Condos Drive Fastest Surge in Canadian Housing Starts Since 2007

[Source: Bloomberg, April 10, 2017] Canadian housing starts surged to the fastest pace in a decade, led by apartments and condominiums. Housing starts soared 18 percent to an annualized 253,720 units in March, from 214,253 units in February, Canada Mortgage & Housing Corp. said in a statement Monday from Ottawa. Multiple-unit starts in urban areas surged 30 percent to 160,989 units. Housing has been one of the main drivers of Canada’s economy over the last several years, as interest rates remain at [...]

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How to Turn Home Equity into Opportunity

[By Chana Fay Charach, MB, April 10, 2017] Synergy Mortgage can help you refinance your home to potentially obtain lower interest rates and / or better terms with a new mortgage. You may also consider refinancing your rental properties, or 2nd homes. Purpose and Benefits of a Refinance: • Consolidate your debts: pay off high interest credit cards and other debts • Cash Equity: use your cash for investment purposes and/or personal spending such as a vacation • Renovations: home improvements, and repairs • Major purchase: [...]

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More residential developers set their sights on townhomes in Vancouver

[Source: BIV, April 4, 2017] Affordability pressures increasing the appeal of expanding the inventory of townhouse options. When community members met to discuss the future of the East Fraser Lands in the southeast corner of Vancouver in 2005, urban density was very much on their minds. The spirit of Vancouverism with its emphasis on a livable urban setting was very much alive, and the site offered a blank canvas for a community that will eventually be home to more than 10,000 people. “There [...]

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New Westminster poised to become real estate hot spot: study

[Source: BIV, April 5, 2017]   Benchmark home prices have fallen, but they remain near record highs in Vancouver, and homebuyers are extending their reach beyond the city limits. As buyers turn to other municipalities across the region where prices aren’t quite so prohibitive, New Westminster in particular is set to become one of the province’s top real estate destinations within the next decade, according to a Real Estate Investment Network (REIN) report released April 5. New Westminster is a desirable location for [...]

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Demand for homes continues to outpace supply in Metro Vancouver

[Source: Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV):  April 4, 2017] A shortage of residential property listings coupled with strong demand, particularly for condos and townhomes, continued to impact Metro Vancouver’s housing market in March. Residential property sales in the region totalled 3,579 in March 2017, a decrease of 30.8 per cent from the 5,173 sales recorded in record-breaking March 2016 and an increase of 47.6 per cent compared to February 2017 when 2,425 homes sold. Last month’s sales were 7.9 per [...]

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Metro Vancouver Calls for “Urgent Overhaul” of BC’s Property Tax System

[Source: REW/News, April 6, 2017] Area homeowners pay disproportionate share of provincial taxes, report says Ahead of the upcoming provincial election, Metro Vancouver has asked the four main political parties to commit to making major changes to the “antiquated” way property taxes are implemented across the province, including the homeowner grant, the Property Transfer Tax (PTT) and provincial school property tax. “The system needs an urgent overhaul,” said Metro Vancouver vice-chair Raymond Louie. The recommendation, issued this week, comes after a report commissioned [...]

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Fewer listings, strong demand boosts Metro Vancouver real estate

[Source: CTV News, April 4, 2017] VANCOUVER - Home sales in Metro Vancouver are bouncing back after a dismal February, but the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver says transactions are still almost 31 per cent below the March 2016 record. The board says a shortage of property listings and strong demand, especially for condos and townhomes, propelled the market in March. Board president Jill Oudil says sellers still seem reluctant to put their homes on the market, creating stiff competition for [...]

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Vancouver realtors say demand picking up as prices begin to rise again

[Source: Financial Post, April 4, 2017] Realtors in Canada’s most expensive city for housing predict prices will continue to rise amid a shortage of listings they maintain is stifling the market. The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver said Tuesday that demand picked up in the condo and townhome segment of the market, something the group maintains coincides with a shortage of supply. “Home prices will likely continue to increase until we see more housing supply coming on to the market,” said [...]

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BC Governement Helping First Time Home Buyers with Down Payment – January 16, 2017

[Source:  BC Housing, January 16, 2017] Every British Columbian deserves a place to call home. That is why we are taking action to control the cost of housing, increase access to affordable rental units, and help families make their dream of homeownership come true. What is the Home Owner Mortgage and Equity (HOME) Partnership? From middle class families to young professionals, first-time home buyers are looking to invest in a secure and stable future. For many British Columbians dreaming of buying their first [...]

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