Thursday, January 14, 2016

Kitsilano, Vancouver | 2773 W 15th Avenue, Vancouver BC

Brand New Custom Home in Kitsilano, Vancouver! 2773 West 15th Avenue, Vancouver BC

This Exquisitely finished custom built home in Kitsilano, Vancouver will feature a true family residence with an exceptional open floor plan full of luxury details throughout. The home will boast nearly 2900 sq.ft of spacious & functional living on a 33 x 122 sq.ft lot. Beautiful workmanship coupled with the highest quality material will make this home perfect for any selective buyer. Luxurious features of the home include surround sound, central vacuum, radiant floor heating, cedar siding & detached 2 car garage with access from the back lane and a potential rooftop garden. This 5 bedroom house features an amazing functional layout: 3 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms on the upper floor with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms on the lower levels. Main floor will feature 10’ ceilings throughout with open concept from the Living Room, Dining Room and the Family Room which lead’s to a Chef’s dream gourmet kitchen with abundant cabinet space, huge island and then to the entertainers backyard with a beautiful Patio with a cozy gas fireplace great for those family BBQ’s. Upper floor will have 3 bedrooms with vaulted ceilings & custom closets. The Master bedroom is spacious with a large walk-in closet & spa-like ensuite. Basement feature’s 9’ ceilings throughout with a beautiful appointed media room with wet bar which leads into a 2 bedroom legal suit or at the option of the buyer, a 1 bedroom suite and a extra bedroom for yourself. Great Public and Private schools close to the home. Located east of Macdonald street within Carnarvon Elementary and Kitsilano Secondary School catchments and close to York HouseSt. George's and the well known private school of St. John's. Nearby you’ll find UBC, cafes, shopping, restaurants, waterfront, Downtown, recreation, Kitsilano Beach and all West Broadway has to offer. Architecturally designed brand new custom home situated in trendy & convenient Kits area comes with a 2-5-10 Home Warranty. Contact me for more information!

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Brookswood Fernridge, Langley | 20820 36th Avenue

Over 1 Acre in Brookswood Fernridge, Langley awaiting your idea's. Great future potential, wait for development as the OCP is updated with a new Community plan for the Brookswood/Fernridge area or build your dream home. OCP proposal for 2014 had 4 UPA for this area. Wonderful opportunity for developer, builder and investors, with the future development for this beautiful flat property on a quiet street, with no creeks, easement, or right of ways. Located walking distance to Brookswood Secondary & Noel Booth Elementary School and close to Kwantlen Polytechnic University, entertainment, shopping, Willowbrook Shopping Centre, restaurants, parks, public transportation, with easy access to Highway 1 & Highway 10, the US Border and to the proposed Light Rail Transit system.  Contact for more information!

Monday, January 11, 2016

2016 Real Estate Market Outlook

As well documented in the media, 2015 was a year of massive real estate market activity, with prices and home sales skyrocketing well over industry expectations. We saw the price gap between Detached and Attached Properties widen even more this past year. So will 2016 see a cooling-off in activity, or will the recent gains continue without any hiccups? Here’s a round-up of industry forecasts…

BC and Lower Mainland Market

After a year in which home sales across BC rose more than 21 per cent compared with 2014, according to Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) projections issued mid-December, the province’s housing market activity is forecast by the association to moderate in 2016. This is largely based on the British Columbia Real EstateAssociation (BCREA) predictions that sales across the province will fall by around seven per cent, from more than 100,000 in 2015 to 93,700 units in 2016 – a level described as “remaining elevated” by the BCREA.This could be caused by a cooling-off in demand but more likely by a lack of available homes for sale, with Greater Vancouver and Fraser Valley listings down 35 per cent year over year. 

Despite the predicted slowing in sales, prices in Greater Vancouver and across BC are expected to increase further in 2016 – albeit at a reduced pace than last year. CREA expects the annual price increase across BC for all of 2016 to be just two per cent, compared with 11.5 per cent in 2015. A forecast by RE/MAX issued in December was more bullish, expecting average prices to rise seven per cent in Greater Vancouver, three per cent in the Fraser Valley, 2.7 per cent in Victoria and two per cent in some slower areas, including Kelowna. 

The BCREA also predicted that capacity constraints and what it describes as “easing-off consumer demand” will mean a decline of BC housing starts to 28,800 units in 2016. This is slightly at odds with CMHC predictions for Vancouver alone, which forecast a modest increase in housing starts in 2016, followed by a slowdown in 2017.

However forecasts were similarly timid and, ultimately, far off the eventual outcome for 2015 – and there’s no discernible sign of this activity slowing significantly. The possibility of rising interest rates and the new increased minimum down payment to be implemented in February may have a minor impact on some segments of the market. But continued high demand and diminishing supply of single-family homes suggests that, while overall unit sales growth may slow, total transaction dollar volumes will likely continue to soar through 2016.

Demand from Overseas

There’s no sign that demand for Lower Mainland real estate from overseas buyers will cool in 2016, and as large detached houses in desirable neighbourhoods get snapped up as homes or investments, foreign money will likely further spill over into commercial and recreational real estate. Evidence suggests that overseas buyers have increasingly looked to resorts, vineyards, commercial properties, multi-family buildings and the like as alternative methods of safeguarding their cash in 2015. However, this increasing trend is unlikely to redirect any money away from single-family homes in Greater Vancouver, which remain the number one choice of property as many families choose to relocate to the region.

At the other end of the market, the much-anticipated arrival of 1,500 Syrian refugees, mostly in family units, to Vancouver may put some pressure on the rental market – and will certainly put pressure on the city to provide affordable housing options for these families.

The Year of the Condo?

With demand for the increasingly rare single-family home continuing to push many buyers out of that market segment, it is likely that more and more buyers – from first-timers to families – will turn to condominium living in 2016.

As of January 2016, New Westminster is the first municipality to demand a minimum of 30 per cent of new condos to have two or more bedrooms, and a minimum of 10 per cent to be three or more bedrooms. This is a move that has troubled developers but the city hopes will ultimately provide more affordable options for family living.


The new minimum down payment rules being implemented in mid-February could result in an uncharacteristic January rush on smaller homes, as first-time and lower-income buyers attempt to find and buy their homes ahead of the new rules to save money.

Source: REW.ca

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Whalley, Surrey | 2502 10777 University Drive

This Penthouse unit features an AMAZING VIEW.... located in Whalley, Surrey. It comes with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 underground parking spots & storage. Great for investors, first time buyers or if you're downsizing. Citypoint is centrally located within walking distance to the upgraded City Central Shopping Centre, North Surrey Recreation Centre, Surrey City Hall, Surrey Library, restaurants, parks, Elementary & High school, steps to Skytrain - public transportation & easy access to Pattullo Bridge or Port Mann Bridge. Call today for your personal showing! Open House on Sunday January 10 from 1 - 3 pm!


Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Abbotsford West, Abbotsford | 2626 - 2628 Jasper Court

Investors Alert!!! Great Holding property in the heart of Abbotsford, steps to new commercial plaza, hold and wait for Development! Duplex with long-term Tenants, with current rental income of $1250 & $1250 (can be increased with some TLC). Road Frontage on both Jasper Court & Trethewey Street.


Monday, January 4, 2016

Earthquake | Vancouver, BC

As we've all heard over the years and decades the Metro Vancouver region will be affected by an Earthquake. Whether the 'Big One' hit's in our lifetime or not is an unknown. We all need to be prepared and educated on the topic to some degree for the event and the Earthquake just North of Victoria on December 29, 2015 was a great reminder and warning from Mother Nature. The attachment below is a great tool measuring risk for Metro Vancouver and Victoria broken down by Postal Codes...



Some more resources for residents in BC: