COVID-19 Archives - Page 2 of 6

28Nov

An ‘unprecedented’ housing market maintains strong outlook

[BC Local News - November 27, 2020] Pandemic has had reverse impact on the real estate market Laws of economics would indicate a worldwide recession and pandemic would result in real estate prices and housing demand to drop. But that’s not the case, according to a few local realtors. “It’s unprecedented. We’ve never had this in any kind of market, it doesn’t make sense,” said Ron Antalek of Re/Max Lifestyles Realty in Maple Ridge. Recent Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) statistics for [...]

British Columbia, COVID-19, Vancouver Real Estate

10Nov

B.C. real estate agents urged to suspend all open houses

[BIV - November 6, 2020] B.C.’s real estate regulation agencies have asked industry professionals to suspend holding open houses at properties slated for sale/rent due to the province’s sharp spike in COVID cases. In a statement dated Nov. 5, the Real Estate Council of BC, the BC Real Estate Association and the Office of the Superintendent of Real Estate said the move is to limit face-to-face interactions in the home-buying process. Sales agents have been asked to conduct as much business [...]

British Columbia, COVID-19, Vancouver Real Estate

10Nov

Rent freeze put in place because of COVID-19 pandemic extended in B.C.

[CTV - November 9, 2020] VANCOUVER -- A B.C. rent freeze that was put in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic has been extended until next summer. Originally, the rent freeze was going to expire on Dec. 1. But now, it's been extended until July 10, 2021, the province announced Monday. "We know many renters are still facing income loss and even the slightest increase in rent could be extremely challenging. For that reason, we are extending the freeze on rent increases [...]

British Columbia, COVID-19

01Nov

Bank of Canada phasing out 3 programs set up in early days of COVID-19 to provide emergency liquidity

[CBC - October 16, 2020] Demand has waned in recent weeks, a sign things may be getting back to normal. The Bank of Canada is winding down three emergency programs it set up to provide support to financial institutions during the early days of the pandemic, as demand for all three programs is falling now that things are getting back to normal. In a news release late Thursday, the central bank said it will close two programs known as the Bankers' Acceptance Purchase Facility, or BAPF, and the [...]

Canada, COVID-19, Economic Outlook

26Sep

Vancouver real estate: early September numbers show steep drop in sales from August highs

[Georgia Straight - September 25, 2020] Home sales in the city of Vancouver are dropping big time. This is based on tracking by real-estate site fisherly.com as of late morning Friday (September 25). Compared to record highs in August, early numbers for September show a steep decline in transactions. In August, a total of 490 condo units sold in Vancouver. As of this posting September 25, fisherly.com recorded 202 condo sales so far this month. Last month, 212 detached homes changed owners. September sales so [...]

COVID-19, Economic Outlook, Vancouver Real Estate

23Sep

Home prices to drop, new report predicts — and even Toronto and Vancouver won’t be immune

[Financial Post - September 23, 2020] Moody's predicts prices for all housing types to fall more than 7 per cent The pandemic will punish Prairie house prices the most in Canada, but even hotspots Toronto and Vancouver will see prices drop on the back of rising rental market vacancies and lower immigration rates, according to a new report. Average single family detached house prices will fall by 6.7 per cent next year as the recovery stalls, economic stimulus fades and debt problems [...]

Canada, COVID-19, Economic Outlook, Toronto, Ontario, Vancouver Real Estate

22Sep

Toronto and Vancouver now joined by two more Canadian cities with ‘overvalued’ homes

[Financial Post - September 21, 2020] Canada's housing market moderately vulnerable, CMHC says Overvalued homes continue to be a feature of Canada’s largest cities during the second quarter as the pandemic bit into the number of houses entering the market, according to the country’s largest public mortgage provider. And other Canadian cities are also seeing home prices heat up. “There was sharp pullback in new listings and resulting low levels of inventory,” the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation said in its second [...]

Canada, COVID-19, Economic Outlook

20Sep

Canada real estate: RBC Economics observes growing preference for single-detached homes over condos

[Georgia Straight - September 8, 2020] Last July, Statistics Canada predicted a shift in demand from condos to single-detached homes. “As working from home becomes more prevalent,” the agency stated,” we may see an increase in the demand for larger living spaces that single-family homes can offer, causing a shift in demand from condominium apartments towards single houses.” A recent housing commentary released by RBC Economics appears to validate the forecast. “Buyers nationwide are demonstrating a stronger preference for single-detached homes,” bank economist [...]

Canada, COVID-19

20Sep

Why real estate prices continue to rise despite the pandemic

[CBC - September 20, 2020] Opinion - Mark Ting, CBC's finance columnist, on the connection between unemployment, government aid, and real estate. Last May, I wrote an opinion piece titled "Time to buy? What the pandemic means for Vancouver's real estate market" where I explained that historically for every one per cent rise in unemployment there is a four per cent decrease in housing prices. However, this is not what has happened during the last several months. Between February and August this [...]

COVID-19, Economic Outlook, Vancouver Real Estate

20Sep

How the pandemic has put flexibility front and center in home design

[Washington Post - September 17, 2020] Six months ago the coronavirus pandemic turned the entire nation into homebodies. Now architects, builders and interior designers are addressing the pain points that emerged when our homes became our offices, schools and entertainment venues. It’s a little too soon for completely new model homes to be built that take the new normal into account. Still, incremental changes in floor plans and interior design have been made that point the way to the future. “While there are [...]

COVID-19, Home Design + Decor, Remodel + Renovation