For Buyers

How to Buy a Presale Condo in Vancouver

How to Purchase a Pre Sale Condo in Vancouver, BC, Canada Buying pre-construction condos have become a very popular option for many homeowners and investors in Vancouver. (If you're not sure what a Presale Condo is, check out this great Video Here!) Many buyers think that buying a presale is as simple lining up in front of the Developers Display Centre and signing a contract for a Presale. What many of these buyers don't know is that there is an element of risk when buying a pre-sale in Vancouver. Are Presales Risky in British Columbia? Sometimes, YES! I am a…

Find Out More ≫
Condo Strata Fees

Condos in Vancouver | High Strata Fees Bad? Low Strata Fees Good? Not Always…

Are High Strata Fees Bad? Are Low Strata Fees Good? When buyers are looking at condos to purchase in Vancouver, many focus on the maintenance/strata fee and generally feel that a low strata fee is a good thing and a high strata fee is a bad thing. In many cases, this is not the correct conclusion. Why? Good Car, Bad Car Cars and condos are a lot alike, especially when it comes to the relationship between maintenance and repairs and how this impacts their future value. Consider the example of two high-end good quality automobiles that were exactly the same…

Find Out More ≫

Residential Oil Tank Rules for All of Greater Vancouver

Underground Oil Storage Tanks are are and should be a major concern for both the Sellers and Buyers of houses in Vancouver. The risks of buying a house with a leaking underground oil storage tank are potentially catastrophic from a financial perspective. Remember! Consult a qualified Realtor and GET AN OIL TANK SCAN when you are buying or selling a single family home in Vancouver! Below has the various sets of rules and regulations for underground oil storage tanks across Greater Vancouver. You will also find a removal bulletin from the City of Vancouver. Fuel Storage Tank Bylaw Matrix, July…

Find Out More ≫

Asbestos, Home Inspections & Vancouver Houses

Vancouver Houses and Asbestos for Buyers Asbestos can be a very scary material. I recently had some clients who were particularly concerned about Asbestos in homes in Vancouver and I was fortunate enough to have Dave Brighton from meet with us to answer a few questions on the topic. What is Asbestos? Asbestos is a mineral that was widely and commonly used worldwide in insulating products and other housing materials since the early 1900's. In the 1970's & 80's it became widely known to be a highly toxic product that has resulted in this product being banned for most consumer…

Find Out More ≫

Presale Condos in Toronto and the July 2012 Mortgage Rule Changes!

Presale Condo Market in Toronto and the July 2012 Mortgage Rule Changes The Federal Government recently tightened the rules for mortgages in Canada and Jim Flaherty specifically mentioned that the Toronto condo market and the presale market in Toronto as the main reason for the mortgage changes. As a Vancouver Realtor, I know the Vancouver real estate market inside and out. Toronto, not so much, so I called in and expert! I recently had the pleasure of discussing presale condos (a favourite topic of mine) with a top Toronto Realtor and the July 2012 Mortgage Rule Changes. Have a look!…

Find Out More ≫
Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year and Vancouver Real Estate – Gung Hay Fat Choy!

 Chinese New Year and Vancouver Real Estate I had the pleasure of interviewing Jonathan Fung, a Mortgage Specialist with Vancity who was kind enough to discuss Chinese New Year with me and its impact on Vancouver's real estate market. Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year is the most important Holiday of the year for Chinese people as well as for many Chinese-Canadians here in Vancouver. It’s a time to celebrate with family and friends and reflect on the previous year, and there is a heavy emphasis on making the upcoming year a good/prosperous year in terms of wealth.…

Find Out More ≫

Yaletown is Yaletown NOT False Creek North According to MLS.ca!

For Real Estate Yaletown is now Officially Yaletown and NOT False Creek North! Vancouver REBGV MLS Border Changes If this is confusing, that's OK! It is very confusing! Up until a while ago, the area bordered generally by False Creek, Homer Street, the Western sections of Pacific Street, the Granville Bridge, and the Eastern edges of Coopers Landing were referred to as False Creek North. Most people referred to this area as Yaletown and have done so for many years. The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver changed the name of False Creek North in MLS.ca & Realtor.ca "Yaletown" Looking for…

Find Out More ≫

Norma Reid of CTV BC Interviews Me on Rising Rates & Vancouver Real Estate

CTV Interview with Norma Reid on Vancouver Real Estate and Rising Interest Rates. Sorry no embedded video with this one. I had the absolute pleasure of being interviewed by Norma Reid of CTV Vancouver on the impact rising interest rates on Vancouver Real Estate. Here is a link to the CTV Video Site with the interview. We shot this segment at my listing at 1908-1082 Seymour. There is link video of the suite on the listing page. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Find Out More ≫

HST Rebate Calculator | Vancouver Real Estate

GST has Replaced HST in British Columbia! Here is a Goods & Services Tax (GST) Rebate Calculator Misconceptions and the Need for an HST Calculator for New Homes and Presales in Vancouver! When the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) replaced British Columbia's Provincial Sales Tax (PST) and the Federal Goods and Services Tax (GST) July 1st, 2010 there was a LOT of confusion among those interested in Vancouver Real Estate to say the least! One of the greatest misconceptions about the HST was that the Harmonized Sales Tax was payable on all real estate transactions in BC. Fortunately, HST is only…

Find Out More ≫

Vancouver Houses and Underground Oil Storage Tanks for Buyers

Houses in Vancouver have Oil Tanks? Up until the 1960's most houses in Vancouver used oil burning furnaces. These furnaces had underground oil storage tanks periodically filled by tanker trucks. When Vancouver began the switch to gas furnaces in the 1960's, oil furnaces were removed and the underground oil storage tanks that fed them were either removed (best practice) or decommissioned. If decommissioned, the tanks, often made of galvanized steel were supposed to be completely drained of oil. I'm Buying a House in Vancouver. Why should I care about Underground Oil Tanks? IT CAN COST ME THOUSANDS?! Unfortunately, in many…

Find Out More ≫

Vancouver Real Estate Indoor Air Quality Testing and Volatile Organic Compounds with ABM Environmental

Indoor Air Quality Testing and Vancouver Real Estate? Is there are link between Indoor Air Quality and Vancouver Real Estate you ask? YES! The air inside a home (Both condos and houses) can have many things in it and and some of that stuff may not be all that good for us.  In a previous post we talked about how mould in a home can cause health issues, today we're going to talk to Brian Mackenzie of ABM Environmental about Volatile Organic Compounds. The Not So Sweet Smell of New Stuff Volatile Organic Compounds! Most people like new stuff. A…

Find Out More ≫
Load More
Back To Top