Real Estate News & Articles

Commercial market has survived worst of recession

2009-06-24

Rebound expected to start by 2011: report Derrick Penner Sun British Columbia's commercial real estate markets started their downturn long before the current recession began and have likely passed through the worst of times, a new report fr…

Government considers more requests for leaky-condo repair loans

2009-06-24

More funding 'makes sense,' housing minister says Jonathan Fowlie Sun The provincial agency that hands out leaky-condo repair loans has applied to the government for money so it can continue to operate through the current slowdown. On Tuesd…

'Eat food, not too much, mostly plants'

2009-06-24

For author Michael Pollan, there's a simple prescription for good health Mia Stainsby Sun Author Michael Pollan, shown here at the UBC Farm, says 'food' does not include 'food-like substitutes.' Photograph by: Jenelle Schneider, Vancouver S…

Funds short to fix leaky condos

2009-06-23

Octogenarian owner fearful $300,000 loan may not go through Kent Spencer Province James Balderson inspects rot caused by leaking water behind a baseboard in the kitchen of a neighbour's leaky Vancouver condo. 'People are despairing,' says c…

Existing home sales rise 2.4% in May

2009-06-23

USA Today WASHINGTON (Reuters) — Sales of previously owned homes in the United States rose at a slower-than-expected pace in May, an industry survey showed Tuesday, pointing to a sluggish recovery from the severe economic recession. T…

Olympic Village costs top $1 billion

2009-06-21

Documents show council fighting a losing battle with project overruns Damian Inwood Province The $1-billion Olympic Village is silhouetted by the setting sun. Photograph by: Gerry Kahrmann, The Province The wheels started coming off the $1-…

Sell it with a great first impression

2009-06-21

It's not a magic wand, but it is key to making property stand out from the competition Lena Sin Province Neutralize your colour palette and de-personalize by removing family photos. — PHOTO COURESY OF STAGING ETC. Master bedrooms are …

Duplexes need strata insurance

2009-06-21

Tony Gioventu Province Dear Condo Smarts: We live in a duplex on the Sunshine Coast . Our neighbours had a small fire on their deck that caused about $8,000 damage to the building siding, the deck and patio doors. They contacted their insur…

Tax deductible mortgages in Canada are worth the hassle

2009-06-21

Revenue unlikely to challenge if done properly Jonathan Chevreau Sun With a little bit of extra work, Canadians are able to deduct their mortgage interest. Photograph by: Peter J. Thompson, National Post, Financial Post Unlike Americans, wh…

Leaky-condo repair loans halted

2009-06-20

B.C. government says drop in revenue from construction slowdown has forced changes Jonathan Fowlie Sun Linda Soloshy, a strata council president in Victoria, says owners of 17 units in her 39-unit building have applied to the Homeowner Prot…

Confidential Olympic Village documents made public

2009-06-20

City council releases material in effort to boost transparency Jeff Lee Sun Vancouver city council has released five of several confidential reports involving financing of the Olympic Village project. Saying it was withholding only a small …

Mortgages are a product, and they demand consumer acuity

2009-06-20

Think hard about easy money Kim Pemberton Sun Reed Harris's acquisition of the first home he will both own and occupy was expedited by historically low interest rates. ' . . . with these rates it's silly to rent,' the owner of two Vancouver…

Richards New 18 storey, 226 suite building at 1036 Richards by developer Aquilini drops prices & moves suites

2009-06-20

'We jumped at the opportunity,' young buyer says of half-million-dollar townhouse Michael Sasges Sun The Richards building will rise for 18 storeys above the northeast corner of Richards and Helmcken Streets — and above homes dating t…

A rare opportunity on east coast of the Island

2009-06-20

Houses are bounded by forest on three sides and beach and strait on the fourth Douglas Cowell Sun The Qualicum Landing construction manager, Jim Ferrie, calls the architectural style of the homes Westcoast Cape Cod. His mother likes what sh…

New netbook wins kudos for sleek design

2009-06-20

Gillian Shaw Sun Eee PC 1008HA Seashell, Asus 3M Privacy Filters Micro-Flip tabletop projection screens, Elite Screens Eee PC 1008HA Seashell, Asus $430 US. The latest netbook from the folks who started the craze to smaller, lighter mini no…

IPhone 3GS has a better camera, editing

2009-06-20

Test drive of the new features was worth the wait: They raise the bar for smartphones Gillian Shaw Sun The iPhone 3GS (above) at the 5th Avenue Apple store in New York. Happy customers (right) celebrate after purchasing the first of Apple&#…

Travel section of Microsoft’s search engine reduces steps to a booked trip

2009-06-20

JEN LEO Sun The travel section of Bing ( www.bing.com/travel ) is one of the major upsides to Microsoft’s new search engine. The level of integration within the search feature makes shopping for travel a more informed experience from …

New law would force Internet firms to install cyber wiretap technology

2009-06-19

Online advocates say high costs could bankrupt small service providers Jorge Barrera Sun Government legislation introduced in Parliament on Thursday will help authorities catch up to the "bad guys" who've had the run of cyberspace for too l…

Breaking a mortgage can be costly

2009-06-19

Looking to lock in today's low rates? There are ways to save money, but no substitutes for advice, expert says Derrick Penner Sun Homeowners looking to break their mortgages to save money should beware: It can be expensive. Whether it is an…

Province stalls on low-cost housing

2009-06-18

Sun A "bold move" to build affordable housing on 12 city-owned sites in Vancouver has stalled 18 months after the provincial government announced the plan to provide more shelter for the poor. Housing Minister Rich Coleman promises six of t…

City's Olympic-village liquor megastore faces a challenge

2009-06-18

No public hearing necessary despite competing bid, staff says Jeff Lee Sun The private liquor outlet planned for the Olympic village would be the city's third-largest. Photograph by: Ward Perrin, Vancouver Sun files There are no residents y…

As rents increase, low-income tenants are shut out: report

2009-06-18

Mary Frances Hill Sun Unscrupulous landlords and ineffective rent controls are driving welfare recipients out of single-room occupancy hotels and onto the streets, according to a report by a Downtown Eastside housing activists' group. The n…

Bill would allow police to intercept Internet messages

2009-06-18

Tech-savvy criminals make law update necessary, government says, but privacy advocates are opposed Janice Tibbetts Sun Police will be given new powers to eavesdrop on Internet-based communications as part of a contentious government bill, t…

How to minimize cottage tax hassles

2009-06-18

Poor planning can cost you and your family dearly Jonathan Chevreau Sun You have to plan ahead when it comes to passing on the family cottage to your children. Photograph by: Peter Redman, National Post Assuming our political leaders won't …