February 2017 Activity

Kamloops only Median Residential Price: (does not include condominiums or mobiles) $397,500

Most active price range

$320,000 – 359,999   29 sales

$360,000 – 399,999   22 sales

$400,000 – 439,999   17 sales

Most active area

Aberdeen  21 sales

South Kamloops 18 sales

Sahali  17 sales

Brock 16 sales

Kamloops is continuing to counter province wide trends for real estate, at least for now.

Home sales in B.C., driven by the sagging Lower Mainland market, fell by 23 per cent from the same time last year. The Kamloops region, however, saw an increase in sales of five per cent compared to January last year.

Cameron Muir, chief economist for B.C. Real Estate Association, said some markets are going against the grain. 

“Housing demand across the province returned to long-term average levels last month,” he said in a statement.

“However, regional variations persist, with Victoria posting above average performance and Vancouver falling below the average.”

At the same time, the average price on the multiple listing service (MLS) declined by 17.5 per cent. Kamloops and District Real Estate Association estimated the average sale price for a residential detached home within the city in January was $410,000, a number that is stable. Numbers do vary from month to month due to price range of homes sold but has stayed over $400,000 since last year .

Indulge in weekly fresh flowers. With Valentine’s Day this month, the markets will be filled with fresh flowers , not just red roses but tulips and daffodils. Treat your home to a bouquet of fresh-cut blooms once a week to add a little colour — spring may still be a little way off, but that doesn’t mean your coffee or dining table can’t look like a spring garden in bloom!

January: Kitchen and pantry. Give yourself a fresh start for the new year with a clean kitchen, decluttered cabinets and a healthy pantry and fridge.

• Toss worn dish towels or cut them up to make rags
• Sell or give away specialty small appliances and tools you seldom or never use
• Recycle or toss freebie cups and Tupperware containers without lids
• Toss expired food and spices
• Take stock of cookware and dishes; give away or sell pieces you do not need

Habit to cultivate: Clean out the pantry and fridge each week before shopping.

The city’s real-estate market continues on a roll as booming sales and declining inventories threaten to push prices higher.

The Kamloops & District Real Estate Association reported yesterday that 320 homes changed hands in the greater region, up 40 per cent from April 2015.

The number of units sold year-to-date is up by about 28 per cent.

Elementary Schools

1.  St Ann’s ranked highest at 9.4

2.  Our Lady of Perpetual Help at 7.7

3.  Lloyd George at 7.4

4.  Juniper Ridge at 7.4

5.  Aberdeen at 7.0

Secondary Schools

1.  St Ann’s ranked  highest at 7.8

2.  Beattie School of the Arts at 6.0

3. South Kamloops at 5.9

4.  Sahali at 5.5

5.  Valleyview at 5.5

Kamloops Named 7th Top Growing City in Canada by U-Haul

House Sales Expected to Increase in Kamloops