News

The Regional Commercial Council of the London and St Thomas Association of REALTORS® (LSTAR) has named the nineteen contenders for the 2015 Don Smith Commercial Building Awards, sponsored by CBRE, Colliers International, Dancor Construction, EllisDon Corporation, ListCentral and National Bank. Judging tour transportation was generously provided by Voyageur Transportation Services.

455 homes exchanged hands in the first month of 2016; this represented only 0.8% less for Detached and down 17.9% for Condos, for a total of 4.2% less over the previous January. "You have to keep in mind that last January was the second best January Sales since 2007, so this month's stats show our market is steady" says Stacey Evoy, 2016 President of the London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS®.

The Board of Directors of the London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS® (LSTAR) is pleased to announce that London REALTOR® Stacey Evoy will serve as its President in 2016.

2015 proved to be not only the best year for real estate in the jurisdiction of the London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS® since 2007, but also the second best year in the history of the Association overall. 9,366 area homes exchanged hands over the course of last year, just 59 units short of the 2007 total of 9,425. "The global financial meltdown that led to the collapse of the U.S. housing market back in 2008 negatively impacted Canadian markets as well," says Carl Vandergoot, LSTAR's 2015 President. "Eight long years later, we're pretty much back on track."

At the last meeting of LSTAR's 2015 Board of Directors, the Association's Quality of Life Advisory Group Chair Heather Arnott presented three cheques to representatives of area charities.

November 2015 homes sales outstripped those of the previous year by 8.5%. 626 homes exchanged hands last month, making it the best November since 2007. "If this is starting to sound a little repetitive," says Carl Vandergoot, President of the London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS®, "it's because January, May, August and November have all been the best the best months of their kind since 2007, the peak year for real estate sales here in the London and St. Thomas area." 2015 promises to finish off strong with overall sales up 9.7% Year to Date.

Following recent revelations that the Ontario government is considering expanding powers to charge a municipal land transfer tax province-wide, the London and St Thomas Association of REALTORS® is calling on local residents to send a clear message to their MPP to oppose this tax at an upcoming vote in the legislature on December 3rd.

Betty Doré, long-time Executive Vice-President of the London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS®, has announced her retirement. Doré has been with the Association for thirty-eight years; for the last twenty-five, she has been its Executive Vice-President.

October 2015 homes sales came in just a hair lower than those of October 2014, the best October since 2007. A total of 695 homes exchanged hands last month, just three shy of October 2014, which saw 698 sales. 577 detached homes sold in October, up a marginal 0.9%, while condo sales dropped 6.3%. Total sales were down a very negligible 0.4%. "Clearly we've hit the mark and are holding steady," says Carl Vandergoot, President of the London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS®. Year-to-date sales are up over 2014 by 9.8%.