There are plenty of properties below $300K. Here’s where to find them
Winnipeggers know a thing or two about what it means to be flat. The city is surrounded by prairies and sits at the bottom of the Red River Valley, a flood plain with an extremely uniform topography. Perhaps the only thing flatter than the landscape has been the housing market.
Last year home prices in Canada’s eighth largest city barely budged, up a little over 1%. But that might be changing. A mild winter has meant an early start to the spring rush. “Coming off a flat market it’s nice to see again,” says Laurel Freis, a Re/Max realtor based in the city, noting that many of the homes for sale lately have been going above asking. If that continues it could push the average price for a single family home above $300,000. Even if it does there’s still plenty of desirable properties available well below that price point.
While Winnipeg hasn’t been part of the real estate frenzy that’s driven up prices in other Western Canadian cities, Freis notes that it also should insulate it from the price drops some of those same cities are experiencing, particularly in the higher priced homes. “We may stay flat, but [prices] don’t go down,” she says.
Winnipeg at a glance…
CITY | TOP 25 | |
Average Neighbourhood Price | $325,615 | $273,872 |
Min | $65,000 | $164,641 |
Max | $718,456 | $375,537 |
Below $500K | 95% | 100% |
Average 1-Year Return | 1% | 4% |
Average 5-Year Return | 23% | 27% |
Average Realtor Grade (Out Of 5) | ★★★ | ★★★½ |
Top 5 neighourhoods
Crescentwood, 1B
Avg. home price (2015): $262,143
Avg. price vs. greater city area: 89.2%
5-year price change: 26.7%
Realtor grade (out of 5): ★★★½
Crestwood, St. Boniface and Osborne Village are all very similar neighbourhoods, although the housing stock in Crestwood tends to be comprised of more wartime homes in need of some work. “It’s great for first-time buyers who want to put in some sweat equity,” says Freis. It’s also close to parks and is secluded. But it’s a tradeoff; if you need to make a run to a corner store you’re going to have to drive.
Realtors’ bet
St. Vital/River Heights
It’s a tie. Realtors are split between St. Vital in the southeast and River Heights in the southwest quadrant of Winnipeg. There is a $100,000 difference between these neighbourhoods, with River Heights being the more expensive of the two. While both areas are cheaper relative to some of the surrounding areas, prices in River Heights cost almost 20% more than a single family detached home in the city.
Top 25 neighbourhoods
*NR=Not rated
by Romana King and Mark Brown March 9th, 2016. From the April 2016 issue of the MoneySense magazine. Source: http://www.moneysense.ca/spend/real-estate/best-deals-in-real-estate-2016-winnipegs-top-neighbourhoods/
Rank | Neighbourhood | Area | Average price | Value | Average price vs. area | Average price vs. metro district | Average price vs. greater city area | Momentum | 1-year price change | 5-year price change | Realtor grade |
1 | St. Boniface | 2A | $267,207 | N.A. | 79.8% | 90.9% | 12.02% | 32.4% | ★★★★ | ||
2 | Osborne Village | 1B | $262,143 | N.A. | 69.7% | 89.2% | 9.21% | 26.7% | ★★★½ | ||
3 | Norwood Flats | 2B | $259,311 | N.A. | 77.5% | 88.2% | 4.90% | 20.3% | ★★★★½ | ||
4 | St. Vital | 2D | $243,480 | N.A. | 72.7% | 82.8% | 2.79% | 28.4% | ★★★★ | ||
5 | Crescentwood | 1B | $262,143 | N.A. | 69.7% | 89.2% | 9.21% | 26.7% | ★★★½ | ||
6 | Norwood | 2B | $259,311 | N.A. | 77.5% | 88.2% | 4.90% | 20.3% | ★★★★½ | ||
7 | R06 | $260,390 | N.A. | 90.9% | 88.6% | 6.47% | 33.4% | ★★★½ | |||
8 | Charleswood | 1H | $292,376 | N.A. | 77.7% | 99.5% | 4.17% | 28.6% | ★★★ | ||
9 | Wildwood | 1J | $375,537 | N.A. | 99.8% | 127.7% | 6.86% | 36.1% | ★★★½ | ||
10 | River Park South | 2E | $296,825 | N.A. | 88.7% | 101.0% | 2.96% | 23.3% | ★★★★ | ||
11 | Riverview | 1A | $281,117 | N.A. | 74.7% | 95.6% | -5.46% | 35.5% | ★★★★ | ||
12 | East Fort Garry | 1J | $375,537 | N.A. | 99.8% | 127.7% | 6.86% | 36.1% | ★★★½ | ||
13 | Polo Park | 5C | $206,039 | N.A. | 88.0% | 70.1% | 1.80% | 28.0% | ★★★½ | ||
14 | Sargeant Park | 5C | $206,039 | N.A. | 88.0% | 70.1% | 1.80% | 28.0% | ★★★½ | ||
15 | St. Vital | 2E | $296,825 | N.A. | 88.7% | 101.0% | 2.96% | 23.3% | ★★★★ | ||
16 | Niakwa Park | 2G | $278,853 | N.A. | 83.3% | 94.9% | 2.00% | 23.1% | ★★★★ | ||
17 | Meadowood | 2E | $296,825 | N.A. | 88.7% | 101.0% | 2.96% | 23.3% | ★★★★ | ||
18 | Fort Garry | 1J | $375,537 | N.A. | 99.8% | 127.7% | 6.86% | 36.1% | ★★★½ | ||
19 | 5West End | 5C | $206,039 | N.A. | 88.0% | 70.1% | 1.80% | 28.0% | ★★★½ | ||
20 | Windsor Park | 2G | $278,853 | N.A. | 83.3% | 94.9% | 2.00% | 23.1% | ★★★★ | ||
21 | Crescentwood | 1Bw | $278,760 | N.A. | 74.1% | 94.8% | -0.51% | 20.9% | ★★★★ | ||
22 | Westdale | 1H | $292,376 | N.A. | 77.7% | 99.5% | 4.17% | 28.6% | ★★★ | ||
23 | Scotia Heights | 4D | $223,493 | N.A. | 91.7% | 76.0% | 2.39% | 21.7% | ★★★★ | ||
24 | Richmond Lakes | 1Q | $307,131 | N.A. | 81.6% | 104.5% | 4.37% | 22.1% | ★★★½ | ||
25 | East Kildonan | 3A | $164,641 | N.A. | 62.6% | 56.0% | -0.89% | 24.4% | ★★★ |