Paul Viau

Photos of listings. - Should be on the top of your list - When shopping for Real Estate Agents!

2010-03-18T23:49:00Z

Photos are perhaps the most neglected item in a listing - Considering their importance.

Point2 (point2.com) conducted a study monitoring listings over a 30-day period which clearly showed that properties which feature just one photo generated approximately five views and 1.37 leads, while listings displaying 21 or more images received over 77 views and close to 11 leads. Clearly, the listings that added 20+ photos generated nearly 10 times the number of leads and over 15 times the number of views.

According to these findings, a $600,000 home, sporting only one photo, could sell for as much as 3.8% LESS or a loss of over $22,000, just because there was only one photo accompanying the listing.

More amazing is the fact that only 12% of agents posted the maximum 20 photos. (done elsewhere - max here is 30)

An additional study showed that the average Days on Market had direct correlation to the number of photos posted:
- 1 photo = 70 DOM
- 6 photos = 40 DOM
- 16-19 photos = 36 DOM
- 20 photos max – 32 DOM

The price of the home is also affected by this marketing medium:
- 1 Photo = 91.2% of Original Price
- 6 or more = 95% of Original Price

These percentages will increase even more with a high quality photo.

May people ask why all real estate professionals don’t used professional grade photography equipment with wide angle capabilities, or hire a professional photographer to take photos for them. Well, the answer to that is money. Professional camera equipment can cost a few thousand dollars and professional photographers are quite expensive. Not all real estate agents are full time professionals, and many are not willing to invest this kind of money for their clients.

Think about it this way. Don't you want the best for your property! Do you think that cutting corners on perhaps the most

important aspect of the listing is the right way to go?

If you're a homeowner, you want to make sure your Realtor uses photographs that showcase your home - ask to see his or her portfolio before signing a listing contract!

Call us for an interview today!

902-293-1113

prviau@gmail.com

Paul Viau is licensed to sell real estate in the Province of Nova Scotia.

Licensed with Exit Realty Citadel , Halifax, -- 902- 405-3948

Condo sales – we’re off to a good start for 2010!

2010-03-15T23:44:00Z

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I sat down and analyzed the numbers for Jan/Feb

2010 vs Jan /Feb 2009. On the surface it looked good

and after realistically removing

some of the Jan 2009 sales it looked even better.

In Jan 2009 there was a closing for a Bedford condo

and the data was a little skewed . Instead of 8 sales

for the Bedford waterfront condos – I changed that

to 4 to better reflect real life sales.

So the data showed 68 sales in Jan – Feb 28 2009.

This year we are up by almost 30% to 88 sales

in the same period.

If we look ahead with that optimism we will see a

banner year as far as condos are concerned.

Looks like a great time to list your condo!

HOME

Paul can be reached at 902-293-1113

or 1-800-757-9165 dial 0

or E-mail -- paul@condosnovascotia.com

Paul Viau is a Licensed Realtor in Nova Scotia.

Exit Realty Citadel - Halifax , N.S. 405-3948

Top ten reasons to list with Condosnovascotia.com - In Halifax, Nova Scotia!

2010-03-14T23:43:00Z

10 Condosnovascotia.com can promise Maximum Web Traffic for your property! We can back up our Numbers !

9 Google likes us . We are on page #1 for most condo searches in or involving Halifax or Nova Scotia. homesearchnovascotia.com is our mirror site. Do you believe that having your listing with us could be an advantage over our Competition?

8    The site uses the NLS listing system. The point2 system is highly syndicated.
       Point2 Agent provides the largest syndication network in the industry,
        with over 35 syndication partners, displaying listings on over 300 destinations.

7 We use normal MLS (R) services and all the traditional means of advertising. ie: Herald , Cable.

6 We use professional photography services for every listing. Nothing sells a home like Photography!

5 Blog for each property done and posted on our site. Guaranteed to be on 1st page of Google within 2 days! You pick the keywords!

4 Riders on lawn signs. Allow us to Call Capture to ensure proper follow-up!

3 Dedicated 1-800 # for your Property!

2 Our listings page is highly optomised! Your listing will show up on major search engines!

1 No one else can promise all this! We offer the most coverage for any listing. Give us a call!

Paul Viau can be reached at 902-293-1113

or 1-800-757-9165 - dial 0

or E-mail at paul@condosnovascotia.com HOME

Paul Viau is licensed to sell Real Estate in the Province of Nova Scotia. And is licensed with Exit realty Citadel.

Office # 902- 405-3948 3770 Kempt Rd. Unit #3, Halifax , NS.

2009 - The year in review. Condo sales in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

2010-01-03T15:03:00Z

It's been a crazy year in condo sales here in Halifax, Nova Scotia! The year started with not a whole lot of promise with the stock markets tanked and the recession seeming on every ones mind. well .......what happened?

Here are the Numbers: (they are for Halifax County )

2008 - 762 Condos Sold

2009 - 742 Condos Sold

In 2008 for <$400,000 The market time was on average 110 days Selling price $199,714

In 2008 for >$400,000 Market Time was 278 days . The selling price was $542,230

In 2009 for <$400,000 - Market Time was 110 days Selling price was $204,507 !

In 2009 for >$400,000 - Market Time was 263 days The selling price was $517,701

There were of the >$400,000 and up ---23 sold in 2008.

There were of the >$400,000 and up --- 47 sold in 2009!

- So , the high end prices dropped about 6.5% , but they doubled in the amount sold.

- The lower priced sales increased by around 2.5 % but they backed off just a bit.

The overall sales time on average stayed about the same for both brackets.

What does this all mean for 2010?

I would say that based on the performance in a bad / horrible season that 2010 shall be a banner year! The MLS stats for condos as interpreted by Condosnovascotia.com are a good indicator that things are steady and the Market is stable.

As far as pricing your condo for sale in 2120 - You need to be reasonable! You need to price right on the mark. You need every advantage possible over your competition!

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Condosnovascotia.com offers a complete package with every listing we take. - Not only do we offer all the standard MLS services - but we also offer the NLS which is a highly syndicated service where your listing gets sent out to many different companies.

My website is highly optimized and generates a lot of traffic. Currently Condosnovascotia.com gets more traffic than any other Nova Scotian real estate web site (except one) I currently rank #1 or 2 on google for most condos searches in Halifax.

We offer a blog for each property that we list. We guarantee that each blog will be on the first page of Google within a couple of days. You help pick the words that you want your property to be searched under.

A Professional Photographer is used for each listing to ensure the quality of the photos.

Give us a call at 902-293-1113

or you can contact us on our easy to use form.

Paul Viau is a licensed realtor with Guaranty GMAC real estate - Halifax , Nova Scotia
457-4000

HarbourIsle - Dartmouth condo development dead in water.

2009-10-28T19:28:00Z

According to my sources -the condo side of the HarbourIsle development is dead. --For now.

The activity over there now is the commercial development and it has nothing to do with the

residential condo tower as proposed.

Proposed model of development

The developer claims they will look at the condo project in the spring again.

All deposits for the deals done so far will be returned.

A shame - as far as I'm concerned. Would have brought some vitality to the Burnside area.

Go to my HOME PAGE

Marina Villas at Oak Island Marina and Resort.

2009-10-21T23:09:00Z

Located at the beautiful Oak Island Inn and resort - just a 45 min drive from Halifax are the Marina Villas.

Overlooking the shores of Mahone Bay, they provide excellent views of the marina and beyond.

The villas are finished with nothing but the best. They are a pleasure to show.

The kitchens are very well laid out.

These 3 level townhouse style condo would be ideal for the boating enthusiast or perhaps a couple looking to retire to Nova Scotia but spend their winters south. The investor may be interested in renting the unit out -- Oak Island Inn may actually take care of that for you.

The developer is IMP group. They have embarked into residential real estate development is a natural progression for IMP. They have been recognized as one of the 50 best managed companies in Canada.

For more information on these condos please contact me on the Home Page.

Armoury Square Condominiums - An update!

2009-09-18T22:28:00Z

A quick update. - The condominium is now registered and it is ready for
immediate occupancy. They had a deal where you could get 6 months
condo fees or equivalent off the price if you wrote on a unit before Aug 30.

-- As reported by www.condosnovascotia.ca

Armoury Square condominiums sits at 30.5 Meters tall Overlooking the
Halifax commons. A 97 unit condominium with 85 - one, two and three
bedroom suites and 12 townhouses attached at the lower level. The address
is 5769 Cunard st.

Armoury Square, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, is being developed by Giffels
Management Limited for IG Realty Investments Inc. and the Daniels Group.
Giffels DesignBuild is builder for the the project

The building was designed by Duffas Romans Kundzins Rounsefell Architects

Its projects have received a number of design awards, including an Award of Excellence for Historic Properties

The engineering for this project was done by Malcomb Pinto engineering Ltd

All these firms have top notch reputations and the building reflects that.

A look down the street (East) towards Robie.

Directly in front of the building looking East towards the old Armoury's

Across the street - A view of the Halifax Commons - A place to hang out in the summer.
Not to mention the home of world class concerts - Paul Mccartney for one.

Watch a concert or just listen from your deck !

For information on units available or just further info on this project - CLICK HERE

******** BE SURE TO SAY WHICH BUILDING IN THE COMMENTS AREA ******

Bishops Landing Halifax , Nova Scotia - Fall 2009 Update.

2009-09-15T21:52:00Z

Bishops Landing - A luxury condominium located right on the waters edge In downtown Halifax Nova Scotia. Right on the boardwalk, you are literally in the middle of it all. Whether it the International Buskers or if the Tall Ships come in, they literally tie-up just off your condo.

There is a bit of a lull going on in the waterfront - high end condo market. There are 10 suites
currently on the market. It's a buyer's market out there!

For information on availability please fill in the form on the home page.
*** Be sure to put the name of the condo down.

The developer is Southwest Properties and they have an excellent track record. The suites range from the mid-four hundreds to 1.2 Mil . They are an excellent buy for what you get. The life style of living downtown , close to restaurants, pubs and the night-life.

Between Pier 21 and the cruise ships and Historic Properties you will be temped to go for a walk along the boardwalk - said to be the world's longest.

For more information on these incredible units go to Form.

For info on more condos and homes please go to home page.

Hydostone Place - A key Condominium in Halifax - Nears full ownership!

2009-09-12T18:03:00Z

The Hydrostone Place approaches full ownership! The boutique style condominium in Halifax's North end
is IMP"s first foray into Halifax's Condo Market. The building is unique and because of it's small size has
a certain character that you can almost feel as you enter the foyer.

The Crown mouldings and high baseboards throughout. 5 new appliances in every unit.
Each suite has a luxurious feel to it. As of the 10 th of Sept The condo site of Halifax
reported there were a couple 1 bedroom units available - But they are selling quick.

View of The Hydrostone Place from Russell St.

For info on the units available and or upcoming units please go to the home page

Please remember to type in the Hydrostone Place.

The Trillium at South Park - Jan 04/2010 update.

2009-09-10T21:33:00Z

They have the basement almost finished. Pouring the forms for
the first floor ! Hopefully they will not slow down too much as the cold
sets in.

Sales are going well I hear -and will continue now that there is something to look at.

To receive more info on the project just go to my form.

Here is another picture of work on the site as of jan05/10

To go to the HOME PAGE

The Trillium at South Park - Sept 10/09 update.

Well I was at the site this morning and the hole is a lot deeper! And a crane has taken up residence
on site. The excavators are almost done and are located near the south side of the hole.
It looks as though a concrete pad has been poured and we will be going up from here
on out! Here is the hole and the concrete pad.

The crane is a sign of good things to come!

The Trillium is proposed to be finished by June 2011. At this point
all bets are on them finishing on time. WM Feres has a great record.

For more information on units available and scheduling please leave
Info on the contact form on the home page.

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APRIL 2009

The long talked about project at Southpark and Brenton "The Trillium" will be marketed by Coldwell Banker Supercity. They will post information on their site as they get it finalized. The project is in early stages and people may register their interest for any particular unit. The project will have a 5000 sq ft Penthouse and lots of 2500 Sq ft suites on lower levels.

As of today (04/14/09) the project is underway - They are digging the hole for the foundation and parking.

I hear they are encountering the usual underground water flow and springs etc. Otherwise the project is full steam ahead.

The project has yet to go MLS and it could be a few years away. If you wish to have representation please fill out the form below.

Link to Condo Form

Paul Viau is a licensed Realtor in Nova Scotia - Guaranty GMAC real estate - 457-4000

Summer Cove Condominiums - Bedford

2009-09-09T15:25:00Z

Built in 2002 - this 5 storey brick building has 18 units on
Each floor. They range in size from 776 to 1820 sq ft.
Indoor parking is available for most units.

Very handy to the french school - L'ecole Beaubassin. just a few minutes walk
from the proposed hi speed ferry to downtown Halifax. Walk to shopping mall!
Very good investment with the proposed Bedford West coming soon!

Heat and hot water included in the condo fees.
Building has - Underground parking, Car wash, Library ,Gym and
social room.

For more info and availability please go the home page and fill out
the form. Be sure to indicate which building on the form.

Listing a condo in Nova Scotia

2009-09-08T01:14:00Z

So - You're considering selling your condo in the Halifax area?

Why not try the best Condo resource in the Halifax,Dartmouth,Bedford areas.
We offer a condo website that offers the most web traffic specifically for condos
than any other local Real Estate website in Halifax! (according to "Alexa "
- the web traffic web site)

A recent survey by the NAR - National Association of Realtors indicates that 96%
of buyers and sellers start their search on the internet!

List with www.condosnovascotia.com and get maximum exposure for your
condo!

We offer full service MLS with all of our listings as well as a second listing service - The NLS
National Listing Service. Point2 agent offers the largest syndication service in the industry, with
over 35 syndication partners displaying listings in over 300 locations.

We also do a blog for your property - on the condo web site itself
We also take full advantage of social media as well as social bookmarking to get you extreme exposure on the internet. If Twitter, Digg, Delicious, Stumbleupon, Linkedin and Facebook mean anything to you and your property then you should give us a call!

Get page one on GOOGLE visibility for your own property Blog in a matter of days!

We also offer professional photography with every listing we take! The number and the quality
of the photos taken has been found to be directly correlated to the price fetched for a property
and the market time.

Why not give www.condosnovascotia.com a quick look.

You want exposure ......don't you?

902-293-1113

or pviau@guarantygmac.com

***** note ***** We are under construction.

Nova Scotia #1 Condo Website Picks "Top 2" condo investments for 2009!

2009-09-02T15:58:00Z

www.homesearchnovascotia.com and the soon to be released www.condosnovascotia.com has published it’s first picks based on a season of showings in the Halifax Regional Municipality. " There may be more condos with strong merit ... but I feel especially bullish on these two solid investments."

The first is ‘Granbury Place’. This stately building located in Fairview is being renovated from top to bottom. There is no scrimping here with marble countertops, crown mouldings, wood and tile flooring being installed throughout. Complete with new appliances and your choice of kitchen finishes, these solid condos are as good as ... even better than ... new! Two bedroom units are currently selling for approximately $190 000 - $193 000 with condo fees in the low two hundreds. With these upgrades, prices and an incredible view of the Bedford Basin can you afford not to buy?

The second is “The Condos at Bedros Lane”. These three buildings built less than five years ago had some challenges which have since been fixed. Situated high on the hills they too have a good view of the Bedford Basin and make for an attractive residence or investment property. The new exchange being built at the top of Royal Hemlocks will provide convenience and flexibility for entry and exit from this and the nearby Bedford West Development. With all this development it won’t only be new construction on the rise, but values will be increasing too!

Feel free to drop me a line at 902-293-1113

or you can e-mail me at prviau@gmail.com

West Port Authority puts it's Ecum Secum 142 'x 26' wharf and prop for sale!

2009-09-01T23:26:00Z

Presently used as a fishing wharf, this wharf was built by the government to their specs and later

sold to the West Port Authority. Due to retirement from active fishery , The authority now wishes to sell this property and the fish house. (16 x 42) List price -- $199,900

Local fishing licenses also available.

Yacht club uses , possible water, fueling facility.

View of Wharf from the western side of property. This wharf would have cost over 1Mil to build.

A look out at the wharf from shore. The prop includes a 2 acre water lot which would
be ideal for moorings or perhaps any commercial interest.

The Property is just inside the HRM county line. It is right beside The Ecum Secum West sign
In the above pict. Sheltered from even the worst storms.

A yachts view. Just to the right of Barren Island - and follow the county line to the dock.
Fairly close to Liscomb Lodge.

For more info on this Investment contact Paul Viau at 902-293-1113

Armoury Square -Overlooking Halifax Commons.

2009-05-23T23:43:00Z

Armoury Square condominiums sits at 30.5 Meters tall Overlooking the
Halifax commons. A 97 unit condominium with 85 - one, two and three
bedroom suites and 12 townhouses attached at the lower level.