A colleague turned to me during a recent review of Vancouver real estate markets and quipped, “Do you really think prices are going to crash in Vancouver? Just take a look outside today.” The skies were clear, and the city sparkled as sunlight danced off the harbour and cherry blossoms along the Seawall. Really, how […]
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Transit is part of life on the Westside, thanks in large part to UBC as well as several well-established neighbourhoods. Anchored by small-scale retail strips, these village centres helped to focus development in the early days of Vancouver. When the Canadian Pacific Railway began developing West Side homes in the early 20th century, it made […]
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The recent provincial budget delivered great news for those who want to see more affordable housing. We got a glimpse of what was in store in the lieutenant governor’s speech opening the current session of the legislature. Commonly known as the Throne speech, the remarks set forth government’s agenda for the upcoming legislative session. This […]
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There’s been a lot of talk in recent months regarding the impact of the new stress tests for borrowers, the lingering impact of the heightened property transfer tax on foreign purchasers of residential real estate, and, of course, affordability in general. Vancouver’s bid for Amazon’s second headquarters touted the city’s “wide variety of affordable housing […]
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It’s easy to get excited by spring cleaning. The promise of new life, colourful spring flowers, and the coming summer are a goal to work towards. But it’s equally important to be aware of the chores that need doing in the run-up to winter. They might not make your property look more beautiful, but they’re important in preparing it […]
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Parenting is hard work, and even though I don’t have kids, I’ve benefitted from the efforts my parents made to raise me well. Sometimes I look back and groan at the help I got, but I also remember it, knowing they had my best interests at heart. Whether it was flash cards for developing my math and language skills or […]
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Labour Day is a time for workers to enjoy one more summer barbecue. Most students know it as the weekend summer fun ends and work begins. With high temperatures behind them and cooler days ahead, the pressures of school work, social activities and extra-curricular programming resume. Fortunately, the Westside offers a number of highly respected public and […]
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A year ago, I wrote that the province’s move to raise the property transfer tax on foreign nationals’ purchases of residential real estate was good policy implemented badly. “Of all the ham-fisted ways to implement a tax, the province found one that seemed calculated to cause the most angst and uncertainty,” I wrote at the time. No price impact […]
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