Types of Real Estate: Which One Suits You?

A lot of choices exist for people on the lookout for a Vancouver residential property that many are finding it hard to decide on a type of real estate that suits their needs and lifestyle. To help, here are some of the most common kinds of residences available in the area:

House

It is the most common form of living space. This structure is normally found in suburban areas that are close, but are not within the vicinity, of commercial districts. This type of real estate is ideal for people raising kids or are planning to start a family.

Townhouse

This kind of residential property is a cross between a house and a condominium unit. Normally, townhouses are preferred by people who already have houses in far areas but need to have a form of living space within Vancouver because their work is located in the city.

Condominium

A condominium is a large complex divided and sold in individual units. Condos are commonly built as high-rise residential buildings and are located within, or close, to the commercial district, which brings them closer to facilities like malls, hospitals, and schools.

Luxury Property

This can be in the form of any of the three but with a big distinction: the price tag. It can cost from at least $800,000 to a couple of millions. What sets this property apart from the others is its location, architecture, interior design, historical value, sheer size, or a combination of any or all of these factors.

Booming Yaletown Real Estate in Vancouver Makes for Sellers’ Market

"Whether you’re moving away or hoping to get a good return on your investment, there is no better time to sell your available Yaletown real estate property than now. Despite last year’s fears of a bust, the market holds up strong, especially for high-end housing and condos. Matt KIeltyka writing for Metro news, reports on the current boom in Vancouver real estate market. However, you can’t just post an ad online and expect to get a great deal for your property right off the bat. The demand for affordable Yaletown condos and housing may be high, but expect buyers to be smart about their purchase and shop with their head. If your home isn’t up to snuff or isn’t presented properly, you won’t be able to get it off your hands or get a fair price for it. Here’s what you can do to get your property ready for the market."
http://vancouvercanadahomes.com/booming-yaletown-real-estate-in-vancouver-makes-for-sellers-market

Looking at Some Kitsilano Homes for Sale? Know the Neighbourhood First

"Today, Kitsilano’s popular holiday is still as festive and alive as ever. Speaking to Robert Mangelsdorf of the Vancouver Courier, Mathew Bakatsis, this year’s festival organizer, attributed the community’s strong celebratory spirit to the immigrants’ nostalgic longing for home. His father immigrated to Canada from Greece in the ‘60s, and while Bakatsis himself was born in Canada, he knows just how important it is to share the considerable contributions of Greek culture to Vancouver’s society. If you’re big on Greek art, food and culture, then moving into a genuine Greek community in Vancouver should serve just as well, next to living in Greece itself. Check with established real estate companies, such as Vancouver Canada Homes to show you a listing of Kitsilano homes for sale to start off living your dream of owning a home within a culturally vibrant community."
http://vancouvercanadahomes.com/looking-at-some-kitsilano-homes-for-sale-know-the-neighbourhood-first

Ditch the Landlord: Reasons to Buy Your Own Home

Everyone needs a roof over their head, but not everyone is interested in owning that roof. That’s why many people still rent these days--it’s still a more affordable option to buying your own house.

Still, every tenant, at one point or another, has wondered whether it’s finally time to become a full-fledged homeowner, especially with rental prices only increasing over the years. If you’re facing this conundrum, here are three great reasons why you should consider buying a home:

Freedom from Landlords

Does your landlord ban pets from your apartment building? Is he or she picky about which modifications you can do to your unit? If you own your home, you (and Fido!) no longer have to deal with these limitations.

Tax Breaks

Yes, buying a home will definitely be a big expense, but it can help you save money when tax season comes around. Homeowners can deduct the interest on mortgage, real estate property tax, and the cost of insurance, thereby lowering their total tax payments.

Inflation Proof

Inflation doesn’t just affect consumer goods, but rental prices, too. That’s why landlords have to increase the rent every so often. If you get a fixed-rate mortgage, however, you’ll be paying the same monthly installment from the time you move in to the day you get hold the deed in transferred to you.

Prices of Homes for Sale in Vancouver and Nearby Areas Break Records

"According to new data, numerous homes for sale in Vancouver and nearby locales just broke records in terms of pricing during the previous month. As reported in this excerpt from an article on CTV Vancouver, many neighbourhoods in Vancouver have become hot markets for home buyers, despite rising prices. As the prices of most detached single-family Vancouver homes for sale have gone up, one might expect a gradual decrease in demand, right? Not quite yet as the price increase seems to coincide with Vancouver’s luxury real estate that itself is not showing signs of slowing down any time soon."
http://vancouvercanadahomes.com/prices-of-homes-for-sale-in-vancouver-and-nearby-areas-break-records

What Buyers should Consider when Choosing Condos for Sale in Vancouver

"Get the place inspected. You might want to hire a reliable building inspector to check out your prospective new home for damage or hazards. Sure, you’re not exactly buying a house, but it always pays to be sure of the structural integrity of the place you’re about to call your refuge from the world outside. You should also have the place checked for potentially hazardous chemicals and substances. The key to purchasing condos for sale in Vancouver, BC is making the right choices based on good information that you yourself have sought and pursued. Do your homework before taking even a single step towards condo ownership. There is an inherent risk to buying real estate, so buyers beware, and tread carefully throughout the purchase process."
http://vancouvercanadahomes.com/what-buyers-should-consider-when-choosing-condos-for-sale-in-vancouver

Vancouver, BC Real Estate Tips: Affordable Ways to Boost Home Value

"A Nice Yard Curb appeal is an often taken-for-granted aspect of home improvements, mainly because home sellers think this necessarily involves costly installation like decks, patios, pools and the like. You can significantly improve curb appeal with minimal expense simply by regularly keeping your lawn mowed, your grass green, and your trees and hedges trimmed. After you’ve improved the value of your home in British Columbia, it’s time to call in the pros, such as Vancouver Canada Homes, to help you move it through the Vancouver real estate market to sell. Always keep in mind that you don’t have to arrange for costly remodeling jobs just to increase the selling price of your house."
http://vancouvercanadahomes.com/vancouver-bc-real-estate-tips-affordable-ways-to-boost-home-value

Home Buying for Couples without Kids

Buying a house is nothing like buying a car. Not only does it cost more, you probably won’t be trading it up every five years or so, the way many people do with their vehicles. That’s why the house you buy today should not only cater to your current needs but your future ones as well.

This maxim is especially true for couples who presently don’t have kids, but would like to have them in the future. If you’re looking for a house now, keep these child-centric considerations in mind:

Size

In most cases, the smaller the home, the smaller the price tag. However, it might pay to get a bigger, albeit slightly more expensive, home today if kids are in the cards. Buying a roomier house now spares you from the headache of house hunting in the future with a baby or toddler in tow.

Neighborhood

When you’re happily married with no kids, the perfect home is one near restaurants, bars and other nightlife hubs. When you become parents, though, your priorities change, and you’ll want a home in a very safe, kid-friendly neighborhood.

Schools

It won’t be long until your kids will be out of their diapers and into a school uniform. So before you purchase a home, check if it belongs to a good school district. Also, homes near reputable schools often have higher market values—something you’ll appreciate if you eventually decide to sell your home.

Coal Harbour: Upscale High-rise Living at Its Best

If your motto is location, location, location, few places in Vancouver would fit the bill better than Coal Harbour. Nestled smack dab between Stanley Park and Downtown, on the shore facing Vancouver Harbour, the area is home to some of Vancouver’s most coveted addresses.

High-rise residential towers dominate much of Coal Harbour, which mainly older professionals and retirees call home. Driven here both by the proximity to the city’s centre of commerce and the allure of the world-famous Stanley Park and its marina and seawall, residents here enjoy a much more relax lifestyle befitting its aging population.

Many who call Coal Harbour home have done so for quite some time now—some may have even lived here all their life. The fact that few are willing to part with their residences here is testament to the area’s desirability and quality of life.

This, coupled with the fact that there’s been a dearth of recent development in this part of town, makes it quite difficult to secure a place to stay here, but that isn’t too say it isn’t possible. In order to do so, anyone wishing to buy a home in Coal Harbour needs to be ready to grab at a chance as soon as it becomes available.

Affordable, Attractive Mount Pleasant

In recent years, Vancouver has gained a reputation for having some of the highest property prices in the country. Take a quick look at Kitsilano, Coal Harbour, and Yaletown and it’s easy to see why. However, while the sticker prices on the city’s waterfront properties are just about as high as the skyscrapers that dominate these parts of town, move a little inland and you’ll find a number of neighbourhoods that offer more reasonably priced housing.

Mount Pleasant is one such neighbourhood. Much less densely packed, but with a few low-rise condominium developments on its north side, the area boasts a diverse collection of first-time homebuyers, families, and young urban professionals.

With its collection of unusual stores, artistic residents, and heritage buildings, the neighbourhood is well deserving of its name. Green space is still a fairly abundant resource in this area, making it feel more like a suburban town. Nine parks are scattered throughout the neighbourhood, making it easy to find fantastic spaces for a variety of outdoor activities.

Despite its more pronounced laidback-ness and family-friendly orientation, Mount Pleasant is not without nightlife. The neighbourhood’s most popular haunts centre around Main Street, with cafes, restaurants, bars, and pubs lining the thoroughfare from East 6^th Avenue to East 33^rd Avenue.

A Few Useful Tips to Maximise Equity of Yaletown Real Estate Property

When people look into their options in Yaletown real estate properties, at times they go back and forth with their decision to buy or rent. While both choices have their advantages, New York Times writers Mike Bostock, Shan Carter, and Archie Tse shed light on the critical considerations when opting to buy a home instead of renting.
http://vancouvercanadahomes.com/a-few-useful-tips-to-maximise-equity-of-yaletown-real-estate-property

Finding a Place to Live in Vancouver

ust as with any city, the Vancouver real estate market is a pretty busy one. All over the city, property is changing hands as people come and go. This, of course, means there’s plenty of places a newcomer to the city can choose to stay. However, before making a beeline toward some random For Sale sign, be sure to consider the neighbourhood it’s planted in first.

Downtown

Most residential properties in the Downtown area are high-rise residential units. Downtown offers easy access to the city’s centres of business, shopping, and entertainment, however, this can come at a price. The cost of living in Downtown is generally quite high if you’re not keen on settling for a smallish duplex in the West End section of town.

Kitsilano

If you’re a beach bum, Kitsilano is probably where you want to be. The neighbourhood is lined by the city’s two famous beaches, Kits Beach and Jericho Beach. Expect prices by the coastline to be sky high, but these generally become more reasonable as you move west towards UBC.

East Vancouver

Outside of East Hastings and Downtown Eastside, affordable housing can be had in what are the city’s more eclectic neighbourhoods. Life in East Van is generally more down-to-earth, and provides a welcome contrast to the Downtown’s slick and modern character.