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REALTORS Care® Blanket Drive
December 11, 2014
Vancouver, BC – For the 20th year, REALTORS® across the Lower Mainland gathered warm clothing and blankets to help over 17,000 working poor and homeless people in our region and what stood out most during this year’s Blanket Drive – November 17 to 24 – was the quality and specificity of donations.
Sue Mukerji, Surrey REALTOR® and Blanket Drive volunteer for over ten years, observes, “The message that it’s not about quantity is really getting through now. Our goal has always been to collect the highest quality items to meet the needs of our most vulnerable citizens in each of our communities.
“Some of our charities request only blankets; others indicate they need mainly socks or underwear. Surrey’s Hyland House specifically asked for new pillows. Because we have REALTORS®, clients and members of the public who have been supporting us for many years, we have a network to help fulfill the unique requests as best we can.”
One group that regularly receives donations from the Blanket Drive is the Hope Central Ministry at New Heights Church in Mission. They provide food and other services to both low income families and to individuals living outdoors. Carrie Prentice is the ministry coordinator and the church’s only staff person. “For many of our clients, their only source of warmth is a blanket and winter clothing provided by the Blanket Drive.
“We were very touched when two REALTORS® returned after dropping off donations to bring us literally bags of socks. Something as simple as a clean, new pair of socks can really make a big difference to someone’s quality of life.”
Another beneficiary of the REALTOR® initiative is the Harvest Project in North Vancouver. They connect with over 300 families and individuals challenged by family breakdown, illness, job loss and poverty.
Development officer Kevin J. Lee, said, “Thank you REALTORS Care® Blanket Drive! The donated items allow us to provide coats and clothing to women and men returning to the work force or school and help those simply in need of proper clothing for the winter season."
Established in 1994, the Blanket Drive is the largest, most recognized warm clothing and blanket collection in the Lower Mainland and has assisted more than 250,000 people. Donations from REALTORS®, their clients, the general public, corporations, retailers, community groups and schools are dropped off at over 100 real estate offices from Whistler to Hope.
The REALTORS Care® Blanket Drive is a partnership between the REALTORS® of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board and the Chilliwack and District Real Estate Board and their communities.
News Release: December 2, 2014
2014 TREND TOWARDS INCREASED SALES AND STEADY PRICING CONTINUES INTO NOVEMBER
(Surrey, BC) – The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board processed 1,136 sales on its Multiple Listing Service (MLS®) in November, an increase of 15 per cent compared to the 986 sales during the same month last year and 22 per cent lower than the 1,448 sales processed in October.
New listings in the Fraser Valley decreased by 2 per cent in November, going from 1,774 last year to 1,748 last month taking the number of active listings to 8,302, a decrease of 4 per cent compared to the 8,641 active listings in November of 2013.
“This is the time of year when families are settling in for winter and the holidays, so we expect to see a decrease in activity,” explains the Board’s president, REALTOR® Ray Werger. “After a busy fall with volumes reaching 5-year highs, we’re winding down the year with sales on par with the ten-year average, but about 8 per cent fewer new listings therefore home buyers will notice a shortage of inventory in certain price ranges.”
Pricing continues along the same trends as seen for most of 2014, with single family detached prices continuing to rise; townhouse prices remaining steady, and apartment prices decreasing. The MLS® Home Price Index (MLS® HPI) benchmark price of a detached home in November was $575,400 an increase of 4.6 per cent compared to November 2013, when it was $550,300.
The MLS® HPI benchmark price of townhouses increased 2.2 per cent from $292,400 in November 2013 to $298,900 last month. The benchmark price of apartments decreased year-over-year by 3.5 per cent, going from $196,200 in November of last year to $189,400 in November 2014.
“Prices are a function of supply and demand - which your REALTOR® will explain varies considerably from area to area and within the different property types - as well as local amenities, transportation options and future community development, underscoring the importance of expert guidance when you’re looking to list or buy,” says Werger.
“Overall, 2014 is shaping up to be a good year for Fraser Valley real estate,” continues Werger. “We hit a bit of a trough during the summer of last year, but since then sales have recovered and we’re tracking towards a 15 per cent increase in year-to-date sales for 2014 compared to 2013 with prices remaining relatively stable.”
Stats provided by the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board. For a full package click here: