Whistler’s great ski conditions is generally finding its way into the real estate market with total sales year to date up slightly from last year (3%) and our inventory is down about 10% over last year.  The next few months will be busy as buyers have been waiting to view many properties which were difficult to access due to renter during our prime ski months.  We anticipate lots of new listings will come to the market. All of our listings are being actively shown and offers presented.

Here is a link to view all the properties that have sold in Whistler over the last 30 days:

http://matrix.buywhistler.com/DE.asp?ID=217210713

Here is a link to view all the Whistler properties that are newly listed over the last 30 days:

http://matrix.buywhistler.com/DE.asp?ID=217208503

WHISTLER BLACKCOMB TO EXTEND OPERATIONS

Officials with Whistler Blackcomb have extended Blackcomb Mountain’s operations to May 28, 2012 to allow skiers and riders to take advantage of what has been a deep winter on the mountain. Over 60 days of skiing and riding still remain in the season at Whistler Blackcomb, offering one of the longest seasons in North America. Lifts on both Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, including the Peak 2 Peak Gondola, are scheduled to run daily through April 22, concurrent with the tail of the TELUS World Ski and Snowboard Festival. Lifts will continue to operate on Blackcomb until May 28, a week later than previously scheduled.

Between April 23-May 28, the Blackcomb lifts will run 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Peak 2 Peak Gondola will not be operating during the Blackcomb spring season.

“We are in the midst of another fantastic winter season here in Whistler so spring will have to wait just a little bit longer,” Doug MacFarlane, Whistler Blackcomb mountain operations manager, said on Wednesday. “We’ve received over 342 cm (135 in.) of snowfall so far in March alone, making for some of the best spring conditions we’ve ever had. Extending the ski season on Blackcomb and giving the people what they want was an easy decision.”

This month is already the snowiest March on record in Whistler. The current cumulative snowfall at Whistler Blackcomb thus far this season is 1184 cm (456 in.), a full 143 cm (56 in.) above the resort’s annual average. Base depths are currently reported as 346 cm (136 in.). When spring does arrive it will be celebrated in style in Whistler with gorgeous conditions, special deals and fun events, including the TELUS World Ski and Snowboard Festival April 13-22 and the World Skiing Invitational April 19-22.

LIVESMART BC – ENERGY INCENTIVE PROGRAM

Do you come to the end of the winter looking at your hydro bills wondering how can it be so expensive to heat your home? With BC hydro rates on the increase many residents are looking to reduce their power consumption, taking advantage of federal and provincial grant programs to make their homes more energy efficient. Although a Federal government program offering an Eco Energy grant has been cancelled after maxing out with 250,000 registrants, the Provincial LiveSmart BC Efficiency Incentive Program has been extended to March 13, 2013, entitling residents to rebates through the province.  If you are interested in learning more, take a look at the website here.

With significant wins in December and January and with February and March pacing well ahead of last year, this winter is shaping up to be one of – if not the – best winter season in recent years (post the 2008-recession) with regards to room night volumes.

Please note some highlights below:

Business Levels in Whistler:

This past December was our busiest December on record in terms of room nights and saw a double digit increase over last winter.

January is looking very strong compared to last year, and February, March and April are all pacing ahead.

This winter is on track to be more than 10% ahead of last winter in terms of room night bookings.

Several factors affecting the positive results include:

The success of Tourism Whistler’s efforts, which include:

1.      Enhanced Whistler profile from increased investment into brand marketing in key target markets – aimed at leveraging the global awareness garnered from the 2010 Winter Games.

2.      Gains in early bookings through a resort-wide early-booking program in partnership with our in-resort mountain and hotel stakeholders and our in-market tour operators.

3.      Significant interest generated by the Whistler Sabbatical Project – Tourism Whistler’s 2011/ 2012 winter marketing campaign.

Whistler’s snow advantage – particularly compared to many major U.S. ski resorts.

Considerations:

The volatility in the international economic climate has resulted in a shift in consumer behavior which experts suggest is permanent. How people spend has changed and travellers are seeking greater value for money than ever before.

Regardless of budget – from moderate to luxury – people are looking to get the biggest bang for their buck – and Whistler is continuing to work hard, ensuring we deliver upon that.

We recognize how fortunate we are. Mother Nature has been very kind to Whistler this season – and we’re pleased to see other resorts starting to receive snow, as that is good for the entire ski industry for the long-term.

Whistler Blackcomb 2011/2012 Season Kick Off Video from Sherpas Cinema from Whistler Blackcomb on Vimeo.

“When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like this, “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.” Since then…I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself, “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “no” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something. Your time is limited…Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition…Everything else is secondary.”

- From Steve Jobs’s June 12, 2005, Stanford Commencement Address

Here is a link to view all the Whistler properties that are newly listed over the last 30 days.

Pemberton Real Estate Activity

Here is a link to view all the properties that have sold in Pemberton over the last 30 days.

Here is a link to view all the Pemberton properties that are newly listed over the last 30 days.

Whistler Market Report

We are still experiencing a good level of inventory with a total of 879 properties currently on the market in Whistler as of today’s date. Over the past 30 days there has been a total of 48 sales and 97 new listings.

Comparing third quarter sales results with second quarter results for 2011, we have seen a reduction in sales volume, with a total of 121 unit sales in Q3 2011 compared to 144 unit sales in Q2 2011. However, the number of sales has increased by 10% when comparing the thirdquarter of 2010 with the third quarter of 2011 and dollar volume has seen an increase of just over $2.32% over the same period.

Looking at unit sales for the third quarter year on year over the past 5 years, sales have certainly levelled off since a dramatic drop in 2008 as shown in the chart below.

When assessing the Median Sales Price of various property types for Q3 over the past 5 years the following chart proves interesting.

In the last month there have been some great deals on shared ownership properties so it could be worth taking a second look at this type of ownership. You own Freehold Title to a percentage of the entire property, e.g. quarter share. In this case you are able to use the property for 1 week per month. If you decide not to use it any particular month you can rent out your week to generate some income to cover expenses