Vancouver Real Estate Buying Tips, advice, market trends, and evaluation of the different types of commercial and residential properties available

If you’re looking to buy a condo in Vancouver, one of the first questions to consider has to do with age. Do you want to purchase an older unit or one that has been built more recently?

This question is harder to answer than you might think. Newer condos may look flashy and appealing, but they’re not necessarily a better fit for your needs.

In Vancouver, there are plenty of old and new condos for sale, and there are plenty of buyers looking for both. What matters isn’t simply the age, but rather what each age range has to offer. To discover which one is right for you, you’ll need to consider your lifestyle and be clear on what you value in a home or investment property.

Here are four questions to ask yourself as you weigh your options.

Is one…

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Greater Vancouver’s Tri-Cities region – which includes the cities of Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, and Port Moody – is one of the Lower Mainland’s hidden gems.

Lush and beautifully forested, this region stretches from the Fraser River’s northern banks up past the Burrard Inlet. Residents delight in their robust communities and outdoor activity options. They also relish the easy commute into Burnaby and downtown Vancouver.

This combination of natural beauty with urban access and amenities has inspired steady growth in the Tri-Cities for the last several decades. Meanwhile, these cities have maintained their infrastructure and accommodated growth with ease. Longtime residents and newcomers alike value this measured approach that makes the Tri-Cities a…

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Homeowners looking to move often face a daunting question: should they start by buying a new house, or would they be better off selling their current home first?

The simple answer is that there is no simple answer. What’s good for one person may be the wrong choice for another. Moreover, different markets and different locations present unique considerations that should not be ignored.

That said, you can ask some simple questions to help you make an informed decision. They may not provide easy answers, but they will give you helpful data to consider as you prepare your buying and selling strategies.

Pros and Cons

The Pros of Buying Before You Sell

There are certainly advantages for those who choose to buy a new home first.

For starters,…

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The challenge of buying a condo in Vancouver is that no two condo buildings are alike. Even when architectural styles are similar, there are many components that set one condo building apart from another. From financial management to maintenance philosophy, the reputation and actions of a strata should be investigated ahead of time so you can avoid unpleasant surprises.

Purchasing Condo 

Here are a few questions that you should consider about your prospective condo purchase.

What does my maintenance fee cover?

Condo owners are responsible to pay monthly maintenance fees to their strata. The strata uses these funds to handle general operating expenses (routine maintenance, cleaning, etc.) and build up a contingency reserve fund (for emergencies…

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Selling your home in Vancouver, British Columbia or another major Canadian city isn’t easy, especially if you have lived in your home for years or even decades. Your house isn’t just four walls and a roof – it’s a place full of memories and meaning. Your home is a part of your life, and selling it can often cause you to reflect on yourself and your family. In order to sell your home, though, it’s important to focus on the buyer. A prospective buyer won’t have the same emotional connection to your property that you have, so focusing on yourself during the home showing won’t close a sale. Here are three strategies you can use to refocus, so you can find a buyer for your home.

Rid Your Home of All Clutter

Ridding all of the clutter from your current…

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There comes a time in almost every homeowner's life when the house you live in can no longer accommodate the life you live. At this point, many homeowners struggle with a decision between two choices: stay, or go? If you're emotionally attached to your home, then renovation may seem like the best option, but what if renovation won't actually give you what you need in the end? And for those who are set on moving, how can you be sure that it's really worth packing up your whole life and adjusting to a new Vancouver neighbourhood? If you're not sure which way to go, this brief guide should help you to properly weigh the pros and cons of this very important decision.

Ask Yourself: What Do You Really Need?

The first question to ask yourself when…

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It is a common saying that fear can stop you in your tracks.  This statement, while not usually associated with real estate, seems strangely fitting given recent trends in the Vancouver housing market. 

Like frightened forest critters caught in the headlights, some prospective home buyers, fearful that the drop in home prices in the Greater Vancouver area over the past year is solid indication of a more substantial price decline in the near future, are postponing purchases. 

Consumers are reluctant to take the plunge and finally buy the house of their dreams because they are fearful that they would be buying on the high end of the market. 

No Bargain Bin Finds

According to a February 18th, 2013 statement by Cameron Muir, chief economist at the…

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The decision to buy a house is a little like the decision to have a baby -- there's no such thing as the perfect time.  But it helps to make an informed decision, to weigh need against desire and facts against speculation.

So, if you're considering buying Vancouver real estate  in 2013, here are 6 things to think about:

  1. 1.    Home Sale Prices

Home prices in the Vancouver area declined 2.3 percent over the course of the past year, according to the MSL Home Price Index, as reported by the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV).  The average price of a home in Greater Vancouver was $590,800 in December.  This is a decline of 5.8 percent from the peak reached in May when the average selling price was $625,100.

Averages and…

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Real estate has proven to be a good investment for owners.  Over the years, Real Estate experts and professionals alike have studied the benefits of investing in Real Estate.  Let's look at some of the benefits that were cited.

Ownership

This is the more obvious one.  Owning a property instead of renting, in the long run pays off.  Just think, instead of giving money each month to a landlord that is either using it to pay the mortgage or pocketing it because the property is paid off, you can pay your own mortgage on a property that you own.  Sure that means you don't have anyone to call if something needs to be fixed, though whatever it is you are fixing is also an asset you own.

Return on Investment

Generally speaking, history has proved that…

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So you've decided to buy some property, congratulations!  This is both an exciting and rewarding experience.  Now all you need is the money to actually purchase it.  Don't fret, it's not as overwhelming as it may seem.  There are a few basics to get you started on the right track and into the home of your dreams.

The first step in the mortgage process is finding out how much you can afford.  Contacting a mortgage associate and filling out an application is how you do this.  You will be asked to supply a few pieces of key information such as your social security number to run a credit report, and employment information revealing how much you make and how long you have been at your job.  You may also need to supply the last 2 years of tax returns. 

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The data relating to real estate on this web site comes in part from the MLS® Reciprocity program of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver or the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board. Real estate listings held by participating real estate firms are marked with the MLS® logo and detailed information about the listing includes the name of the listing agent. This representation is based in whole or part on data generated by the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver or the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board which assumes no responsibility for its accuracy. The materials contained on this page may not be reproduced without the express written consent of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver or the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board.

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Listing information last updated on March 18th, 2024 at 11:15pm PDT.