While Collingwood is famously known for its perfect and abundant ski hills, it really is a four-season destination. Once the snow melts, there is an incredible bounty of things to do in this area.

Hiking

There are over 60km of hiking trails in Collingwood, with new trails still opening. The town is removing old railway tracks to make room for new trails and the much anticipated Fit Trail will open this spring. The Fit Trail will comprise of a 1 km trail with 10 fitness stations made of wood and metal. If you love a lake-view hike, check out the Georgian Trail, which makes it way west from Collingwood’s Harbourview Park all the way to Meaford.

Go Climbing

Collingwood has a number of spots where you can get your feet off the ground and have an adventure. The Timber Challenge High Ropes is nestled 60 feet above the forest bed and has many suspension bridges, cargo nets, ladders and zip lines. If you want something a little less elevated, the Woodlot Low Ropes might just be more for you, with some of the same features, just closer to the ground. If you prefer to be inside, the Climber’s Corner offers lessons and equipment, as well as birthday parties for the whole family.

Visit the Shops and Restaurants

With almost 100 restaurants just in Collingwood and many more in the surrounding area, you are sure to pleasure your palette. Two of our restaurants have been featured on the tasty Food Network show “You Gotta Eat Here!” – Smoke and the Iron Skillet – and for good reason. Besides that, a walk downtown will bring you to a number of high-end shops where you can taste some delicious olive oils, visit the candy factory, or pick up a unique gift. Plus, the Collingwood Farmer’s Market, which opens again in May, is more of an artisan market than a place to just pick up your vegetables.

Golf

Put the skis away and take out the clubs. Collingwood and the surrounding area is known for fantastic golfing. With the top- ranked Georgian Bay Club overlooking the lake, the Blue Mountain Golf & Country Club right beside the mountain, plus Monterra, Cranberry and Osler, you’ve got your pick of some of Ontario’s best golf experiences.

Spring is a great time to experience all that Collingwood has to offer, without the rush of tourists that tend to flood the area in the peak times of summer and winter. Get out there and enjoy!

A seller’s market is emerging in South Georgian Bay with home sales happening faster and more frequently than seen since 2002. The first months of 2016 have proven to be a very strong start to the year in South Georgian Bay’s real estate market.

South Georgian Bay is seeing record highs in home sales in the area. With numbers that haven’t been seen in 14 years, 2016 is starting off on a definite high in the areas encompassing several communities along the southern shores of Georgian Bay. These include Collingwood, Thornbury, Wasaga Beach, Midland, Penetanguishine, Severn, Oro-Medonte, Tay, Tiny, Springwater, Clearview, Meaford, Grey Highlands and the township of Georgian Bay.

Record Setting

The Eastern region of South Georgian Bay is leading the way, with an almost 50% increase in home sales from last January and a whopping 70% increase over last February.

More records were set this February with more than 350 homes sold in January and February, the first time this many homes have been sold in the first two months of the year in the region. On top of this, February 2016 also marked the first time there were more than $50 million in sales in the region, when the value of all residential transactions totaled $77.5 million.

Decreased Supply

With sales going up, supply is inevitably also going down. There is an over 30% decrease in homes available for sale in South Georgian Bay over this time last year.

Kevin Woolham, President of the Southern Georgian Bay Association of Realtors has an optimistic outlook for the year ahead. “At this point 2016 looks like it might be even stronger than 2015 for residential property sales in the region, provided new listings can keep up with demand,” he says.

What Does this Mean for Buyers?

Sales are seeing record highs and the supply of homes has now fallen to record lows, which makes it a definite sellers market. Analysts say this means that prices will rise over the spring and summer months to meet the growing demand. Looking at past trends in the area, home prices have steadily risen, which means the time to buy is now, before prices increase even more. Also, with a market that isn’t saturated in homes, buyers will need to jump on homes they want to buy before they are snapped up by other buyers. Statistically speaking, buyers spend less time shopping in these types of market conditions.

What Does this Mean for Sellers?

With the limited amount of homes on the market, now could be a great time to sell, while buyers have fewer choices. Alternatively, sitting on your home and waiting to see if the market increases even more is another worthy strategy. If you are the type of seller who wants to get in and get out when it comes to selling your home, this is the best time to sell. The number of days a home is on the market has gone down in this area, as long as the home is priced right.

What’s Ahead?

With a strong start to the year, analysts have predicted that the year will continue to be strong, with more home sales and fewer homes available on the market.