Diane Birk
Royal LePage Westside
5970 East Boulevard , Vancouver, British Columbia
P: 604-261-9311
F: 604-261-6648
Email

The Inside Scoop....

By the time the Media reports any significant changes in the real estate market, it is old news to those of us working "inside the trenches". (All statistics quoted are sourced from the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver and relate to the West Side Residential Market only, unless otherwise noted). Bookmark this page and come back often for news on micro changes in the market and to get a prospective from someone in tune with the market, and in direct contact with buyers and sellers on a daily basis.

Friday, January 29, 2010 - Westside Market Update - Week Ending Jan. 29/10

Listing inventory is up by 40% since January 1st, now a total of 1,950. However, inventory for detached houses remains low at 375. Offshore buyers are very active in the detached market, and certain properties are getting bid up significantly over the list price. Those properties are generally centered in desirable school catchments, many with large lots. Sales activity in all categories is generally improving from a slow start at the beginning of January. The sale to list ratio over the p ... Full Article...

posted in General at Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:38:06 -0800

Sunday, January 24, 2010 - Westside Market Update - Week Ending Jan. 22/10

Total listing inventory is creeping up, however, there is still a significant shortage of detached homes for sale on the Westside (only 342). So far in January, the number of sales are lagging from December/09, but sales are slowly increasing. The sale to list ratio over the past week was 33% (104 units were reported sold). Moving forward into 2010, the listing inventory will be a key factor in what happens with prices.

posted in General at Sun, 24 Jan 2010 15:42:24 -0800

Monday, January 18, 2010 - Westside Market Update - Week Ending Jan. 15/10

Over the past 2 weeks, inventory has been creeping up, now at a total of 1,720 (up from 1,396 on January 1st), however, the number of reported sales has not been keeping pace with December sales. The sales to new listings ratio over the past week was 29%, and only 67 properties were reported sold on the West Side. The number of detached homes for sale remains very low, only at 309. The low number of sales could be attributed to the quality of listings coming on, compared to the type of prope ... Full Article...

posted in General at Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:59:27 -0800

Friday, January 15, 2010 - Bank of Canada Rate Announcements

Homeowners who currently hold variable rate mortgages are advised to keep a close watch on rates, which are very likely to go up this year. Bank of Canada's scheduled rate annountments for 2010 are: January 19th March 2nd April 20th June 1st July 20th September 8th October 19th December 7th You will need to assess your personal situation, and weigh the pros and cons of locking in now versus taking a wait and see approach. The best 5 year fixed rate I have seen is 3.89%. That is only 1.64% ... Full Article...

posted in General at Fri, 15 Jan 2010 14:29:36 -0800

Friday, January 8, 2010 - Vancouver West Side Market Update - Week Ending Jan. 8/10

It is a great time to sell! Inventory is still at a low of 1,519 total units, with only 278 houses for sale on the West Side. Most of the new listings in the past week are condos, and it looks like a nice variety of condos are coming to market in different price ranges. The sale to list ratio this week was only 28%, but this reflects 2 short weeks over the Holidays, as sales are reported after conditions are removed and sales become firm.

posted in General at Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:49:55 -0800

Tuesday, January 5, 2010 - Keep Vancouver Spectacular!

When I moved to Vancouver in 1987, I was impressed by the cleanliness of our City. At that time, it was unusual to see even a gum wrapper on a sidewalk or street. Over the years, and most noticeably since the last 2 City Garbage Strikes, it appears that the public attitude has changed, evidenced by Litter - lots and lots of it! As a concerned citizen, I have had many conversations with City of Vancouver officials about the growing epidemic of Litter, and have recently been informed that street ... Full Article...

posted in General at Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:51:55 -0800

Monday, January 4, 2010 - 2009 In Review

Simply put, 2009 was a year of getting back on track after the market freeze in the latter part of 2008. Here's how a year over year comparison looks: DETACHED HOMES 2009 2008 Change Units Listed 2,629 3,135 - 16% Units Sold 1,946 1,033 + 88% % Sales to Listings 74% 32% Avg. Price/Unit - 4% ATTACHED (TOWNHOUSES) 2009 2008 Change Units Listed 1,300 1,566 - 16% Units Sold 908 512 + 77% % Sales to Listings 69% 32% Avg. Price/Unit Ev ... Full Article...

posted in General at Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:57:04 -0800

Monday, January 4, 2010 - Today is the Right time to Sell!

The total inventory of listings available on the West Side is only 1,391 (compared to 2,511 on year ago), and only 265 of those are detached homes. With sales to listing ratios of 174% and 196% in the last two weeks of December, demand remains high. While inventory levels are low, this is an ideal time to sell, if that is in your plans for 2010. Call Diane today for a personal Market Evaluation - 604-261-9311!

posted in General at Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:40:51 -0800

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