New Listing - 3251 Anderson Road

3251 Anderson Road

3 bedroom home on acreage



Come and view for yourself. Five acres of pristine wilderness, five minutes from town, a network of trails to the Provincial Park from the property. A home full of warmth for the whole family. Plenty of space for toys & tools with a double garage and carport.




Check out the photo slideshow here:
www.century21.ca/ryan.frazer/Property/BC/V0B_1M0/Fernie/Anderson_Road/3251

Open House Sunday 5th, 2010
1 pm - 5 pm




Thanks

Ryan
ryan@c21maximum.ca

The Landlords Guide to the Galaxy

It’s that time of year again in ski towns all over North America... rental season. Fernie will feel less redneck and more culturally diverse for the next 5 months as a hodgepodge of ski bums roll into town by any means necessary. For local residents, it allows us to catch a glimpse of this year’s fashions and assortment of flat-soled shoes. As November rolls along, vacancies will become less and less, as all types of housing are rented.


Here are some tips to help make your job as a landlord easier:

1. Get it in writing. Create a contract, read the contract, explain the contract and make sure that you tenants understand the contract. Make an itemized list of all contents of the house and an addendum to the contract which stipulates what the tenants are permitted to do. If it is not in writing it is not part of the deal. www.rto.gov.bc.ca/documents/RTB-1.pdf

2. Screen the tenants and check references. Protect your investment and know who will be occupying your home. If you have a bad feeling about someone, trust your instincts.

3. Collect post-dated cheques or set-up email money transfers for rent. I personally prefer the email money transfers as they are instant.

4. Collect a deposit the day the tenants move in. DO NOT ALLOW TENANTS TO USE THE DAMAGE DEPOSIT AS THEIR LAST MONTHS RENT!! When it comes time to return the deposit, have your itemized list of the contents of the house available.

5. Keep emotions out of your business decisions. If a tenant is late in paying rent every month, it might be time to consider replacing the tenant. If you do decide to evict the tenant, make sure that you understand their rights and yours. www.rto.gov.bc.ca/content/rightsResponsibilities/ending.aspx

6. Try and rent the whole house/apartment out at the same time. Avoid putting yourself in the situation of acting as a rooming house manager. Remember that if two tenants both sign a lease agreement and one of them moves out, it is their problem to pay the rent, not yours.

7. If possible, have the tenants pay their own bills. This will teach them how to sit on hold with the phone, gas and cable company for hours at a time. As a landlord, you don't want to be chasing your tenants for bill payments, or be paying for the grow show in the basement.

8. Perform routine maintenance on the property and try and do a walk through once a month. Fix leaky faucets, replace furnace filters and tighten loose railings regularly. The more you are able to stay on top of the maintenance of your property, the better you will be able to sleep at night... literally.

9. Respect your neighbours; they can make your life easier for you. If your rental property is in a primarily family residential area ensure that your tenants respect local noise bylaws. In addition, keep the yard tidy and not looking like the local hell angels hideout.

10. Don't be greedy on your rent. Charge an amount that is reasonable to what you are providing. Fernie has a long history of slumlords over-charging for rent. In my experience, if you gouge the tenants for rent they are more likely to be disrespectful to you and your property.

Please post your comments below.

Thanks for reading

Ryan

Price reduction 1252 6th Avenue

The most affordable detached home in Fernie.

Excellent investment opportunity or great family home centrally located in the downtown area of Fernie. 3 bedrooms,hardwood floors and large backyard to enjoy. this home had been nicely renovated with new windows, new bathroom with water saving fixtures, stainless steel fridge and new insulation(spray foam insulation). Don't miss this opportunity to own in Fernie.

www.century21.ca/ryan.frazer/Property/BC/V0B_1M0/Fernie/6th_Ave/1252

$269,995 reduced to $259,995

Thanks

Ryan

Buyers Market?? Do they have those in Fernie??

Shopping for Real Estate in Fernie about 5 years ago was a much simpler undertaking. A small selection of homes to choose from, almost no negotiating leverage due to stiff competition; more often than not, your choice of home was based on availability. The situation was similar to going to a restaurant with only one menu item which is already in short supply, with a line-up of hungry customers waiting outside. This was the height of the seller’s market that has existed in Fernie for the past 10 years, until now.

Prices are continuing to drop, with no end in sight. 35% of all homes listed on the MLS in Fernie have experienced a price reduction in the past several months. Real Estate signs are popping up on lawns all over town like some sort of invasive plant species. 115 condo listings in Fernie, 84 house listings, there is no shortage of selection. We haven’t seen this in the valley for as long as I have lived here (11 years). It appears to be a buyer’s market, so why so few sold signs?

Back to our simple economics lesson from a couple of months ago: supply vs. demand. Supply is way up and demand is way down. There are many options for all buyers in all price categories. Buyers can afford to be choosy and sellers have reason to be nervous.

Before you add your home to the glut of listings already on the market consider the following:

1.What is your bottom line and is it realistic?

2.If you purchased your property in the past 3 years are you prepared to break even? Perhaps even take a loss?

3.Real Estate is a commodity not unlike a stock or bond… prices go up and down.

4.The world housing economy is in the toilet, why would Fernie be insulated from that?

There are a number of reasons for the sluggish market right now, the least of which being the bad snow year last year. Locally, I feel that there is a false sense of value placed on many of the properties for sale coupled with a hope that things will improve by morning. There is evidence to suggest that things are going to get worse before they get better.

The key to a successful sale right now is the right price and the proper exposure to the marketplace. Make your decision to sell based on hard facts, not on emotion. Have your REALTOR(r) show the comparables in your neighbourhood and more importantly what has sold. Remember, people can list their house for whatever amount they want - it doesn’t mean that it will sell. The numbers simply do not lie.

Please post your comments and feel free to email me if you would like any additional information.

Thanks for reading.

Ryan

New Listing - Unit 6 492 10th Avenue

Nicely renovated one bedroom condo located steps from the Elk River in the Annex area of Fernie. 4 Ensuite bathroom has been fully renovated with a new tile floor and tub surround.


Private, south facing balcony with separate entrance, covered parking, and new exterior windows and doors. These units are rarely avaliable for sale, don't miss your chance to own an affordable condo in one of the best areas of town.

$174,921








Thanks for reading

Ryan.
ryan@c21maximum.ca
(250) 531 0303
www.century21.ca/ryan.frazer

Condo buying tips

A light dusting of snow on the three sisters is an ominous foreshadow on the winter to come. Word around town is for colder than average temperatures and bigger than average snowfall. There are few certainties in life; taxes, death and tourists in Fernie in the winter.

Its condo buying season, and after a dismal year of sales and sliding prices there are many good deals to be had in Fernie.

Here are some tips to help you with your first or tenth condo purchase.

1. Hire a professional REALTOR(r) to help you in your search. As a buyer you pay no fees and having someone with local knowledge is key. Plus you might get to ride around in a fancy car.

2. Make an appointment with your banker/mortgage broker to figure out what you can comfortably afford. Don’t spend your vacation time worrying about how you'll pay for it.

3. Make a list of what is important in a property before you start looking. There is no point in paying a premium for ski in, ski out accommodation if you spend most of your time in the lodge/bar/hot tub. Understand who the primary users of the property will be and their needs. This will help to narrow your search and save your REALTOR(r) gas money.

4. Think about the resale of a condo before you buy. A general rule is buy the biggest unit that you can afford (see #2 above). Studio and one bedroom units are more difficult to sell and few people over the age of 10 like bunk beds. Upper level units generally sell for more.


5. Consider the exposure of the unit. Condo units often have only one exposure, decide whether you would like to be facing the hill, south facing etc... Understand the pros and cons of your choice. A south facing unit will be warmer in the winter but also warmer in the summer. Keep in mind noise from nearby buildings and businesses.

6. Try and avoid units close to the elevator or areas where guests may congregate. Units above garage doors and ventilation ducts will be more difficult to sell.





7. If you drive and even if you don't ensure that your unit has a parking space. Underground parking is a great feature to have and doubles as a storage space for your winter toys in the summer. Again, think about the resale of the unit.

8. In most of the buildings in Fernie, skis and snowboards are not allowed in the condo units. Make sure that your condo has a storage locker for your belongings.

9. Read the fine print, or at the very least have someone with multiple letters after their name read it for you. Look over strata documents and financials and understand the condo association before you become a member of it. Your REALTOR(r) will be able to answer any questions you may have and may have sold many units previously in your building.

10. Understand your rights as an owner for rental of the unit. Buildings will sometimes have rental restriction caveats or mandatory property management in place. Fees for rental management can be as high as 50%, know this information before you buy.

11. Have a look at all of the facilities included in the building and speak with some current owners about the maintenance record.


Thank you for reading, please become a follower.

Email me anytime with your questions @ ryan@c21maximum.ca

Thanks

Ryan

New Listing - 2 Bedroom Condo

The best price per square foot in town.

Spacious and bright fourth floor condo with some of the best views of the valley.

2 bedrooms with closets, 4 piece bath, private balcony, storage room, galley style kitchen with newer fridge and dishwasher.

Includes all furnishings and linens.

Would make an excellent rental property or vacation retreat.


$168,900

Thanks for reading

Ryan