Eager For Change, Empty Nesters Snap up Seats
On WEARCI’s 2014 Discovery Tour Bus
Only a month and a half after announcing the 2014 Discovery Tour for empty nesters and active retirees, WEARCI has sold out. A group of 28 eager individuals, twice as many as the 2013 tour, jumped at the chance to discover and learn more about the region’s unique and affordable lifestyle. Scheduled for June 19-22, WEARCI will treat guests to a tour of the 100 Mile Peninsula’s nine communities, pair prospective buyers with REALTORS® for real estate tours and host various familiarization events.
“Based on feedback we’ve received from lifestyle shows we attend as exhibitors and our website, RetireHere.ca, we’re not surprised at the quick response,” said Krista Del Gatto, Executive Officer of the Windsor-Essex County Association of REALTORS® (WECAR) and WEARCI’s volunteer President. “In fact, there is enough interest to host another tour in the fall,” she added.
Del Gatto emphasized REALTORS® are experiencing a steady increase in inquiries from out-of town buyers age 50 plus. Liz Engert, a REALTOR® with Royal LePage Binder Real Estate in Kingsville, said couples are interested in investing in real estate prior to retirement as well as new business opportunities. Engert sold a home to a St. Paul, Alberta couple January 31st, one of five sales to empty nesters new to the region.
Stacey Jones, a REALTOR® with Century 21 Erie Shores Realty Inc., sold six new homes last year in Kingsville’s Golfside Village to couples from Barrie, Chatham, London and the GTA. “We’re also seeing out-of-towners purchase older homes to renovate and rent out until they retire,” said Miss Jones. “And, three recent sales were to younger buyers from outside the region who accepted career moves to this area specifically to maximize their investment.”
Rob Mathers of Rob Mathers Realty Ltd. couldn’t agree more with the retiree rush. His Florida-style town homes in Belle River, ‘Coopers Mill’, have been a magnet for relocating families. “It’s like they’re dropping out of the sky,” quipped Mathers. “Our last six sales include North Bay, Elliot Lake, Sudbury, Michigan and two couples from London.”
Mathers believes the City and County’s commitment to invest in the WEARCI initiative and position WindsorEssex as a strategic location for active retirement living has not only contributed to the region’s turnaround but has the potential to be one of the area’s strongest economic assets.
WEARCI’s June tour will host guests travelling from the GTA, Ottawa, Kingston, Quebec, Alberta and Saskatchewan. More than half indicated they are planning to relocate within 6-18 months. Great news for the communities of WindsorEssex!