After the release of the census in 2011, Niverville was awarded the title of fastest growing comm-unity in Manitoba with a population of 3,540 people. That number may not seem like a lot, but when you consider that the town saw 43.7 percent growth in five years, it’s pretty impressive. Town officials estimate that the current population is just shy of 5,000. So why are people seeking out this small town just south of Winnipeg?
Clarence Braun, a partner with Team Preferred Choice (a member of Sutton Group-Kilkenny Real Estate), says that a number of factors have worked together to create this population boom.
According to Braun, the market really took off in 2005 with the addition of two new developments: Fifth Avenue Estates on the southeast corner of Niverville and Crow Wing on the west side of town, which has since been sold and renamed The Highlands.
“The reality is that it doesn’t cost any more to build a house in Winnipeg than it does to build a house in Niverville,” Braun says, “but the land in the city costs so much more.”
The housing shortage in Winnipeg also positively impacted Niverville’s growth. People could find homes here to accommodate their families with just a short commute to and from the big city.
“We were affected by the housing shortage in Winnipeg that has now become more of a balanced market,” says Wesley Dowse, also a partner with Team Preferred Choice. “As a result, we have seen that our market has become balanced. In my opinion, Niverville follows the patterns that we see happening in Winnipeg, just at a slower rate.”
And there is something to be said about the charm of small-town living.
“There is a feeling amongst people that they want to get out of the rat race and come to a quieter place,” Braun says. “People like the idea that they can buy an affor-dable house in a growing community that is smaller and safer to raise kids.”
However, as is the case in most parts of the country, the market in Niverville has slowed slightly over the last few years. There were 175 houses sold in 2012 and only 108 in 2015. The average price of homes sold in Niverville has also decreased. In 2014, the average sale price for a home was $305,823, but in 2015 it decreased to $300,855.
“We experienced a slowdown in sales during 2013 and 2014,” Dowse says. “We bounced back a little in 2015 and I expect, with all the development in the works, we are going to see 2016 surpass last year’s sales.”
In order for Niverville to continue to flourish, Dowse says the conversation now needs to shift to
commercial expansion.
“Often as we have people traveling from Winnipeg for open houses or viewings, they want to know what kind of amenities are available in town,” Dowse explains. “I think we are at the stage where we need to offer some national franchise amenities in amongst our awesome home-grown business community. I believe it will help with the visual appeal and perpetuate the next phase of growth.”
