Taking the mystery out of working with a Realtor® Choosing a real estate agent can be a daunting task. Buying a home is the largest purchase you will ever make, therefore you need to be prepared, so it can be done right. Your values and expectations need to be aligned with the Realtor® you choose. … Read more
Do You Know the Risks and Benefits of New Home Presales and Preconstruction? As anyone who lives or works in the Lower Mainland can attest, one thing that never seems to slow down is the preconstruction of new homes. From townhouses to condos and even single-family homes, there are several presales happening at any given … Read more
In case you missed it, John talks Subject-free Offers with Global News B.C.’s Hot Real Estate Market In May 2021, John Grasty talked to Global BC’s Anne Drewa about the rise in subject-free offers that are contributing to the hot real estate market in B.C. John is advocating for stronger buyer protection. Telling Global BC, … Read more
Principal Residence Exemption – 2016 Reporting Requirements For the 70% of Canadians who own a home, it is a place to live, raise a family, and connects them to their community. Due to Canada’s tax system’s Principal Residence Exemption, when we sell our homes, any increased value or “capital gains” are not taxed. This tax break … Read more
What is Your Home and Property Really Worth? Making Sense of the BC Assessment It’s that time of year again. Every first week of January, BC Assessment, a Crown corporation, sends out its annual notifications of property assessments for owners throughout the province. And every January, homeowners scramble to make sense of the assessment. What … Read more
Follow The Money For X Sake! “Real estate and money laundering – spotlight on Canada” is the very latest misguided report; yet another regurgitating how Realtors are to blame for allowing money-laundering. The context of the real estate money-laundering issue has been skewed by not getting to the root cause of the lack of effectiveness of … Read more
The Purrfect World of Port Moody: Cat Owner Responsibilities I believe true feline lovers everywhere would agree that all pet cats need to either be kept inside or completely controlled. The Port Moody townhome strata corporation where I have lived for over four years has very clear bylaws for the control of pets and the … Read more
Next In BC Real Estate Market? This excerpt is reproduced from THE BULLETIN • AUGUST 2016 – a publication of BCREA What Will Happen Next In BC Real Estate Market? With real estate being a red hot topic in the media lately, BCREA’s Economics Team has compiled a series of reports to examine market statistics … Read more
The Costliest Disaster in Canadian History In its zeal to torque stories about Fort Mac, the Canadian media has forgotten the actual largest disaster in Canada with headlines like this: “Fort McMurray wildfire estimated to be costliest disaster in Canada”. Dropping the word “natural” makes the headline of this article (and many others) inaccurate. The … Read more
REALTORS® Reminded of Obligations to Clients “Don’t Take the Risk of Providing Services in an Area You’re Unfamiliar With.” – RECBC Once again (June, 2015) REALTORS® are being reminded by the Real Estate Council of British Columbia (RECBC), about the dangers of stepping outside their comfort zone. “Even in a hot property market, you can’t … Read more