Vancouver's Real Estate Market

[MarkyMark]

Originally Posted by Digitalis

Imagine a few decades after you work and your shoebox condo is worth 3M or whatever X number they decide to use.... You'd be perfectly fine with being told to sell or GTFO out the city because you can't afford it? First world cities have no need for your kind, pack it up and move to a second rate or third rate city you old git!

Can't even pass on what you earned to your kids (having the option to). Is that really getting ahead in life? If your ok with that then we may as well all be renters and let the gov own everything.

Everyone was cheering when he went putting blame on the evil foreigners driving up housing costs, now he goes targetting the middle class and that isn't a problem.

They "fix" one thing with the foreign investors and come up with another way to get more tax money.

Gov mismanagement of funds is clearly the problem. You people want to roll over to this then expect more taxes to come. Just make sure to blame yourself and not the politicians when that happens.

No one's telling them they have to sell, they can defer and when it comes time to sell they will still be so far ahead it won't even matter. They are being greedy, they didn't do anything except buy into a place that blew up and is now worth an insane amount more than they paid for it. They are acting like they are going to end up under water over this when in reality they will die rich as fuck and their kid will inherit a fuck load of wealth.

[leilomo]

Yet condo prices keep climbing and new communities and developments are all in the pipeline.

Go figure.

Vancouver growth, on a longer term scale will continue to go up. YVR has an extensive expansion plan in place until 2030 (I think) to feed the continued population growth. I don't think growth will fizzle out any time soon. But just my 0.02

[Ch28]

Originally Posted by MarkyMark

No one's telling them they have to sell, they can defer and when it comes time to sell they will still be so far ahead it won't even matter. They are being greedy, they didn't do anything except buy into a place that blew up and is now worth an insane amount more than they paid for it. They are acting like they are going to end up under water over this when in reality they will die rich as fuck and their kid will inherit a fuck load of wealth.

It's good to know there aren't brain-dead people on this forum that understand how it works.

[Harvey Specter]

Originally Posted by zyzzjr

Home Sales Down 27.4 Percent In Vancouver Hitting A 17-Year Low For April | Link Newspaper

Home Sales Down 27.4 Percent In Vancouver Hitting A 17-Year Low For April

Sellers and realtors are still living in 2015. Prices are too high, they need to come down.

[G]

I've been shopping around and I noticed a couple listings drop 20-30K and still have no bites lol.

[stewie]

Best rates available right now?

I'm at 3.44 right now for a 5 year fixed. Any better rates available?

[Ludepower]

I just signed 2.9% variable 5 years with TD.
5 year fix was 3.49%

I hear BMO has a 2.49% variable rate right now.

[yameen]

I had a friend that signed with RBC for 3.19% 5 year fixed. Don't know how he got that but it was before the rate hike from last week which is a great rate. Right now I think you guys can get 3.3-3.4% 5 years fixed. Just gotta shop around.

[bcedhk]

is it still a popular option to go find a mortgage broker? or will the banks variable rate usually be the best option? (but risky)

[winson604]

Originally Posted by bcedhk

is it still a popular option to go find a mortgage broker? or will the banks variable rate usually be the best option? (but risky)

Still popular from what I can tell, I went with a buddy who's a broker just started my mortgage a week ago. 5 year fixed 3.39

[Sw0op]

friend just got approved last weekend @ 3.09 for 5 years fixed

was @ TD..said they were the worst

[UFO]

Originally Posted by hud 91gt

I stepped foot in Vancouver for the first time in 6 weeks since moving on Saturday. Holy shit I was about to explode after driving around for and hour in the kits/downtown. Fuck that place lol. Too bad I told my fiancé we can move back someday hahaha.

That's not an uncommon sentiment in my circle of peers mid 30's who have moved out to the 'burbs. It's nice and friendly like og Vancouver used to be. Good to see kids playing on the block with other neighbourhood kids, everyone watching out for each other.

For our circle who've outgrown the party scene and don't particularly enjoy the cosmopolitan feel, there's really nothing that Vancouver proper offers (aside from employment)

[fliptuner]

And food options

[lowside67]

BMO is currently offering Prime - 1.00% = 2.45%

PM me - I can refer you to a good BMO mortgage lender who can get your deal done.

Disclaimer - I am a BMO employee; I don't get paid directly for mortgages but referring people to other parts of the bank is considered a good thing for my overall performance.

-Mark

[CivicBlues]

Originally Posted by UFO

That's not an uncommon sentiment in my circle of peers mid 30's who have moved out to the 'burbs. It's nice and friendly like og Vancouver used to be. Good to see kids playing on the block with other neighbourhood kids, everyone watching out for each other.

For our circle who've outgrown the party scene and don't particularly enjoy the cosmopolitan feel, there's really nothing that Vancouver proper offers (aside from employment)

Oh please, yet another self-righteous newly minted suburbanite millenial trying to justify their move to the boonies. Really, Vancouver has nothing over your burb*? How about food options outside of the Cactus Club/Earls/Milestones? How about a commute that's less than 30 minutes long? 3 Skytrain lines? Buses that come less than 30 mins apart? How 'bout Theater, Opera, and other Performing Arts options. The SeaWall(s), the beaches, Stanley Park, and Street Festivals in the summer. Not everyone living in Vancouver is into the 'party' scene (whatever you define that is), but some of us just value 'living' over more space and more stuff.

So enjoy the suburbs for the peace + quiet and space it gives for you and your kids. Enjoy it for it's value proposition and ample parking. There's no need to pooh pooh over the City of Vancouver just to make yourself feel better about your decision.


*not counting the inner burbs like Burnaby, Richmond which are practically Vancouver.

[68style]

^
I don't have enough money left over after my mortgage etc. every month to enjoy any of those city things

[Spoon]

Only thing I recall about living in Vancouver were illegal basement suites everywhere cause new buyers can't afford their mortgages without them. Parking became a gong show cause now you've got multiple families living in places that were meant for one and the whole block's lined up with cars. It was almost impossible to park in your own front lawn.

[Traum]

Originally Posted by Spoon

Only thing I recall about living in Vancouver were illegal basement suites everywhere cause new buyers can't afford their mortgages without them. Parking became a gong show cause now you've got multiple families living in places that were meant for one and the whole block's lined up with cars. It was almost impossible to park in your own front lawn.

Don't put it this way, man. The homeowners are just trying to make life work. If the houses and property taxes weren't so bloody expensive, I bet none of them would want to share their basement with some stranger and lose the use of it for themselves.

If anything, I am far angrier with the municipal government directly replacing low density housing with high density housing without addressing the associated traffic infrastructure beforehand. Parking in your own low density residential area is a far smaller problem than the major traffic gong show we face everyday.

[Digitalis]

If your not communting into vancouver a sub 30 min commute isn't a big deal. Infact i'd rather do a longer commute in order to get out of 2nd gear. In Vancouver your better off with sub 100hp that can fit in a smaller parking spot.
What the hell do I want 3 skytrain lines for when theres plenty of parking if i'm in the burbs?

Dont eat out anymore because I can't trust the fillers and crap they put in food, not an issue. Prefer growing as much of my own produce anyway.

Enjoy your seawall in the summer, see how far you can make it without getting run over by some idiot on the ped/bike lanes. Hey at least with cars you've got insurance.

Street festivals? You mean road closures? Yeah i'd rather not have to check the news every day incase some hippies decide that cars are evil.

I'll take any extra money saved in another property/investment or even relaxation and trips away.

Originally Posted by CivicBlues

Oh please, yet another self-righteous newly minted suburbanite millenial trying to justify their move to the boonies. Really, Vancouver has nothing over your burb*? How about food options outside of the Cactus Club/Earls/Milestones? How about a commute that's less than 30 minutes long? 3 Skytrain lines? Buses that come less than 30 mins apart? How 'bout Theater, Opera, and other Performing Arts options. The SeaWall(s), the beaches, Stanley Park, and Street Festivals in the summer. Not everyone living in Vancouver is into the 'party' scene (whatever you define that is), but some of us just value 'living' over more space and more stuff.

So enjoy the suburbs for the peace + quiet and space it gives for you and your kids. Enjoy it for it's value proposition and ample parking. There's no need to pooh pooh over the City of Vancouver just to make yourself feel better about your decision.


*not counting the inner burbs like Burnaby, Richmond which are practically Vancouver.

[CivicBlues]

So all your gripes about Vancouver are car owner/traffic related and related to personal dietary choices you've made?

I still drive in the city. Is traffic worse than 10 years ago? 5 years ago? You're damn right it is.

But drivers are still (mostly) courteous and generally it''s still a low stress affair. You make it sound like traffic in Surrey, Coquitlam, Langley, etc. is a cake walk. I rarely have to worry about assholes in pickup trucks cutting me off at 80kph on a 2 lane "highway" with traffic lights at every intersection. Most stressful part of my commute is waiting for clueless c-lais parallel parking. Oh and stopping for pedestrians which I don't mind during the summer as it's mostly young ladies walking around in shorts now where I live

I drive less than 10km a day and spend a total of about 30 mins total in my car now. I get out and walk the rest of the time, you'll live longer that way - probably more so than growing your own vegetables.

[CivicBlues]

Originally Posted by Spoon

Only thing I recall about living in Vancouver were illegal basement suites everywhere cause new buyers can't afford their mortgages without them. Parking became a gong show cause now you've got multiple families living in places that were meant for one and the whole block's lined up with cars. It was almost impossible to park in your own front lawn.

yeah this is a problem only found in Vancou...oh wait Surrey

[originalhypa]

You both make good arguments.
Truth is, the suburbs suck outside of family, sport, education amenities. Surrey and Maple Ridge are garbage. Langley is so busy that it's more like Richmond now with it's density and lack of infrastructure. And who the hell wants to live in Abbotsford?
But Vancouver is also a bit of a cesspool. Scratch the surface under the crystal towers and fancy cars, and it's not very pretty. Drugs, crime, complacency are all earmarks of a big urban hole.

[CivicBlues]

lol you're absolutely right hypa, Vancouver=Detroit and everyone's fleeing with their lives to the suburbs to escape.

[yray]

civicblues being more hipster than dukes

[Manic!]

Just move to Nanaimo. We lots of great driving roads, lakes, beaches, trails all within a 10 minute drive. The people are also a lot more friendlier.