Anna Asi, M.A.

Sales increase over same period in 2010

Whistler and Pemberton offer best prices

Sales activity reported for the Whistler and Pemberton areas for the first three quarters of this year indicates a strong increase in the interest in real estate purchases as compared to the same period in the previous two years. All categories, other than single-family building lots, showed significant increases in unit sales volume as compared to the first three quarters of last year. Sales values continue to consolidate as the lack of buyer urgency and historically high number of properties offered continue to affect price negotiation.

However, as price normally follows volume in our marketplace, the increasing levels of transactions indicate that further market-wide decline in value is unlikely. The current average sales value of a single-family home (after adjusting for outliers) is $1,295,600. For condominium hotels the average sales value is $325,000; for townhomes $649,000 and for quarter-shares $129,730. Single-family lots continue to lack sufficient sales to present a reliable picture of value trends.

Buyers of Whistler properties continue to focus on family orientated properties that they can use immediately, are in good repair, have quality construction, and have low annual ownership costs.

As lifestyle considerations are the primary motivation for the purchase decision, it is just as important to sell the experience of Whistler as it is to sell the features of the home.

The Pemberton market activity continues to be affected by the large amount of employee-orientated housing provided in the last two years in Whistler, although more rural properties and acreages continue to attract interest from both Whistler and Vancouver residents. The average sales volume in the area of a single family home is $473,800; a condominiums is $220,000; and a townhouse is $305,000. Pemberton continues to offer the best prices for a homebuyer in the Sea to Sky corridor.

Whistler Market statistics are heavily influenced by 'outliers' in activity that occur either in the bottom five or top five per cent of represented values. For the purpose of this article, the outliers have been removed from the analysis to give a better description of the general market.

Submitted by Pat Kelly, Broker/President, The Whistler Real Estate Co Ltd.

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

Cat: Whistler Newsletter

Whistler Olympic Village - Molding issues

Cat: Whistler Olympic Village

Whistler Olympic Athlete's Village

Whistler Real Estate Prices