Winnipeg's realtor community is ready to hop over the boards.
With more than 20 wealthy hockey players preparing to move to town in the coming weeks, plus coaches and other team officials, realtors are preparing for the kind of market boom that comes with eclipse-like regularity.
Glen Williams, a realtor with Century 21 Bachman & Associates, has been in direct communication with team members and officials since before the May 31st press conference announcing the purchase of the Atlanta Thrashers to True North Sports & Entertainment.
"They have to be here in September. We're anticipating it's going to be a busy summer," he said. "It's no different than a company relocating 40 employees [to another city]. They need to gather information and determine housing."
Williams said he anticipates the players will be looking to buy in Winnipeg's southwest quadrant, which includes neighbourhoods such as River Heights, Tuxedo, Whyteridge and Lindenwoods.
Hundreds of realtors will be hoping to get a piece of the expected hockey action, as the vacancy rate in Winnipeg's residential rental market is less than 1 per cent.
Williams said he has a good number of higher-end homes, priced between $700,000 and $7 million, which he is preparing to show the city's newest heroes.
"It won't take much to stimulate our market. There will also be ripple effects. As one player buys a home in the $500,000 range, that could cause the seller to move into the $800,000 range," he said.
According to Winnipeg realtors, there were 122 detached homes available for sale in the city in early June in the $500,000-and-higher category. There were also a dozen condominiums in the same price range.
from Western Investor July 2011
