It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future! Yogi Berra This is the inevitable question that comes up whenever there is a crisis or… Read More »Vancouver Real Estate: Is it the right time to buy?
A recent article in the Vancouver Sun makes mention of an arcane practice among insurance brokers called “best terms pricing.” It seems that at the… Read More »“Best terms pricing” for strata insurance –but best for who?
Recently Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (“CMHC”), a federal crown corporation, announced that it would tighten rules for mortgage insurance starting on July 1, 2020… Read More »Making it harder to borrow: Is CMHC on the right track?
BC has extended the State of Emergency (“SOE”) in this province until the end of April 2020 in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. It would… Read More »Tenants’ Rights during the State of Emergency in BC
Vancouver resident, Jason Weselowski was unfortunately caught by the draconian “deeming provision” set out in s.7 of the Vancouver Empty Homes Tax Bylaw. Mr. Weselowksi… Read More »City of Vancouver finally extends its Empty Homes Tax Declaration Deadline
“Across Canada about 65,000 homes traded hands in the first two months of the year, and many of those sales are now closing in a… Read More »In the News: Canadian real estate markets hit hard by pandemic
The disingenuous Empty Homes Tax (“EHT”) was predicated on the theory that there were 25,000 empty homes in Vancouver. When the city’s own data revealed… Read More »Robbing Peter to pay Paul
Recently, insurance companies have been in the news for increasing condominium deductibles and insurance premiums by huge amounts. In a new twist, this story causes… Read More »Condo Owners Beware: Some insurers are declining to renew strata policies
Despite the Mayor’s hyperbole that Vancouver’s decision to allow 4 story rental apartment buildings in residential neighborhoods is a “big deal,” it actually isn’t. In… Read More »More Smoke and Mirrors from the city of Vancouver on the Housing File
The Vancouver Empty Homes Tax proves to be a continuing cash cow, despite its limited success in driving more rentals into the market. Originally, the… Read More »The Vancouver Empty Homes Tax isn’t helping housing affordability; facing legal challenges