Real Estate News & Articles

Housing sector ringing in happy New Year

2006-01-01

REAL ESTATE: No 'bubble' here Ashley Ford Sun Starts may fall off this year due to careful scheduling by builders already working trades to capacity. Photograph by : The Associated Press First the good news. Greater Vancouver's amazing hous…

THE SHOW HOMES

2005-12-31

Expect more notice of our passions, less of our possessions Sheryn Calvert Sun One of her 2005 commissions was the show home (above) for the Sawyer's Landing single-family-detached new home project in Pitt Meadows. Sawyer's Landing show hom…

Some new-home 'project'ions - THE MARKET

2005-12-31

Price corrections likely, but limited in location and duration Howard Steiss Sun This accumulation of industry honours very much motivated my request to Adera vice-president Howard Steiss (above, outside the Ledgestone II new-home project i…

Price, affordability drive buyers to suburbs

2005-12-31

Expect higher real estate prices on '06 Jason Craik Sun West Coast Homes invited two of B.C.'s top condo agents to share their thoughts about the new homes market in 2006. Below are those insights from Jason Craik , co-owner of MAC Real Est…

Vancouver real estate market reflects what world thinks

2005-12-31

The fundamentals are all there -- not just for 2006 but through 2009; few development sites downtown Bob Rennie Sun If you forgot to buy real estate you are going to convince us all that it is a bubble. If you have recently purchased real e…

Implementing windfarms

2005-12-30

Proposed Squamish plant would serve global market Brian Lewis Province A $150-million wind-turbine manufacturing plant employing up to 250 workers soon could be blowin’ in the legendary Squamish winds. Windfarm markets are global. &#8…

Construction boom to boost growth

2005-12-30

Paul Luke Province B.C.'s economy will stay in the pink next year and beyond as the province ramps up a slew of huge capital projects, Bank of Montreal says. Powered by infrastructure building, the province will post 4.0-per-cent growth in …

B.C.'s economy continues to grow

2005-12-30

BMO experts forecasting a four-per-cent increase for 2006 Sun The seemingly unstoppable B.C. construction boom, fuelled in part by preparations for the 2010 Winter Olympics, will lead the province to economic growth of four per cent in 2006…

B.C.'s '05 real estate sales hit 100,586, worth $33.3b

2005-12-30

Improving economy, job growth and higher wages drive demand Derrick Penner Sun British Columbia experienced a record year for real estate sales even before the beginning of December, with realtors around the province booking a staggering 10…

City after new live/work tax category

2005-12-28

Model a 'very sustainable approach' that's created taxation difficulties Glenda Luymes Province Co-director of planning Larry Beasley says changes won't affect artists and authors. Photograph by : Ric Ernst, The Province Vancouver City Coun…

Expect commuter chaos with closure

2005-12-28

City, developer need weeks to do repairs John Bermingham Province It will be weeks before the cave-in at Bute and West Pender is repaired, and until then traffic will have to be rerouted, city officials say. The city is now in the process o…

Sinkhole keeps Pender closed for two weeks

2005-12-28

TRAFFIC I 'We'll see how that goes,' city maintenance superintendent says of repair Chad Skelton Sun City officials expect it will take two weeks before the sinkhole on Pender at Bute is fixed. Photograph by : Mark van Manen, Vancouver Sun …

Sinkhole swallows Pender

2005-12-27

AT BUTE: Heavy rains to blame; power cut to nearby highrises Ethan Baron and David Carrigg Province Roadway and sidewalk along West Pender were swallowed by a massive sinkhole that also took down a power pole and cut power to nearby highris…

Spacecraft readied for trip to frontier

2005-12-27

NASA's New Horizons faces the longest journey ever attempted: 15 years to Pluto Nic Fleming Sun Man will take a bold step towards the final frontier of the solar system with the expected launch of the first mission to Pluto and beyond next …

Burst main could close Bute-Pender a week

2005-12-27

Gas line ruptures, pavement, sidewalk collapse at condominium construction site Eva Salinas Sun A 20-centimetre water main burst Monday at the corner of Bute and Pender, swallowing pavement and sidewalk. Photograph by : Stuart Davis, Vancou…

Owners of property in resort employee housing development want resale controls removed

2005-12-27

Doug Ward Sun WHISTLER - The new mayor of Whistler is upset that property owners in an employee housing development are trying to get rid of controls on the resale value of their homes. Sixteen residents in the Barnfield Farm subdivision ar…

Architects map city's future

2005-12-27

Graduate students envision communities becoming more complete as the green zone is protected and alternatives to the car are presented William Boei Sun Concept of livable neighbourhoods in Vancouver, such as these work-and-live buildings al…

Building jobs mean boom has legs

2005-12-24

Bob Ransford Sun My crystal ball is shining with the prospect of a continued buoyant year ahead for local real estate markets. It is all because of the direct connection between real estate and the job creation spawned by increased construc…

B.C.'s economy a roaring engine of job creation

2005-12-24

Gillian Shaw Sun "It is now apparent to us that the availability of skilled workers will have the biggest impact on our ability to keep the economy rolling at its current level in British Columbia." -- Manley McLachlan , president of the Br…

Condos still Canada's most affordable housing option

2005-12-23

Province TORONTO -- Housing affordability improved in the third quarter, thanks to faster income growth and slower home price increases, Royal Bank's RBC Economics division says in its latest housing report. "Even with interest rates going …

Building boom expected in B.C.

2005-12-23

Bruce Constantineau Sun Soaring investment in heavy engineering projects in B.C. will drive the total value of non-residential construction in the province from $9.7 billion last year to a record $13.9 billion by 2007, according to a Credit…

Housing in B.C. becomes more affordable

2005-12-23

Michael Kane Sun Strong income growth means more people can afford to buy a home in British Columbia despite soaring prices, according to a report released Thursday. But it is still as tough to put your own roof over your head as it has bee…

Disposition of property may result in tax hit

2005-12-23

Sun Q: Upon death, what is the maximum amount of residential property that will not have any tax implications? And will one pay probate fees for one's RRSP balance? -- Regino Romero, Coquitlam Chartered accountant Arthur Azana , partner wit…

B.C. retirees counting on RRSPs, home equity

2005-12-22

Michael Kane Sun Investors in British Columbia are counting on registered retirement savings plans and their homes to fund their retirement, poll findings released Wednesday show. They are more likely to own RRSPs than other Canadians and t…