The Canadian and British Columbia governments are complicit in fuelling Vancouver's housing crisis as foreign Chinese buyers continue to shut local residents out of the market, a new study says.

Josh Gordon, the study's author and assistant professor in the School of Public Policy at Simon Fraser University, said people's dreams of owning a home are being crushed because they can't compete with foreign investors and no longer accept "distraction" excuses such as low interest rates for the state of the super-heated market.

"People recognize what's going on, and they're willing to call a spade a spade," he said, stressing that such views are based on reality, not racism.

His report compiles a number of other studies, including data on home-buying

…

Millionaire homeowners cashing out of Metro Vancouver’s red-hot real estate market are seeking greener pastures elsewhere in B.C.

Real-estate experts say they’re seeing more city slickers selling off their urban homes and heading north or east to buy hobby farms and acreages, where they can live off the land with cash to spare.

And in regions where property prices haven’t yet been affected by the Vancouver market, some realtors say it’s only a matter of time. Landcor Data Corporation tallied 3,226 sales of single-family detached properties of more than two acres in 2015, up from 2,988 in 2014. The real estate data and analysis firm also counted 1,139 units of residential, vacant land larger than two acres sold in 2015, up from 803 in 2014.

Ian

…

Today’s world is moving faster than ever, and that includes the exchange of money.

How often do you make financial decisions per day, 10, 20, 30 times? Whether it’s the decision to buy organic food, new sports equipment for the kids, or gas for the car, financial decisions are a huge and fundamental part of our everyday life. Would it help if our kids had some guidance on how to make all those little decisions effectively, so they can create a solid financial future? You bet; there is an epidemic of adult children staying in their parents’ homes or moving back home because they cannot financially support themselves. Check out this NEFE study on parents financially supporting adult children.

When do you need to start? Now. There is a real urgency to

…

Vancouver, BC – April 15, 2016.

The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that a record 12,560 residential unit sales were recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in March, up 38 per cent from March of last year. Home sales last month eclipsed the previous record of 11,683 unit sales in May of 2007. Total sales dollar volume was $9.69 billion
in March, up 66.9 per cent compared to the previous year. The average MLS® residential price in the province was up 20.2 per cent year-over-year, to $771,620.

“Housing demand has never been stronger in the province,” said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. “Most large population centres of the province are now experiencing record levels of housing demand.”
“Strong employment growth,

…

Anyone who's ever moved can tell you how much of a hassle it is

And spring and summer are peak times for moving. Matt Guest, owner of First Rate Movers Inc. , helped compile this list of moving to-dos to take some of the stress out of the process.

RESERVATIONS

Try to book a moving company or a truck as early as you can to make sure you have what you need on the date you need it. Guest says that although the busiest times for moving companies is between April and August, it's even worse during the last week of each month. Make arrangements sooner rather than later.

NOTIFY & COLLECT DOCUMENTS

If you're moving out of the area, make sure to let all the firms you deal with know about a month before the move so they can collect your records - in

…

10 tips for first-time home buyers in Kamloops

How to navigate the real estate market

Home buyers are currently caught in a storm of low inventory, high demand and tight credit availability. 

In these market conditions, even simple tactics or connections a potential home buyer can have could make the difference between owning a home or not.

1. Know what you can afford  

When looking for a new home, make your search more effective by knowing how much home you can afford. Carefully calculate the overall monthly payments. Be sure to include additional costs like property taxes, property transfer tax, insurance premiums, homeowners insurance, homeowners' association dues (if applicable), etc. Look at your monthly budget to understand how…

Selling your home don't forget the BBQ!

When Marc and Jen Robinson were looking to sell their home, their real estate agent advised them to spruce up their barbecue.

“He said it would add value to our backyard,” says Marc, a health-care professional, 34. “The problem is that our barbecue is old and very well used.” He asked whether it’s worth cleaning the old grill or whether investing in a new one would be smarter.

“In some cases neglect can cause a barbecue to seriously decay and start falling apart. In the worst cases it can even become dangerous,” says Charles Munro of Barbeque Pro Inc. “If your barbecue was purchased for under $400 and is heavily used, you may want to opt for a new cheap one.” For listing purposes, you don’t have to worry

…

So you are going to sell your Kamloops home.

Obviously you need get the maximum price possible for your home. so what’s the best tactic for getting multiple offers?

The market in Kamloops continues to be a sellers market (low inventory is still an issue right now) and will continue until one of the market variables changes. How to work with listing agents in Kamloops

So how do you, the seller, make sure you are able to make the most amount of money possible from the market conditions? Creating demand is a fundamental aspect of attaining multiple offers while selling Kamloops real estate, and there are many ways to do so and a pretty specific path to follow. Your Realtor will discuss each of the options with you and give you the ones to do for

…

Everyone wants to live in a beautiful home.

We all a house that attracts compliments from friends and family. It is a proud feeling, indeed, when you stay in a home that is the envy of entire neighborhood. Owning such a home, however, is no piece of cake. Even if not too much, it still does require a certain amount of effort, time and knowledge to keep it well-maintained and updated.

People who live in houses with front yards or lawns need to be more patient and careful about taking good care of the grass and foliage and keep it free of uninvited pests, insects and rodents.

Enhancing the curb appeal of your home is all about increasing the visual appeal of your front yard or lawn, which in turn, elevates the overall splendor of your home

…

The spring home-buying season is in full swing.

But there is just one problem: Low housing inventory in most price points of the market.

And no matter how much the demand is there and how much lenders are willing lend, it means little if there are no houses to buy.

As a result, the few houses left end up being fought over in multiple offers, leaving many borrowers without a house.

Here are a few tips that may help you win a multiple offer situation:

1. Offer Full Price or More. Money is a major factor in a seller’s decision, but not the only one.
2. Good sized deposit. Show the seller you are committed with a good sized deposit to stand by your “word” (purchase agreement) to buy the home.
3. Cash is King. Go in with cash if possible to

…