Unraveling Real Estate in 2011… The broad brush used by ‘Talking Heads’ to paint a macro picture of real estate has little bearing on local micro markets and is worthless to the average consumer. All real estate is local and as such only local data should be considered. In fact most of the national and … Read more
Harmonized Sales Tax HST will affect all new homebuyers. When getting pre-approved with your lender you should get a ‘Net-Sheet’ showing you all of your estimated costs. You will need to know this before you can tell your REALTOR® what your upper limit is for buying. Here is a link to a HST calculator if … Read more
If you want into the Canadian real estate market with the lowest possible entry-level lending terms and conditions available then I believe your time could be running out. In October 2008 the federal government bailed out the Canadian banks with a $25-billion takeover of bank-held mortgages to ease a growing credit crunch, and Finance Minister, … Read more
It appears supply and demand information being reported for housing in Canada comes up short. Exactly how reliable are the statistics, analysis and commentary for real estate as being reported in Canada?
…at least according to commentary in a publication regularly inserted in a local newspaper, which is widely circulated throughout Greater Vancouver and Fraser Valley communities: http://www.newlocalhome.com/editions/nlhr100722 The assertion, “…Homebuying is Easy,” seems to be based on the supply of homes listed on MLS. I checked yesterday and the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) … Read more
The origins of the National Certification Program (NCP) for home inspectors stretch back to 1997 when a report was issued by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) that uncovered noteworthy inconsistencies in the skill and diligence of home inspectors across the country that still persist today. With the support of CMHC, Human Resources and Social … Read more
As a British Columbian outsider I am utterly disgusted reading this article on the plight of the Shuman’s. I have a great deal of difficulty comprehending how a certain percentage of performance value or work disqualifies a claim for sub-standard workmanship or materials. Okay, so it is none of my business poking my BC nose … Read more