Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Prince George Airport YXS - New Logistics Park Video


Here is a great new promotional video of the logistics park and plans for the Prince George Airport. - Click Here

YXS - The New Transpacific Logisitics Alternative
The Runway Expansion Project has transformed runway 15/33 from 7,400 ft. to 11,450 ft., complete with centre line (LED) lighting, dual ILS navigational systems and a dedicated de-icing refueling pad for wide body aircraft. Once completed, the Runway Expansion Project will allow the PGAA to market the airport as a new transpacific logistics alternative, providing carriers the opportunity to make Prince George a destination of choice for refueling and transshipment of cargo.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Economic Profile ending 2007

Economic Profile

Prince George is a city that welcomes investment, promotes growth and hosts a competitive business climate.

Located in the centre of beautiful British Columbia, this college and university city with a manufacturing base is strategically connected to the Asia-Pacific Gateway. A city where knowledge and research, natural resources, industry, transportation, health, urban amenities and an active four-season lifestyle meet.

Prince George is a city with a passion for a sustainable future. Embedded within a picturesque natural landscape, all the residents of this community share a proud history of exploration supported by a solid pioneer work ethic.

Average income
Overall, labour force participants in Prince George (including full and part time workers) earn higher average incomes than their counterparts in other areas of BC.



Incomes for full-time employment in Prince George are generally higher than those in the province as a whole. Persons working full time earned a median income of $45,852/year in 2005 (Statistics Canada 2006 Census) in Prince George.

Housing Starts
1995 - 292
1996 - 441
1997 - 402
1998 - 273
1999 - 166
2000 - 138
2001 - 77
2002 - 100
2003 - 103
2004 - 309
2005 - 284
2006 - 320
2007 - 328

Source: CMHC, Starts and Completions Survey


Average New Home Prices (Single-detached)
1996 - $201,475
1997 - $196,436
1998 - $183,829
1999 - $176,961
2000 - $180,575
2001 - $213,741
2002 - $204,981
2003 - $213,530
2004 - $213,402
2005 - $238,452
2006 - $273,013
2007 - $348,066

Source: CMHC, Starts and Completions Survey


Average MLS Prices by Region (Single-detached)
1996 - $133,698
1997 - $138,561
1998 - $136,319
1999 - $126,454
2000 - $121,338
2001 - $116,581
2002 - $120,606
2003 - $118,319
2004 - $129,761
2005 - $147,828
2006 - $195,943
2007 - $240,245

Source: BC Real Estate Association & BC Northern Real Estate Board

POPULATION
1996 - 78,239
1997 - 78,426
1998 - 77,368
1999 - 76,990
2000 - 77,018
2001 - 75,568
2002 - 74,742
2003 - 75,559
2004 - 76,208
2005 - 75,028
2006 - 74,810
2007 - 75,375

SOURCE: Population Section, BC Stats

Prince George BC is a great place to invest!

Population – Prince George is home to 83,225 people (census agglomeration) and 313,556 people in the trading area.

Housing – Average cost of purchasing a home in Prince George in 2007 was $240,245. Average cost of renting an apartment or townhome in 2007 was $650.

Climate – Prince George enjoys a dry climate with four complete seasons – lots of sun between May and September and lots of snow between November and March. Average January temperature is -10C and average July temperature is 22C, though most years bring temperature extremes above 30C and below -20C on occasion.

Earnings – Average annual labour force income is nearly $40,000, significantly higher than the BC average.

Employment - Employment rate in Prince George is 69.9% (2007).

Commute – Maximum commute to downtown Prince George from most residential areas is 15 minutes.

Culture – A variety of active ethnic and cultural groups exist in Prince George to provide programming and assistance to all residents in social, cultural and economic capacities.

Education – Prince George educational institutions include the internationally recognized University of Northern British Columbia, the main campus of full-service College of New Caledonia, two additional community colleges, numerous trades and technical education facilities, close to 50 regional public schools and an assortment of private schools and specialty programs.

Newcomers – The Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society, the Multicultural Heritage Society of Prince George, Le Cercle des Canadiens Français de Prince George, the Prince George Native Friendship Centre, the Welcome Wagon, and numerous employment service providers assist newcomers in getting settled in Prince George.

Shopping – From a seasonal Farmers’ Market to malls and big box establishments, Prince George offers a complete variety of shopping experiences.

Recreation – Eighteen outdoor and six indoor soccer fields, seven ice rinks, two aquatic facilities (one deemed world class), numerous gyms / self defense / dance clubs, 120 parks in city limits, 1600 lakes and streams within one hour, downhill and cross country ski facilities and much more…Prince George is known to be sports crazy!

Transportation – Home to an international airport (YXS), VIA Rail daylight passenger train service, Greyhound and other charter bus services and an ever improving highway infrastructure, there are many ways to travel into and out of Prince George.

Real Estate - Click Here for home and investment information.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Real Estate Investors - Have your say in the next Federal Budget.

Here is a great chance for Canadians to voice there concern and have input to the next Federal Budget. As for Real Estate here in Canada may I suggest one idea you add in the 'Other' comments.

Ask the Federal Gov't to add in the budget that Canadians who invest in Real Estate and sell their investments that they can 'Roll Over' or suspend paying Capital Gains as long as they invest in another Real Estate investment. This would be big for investors to move their Capital Gains (Profit) to the next Real Estate investment without paying tax yet.

CLICK ON THIS LINK to access the questionnaire - http://www.fin.gc.ca/scripts/prebudgetsurvey/selectMainPriorities_e.asp

Have a great day and Merry Christmas to all!

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Real Estate better returns than stocks or funds!

With all the bad news about little to no returns on peoples investments in the stock market or mutual funds there is a little known secret that one can still buy a rental property in Prince George BC and still get a good positive rate of return. If you have not thought about real estate as an investment in Prince George now is a fantastic time to do your homework.
Visit one of Prince George's best Real Estate website for information on what is happening there.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Canadian Real Estate Outlook

Here is BNN interview with Royal LePage on the Real Estate Outlook for Canada. - Click Here

For your list of Foreclosures in Prince George and area. - Click Here

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Average Home Prices for Prince George & Area

Hot off the press is the latest stats for average home prices and sales over last year. Note that sales are down a bit but aveage sale price is still up. Click Here for details.

For more information on Prince George and area visit http://www.deanbirks.com/

Cheers
Dean Birks

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Major Projects Inventory for BC

(Picture courtesy of PG Airport)
Here is an extensive report on the major projects going on in BC. Note all the work for Prince George present or upcoming. Click Here (3.6 meg pdf file)

Cheers
Dean Birks

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Quality of Life in Prince George

Prince George is known as a city where residents come planning to stay two years and end up staying twenty. Quality of life is the reason. The city's people are known for their friendliness, and the city's amenities rival that of large urban centres. Combine this with extensive opportunities to work, play and live affordably and Prince George can't help but boast.

Click Here for the entire report.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

CMHC Housing Report for Prince George BC

June 22, 2008

Here is the latest CMHC - Prince George Housing Market Update. Click Here

Here is the 2nd Quarter 2008 - BC Housing Market Outlook. Click Here

Cheers
Dean Birks - Realtor

New Development for PG Golf land

May 20, 2008

Recently the City and the Prince George Golf and Curling Club (PGGCC) annouced concept plans for the redevelopement of this prime land in Prince George.

Click Here for details.

Cheers
Dean Birks - Realtor

Calgary based business want to diversify in Prince George BC

Feb.25, 2008

Calgary based business want to diversify in Prince George BC. Quote "We've been looking for opportunities off the beaten path of oil and gas and I was surprised at just how much Prince George has to offer," . This in my opinion is just the start of many business becoming aware of what this great city has to offer. From good friendly people to the diverse opportunities for becoming a true distribution hub.


Cheers
Dean

Manufacturing in Prince George

Feb.24, 2007

Well it just the first of many many things to come. Del-Tech an arm of BID Group became the first major user of CN Rail's intermodal transload facility - commonly called an inland port - in Prince George. Because of the inland port, they were able to win Russian business as the container loading here in Prince George saved them $300,000!

Manufacturing business of all kinds will start to realize that the cost of making something is not what wins business but how fast and cheap you can get it to the world market and Prince George BC is it!

Best regards
Dean Birks - Realtor

http://www.deanbirks.com/

A great way to take the hassle out of renting a home.

Feb.23, 2008
A great way to take the hassle out of renting a home.
Have you or your clients ever tried to rent out a home? Well if you have then most of the time, it is a lot of wasted time having prospective tenants call you and arrange a time for you to meet, you show up and they are not there. Why because they drove by and decided they did not like the location or something else and because they do not know you they have no problem just not showing up and leaving you sitting there wondering if they are coming.

The other one is they do show up and they look like they crawled out of a culvert and not to be discriminatory but the old needles and beer cans that fall out of their car as they attempt to introduce themselves can be quite un-nerving especially if the appointment to show the rental home is in the evening.

I think you could add a bunch more stories here but you get or know the idea.

So what to do?
A few years back when I had rental property I went through this a thought there had to be a better and more controlled way to rent out my homes so here is what I came up with that worked great.

1 - I would place an ad in the paper with full address and more detail than normal describing the home and that their will be a ‘Tenant open house' this Sunday from 1 to 3:30 (whatever time I wanted) and also my contact phone #. This way when I got a phone call I could describe the home more. In most cases they would attempt to arrange an appointment and I would say sorry ‘no appointments' but I do have an Open House and you can tour the home then. This way they can drive by the home and if they are still interested, they will be at the Open House.

2 - At the Open House I will have copies of the ‘Rental Agreement & Application' as well as a separate highlight sheet noting the minimum amount of rent I want for the home and what is or is not included etc.

3- I would then state to each person that came to look at the home that I will not be making any decisions today. That after touring the home and your still interested, to fill out the application and make a note on the side of it the amount of rent they would pay (if it were more than my minimum) and then I will let them know on Tuesday if they got it or not.
(This stops someone from handing you a cash deposit right there and saying I will take the home, and then if you don't they can claim discrimination)

4- Once the Open House is over, collect up all the applications from those interested and then pick your top 3 prospective tenants. Note the amount of rent they are willing to pay, as some will offer more than your stated minimum. Call the references but keep in mind the present landlord will always give a great referral just to get them out of their home if they are not good tenants, but I still call them.

5- Then on Tuesday (if that is the day you picked) drive up to the home of your #1 choice and knock on the door. When they open it up you can quickly look around to see if they run the type of home (clean or pig pen) that you want in a tenant. If it is an absolute garbage dump and that is not what you want then hand them back their application and say " I am sorry that you were not picked but I wanted to personally thank you for your time and here is you application back' (and move on and do the same thing with you #2 choice.) If they appear to be clean and the home condition looks like what your want in a tenant then say ‘Congratulations you got the home if you want it'.

I have found this to be a very positive way to find a good tenant without all the usual hassles that come along with it.
This is the kind of advice my clients get when dealing with me in Prince George BC. I hope it can help you out.

Cheers
Dean Birks - Realtor at Royal LePage Prince George