105 new listings in West Van since the 1st of September – 11 days. It’s the usual. April and September are the months when most listings come out. Many of these are not new at all – they are recycled from April. Re-listed at lower prices now that the sellers realize that there were no buyers at those prices. 18 sales, at those new prices. Good to see that even with the NDP taxing and taxing, people buy when they feel that there is value. It’s easier for me as a realtor to tell my sellers where we need to be to sell, in terms of asking prices. Last year it was impossible. Frozen market. Next step – get my sellers to listen…
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The whimsical house that makes people sing
Packed open house today at my listing at 5773 Seaview. Memorial day long weekend and people flock to Eagle Harbor to look at a house built 46 years ago by an English couple near a yacht club and a beach. “Charming” was the most heard word. One couple, hearing of my heritage, burst into song “Lisboa Antiga” a well known Portuguese fado …The sweetest open house ever! Gotta love this business when after 30 years it still brings such wonder …
Let’s get a new government in BC
This government is making home owners feel like criminals. Speculation tax if you own more than one home? Or if you are not Canadian and dared to buy a home in Vancouver just to enjoy once in a while? I have clients in the US who bought a waterfront in West Van years ago to enjoy during hurricane season in Florida. They were surprised to see that for 2019 in addition to double the property tax bill, they also got a Speculation tax. This is robbery. Where does that money go? My next door neighbor likes to live here and also has a place at UBC. He doesn’t want to rent any of his 2 places, he uses one or the other depending on his commitments for the day, to avoid traffic on the Lions Gate. It’s a little extravagant but he worked hard, pays his taxes on both places and deserves to be left alone. The government doesn’t allow him . Now he may sell a place he loves and wanted to keep forever, just to get rid of nuisance taxes from this NDP. Many places for sale because of Vacancy tax, Speculation tax, higher property taxes . More inventory when we need less, way less. Prices go down, buyers have no motivation, locals lose a lot of the value accumulated over years of looking after their homes, paying their taxes…It’s a sad situation and entirely self inflicted by this government.
