 days	9
Averages:	328387	327483	100 %	90 days	38

Fall River Real Estate Market update for August, September, October 2007 for single family detached and semi-detached homes.

MonthAverage List Price Average Sale Price Sale to List Price Average List DurationNumber Of Sales

Halifax Real Estate Blog Fall River Market Update
OCT-2007	378485	361808	96%	63 days	13
SEP-2007	335392	324842	97%	99 days	24
AUG-2007	328565	324080	99%	99 days	20
Averages:	342825	333005	97 %	91 days	57

Number of Active Listings - 131

The Fall River Real Estate market has slowed down in the past 3 months. This has been a normal trend in a lot of areas of HRM. Number of sales are down 33 percent over last year, a huge decrease. The average price is also down slightly by 1.7%. Right now we are seeing a buyers market although there doesn't seem to be a lot of buyers out there. Inventory is up and sales are down. This has to do with a number of factors. The slowing economy and the steady rise in housing prices.

In the coming months I see the trend remaining the same with not a lot of transactions in the Halifax Real Estate Market. This will continue into next year and hopefully we will start to see a turn around next summer. Surprisingly price continues to rise in most areas of Halifax.

Next week we will have a look at the Sackville Real Estate market. If you are looking to buy or sell Real Estate in Halifax send me an email andrewperkins@exitmetro.ca. I will respond promptly.

- Dartmouth Real Estate Market Update

- Bedford/Hammonds Plains Real Estate Update

Andrew Perkins

Your Halifax Real Estate Expert

Halifax Real Estate Historical Data

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:08:39 -0700

Today I am going to look at the average price in the Halifax Real Estate Market for the last 8 years dating back to 2000. This should give you an idea of how the Halifax Real Estate market has fared over the years and where is it headed in the future.

Halifax Real Estate	Average Price	Number of Sales	% Price Change

2000	$120,161	5843
2001	$127,337	6484	+5.6%
2002	$142,034	6943	+10.3%
2003	$156,539	6424	+9.2%
2004	$167,720	6777	+6.7%
2005	$181,560	6925	+7.6%
2006	$194,150	6679	+6.5%
2007	$207,198	7493	+6.3%
2008	$221,737	6039	+6.6%
Totals		59,607	+7.3

Source: MLS data

The Halifax Real Estate market has had a very steady rise in price since the turn of the century. The number of sales has remained relatively the same over that period. This year we are on pace to be slightly behind last year's numbers which were a record. I do see this trend slowing a little in the future due to the financial turmoil in the world markets, however I think Halifax will still remain as one of the healthiest Real Estate Markets in Canada. Some of the factors that I feel gives the Halifax Real Estate Market such promise are;

1) Gateway port

2) Military/Navy

3) University city

4) Hub for Atlantic Canada

5) IT sector

When I say that the market is going to slow I am referencing the number of sales. I do not see prices going down in the foreseeable future. Now is not the time to wait for that to happen in Halifax. The prices here are far below other cities in Canada and have a lot of room to grow.

If you are in the market to buy or sell Halifax Real Estate do not hesitate to contact me.

- Halifax Economic Growth Rate Looks Great

- Halifax Real Estate 3rd Quarter Stats

Andrew Perkins

Your Halifax Real Estate Expert

Goverment announces money for Green Projects

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 10:53:40 -0700

$2.6M on the table for green projects

HALIFAX - Residential windmills and carbon-capturing concrete are two of 21 environmental projects to win government grant money.
Mark Parent, provincial environment minister, made the announcement at the Power of Green conference in Halifax yesterday. "In terms of greenhouse gases, (these projects are) equivalent to taking over 10,000 cars off the road permanently, forever," Parent explained to reporters after his speech at the Cunard Centre.
These were the winners picked by EcoNova Scotia for clean air and climate change. Applications were placed under two grant-giving programs for environmental technologies and municipal projects.
This group of winners -the third announcement so far for EcoNova Scotia - cost $2.6 million. Parent said that money will leverage into over $8 million with what the projects will bring in. He said he has especially high hopes for the Carbon Sense Solutions project, which captures carbon emissions in concrete. "I dream of the day - because we make concrete in Nova Scotia - instead of importing asphalt from elsewhere, we can build our own concrete roads and we capture carbon at the same time."
But for some companies, investing in green solutions might take a backseat because of the grim global economic outlook. Some people will be cautious, Parent said, but there are ‘real opportunities' in the green economy. "We've seen a freeze in capital and lending so these programs (like EcoNova Scotia) will be more important for businesses to find the necessary capital to do innovative projects," he said.
Shawna Eason, energy officer with Cumberland County, got $10,000 from EcoNova Scotia to conduct an energy audit of county properties. "It's looking at where they're losing money, but also emissions because anywhere electricity is being used where we can reduce it is going to save them money and is going to save the emissions," she said.

Taken From The Chronicle Herald

It is great to see initiative being taken in a Green Economy. Over the years I am sure we will see more projects coming on board. If you are in the market for a new house, as a member of Clean Nova Scotia I offer my clients a free energy audit which could save you thousands of dollars for both renovation costs and energy savings. If you are looking to buy or sell Halifax Real Estate contact me at 488-0012.

- Green Real Estate

- Go Green and Save

Andrew Perkins

Your Halifax Real Estate Expert

Halifax Real Estate 3rd Quarter Stats are in!!!

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:07:00 -0700

How did the Halifax Real Estate Market perform in the 3rd Quarter?

Sales for the third quarter down 5% year over year and trail 2007 by 7.3% up to and including the third quarter.

Number of sales 2008 = 5325 Number of sales 2007 = 5746

Active Listings are up 16 percent

The only area that had a slight increase in sales was Dartmouth up 2.8% year over year.

Fall River, Bedford, Sackville, Hammonds Plains all recorded double digit declines in the number of sales year over year.

Despite the declines, sales in the third quarter remain at the second highest on record and average price growth remained steady at 6.7%

Areas of Note

Sackville - average price rose by 13%

Halifax North End - 10.5% average price increase

Halifax South End - 19.7% average price increase

Fall River - 9.4% average price increase

Crichton/Albro Lake - 13.9% average price increase

Spryfield - 22.4% average price increase

Average days on Market down by 5 days from 84

The Halifax Real Estate Market remains healthy through the 3rd quarter of 2008. Most forecasters were predicting a 2-3% price increase and we continue to see a 6-7% percent increase. What does all this mean? If you are buyer it is a great time to buy. Prices are continuing to rise and inventory is high, thus it is a buyers market. If you are sitting on the fence now is not the time to wait. Our economy in Halifax remains strong in the face of all the financial turmoil going on around the world. If you would like more information on this, or you are looking to buy or sell Halifax Real Estate Contact me anytime.

- Halifax Economic Growth Rate Looks Great

- Provincial Home Sale Stats

Andrew Perkins

Your Halifax Real Estate Expert

Wow!!!! What a vacation!!!

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:27:27 -0700

I am back from my amazing vacation in Hawaii. What a place, simply paradise. I would recommend if you get a chance to go, take it. You will not be disappointed. Some of the activities that we did were, surfing, shark diving, snorkeling, catamaran, sightseeing, beaches and much more. Here are a few pictures from the trip.

Shark Diving in Oahu

I have many more pictures but these are some of my favorites. I am now back to work and I am getting ready for the upcoming Fall Season. With all the bad news surrounding the financial crisis one would think the Halifax Real Estate market is in trouble. From what I read in the last few weeks Halifax is one of the strongest markets in Canada right now. We are poised to have the strongest economic growth of any province east of Manitoba. That's very good news.

In the coming weeks I will be looking at the Fall River and Sackville Real Estate Markets. Both typically very strong markets. If you are looking to buy or sell Halifax Real Estate you can contact me at 488-0012 or email andrewperkins@exitmetro.ca.

Andrew Perkins

Your Halifax Real Estate Expert

Halifax Real Estate Urban Development Update

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:32:35 -0700

I came across this great forum today and I wanted to pass along the info that I found. It is very useful and gives you a look into what is going on in Halifax, Dartmouth and surrounding areas with regards to development.

PROPOSED:
HALIFAX - DOWNTOWN | Roy Building | ~70m | 16 floors | N/A | 01172
HALIFAX - DOWNTOWN | Hollis & Morris | ? | 10 floors | N/A | 01162
HALIFAX - DOWNTOWN | 1860 Upper Water St. | ? | 9 floors | PH - September 16, 2008 | 01114
HALIFAX - DOWNTOWN | Water Street Power Plant | ? | ? | January 2009 | Not Issued
HALIFAX - DOWNTOWN | Queen's Landing | ? | ? | N/A | ?
HALIFAX - NORTH | 5552 Kaye St | 22m | 7 floors | N/A | 01113
HALIFAX - WEST | 6955 Bayers Road | ? | 16 floors | N/A | 00930
HALIFAX - MAINLAND | Rockcliffe Village | ? | 3X10 floors | N/A | 01179
DARTMOUTH - DOWNTOWN | King's Wharf | ~100m | ? floors | N/A | 00798
DARTMOUTH - NORTH | YMCA Towers | ? | 2x17 floors | N/A | ?
DARTMOUTH - WEST | 249 Windmill Road | ? | 12 floors | N/A | 00996
DARTMOUTH - WEST | Trinity Harbourview | ? | 6-5-5-5 floors | N/A | 01009/01010/01011
DARTMOUTH - WEST | Notting Village | ? | 6 floors | N/A | 00781
DARTMOUTH - BURNSIDE | Harbour Isle | ? | 12 floors | N/A | N/A
BEDFORD | Southgate Village | ? | 4 floors | N/A | 00762

APPROVED:
HALIFAX - DOWNTOWN | United Gulf Towers | ~90m | 2X27 floors | N/A | ?
HALIFAX - DOWNTOWN | International Place | ? | 22 floors | N/A | ---
HALIFAX - DOWNTOWN | Trillium | ? | 19 floors | October 2008 | 01046
HALIFAX - DOWNTOWN | The Alexander | 55m | 19 floors | N/A | 00971
HALIFAX - DOWNTOWN | Salter Street Block | 41m | 12 floors | Spring 2009 | ?
HALIFAX - NORTH | Trinity Site | ? | 18 floors | Fall 2008 | ---
HALIFAX - SOUTH | Seaport Farmer's Market | ? | 2 floors | Fall 2008 | Not Issued

*Not the final public hearing. Usually only for amendments or land zone changes.

**Anything completed on the outside within the last 6 months.

***HRM major projects. Includes redevelopment, revitalization, and paths. No car-oriented projects (there are too many).

Thanks to Bedford DJ for this list

As you can see there is lots of new developments coming on board in the future. Keep checking back as more information becomes available. If you would like more information on these projects let me know and I will dig a little deeper to find the info you require. If you are looking to buy or sell Halifax Real Estate, contact me.

- Halifax Condo Outlook

Andrew Perkins

Your Halifax Real Estate Expert

Halifax Condo Outlook

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 10:59:37 -0700

Halifax Real Estate Condo Update September 11/08

It looks like the downtown Halifax area can be expecting some exciting new condo projects coming on board in the near future. Their are two major ones. The first being The Trillium. This condo building is going on the corner of South Park and Brenton. A great location to say the least. There is not a great deal information available yet. Another one that has just passed council approval is The Alexander in the brewery market. This project looks very exciting. Stay tuned as more information becomes available.

A couple of other projects worthy to note are in the north end of Halifax. Hydrostone Place is a great looking condo building. This area is rapidly becoming one of the most popular in Halifax. Falkland St condos have broke ground and according to the sign there has been 30% sold. I think once this project gets closer to completion they will sell out very fast. Spice is also coming along, albeit quite slow. They need to finish this one soon as it is a eye sore right now. I am sure once it is done it will be very nice. Armoury Villa has also broken ground and is situated across from the Halifax Common.

If you are interested in receiving more info on these or any other condo projects in Halifax do not hesitate to call or email me anytime. I will be keeping a close eye on the Trillium and The Brewery market condos so check back for regular updates.

Andrew Perkins

Your Halifax Real Estate Expert

Canadian Real Estate Provincial Home Sale Statistics

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 08:19:42 -0700

Canadian Real Estate home sales for July 2008

Today I will be looking at other provinces and how their Real Estate Markets are performing. I have created a table to show you the average prices in all provinces in Canada. This will give you an idea of what markets are hot and what markets are cold.

Province	Average Sale Price July 07	Average Sale Price July 08
Newfoundland	$152,718	$181,269
Nova Scotia	$182,267	$192,160
PEI	$136,469	$145,852
New Brunswick	$135,631	$141,255
Quebec	$202,395	$214,070
Ontario	$291,807	$298,630
Manitoba	$167,774	$190,354
Saskatchewan	$182,920	$237,604
Alberta	$371,817	$352,421
BC	$446,481	$444,589
Northwest Territories	$372,127	$272,779
Yukon	$252,262	$228,023

National Average 07 - $309,885

National Average 08 - $302,298

Based on MLS® Statistics

As you can see from these numbers, Atlantic Canada's average price continues to rise, none more so than Newfoundland. The average price there went up by 18.7%. Mainly due to the announcement of the Hebron Oil Deal. Here in Nova Scotia we saw a modest 5% increase. The surprising markets are out west which saw actual declines in average price. In Alberta we saw a 5.5% drop in average price. Price skyrocketed their way too fast and a correction needs to happen. Also in BC the average price fell slightly.

What does all this mean for the Halifax Real Estate market? Are market is still going strong. I am seeing a slight shift to a buyers market. Number of sales are down but the average price continues to rise. In the second quarter we saw a healthy 7.3% increase.

If you are looking to buy or sell Halifax Real Estate contact me anytime for a free market analysis.

- Bedford Hammonds Plains Market Report

- Nova Scotia Real Estate Market

Andrew Perkins

Your Halifax Real Estate Expert

Halifax Real Estate Blog/ Multi Unit Market Report

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:29:03 -0700

Halifax Real Estate Market Report Multi Unit Buildings(4 units or less) based on MLS® data.

So today I figured I would look at something a little different. I have many clients who have and are actively looking for multi unit buildings as another way to enhance cash flow. There are things you need to look for when thinking of purchasing a multi unit rental. Firstly you have to make sure that the building generates income, a lot of multi units on the market today just won't carry themselves and they are better served as an owner occupied so someone will help with the mortgage. I always advise my clients to look at the net income(rent minus heating, maintenance, and other expenses associated with the property). A general rule of thumb is if the net income is 10% of the purchase price it is definitely a building worth taking a closer look at. Secondly what a lot of my clients look for and I reccomend is electric heat and separate electrical meters. This way the heating and electricity of the units can be passed off onto the tenant. Obvisously there are many other factors to look at but these are the main ones in my mind.

So lets take a look at the numbers over the years.

From Aug 20,2006 - Aug 20,2008 for area 1-40 which encompass all of HRM for multi unit buildings, 4 units or less.

number of sales - 330

average sale price - $274,920

number of days on market - 72 days

From Aug 20,2004 - Aug 20,2006 for area 1-40 which encompass all of HRM for multi unit buildings, 4 units or less.

number of sales - 282

average sale price - $247,671

number of days on market - 66 days

Looking at these numbers we can see that the same trend continues throughout the Halifax Real Estate Market, average price continues to rise, an 11% increase. Number of sales are up 17% from the same period 2 years ago which goes against the trend in residential unit sales. Average days on market are up slightly.

What does all this mean? Well if you are in the market for a rental units it may now be the best time as I don't see the market going down anytime soon. Also the rental vacancy rate in Halifax is very low so there are a lot of prospective tenants out there. Rents continue to rise. If you would like more info on Rental units or what like a market analysis done specific to your area let me know.

- Halifax Condo Market Update

- Dartmouth Real Estate Update

Andrew Perkins

You're Halifax Real Estate Expert

New Listing, 76 Wilson Lake Dr, Sackville

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:59:07 -0700

Here is a great home that I just listed in Middle Sackville.

Why BUY new!!!. This well kept full size split entry in desirable area of Sackville has everything you need. Hardwood floors on the main level with large kitchen, dining room and patio doors leading to the spacious back deck and above ground pool. The main floor boasts 3 bedrooms, large living room and bathroom has a Jacuzzi bathtub and stand up shower. The basement is finished with full size rec-room, full bath, bedroom/office and utility room. The propane fireplace will keep you warm on those long winter nights. The over one acre landscaped lot features a double paved driveway which is ample for many cars, large double detached garage that is wired and has an automatic opener, and fenced in Backyard, great for the dogs and kids to play. Don`t miss this one. Come view for yourself and see this impressive home.

To view more info and pictures for this listing go to my website www.andrewperkins.ca If you would like to schedule a viewing or may know someone who is interested you can contact me at 488-0012.

Andrew Perkins

You're Halifax Real Estate Expert

Green Real Estate

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 08:58:19 -0700

The Globe and Mail recently published a great article on a proposed Green building/Home initiative in BC that could change the way we build homes in the future. The idea is to have some new buildings to be carbon neutral and leave zero foot print as early as 2016. Here is the article, pretty cool I think;

VANCOUVER - British Columbia is escalating its war on greenhouse gases, examining a measure that will require some new buildings to be carbon neutral as early as 2016 - and every new building to have no carbon footprint by 2020.

The proposal is tucked inside the report from the B.C. Climate Action Team released last week, a document that the government commissioned but is not obliged to accept. But the move to carbon-neutral housing would cause a revolution in how housing stock will be built. In its purest form, it would see housing constructed with built-in power supplies - either solar panels, wind turbines or geothermal sources.

New designs that limit energy requirements, such as shaded windows, and energy-efficient appliances are part of the equation. The proposal to the province also urges the government to build some flexibility into the carbon-neutral requirement by allowing communities to build green energy sources to power individual residences.

In any case, the goal remains the same: to wean households off fossil fuels for home heating and prevent a mass shift to wasteful baseboard units that use power from the electricity grid. Instead, locally produced, renewable energy will provide that power.

"That's a huge shift. Huge," a senior government official said.

It could also be an expensive shift. The official estimates that building a carbon-neutral house will cost anywhere from 5 per cent to 20 per cent more than conventional models. With the average house price in Greater Vancouver hovering around $556,000, the added expense could top $100,000.

But environmental advocates say the cost of carbon-neutral housing can be made less painful in several ways. The first is simple economy of scale: If all new construction has to have the new technology, the cost for each household will tumble. Also, the expense for designing an energy-efficient home from scratch is likely to be less than that of retrofitting existing homes.

And home buyers will be able to spread the extra costs over decades, since it will be part of their mortgage payments. Last, the investments will reduce energy costs.

Years before those policies will come into force, one Victoria housing development is already meeting, even beating, those requirements.

The Dockside Green development is billed as "carbon positive," meaning that it will, on balance, reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, largely by selling the clean energy it generates to other parts of Victoria.

Joe Van Belleghem of Windmill West Development Ltd., which is building Dockside Green along with VanCity credit union, said the extra costs of his project (under 2 per cent on a $700-million total) have been largely offset by reduced marketing expenses, and the time saved by having the support of the community.

Energy savings will give Dockside Green a fiscal advantage, said Mr. Van Belleghem, who is part of the climate committee issuing recommendations to the provincial government.

The project (which has no air conditioning), employs passive design techniques such as double-glazed windows and blinds to prevent interior air from heating up. Hallways have LED lights, and heat is drawn out of air and water to minimize electricity use. Much of that technology can be used on individual residences, he said.

"You could definitely build a carbon-neutral house today."

However, he said it is not likely that an individual homeowner would be able to duplicate a key feature of the project, an energy-efficient, biomass-fuelled generator costing $7.5-million. It's that generator that allows Dockside Green to boast carbon-positive status.

Ian Bruce, climate-change specialist with the David Suzuki Foundation in Vancouver, lauded the new proposal, but noted that it will not be of great assistance in cutting greenhouse gases before 2020. "It's a longer-term policy."

A lighter shade of green

A committee of environmental experts is urging British Columbia to require that all new residences be greenhouse-gas neutral starting in 2020. One development in Victoria, Dockside Green, says it is already beating that target: Its mix of design innovations, and efficient energy systems means the six-hectare development of residences, businesses and light industry will save more greenhouse gases than it produces.

SMOKE-FREE POWER STATION

The biomass heat-generation plant is fuelled with waste wood. Instead of burning the wood, a thermochemical process is used to create a synthetic gas, which is then burned to power a boiler. The system produces hot water for buildings.

Additional natural-gas boilers provide backup and some peak-level support to the main system

EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS

Additional heat will be provided by a sewage heat-recovery system. The heat exchange unit could either tap directly into the municipal trunk line or be located within Dockside Green's wastewater-treatment plant.

SAVING RESOURCES

Every appliance will be highly energy efficient. Through the use of water-efficient appliances and high-performance fixtures, the potable water consumption is expected to be 65 per cent less than traditional developments.

HEAT EXCHANGE

Heat-recovery ventilation systems pump filtered air directly into each condo suite. Most importantly, they recover heat from the exhausted air to help warm the incoming fresh air.

DESIGN AND MATERIALS

Exterior blinds on west- and south-facing windows will help keep buildings cool. The wood-frame town homes use wood harvested from forests flooded by reservoirs. Concrete for the development includes fly ash (a byproduct of coal-fired power generation and cement production). With fly ash, less cement is needed, less CO_ is emitted and the concrete is stronger.

WASTEWATER-TREATMENT PROCESS

The water enters a collection tank (A) where inorganic solids are removed. In the bioreactor (B), bacteria consume the biodegradable waste. The bioreactor consists of two zones, one with air (aerobic) and one without (anoxic); each zone includes different types of bacteria. The heart of the system is a membrane (C) that physically traps any impurities in the water. The next step is an ultraviolet light or ozone generator (D) that prevents bacterial growth in the treated water. Finally, the treated water is stored in a tank (E) until needed.

1. Wood waste is bottom-fed into the gasifier

2. Combustion air, steam and/or oxygen are introduced into the base of the fuel pile.

3. At 815 to 980 degrees the wood undergoes gaseous decomposition, creating gas and non-combustible ash.

4. The synthetic gas is burned in the oxidizer.

5. The hot flue gas is directed into a hot-water boiler.

6. Flue gas from the boiler is cleaned of particulates by an electrostatic precipitator before being released.

RICHARD PALMER/THE GLOBE AND MAIL

SOURCES: DOCKSIDE GREEN ANNUAL SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2007

WWW.DOCKSIDEGREEN.COM, NEXTERRA ENERGY CORP.

Source - The Globe and Mail

It would be great to see more projects like those take place in Nova Scotia. Brule point in Tatamagoughe is ahead of the curve. They are building homes that will be green and run off a geo thermal heating units which is by far the best way to heat and cool your home. This is just the start of the Green shift that is happening in the Real Estate Industry. As Real Estate Professionals we need to be up to date on the latest trends and intiatives in Green Real Estate and educate our clients on to become Green Friendly. To do my part I offer my clients a Energuide Energy Audit when they purchase their next home. This can save them tousands of dollars on Renovations and Heating costs. Lets face it the cost of oil is not going down anytime soon. So if you have a questions on Green Real Estate contact me I would be happy to answer those for you. In the meantime if you are looking to buy or sell Halifax Real Estate call me 488-0012..

- Go Green and Save

Andrew Perkins

You're Halifax Real Estate Expert

Memebr of National Association of Green Realtors and Brokers

Halifax Real Estate Blog/ Friday Random/

Andrew Perkins (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:29:21 -0700

My Friday Random Post

So another weekend is upon us and another Friday Random blog post. Today I think I am going to mix it up totally and blog on something completely different. A few years back before I became a Real Estate agent I was a Golf Professional working on cruise ships sailing around the Caribbean. Yes it was lots of fun. In that time I would hazard to guess that I gave upwards to 500-1000 golf lessons using the V-1 coaching system, So I have pretty much seen every golf swing out there and every bad habit a golfer can make. So today I decided to take my top five tips for golfers who are looking to lower their score and improve their game;

1) Practice-yes a lot of people go to the range and hit balls, but that is just one aspect of the game, you need to find a practice facility that has a putting green, a chipping area and a sand bunker. This is where a lot of shots are dropped in a round and you need to work on this part of your game to stay sharp

2) weight on the front foot when chipping - i see so many people do this wrong. They center their weight and a lot of times will skull the ball and or not make contact. When you have a short chip, put the ball back in your stance, hands slightly forward and hit the ball with a descending blow and let the loft of the club do the work. This tip will shave off strokes right away

3) Keep your head down(not) - this tip is passed from golfer to golfer as a way of telling the other golfer you know what your talking about. This is not a good tip at all. When someone tells you this, the next time you go to hit the ball you really concentrate on keeping your head down and you actually start putting weight on your left side when you are bringing the club back. This causes what we call a reverse pivot. You will loose a ton of distance and more often then not cause the dreaded slice.

4) keep the front foot planted - how many people to I see do this, take the club back and lift the front foot. You need to keep your front foot down and planted as it works as a pivot point. The less movement in the golf swing the better. Just look at any of the pros these days. You will not see any of them lift their front foot except maybe Jack Nicklaus who is from a different era of teaching.

5) winter practice - do this putting drill in the winter. Take a piece of 2 * 4 and place it on the floor, now set up with your putter head flush against the board. Use your shoulders(not your wrists) to make a smooth putting motion back and forth keeping the toe of the putter flush to the board, this will help make your putter head come straight back and straight through, a key to a good putter.

I hope this helps your golf game a little. I know it is completely off topic but this is what the Friday Random Post is all about, something a little different. Next Friday I have another nice little nugget to share with you. Check back next week when I will be discussing multi unit buildings in HRM. In the meantime if you are looking to buy or sell Halifax Real Estate contact me.

- Friday Random Aug 8

- Friday Random Aug 1

- Friday Random July 25

Andrew Perkins

You're Halifax Real Estate Expert