Let’s talk about everyone’s favorite topic: Taxes. Just not the kind due in spring of every year that your accountant looks forward to doing. This kind of tax is the kind that makes you yet again question the state of our Democracy in Canada. The newly announced BC Home Flipping tax, comes into effect on…
How Interest Rates Impact Vancouver’s Real Estate Market As expected in Vancouver, real estate is at the forefront of many investment conversations. Interest rates, while seemingly just a small percentage figure, have profound implications for our residential real estate market. Consider these two different scenarios: Low Interest Rates: When the economy experiences low-interest rates, we…
Vancouver City Council Approves ‘Multiplexes’ to Address Housing Shortage In a groundbreaking decision on September 14th, the Vancouver City Council unanimously approved a proposal aimed at alleviating the city’s housing shortage. This decision allows for the construction of ‘multiplexes’ in low-density neighbourhoods, marking a pivotal moment after years of discussions among city officials and staff…
The Bank of Canada has cut their overnight rate by 1.5% since the beginning of March, triggering lenders to drop their prime lending rates by the same amount. Bond yields have dropped to their lowest levels in years. Economies around the World are grinding to a halt as COVID 19 quarantine continues. And you mean…
COVID-19 is here, and it has quickly become the biggest disrupter in not just our health care system, but our financial markets, small businesses and everything in between. We’ve seen unprecedented stock market drops, small businesses close their doors until further notice and people self-quarantine for the foreseeable future. What does COVID-19 mean for the…
Featuring Bertram at Bernard Block, Kelowna’s first downtown Urban Village! 3 Minutes to the new future UBCO Downtown Campus, Bertram is a smart real estate investment because of its prime downtown location, walk score of 98, extensive building amenities and modern interiors. This stunning 34 storey high rise features 1 bedroom, 1 bedroom + den,…
Before I answer the question, if all duplex’s are non-conforming stratas, it is important to understand what a strata is and why they exist. In the lower-mainland we have a strata property act that dictates certain rules that all strata owners must abide by. One of the major points to understand is that within a strata owners…
Welcome to Popolo located steps away from Vancouver’s iconic Commercial Drive. Set to officially launch in 2021, we’re giving you a first glimpse at what Popolo has to offer. The neighborhood boasts vibrant artistic inspiration, farm to table shopping, and old-world charm in one of the most unique culinary experiences the city has to offer.…
1. RESEARCH & INTERVIEW AGENTS Things to consider when interviewing your potential agent: Do they have a lot of listings but low sales volume? Go with someone who aims to sell their listings over the volume of listings. What do they know about your market/neighbourhood? It’s a plus to have an agent that is knowledgeable…
Mayor Kennedy Stewart pushed forward an amendment to increase Vancouver’s vacancy tax to 3.0% in 2021, triple what it was previously. He hopes that by increasing the tax rate it will push owners of empty homes to either rent them or sell them to feed the local demand. As many are aware the original motion…
First Time Home Seller Series: Part 1: Do we buy or sell first? When it comes to navigating the Vancouver real estate market there are many questions that come up. The question “do we buy first or sell first” when it comes making a plan to upsize, downsize or move laterally in the real estate…
We’re excited to have early access to one of our favourite presales of the year – Komo by Strand Following the immense success of Strand’s recent tower, Alina, the demand for this type of development has been undeniable. Komo, their latest project, bears a striking resemblance to Alina while incorporating a selection of additional amenities.…
Vancouver, known for its stunning natural beauty, vibrant urban lifestyle, coupled with its proximity to beaches and mountains is a desirable city for first-time home buyers. While the Vancouver real estate market can be competitive and challenging, there are still neighbourhoods within Vancouver that offer great opportunities for those looking to purchase their first home.…
Buying a property, whether it’s your first home or an investment, is a significant decision. It involves a complex process that can be daunting to navigate alone. This is where a buyer’s real agent becomes an invaluable ally. Did you know that the commission for real estate transactions in BC is typically paid by the…
I hope that you are keeping well in these tumultuous times. It’s definitely been an emotional time as we see the world starting to stall to prevent further spread of COVID 19. The question this week has really been how is this all going to shake out and what exactly are we seeing in the Real Estate Market?…
Rates dropped this week … coronavirus effects caused the Fed to drop their rate 0.50% on Tuesday and the Bank of Canada followed on Wednesday: the Fed move was definitely a shock, as they were not scheduled to announce until March 18. The Fed hasn’t made an unscheduled announcement since 2008, and even then it…
The Vancouver real estate market is in full swing as we welcome the new decade. The market has seemingly returned to more historical levels as monthly statistics continue to report high sales numbers, as they have done so for the last 7 months. Sales have increased month over month as buyer confidence has returned, and…
The Metro Vancouver housing market will see higher sales and modest price increases over the next two years, according to a Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation forecast. The CMHC report forecasts income and population growth will not only support a rebound, but also create a balanced housing market in Metro Vancouver through 2020 and 2021.…
Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities in the world; with a stunning setting between the North Shore Mountains and Pacific Ocean. We are considered the “Hollywood of the North”, coming second to Los Angeles in TV production and third in feature film production. We are a Port City, tech hub, and front runner for sustainability.…
Vancouver has been ranked Canada’s #1 market for real estate investment in 2020, in the annual PwC Canada Emerging Trends in Real Estate report, released this week. In the “Markets to Watch in 2020” section, the report authors said that “despite some headwinds, Vancouver re-emerged at the top of our survey this year for overall real estate…
Airbnb has grown tremendously in the last several years as many travellers go-to accommodation site. Here in Vancouver, the City has a fairly strict policy as to who can Airbnb their property. Prior to 2018, rental stays for less than 30 days were not permitted in Vancouver, except for licensed hotels or bed-and-breakfasts in certain…
We hear all the time if the Vancouver Real Estate market is in a bubble or if the bubble is going to burst. In order to answer this question we likely need to determine what is a real estate bubble? We also need to determine what constitutes a bubble bursting? First off what is a…
When you are ready to buy your first home you have a few critical decisions to make. First you need to decide how much you are willing to spend. You should get a pre-approval from a mortgage broker, and from there decide if you want to max that out or spend a bit less so…