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Taxes
What you need to know about BC's Speculation and Vacancy Tax
Friday, January 26, 2024
Detailed information about BC's SVT and property exemptions. (4 minute read)
Home Buying
Private insurers offer options
Thursday, November 2, 2023
Private insurers have not been required to follow CMHC's lead and tighten lending standards. (2 minute read)
Taxes
Will I have to pay capital gains when I sell my house?
Thursday, September 7, 2023
Read about the conditions required for paying capital gains, and what you need to do even if you don't have to pay. (2 minute read)
Taxes
Why do I have to pay property taxes on the house I’m buying?
Friday, September 1, 2023
Property taxes in BC are due the first business day after July 1. If you buy a home at another time, you may have to pay a share of the year to avoid a penalty.
Taxes
Empty Homes Tax put to good use – Vancouver creates affordable housing
Thursday, August 24, 2023
Affordable housing projects in Vancouver received grants worth over $8.7 million, partially from Vancouver’s EHT. (1 minute read)
Taxes
Putting Property Transfer Tax revenue to work
Tuesday, June 27, 2023
Our recommendations to the provincial government on how the PTT can be used to help build more affordable homes. (2 minute read)
Taxes
BC speculation and vacancy tax expanded to Lions Bay, Squamish
Monday, June 12, 2023
Home owners in these newly taxable areas will need to declare in 2024. (2 minute read)
Taxes
Property taxes 101
Monday, June 5, 2023
Save money on your prooperty taxes with the Home Owner Grant. The threshold has recently increased. (3 minute read)
Working with a REALTOR®
What’s the Disclosure form that REALTORS® are asking you to sign?
Friday, April 28, 2023
When buying or selling a home, Realtors have to inform you, up front, about your representation options. This is what the DORTS form is for. (3 minute read)
Home Ownership
Know the rules when insuring secondary suites
Monday, April 3, 2023
Having insurance coverage is vital. There’s a misconception among home owners that their existing policy will cover a suite. It doesn’t.
Home Ownership
Preparing for a flood
Monday, August 8, 2022
Many residents and businesses in the Lower Mainland are located in a floodplain - close to or beside local rivers, creeks, or coastlines.
Home Buying
What are the buying costs of a home?
Tuesday, April 12, 2022
If you’ve decided to buy a home, it’s important you understand all the costs involved in addition to the price you're paying for the property.
Taxes
No SVT exemption for owners of vacant stratas
Friday, February 18, 2022
Owners of strata property in buildings with rental restrictions are no longer exempt from the BC Speculation and Vacancy Tax. (1 minute read)
Taxes
What are the tax implications of building a laneway house?
Thursday, April 8, 2021
Before building a laneway home or buying a property with one, you should understand the tax implications of doing so.
Market Trends
Buying or selling in a busy market? Here’s how you can make the transaction easier
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
In a busy real estate market, homes are bought and sold at a faster pace than usual. This can create a sense of urgency that causes home prices to rise.
Working with a REALTOR®
What is the MLS® and how does it benefit you?
Monday, December 28, 2020
The Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®), owned and operated by REALTORS®, is the most powerful real estate marketing system in the country.
Home Ownership
BC Strata insurers to end ‘best terms pricing’
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
Learn what changes are being made to give strata corporations the info needed to make informed decisions about their insurance needs.
Urban Planning
Provincial parties' housing policy platforms
Friday, October 16, 2020
Here are solutions offered by the three main parties as well as the BC Conservative Party which makes substantive housing related recommendations.
Legislation & Regulations
Provincial government changes strata insurance regulations
Tuesday, September 15, 2020
These changes are intended to address rising strata insurance costs that have affected strata owners throughout the province.
Legislation & Regulations
Strata insurance – where are we at?
Thursday, September 10, 2020
Read an update on how the Insurance Bureau of Canada has responded to unusually high insurance premiums faced by strata corporations.
Legislation & Regulations
Government begins regulating strata insurance
Monday, July 13, 2020
To help return the strata insurance market to balance, the Ministry of Finance announced amendments to the Strata Property Act .
Home Ownership
Provincial government introduces bill to help with soaring strata insurance costs
Thursday, June 25, 2020
The BC government is taking its first steps to mitigate soaring strata insurance costs.
Legislation & Regulations
What’s happening in BC’s strata insurance market?
Thursday, June 18, 2020
The BC Financial Services Authority found strata insurance premiums rose by about 40 per cent, with deductibles seeing triple digit increases.
Home Ownership
What you need to know about strata insurance rate increases
Thursday, February 6, 2020
Strata owners in BC are facing insurance rate increases of between 50 and 300 per cent this year, according to the Condominium Home Owners Association of BC.
How a REALTOR® protects you
Monday, December 17, 2018
most likely be the largest transaction of your life.
Taxes
All you need to know about Vancouver's Empty Homes Tax
Thursday, January 11, 2018
Each home owner will have received a property status declaration from the City to determine if their property is subject to the Empty Homes Tax.