Real Estate News & Articles

Developers told to target Gastown Chinatown

2004-04-23

Planners aim to halt conversion of commercial space to condominiums Frances Bula Sun VANCOUVER - Vancouver is poised to clamp down on the impending rush to convert downtown office space into condos in an effort to prevent the central city f…

Internet saviour just 'small guy on shoulders of giants'

2004-04-23

International security conference is 'geek central' for 'spooks, military guys, government,' top companies Maurice Bridge Sun The Man Who Saved the Internet is a little embarrassed. "I don't think I saved the Internet, I think I'm a small g…

Homeowners warm to tankless heating's water, energy savings

2004-04-23

European system finally adapted to North American market David Bradley Sun Tankless water heaters are small, natural gas units wall-mounted either in or outside the home as pictured. CREDIT: David Bradley, Associated Press North Americans l…

Interest-rate reduction predicted

2004-04-23

Sun TORONTO -- Economic growth this year will disappoint the Bank of Canada and prompt a further reduction in short-term interest rates, CIBC World Markets economist Jeff Rubin predicted Thursday. His statement follows by one day prediction…

Yellow spice could help with cystic fibrosis

2004-04-23

Clinical trials are slated for turmeric, the yellow spice common in curries Margaret Munro Sun Turmeric, the bright yellow spice common in curries, appears to have potent medicinal power that could help alleviate cystic fibrosis, a debilita…

Interest-rate hike predicted 'sooner'

2004-04-22

TD Bank among those expecting Bank of Canada to raise rates this year, not next Eric Beauchesne Sun OTTAWA - Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan's conviction the U.S. economy is in a "vigorous expansion" and new evidence that the Canadi…

Prof sees 'time bomb' in prospect of rising rates, falling house values

2004-04-22

Michael McCullough Sun Shrinking mortgage rates have been tied to Greater Vancouver's residential construction boom CREDIT: CanWest News Service   Is the house-price bubble about to pop? With the bond market edging upward and Bank of C…

Eifs - everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask

2004-04-22

WATER-MANAGEMENT:THE FUTURE OF EIFS Jim Reicherts Other Manager-Exterior Panels and Systems http://www.usg.com/gyprels/reicht.htm United States Gypsum Company In late 1995, local building inspectors in New Hanover County , N.C. discovered t…

Downtown bars agree to change closing time to 3 a.m.

2004-04-22

Frances Bula Sun VANCOUVER - City bar owners have agreed to roll back their late-night closings from 4 a.m. to 3 a.m. to try to eliminate problems caused by people driving in from the suburbs to put in an extra two extra hours' drinking tim…

World scrambles to fix flaw that threatens the internet

2004-04-21

Sun WASHINGTON -- A researcher has uncovered a serious flaw in the underlying technology for nearly all Internet traffic, a discovery that led to an urgent and secretive international effort to prevent global disruptions of Web surfing, e-m…

Some Gastown streets to revert to 2-way operation

2004-04-21

The main arteries of Water and Cordova will remain one-way Michael McCullough Sun Starting this weekend, navigating Gastown will become easier for tourists and other out-of-towners, if a bit of an adjustment for commuters. And for Gastown m…

Crazy new gizmos that heal, kill and entertain

2004-04-21

Medical mood ring will keep doctors in their patient's loop Misty Harris Sun Although it has been baptized as a mood ring, the device is actually aimed at measuring people's physiological responses. CREDIT: Vancouver Sun Wireless technology…

Scientists put Einstein to the test again

2004-04-20

Earth orbiter will try to determine whether gravity does indeed bend time, space Tom Spears Sun Canadian and U.S. scientists will spend the next year testing whether Einstein was right or wrong in thinking that Earth -- and other heavenly b…

Soaring property values mean rising provincial tax demands

2004-04-19

Some home buyers have been hit with tax demands for an extra $4,000 or more Michael Kane Sun Soaring real estate values have contributed to a doubling of revenues from provincial property transfer tax over the past five years. That revelati…

Hastings Mill Store important part of Vancouver history

2004-04-19

Sun VANCOUVER - Hastings Mill Store, the only building that was built before Vancouver 's Great Fire of June 13th, 1886 that is still standing, endures as an important part of Vancouver 's heritage. Vancouver 's first store and post office …

Extra mortgage payments save bundle

2004-04-18

Province Mortgages are cheap right now but as a home buyer you'll still pay a ton of money in interest charges over a typical 25-year term. But putting aside an extra $10 or $20 a week can save you thousands of dollars in the long run. Even…

Avtar Bains drops after twenty years at the tip

2004-04-17

VANCOUVER I 'King of commercial real estate' Avtar Bains still loves his work, but community service calls Maurice Bridge Sun   'Where we want to go with our family, both my direct family and my global family, does dictate a change of …

Buyer beware of pre-sale condo market frenzy - Ozzie Jurock

2004-04-17

Ozzie Jurock Sun The cost of a home has shot up by 29 per cent in San Diego , and by 40 per cent in the surrounding suburbs. Los Angeles is up 23 per cent. The median average price of a house in San Francisco is $636,000 US. Here in B.C., p…

Pantages theatres were known for opulence

2004-04-17

Sun The Pantages Theatre was built in 1907-8 by show-biz legend Alexander Pantages , and is the oldest survivor of a chain of 70 vaudeville houses that stretched across North America . Pantages Theatres were known for their opulence and sev…

Wing Sang builder had CPR connection

2004-04-17

HISTORY I Yip Sang was involved in recruiting many of the labourers who helped build the railway John Mackie Sun The Wing Sang, onetime unofficial bank of Chinatown. CREDIT: Glenn Baglo, Vancouver Sun The Wing Sang building was built in 188…

Old buildings slated for makeover

2004-04-17

HERITAGE I The former Pantages is the oldest theatre in Western Canada John Mackie Sun The Pantages, seen with adjacent lots, would be restored in conjunction with an additional development such as a high-rise housing complex. CREDIT: Vanco…

Bank raises mortgage rates again

2004-04-16

Sun Canada 's big banks raised long-term mortgage rates by more than a quarter of a percentage point Thursday. The Royal Bank, the Bank of Montreal, CIBC, TD Canada Trust and National Banks all announced rates on two-year to 10-year mortgag…

'Average' home price in Manhattan is $1 million U.S.

2004-04-16

Steven Edwards Province NEW YORK -- Think Vancouver house prices are high? You need to be a millionaire to buy an "average" apartment in Manhattan today, and out of that amount you'll at best come away with just $1,095 to furnish it. One ne…

Housing sales set record

2004-04-16

Elaine O'Connor Province The housing bubble continued to balloon last month as B.C. home sales set yet another record, this time an all-time high. B.C. Real Estate Association reported total home sales broke the $3-billion mark in March, po…