Sharon Mason's blog

Buyers ponder abandoning purchase commitments in the face of higher interest rates

Vancouver’s real estate sector is in a downturn that could steepen regardless of whether the province falls into recession.

How painful the hit to the housing market will be for homeowners is an open question. 

High immigration, and migration from the rest of Canada, may stimulate sufficient demand for housing to prop up the provincial economy and soften any recessionary blow.

VANCOUVER - The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver says home sales in the region fell in April and returned to more historically typical levels for the month.

The board says residential home sales in the region totalled 3,232 in April, down from 4,908 in April 2021 and 4,344 homes in March 2022.

The April sales were 1.5 per cent above the 10-year sales average for the month.

New housing starts have struggled to keep up with population growth in some of Canada’s large cities, especially Toronto, making affordability a “significant” challenge, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s first in a series of reports to get a better handle on the country’s housing supply and its impact on affordability.

“The biggest issue affecting housing affordability in Canada is that supply simply isn’t keeping pace with demand,” the CMHC declared in the report, which was released Tuesday afternoon.

Working with a contractor, in lieu of DIY, can be the difference between a successful home renovation or repair and a botched project. Yet, finding a contractor for your home can be easier said than done.

With Earth Day upon us, many people use this day to think about how we can protect and help the environment. But it’s important to remember this is not just a one-day commitment. There are lots of simple ways to be a good neighbour to the environment year-round, no matter where you live. Here are six environmentally friendly habits you can adopt at home to help make a difference in your community.

If you live in an older home—or even some modern builds—there’s a good chance popcorn ceilings are commanding the overhead views. If you’re getting tired of this feature and plan to remove it, then you’ve come to the right place. Let’s find out what you need to know about removing popcorn ceilings from your home.

What is a Popcorn Ceiling?

Investing in the exterior of your home is important.

In West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation, Peachland and the Central Okanagan regional districts, black bear sightings nearly doubled in 2021 as 412 were spotted throughout the region, compared with 231 the previous year, according to a read more | login or register to post comments

Now that spring is here (or near) in many parts of the country, it's time to start thinking about a spring tune-up for the interior and exterior of your home. As the saying goes, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." If you follow these tips every spring, you'll be sure to help prevent expensive repairs needed in and around your home. In addition, you'll be keeping your home value up. You'll also feel good about how clean and less cluttered your home looks and feels.

Lawn and Garden Care

BC Real Estate Association's alternatives criticized by finance minister.

An open letter to Finance Minister Selina Robinson:

As one of B.C.’s 24,000 Realtors, I would like to provide you with recommendations to help ensure British Columbians buying and selling real estate are well protected.