Leaky condo assistance dries up, Liberals say program is obsolete The provincial government is scrapping a program that for the past decade has provided leaky-condo owners with interest-free loans to pay for repairs By Derrick Penner The Vancouver Sun – August 1, 2009 Housing and Development Minister Rich Coleman said the loan program has more … Read more
This is not the place to cut corners in construction When I read this today it reminded me of what became clear during the Barrett Commission hearings over a decade ago in British Columbia. The many engineering assessments being conducted on leaky condos were turning up dozens, and sometimes hundreds, of building code violations. At one … Read more
Interfering with the rights of a neighbour… “My neighbour BBQ’s right beside my bedroom window which causes my entire suite to fill up with smoke when it is used. I’ve tried speaking to them and I’ve asked if they would consider moving it. The last time they sent me a text message advising they … Read more
After reading this: Fire chief cautions against changes – Stewart said. “These risks have all been studied. All of these issues can be managed and ultimately it will come down to a public policy decision as to whether or not we manage that issue in our community, not whether or not these buildings are safe, because … Read more
Times Colonist June 24, 2009 Condo victims deserve better The leaky condo debacle remains one of the greatest consumer ripoffs in Canadian history, costing British Columbians between $1.5 billion and $2 billion. Lives were devastated when people bought homes and found themselves facing huge repair costs. Now the provincial government, without warning, is halting an … Read more
Insurance companies not honouring new leaky condo warranties: owners Insurers say lack of maintenance by owners is source of some problems CBC – Monday, June 22, 2009 | 9:38 AM PT Thousands of B.C. condominum owners have had to live behind walls of plastic while their leaky buildings were repaired. (CBC) Some owners of recently … Read more
We recently learned of “The Future of Housing”, an upcoming conference being hosted in Metro Vancouver on May 8, 2009, by the Canadian Home Builders’ Association’s BC chapter. The conference will be bringing together a diverse group of builder and real estate insiders to focus on the issues facing the housing market today and into the … Read more
A question asked by Chris in my previous blog post comments: Metro Vancouver Housing Inventory drops almost 37%… prompted this post. Did you know that a potential buyer of a new home walking into the developer’s pre-sale office without a professional REALTOR® is compromising their position by automatically limiting their representation? It is not possible … Read more
Canada’s Investigative Consumer Show, Marketplace, and Mike Holmes, HGTV’s contractor of Holmes on Homes, collaborated for a CBC episode entitled, “New Home Nightmares“. Although it only scratches the surface, this production demonstrates how the legislative system in Canada is badly broken leaving home buying consumers at the mercy of unscrupulous home builders and developers, and … Read more
Let me start by disclosing that I am not an Arborist, but a recent story in the local newspaper of a toppled tree, well over 100 feet, raised some interesting questions for me to consider as a Realtor. Most urban jurisdictions regulate the conservation, removal and replacement of trees. Whether a tree is deciduous (sheds … Read more