Enjoy BEAUTIFUL SOUTHERN VIEWS towards Richmond City in this 2 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom unit with large balcony that has access from both bedrooms and living room. Entertain in style in a unit with lots of updates including: newer hardwood flooring, light fixtures, crown mouldings, kitchen, and bath counter tops, faucets & sinks, hood fan, washer and dryer, and stove & fridge plus more...Relax and live with complex amenities which include and indoor pool, hot tub, exercise room, racquetball courts, billiards room, and roof deck. Maintained building with new plumbing, elevators, carpets and paint. Close to Metrotown, skytrain, IGA, Central Park, Pitch-n-Putt, and tennis courts. 2 Parking and Locker. No pets. Rentals with Restrictions.

Upscale home is perfect for the extended family!  Custom designed and built this home offers 3 separate living areas - for Mom, Dad, children and grandchildren.  Or rent part out.  The largest suite is 4 bedrooms and the others are versitile.

Located on a quiet cul-de-sac in prestigious Anmore on just over an acre which includes a playground, inground sprinkler system and 2 garages which will park 4 cars.

Beautiful "Park Like" setting on a large corner lot. This is a flat lot on a quiet, friendly, no-thru street in Ranch Park with all schools, shopping, transportation and Mundy Park at your doorstep. WOW, is what you think once you enter this home and view the great room concept with renos and upgrades done complete with permits and designed by an architect and engineer. The list of improvements goes on from custom kitchen, appliances, windows, Swedish style gas fireplace, bathrooms, workshop, hobby addition, fence, deck etc. You won't want to MISS this!

Just move in!  This beautiful one bedroom suite has lots and lots of updating including new laminate, paint, crown moldings and baseboards.  The huge balcony is perfect for BBQ and the fabulous amenities include an indoor pool, hot tub, rec room and exercise room.

Great location.  Close to parks, rec centre, loads of shopping and Douglas Collage.  This 2 bedrooms suite is on a quiet street and features spacious living room with vaulted ceilings, and master bedroom with 4 piece ensuite and walk-in closet.

Chelsea Gardens. Popular ground floor, bright 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom spacious unit. No stairs to climb and end unit. Beautiful open kitchen with Island, laminate flooring and adjoining family room private, bright, southern rear exposure with patio. Newer hot water tank, stove, garage door opener and more. Amazing amenity facilities plus 19+ complex. Don't miss out.

Big bright and beautiful top floor. Coner unit in delightful 19+ "Chelsea Gardens". Huge picture window in living romm with vaulted ceiling, laminate flooring in kitchen, nook eating area off kitchen, newer appliances, tons of storage, massive master bedroom all with southern views. Building rainscreened in 2007. Underground storage locker and secure parking best location in the complex!  Popular aberdeen plan in move-in condition. Heat, hot water, gas all included in maint fees. Pet and rental restrictions.

Immaculate - just move into this ground floor, corner suite with 'huge' private and quiet patio/yard area with a south west exposure.  Features laminate floors throughout, gas stove, S/S appliances.  Private, quiet location in the building with only one connecting wall to another suite.  Walk to West Coast Express, Newport Village, Suterbrook Mall.  Includes 2 parking spaces and a locker. 

Pets and rentals with restrictions.

Feels like a house! One of a kind Polygon corner suite featuring inlet and mountain views from all rooms, plus 350 sqft PRIVATE patio. Features include stainless appliances, granite counters, gas stove, large nook in kitchen, elegant drapes, 5 pc ensuite, all with NO neighbors looking in! 15,000 sqft "Canoe Club" with swimming pool, hot tub, tennis, basketball, guest suites and more. Minutes to West Coast Express Newport Village, Port Moody rec center, schools and Suterbrook. Truely a ONE OF A KIND.

1/2 duplex in great area with lots of updates, a generous size yard, and lots of storage. The main floor includes a large fully redone kitchen, redone bathroom, open living/family room with newer laminate throughout the floor. Upstairs has  three bedrooms with sliders to deck off bedroom and redone 4 pc bathroom. Close to schools and bus.

1. Pay special attention to the front door, which is considered the "mouth" of chi (the life force of all things) and one of the most powerful aspects of the entire property. Abundance, blessings, opportunities and good fortune enter through the front door (not to mention people buying your home). Make sure the area around the front door is clean, clutter-free and lit properly at night.

2. Chi energy can be flushed down the toilet wherever there are drains in the home. To keep the good forces in, always keep the toilet seats down and close the doors to the bathrooms.

3. The master bed should be in a place of honor, power, and protection, which is farthest from facing toward the entryway of the room. It's even better if you can place the bed diagonally in the farthest corner.

4. The dining room symbolizes the energy and power of family togetherness. Make sure the table is clear and uncluttered during showings. Use an attractive tablecloth to enhance the look of the table while softening sharp corners.

5. The windows are considered to be the eyes of the home. Getting the windows professionally cleaned will make the home sparkle and ensure that the view will be optimally displayed.

General

• The HST rate will be 12% (5% federal + 7% provincial)
• The PST will be eliminated completely
• There will be a partial rebate of the provincial portion of the HST of up to $20,000 on new housing
• Input tax credits will be available of HST in the same manner as under the current GST

New Housing

Currently under the GST, new housing is taxed while used housing is not. No housing sales are directly taxed under the PST, although the B.C. Ministry of Finance states that there is currently an average of 2% PST embedded in the cost of new homes from PST charges on construction materials. Under the HST, there would be no embedded tax but the full 12% HST would apply to new housing.

An HST partial rebate on new housing will be provided to purchasers in an amount equal to 5% of the purchase price up to a maximum rebate of $20,000. The Ministry's rationale is that because purchasers currently pay 2% embedded PST, the rebate would eliminate any tax increase on new housing sold for a purchase price of up to $400,000. The embedded PST aside, homes under $400,000 will be subject to a tax 2% higher than under the current system. Homes over $400,000 will be taxed at a rate 7% higher than under the current system, less a flat $20,000 rebate (in addition to the currently available GST new housing rebate currently available for prices up to $450,000). According to the Ministry of Finance, roughly half of new housing in urban B.C. is sold for over $400,000.

1. New home buyers may be eligible for the federal GST new housing rebate, which generally equals 36% of the tax paid on the first $350,000 of the purchase price. The amount of the GST rebate is phased out on a straight-line basis for homes priced between $350,000 and less than $450,000.

2. British Columbia proposed rebate for new housing is equal to 5% of the purchase price up to a maximum rebate of $20,000.

In order to avoid the increased tax burden on homes priced over $400,000, vendors and purchasers may consider, wherever possible, completing the sales of new homes prior to July 1, 2010 when the new HST comes into effect. See transitional rules below for more details.

Buyers in the market for a home may be considering purchasing resale properties in order to avoid the increased tax burden on new homes. While the tax on resale properties is not directly affected by the new HST, the cost to the purchaser of these homes may still increase slightly because services associated with the purchase may be subject to increased tax. For example, home inspection charges would be subject to HST.

Apartment Buildings

Residential landlords will face increased costs under the HST, since some goods and (especially) services not currently subject to the PST and necessary in the operation of apartment buildings will be taxed under the HST. As is currently the case with GST, landlords will not be able to claim input tax credits for HST paid and will not collect HST from tenants. Expenses such as maintenance, electricity and other services required by landlords will be taxed at 12% starting July 1, 2010.

Building Lots

Builders of new homes will be entitled to claim input tax credits for most HST paid on their inputs, such as raw land, just as they currently do with the GST. However, new homes in B.C. that are currently subject to the GST will become subject to HST as described above under the New Housing heading. These rules may be subject to anticipated transitional rules.

Commercial Sales and Leasing

Commercial sales and leases will not be materially impacted by the new system. The 12% HST will apply on commercial sales and leases just as the 5% GST does under the current system and input tax credits will be available to tenants and purchasers for the full amount paid.

Real Estate Commissions

Commissions will be subject to HST in the same manner as they currently attract GST. Commercial vendors will be able to claim input tax credits on HST paid to agents, while individuals selling personal use property will not.

Transitional Rules for Pre-Sales

On July 1, 2010, many homes in B.C. will be partially constructed or the subject of incomplete transactions. Although no transitional rules have been announced by the B.C. government to date, rules applicable to such homes will undoubtedly be announced in the future. In Ontario, where a similar HST will come into effect on July 1, 2010, transitional rules were recently released as follows:

• 5% GST will apply to sales where title or possession of new housing is transferred prior to July 2010
• 12% HST will apply to sales where title and possession of new housing is transferred after June 2010 unless grandfathered
• Sale agreements entered into prior to a specified date where title and possession of new housing is transferred after June 2010 will be grandfathered. In Ontario, that specified date is June 18, 2009, the date the transitional rules were announced. If the same approach is taken here, BC's rule will be effective the date its rules are announced or alternatively the July 23, 2009 announcement date (more likely the former than the latter)
• Where a sale is grandfathered and the building is wholly or partially completed after June 2010, the builder will be liable to pay a transitional tax intended to ensure the building has a tax content equal to what it would have had if constructed wholly prior to July 2010 (i.e., PST paid on all materials). Ontario has adopted an approach to dealing with condominiums whereby the builder must pay 2% of the selling price of the unit (Ontario's estimate of the PST content) and then claim a PST transitional credit for the estimated PST paid on materials prior to July 2010 (formula based). It is unknown if BC will adopt the same approach
• Where a sale is subject to HST and construction commenced prior to July 2010, the builder will be entitled to a PST transitional credit for the estimated PST paid on materials prior to July 2010 (formula based)

Home sales have doubled since January’s near collapse in sales, association chief economist Cameron Muir said in a news release. He expects transactions recorded through the Multiple Listing Service to climb some 15 per cent from 2008 to 79,400 units.

Prices, although edging up from their declines through the last half of 2008, will remain below last year’s levels before showing slight gains again in 2010, according to Muir’s forecast.

The provincial average price for a home of $451,200 will be one per cent below the 2008 level, and should show a one-per-cent gain to $457,600 in 2010.

“When we look at the economy itself, we’re coming out of the recession, albeit slowly,” Muir said in an interview. “And the amount of demand we’ve obviously seen — year-to-date and going forward — [justifies] sales around or below the 10-year-average.”

B.C.’s 10-year average for housing resales is about 83,000 units.

Economic forecasts continue to indicate that the province’s recovery from recession will be slow, however. Central 1 Credit Union was the latest with its forecast that B.C. will experience below-average growth until 2012.

Muir’s expectation is for provincial unemployment to average 7.7 per cent this year, and go down only marginally next year.

However, he does expect the slow recovery from recession to start creating jobs that will help support demand for housing at that 10-year-average level.

Muir sees housing as a brighter spot in the economy, which will likely spill over into other areas, such as retail sales.

However, economist Helmut Pastrick, with Central 1 Credit Union, believes Muir’s forecasts are somewhat conservative given the pace of sales in recent months.

In answer to the question why, Pastrick replied, “Interest rates. It’s amazing the power of those low mortgage rates.”

Over the short term, with the Bank of Canada vowing to keep its trend-setting overnight rate at 0.25 per cent until the middle of next year, there seems to be little risk of mortgage rates rising.

Muir noted that most first-time homebuyers lock in mortgages for five-year fixed-rate terms, so they should be insulated from rising rates.

However, “if interest rates climb higher than expected, that’s going to pull demand out of the market as [a buyer’s ability to pay mortgage costs] is eroded.”

In a recent report, Scotiabank Economics senior economist Adrienne Warren noted that the average new mortgage payment in Canada in 2009 declined 26 per cent from its peak in 2007, due almost entirely to the reduction in mortgage interest rates.

Pastrick said the increase in interest rates should “be a self-correcting mechanism,” and if the province does not fall into the dreaded double-dip recession, they should rise as the overall economy improves.

“In a broader sense, at some point [low rates] run their course,” Pastrick said. “We know there will be a rate-normalization phase when economic growth does pick up.”

The recovery of sales, however, hasn’t been shared equally across the province. Metro Vancouver, Victoria and the Fraser Valley have seen relatively sharp rebounds, while the South Okanagan, the Kelowna to Vernon region and Kamloops are forecast to see much slower recoveries.

Muir expects housing starts to remain depressed for the remainder of this year, and not recover by a lot next year.

His forecast is for 14,800 new -home starts by the end of 2009, which is only slightly higher than the most recent low of 2000.

Muir added that if some of those starts do not materialize and they fall below 14,400, that will be the lowest level of new-home construction in the province since 1962.

depenner@vancouversun.com

VANCOUVER, B.C. – July 3, 2009 – The combination of low interest rates and more affordable pricing helped propel Greater Vancouver home sale numbers to the second all-time highest total for the month of June.

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that sales of detached, attached and apartment properties increased 75.6 per cent in June 2009 to 4,259, from the 2,425 sales recorded in June 2008. The figure is just short of the record-breaking 4,333 sales which occurred in June 2005.

New listings for detached, attached and apartment properties declined 17.9 per cent to 5,372 in June 2009 compared to June 2008, when 6,546 new units were listed. However, new listings increased 13.5 per cent from May to June of this year. Total active listings in Greater Vancouver currently sit at 13,252, down 27 per cent from June 2008 and 2.9 per cent below the active listings count at the end of May 2009.

“Price reductions and low interest rates have created an improvement in affordability, which is causing the number of sales to rise to levels comparable to 2003 to 2007,” Scott Russell, REBGV president said.
 
“Many people who were reluctant to purchase a home last fall and earlier this year are returning to the market because they see conditions that appeal to their personal and financial needs,” Russell said. “However, the current marketplace is such that buyers are more inclined to walk if they don’t like the terms of an offer.”

Residential benchmark prices, as calculated by the MLSLink® Housing Price Index, declined 8.2 per cent to $518,855 in June 2009 compared to June 2008.

The number of sales of detached properties increased 81.6 per cent to 1,667 from the 918 detached sales recorded during the same period in 2008. The benchmark price for detached properties declined 8.4 per cent to $701,384 in June 2009 compared to June 2008.

The number of sales of apartment properties in June 2009 increased 69.3 per cent to 1,790, compared to 1,057 sales in June 2008. The benchmark price of an apartment property declined 8.2 per cent from June 2008 to $356,880.

The number of attached property sales in June 2009 increased 78.2 per cent to 802, compared with the 450 sales in June 2008. The benchmark price of an attached unit declined 7.3 per cent between June 2009 and 2008 to $441,620.

Bright spots in Greater Vancouver in June 2009 compared to June 2008:

Detached:

Burnaby up 109.7 per cent (151 units sold from 72)

Coquitlam up 122.2 per cent (160 units sold from 72)

Delta - South up 107.7 per cent (56 units sold from 27)

Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows up 54.3 per cent (162 units sold from 105)

New Westminster up 104.8 per cent (43 units sold from 21)

North Vancouver up 96.2 per cent (153 units sold from 78)

Port Moody/ Belcarra up 120 per cent (33 units sold from 15)

Richmond up 77.4 per cent (204 units sold from 115)

Squamish up 107.7 per cent (27 units sold from 13)

Sunshine Coast up 33.9 per cent (75 units sold from 56)

Vancouver East up 71.2 per cent (238 units sold from 139)

Vancouver West up 85.2 per cent (200 units sold from 108)

West Vancouver/Howe Sound up 117.8 per cent (98 units sold from 45)

The Real Estate industry is a key economic driver in British Columbia. In 2008, 24,626 homes changed hands in the Board's area generating $1.03 billion in spin-offs. The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver is an association representing more than 9,400 REALTORS®. The Real Estate Board provides a variety of membership services, including the Multiple Listing Service®. For more information on real estate, statistics, and buying or selling a home, contact a local REALTOR® or visit www.rebgv.org.

Note: The MLSLink® Housing Price Index (HPI), established in 1995, is modeled on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) which measures the rate of price change for a basket of goods and services including food, clothing, shelter, and transportation. Instead of measuring goods and services, the HPI measures the change in the price of housing features. Thus, the HPI measures typical, pure price change (inflation or deflation).

The HPI benchmarks represent the price of a typical property within each market. The HPI takes into consideration what averages and medians do not – items such as lot size, age, number of rooms, etc. These features become the composite of the ‘typical house’ in a given area. Each month’s sales determine the current prices paid for bedrooms, bathrooms, fireplaces, etc. and apply those new values to the ‘typical’ house model.

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“Certainly with the Bank of Canada’s target rate set at virtually zero, there’s very little room,” Soper said today at a conference in Toronto on Canada’s real estate market. The rate is “the lowest it’s been in anyone in this room’s lifetime.”

Rates for home loans have been dropping during the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression, with some lenders offering mortgages approaching 4 percent, Soper said. That compares with an average posted five-year rate of 7.5 percent a year ago, according to the Bank of Canada. He added that home prices in Canada aren’t likely to rise “sharply” over the next two years.

Bank of Montreal, which sponsored the conference, lowered its rate for a five-year fixed-rate mortgage this month to 4.15 percent.

“We are approaching almost zero interest rates,” at the Bank of Canada, said John Turner, the Toronto-based bank’s director of mortgages. “The question becomes, how much upward pressure will there be as we come out of this recession?”

The Bank of Canada last month cut its benchmark lending rate to 0.5 percent, its lowest ever, and said it’s preparing to use policies beyond interest rate moves to revive an economy hit by a recession and tight credit markets. The next rate announcement is April 21.

Canadian existing home sales rose in February for the first time since September as buyers took advantage of lower mortgage rates and prices, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association’s Multiple Listing Service. Sales of existing homes rose 8.6 percent from January to 28,669 units.

Bank of Montreal senior economist Sal Guatieri predicted that Canada’s housing market will decline further this year, without the “crash” experienced in the U.S.

2.		Check for clutter. You’re selling you house, not your belongings. - Remove unnecessary furniture and décor items from each room. - Organize closets so that they appear roomy and spacious. - Remove all pet clutter and debris (including pet hair on furniture!). - Clear out the garage, including vehicles, when the house is showing.

3.		Strong odours can be a deal breaker! Make sure you check your home. - Remove any strong or unpleasant odours. - Air out the home prior to showings.

4.		Storing away personal items will let the buyer imagine their own belongings in the house. - Remove family photos and replace with neutral images. - Remove all personal toiletries from bathrooms and bedrooms. - Remove art, books, collections that may be considered controversial.

5.		Make the heart of your home shine – give the kitchen a “quick” facelift. - Clean & clear kitchen counters of all clutter. - Remove pictures, coupons, magnets from refrigerator. - Ensure all appliances are cleaned, inside and out. Even if not  sold with the house.

6.		Check the bathrooms. Like the kitchen – clean, clean, clean! - All surfaces are clean and free of personal items. Don’t forget the floors. - Shower curtains are clean. Shower doors are hung properly. - Towels are clean and neatly hung.

7.		A fresh coat of paint is a top selling strategy! - Walls are free of holes. - Paint walls in colours that appeal to the broadest range of buyers. - Outdated wallpaper should be replaced.

8.		How are the floors? They're a crucial key to the buyer's heart! - Carpets and hard surface flooring are clean and free from stains.

9.		Proper lighting throughout the house is key. - All light bulbs are working. Always have spares on hand. - Check for dark rooms and corners. Increase bulb wattage and  add additional ambient, task or accent lighting as needed.

10.		Windows and coverings are important details of a well maintained house. - Windows are clean. - Draperies and blinds are clean.

THE HOUSE (INSIDE & OUT) IS NOW
		CLEAN CLUTTER-FREE! DE-PERSONALIZED! ODOUR-FREE!
We hope this checklist has been helpful to you. Feel overwhelmed? Give the experts a call. We are here to help!

Katherine Van Leeuwen katherine@accentuate.ca   604-328-6479       http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=78211976&msgid=838857&act=GZBR&c=370156&admin=0&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.accentuate.ca