Zander said she's also hopeful an upgrade will be forthcoming to Carberry's recreation centre, which she added is "workable but old." There's also an outdoor pool, a bowling alley, a hockey rink and curling sheet in town and a short distance away is Spruce Woods Provincial Park.
Blair said Carberry has sent economic recruiting officials to communities around the province, including Thompson, and the work has paid off. This year, 46 new people moved into town, including a number from Germany.
The influx is reverberating in the local real estate market. The average house in Carberry is an 1,100-square-foot, three-bedroom bungalow that sells for about $160,000. That's up 5 to 10 per cent from a year ago, according to Les Watts, a realtor and partner in Royal LePage McPhail Agencies.
He attributes much of the price appreciation to demand from people in Shilo, located about 15 minutes down the highway. The pressure on the housing market should increase further in the short term when the Spirit Sands Casino opens up about 20 kilometres to the south on Swan Lake First Nation land. Watts says between the gaming and a trio of restaurants, it's expected to employ between 200 and 300 people.
"Our housing prices are still lower than Brandon," he said. "That's mainly due to the lot prices; our lot prices are considerably lower."
The number of serviceable lots available, however, is almost non-existent. "It would be tough to have anything available for at least a year. If you really want to build, you have to buy something older and tear it down," he said.
from Western Investor December 2011
