Condo insurance: ‘sleeper cost’ for new owners to investigate
Posted on Jan 30, 2020 in Insurance
You may have seen on the news this month that some condo owners have been hit with enormous increases for insurance.
The one that caught everybody’s attention was a high rise in Abbotsford, where owners were stunned by a 780 per cent increase, from $66,000 in 2019 to $588,000 this year.
For them, it’s a shocking hit to the budget. For baby boomers th...
The three most important words in real estate
Posted on Jan 23, 2020 in Real estate market
Everybody has heard them.
Location. Location. Location.
This is important for everybody to remember, of course, but it’s especially important for first-time buyers who are experiencing their “first rodeo.”
As an investor, it might be wise to buy the smallest house on the “best” street, because the best street is likely to attract more interest from th...
Home owner grant threshold down $125,000 for 2020
Posted on Jan 20, 2020 in Government and real estate
Home owner grants may be eligible to home owners whose property is worth $1,525,000 or less.
That’s the new threshold for applying in 2020, and it was set at the same time as your property assessment, which should have arrived by now.
The regular grant is $570 for qualifying home owners in the Lower Mainland — it could be as high as $845 for seniors...
This week’s selling tip: about home staging…
Posted on Jan 16, 2020 in Selling a house
If you know what a home stager is, chances are you have experience as a “home seller” or maybe you’ve even hired an expert to “stage” your home.
If not, you could call home staging “professional preparation.”
Most home stagers will tell sellers that the single most important thing to do in preparing your home for sale is to de-clutter it.
The idea is...
Vancouver, Toronto markets ‘unique’ for interest-rate strategy
Posted on Jan 13, 2020 in Interest rates
In case you missed it, the Bank of Canada governor (Stephen Poloz) was in Vancouver last week to discuss a possible change in what the bank call its “overnight interest rate” and the implication of a change on housing markets.
It was clear that the Vancouver and Toronto markets are, well, unique and so is their impact should there be a rate change.
...
BC Assessment appeal deadline January 31
Posted on Jan 09, 2020 in Property Assessment
The envelope shows up in your mailbox. You know who it’s from...BC Assessment. You’re not sure if you want to open it or not.
If your property assessment is less, you’re going to feel your house has just depreciated.
If it’s more, there go the taxes.
This is happening to homeowners throughout the province this month.
If you have questions about your as...