“Vancouver City” A Very Cool HD Time Lapse Video of Our Gorgeous City!

February 4th, 2010

Hi All,

A client recently showed me this video on Youtube and I was so impressed I thought I’d share it with you. Its by David and Dan Newcomb featuring music by Linda Ganzini and I would say these are the most breath taking moving images I have seen of Vancouver aside from reality.

To see this video in all its glory make sure to change the settings to 1080dp on the youtube player!

A Mortgage Pre-Approval is NOT a Guarantee of a Mortgage!

February 2nd, 2010

Mortgage Pre-Approvals are NOT Guarantees of a Mortgage!

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Chad Watts of The Mortgage Group about mortgage pre-approvals. He brought up a very important point for Buyers, particularly First Time Home Buyers. And that is a mortgage pre-approval is NOT a guarantee that you will get a mortgage at the amount the Lender originally mentions or get a mortgage at all.

What is a Mortage Pre-Approval?

This is a preliminary estimation by a Lender of how much the Lender will loan you based on very basic information. This number is subject to change based on what property you Read the rest of this entry »

BC HST is Only Payable on BRAND NEW PROPERTIES!

January 22nd, 2010

BC HST and Vancouver Real Estate

Hi All,

There are A LOT of misconceptions about British Columbia’s Harmonized Goods and Services Tax and Vancouver Real Estate. The one I hear most is that HST will payable on all real estate transactions in BC. This is not true! HST in BC will ONLY BE PAYABLE ON BRAND NEW PROPERTIES! These are properties that have never been registered at the Land Read the rest of this entry »

How a Realtor Calculates List Price – Comparative Market Analysis for Sellers!

December 18th, 2009

What is a Comparative Market Analysis?

It is the process Realtors use to ascertain the market value of the properties they market.

How do I do a Comparative Market Analysis?

1 ) Visit the property!

The first thing I do when requested to do a Comparative Market Analysis is to physically visit the property. Visiting the property is key! In my opinion, it is impossible to get an accurate idea of market value on a property without seeing the property. Read the rest of this entry »

Variable Versus Fixed Rate Mortgages with Jessi Johnson Mortgage Broker!

December 15th, 2009

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting up with Jessi Johnson of the Jessi Johnson Mortgage Team to discuss the merits of a Variable Rate Mortgage versus a Fixed Rate Mortgage.

What is a variable rate mortgage?

This is a mortgage that has an interest rate that changes in line with the Bank of Canada’s prime rate.Variable rate mortgages tend to have a lower interest rate than a fixed rate mortgage, but the interest rate on a variable mortgage can change at any time.

What is a fixed rate mortgage? Read the rest of this entry »

Pre Sale Condo Assignments in Vancouver – What are They? Are they Safe?

December 8th, 2009

Assignments of Pre-Sale Condos in Vancouver

Along with the rise of the Vancouver’s Pre Sale Condo market, the market for Pre Sale Condo Assignments has been a huge money maker for investors in Vancouver Real Estate.

What are Pre Sale Condo Assignments?

A Pre Sale Condo Assignment is when the original Buyer of a Pre Sale Condo sells their rights to a completed condo to another Buyer before that condo is completed. The reason the Read the rest of this entry »

Vancouver Real Estate Prediction for the 2010 Winter Olympics

November 30th, 2009

The Olympics Won’t Matter That Much.

I stand by what I said in a previous prediction on the Olympics and Vancouver Real Estate that there will be minimal transactions in Downtown Vancouver and surrounding areas because of Olympic security measures. Right after the Olympics there will be a spike in activity from demand caused by all the Buyers who were unable to buy during the time the Olympics are on.

What are your thoughts?

Please feel free to leave a comment, question, or suggestion below! Thanks!

What is a Pre-Sale in Vancouver Real Estate?

November 26th, 2009

Pre-Sales in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada

Open the Georgia Strait or any other local paper and you’ll notice advertisements for apartments and condos. Most of these places don’t yet exist. Why? Because they are pre-sales!

What is a Pre-Sale?

A pre-sale is when a Developer sells a Buyer a property before that property is built or completed. The Buyer purchasing the pre-sales is buying the right to a completed property that will be built in future. In the UK and elsewhere Pre-Sales are referred to as Off Plan Investments.

Why do people buy Pre-Sales?

Pre-sales are popular with investors and other Buyers because it allows these Buyers to have the benefit of increasing prices without having to pay a mortgage, propert Read the rest of this entry »

Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) and Vancouver Real Estate

November 20th, 2009

Hi All,

I have been getting A LOT of questions about The British Columbia Government’s new Harmonized Sales Tax and how it will affect Vancouver Real Estate.

4 Quick Facts on BC’s proposed new 12% HST effective July 1, 2010: Read the rest of this entry »

555 Pacific, The Mark in Downtown Vancouver – A Sneak Peak at Yaletowns Latest Pre-Sale

November 13th, 2009

PRICING NOW AVAILABLE!! See Below

PLEASE NOTE  – I HAVE A FRONT OF THE LINE PASS AND CAN BRING BUYERS TO PURCHASE PRE-SALES AT THE MARK BEFORE THE GENERAL PUBLIC GETS TO BUY ON SATURDAY NOVEMBER 28th, 2009. ** I may have a tentative price list mid to late week. ** EMAIL OR CALL ME IF YOU ARE INTERESTED!

One Beds – 460sqft – 730sqft                  starting at $323,900

One & Dens – 745sqft – 820sqft               starting at $492,900

Two Beds – 760sqft – 1330sqft                starting at $484,900

Town Homes – 1050sqft – 1500sqft          starting at $660,900

The Mark by Onni Developments at 555 Pacific Street in Downtown Vancouver is starting to pre-sell. Located at the corner of Seymour and Pacific Street right on the border of Yaletown and Downtown Vancouver, the building will be between 35 and 41 stories and will have a 10,000sf Wellness Centre. The building will be Air Conditioned, but its not certain whether it will be a geo-thermal system or a high efficiency conventional system. Onni will also be going for LEED Gold Certification, which is great from a sustainability perspective. Expect a 20% deposit to be paid over several months and a completion for Fall 2012. All of these details are subject to change without notice. Feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions. Thanks!

The Mark at 555 Pacific Street Typical Floor Plans – DRAFT