<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<rss version="2.0">
    <channel>
        <title>Vancouver Real Estate News Blog</title>
        <link>http://www.realestatevalley.ca/blog/vancouver-real-estate-selling-tips/</link>
        <description>Offering insight into the residential and commercial Vancouver real estate market for home buyers, investors and businesses</description>
        <item>
            <guid>http://www.realestatevalley.ca/blog/vancouver-real-estate-welcomes-the-world.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.realestatevalley.ca/blog/vancouver-real-estate-welcomes-the-world.html</link>
            <author>realestatevalleyleads@gmail.com (REALESTATE VALLEY (Admin))</author>
            <title>Vancouver Real Estate Welcomes the World</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
The attraction of Vancouver has
been legendary for years.&nbsp; Vancouver is
nearly always in the top five rankings on the Best Places to Live lists.&nbsp; This beautiful area attracts tourists,
immigrant investors and retirees.&nbsp; But
one of the biggest stabilizers to the Vancouver real estate market has been the
immigrant investor.&nbsp; 


There has been a strong interest
in this cosmopolitan beautiful port town for decades.&nbsp; The close proximity to Asia and the US has
made it a favorite with investors worldwide, but most recently an influx of
Chinese investors has served to strengthen the market even further.&nbsp; 


&nbsp;


The immigrant investor is
extremely important to the real estate market stability and steady increase in
property prices in Vancouver.&nbsp; 


The requirements for immigrant
investors in the Vancouver real estate market have been getting more and more
restrictive over time.&nbsp; Current
requirements place net worth levels of the investor at $1.6 million with $800,000
investment in property.&nbsp; The requirement
levels have doubled in the last year.&nbsp;
More than 10,000 foreign investors enter the Vancouver market in an
average year.&nbsp; 


China has been an attractive
market for Vancouver, as there are now more than a half million people in China
that are over the required level of net worth for the Vancouver market.&nbsp; The close proximity to Asia, the cultural mix
of the market and the healthy, active living opportunities in the area make the
Vancouver market especially appealing to the Chinese investor.&nbsp; 


Vancouver has had a growing economy including the
financial industry, film production and technology industries.&nbsp; The strong, healthy work force has attracted
corporate headquarters and economic growth.&nbsp;
The interest in the film location and postproduction technology has
fostered many off shoot industries that support the film industry.&nbsp;&nbsp; 


The cultural diversity of the
area is attractive to the second home, holiday home and retirement investor as
well as the immigrant investor.&nbsp; 


The Vancouver real estate market
has remained steady with rising price levels even in the worst of economic
times, worldwide.&nbsp; There has been recent
concerns that the steady rise is indicative of a pending real estate bubble.&nbsp; The real estate industry pundits point to the
low interest rates, low levels of flipping speculation and high levels of
foreign investment as reasons for the price rises.&nbsp; 


There is concern that the change
in the interest rates, which are set to rise in 2013 will impact the stability
of the Vancouver real estate market in the future, but for now the market seems
to have escaped the drama of the world real estate market.&nbsp; 


This pretty city seems to have a
strong draw for people worldwide.&nbsp; The
healthy life style, active living attraction and the greenbelt availability
draw people consistently to the area.&nbsp;
The wide range of restaurants, cultural and art attractions and
entertainment appeal to a sophisticated population base as well.&nbsp; 


There is a strong inventory of
properties available for the resident, investor and retiree and the market
continues to look healthy, strong and growing in Vancouver.&nbsp; 
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:32:18 -0600</pubDate>
                    </item>
        <item>
            <guid>http://www.realestatevalley.ca/blog/vancouver-real-estate-still-a-strong-investment.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.realestatevalley.ca/blog/vancouver-real-estate-still-a-strong-investment.html</link>
            <author>realestatevalleyleads@gmail.com (REALESTATE VALLEY (Admin))</author>
            <title>Vancouver Real Estate Still a Strong Investment? </title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
There are indicators that the
steady increase in housing prices in the Vancouver Real Estate market could be
heading for a corrective lowering in the near future as other areas like
Toronto start to attract more interest.&nbsp;
Real Estate pundits offer a variety of reasons for the impervious
Vancouver market, but there remain concerns about what will happen to the
market when the interest rates are adjusted in 2013.&nbsp;&nbsp; 


Will Vancouver continue to be a
growth market in the near future, is this still a great place to invest in
holiday homes, retirement properties and foreign investment.&nbsp; 


There has been much speculation about how Vancouver has
remained unscathed by the economic woes that have created bubble and burst
problems world wide in the housing industry.&nbsp;
Vancouver has remained a strong, stable market with property prices in
general rising during a time when some markets have been nearly completely
destroyed.&nbsp; 


Vancouver has long been rated as
one of the best cities to live in and makes the top of most of the Best Places
to Live lists worldwide, year after year.&nbsp;
This beautiful port city offers some wonderful amenities and
attractions, as well as close proximity to both the Pacific Rim and the US,
making it an attractive market for the foreign investor.&nbsp; 


During the worlds economic
downturn, Vancouver has been a growth market in a number of industries, one of
the most famous being its position as the &ldquo;North Hollywood&rdquo; as it has become a
film and television production center.&nbsp;
The financial industry and technology associated with the film industry
have attracted both companies (including headquarters) and workforce.&nbsp; The strong work force offers an educated,
healthy and vital labor pool, making this an attractive market for expanding
companies.&nbsp; 


The active living opportunities
in the area are a great draw for tourists, retirees and immigrant
investors.&nbsp; The cultural diversity and
cosmopolitan feeling of the pretty port city make it attractive for potential buyers.&nbsp; 


The strong immigrant investment
pool in Vancouver, which requires $1.6 million in net worth and an investment
of at least $800,000 in the property market, has helped keep the prices on a
steady rise.&nbsp; The lack of speculators, or
house flippers in the market has also helped keep the prices rising and the
market more stable than highly speculative markets.&nbsp; 


The use of Vancouver as a
backdrop in films, television series and independent production has also
increased interest in the area.&nbsp; The
wildly popular Twilight series, as well as both Feature and independent film
success have plunged this area into the media, and attracted film buffs and
star gazers of the celebrity kind.&nbsp; 


The elements that have led
Vancouver to be a strong, stable market, are not likely to change in the near
future.&nbsp; The economic development in the
area is still strong, jobs are plentiful and the labor pool is active and well
educated.&nbsp; The rising Chinese millionaire
population continues to view Vancouver as a strong location for immigrant
investment.&nbsp; The burgeoning retirement
population looking for active living rich in cultural diversity and the
cosmopolitan cultural offering of the city are likely to keep interest in the
Vancouver market strong for some time.&nbsp; 
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:31:02 -0600</pubDate>
                    </item>
        <item>
            <guid>http://www.realestatevalley.ca/blog/vancouver-real-estate-buddle.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.realestatevalley.ca/blog/vancouver-real-estate-buddle.html</link>
            <author>realestatevalleyleads@gmail.com (REALESTATE VALLEY (Admin))</author>
            <title>Vancouver Real Estate Buddle</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
Through out the post-2008 economic woes of the world; real
estate markets have been a barometer of economic conditions for the local
area.&nbsp; Worldwide, real estate bubbles and
bursts have been indicative of economic stability and even employment
opportunities as the housing market in most areas is so deeply interlaced into
the economic conditions.&nbsp; 


Vancouver, BC has been seemingly
impervious to the bubbles and bursts the rest of the world has been
balancing up until now.&nbsp;&nbsp; This strong economic area
has held the housing prices steady or increasing even in some of the worst of
the worlds economic times.&nbsp; 


There have been questions lately
in real estate industry about the steady rise in Vancouver real estate
prices.&nbsp; The concern is that the steady and
lately significant increase in the housing prices in the Vancouver Real Estate
Market could be indicative of a pending bubble.


There are two sides of the opinion on this.The Real Estate Industry stays
steadfast in their conviction that the Vancouver Real Estate Market remains
stable and unlikely to bubble.&nbsp; They state there are
a number of reasons for the higher price level of the Vancouver market.&nbsp; The long-standing financial stability of
Vancouver, including the growth markets of finance, film production and
technology coupled with a strong work force has helped with the real estate
market.&nbsp; In addition, the interest in the
area by foreign investors keeps interest rates low and prices higher.&nbsp; The lower level of flipping speculation in
the Vancouver market has also helped keep the prices higher.&nbsp; On the flip side, supporters of the Vancouver real estate bubble movement believe interest rates are bound to rise eventually, and the average home versus income ratio is higher in Vancouver than anywhere else in Canada. Eventually, prices are bound to settle and correct.


Vancouver has long been a
contender for the Best Places to Live Top Five ranking.&nbsp; The natural beauty and geographic proximity
to both Asia and the US make Vancouver a desirable market for the holiday home,
retirement buyer and investment property market.&nbsp; The cosmopolitan sophistication of the
diverse cultures and cuisine of the area has made it a great location for the
world to travel to.&nbsp; The availability of
the Port and the active living opportunities has attracted businesses and work
force.&nbsp; 


The combination of cultural
diversity, natural beauty, active living, strong employment markets, industry
growth and economic stability make Vancouver a very desirable place to
live.&nbsp; The desirability of the Vancouver
market will remain stable, so correspondingly will the interest in the local
real estate market.
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:20:06 -0600</pubDate>
                    </item>
        <item>
            <guid>http://www.realestatevalley.ca/blog/low-cost-ideas-to-increase-real-estate-values.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.realestatevalley.ca/blog/low-cost-ideas-to-increase-real-estate-values.html</link>
            <author>realestatevalleyleads@gmail.com (REALESTATE VALLEY (Admin))</author>
            <title>Low Cost Ideas to Increase Real Estate Values </title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
The housing market has been rough
in the past few years.&nbsp; Trying to get
full value for your home with record numbers of foreclosures can be
challenging.&nbsp; So, how do you improve your
real estate property values without breaking the bank?&nbsp; 


There are some quick and
inexpensive options to improve the value of your home.&nbsp; Selling your house is all about focusing on
the unique features and making the square footage as attractive as possible.&nbsp; There are some real estate expert tricks that
can make a big impact for little investment of money or time.&nbsp; 


All of these ideas are focused on
improving the selling potential of your home when showing it to potential
buyers.&nbsp; The first is actually only a
time cost.&nbsp; It is the de-cluttering and
neutralization of the house.&nbsp; We spend a
lifetime adding personal touches to our home, which make it uniquely ours.&nbsp; But when you are selling your home; the
objective is to make it appealing to the largest number of potential home buyers.&nbsp; The secret to this is the
de-cluttering and de-personalizing of the property.&nbsp; It important to make the house free from your
personal items, as it is important for the potential buyer to picture himself
or herself in the house.&nbsp; Since the
objective of putting the house on the market it to move on, it is a perfect
opportunity to box up family photos and fridge magnets, and personal
collections, so the house has no clutter or excess distractions.&nbsp; 


The second tip is to make fast
repairs.&nbsp; This is the time to patch,
paint and tidy up the repairs you have put off.&nbsp;
Replacing that switch plate, or tightening the closet doors can have a
big impact on the potential buyer.&nbsp; There
is a tendency on the part of potential buyers to make generalizations.&nbsp; The visible need for repairs can create
doubts about repairs they arent seeing as clearly.&nbsp; This can be just enough to move them on to
the next property.&nbsp; A coat of paint and a
good patch job can make the difference between dated and contemporary in the
eyes of the potential buyer.&nbsp; Choose
neutral colors that add to the square footage feeling rather than deeply
personal choices such as that perfect shade of violet you love so much, the
idea again is to improve appeal for the largest audience possible and to
improve the appearance of the homes potential including its square
footage.&nbsp; 


Get cooking in the kitchen.&nbsp; For many buyers, the kitchen is
critical.&nbsp; The out dated cabinet, lack of
lighting or need for paint in this room can keep the sale from closing.&nbsp; Changing the cabinets or resurfacing them can
make a huge impact here.&nbsp; Appliances
should be uniform in style and color and in good repair.&nbsp; Potential buyers will see this as an
indicator of the overall repair of the house.&nbsp;
There are inexpensive solutions, such as dishwasher panels and skins for
the refrigerator that can offset the high cost of replacing appliances.&nbsp; The money spent in the kitchen usually comes
back in the property value improvement at one of the highest rates of any room
in the house.&nbsp; 


You dont need to spend a fortune
to improve one of the biggest investments you will make in your financial
portfolio.&nbsp; The investment of time,
effort and focused planning can make a significant difference in the value you
can realize in the property market.&nbsp; 
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:15:08 -0600</pubDate>
                    </item>
        <item>
            <guid>http://www.realestatevalley.ca/blog/top-5-reasons-to-use-a-realtor.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.realestatevalley.ca/blog/top-5-reasons-to-use-a-realtor.html</link>
            <author>realestatevalleyleads@gmail.com (REALESTATE VALLEY (Admin))</author>
            <title>Top 5 Reasons to Use a Realtor </title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
Vancouver
has been a steady and consistent economy without much drama in the housing
market and is part of the reason that Canada is leading the housing recovery
worldwide according to Scotia Capitals Global Housing Recovery Report[1].&nbsp;&nbsp; But even in this stable market the housing
industry continues to increase in complexity.&nbsp;
There are subtle factors, including market forces that are challenging
to keep current on even in the information and knowledge age.&nbsp; The Real Estate Professional, in this case
the Real Estate Broker offers some strong benefit to you as you both consider
selling your home or purchase a new home.&nbsp;



There are
many reasons to hire an industry professional.&nbsp;
Most people would not attempt to negotiate tax laws without an attorney,
accountant or CPA.&nbsp; The confidence you
gain from a trusted professional allows you to look for the optimum advantages
within legal and industry standards.&nbsp;
There are similar reasons to hire a real estate broker.&nbsp; 


1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Updated information:&nbsp; the
professional real estate broker is aware of changes in the market, industry
regulation and compliance changes.&nbsp; The
real estate broker has access to current listings, properties in negotiation
for sale and recent sales.&nbsp; In the US
market, the changes in foreclosure laws are occurring weekly; the real estate
broker can help you navigate the waters.&nbsp;



2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Local Knowledge:&nbsp;
especially when you are looking in new areas, it is essential to find a
real estate broker that really understands the local market.&nbsp; They can help you understand the school
district standards, local area stores and cultural options and most importantly
the subtle information about the differences in neighborhoods.&nbsp; While there is a wealth of information
available in public record, internet access and local chambers of commerce or
other websites.&nbsp; The accuracy, and
current changes incorporated can be spotty at best.&nbsp; 


3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Negotiation Skills:&nbsp;
residential real estate is something that people often get emotionally
attached to, which can alter objectivity in the negotiation of prices and
terms.&nbsp; The real estate broker will
understand the standard values of the market; will help you negotiate the deal
with the seller.&nbsp; 


4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources:&nbsp;
The real estate market requires
access to a variety of vendors and professional services, your real estate
broker can help you find reliable and professional options to help you with
housing inspection, construction, title searches and mortgage options.&nbsp; 


5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Economic Conditions:&nbsp; there is
important information, which can be critical in shifting economic times.&nbsp; If you are in default or foreclosure,
the real estate broker can help you understand the complexities of home rescue
programs, mortgage restructuring and short selling as well as emerging new
options.&nbsp; 


Whether you
are selling or buying there can be strong advantage to building a lasting
relationship with your real estate broker.&nbsp;
As in most business transactions it is the relationship that makes for
the best deals.&nbsp; As you build and
strengthen your relationship with your real estate broker, you will find more
and more reasons to use them as a resource and an asset in your real estate
transactions.&nbsp; 








[1]
www.scotiacapital.com/English/bns_econ/retrends.pdf




 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Mon, 25 Jul 2011 21:26:05 -0500</pubDate>
                    </item>
        <item>
            <guid>http://www.realestatevalley.ca/blog/what-to-look-for-in-2011-vancouver-home.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.realestatevalley.ca/blog/what-to-look-for-in-2011-vancouver-home.html</link>
            <author>realestatevalleyleads@gmail.com (REALESTATE VALLEY (Admin))</author>
            <title>What To Look for In 2011 Vancouver Home</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
2011
is already an exciting market for home buyers and sellers in Vancouver.&nbsp;
The HPI listed Vancouver
apartments as dropping in price while detached home prices are climbing.&nbsp; Here are some things to look for in a home
when youre buying in Vancouver
this year.


1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Location.&nbsp;
I know its simple and maybe overused but if you want to buy a home you
should look at where you want to live.&nbsp;
Do you need to be close to the airport or a skytrain station?&nbsp; Are you looking for some peace and quiet
overlooking the ocean or do you want to hear the crowd at Rogers Arena?&nbsp; Location can even be as simple as do you want
to live in a house or an attached condo or apartment?


2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Amenities.&nbsp;
If youve got young kids youll want to be close to a school that you
like.&nbsp; Parks and natural trails may also
be something youll look for when making your decision.&nbsp; Think about what you like to do: Movies?
Shopping? Sports? Restaurants?&nbsp; These are
some of the things you may want to investigate when choosing a home.&nbsp; I know I personally enjoy being able to walk
to the grocery store.&nbsp; 


3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Price.&nbsp;
Make sure youve got your ducks in a row on this one.&nbsp; The price point you give a realtor is a
critical piece of information as it allows them to include all the listings
they can within you budget.&nbsp; If you want
to be close to BC Place but only want to spend $200,000 you might have to set
your sights outside the downtown core.&nbsp;&nbsp; 


4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Purpose.&nbsp;
What is this new home going to be used for?&nbsp; Do you expect to sublet to renters or divide
the home for a number of tenants?&nbsp; Will this
be your principle address or just a home away from home?&nbsp; Purchasing a Whistler condo is a great way
to invest in property that you get to use for fun, and maybe rent for some
extra money on the side.&nbsp; 


Specifically for this year sellers are going
to be expecting more money from their homes but new home construction is set to
outpace previous years.&nbsp; It may be worth
your while to investigate newly constructed homes as well as older homes.&nbsp; If youre going to pay top dollar you may as
well get what youre looking for and a new home can be designed to your
specifications.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 


So whatever your housing needs or plans
remember to keep these tips in mind when looking through real estate
listings.&nbsp; You might find them to be just
the right guidelines to help you narrow down your listing search from a bunch
of houses, to just yours.
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 26 Apr 2011 00:00:50 -0500</pubDate>
                    </item>
    </channel>
</rss>
