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The New Normal: A Strong Housing Market Expected to Continue into 2021
Most of us would have expected the housing market to suffer from circumstances like a once-in-a-hundred-years pandemic and historic inventory shortages. But, rather than a slowdown, we are continuing to experience a surprisingly robust real estate market across the country.
Market conditions like fewer available listings, changing criteria for desired homes, and record-low mortgage rates are changing the way people buy and sell homes, most likely in a lasting way. But this sustained activity, even in the uncertainty that is 2020, proves that our country still views real estate as a sound investment.
The only question now is how you can take advantage of the housing market’s “new normal.”
Inventory (e.g., number of homes for sale) is at a record low across the country. According to statistics from RBC Economics, the majority of Canada is experiencing tighter demand versus supply than the country has seen in nearly two decades.[1] At the end of September, there was just 2.6 months of inventory on a national basis. That restricts supply, which increases prices if demand remains unchanged.[2]
Fewer listings creates a housing market that is advantageous for sellers for several reasons. For one, buyers have to act fast to snap up available homes. Listings now spend about 26 days on the market.[3]
And thanks to tough competition for homes (often resulting in bidding wars between buyers), sellers are enjoying higher net returns on their listings. The average home price in September rose to a record $604,000, which translates to 17.5% more than just a year ago.[4]
People used to base their next home purchase on commute times and school districts. Now, thanks to the pandemic shifting the locus of jobs and work, they are free to consider how and where they truly want to live. The search for these criteria is driving residents out of densely populated metropolitan areas and into the suburbs, which opens more inventory possibilities than buyers could consider pre-pandemic.[5]
Now that the average five-year fixed rate is hovering around 1.99%, buyers are afforded more purchasing power. Consider this example. If a buyer can afford a $500,000 home by putting $120,000 down (25%), the monthly payment on a standard 25-year mortgage would be $2,210. Conversely, with a lower rate (say, 2.8%) that buyer can now afford a $600,000—$100,000 more purchasing power—at a cost of only $12 additional per month.[6]
Despite the seemingly adverse buyer conditions, 2020 experienced a record-breaking number of home sales, CREA reports. Existing-home sales jumped 46.5% in September. With an additional 20,000 transactions logged, it was the busiest September thus far![7]
All of the aforementioned factors indicate that the housing market is poised to remain strong as we head into the new year. And experts estimate that these conditions are likely to last well into the new year.[8]
Homes For Sale Halifax
Residential For Sale
50 Rosewood Drive, Amherst Ns B4h 4s6
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Land For Sale
Nature Dream Boulevard, Roberta Ns B0e 3b0
Land For Sale
Residential For Sale
685 Westwood Boulevard Lot 8058, Upper Tantallon Ns B3z 4k6
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Land For Sale
166 Henley Road Lot 27, Labelle Ns B4v 8t8
Land For Sale
Residential For Sale
1241 Highway 201, Round Hill Ns B0s 1a0
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
30 Lakewood Drive Extension, Newport Ns B0n 2a0
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Land For Sale
99 Sunrise Drive, Concession Ns B0w 1m0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Highway 19, Long Point Ns B9a 1p3
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Highway 201 Lot 4, Centrelea Ns B0s 1c0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
North River Road Lot B, Aylesford Lake Ns B0p 1c0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
North River Road Lot A, Aylesford Lake Ns B0p 1c0
Land For Sale
Residential For Sale
2587 Highway 3, Allendale Ns B0t 1l0
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Land For Sale
18 Mason Hill Road, Greenhill Ns B0k 2a0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Lot 9 Pigott Lake Road, Lakelands Ns B0n 1z0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Lot 10 Pigott Lake Road, Lakelands Ns B0n 1z0
Land For Sale
Residential For Sale
19109 Highway 7, Spry Harbour Ns B0j 3h0
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Land For Sale
Lot 2 Shaw Big Lake, Murchyville Ns B0n 1x0
Land For Sale
Lot 1 Shaw Big Lake, Murchyville Ns B0n 1x0
Residential For Sale
219 Maders Cove Road, Maders Cove Ns B0j 2e0
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Land For Sale
Lot 31 Militia Point Road, Militia Point Ns B0e 2y0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Lot 30 Militia Point Road, Militia Point Ns B0e 2y0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Aspen, Aspen Ns B0h 1m0
Land For Sale
Residential For Sale
120 Deeridge Road Lot 1, Black Point Ns B0j 1b0
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Land For Sale
Morton Drive, Liverpool Ns B0t 1k0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Morton Drive, Liverpool Ns B0t 1k0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Morton Drive, Liverpool Ns B0t 1k0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Morton Drive, Liverpool Ns B0t 1k0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Morton Drive, Liverpool Ns B0t 1k0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Morton Drive, Liverpool Ns B0t 1k0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Morton Drive, Liverpool Ns B0t 1k0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Morton Drive, Liverpool Ns B0t 1k0
Land For Sale
Residential For Sale
12 Aralia Lane, Upper Tantallon Ns B3z 0p8
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
1195 Highway 335, Middle West Pubnico Ns B0w 2m0
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Land For Sale
Lot 2 Perry Lane, Lennox Passage Ns B0e 1k0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Lot 7 Theresa, Third Lake Lane, Grande Anse Ns B0e 1v0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Residential For Sale
29 Queen Street, Digby Ns B0v 1a0
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
27859 Cabot Trail, Cape North Ns B0c 1g0
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Land For Sale
09-3 316 Highway E, Whitehead Ns B0h 1t0
Land For Sale
Residential For Sale
74 Jack Daniels Lane, Juniper Mountain Ns B1k 0c2
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Land For Sale
92 Summit Ridge Road, Vaughan Ns B0n 2t0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Bay St Lawrence Road, Aspy Bay Ns B0c 1g0
Land For Sale
Residential For Sale
311-5959 Spring Garden Road, Halifax Ns B3h 1y5
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Land For Sale
113 Vault Road, Wilmot Ns B0p 1r0
Land For Sale
Residential For Sale
Halton Drive Lot 264, Elmsdale Ns B2s 1l7
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
3742 Highway 358, Scots Bay Ns B0p 1h0
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Land For Sale
3662 1 Highway, Berwick West Ns B0p 1e0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Maplesue Point Drive Lot 27, Molega Ns B0t 1x0
Land For Sale
Residential For Sale
27 Glendale Avenue, New Minas Ns B4n 5k8
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
5226 Hwy #3, Shag Harbour Ns B0w 3b0
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Land For Sale
Lot Seaforth Highway 207, Seaforth Ns B0j 2l0
Land For Sale
Residential Income For Sale
324 St. George Street, Annapolis Royal Ns B0s 1a0
Residential Income For Sale
Residential Income For Sale
Land For Sale
Highway 215, Urbania Ns B0n 2h0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Shulie Drive, Joggins Ns B0l 1a0
Land For Sale
Residential For Sale
52 Butler Drive, Bible Hill Ns B2n 5m9
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Residential Income For Sale
62 Albion Street, New Glasgow Ns B2h 1n3
Residential Income For Sale
Residential Income For Sale
Land For Sale
Cape Auguet Road, West Arichat Ns B0e 1a0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
0 Red Head Road, Atlantic Ns B0t 1w0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Major Road, Clare Ns B0w 1m0
Land For Sale
Forks Baddeck, Upper Baddeck River Ns B0c 1h0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Big Baddeck Road, Baddeck Forks Ns B0e 1b0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
5225 28 Highway, River Ryan Ns B1h 1e5
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
5 Second Street, Glace Bay Ns B1a 4e9
Land For Sale
Residential For Sale
1487 Southside Harbour Road, Southside Harbour Ns B2g 2l4
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Helmsley Crescent Lot 271, Elmsdale Ns B2s 1l7
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Land For Sale
Cabot Trail Lot 2, Ingonish Ns B0c 1k0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Lot West Sable Road, Shelburne Ns B0t 1w0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Pid 82580390 Highway 103, Port Clyde Ns B0w 2s0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Residential For Sale
21 Prince Street, Parrsboro Ns B0m 1s0
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Land For Sale
Highway 1, Salmon River Ns B0w 2y0
Land For Sale
Residential For Sale
1112 Terence Bay Road, Terence Bay Ns B3t 1x5
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Commercial Sale For Sale
575 Devonshire Road, West Caledonia Ns B0t 1t0
Commercial Sale For Sale
Commercial Sale For Sale
Residential For Sale
5365 Granville Road, Granville Ferry Ns B0s 1a0
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Land For Sale
640-642 Depot Road, East Kemptville Ns B5a 5p5
Land For Sale
Residential For Sale
14 Minas View Drive, Wolfville Ns B4p 2h5
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
43 Fairmont Street, Mahone Bay Ns B0j 2e0
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
11 Aqua Close, Simms Settlement Ns B0j 1t0
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
8 Matheson Drive, Salmon River Ns B2n 7g3
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
193 Terradore Lane, Bedford Ns B4b 2n5
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Farm For Sale
31 J Ramsey Road, Wittenburg Ns B0n 2j0
Farm For Sale
Farm For Sale
Residential For Sale
145 Union Street, Liverpool Ns B0t 1k0
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
31 J Ramsey Road, Wittenburg Ns B0n 2j0
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
4 Lintaman Lane, Cow Bay Ns B3g 1l3
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Land For Sale
2143 Sheet Harbour Passage Road Lot 11, Sheet Harbour Ns B0j 2r0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Leblanc Branch Road Lot C, Mavillette Ns B5a 5b3
Land For Sale
Residential For Sale
1617 Highway 308, Surettes Island Ns B0w 3m0
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
5 Duff Court, Bedford Ns B4b 2p1
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
82 Liberty Lane, Lower South River Ns B2g 0e7
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Commercial Sale For Sale
8 Marine Drive, Edwardsville Ns B2a 4s6
Commercial Sale For Sale
Commercial Sale For Sale
Land For Sale
West Sable Road Lot 1, West Middle Sable Ns B0t 1v0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Residential For Sale
1203 Highway 7, Westphal Ns B2z 1a9
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Land For Sale
Lot Felix Road, Mayflower Ns B0w 2y0
Residential For Sale
5178 Highway 1, Weymouth North Ns B0w 3t0
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Land For Sale
Lacey Road Lot 4, Milford Ns B0n 1y0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Mcnutts Island Road Lot 15, Mcnutts Island Ns B0t 1w0
Land For Sale
Land For Sale
Residential For Sale
161 Terradore Lane, Bedford Ns B4b 2n5
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
34 Horne Settlement Rd, Enfield Ns B2t 1a7
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Land For Sale
184 Pitt Street, Florence Ns B1y 1n8
Land For Sale
Residential For Sale
7656 Shore Road, Hampton Ns B0s 1c0
Residential For Sale
Residential For Sale
Commercial Sale For Sale
1470 Main Road, Eastern Passage Ns B3g 0e6
Commercial Sale For Sale
Commercial Sale For Sale
Land For Sale
Lot Gabarus Highway, Gabarus Ns B1k 2b1
Land For Sale
Top 10 Myths that Trip Up First-Time Home Buyers
If you’re thinking about buying a home, you’ve probably received your share of advice from family and friends. Add to that the constant stream of TV shows, news segments, and social media posts that over-simplify the home buying process for easy entertainment.
With so much information to sift through, it can be tough to distinguish fact from fiction. That’s why we’re revealing the truth behind some of the most common home buyer myths and misconceptions.
Buying a home is a big decision, but it doesn’t have to be a scary one. If you arm yourself with knowledge and a qualified team of support professionals, you’ll be well equipped to make the right choices for your family and financial future.
Myth #1: You need a 20% down payment.
Plenty of buyers are purchasing homes with down payments that are much less than 20% of the total cost of the property. Today, you can buy a home with as little as 3-5% down.
There are multiple programs out there that allow you to have a lower down payment, and a lender or mortgage broker can talk you through which option is the best for you. Since you’re putting less money down, you’re a riskier borrower to your lender than people who put down a full 20%. Because of this, you will most likely need to pay mortgage insurance as part of your monthly payment.
Myth #2: Real estate agents are expensive.
Your agent is with you every step of the way throughout your home buying journey, and he or she spends countless hours working on your behalf. It sounds like having an agent is expensive, right? Well, not for you. Buyers usually don’t pay a real estate agent’s commission. Your agent’s fee is paid for at closing by the seller of the home you’re buying.1 The seller knows to factor this cost into the property’s total purchase price.
Myth #3: Don’t call a real estate agent until you’re ready to buy.
The earlier you bring in an agent to help with the purchasing process, the better. Even if you’re in the very early stages of casually browsing Zillow, a real estate professional can be a huge help.
They can create a search for you in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), so you get notifications for every house that meets your criteria as soon as it hits the market. The MLS is typically more up-to-date than popular home search sites like Zillow and Trulia. Setting up a search a few months before you’re considering buying gives you a good idea of what’s out there in your town that’s in your budget. Reviewing the MLS and speaking with an agent as soon as possible can help you set realistic expectations for when you actually start the house hunting process.
Myth #4: Fixer-uppers are more budget friendly.
We’ve all watched the shows on HGTV that encourage people to go after fixer-uppers because they’re more affordable and allow buyers to eventually renovate the home to include everything on their wishlist. But, this isn’t always the case.
Sometimes, homes that need a lot of work also require a lot of money. Big renovations, like add-ons, a total kitchen remodel, or installing a pool, take a lot longer than it looks on TV. If you’re really interested in a fixer-upper, ask your agent to show you a mix of newer homes and older homes. If you fall in love with an older home that needs a lot of work, get some quotes from contractors before you buy so you know the real cost of the renovations and see if you can work them into your budget.
Myth #5: Your only upfront cost is your down payment.
Your down payment is big, but it isn’t the only money you’ll spend during the home buying process. At closing, you’ll pay your down payment, but you’ll also bring closing costs to the table. Closing costs are typically anywhere from 2-4% of the total purchase price of the home.2 This amount includes the cost for items like homeowners insurance, title fees, and more.
You’ll also need to pay for an inspection before closing, which usually costs a few hundred dollars. This price will be higher or lower based on the size of your new property. Your lender will also require an appraisal. An appraiser will come in and inspect the home to determine how much it’s worth. Depending on your lender, you may have to pay this when the appraisal is conducted or it might be rolled into your closing costs.
Myth #6: You need a high credit score to buy a house.
You don’t need perfect credit to buy the perfect home. There are loans out there that buyers with lower credit scores can qualify for. These are good options for people who have had credit issues in the past, but some of them come with additional fees you will need to pay. Speak to a few local lenders or mortgage brokers to talk through which options might be best for you.
Myth #7: You can’t qualify for a mortgage if you’re still paying off student loans.
While some buyers may feel more comfortable paying off their existing debts before taking the leap into homeownership, it’s not a requirement. When you’re applying for a mortgage, the lender takes a close look at your debt-to-income ratio.3 If you want to calculate this on your own, add up all of your monthly debt payments and divide those by your monthly income. When you’re lender does this, they’re trying to make sure that you will be able to afford your monthly mortgage payments along with your other existing payments. If your income is high enough to allow you to make all of these payments each month, having a student loan will most likely not stop you from getting a mortgage.
Myth #8: You should base your budget on what your lender approves.
How much house you qualify for and how much you can afford are two totally different numbers. When you prequalify for a mortgage, your lender will look at your income, debt, assets, credit score, and financial history to determine how much money you might qualify for.4 For some people, this number might be much higher than you thought because lenders tend to approve for the highest amount they think you can afford. But that doesn’t mean that’s how much you should borrow.
Instead, figure out how much house you can actually afford. An online mortgage calculator can be a good first step in determining this number. We recommend thinking about what you want your monthly payment to be as a starting point. And remember to include your principal, interest, taxes, and, insurance. You should also think about ownership expenses that aren’t part of your monthly payment, like HOA dues and maintenance.
Myth #9: It’s all about location.
You’ve heard the phrase. Location, location, location is basically the real estate industry’s motto, but we’ll let you in on a little known secret: It’s not always true. Yes, location is great to consider when it comes to school districts and commute times, but you also need to think about how the home will function for you and/or your family’s lifestyle. If a family of five is choosing between a one bedroom condo in the bustling city center and a 4-bedroom home out in the suburbs, the latter is probably the best, most functional choice for them. Also, by buying in a less sought after neighborhood, your property taxes will most likely be much lower!
Obviously, you might still want to choose an area with great resale potential, and this is something that your agent can speak to you about. They’re an expert in your city and are constantly monitoring buying and selling trends.
Myth #10: If you look hard enough, you’ll find a home that checks every box on your wishlist.
You’ve seen that famous house hunting show. And while we have our suspicions about how real it is, the one thing they get right is that almost every buyer needs to compromise on something. Yes, the perfect house that meets every item on your wishlist is probably out there, but it’s also probably double or triple your budget.
A long wishlist can be a great starting point for figuring out what you want and don’t want, but we recommend narrowing that wishlist down to the top five things that are important to you in order of priority. We also recommend noting on your wishlist what your absolute deal breakers are, like “must have a yard for our dog,” and noting what you can live without, like “heated bathroom floors.”
This is a great list to discuss when you first start talking to an agent. A good real estate agent will be able to look at your list and find properties that might work for you. By coming to that first meeting with realistic expectations and knowledge about home buying rather than a bunch of myths heard here and there, you’ll be able to start the process off on the right foot and be in your new house in no time.
WE’RE HERE TO HELP
Whether you’re a first-time buyer or a seasoned homeowner, there’s no reason to go through the home buying process without an advocate on your side. We’re here to answer your questions and do the hard work for you, so you can spend your time dreaming about your new home. Call us today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.
Wallace Lake Lots for Sale | Conquerall Mills
Wallace Lake Lots
Conquerall Mills & Lunenburg County
Lake
Very quiet, usually only paddle boats and canoes. Very private
Fish: Bass, trout and gaspereau.
Lake Depth can reach 35-40 feet; average is 15 ft.
Lot Details
Each lot has 160-200 ft of lake frontage and 450-600 ft deep.
One or two plateaus allow for building on higher ground.
Large lot located on protected Northwest Cove on Wallace Lake in Conquerall Mills, with convenient access to Hwy 103, Bridgewater and Lunenburg. Very private. Lake is Fed by 2 brooks. Very quiet lake; usually only paddle boats and canoes. Fish: bass, trout and gaspereau. Lake Depth can reach 35-40 feet; average is 15 ft. Private access road. 55 minutes from Halifax, 5 mins to Bridgewater, on the South Shore. Septic approved, surveyed, power poles are in and ready for your recreational or year round home to be built. Ideal lake for swimming, kayaking, paddle board and canoes in summer. Great for winter skating!
LOT DIRECTIONS:
Private access road with power lines. 55 minutes from Halifax, 5mi past Bridgewater, on the South Shore.Very private.
Driving Directions:
Take 103 past Bridgewater to end of the controlled access highway.
Turn left to Conquerall Mills at flashing light.
Drive 2.2 km. Turn right on Fitch Road.
Drive 1.6 km to end of Fitch Road to Lake Road – T-intersection
Turn right on Lake Road.
Take 1st road on right – Wallace Lake Acres road.
Proceed down Wallace Lake Acres Rd. about 2KM and turn right on Beechwood Dr.
Turn Right on Lakeview Drive.
Lots start on the left side of the road at the top of the hill.
The lake is on the Left 450-600 feet through the woods.
Property Facts
Lot Depth is approximately 600 Ft
Waterfrontage approximately 150 FT wide
Driveway can be built for approximately $4,000
Power Lines on site, Set up required
No restrictions on motor boats on lake
Lake is fed by two brooks
Lake depth can reach 35-40ft, average is 15ft
New Private Access Road
55 Minutes from Halifax, 5 Miles pas Bridgewater, on the South Shore
Road Maintenance
Road maintenance includes filling of pot holes (volunteers), several loads of road gravel per year spread mostly where needed. Primarily the Wallace Lake Acres road is maintained from the red gate back to the first intersection (Woodland Ave). Lakeview Drive now has a full time house at the end and will be maintained as needed.
The road is usually graded every 2 to 4 years as needed. Totally depends on its condition. Brush cutting along the roads is done by lot owner volunteers…usually in September each year.
Snow removal from driveways is the responsibility of the cottage owner.
We currently have 5 full time residents at site and luckily two have snow plow trucks and volunteer their efforts to clear to the red gate at the government road.
The full time residents who don’t have a snow plow usually hire John Fancy (out on the Fitch Lake Rd) to do the snow removal for the driveways.
Road maintenance back to Wallace Lake is handled by the Wallace Lake owners association.
Here are some details:
President, Peter Berrigan, 902-543-5695
Vacant Lot owners are charged about $30 yearly (tent or moveable camper), Dwelling and cottage owners $150 yearly.
Driveways are not constructed to allow owners to design their own driveway access. Cost for a switch-back driveway is about $4,000.00 per lot. Contact us for the names of a contractor who can give you a good price on this at cowansmithteam@supercityrealty.com
Sewage System
Perk Tests have been performed on all lots.If a land owner goes with our suggestion to the location of the septic, its not necessary to re-dig a soil test pit.As long as we keep within 20 to 30 feet of the old test pit.
If a land owner wants an entirely different layout….and the proposed system would be much more than that distance away from the soil test pit, then yes, technically we have to do another at the time we obtain a septic permit just to confirm soils have not changed in that distance.
Proposed septics are Sloping Sand Filters.These will handle from 1 to 10 bedrooms.That should be sufficient.
It’s not necessary for a new owner to build as we have indicated around the test pit….also, we do not know if someone wants to build a 1 bedroom home or 10 bedroom home with 3 bedroom guest house and loft apartment above a garage.Also, people may wish to build in a different location…so that can change things. Our plan simple confirms that a septic system and well can fit on a lot.
Prices can be affected by gravity feed system vs pump system.A pump system alone can add $4000 to the cost.
We see typical costs in this area for a standard gravity feed system around $14k.
Click Below for more info from Environment Nova Scotia:
Schedule A Viewing
Visit Us
- 128 Chain Lake Drive, Halifax
- Cowansmithteam@supercityrealty.com
- 902 452 1639