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April 2019 Greater Vancouver Real Estate Report

Tue, 21 May 2019 03:09:00 GMT

April 2019 Greater Vancouver Real Estate Report

The April 2019 Real Estate numbers are now, and it has been the lowest sales to date since 1986. The trend of reduced demand and increased supply continues to be the trend across Metro Vancouver’s housing market. Decreased demand continues to allow the supply of homes for sale to accumulate across the Metro Vancouver housing market causing the lowest sales unseen in 34 years.

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that residential home sales in the region totalled 1,829 in April 2019, that is a 29.1 per cent decrease from the 2,579 sales recorded in April 2018, and a 5.9 per cent increase from the 1,727 homes sold in March 2019.

Government policy continues to hinder home sale activity. The federal government’s mortgage stress test has reduced buyers’ purchasing power by about 20 per cent, which is causing people at the entry-level side of the market to struggle to secure financing. Also we are constantly being hit with negative media regarding money laundering and the effects it may have had on the real estate market.

There were 5,742 detached, attached and apartment properties newly listed for sale on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in Metro Vancouver in April 2019.

The total number of homes currently listed for sale on the MLS® in Metro Vancouver is 14,357, a 46.2 per cent increase compared to April 2018 and a 12.4 per cent increase compared to March 2019 (12,774).

“There are more homes for sale in our market today than we’ve seen since October 2014. This trend is more about reduced demand than increased supply,” Smith said. “The number of new listings coming on the market each month are consistent with our long-term averages. It’s the reduced sales activity that’s allowing listings to accumulate.”

The overall sales-to-active listings ratio for April 2019 is 12.7 per cent. By property type, the ratio is 9.4 per cent for detached homes, 15.4 per cent for townhomes, and 15.3 per cent for apartments. We are definitely in buyers territory with every property type.

The HPI index for home prices indicate that detached homes across metro vancouver. Have dropped 11.1 percent since last year, townhouses have dropped 7.5% and condos have dropped 6.9%

So my advice to buyers, there are many over priced homes listed on the MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE system. But homes priced at market value are still selling.

For sellers who are thinking about upgrading from a condo to a house. The detached home market has been hit with a greater price decrease than the condo market. So there is no point waiting for the market to recover otherwise you may become priced out of the detached housing market again.

Question of the day, Would you consider selling your home in a declining market? Answer in the comments below. I will personally respond to all the comments myself.

Open House. Open House on Sunday, April 28, 2019 2:00PM - 4:00PM

Sat, 27 Apr 2019 09:06:29 GMT

Please visit our Open House at 3 3298 54TH AVE E in Vancouver.

See details here

Open House on Sunday, April 28, 2019 2:00PM - 4:00PM

Townhome at Champlain Gardens, one floor living, no stairs. 3 bedrooms 2 bathrooms and one big in-suite storage. 9' ceiling, spacious living and dining area. Laminate flooring throughout. Enjoy the private front patio facing the inner courtyard. 2 parking stalls. Prime Killarney/Champlain location, walking distance to shops and Community facilities. Open House Sunday April 28, 2-4pm.

I have sold a property at 204 10788 139 ST in Surrey

Wed, 10 Apr 2019 09:06:34 GMT

I have sold a property at 204 10788 139 ST in Surrey.

See details here

PRICED TO SELL! Large 1 bedroom layout with large private balcony on the quiet side street. This unit features an open layout concept with laminate floors & kitchen fully equipped with modern stainless steel appliances. Rainscreened building and well maintained. Centrally located, just few steps from schools, bus stops, skytrain stations, Central City Mall, Guildford mall, and many more. Pets and Rentals are allowed with restrictions

March 2019 Greater Vancouver Real Estate Report

Thu, 04 Apr 2019 03:05:00 GMT

March 2019 Greater Vancouver Real Estate Report

The March 2019 Real Estate numbers are out now, and it was the lowest sales total since 1986. Stay tuned as I explain what all the numbers mean coming up next.

Last month’s sales were 46.3 per cent below the 10-year March sales average and was the lowest total for the month since 1986. “Housing demand today isn’t aligning with our growing economy and low unemployment rates. The market trends we’re seeing are largely policy induced. For three years, governments at all levels have imposed new taxes and borrowing requirements on to the housing market.”

The total number of homes currently listed for sale on the MLS® system in Metro Vancouver is 12,774, a 52.4 per cent increase compared to March 2018 (8,380) and a 10.2 per cent increase compared to February 2019 (11,590). For all property types, the sales-to-active listings ratio for March 2019 is 13.5 per cent. By property type, the ratio is 9.4 per cent for detached homes, 15.9 per cent for townhomes, and 17.2 per cent for apartments. Generally, analysts say downward pressure on home prices occurs when the ratio dips below 12 per cent for a sustained period, while home prices often experience upward pressure when it surpasses 20 per cent over several months.

The MLS® benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver is currently $1,011,200. This represents a 7.7 per cent decrease from March 2018, and a 0.5 per cent decrease compared to February 2019. Sales of detached homes in March 2019 reached 529, a 26.7 per cent decrease from the 722 sales in March 2018. The benchmark price for a detached home is $1,437,100. This represents a 10.5 per cent decrease from March 2018, and a 0.4 per cent decrease compared to February 2019. Sales of apartment homes reached 873 in March 2019, a 35.3 per cent decrease compared to the 1,349 sales in March 2018. The benchmark price of an apartment property is $656,900. This represents a 5.9 per cent decrease from March 2018, and a 0.5 per cent decrease compared to February 2019. Attached home sales in March 2019 totalled 325, a 27.1 per cent decrease compared to the 446 sales in March 2018. The benchmark price of an attached home is $783,600. This represents a six per cent decrease from March 2018, and a 0.7 per cent decrease compared to February 2019.

So my advice to buyers, homes are still selling, just make sure you know the market values for the home type and area you are buying. If a home is priced at its market value, most properties are selling and selling quickly. For example last month in burnaby there were 43, 2 bedroom and 2 bath condos that have sold. 11 out of of the 43 condos were sold in under 10 days.

For sellers, in a downward market pricing your home becomes more and more vital. Buyers are cautious and are really taking notice on home prices. If you home is priced over its market value you will not get many viewings. As a general guideline, you should be aiming for about 1 showing per day, and an offer by the end of the first week, if your home is priced correctly.

Question of the day, Would you consider selling your home in a declining market? Answer in the comments below. I will personally respond to all the comments myself.

First time home buyer BC

Fri, 22 Mar 2019 16:30:15 GMT

New first time home buyers program 2019

Are you a first time home buyer? Good news the federal government in its new budget has made it a little easier to finance your first home. Watch this video as I go over the new changes.

As mentioned earlier the federal government made a two big changes to the first time homebuyer program.

Revised RRSP borrowing Limit - as of March 2019 the RRSP Borrowing limit has increased from $25k for each individual to $35k. If you have a partner who is also a firs time home buyer, purchasing with you. Together you could borrow a total of $70k from your RRSP
Shared equity loan 5% for existing homes and 10% brand new homes. The shared equity loan is financed thru CMHC , it’s interest free and payment free for the first 5 years. You will need to pay back this loan when you eventually sell the home. But to qualify for the loan you need to have an annual income of less than 120k and the purchase price of the home can not exceed 4 times your annual salary. If your income was 120k, your maximum purchase price would be $480,000. Applications for this program may start this September.

One issue I have with this equity program is the $480,000 limit, you can’t buy a whole lot under $500,000 at least in the city of Vancouver.

But you can definitely use this homeowners program on outlying areas maybe in the suburbs where where you can get a condo.

A search of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver's listings website, realtylink.org recently showed 135 listings — including houses, condos and townhomes — in Vancouver for less than $500,000, 115 in Burnaby, 24 in Port Moody. In Abbotsford there were 346 properties listed for less than $500,000.

In my own opinion if the government really wanted to stimulate first time home buyers they could have increased their amortizations from 25 years to 35 years or get rid of the 2 percent stress test for the first time buyers.

So there you have it, the 2 new changes to the first time home owners program. If you have any questions about this topic please feel free to reach out to me. If you are interested in buying a home in vancouver please watch my playlist over here.

Question of the day, would you apply for the shared equity loan as a first time buyer? Please leave it in the comments below. I will try my best to personally answer all comments myself.

Feb 2019 Greater Vancouver Real Estate Report

Thu, 07 Mar 2019 01:25:00 GMT

Feb 2019 Greater Vancouver Real Estate Report

The Feb 2019 Real Estate numbers are out now,. Today I am going to dive deep into what these numbers mean in the Greater Vancouver coming up next.

Residential home sales in the region totalled 1,484 in February 2019, a 32.8 per cent decrease February 2018, and a 34.5 per cent increase from the 1,103 homes sold in January 2019.

For much of the past four years, we’ve been in a sellers’ market. Conditions have shifted over the last 12 months to favour buyers, particularly in the detached home market. This means that home buyers face less competition today, have more selection to choose from and more time to make their decisions.

There were 3,892 detached, attached and apartment properties newly listed for sale on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in Metro Vancouver in February 2019. This represents a 7.8 per cent decrease compared to the 4,223 homes listed in February 2018 and a 19.7 per cent decrease compared to the 4,848 homes listed in January 2019.

The total number of homes currently listed for sale on the MLS® system in Metro Vancouver is 11,590, a 48.2 per cent increase compared to February 2018 (7,822) and a 7.2 per cent increase compared to January 2019 (10,808).

For all property types, the sales-to-active listings ratio for February 2019 is 12.8 per cent.

Generally, analysts say that downward pressure on home prices occurs when the ratio dips below the 12 per cent mark for a sustained period, while home prices often experience upward pressure when it surpasses 20 per cent over several months.

“Homes priced well for today’s market are attracting interest, however, buyers are choosing to take a wait-and-see approach for the time being.

The MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver is currently $1,016,600. This represents a 6.1 per cent decrease over February 2018, a 6.2 per cent decrease over the past six months, and a 0.3 per cent decrease compared to January 2019.

Sales of detached homes in February 2019 reached 448, a 27.9 per decrease cent from the 621 detached sales recorded in February 2018. The benchmark price for detached properties is $1,443,100. This represents a 9.7 per cent decrease from February 2018, a 7.6 per cent decrease over the past six months, and a 0.7 per cent decrease compared to January 2019.

Sales of apartment homes reached 759 in February 2019, a 35.9 per cent decrease compared to the 1,185 sales in February 2018. The benchmark price of an apartment property is $660,300. This represents a four per cent decrease from February 2018, a 5.1 per cent decrease over the past six months, and a 0.3 per cent increase compared to January 2019.

Attached home sales in February 2019 totalled 277, a 30.9 per cent decrease compared to the 401 sales in February 2018. The benchmark price of an attached unit is $789,300. This represents a 3.3 per cent decrease from February 2018, a 6.7 per cent decrease over the past six months, and a 1.4 per cent decrease compared to January 2019.

So my advice to buyers, if you have the ability to buy in 2019 you can start to play hardball now. When the demand market picks up so will start to see full price offers again.

For sellers, selling your home in a declining market is difficult. Prices have dropped in every housing category. With greater competition of homes on the market you need to price your home correctly to capture the buyers attention.

Question of the day, Would you consider selling your home in a declining market? Answer in the comments below. I will personally respond to all the comments myself.

Homekeepr App Review - Free Download

Thu, 28 Feb 2019 23:43:00 GMT

Homekeepr App Review - Free Download

How do you store your home instruction manuals and home receipts? Watch this video as I introduce you to my homekeepr app.

If you are like everyone I know, you would usually store your home receipts in a small box or even take a picture and store it on your dropbox. How about your home appliance manuals? When you purchase a home you may have up to 8 manuals in both french and English. This takes up a lot of space. With my Homekeepr app all you need to do is take a photo of the serial number or model number of your appliance and it will automatically upload the instruction manual onto your profile. This goes the same with purchase receipts for your home. Just simply take a photo and the app will do the rest. Another benefit of the app is that if you need home maintenance or any other service their is a built in directory of my trusted vendors that you can simply contact.

If you want to become a preferred vendor in my directory, please feel free to reach out to me, I will be happy to add you.

Question of the day, what are your thoughts about the homekeepr app? Please leave it in the comments below. I will try my best to personally answer all comments myself.

Click here to download my free homekeepr app

eXp Realty Vancouver Canada

Tue, 19 Feb 2019 23:56:05 GMT

eXp Realty Vancouver Canada, 5 Reasons Why I joined

Guess what I just made the switch to EXP Realty in Vancouver Canada. Watch this video and find out why I made the switch.

I have been with Royal Pacific Realty for over 10 years. They are a great company and I really enjoyed my time there. Watch this video as I go over the 5 reasons why I made the switch to EXP Vancouver, Canada.

Training - EXP has over 30 hours of weekly training delivered online. This is great as you can keep up to date with everything real estate with only an internet connection. So now there is no more wasted time driving to and from the office.
Culture - With eXp Realty’s virtual office environment compared to the traditional real estate office allows agents to collaborate and learn from agents all across North America.
Tech Tools - EXP offers industry leading technology tools, like free websites and apps to help serve its clients better. The websites are very intuitive and helps show buyers the properties they want to see. Apps such as homekeepr helps home owners organize warranty information, email you reminders of home maintenance items and can be a trusted resource to find recommended home maintenance professionals.
Revenue Share - Unlike some other companies, EXP has a revenue model. Real Estate is a commission based business, so when you stop selling you stop earning income for your family. With EXP Revenue sharing program you have the opportunity to earn a passive income.
Growth - EXP is a US and Canadian wide company and has grown to over 16,000 agents as of Jan 2019. In Canada EXP is in BC, Alberta and Ontario.

So there you have it the 5 reasons why I switched over to EXP Realty. If you have any questions about EXP realty please feel free to reach out to me.

Question of the day, what are your thoughts about EXP Realty? Please leave it in the comments below. I will try my best to personally answer all comments myself.

If you are a homeowner feel free to download my HomeKeeper app or sign up thru my link:

https://homekeepr.com/join/alex-lam

As always please like, share and subscribe and become smart savvy consumer. I make educational videos every Friday. This is Alex from Vancouver and Thank you so much for watching this video eh?

Sun towers 2 Metrotown Burnaby By Belford Properties

Mon, 28 Jan 2019 20:45:32 GMT

Sun towers 2 Metrotown Burnaby By Belford Properties

VIP Access: Yes, VIP members get first selection

VIP Incentives: Estimated $10,000 Value. Custom Closet Organizers, Heated Bathroom Floors, Laminate Flooring in Bedrooms, Kitchen Organizers, Nest Smart Techonolgy Thermostat, Imove Pull Down Shelf

Selling: Mid Feb 2019

Completion: Fall 2021

Developers Brochure / Floorplans / Pricing - Click Here

Estimated Strata Fee: .46 per square foot

Ceiling Height 8'8

Floors: 26

Deposit: 25% for Locals, 35% for Foreign Buyer

Location - Prime Metrotown, 70 Metres to Skytrain

Solaris Club - 24,000 Square feet Interior, swimming pool, badminton court, golf room and 6700 square feet exterior patio

Priority Daycare Access - Montessori Daycare for purchasers.

I just visited Suntowers 2 by Key Marketing. If you are curious about Presales in Burnaby watch this video as this one is located by Metrotown.

Many Presales across Burnaby requires VIP access. Watch this video as I walk thru Sun towers 2 as previewing and sales will begin early Feb 2019.

Sun Towers 2 gives you all the very best of Metrotown. Sitting just south of Tower 1, this building is situated off Beresford St. With easy access to Metrotown Skytrain station.

Once you become a resident of Sun Towers 2 you will also become a member of the Solaris Club. Which offers 3 floors, 24,000 square feet of amenities, including a stunning 60 ft pool and hot tub, indoor and outdoor entertainment spaces, with a mini golf room. Services offered thru the Solaris club include the following. Sports coaches: Personal trainers, private golf, yoga instruction and badminton lessons. Private events such as a gourmet chef and party planner. For children the solaris club can arrange music lessons.

The indoor social centre features a fully furnished lounge area with large screen tv, billiards, kitchen, and dining area. The outdoor space is located on the 8th floor. It is over 6700 square feet with a fire pit lounge area, outdoor kitchen, and dining area, ping pong table and soft fall play area for children.

The Concierge Service at Sun towers is service at its finest. The Concierge will plan community events like games night, sports night, movie night, wine tasting etc. They also have 3rd party service arrangements with handyman, housekeeping and pet care to name a few.

The sun towers interiors have well thought out floorpans, sleek modern European style kitchens, keyless entry with your mobile phone, warm interior colours with marble and quartz. The units also come with smart outlets and the building will have its own amazon box.

The sizes of the units range 580 square feet for a 1 bedroom, 850 square feet for a 2 bedroom, and 1099 square feet for a 3 bedroom. The prices start from high $600k for a 1 bedroom, mid $900k for a 2 Bedrooms, and 1 million plus for a 3 bedroom.

If you purchase early they are also offering a complementary upgrade package worth up to $10,000. This includes custom closet organizers, heated bathroom floors, laminate flooring in bedrooms, kitchen organizers, nest smart thermostat, and imove pull down shelf.

So there you have it the Suntowers 2 project in Burnaby. If you have any interest in this project please feel free to reach out to me, private client viewings are coming up very soon. VIP buyers will get first selection, registration is required. You can message me thru my website or email me at alexlam@royalpacific.com.

Question of the day, what do you think of the Suntowers 2 project in Burnaby? Would you buy a presale in this market? Please leave it in the comments below. I will try my best to personally answer all comments myself.

Condo Rules - 5 Rules that may surprise you

Thu, 24 Jan 2019 23:46:19 GMT

Condo Rules - 5 Rules that may surprise you

Are you thinking about purchasing a Condo? Watch this video as I go talk about 5 strata rules that you may not know about.

Condos are great way to own home. But many people do not talk about the rules associated with living in a condo. Watch this video as I go over 5 disadvantages about condo living that you may not have thought about.

Force you to sell - when you are behind on your strata payments, the strata can take you to court and the court can force you to sell your unit.
Ban your current Pets or Tenants - Pets and Tenants may be allowed in your condo building but if they endanger other owners in the building, the strata has the power to ban pets and tenants from the building.
Restrict your renovations - all renovations have to be approved by the strata. Those that have not been can be removed by the strata.
Restrict Smoking in your unit - you may think smoking is allowed in your unit as long as you don’t smoke in the common area, but you’re wrong. A smoking ban restricts smoking for the entire building including your unit.
Access to your unit - under emergencies or when a notice to inspect your unit has been posted, the strata or building manager may enter your unit. This is most common when contractors need access to your unit to inspect or replace something that may put your unit and the building in danger. Example would be a smoke detector or cleaning out your dryer vent.

So there you have it, the 5 rules that you may not have thought about when living in a condo. If you have any questions about this topic please feel free to reach out to me.

Question of the day, would you still buy a condo even if it had unreasonable rules? Please leave it in the comments below. I will try my best to personally answer all comments myself.

Greater Vancouver 2018 Real Estate Market Report

Fri, 11 Jan 2019 23:10:15 GMT

Greater Vancouver 2018 Real Estate Market Report

So the year end 2018 Real Estate Numbers are out now for Metro Vancouver and it was the lowest amount of sales annually in the last 18 years. Today I am going to dive deep into what these numbers mean in the Greater Vancouver Market and what you should do as a buyer and a seller in 2019.

Hi I am Alex Lam from Royal Pacific Realty, and oh yeah this is Canadian content eh? If this is the first time you are here, and you are interested in all things real estate in the Vancouver area, be sure to hit that subscribe button and that little bell. I post new Videos every Friday.

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that total 2018 sales reached 24,619, a 31.6 per cent decrease from the 35,993 sales recorded in 2017, and a 38.4 per cent decrease compared to the 39,943 residential sales in 2016.

Last year’s sales total was 25 per cent below the region’s 10-year sales average.

“This past year has been a transition period for the Metro Vancouver housing market away from the sellers’ market conditions and well into a buyers market.”

“High home prices, rising interest rates and new mortgage requirements and taxes all contributed to the market conditions we saw in 2018.”

Home listings in Metro Vancouver reached 53,614 in 2018. This is a 1.9 per cent decrease compared to 54,655 homes listed in 2017 and a 6.9 per cent decrease compared to the 57,596 homes listed in 2016.

“The supply of homes for sale will be an important indicator to follow in 2019.

Many homes that failed to sell in 2018 will most likely try again in 2019. Also many projects are completing soon and investors who are strapped for cash may decide to cut ties, and unload these properties.

As the for the MLS® HPI composite benchmark price for all residential homes in Metro Vancouver ends the year at $1,032,400. This is a 2.7 per cent decrease compared to December 2017.

The benchmark price of detached homes in the region declined 7.8 per cent over the last 12 months and 7.3 per cent since June 2018. Apartment homes increased 0.6 per cent over the last 12 months and have declined 6.4 per cent since June 2018. The benchmark price for townhomes in Metro Vancouver have increased 1.3 per cent since December 2017 and have decreased 5.3 per cent over the last six months. Many analysis are predicting further price declines in 2019 but not a real estate crash.

So my advice to buyers, if you have the ability to buy in 2019 you can start to play hardball. Areas you where priced out of before are starting to open up again. So it is important to keep an eye on the market. Try your best to negotiate a good deal as there will be some market volatility.

For sellers, selling your home in a declining market is difficult. You can not expect to sell your home at year 2017 highs. You will need to be a price setter, price your home to sell at its market price and slightly lower than your competition. In a declining market the longer your home sits on the market the lower the your home price will become.

If you are thinking of selling your home in Vancouver, please watch my playlist over here

Question of the day, Would you consider selling your home in a declining market? Or wait for a recovery? Answer in the comments below. I will personally respond to all the comments myself.

November 2018 Real Estate Report

Fri, 07 Dec 2018 23:05:14 GMT

Nov 2018 Real Estate Report

So the Nov 2018 Real Estate Numbers are out now. Today I am going to dive deep into what these numbers mean in the Greater Vancouver Market and highlight which area you should think about buying.

Last month’s sales in Nov was a 42 % decrease from the same month last year and 18 percent decrease from Oct 2018

Home buyers have been taking a wait-and-see approach for most of 2018. This has allowed the number of homes available for sale in the region to return to more typical historical levels. This activity is helping home prices edge down, across all property types, from the record highs we’ve experienced over the last year.

For new inventory hitting the market in November, sellers have also been holding off listing there home for-sale. As the sellers are also taking the wait and see approach. November new listings totalled 3461 which was a 15% decrease compared to Nov 2017, and 29% decrease from the previous month. Total inventory however is still 40 percent higher compared to the same month last year.

For all property types, the sales-to-active listings ratio for November 2018 is 13.1 per cent. By property type, the ratio is 8.9 per cent for detached homes, 14.7 per cent for townhomes, and 17.6 per cent for apartments

Home prices have declined between four and seven per cent over the last six months depending on property type. We’ll watch conditions in the first quarter of 2019 to see if home buyer demand picks up ahead of the traditionally more active spring market.

Detached home sales in November 2018 reached 516, a 38.6 per cent decrease from the 841 detached sales recorded in November 2017. The benchmark price for detached homes is $1.5 million. This represents a 6.5 per cent decrease from November 2017 and a 1.6 per cent decrease compared to October 2018.

Apartment home sales reached 810 in November 2018, a 46.3 per cent decrease compared to the 1,508 sales in November 2017. The benchmark price of an apartment property is $667,000. This represents a 2.3 per cent increase from November 2017 and a 2.3 per cent decrease compared to October 2018.

Attached home sales in November 2018 totalled 282, a 36.8 per cent decrease compared to the 446 sales in November 2017. The benchmark price of an attached home is $818,000 This represents a 2.6 per cent increase from November 2017 and a 1.3 per cent decrease compared to October 2018.

So Which areas have dropped the most? I usually look at 3 month trends.

For detached homes, Ladner had the biggest price change over the last 3 months from a benchmark price of $949,000 with a decrease of 6%. Followed by Pitt Meadows with benchmark price of $894,000 with 5.0% decrease and Burnaby East with a benchmark price $1.2 Million with a 4.9% decrease.

For Condos the biggest price drop is was Wistler with a benchmark price of $551,000 at 8% decreases followed by Coquitlam with a benchmark price of $522,000 at 5.5% Decrease and Burnaby South with benchmark price of $689,000 with a 4% decrease.

For Townhomes, Vancouver East had a benchmark price of $830,000 with a 7% decrease over 3 months, followed by Tsawwassen with a benchmark price of $739,000 with a 6.9% decrease followed by Ladner at $769,000 with a 6% decrease.

So if I was a buyer I would look into those areas. If you are in the market to buy a home I always recommend following sold prices and the news. This makes it much easier for you to spot a good investment opportunity. Check out this detached home located in the Oakridge area. It is a 65 x 120 lot asking $2.79 Million with a tax assessment value of $3.48 Million.

Or this Old timer in Dunbar asking $2.28 Million which was sold in April of 2017 for $2.6 Million with a current tax assessment value of $2.59 Million.

In regards to selling your home, sellers who are willing to price their homes at under its current market value are still getting a lot of interest. I see some sellers testing the market listing their detached homes in the south burnaby area for 1 million dollars then immediately raising there asking price to market value.

Question of the day, What will the Spring 2019 Real Estate Market look like? Answer in the comments below. I will personally respond to all the comments myself.

Selling Tenanted Properties in BC

Thu, 29 Nov 2018 20:13:32 GMT

Selling Tenant Occupied Property

Are you planning to sell your tenanted investment property?

Selling a tenanted occupied property can be very difficult. Especially if the tenant is uncooperative. Watch this video as I go over the 7 tips you should know about before listing your tenant occupied property for sale.

Check when if the tenancy is a fixed tenancy or month to month tenancy. In a fixed tenancy neither party can break the tenancy, and the new buyer needs to take over the tenant. On a month to month tenancy if the property does get sold, the new buyer can serve notice in good faith to occupy the unit. 2 months notice must be given to the tenant.
Have a discussion with your tenant that you are thinking about selling your property, and discuss a viewing schedule that is fair to the tenant. Remember you need to give 24 hour notice for each viewing. Open houses should be agreed upon with your tenant as well.
Check the terms of your rental lease. If it is a fixed term tenancy and it is not up, consider what the market will be like selling a tenant occupied property. Most buyers in the luxury space are looking to purchase a property to move into. They are not looking to become landlords. The perfect properties to sell as tenanted properties are houses that are selling at land value and 1 bedroom condos that are listed at market value.
The tenant maybe be present at open houses and showings.
Your are not allowed to stage the property unless the tenant allows you to.
If a tenant unreasonably refuses access to show the unit or provides misleading or inaccurate information to prospective buyers, the landlord could, serve 1 months notice to end the tenancy.
Compensation to end any tenancy agreement shall be one months rent.

Question of the day, would you consider selling your property with a tenant or wait till the tenant has moved out? Please leave it in the comments below. I will try my best to personally answer all comments myself.

Unwritten Oakridge Westbank Vancouver Presale

Fri, 16 Nov 2018 20:29:01 GMT

Unwritten Oakridge Westbank Vancouver Presale

I just visited the Unwritten VIP Oakridge Realtors Event by Wesbank. If you are curious about Presales in Vancouver watch this video as this one is located at Oakridge Centre.

Many Presales across Vancouver requires VIP access. Watch this video as I walk thru the Westbank Unwritten Oakridge Project.

The Unwritten project is located at Oakridge Centre, at the corner of 41 st ave and Cambie. Its is also beside rapid transit, Oakridge 41 st station.

Unwritten project is all about creating a living city. It will have a beautiful park, live music and entertainers every week. This project will surround itself by nature, retail, public art and incredible catteries. It will also be a complete transformation of Oakridge Mall. They also have a BMX bike share program and also partnered with apple to bring home technology to the next level. The kitchen will be the central hub for fine dining. It will feature 20 chefs bringing you Devine dishes from all over the world.

Oakridge will be the home for about 6,000 residents and the workplace of 3,000 workers. The estimated completion is year 2025.

The sizes of the units range 629 square feet for a 1 bedroom, 1029 square feet for a 2 bedroom, and 1961 square feet for a 3 bedroom. The prices start from $900k for a 1 bedroom, 1.43 million for a 2 Bedrooms, and 3 million dollars for a 3 bedroom.

The floorpans have been very well laid out. With the most luxurious features and style.

So there you have it the Unwritten project in Vancouver. If you have any interest in this project please feel free to reach out to me, private client viewings are coming up very soon. VIP buyers will get first selection, registration is required.

Question of the day, what do you think of the Unwritten project at Oakridge? Would you buy a presale in this market? Please leave it in the comments below. I will try my best to personally answer all comments myself.

HELOC POLICY CHANGE CANADA - STRESS TEST

Wed, 14 Nov 2018 21:46:37 GMT

HELOC POLICY CHANGE CANADA STRESS TEST

TD and Royal bank just made a change to borrowers who have a Home Equity Line of Credit or Heloc. Stay tuned as I will discuss all the details.

Home equity lines of credits or HELOCS are line of credits secured against your home. These lines of credits were promoted by banks to one stimulate more borrowing and two to secure your mortgage business. When you have a HELOC it costs about $300 to discharge it.

On Nov 5th, TD and Royal bank have decided to stress test your credit limit on your HELOC when you are planning to get a new mortgage on an investment property. This even applies if you have a zero balance on your existing HELOC. The reason they are doing this is because the banks have no idea if or when you will advance the entire balance of of your HELOC.

How will this affect the Vancouver Real estate market?

Since its introduction in Canada. In year 2000 the outstanding balance was at 35 billion, in 2016 that balance has grown to about 211 billion. Many buyers and real estate investors use these HELOCS as downpayment to secure a mortgage and used HELOC money as deposits for presales. If anybody plans on securing a new mortgage who already has a HELOC in place good luck. And remember the stress test has already cut your purchase power by 20% since its implementation this year.

Is there a work around? Yes of course. This new policy change is only happening with TD and Royal Bank. But I have a feeling the other big banks will follow soon. So if you intend to get a new mortgage I would suggest

Don’t apply for a new mortgage with TD or Royal Bank.
IF you have a HELOC that you are not using, close that account.
If you have a HELOC balance consider closing the account and refinance your mortgage.

Question of the day, do you think this HELOC Policy Change will affect the real estate market? Please leave it in the comments below. I will try my best to personally answer all comments myself.

BC Condo Flipping Registry

Thu, 08 Nov 2018 22:45:38 GMT

CONDO FLIPPING REGISTRY

THE BC Government just announced a Condo Flipping registry that will take into effect Jan 1, 2019, stay tuned as I will discuss all the details.

When I attend presale purchasing events across Metro Vancouver a large majority of the people there are real estate investors. With Presales these investors would most likely flip these properties for a small profit. After all the only investment the investor had to make was to come up with the deposit payment.

In the past most buyers of presales who had the intention of flipping their property may have done so without reporting the capital gains to CRA. Also the buyers of the presale assignments may have reported the property value incorrectly when it came time for completion. Some buyers of assignment contracts may have reported the original purchase price not the assignment purchase price to the land title office, thus avoiding the payment of the extra property transfer tax and GST. With the implementation of this new Condo Flipping Registry this will force the Assignor to report the correct capital gains amount, and the assignee to report the correct purchase price. The developer will also be forced to collect information for the registry.

For individuals:

Full legal name
Date of birth
Citizenship information. For individuals who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada as defined in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the foreign country or state of citizenship
Tax identifiers: Social Insurance Number (SIN) or Individual Tax Number(ITN)
Residency status for federal income tax purposes
The postal address, and
The principal residence address of the individual. If the postal address and the principal residence address are the same, provide it only once
Phone number
Email address, if applicable

For Corporations:

If the proposed party to an assignment is a corporation:

The legal corporation name
The 9-digit business number (BN) assigned by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
The head office address
Information about an individual who can be contacted on behalf the corporation to answer questions about the assignment agreement. The information about the individual includes:

Name
Postal Address
Phone number
Email address, if applicable

Also the developer must collect details about the assignment contract.

Date of the purchase agreement
The unit number, the strata lot number and the parcel identifier (PID) of the strata lot need to be reported, if ascertainable
Date of developer’s consent date to the assignment agreement
Effective date of the assignment, if it can be determined, and if different from the developer’s consent date
Assignment fee paid to the developer for the consent
Purchase price of the strata lot. The purchase price includes any amendments to the purchase agreement or subsequent assignments, including any upgrades or prior “lifts” (the increase in value of the strata lot assigned)
Assignment amount. This is the amount payable to the assignor for the assignment and it is commonly referred to as a “lift”
Reimbursement of the deposit paid. This is the amount payable to the assignor for the deposit paid to the deposit trustee

So there you have it. If you are an assignor or an assignee you need to know about this new condo flipping registry.

Question of the day, do you think this registration will reduce the amount of presale flipping? Please leave it in the comments below. I will try my best to personally answer all comments myself.

For further information on the details of this BC Condo Flipping registry visit the BC Government website here

October 2018 Greater Vancouver Real Estate Report

Tue, 06 Nov 2018 18:25:12 GMT

October 2018 Greater Vancouver Real Estate Report

So the Oct 2018 Real Estate Numbers are out now and they are really spooky. Today I am going to dive deep into what these numbers mean in the Greater Vancouver Market and highlight which area you should think about buying.

Last month’s sales in Oct was 26.8 per cent below the 10-year Oct sales average and 34.9% decrease in sales for the same month last year. This represents a 6 year low.

The supply of homes for sale today is the beginning to return to sales levels of about 4 years ago. For home buyers this means you have more selection to choose from. For sellers it means your home may face more competition from other properties on the market.

Also compared to the same month last year Inventories have increased 42.1 percent over all property types.

For all property types, the sales-to-active listings ratio for OCT 2018 is 15.1 per cent. By property type, the ratio is 10.3 per cent for detached homes, 17.3 per cent for townhomes, and 20.6 per cent for condominiums.

Home prices have come down between three and five per cent, depending on housing type, in our region since June. This is providing a little relief for those looking to buy compared to the all-time highs we’ve experienced over the last year.

Sales of detached properties in OCT 2018 reached 637, thats a 32.2 per cent decrease compared to the same month last year. The benchmark price in greater vancouver for detached properties is now at $1,524,000. This represents a 5.1 per cent decrease from Oct 2017 and a 3.9 per cent decrease over the last three months.

Sales of apartment properties reached 985 in Oct 2018, a 35.7 per cent decrease compared to the same month last year. The benchmark price of an apartment property is $683,500. This represents a 5.8 per cent increase from Oct 2017 and a 3.1 per cent decrease over the last three months.

Attached property sales in October 2018 totalled 344, a 37.5 per cent decrease compared to the 550 sales in Oct 2017. The benchmark price of an attached unit is $829,200. This represents a 4.4 per cent increase from Oct 2017 and a 2.8 per cent decrease over the last three months.

So Which areas have dropped the most? I usually look at 3 month trends.

For detached homes, Burnaby East had the biggest price change over the last 3 months from a benchmark price of $1.25 million with a decrease of 5.6%. Followed by West Vancouver with benchmark price of $2.76 million with 5.4% decrease and Pitt Meadows with a benchmark price $908,000 with a 4.9% decrease.

For Condos the biggest price drop is was West Vancouver with a benchmark price of $1.15 million at 6.3% decreases followed by Maple Ridge with a benchmark price of $363,000 at 5.7% Decrease and Pitt Meadows with benchmark price of $514,000 with a 5.1% decrease.

For Townhomes, Vancouver East had a benchmark price of $833.200 with a 6.7% decrease over 3 months, followed by Port Coquitlam with a benchmark price of $646,400 with a 5.8% decrease followed by Vancouver West at $1.23 Million with a 4.4% decrease.

So if I was a buyer I would look into those areas. If you are in the market to buy a home I always recommend following sold prices and the news. This makes it much easier for you to spot a good investment opportunity. Like a property like this town house in the marpole area,

Asking $1,679,000, Sold 31-Aug-2017 $1,800,000, Tax Assess $1,747,000. 1,767 sq ft. "Only 1 year old beautiful CORNER townhome built by Intracorp features 3 bedrooms & 2.5 bathrooms, A/C, direct access to 2 secured parking spaces, a beautifully landscaped yard."

Or This Penthouse loft in Gastown

Asking $1,139,000, with a Tax Assessed value of $1,271,000. "It features Amazing views above historic Gastown, over looking the North Shore Mountains, water and Vancouver's beautiful Harbour"

The presale market still seems to be hot right now, with projects continuing to be launched regardless of the slow down in the market. West Bank Oakridge centre is getting ready to launch at the starting price is $2600 per square foot. Richmond, Burnaby ,Surrey presale prices, are averaging about $1000 per square feet to $1200 per square feet. If you are interested in the Richmond Paramount Project check out my last blog post.

In regards to selling your home, sellers who are willing to price their homes at under its current market value get a lot of interest. The buyers are out there, they are just all waiting for a modest price correction.

Question of the day, Where do you think the prices are headed across greater vancouver? Up or Down? Answer in the comments below. I will personally respond to all the comments myself.

Presale Condo Walk Thru

Wed, 31 Oct 2018 18:20:54 GMT

Presale Condo Pre-inspection Walk Thru

Did you buy a presale condo recently? Do you know what to expect at a presale inspection walk thru?

Buying a presale in Vancouver is very popular. Most of these presale projects get sold out within days. But when its time to view your brand new unit many buyers are surprised by the amount of deficiencies that can be found. Today’s I will show you 8 things to look for in a presale walk thru.

Uneven Paint and over paint
Non Sufficient Caulking in washrooms and windows
Settling and Cracks in Drywall
Nail pops in the drywall.
Scratches or imperfections on the flooring
Fixtures not secured
Cracks or Chips found on the countertops.
Check the floorpan - Make sure the unit is constructed as per the specifications of the floorpan you have purchased. The developer has some leeway in regards to the size of the unit, it will mention this in your contract sometimes up to 5% SMALLER. I have seen buyers expecting to view a 3 bedroom home that was purchased but the developer only constructed a 2 bedroom for them. Or in another situation a 2 bedroom and den, became a 2 bedroom with an extra closet. If you encounter this you should report this to the developer immediately. I also recommend having your lawyer drafting them up a letter asking for some sort of compensation.

So after you have viewed the unit make sure to have the deficiencies noted by the developer. If you did not have them put the deficiencies in writing they will forget about them. Also to note, the developer will still force you to complete the purchase of your unit regardless of the deficiencies you have found are complete or not.

If you have any questions about this topic please feel free to reach out to me.

Question of the day, would you buy a presale condo? Please leave it in the comments below. I will try my best to personally answer all comments myself.

Paramount Richmond - Keltic

Thu, 25 Oct 2018 21:31:29 GMT

Paramount Richmond by Keltic - VIP Client Event

I just visited the Paramount VIP Realtors Event by Keltic. If you are curious about Presales in Richmond watch this video as this one is located right across Richmond centre.

Many Presales across Vancouver requires VIP access. Watch this video as I walk thru the Paramount Project.

The Paramount Project is located Right across Richmond Centre, at the corner of No. 3 Road and Cook RD. Its is also beside rapid transit, Richmond Bright house station.

The paramount will have about 536 residential units, with 3, 15 storey towers, and one commercial office building. The estimated completion is year 2021.

The sizes of the units range from 425 sq ft – 1,075 sq ft. With a starting price around the mid 300’s for a bachelor unit. The 3rd floor is where the court yard is located. It has a lush urban oasis with relaxing water features. The buildings also have many curated luxuries such as a private dining room with a personal chef, wine room, indoor and outdoor dining areas, with state of the art Mclaren Racing Simulator, a movie screening room and exercise room. Also if you have children they also have a child learning centre.

The floorpans have been very well laid out. Featuring Italian cabinetry, Miele appliances, quartz countertops and porcelain tilted bathrooms. All units also have full air conditioning.

One thing I should add is that the residents at the paramount would have access to a lifestyle concierge. That can look after the following, meals, shopping, housekeeping, dog walking, translation services, and driving lessons.

So there you have it the Paramount Project in Richmond. If you have any interest in this project please feel free to reach out to me, private client viewings are coming early November. VIP buyers will get first selection, registration is required.

Question of the day, what do you think of the Paramount Richmond? Would you buy a presale in this market? Please leave it in the comments below. I will try my best to personally answer all comments myself.

BC Speculation Tax

Fri, 19 Oct 2018 16:27:09 GMT

Speculation and Vacancy tax -

The details of the BC Speculation tax has just been released. Find out what you need to know about the tax, coming up next.

Many British Columbians own secondary homes. Watch this video as I go over the 8 things you should know about the Speculation and Vacancy Tax.

2nd Home must be rented for a period of a minimum 6 months per year.
Airbnb deterrent - since most short term rentals are for periods of under 30 days this new tax basically eliminates Airbnb from most of BC.
Yearly declaration is necessary to avoid paying this tax on your primary residence.
BC Islands are exempt - B.C.’s islands are not part of the taxable area unless accessible by bridge, and reserve lands, treaty lands and lands of a self-governing Indigenous nation are also not part of the taxable region,
This tax does not stop Real Estate Speculation ? So you are free to purchase real estate and flip it for a profit. Example condo Pre-sales and assignment of contracts.
Municipalities have been rejected the option to opt of the speculation tax. Meaning locations such as Kelowna that depend on Alberta buyers can see their real estate market suffer.
How is the Tax calculated - For a BC Resident or PR who lives in BC, with a high world wide income and paying very little BC Income tax will be charged 0.5 percent. For owners who are Canadian citizens and permanent residents who do not live in B.C., the tax is one per cent of assessed value, minus the credit — or $6,000 for an $800,000 Vancouver condo. For owners who are foreign investors or part of satellite families, the tax is two per cent of assessed value, minus the credit — or $14,000 for the $800,000 condo.
Condos with rental restrictions are exempted from this tax. Their are many other exemptions which I will link up in the description.

So there you have the 8 things you need to know about the speculation tax. If you have any questions about this topic please feel free to reach out to me.

Question of the day, what do you think of this bc speculation tax? Should the Green Party and liberals vote it down? Please leave it in the comments below. I will try my best to personally answer all comments myself.