Michael Giesbrecht, West Vancouver/BC real estate: Blog

BC Home Sales in April

May 18th, 2007

British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that residential sales volume on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in BC rose 17 per cent to $4.2 billion in April, compared to the same month last year. Residential unit sales increased 5 per cent to 9,677 during the same period. The average MLS® price reached $431,945, climbing 11 per cent from April 2006. “BC home sales rebounded ...

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Underground Contractors

May 14th, 2007

The Ontario government is cracking down on the underground construction industry, saying unregistered home builders who work on the sly, undercharging legitimate contractors, are costing the economy up to $2-billion in lost taxes each year. Ontario Labour Minister Steve Peters said Monday the government will share information with Tarion Warranty Corp. in order to ferret out unregister ...

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Mold

May 11th, 2007

Mold can be harmful or helpful—depending on where it grows. Mold needs moisture to grow. Mold does not grow on dry materials. Mold growing inside a home can affect the occupants. Occupants can learn to recognize mold. What are molds? Molds are microscopic fungi, a group of organisms which also includes mushrooms and yeasts. Fungi are highly ...

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Condominium Fees

May 7th, 2007

Darlene Ursulak is a careful and informed consumer who has owned two condominium suites, and has never been caught off guard by a large jump in monthly maintenance fees. But Earle Shiohet, a major investor in property, stays far away from condominiums, citing what he calls "the great unknown of condo fees." The former real estate lawyer points out that horror stories about fees doublin ...

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Land Rush in Calgary

May 6th, 2007

More than 100 people desperate for a prime building lot near Calgary got their chance Saturday when a developer put 56 pricey parcels on the market - first come, first served. Some had been waiting since Monday for a chance to pay from $260,000 to $525,000 for land in Elbow Valley West, an area just west of the city. "There's a lot of people with a lot of money," said Ben Knopp, ...

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West Vancouver Numbers

May 2nd, 2007

Detached 288 homes currently available Price range: $747,000.- $10,600,000. Average: $2,215,111. 207 sold this year (average - $1,664,938.) 65 sold in March Ambleside: 34 active, ranging in price from 1.048 million to 4.595 million, with an average of 2.822 million 31 sold this year (avg 1.225 million), with 5 selling in March Dundarave: 18 active, ranging ...

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The Canadian Economy

May 1st, 2007

The Canadian dollar was above 90.5 cents yesterday, presumably on news of a stronger-than-expected Canadian economy. The Canadian economy grew 0.4 percent in February, double what analysts had expected and up from just 0.1 percent in January, Statistics Canada reported. -from CanWest News Service

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BC Unemployment Low

April 30th, 2007

The unemployment rate measures the number of people in the labour force not working. B.C.'s rate is below the national average and was sitting at 4% through February.

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Selling Cottages

April 29th, 2007

Selling cottages, or any asset for that matter, to children for less than fair market value can result in double taxation because the transferor will have proceeds equal to fair market value and the recipient will have an adjusted cost base equal to what they paid. Alternatives include: (i) a gift to the child which would be a disposition at fair market value to the transferor and ...

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Make Sure You Have a Marketing Plan

April 25th, 2007

Make Sure You Have A Marketing Plan By Michael Giesbrecht Prudential Sussex Realty April 2007 Only for the rare few sellers will simply placing a “For Sale” yard sign on the front lawn create a line of traffic filled with potential buyers. If you want buyers to see your home, you’ve got to find them. The key is marketing. To get the most exposure for your home, you should have ...

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Mike Giesbrecht

Royal LePage Sussex West Vancouver

Blog by Michael Giesbrecht

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BC Home Sales in April

Underground Contractors

Mold

Condominium Fees

Land Rush in Calgary

West Vancouver Numbers

The Canadian Economy

BC Unemployment Low

Selling Cottages

Make Sure You Have a Marketing Plan

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