Vancouver's Real Estate Market

[SumAznGuy]

Originally Posted by Gululu

talk about being a hypocrite, Hong Kong people take the cake

Canadians do the same thing.
Look at all the snow birds that leave in the winter and go to Arizona or Florida and then come back in the summer.
Rules of the game, live in Canada for 50% of the time and keep your Canadian benefits.

As long as these are the rules to the game, people will take advantage of what they can. Always has been, always will be.

[NKC ONE]

Originally Posted by Gululu

by your logic, then one can argue that Hong Kong citizens have been dumping shit to Canada for more than decades.

Hongers (not all) are disloyal locusts driven by greed & speculations; HK locusts are the first to snatch up opportunities in sight of capital gains and the first to flock when all utilization have been emptied.


HKers do not commit to being Canadians, they simply are holders of dual citizenship with no loyalties toward Canada. 80% of Hongers have returned to HK, to take advantage of China growth; yet how many of them pay their share of income taxes back to Canada?

Each year federal government transfers hundreds of thousands of cheques to these Hongers living in HK that probably never return to Canada. What a waste of our tax money!



Mainlanders have to give up their China citizenship in order to become Canadian citizen. These folks will never be able to gain China citizenship ever again; they have become true Canadians. Hongers (holders of dual passports) are not true Canadians but rather use Canada as opportunistic risk diversion in case their self-interest turns sour.

talk about being a hypocrite, Hong Kong people take the cake

I can't disagree with anything you said. HKer's will always be HKer's. It's how society taught them to survive. HKer's are as opportunistic as it get. My "shit" was referring to SARS and how easily a market can shift aggressively with something that started so small, literally a guy from China taking a shit. But if you feel HKer's are like a pandemic then best we move on to other topics.

[noclue]

Originally Posted by Gululu

by your logic, then one can argue that Hong Kong citizens have been dumping shit to Canada for more than decades.

Hongers (not all) are disloyal locusts driven by greed & speculations; HK locusts are the first to snatch up opportunities in sight of capital gains and the first to flock when all utilization have been emptied.


HKers do not commit to being Canadians, they simply are holders of dual citizenship with no loyalties toward Canada. 80% of Hongers have returned to HK, to take advantage of China growth; yet how many of them pay their share of income taxes back to Canada?

Each year federal government transfers hundreds of thousands of cheques to these Hongers living in HK that probably never return to Canada. What a waste of our tax money!



Mainlanders have to give up their China citizenship in order to become Canadian citizen. These folks will never be able to gain China citizenship ever again; they have become true Canadians. Hongers (holders of dual passports) are not true Canadians but rather use Canada as opportunistic risk diversion in case their self-interest turns sour.

talk about being a hypocrite, Hong Kong people take the cake

Gululu although it's a charged statement makes a pretty good point. I know many who maxed out BC student loans and grants and left for HK right after graduation. Im pretty sure though as a non-resident they don't get OAS or CPP.

Originally Posted by SumAznGuy

Canadians do the same thing.
Look at all the snow birds that leave in the winter and go to Arizona or Florida and then come back in the summer.
Rules of the game, live in Canada for 50% of the time and keep your Canadian benefits.

As long as these are the rules to the game, people will take advantage of what they can. Always has been, always will be.

This is different. Snowbirds just go there to relax and not make money. Who else won't leave Canadian winter?

[blkgsr]

you guys think now is a good time to sell or in a year(s)

my mortgage is up in april so i'm a little more inclined to sell now

wanting to move away with my wife and basically sell all our shit off in the process

or i keep the house and rent it out while we're gone...did this before, didn't work out so well, don't want the hassle again or having to put extra stress on family members to take care of it

[westopher]

Do you plan on ever moving back into the house? If not I'd say sell. I rented out my condo from 1000kms away and it wasn't fun. Finding good renters can be a nightmare and people are still, for some godforsaken reason continuing to buy Vancouver real estate that they can't afford. I'd say capitalize on peoples emotions and low interest rates, because Canada's economy is quite volatile at the moment. Although its unlikely after all that its been through that vancouvers real estate will ever plummet substantially, its more inflated than ever at the moment for detached homes from what I've read.....which could all be bullshit.

[N8]

^^^this - yep westophers got it spot on. sell now and have no regrets

[Gululu]

Originally Posted by blkgsr

you guys think now is a good time to sell or in a year(s)

my mortgage is up in april so i'm a little more inclined to sell now

wanting to move away with my wife and basically sell all our shit off in the process

or i keep the house and rent it out while we're gone...did this before, didn't work out so well, don't want the hassle again or having to put extra stress on family members to take care of it

is it a house in vancouver?

my suggestion is don't sell now, wait a few more years for an even higher return than you can possibly imagine today.

[Y2K_o__o]

Originally Posted by blkgsr

you guys think now is a good time to sell or in a year(s)

my mortgage is up in april so i'm a little more inclined to sell now

wanting to move away with my wife and basically sell all our shit off in the process

or i keep the house and rent it out while we're gone...did this before, didn't work out so well, don't want the hassle again or having to put extra stress on family members to take care of it

you are not alone
was having a disucssion with co-worker who bought his townhouse 4 years ago and will be moving to Red Deer
Remotely renting it out/ leaving it to family would be hassle for both you and the tenant

[UFO]

Originally Posted by blkgsr

you guys think now is a good time to sell or in a year(s)

my mortgage is up in april so i'm a little more inclined to sell now

wanting to move away with my wife and basically sell all our shit off in the process

or i keep the house and rent it out while we're gone...did this before, didn't work out so well, don't want the hassle again or having to put extra stress on family members to take care of it

I believe you're in the Coquitlam area? If your house is in decent shape, it will sell pretty fast. When we were looking, most 'move in ready' houses were selling above asking within days of listing. And this was back in the fall, when the market is generally slower, but there was also less stock and selection. We found houses generally were selling at 10-17% above 2013 assessed values, which made it tough for us to determine fair market value because the market was a bit emotional and irrational when we bought.

[iEatClams]

It looks like the debate on foreign money is finally starting to happen

OTTAWA — Canadian cities need to have an open debate about the risks and benefits of Chinese money — including “hot” funds brought in by corrupt officials — in Canada’s housing market, according to a former senior Harper government official.

The recommendation comes from David Mulroney, Canada’s ambassador to China from 2009-12 and a former senior foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

In his new book Middle Power, Middle Kingdom, which critically analyzes Canada’s relationship with China, Mulroney devotes a chapter to the impact of China’s emerging class of super-wealthy individuals who are buying up real estate, especially in Toronto and Vancouver.

And he floats some potentially controversial solutions to deal with the downside of foreign money, including a special tax on non-residents and a requirement that foreigners be allowed to invest only in newly constructed housing.

Mulroney challenges the notion advanced by some, especially in the real estate industry, who play down the role of foreign money in Canadian real estate prices.

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“It’s hard to argue that investment from China isn’t having at least some impact on real estate markets in our biggest cities,” he writes.

“This fact should encourage us to have a discussion, either nationally or in our largest cities, about how we get the balance right between providing high-quality affordable housing and encouraging the economic boost that comes from a lively and open real estate market.”

However, Mulroney also said the debate should be guided by factual information and not anecdotal evidence and “urban myths.”

Part of the discussion, according to Mulroney, needs to look at ways to close the door to corrupt former government officials who use ill-gotten millions to buy housing in Canada.

He notes that Canada and the U.S. have been targeted by Operation Fox Hunt, a 2014 initiative that involves dispatching teams of officials to foreign countries to track down ex-bureaucrats.

“The U.S. and Canada are key targets for its investigators. Both places are popular with corrupt officials because both are highly desirable locations in which to house family members and educate children, and neither has an extradition treaty with China,” writes Mulroney, who said Canadian authorities could go “much further” in co-operating with China in its crackdown.

Mulroney cites the research and arguments of University of B.C. geographer David Ley and UBC-affiliated urban planner Andy Yan, who works with Bing Thom Architects.

Yan has studied power usage in Vancouver neighbourhoods to pinpoint absentee rates in areas believed to be targeted by Chinese investors, such as Coal Harbour.

Yan “also makes it clear that it matters little whether the absentee owners are ‘from Calgary or Shanghai.’ The important thing is that someone, somewhere consider the negative impact of absenteeism on the vibrancy of a neighbourhood, avoiding the emergence of what Yan calls a ‘zombie city,’ ” Mulroney writes. “Addressing this fully in cities such as Vancouver and Toronto requires much more civic (and civil) debate than we have seen to date. Ideally, it should be based on fact rather than anecdote — something that argues for collecting data that can help us better understand what’s really happening in the market.”

He suggested Canada look at jurisdictions like Australia, where foreign investors are barred from buying existing housing to encourage a growth in the housing supply.

Canada could also follow the lead of other jurisdictions that have looked at or implemented a special tax on non-resident owners.

“If we levied such a tax in Vancouver and Toronto, for example, its proceeds could be used to support the construction of affordable housing in the downtown sections of both cities.”

Mulroney praises Ottawa’s decision to both overhaul and pare down the Investor Immigrant program, which essentially lets rich foreigners buy visas with a modest investment.

He cites Ley’s book Millionaire Migrants, which raised questions about whether wealthy foreign investors do much to boost local economies.

“But it would have been useful to set it in the context of a more fundamental and more inclusive discussion about what it is to be a resident, a neighbour and a citizen,” he writes.

“That kind of honesty is a prerequisite for developing policies designed to ensure that our cities remain welcoming, affordable, prosperous and livable. Being open to discussing this doesn’t in any way imperil our commitment to building a diverse and tolerant society. But it depends on having more facts than we do now.”



Read more: Former ambassador questions Chinese money in Canadian housing market

London last year raised over $100 million in tax dollars on their new foreign property tax.

Again, I feel our government is turning a blind eye to this. It's not hard for them to start tracking data. How hard is it to ask, hey, where is this money coming from?

But if they start asking that then all the real estate developers and realtors - basically the whole industry will be up in arms. They don't want to jeopardize one of the main industries and income streams in Vancouver.

[blkgsr]

yes coquitlam area, detached house that is now fully renovated, outside need paint and some landscaping but nothing major

there's alot to think about in our situation in that we want to go away again for a year or longer then possibly move away to either SE Asia or South America. After travelling this past year, western ways just annoy me. We're still young enough that priorities have changed and adventure is more important than possessions.

I'm thinking that selling for me right now would just make the travelling alot more stress free but having the house rented would allow me to keep making money off it (paying the mortage and getting extra on top)

ideally when we came back (hoping that house prices have slowed a little or decreased) that I could buy another fixer upper and renovate it again...i'm in construction so this is a very viable option, i could just start a slow renovate and flip process. take a year to do a house and move on so i'm not paying any taxes on it....if the market is right of course.

I'm calling a couple realtors today, i want to start off getting a couple of opinions on what my house is actually worth.

[Mr.HappySilp]

Originally Posted by iEatClams

It looks like the debate on foreign money is finally starting to happen




London last year raised over $100 million in tax dollars on their new foreign property tax.

Again, I feel our government is turning a blind eye to this. It's not hard for them to start tracking data. How hard is it to ask, hey, where is this money coming from?

But if they start asking that then all the real estate developers and realtors - basically the whole industry will be up in arms. They don't want to jeopardize one of the main industries and income streams in Vancouver.

Well if the gov keeps turning a blind eye our real estate market could turn up to be like HK where most people can't afford to buy into the market (Even middle class have no hope). Hopefully it won't be this bad.

A friend of mine in HK makes 2x as much money as me and still can't afford to save enough for a downpayment for a 300sq ft apartment. I feel pretty lucky that I can afford one.....

[waddy41]

Originally Posted by Mr.HappySilp

A friend of mine in HK makes 2x as much money as me and still can't afford to save enough for a downpayment for a 300sq ft apartment. I feel pretty lucky that I can afford one.....

Hong Kong has a 15% tax on foreign buyers, and still mainlanders keep buying

[blkgsr]

met with a realtor last night to get an evaluation on my place...looks like it's the right time in my area to sell and the price was higher than i had really thought until i was looking on MLS at others in the area

what are the standard realtor fees.....7% on the first $100K, then 3.25% on the rest?

I'm getting a lower percentage on the "rest" portion but i just want to know what's standard.

[blkgsr]

what are peoples opinions on using One Percent Realty?

is it too good to be true? do other agents skip over these houses because they don't get as much of a commission?

paying $7800 vs $22000 sure is appealing.

[iEatClams]

^ it is true that other agents skip these houses because they dont get as much commission. Realtors don't necessarily act in the clients best interest.

[iEatClams]

Originally Posted by blkgsr

met with a realtor last night to get an evaluation on my place...looks like it's the right time in my area to sell and the price was higher than i had really thought until i was looking on MLS at others in the area

what are the standard realtor fees.....7% on the first $100K, then 3.25% on the rest?

I'm getting a lower percentage on the "rest" portion but i just want to know what's standard.

7% on first 100K, and 3.25-3.5% on the rest is standard.

[iEatClams]

there's a lot of talk that the low Canadian dollar is helping increase real estate prices right now.

Foreign buyers basically have a 20% premium due to exchange rates. Australia and Canada are seeing huge price increases lately.

[blkgsr]

Originally Posted by iEatClams

^ it is true that other agents skip these houses because they dont get as much commission. Realtors don't necessarily act in the clients best interest.

ya no kidding....but the inventory in my area is rather limited, so i'm hoping that helps overshadow any douche pass ups

[dealt]

Originally Posted by iEatClams

7% on first 100K, and 3.25-3.5% on the rest is standard.

There is no standard commission rate. Any Realtor can charge any amount. The majority charge 7% on the first $100,000 and 2.5% on the balance in the GVRD, not 3.5%.

[iEatClams]

Originally Posted by dealt

There is no standard commission rate. Any Realtor can charge any amount. The majority charge 7% on the first $100,000 and 2.5% on the balance in the GVRD, not 3.5%.

I stand corrected.

[quasi]

Originally Posted by dealt

There is no standard commission rate. Any Realtor can charge any amount. The majority charge 7% on the first $100,000 and 2.5% on the balance in the GVRD, not 3.5%.

You corrected him saying there is no standard rate then posted a rate that most people charge, if most people are charging a certain rate by default that's the standard (market) rate.

[jasonturbo]

Semantics I suppose but there is no standard rate.

There is however the "real estate cartel monopoly, screw people out of their hard earned money 7% on 1st 100k and then 2.5% on remainder" that they expect all realtors to follow.

This is why 1% realty gets screws, big real estate agencies refuse to work with people who are undercutting commision rates.

Can't believe what those fucks charge to browse mls and open doors for people... Can't wait till the Gov eventually steps in with reasonable regulation.

[multicartual]

Originally Posted by jasonturbo

Can't believe what those fucks charge to browse mls and open doors for people... Can't wait till the Gov eventually steps in with reasonable regulation.

Actually... if housing were reasonably priced at like 300k per house then agents wouldn't make THAT much


Those agents selling those 900k homes in a week... niiiiiice

[jasonturbo]

Originally Posted by multicartual

Actually... if housing were reasonably priced at like 300k per house then agents wouldn't make THAT much


Those agents selling those 900k homes in a week... niiiiiice

Agreed, 300k = total commision of 12000, split between two companies, the realtors would get about 3000$/each... Maybe that's reasonable.

What's not reasonable is the pay rate given the skills required to do the work... It's ridiculous to me they have no skin in the game, they should be responsible for the home inspection imo and if they miss something major you should be able to go after the company for compensation given the realtor was hired to act in your best interest etc.

Too bad most realtors (basically every one I know/have met) don't know fuck all about anything, especially finances, economics, or home construction. Then again, why would they, it's what? 6 weeks to complete the course?!

Biggest scam in history imo. It's why the Canadian real estate board is working so hard to protect their monopoly.

I'm going to apologize in advance if I hurt anyone's feelings.