Real Estate Update Regarding the Services of Edmonton Lake Property (ELP)                                                                               Serving Lake Wabamun – Isle Lake and Lac Ste Anne.

Dear Friends,

It’s logical given the news we are trying to navigate the current situation and maybe even a new normal. Our first concerns are to make sure ourselves and our loved ones are safe and sound, and they remain that way.

Given that concern, Real estate in Alberta has been deemed as an essential service. Given that we at Edmonton Lake Property don’t even open our season usually until April 10 (when the snow is gone and our full services by the 15th to 21st of April, so given that it still March, we are early. By this time, we usually have already been contacted by 12 – 15 potential buyers for the upcoming market. I’m happy to announce we are at least 50% of normal considering all that is going on.

Personally, I just back from America, and I’m in quarantine until April 12. We at ELP will not be going on any physical appointments till April 15, maybe longer, depending on conditions. We will consider opening up our services under a strict set of guidelines at that time, which will include social distancing and qualifying both potential buyers and sellers with a questionnaire to judge both of our possible safety. While real estate is essential, your personal safety is our first priority.

Now, if you are like most, you are wondering about the state of the market. Given the uniqueness of our market and the 10,000 people on our real estate mail list, we may find on a hopeful note that our market may experience a bit of rush once we start to see an end to this pandemic.

Considering the negative side of the pandemic’s effect on the market, the longer this goes on, the more it will affect sales and prices. The economic toll could take years to recover as a Country, Province and locally if this continues until mid-summer until we can see a recovery curve.

With our extensive market reach to 10,000 potential clients who have shown interest in Lake country in the last 8 years. We are grateful to the 350 successful transactions to buyers and sellers that amount to over $85 million in total sale value. I feel we have the experience to guide you through the current conditions. We even had a few offers in the last few days.

Our approach to this year is to rely heavily on professional photography, aerial photography and virtual showings. We are preparing our system to show buyers’ property virtually through Facetime or messaging. That’s right we will be able to show your property while the potential buyers sit in the comfort of their living room if it comes to that

We have been working on videos to portray our listings in their best light to our potential customers and on social media marketing. We have the staff and the equipment to make you shine as a seller.

We will be sending all potential buyers and sellers our protocol for safety. In the meantime, here is a first draft video my daughter put together from our sister company www.yourtruhome.com in Edmonton.

I invite you to look at the city video https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Y0q9VO6ieeWXUxJX6-5Fw. This gives an idea of our future on-line promotions,

I will be reaching out as time permits, but I would like to invite you to call me personally regarding all your local real estate questions. If you have any concerns, I would be happy to take the time to answer them on an individual basis.

In closing, we are clearly in unchartered territory that none of us have sailed through. There will be a point where the kids are playing on the beach, social distancing will be eased, and we will start to return to our healthy lives. This COVID-19 health event will be a distant memory.

In the meantime, stay safe and stay home.

Need Help? Although I’m in quarantine till April 12, if you or a loved one needs help in any way, you feel we may be able to provide it. I’m a caregiver and can provide minimal services if required, cooking, housecleaning, catheter changes, deliveries. Call, and I may be able to help. No charge for those in need in Lake Country.

The Local Guy,

Charlene Anderson & Kelvin Vandesselaar

During this pandemic, I ‘m wishing all my friends, clients and fellow Realtors in lake country safety for you and those close to you.
We will no longer be showing houses or taking listing appointments in person. I am inviting anyone to call me for an opinion of where this is going. I can tell you right now, I don’t know. I advise all to keep social distance, stay safe. I do believe if our area can stay clear of the disease, we could be considered an eventual safe zone.

I wish I was there as I’m personally stuck out of the country.
Please be kind out there and don’t panic, this to shall pass.

If you’ve just travelled, been to a grocery store or just turned on the TV, you are probably concerned about many areas of your life or just simply, are you going to work next week.

I’m not sure I can help you with advice, but I would be more than happy to discuss the local real estate market and how it may affect you.

I will be calling my active clientele next week regarding the local market, and I will be rendering an opinion. Based on 35 yrs in the real estate industry and having lived through 20% interest rates and energy crisis, I do believe I may have an opinion some of us in lake country could use.

I invite anyone currently living in lake country or considering lake country real estate to call me with your questions regarding real estate. I will be happy to give you my opinion. Call me direct at 780-991-5107 and I will either answer or return your call. For those of you under contract with one of Edmonton’s excellent real estate agents, I must advise you to call them as it would not be ethical for me to discuss real estate with you.

Please be kind out there and don’t panic, this to shall pass.

After a successful 2019 campaign in Lake Country, I was pleased to say Edmonton Lake Property had a decent year selling just under $8,000,000 dollars in lake real estate (team stats) 7,00,000 (Wayne), but the market overall saw a price drop for the first time since 2013. By comparison, the Edmonton market is starting to stabilize in sales volume but continues to decline in value since 2015.

Lake Countries’ real estate market in 2019 could be described as “Uncertainty”. Partially this was due to market conditions but the biggest challenge to our market in 2019 was the weather conditions that were less than ideal.

We could almost say we missed a summer in 2019. It was spring and then it was fall. We all know lake buyers are looking for convenience which Lake Country provides but lake buyers more than anything want nice weather in order to get motivated to invest in our area. Let’s hope that the weather finds us in 2020.

No doubt the Coronavirus is on most people’s minds and depending at the moment the messages regarding spread or containment are all over the place. Being a lake specialist, I’m making sure I understand the present situation completely in order to advise both sellers and buyers.

I believe we at Edmonton Lake Property are focused on one word “Opportunity”. I believe since we joined the market in 2012 our claim to success is our ability to expose the Edmonton area to our market. In a way almost like letting them in on Metro Edmonton’s best-kept secret. Which are, you don’t have to drive 500 miles to enjoy the many great aspects of owning a lake property.

This year our marketing plans are focused on new buyers and introducing them to the many wonders of Lake Country which I consider Lake Wabamun, Isle Lake, and Lac Ste Anne. We are developing a program for new buyers who want to commute, those who want to use and rent and for the large snowbird crowd. I believe a good marketing plan is what we will need to succeed.

This market will be challenging, and you want to make those decisions with the voice of experience. I feel I’m qualified as a lake and recreational specialist especially in our area where I’ve been involved in 350 sales and volume over $85,000,000.

I’m maybe one of a few Realtors still in the business after the total market collapse in 1983. This collapse was caused by two major issues, interest rates and the National Energy policy that came to be known as the NEP. This year at the lake we have the economy and the virus and navigation will be difficult.

Fortunately, today we are only dealing with one of those factors that would contribute to our lack of an energy policy that is creating an atmosphere leading to a lack of investments and job loss. Here again, I will use the word “uncertainty”. This uncertainty in the early ’80s cost many people everything, yet a minority of others prospered. We can help you to be in the winning group.

In my 35 years of being involved in the industry. The word I see opportunity. I’ve watched both buyers and sellers profit in the 1983 – 1986 market despite the so-called recession where we saw the number of Realtors drop from a high in 1983 of 3300 to less than 1600 by 1986.

Edmonton Lake Property has designed an opportunity diagnosis of the industry and can advise you where, when and should you buy or sell, and my staff and I would love to share it with you no matter what your reason for considering our area.

While others are gearing down, we are ramping up. We invite you to give us a call for either a free home seller consultation or a buyer’s investment in lake property consultation to see how we can show a profit in our current market.

“NEW SERVICES FOR LAKE BUYERS- Based on the competitive nature of real estate we have created a new service and invested in the equipment to bring the market to you in live time. This could work for the many with concerns regarding the Coronavirus.

Too busy to come out and see that new listing – No Problem – Wayne and his team can bring the home to you via multiple formats that are basic and easy. Imagine sitting at your home or office in LIVE Time viewing the Latest listing that could be perfect without making the 50-mile drive from Edmonton. View even the fine details up close. Don’t miss out on the right home ever again. Call for more information.”

 We will also be conducting seminars for people considering lake property in Edmonton at major hotels. This is a part of go get the buyers in 2020. Watch for our promotions.

Either give us a call at 780-991-5107, our look for our mobile offices touring the lake with buyers in 2020 to learn more. We look forward to seeing you soon.