Belleville real estate battling "most dangerous" label

BELLEVILLE, Ont. (01/02/2012): Lisa and her husband, Corey Watson put their house on the market in mid-December because she has been renting it out after they moved to Toronto for work. Their tenants are now moving out after a year and half so the Watsons feel it is time to sell their house, as they do not come to Belleville much anymore. Lisa said she does not think that the ‘danger statistic’ is the main reason it is not selling. Photo by Tristan Kong.

By Tristan Kong

Is Belleville the most dangerous city in Ontario? The real estate board doesn’t think so.

In the wake of recent news stories, some people might be thinking twice about moving to Belleville but the new president of Quinte & District Real Estate Board is confident it is safe.

A recent Maclean’s magazine survey has stated Belleville that is the “most dangerous” city in Ontario.  Maclean’s used annual crime data from Statistics Canada for municipal police serving the nation’s 100 largest populations, each encompassing a city or town of at least 10,000 people.

Sharon Shortt, the Quinte & District Real Estate Board president, said she does not think the Maclean’s survey affects the housing market, for sellers or buyers in Belleville.

A local report from Belleville’s Deputy Chief Paul Vandegraaf stated there is a 47 per cent decrease in reported break and enters from 2010 to 2011.

Lisa and her husband, Corey Watson, bought a house in Belleville in Feb. 2008 because they were moving to the area for work.

“At that time, Belleville didn’t have the same crime stigma as it does today. I always thought of it as the friendly, small city,” said Watson. “The past couple of years, it has gotten a bad reputation because of the numerous crimes and kills that happened a couple of years ago.”

However, Shortt said she has not heard yet of a case when a buyer questioned the area because of the Maclean’s magazine article. She still believes that Belleville is very safe.

“Belleville has a stable economy, good job growth. It’s a nice area for retirement with lots of amenities,” said Shortt. “We have maintained steady house prices while other areas have been more volatile.”

The Watsons put their house on the market in mid-December because she has been renting it out after she and her husband moved to Toronto for work. Their tenants are now moving out after a year and a half so the Watsons feel it is time to sell their house, as they do not come into Belleville much anymore.

Watson said she does not think that the ‘danger statistic’ is the main reason it is not selling.

“It was a bad time due to Christmas, New Year’s and not a lot of people were looking during the holidays,” Watson said. “Many people can’t afford a down payment on a house due to the economy and lack of job opportunities in Belleville.”

Shortt said there is a balanced market in Belleville. “I would say we are having a typical January, perhaps slightly busier than usual,” she said. “I believe we are lucky to live in the Quinte area. We have great local government and are supported by job growth in Belleville, military in Trenton and tourism in Prince Edward County.”

Shortt said no one can determine exactly whether the future of the housing market will be increasing or decreasing. It depends on the global economy, interest rates, and government policies, but she points out that Belleville offers a lot of good opportunity.