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VIREB Housing Sales

Housing sales within the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board (VIREB) for the first half of March were not affected deeply by the COVID-19 virus. However; the second half of March produced fewer housing sales throughout the province, including the VIREB region.  Undoubtedly, the global pandemic will have an effect upon the 2020 BC housing market.  Nanaimo and area have certainly experienced declining housing sales activity, however, home prices locally have not slipped.  This is wonderful news for persons living on Vancouver Island.   Unfortunately; Canada’s largest cities (Vancouver and Toronto) have experienced both activity and price declines since the onset of COVID-19.


A symbol representing the VIREB housing stats.

The VIREB region produced 333 single family home sales in March 2020.  This is up from the 259 single family home sales in February 2020.  It was ramping up to be a much better year versus 2019 and the later half of 2018.


The March 2020 VIREB region benchmark price was 4% higher than the same month last year.  The month closed with a $521,400 VIREB benchmark price.


Nanaimo’s benchmark price was $564,500 in March.  The Parksville-Qualicum benchmark price was $590,700.  All three communities are higher than 2019.


Please find the VIREB housing sales statistics here.  There will be noticeable changes in the provincial and local housing sales when the April statistics become available.


The condo and townhome markets are also discussed in great detail within the VIREB stats accessed via the above link.

Contact Me:

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you wish to discuss the real estate market, the VIREB housing sales statistics or your home’s current value.  I’m always happy to help!  Perhaps you have been considering selling your home in the Fall.  I can provide you with property suggestions now regarding home preparations for a successful Fall sale.  I also have great relationships with many contractors who are ready to help if necessary.

Are there any real estate topics that you would like to review in a future blog?  I would love to hear from you.  Please include any comments below.  Thank you.

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Chris Martin Newsletter Draw

Hello; it was the link from the newsletter that brought you to this blog post.  You may be the winner of a $50 gift card.  Your chances of winning are great and it’s very easy too!  All newsletter draw entrants, per Canadian legislation, must be 19+ years of age and correctly answer a VERY simple question.  That is correct…  just complete the section below and include the correct answer within the comments section.  It will take less than a minute and I am certain you will answer the question correctly.


Please select which of the following statements is correct:


  • Chris Martin is a Hall of Fame Realtor with RE/MAX of Nanaimo.
  • Chris Martin is a professional baseball player for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Furthermore, as per Canadian legislation regarding this random draw, I must also state that the winning entrant must reside within British Columbia.  (A Canadian province.)  Please also note that this newsletter draw is open to all persons subject to the above criteria.  No property purchase or sale necessary.


I was going to use movie passes as the prize, but, who knows when the theatres will reopen.  Do you have any guesses when the theatres may reopen?  Are you shopping more on Amazon now than you did before COVID-19?  I know that I have made more Amazon purchases  recently versus pre-pandemic.


When Will the Newsletter Draw Winner be Announced?

The winner of each Newsletter draw will be announced within the following newsletter.  This will give everyone lots of time to enter the draw.  It will be a random draw and each newsletter will be released near the middle of every month until further notice.  Good luck!


Congratulations Gio B!   Gio was the lucky winner of April’s newsletter contest.  Thank you for playing Gio. 


I Would Love to Hear from You:

Is there a local real estate topic that you would like included within a future blog or my newsletter?  Please do not hesitate to include your thoughts below.  I’d love to hear from you!  Alternatively; I can be contacted here.

Thank You Frontline & Essential Service Workers:

Chris Martin with his family.


I hope that you and your loved ones are safe and well during this world pandemic.  COVID-19 simply just sucks!  It might be an anxious and frustrating time for you now.  Please know that I am always here for you.  Call me if you may ever need to chat with a friend.  #alonetogether #stayhomesavealife


My family and I are very grateful to all the frontline and essential service workers.  You are champions!  Our country could not get through this pandemic without your hard work and tremendous efforts.  You are sincerely appreciated.  Thank you!

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Showing Homes with COVID-19 Protocols

Realtors are showing homes with COVID-19 protocols.  We are also becoming very good at marketing ourselves and our listings on Facebook, Instagram and You Tube.  Just like many others we now have more free time on our hands than ever before.  Showing activity of homes in Nanaimo during this COVID-19 pandemic is down more than 70 percent.  The good news, however, is that the list prices have not declined nor has the difference between the list price and the sale price grown.


The services provided by REALTORS have been deemed essential, but, it is not business as usual.  In fact, Canadian REALTORS are now working from their homes.  The RE/MAX of Nanaimo owners have done an excellent job repositioning the support staff to the safety of their homes.  It was an organized and professional transition.  These staff persons are effectively supporting the brokerage from their homes.  Thank you RE/MAX of Nanaimo!  The following are many COVID-19 protocols when showing homes.  It is very important to REALTORS to maintain your health safety and the well being of our communities.  Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.

COVID-19 Protocols:

Realtors have increased their electronic and virtual communications with the public and when personal interaction is unavoidable then Federal Government of Canada’s social distancing guidelines MUST be followed. A minimum of six feet apart please. Thank you.

Face mask & Gloves:

BEFORE entering any listing all persons must wear a face covering / mask. NEW disposable gloves must be worn at each home. Thank you.

Quickly please:

All home viewings are kept SHORT. Don’t waste time inside a seller’s home discussing anything that can be discussed outside. Only would-be buyers will be permitted entry.  Please, NO children, other family members, etc. Thank you.

Drive-by every home first:

Buyers are strongly encouraged to “drive-by” every home and throughout its neighborhood PRIOR to any scheduled viewing.  Showing homes with COVID-19 protocols is not difficult, yet, they are very important to please follow.  Thank you.

Preview, preview, preview:

Preview all the listing’s online marketing PRIOR to any scheduled viewing. Photos, video, floor plan and more. Pre-qualified buyers ONLY please. Thank you.

Home Document review:

Have you reviewed the Property Disclosure Statement, Survey, Title Search and Title Instruments BEFORE scheduling a home viewing? Do you have any questions? Please inquire BEFORE any scheduled showing. Thank you.


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Real Estate Services Have Been Deemed Essential

Real estate services have been deemed essential.  Real estate and COVID-19 combined have caused the creation of many new industry protocols.  COVID-19 stands for coronavirus disease of 2019.  It is an acute respiratory syndrome that has genetic similarities of the 2002 SARS coronavirus.  Those infected with COVID-19 may have symptoms ranging from very mild to hospitalization and death.  This disease is very serious and you do not want to become infected or inadvertently pass it to others.


The essential businesses working during this global pandemic have greatly increased their safety protocols to protect themselves and the public from COVID-19.  RE/MAX of Nanaimo Realtors are now working from their home offices with support from the Brokerage staff persons also working from their home offices.  Real estate services may have been deemed essential, but, it is not business as usual.  There are several COVID-19 protocols that must be followed before any home showing.


Today there are more REALTORS offering videos, floor plans and professional photography of their newest listings.  Ironically, I have been providing all of these online marketing services and much more since 2004.  I have always introduced my clients’ homes to the online world with the very best marketing available, therefore, providing the greatest chance of success.  Please visit www.chris-martin.ca and see for yourself.  It is very important today to also maintain a great social media presence.  All of my selling clients benefit from my robust social media strategy.  I have all of my listings posted onto Facebook, Instagram and You Tube.  They are, of course, also advertised upon REALTOR.ca and hundreds of other websites including REW.ca and Point2Homes.com

Last But Certainly Not Least:

I am glad that the Federal Government of Canada has deemed real estate services as essential.  I have witnessed the importance and the necessity for buyers and sellers to be able to act at this time.  Please do not hesitate to contact me if I may help you with any of your real estate goals.  Thank you.

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Who is Chris Martin with RE/MAX of Nanaimo?

Meet Chris Martin:

RE/MAX Balloon

Hello and welcome to my first blog post ever.  (Yikes!)  My name is Chris Martin and I am an award winning Realtor with RE/MAX of Nanaimo.  I’ve received the RE/MAX Hall of Fame and the RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement awards.  I am very proud of these awards because they represent over 1000 satisfied clients since 2004.  Nanaimo has been my home since 1983 and you couldn’t force me to leave this wonderful city.  In 1996 I married a third generation Nanaimo beauty and today our son (fourth generation) attends the Vancouver Island University.

Where Do I help Buyers & Sellers?

I am licensed to assist real estate buyers and sellers throughout British Columbia and Vancouver Island, but, choose to remain within the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board (VIREB) region and more specifically Nanaimo and its surrounding areas including the Town of Ladysmith.  I am a residential property, strata property and recreation property expert.  A vacant land sales and purchases expert too.

Supporting Our Community and Local Charities:

Children's Miracle Network

My family and I proudly support the Children’s Miracle Network and a portion of each commission that I earn is donated to support this fantastic charity.  We are also very happy to co-sponsor the Nanaimo Lions Free Skate and the Nanaimo Lions Free Swim at the Beban Park Recreation Facility.  We are also proud to share with you, in my first blog post, that we have generously supported the Nanaimo Child Development Centre, the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada, the Kids Help Phone and various Nanaimo sports teams and athletes.

I’d Love To Hear From You:

Thank you for reading this blog and allowing me to introduce myself.  I appreciate your time very much.  Please do not hesitate to leave any comments below.  I’d love to hear from you.  Are there any topics that you hope to see in a in a future blog?   Also, please do not hesitate to contact me privately with any questions.  I am always very happy to help you.

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MLS® property information is provided under copyright© by the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board and Victoria Real Estate Board. The information is from sources deemed reliable, but should not be relied upon without independent verification.