Royal LePage Brown Realty representative Trish Trinder is confident residential sales will be on an upswing by the springtime. Her bellwether reasoning is based on two facts; people who have sold Mississauga properties have contacted her regarding a home in Port Dover. Another indicator is the Toronto real estate market has become a ‘sellers market’ with strong sales and Mrs. Trinder has observed “normally when sales boom in the city the trend takes three to six months before we get the full effect in this area.” She points to low mortgage interest rates of 2.5% for one year as a contributing factor for strong real estate sales. Royal LePage Brown Realty has 25 sales reps in its 315 Main Street, Port Dover location and in the Simcoe office.

Gail Simmons who owns and operates Coldwell Banker Coastline Realty Brokerage at 217 Main Street told The Maple Leaf “that the fall of 2009 was busier than the fall of 2008 and that trend is expected to carry over into the springtime.” She noted that a year ago the market did not kick in until March so this year the area should see activity “anytime around the first of February.” She noted that a certain segment of the market is retirees, but lower priced homes appeal to younger couples that have job security. Mrs. Simmons noted some investors are consulting her about investing in real estate as it may be better that their current investments.

Darryl Swarts of Re/Max Erie Shores Realty Inc. is confident “sales will go crazy in the spring,” adding “the market is set up for the perfect storm.” He bases that prediction on the fact many prospective buyers have been waiting in the wings until the recession eases up, and “until the market turns around.” He sees that time has come with pent up demand and “all-time low interest rates with a hint that rates may be going up.” Mr. Swarts still sees the primary house buyer as being older people, noting “unfortunately some in the area are out of work so most family buyers will be from outside this area.” He is looking for strong springtime house sales. Re/Max Erie Shores Realty office is located at 227 Main Street in Port Dover.

“Real estate sales are normally slow at this time of year,” commented Gene Bystryk Real Estate Ltd. representative Barb Thwaites at the 135 West Street, Simcoe office. She is optimistic sales will be better this year than they were in 2009. She noted that news commentaries indicate the real estate business will improve and low interest rates certainly will help people to purchase property. She said her personal thought about the market in 2010 is there will be home buyers in the area but sales people may have to work a little harder to make the sale. -- Wednesday, January 20, 2010