Vancouver's Real Estate Market

[supafamous]

Originally Posted by 68style

The "never set foot in Richmond" thing is so stupid, it's one of the best run cities in the entire lower mainland if not the best, they even landscape the islands on many streets ffs... all I ever hear is the bad driver stuff, lol, I been here for my whole life and I've been in 1 car accident that wasn't my fault... and it was a white guy that hit me.

I grew up on the farm side of Richmond (5 Road/Blundell) back when there were still ditches on both sides of the road and while I like visiting I wouldn't consider living there. It is a pretty well run city but it's so brutally car centric and the hub of the city (3 Road) is just such a pain to navigate - biking and walking kinda suck there. BBQ Master and LA Chicken can't be found elsewhere though so I gotta go into Richmond regularly.

Also, it's going to slide into the ocean when the earthquake hits.

[winson604]

Originally Posted by supafamous

Also, it's going to slide into the ocean when the earthquake hits.

Whenever I hear people dead set on not considering Richmond or making comments like geez it was stupid of so and so to buy in Richmond it's always because of the whole earthquake thing. I mean sure I guess?

[Fafine]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

So my buddy’s building is selling 2 bedrooms (3-5 years old building) for 650k in Richmond (close to that new Walmart) why would anyone pay 500-600 to live in such an old building in Burnaby. Seems insane. If it was van west I’d kinda get it because of school district or some shit but Burnaby ?!? Mind blowing for me.

Got a link? Trafalgar there is about that age range

[supafamous]

Originally Posted by winson604

Whenever I hear people dead set on not considering Richmond or making comments like geez it was stupid of so and so to buy in Richmond it's always because of the whole earthquake thing. I mean sure I guess?

I grew up in it and it was talked about a lot in the day and back then it was very obvious that houses were not built on solid foundations - every house had a bit of sinking going on so we were all aware of how soft Richmond was. Being at sea level (just barely) it's also at the most risk of rising sea levels.

If the earthquake doesn't send Richmond (and Ladner and North Delta) into the ocean, the ensuing flood will make it our Katrina.

https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2014/0...ig-quake-city/

This article from 2014 says Richmond won't sink into the ocean but I would say the quote is less reassuring:

“There’s sometimes this myth that liquefaction is going to be all-encompassing in Richmond, but the likelihood is that it will be more sporadic, in various locations throughout the city. But that doesn’t mean we’re not preparing for that,” he tells News1130.

Ok, so just parts of it will sink into the ocean. Which parts!?

More on the dikes: https://www.richmond-news.com/local-...chmond-4771272

[6thGear.]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

So my buddy’s building is selling 2 bedrooms (3-5 years old building) for 650k in Richmond (close to that new Walmart) why would anyone pay 500-600 to live in such an old building in Burnaby. Seems insane. If it was van west I’d kinda get it because of school district or some shit but Burnaby ?!? Mind blowing for me.

Sounds like a bidding war price there

[meme405]

Originally Posted by 68style

The "never set foot in Richmond" thing is so stupid, it's one of the best run cities in the entire lower mainland if not the best, they even landscape the islands on many streets ffs... all I ever hear is the bad driver stuff, lol, I been here for my whole life and I've been in 1 car accident that wasn't my fault... and it was a white guy that hit me.

I dont know about best run cities.

Arguably in terms of financials Burnaby is the best run city in metro vancouver. Having the largest reserve fund dating back to atleast 2017, and managed the highest surplus out of any municipality in 2021 at over $400mil.

North van, west van, coquitlam, burnaby, they all landscape islands, boulevards, etc. What the fuck are you talking about. Lol.

I wouldn't live in richmond for the simple fact that your entire house will become uninhabitable due to liquefaction in even the most minor of earthquakes. Not to mention rising sea levels put the entire city at risk within the next decade.

In regards to the bad drivers, yeah okay you've only been in 1 accident, congrats, but if you actually think that drivers in richmond aren't worse than elsewhere, they actually just are. Anecdotally speaking, I've seen more ridiculous shit in richmond, than anywhere else in Metro Van, and I drive in richmond a way smaller percentage of the time.

I mean where else in vancouver do you see drivers drive down a separated highway going the wrong fucking way. Or driving along the dike in a bike lane?

[sonick]

Originally Posted by meme405

I dont know about best run cities.

Arguably in terms of financials Burnaby is the best run city in metro vancouver. Having the largest reserve fund dating back to atleast 2017, and managed the highest surplus out of any municipality in 2021 at over $400mil.

North van, west van, coquitlam, burnaby, they all landscape islands, boulevards, etc. What the fuck are you talking about. Lol.

I wouldn't live in richmond for the simple fact that your entire house will become uninhabitable due to liquefaction in even the most minor of earthquakes. Not to mention rising sea levels put the entire city at risk within the next decade.

In regards to the bad drivers, yeah okay you've only been in 1 accident, congrats, but if you actually think that drivers in richmond aren't worse than elsewhere, they actually just are. Anecdotally speaking, I've seen more ridiculous shit in richmond, than anywhere else in Metro Van, and I drive in richmond a way smaller percentage of the time.

I mean where else in vancouver do you see drivers drive down a separated highway going the wrong fucking way. Or driving along the dike in a bike lane?

Vancouver:Burnaby :: Richmond:Surrey :: Coquitlam:Port Coquitlam

[Badhobz]

Originally Posted by 68style

Which building?

My building in Richmond is on the other side of the field next to WalMart... 13 years old and a 2 bedroom is $850k

My 1 bed + den is $630k

I'm not doubting you, but I'm genuinely interested... I'd upgrade for almost no cost lol.. I just took a quick look at don't see anything for less than $780 or more

The townhouses next to that WalMart are like $1.5+

His strata fees must be out of control, that dwindles interest really fast in places when the strata fee is $400+

The "never set foot in Richmond" thing is so stupid, it's one of the best run cities in the entire lower mainland if not the best, they even landscape the islands on many streets ffs... all I ever hear is the bad driver stuff, lol, I been here for my whole life and I've been in 1 car accident that wasn't my fault... and it was a white guy that hit me.

This one dropped $30k to $719,000 which still isnt THAT BAD for a 2 bedroom in the heart of richmond (i think it was listed before at 650)

https://www.rew.ca/properties/436407...erty_click=map

Here's another one for 680k although its only 2 bedroom 1 bath

https://www.rew.ca/properties/466694...erty_click=map

all these are better buys than that Burnaby one i think.

[Badhobz]

Originally Posted by winson604

Whenever I hear people dead set on not considering Richmond or making comments like geez it was stupid of so and so to buy in Richmond it's always because of the whole earthquake thing. I mean sure I guess?

i dont get people's comments about richmond and earthquakes. This is mostly older chinese fucks who dont know any better.

IF there's an earthquake all of vancouver is pretty much fucked. yes you might survive it better in Vancouver, or whatnot, but half of that will depend on how your home/apartment was built. if its like the million shitty half assed houses that was built in the last 20-40 years it'll likely collapse on your ass. You might not get flooded, but nobody can guarantee you'll survive a huge earthquake either. Sure richmond will be underwater but at that point there will be limited value in the land that did survive, recovery will take ages, and most likely the economic structure of the city will be so far gone it'll be like the dark ages again for the survivors.

Just look what happened when the highway collapsed and isolated the lower mainland last fall. Ill see you anti richmond fuckers in hell!

[68style]

I’m in my 40’s and people been talking about Richmond sinking and liquefacting since I was 7 years old…. Talk about wasting a whole life waiting for the other shoe to drop if that was even a factor at all lol

[meme405]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

IF there's an earthquake all of vancouver is pretty much fucked. yes you might survive it better in Vancouver, or whatnot, but half of that will depend on how your home/apartment was built. if its like the million shitty half assed houses that was built in the last 20-40 years it'll likely collapse on your ass. You might not get flooded, but nobody can guarantee you'll survive a huge earthquake either. Sure richmond will be underwater but at that point there will be limited value in the land that did survive, recovery will take ages, and most likely the economic structure of the city will be so far gone it'll be like the dark ages again for the survivors.

There's a big difference between your house falling over, and insurance paying to rebuild it, compared to the literal land your house being on being basically gone.

It would take time to rebuild after a big earth quake yes. But it wont be the dark ages, you make an earthquake sound like the end of mankind, like we will all revert to living like nomadic savages.

Go look at things like Katrina, or other regions where earthquakes decimated a population center. they rebuild and move on. Humanity has gotten pretty good at it by now.

Not saying dont be prepared for it, but its not like we're all going to revert to living like medieval times after a big earthquake. lol

[JDMDreams]

I'm no insurance expert but if shit hits the fan will they actually pay you out? Abbotsford? I heard Lytton is still unbuilt few weeks back, what about East coast nova Scotia after the hurricane? Or do people just take the cash and leave, what makes you think the same thing won't happen the next year? Maybe you can go longer get insurance?

[Badhobz]

Pretty sure if shit hits the fan all these insurance companies would go under and collapse. Considering half the Chinese people use some bs weirdo house insurance (cheap rates) I doubt they’ll even pay out when they have hundreds of millions of dollars of claims.

[Hehe]

^

It all depends. Many people I know actually cheap out on the extra "earthquake" coverage. And if the big one hits, you can bet the insurance company would go out of their ways to deny anyone without the quake coverage even if the whole land disappears.

The quake coverage isn't much extra IIRC. But I think out of all the people I know, I'm the only 2 that actually have that coverage.

[Hondaracer]

In Vancouver earthquake coverage is almost always another 35-40% of the premium I think

[Hehe]

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

In Vancouver earthquake coverage is almost always another 35-40% of the premium I think

I'm in South Surrey, not sure if that makes any difference. But I just double-checked, the premium for quake coverage is about 14% of my total.

[Tapioca]

50 basis point increase from the BoC today:

https://twitter.com/CityNewsVAN/stat...0FxNJQOIw&s=19

And here's some interesting data from the this morning's census release around the proportion of visible minorities by municipality:

https://twitter.com/j_mcelroy/status...aqln6MBKw&s=19

[Hondaracer]

This will surely punish the proper people who got us into this mess!

[supafamous]

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

In Vancouver earthquake coverage is almost always another 35-40% of the premium I think

I'm about a 50% premium on mine - $750 extra on top of the $1400 or so I'm paying.

[Badhobz]

Originally Posted by Tapioca

50 basis point increase from the BoC today:

https://twitter.com/CityNewsVAN/stat...0FxNJQOIw&s=19

And here's some interesting data from the this morning's census release around the proportion of visible minorities by municipality:

https://twitter.com/j_mcelroy/status...aqln6MBKw&s=19

scary. a lot of people are already hanging on by a thread, this might just push them over.

[supafamous]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

scary. a lot of people are already hanging on by a thread, this might just push them over.

I'm surprised that it was only 50bps instead of the widely predicted 75bps and the BOC's messaging implied that they didn't feel it was enough but they wanted to minimise further panic. The December update will likely be a 50bps instead of a 25bps now and folks are anticipating 25-50bps in the spring before things cool off.

Over on Reddit, fair number of folks who are now stuck - too late for them to lock in as they can't afford the higher payments at the fixed rate (TD was quoting ~5.4% yesterday) so they have to ride it out even though they're already in a hole.

[bcedhk]

I expect most of the bleeding will happen by 23 EOY for those who can't get a mortgage approved for the 1-2bd pre-sale condos back in early 2020.

There's probably also going to be a big push in rental demand as most landlord will look to swap tenants to cover the interest rate rise.

[quasi]

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

In Vancouver earthquake coverage is almost always another 35-40% of the premium I think

This was my experience, I've always opted not to get it. It's a calculated risk for sure.

[Gerbs]

I think if your house goes down, there's probably government support.

[JDMDreams]

You might as well ride it out at this point, your variable will still be cheaper than fixed. As fixing will push your payments even higher, life sucks cut back, cut on eating out, skip the dishes, Starbucks, work a second job, only fans. Hope that rates hold and might come back down in 23.

I think they did the 0.5 cuz the gov themselves know we're in a recession, they just still aren't willing to admit it. Soft landing they say. Plus they themselves have a shit ton of debt that they have to service. How will they do that? They can't print more money, they will be very unpopular and will be kicked out of they cut services and raise taxes.

Cuz if the landing ain't soft they are fucked and have to rescue the ppl and companies.