On November 24, 2022, the BC Government passed amendments to the Strata Property Act which take immediate effect. There are two significant changes impacting REALTORS^® dealing with strata properties, as well as their clients: 

• all rental restriction bylaws are removed, except for bylaws restricting short-term rentals such as Airbnb or Vrbo, and 
• all age restriction bylaws are removed, with the exception of “seniors only” (55-plus) rules. This means that a strata will no longer be allowed to have 19-plus age restrictions.  

READ MORE HERE

Delicious autumn!

My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns - George Eliot

Here is your chance to ready your home for cold weather, Vancouver rains, and all that Fall & Winter have to offer. As the seasons change, once again it's time to perform some home maintenance.

Here are 10 yearly tasks that will help keep your household in working order when the temperatures drop.

1. Clean Gutters: Do so frequently. Clogged gutters can result in standing water and roof damage. Plus, if you clean them frequently, you're less likely to have to deal with decomposing leaves.

2. Mow and trim: It seems counter intuitive, but Fall is a wonderful time to both fertilize and reseed your lawn. A maintained lawn improves a home's value and saleability. Use this time to trim shrubs and grass one last time so that your yard stands out, even in a dormant season.

3. Prune trees: With Winter comes ice. With ice comes broken limbs. Take advantage of nice weather and cut back or remove precarious limbs. It only takes one heavy snow or ice to weigh down a limb and damage property.

4. Powerwash: Driveways, sidewalks, decks, and patios can get quite grimy during the summer months. Invest in a powerwasher and you'll be surprised how clean you can get them!

5. Outdoor Living: Some furniture is made to be stored during rainy or snowy seasons. Clear a place in your garage or shed for the items. Consider covering them with a tarp and storing cushion in vacuum seal bags.

6. Heating Systems: Check furnaces and change filters. Not only will it boost efficiency, but it will also save you money in the process.

7. Check for Leaks: Recaulk around windows and doors to help prevent heat from escaping.

8. Fireplace: You don't want a chimney fire. Be sure to have your chimney swept or cleaned each year.

9. Piping: Check pipes for insulation to prevent freezing and bursting.

Every season holds different responsibilities for a homeowner. Be sure to stay on top of tasks each season to maintain your home's value!

While a recent Royal LePage survey found that a large number of millennials haven’t given up on their dream of owning a home, many Canadians continue to live in shared accommodations – whether with family or roommates. But, just because you live with others… doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a space to call your own.

Here are our top five tips to make your space feel special and private when co-living:

While higher mortgage rates are creating affordability challenges for homebuyers this year, there is some good news for those people still looking to buy a home.

As the market has cooled this year, some of the intensity buyers faced during the peak frenzy of the pandemic has cooled too. Here are just a few trends that may benefit you when you go to buy a home today.

1. More Homes To Choose from
During the pandemic, housing supply hit a record low at the same time buyer demand skyrocketed. This combination made it difficult to find a home because there just weren’t enough to meet buyer demand. According to the real Estate Board of greater Vancouver, the # of homes for sale increased by 20% this September compared to September 2021. Even though supply is still lower than more normal levels, you have more to choose from in your home search. That makes finding your dream home a bit less difficult!

2. Bidding Wars Have Eased
One of the top stories in real estate over the past two years was the intensity and frequency of competition. But today, things are different. With more options, you’ll likely see less competition from other buyers looking for homes. If you tried to buy a house over the past two years, you probably experienced the bidding war frenzy firsthand and may have been outbid on several homes along the way. Now you have a chance to jump back into the market and enjoy searching for a home with less competition.

3. More Negotiation Power
And when you have less competition, you also have more negotiating power as a buyer. Over the last two years, more buyers were willing to skip important steps in the homebuying process, like the appraisal or inspection, to try to win in competition. Our experience today is that unconditional offers are very rare.

As a buyer, this is good news. It is so important and less stressful to have the opportunity for complete due diligence on your purchase.

Bottom Line
While buyers still face challenges today, they’re not necessarily the same ones you may have been up against just a year or so ago. If you were outbid or had trouble finding a home in the past, now may be the moment you’ve been waiting for. Partner with your local real estate professional to start the homebuying process today.