Vancouver Real Estate Forecast 2010 - Prediction about Greater Vancouver House Prices, Home Pricing w/ 12% HST, Interest Rates, Olympics, Fundamentals

Vancouver Real Estate Forecast 2010 – A Prediction About House Prices, Home Values and Housing Sales Volume

Being an enthusiast about this subject for over a decade, there are some thoughts about a 2010 Vancouver real estate forecast. With sales volume and prices increasing through 2009, many homebuyers are wondering if average selling prices and property values will continue to increase in the latter stages of 2009 into and through 2010. Here is a prediction about the 2010 Vancouver real estate resale market as well as presale condo developments in the area.

7 Major Factors Will Affect 2010 Vancouver Housing Prices

There are many factors that affect Vancouver housing prices, but in late 2009 and into 2010, there are several very unique circumstances that will influence sales volume of all housing types in addition to property values and sales prices throughout the region. It is often hard to predict 2010 Vancouver housing prices simply because a lot can change. Some important factors the affect 2010 Vancouver housing prices now may end up not influencing the resale or presale markets, while other new factors may creep up to affect homebuyers. Here are the seven factors that will likely affect the 2010 Vancouver Housing Prices in no particular order:

1. mortgage rates (financing)
2. BC Harmonized Sales Tax (12% HST on new property)
3. supply and demand in 2010 Vancouver presale real estate market
4. supply and demand in 2010 Vancouver resale real estate market
5. consumer confidence and emotions
6. Vancouver population growth and projections
7. Vancouver economic fundamentals in 2010 and beyond

A Quick Summary of Our 2010 Vancouver Real Estate Forecast Based on These Factors

A 2010 Vancouver real estate forecast based on the above factors will determine where the property market will likely head in the future. As part of our prediction for the 2010 Vancouver real estate forecast, we have put together a quick summary explaining each of the 7 factors and if they will positively of negatively influence the Vancouver real estate forecast 2010. Firstly, mortgage rates have been at all time lows for over a year. The Bank of Canada lending rate has been at 0.25% and they have promised to keep it there until at least the third quarter of 2010 barring upward pressure from inflation. Therefore, after June 2010, it is likely that the BoC lending rate will increase, thereafter the banks will also increase their prime rates, increasing the mortgage variable rates across the board. The fixed rates, which are based on the US bond market, will also likely see a spike too. As inflation starts to creep in, more investors will head towards buying US bonds, and therefore, demand will increase, increasing the borrowing fixed mortgage rates in Canada. With both fixed and variable rates in Vancouver increasing in the future, this will have a negative impact on the 2010 Vancouver real estate forecast, as cashflow and affordability will again become a bigger issue. A big effect on the 2010 Vancouver new real estate market including presales condos and pre-construction homes will be the BC Harmonized Sales Tax. A new 12% BC HST will be applied to any new construction property, which will have a huge influence on the presale 2010 Vancouver real estate forecast. With less demand for presales and pre-constuction Vancouver real estate, developers and builders of new property will feel the hit come 2010 and into 2011, as less Vancouver homebuyers and condo purchasers will pay the extra 12% hit on a new home. Demand for presale Vancouver real estate in 2010 will go down, putting upwards pressure on resales property. What this means is that many homebuyers will opt for resale listings. With more demand, the resale 2010 Vancouver real estate forecast is brighter, and will likely see a bigger price increase as demand grows for these non HST taxable homes. As the global economic crisis is becoming better managed and the end is in sight, consumer confidence in the 2010 Vancouver real estate forecast and predictions is gaining. As many Vancouver homebuyers purchase homes based on emotion, this boost in confidence will also boost the local Vancouver real estate forecast in 2010. As fall and winter 2008 was a brutal year for not only Vancouver real estate sales volume but also housing prices, 2009 will see a huge increase in both areas. As numbers are published in late 2009 and early 2010, we will likely see the above 100% increase sales volume and increase of 1 – 3% per month in Vancouver housing prices until next summer. This will have a positive impact on consumer confidence in the 2010 Vancouver real estate forecast and predictions. In addition, the Greater Vancouver population continues to grow at one of the fastest rates in Canada. This will continue and put pressure on the Vancouver property market as inventory has stalled during the past 2 years due to the global economic crisis. With many new condo projects delayed or cancelled, this has pushed back a lot of housing inventory, thereby reducing the Vancouver real estate inventory during this hot market time. Lastly, the Vancouver economic fundamentals remain strong. With new transportation routes completed, better accessibility and an influx in business and retail, the Vancouver real estate forecast 2010 is likely headed upwards. Notice that we didn’t even mention the 2010 Olympics, which we believe is a non-factor in the 2010 Vancouver real estate forecast.

Conclusion about 2010 Vancouver Home Prices

So a quick conclusion on where the Vancouver home prices are headed in late 2009 into 2010: sales volumes and home prices will see huge jumps compared to last year as 2008 was a bad year. Mortgage rates are likely headed upwards and even spiking by mid-2010. The addition of the 12% BC HST on new homes will adversely affect the presales and new Vancouver home market, causing presales 2010 Vancouver home prices to dip as demand drops. With less homebuyers in the market to purchase new homes, the resales 2010 Vancouver home prices will likely go up a lot, as more homebuyers look for completed homes. The worst of the economic crisis in Canada is over, and with job creation looming and stricter lending practises from the bank, consumer confidence in the Vancouver real estate market place will go up. Based on emotions felt from the headline news proclaiming a global recovery and above 100% gaines in sales volumes and staggering increase in housing prices, the 2010 Vancouver home prices will likely be buffered by homebuyers purchasing based on emotion. With the economic fundamentals stronger than ever and with population growth and migration into the city increasing, 2010 Vancouver home prices will go up as demand will grow. With new housing inventory stalled and increased demand, the re-balancing of the Vancouver real estate market (especially resales homes) will likely tip in the favour of homeowners by mid to late 2010.

The Other Intagibles Affecting The Vancouver House Prices 2010

There are a few other intangible factors that may or may not affect the 2010 Vancouver House Prices beginning with the 2010 Vancouver Whistler Winter Olympics. The hot market in 2009 started back in April and has continued through into October, but none of the price increases or staggering jump in sales volume had to do with the 2010 Olympics. On the contrary, the fundamentals behind the 2009 Vancouve house prices include 2 factors: record low mortgage rates and affordability which go hand in hand. These 2 factors will likely drive the 2010 Vancouver house prices upwards in the first half of the year. Therefore, the 2010 Olympics are a mute point. Most of the amateur investors who had flipped property or renovated homes and flipped them afterwards no longer are in the Vancouver real estate market. The Vancouver house prices 2010 will be much more stable the the boom years between 2005 – 2007. A second intangible factors that will affect 2010 Vancouver house prices are transportation nodes. With the completion of the Canada Line SkyTrain from Richmond to YVR to downtown Vancouver, this creates many new neighbourhoods in which we will see huge growth and demand in real estate. These areas will likely see the best increases in 2010 Vancouver house prices and demand will increase with limited new supply coming onto the market.

The Future of Vancouver Real Estate In a Nutshell

So our prediction for the next year is that the Vancouver real estate forecast for 2010 continues to be bright buoyed by low interest rates and the outlook of the dreaded HST on new homes. So the combination of the two factors will likely increase Vancouver property prices in 2010 (even if the interest rates remain low, as there are always forecastings saying a mortgage rate spike is in order in 2010 through 2010) and the HST which have negatively impact the new presale Vancouver housing market. Therefore, the presale Vancouver home prices will stabilize and possibly decrease as a result of the 12% HST added on to the purchase price, which will make resale Vancouver real estate more attractive, and therefore bumping and increasing the price of the resale Vancouver home prices 2010. With that in mind, overall, the Vancouver 2010 real estate forecast is good, as property values, home prices and housing prices should increase. Housing inventory for 2010 will remain steady as many projects will again start, but will not be completed until 2011 or beyond. The 2010 Vancouver real estate forecast will see Vancouver home prices increase through the first half of 2010, and then become more steady from the presale housing market value standpoint through the latter half of 2010. For the resale Vancouver home prices in 2010, they will increase throughout the year due to pent up demand as well as the forecast of increased interest rates.

The Canadian Mortgage Market - Banks in Canada Change Mortgage and Lending Rules and take out 40 year amortization & 0% down - Pre-Sale Condo Problems

Ottawa Backs Mortgage Market

The federal government in Canada has bought up $25 billion in residential mortgages to give Canada’s chartered banks more cash for loans, but the effort shouldn’t be considered a bailout similar to the U.S. government lifeline for Wall Street banks, the federal government and industry watchers say. “It’s a huge stretch to look at it as a bailout – it’s a helping hand,” said Brad Smith, a banking analyst at Blackmont Capital, a brokerage. Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the mortgage transfer is sensible and risk free for taxpayers since the government is buying mortgages it already insures through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. “This is not a bailout of banks; this is a market transaction that will cost the government nothing,” Harper said.

First Time Home Buyers: New Mortgage and Lending Rules Spark Debate

Consumer still at risk with mortgage changes says Experts according to Brian T of the MetroNews Paper in Vancouver. The change to mortgage lending practices isn’t the crackdown it’s meant to look like experts say, and it doesn’t make Canadians any safer from large debt. In July, Ottawa announced a decision to tighten lending rules governing mortgage-lending practices to protect Canadian homebuyers. Under these rules, the amortization period for financial guarantees from the government for insured mortgages – meaning Ottawa pays off a mortgage insurer should a worst-case sceniario happen and a home buyer is unable to pay the premium – has been reduced from 40 years, to 35 years and under. Homebuyers in Canada also need a minimum down payment of 5 per cent, effectively eliminating zero down mortgages. Home buyers in Canada also now require a minimum credit score in order to get a home mortgage. The changes to the lending rules of mortgage lending in Canada have sparked nationwide debate as to whether it helps or limits options. John, president of debt elimination service Debt Freedom Canada, says this is a case of optics. He argues Ottawa is putting on the air of shielding homebuyers in Canada from 40 year amortization periods, but the difference between them and 35 year periods is marginal at best (see chart at the end of this article). “Nothing has happened to protect the consumer from debt. You might have more money in pocket with a 40 year period, but 100 per cent owing going in is 100 per cent owing coming out the back end,” he said. “The financial institutions are still making a buck, and the government gets to look like the good guy.” On Tuesday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in order to stimulate the economy, first time homebuyers in Canada would receive a tax credit of up to $750 should a Conservative government be elected into office. But a real estate expert estimated that its impact would be modest: Doug Porter, deputy chief economist at the Bank of Montreal, told the Canadian Press that such an incentive would be unlikely to draw in new Canadian homebuyers. A possible reason for the existing changes, speculates Jim Murphy, president and CEO of the Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals (among the groups Ottawa consulted before making the new rules), is that more Canadian homebuyers, particularly young ones, are choosing no money down mortgages with longer term amortization periods. Amounts owing are growing as well: Murphy says Canada’s home owners collectively carry $900 billion in mortgage credit. That number grows by 10 per cent per year. “Thirty seven per cent of Canadians who have taken out a mortgage in the last year have chosen amortization periods of 30, 35 and 40 years,” Murphy said, citing a report his group published in 2007. (This year’s report is due in late October) “It will be much higher when we ask them that question this year.” What has been underreported in the media, Murphy says, is the disadvantage to changes present to immigrants looking to buy a home. “How does a new Canadian, with some income but zero credit score, get a mortgage that requires a minimum credit score of 620 to be guaranteed?” he asks. In terms of hurting the buoyancy of the Canadian housing market, Murphy thinks the new rules will have minimal effect. While in a housing slowdown, he says it still remains strong. In terms of protecting consumers and home buyers from crippling debt and a house rich cash poor sutation, Podlewski says the changes have even less effect. “You need a plan your entire future. Your house is only a part of it,” he added. “Do you want to serve coffee at 65 because you haven’t properly planned an you owe too much money? I get my Tim Hortons in the morning and it’s either a snow-top or a no-top behind the counter. It can happen to you.”

Comparing a 35 Year Amortization Period to a 40 Year Amortization Period Mortgage Payments
Here’s a hypothetical look at what you’d pay on a mortgage with both a 35 year and 40 year amortization period. Numbers have been determined using Filogix Expert, an industry standard point of sale system.

Mortgage 1 with 35 Year Amortization Period
Amount = $200,000
Interest Rate = 5.45 per cent
Amortization Period = 35 years
Term = 60 months
Disclosure Rate = 5.45 per cent
Payment Frequency = Monthly
Compounded = Semi-Annually
Monthly Payment = $1,059.55
Total Payments = $63,573
Total Interest = $52,489.77
Total Principal = $11,082.23
Balance Remaining at Maturity = $188,916.77

Mortgage 2 with 40 Year Amortization
Amount = $200,000
Interest Rate = 5.45 per cent
Amortization Period = 40 years
Term = 60 months
Disclosure Rate = 5.45 per cent
Payment Frequency = Monthly
Compounded = Semi-Annually
Monthly Payment = $1,016.50
Total Payments = $60,990
Total Interest = $52,863.77
Total Principal = $8,126.33
Balance Remaining at Maturity = $191,873.67

Source is from Debt Free Canada

Canadian Banks Shedding 40-Year Mortgage Loans

According to REW of Greater Vancouver, major banks in Canada have changed mortgage offerings to bring its lending rules in line with regulatory changes set to take affect in October. TD bank said, effectively immediately, the maximum amortization period for new mortgages will be 35 years and will require a five per cent down payment. TD bank said it would continue to process those mortgages with a longer amortization period or a lower down payment that have already been approved. TD joins Bank of Montreal in changing its Canadian bank lending rules ahead of the change in regulations. Other Canadian banks are following the lead. Starting October 15th, 2008, Canadians will no longer be able to purchase a home with a government backed mortgage with a 40 year amortization and no down payment. Instead, Canadian mortgages will be limited to 35 years and the government will only insure 95 per cent of the value of the home, meaning home buyers will need to come up with at least a five per cent down payment. As well, borrowers must demonstrate that debt servicing costs are no more than 45 per cent of gross income and have a good credit rating. Government backed insurance is currently available on mortgages where the loan to value ratio is up to 100 per cent – in other words, the home buyer has borrowed all the money to buy a home and then gets insurance coverage on the whole amount.

Door Closing Soon on Zero Downpayments for Canadian Mortgages

Home buyers, especially first time homebuyers, should take note that generous mortgage incentives in Canada bank will be ending this fall. On October 15, 2008, the federal Finance Department will cease guaranteeing 40 year amortization mortages and zero down payment mortgage loans in Canada. Some real estate markets observers expect to see a spike in home sales over the next two months as home buyers try to beat the deadline. Home buying in Canada real estate activity could rise leading up to the October 15 cut off, according to other mortgage professionals. The Canadia government made the changes to its mortgage guarantees to strengthen the real estate market in Canada, and to help guard against a US style housing bubble. Mortgage insurance was introduced in 1954 through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to help Canadians who hadn’t saved up enough money to quality for traditional mortgage loans from the banks. Currently, home buyers with less than 20 per cent down payment pay a premium for the insurance, which protects the bank lender in case of default. Three competitors of CMHC have now entered the Canadian mortgage insurance market, Genworth financial Canada, AIG United Guaranty Canada and the PMI Group Inc Canada. It is unclear whether the private insurers will continue to offer 40 year Canadian mortgage loans. While popular, 40 year mortgage loans are more expensive int eh long run than a conventional mortgage. However, because monthly mortgage costs are lower they do allow some home buyers to get into the real estate market for the first time.

Know the Real Estate Rules When Buying a New Home

Hire the pros, read fine print and negotiate says HouseLeague Ryan D. for the Metro Newspaper. Does buying a previously owned home appeal to you about as much as purchasing a used pair of shoes? Then buying “presale” (direct from the property developer) may be the solution. While it may seem like a simple task, the rules of buying “presale real estate” differ greatly from your standard “resale” purchase. When buying something new you are essentially engaging in a game of real estate monopoly (without the fun coloured money) – your moves are dictated to you and you must follow the present rules or purchasing a Vancouver presale property. Developers’ contracts are written in their favour, a complete turn about on the standard purchase method. They set the price, the completion dates and most of the other terms of the contract. In this topsy-turvy scenarios, here are some tips to keep you out of trouble and ahead of the Vancouver presales property game. Firstly bring your own realtor. Every real estate developer will pay your realtor’s commission for you. It is always a good idea to have someone on your side. They can navigate through the presales property contract with you tot make sure all your needs are being met. Secondly, in a buyer’s market like we have now, you can sometimes even negotiate a reduction on the purchase price. It’s true. The real estate presales developer’s pricing is usually set in stone, but when they are sitting on an abundance of inventory that needs to be moved, you have that much sought after leverage. Thirdly, GST is paid on all new construction, including presales Vancouver property, but a portion of it is rebated back to you if your new home is your primary residence. Many presales real estate Vancouver developers will pay the rebated portion for you if you sign a waiver allowing the rebate to go to them. That is a new wardrobe (and maybe a different boardgame)! Finally, during the seven-day recision period in all “presale” contracts, where you can back out of the deal if need be, consult a lawyer. Who really understands all that legal jargon better? Just because it may not sound like any language you may have heard, does not mean you are not bound by that fine print in a Vancouver presale property contract. Make sure you understand it all. So, while the game may be stacked in Vancouver presales real estate developer’s favour, these few tips will ensure that when it comes time to make your move, you ar ready and able to see it through. And who knows, when all is said and done, you may even end up with some green back in your pocket. Ryan is a realtor for Sotheby’s International Realty Canada and hosts Novus TV’s Real Estate Minute program.

Beware of Nasty Surprises When Buying a New Home

Rotten joists, missing carpets and dead soldiers buried in the backyard – buying a home can come with all kinds of nasty surprises according to Brian T. for the Metro Newspaper. The beautiful home that you’ve just purchased can house a litany of hidden horrors that you will be left to fix after you move in. A B.C. based realtor advises that there’s no way around it. You must expect – and inspect- the unexpected when you finally sign on the dotted line. “It’s a situation where the home buyer really has to be thinking caveat emptor,” says Tom, A Vancouver Island based real estate agent and co-author of True Real Estate Stories, a compendium of odd and sometimes gruesome anecdotes from the world of home buying. “An inspection should be the first thing on most people’s minds. Problems will inevitably come up and an inspection will show you what those problems will cost to fix.” A home inspector won’t catch everything wrong, Everitt notes, as they can only visually investigate the house. He knows first hand: While Everitt and his wife were resodding their backyard, they discovered the gravestone of Sgt. Joseph Morley, a World War 1 veteran. Another key is to get as specific a contract as possible. Some legal agreements concerning what will remain in the house on move-in day are detailed down to the light switches, Everitt says. Some of his clients have walked into their new home under the impression certain amenities would be there, only to find the seller took those items with them, he adds. “the more thorough the contract, the safer you are. We had home buyers moving intoa townhouse where the previous owners removed the carpet,” he said. “The owners said. “well, we took it with us because we heard they were going to install hardwood flooring,” but the contract stipulated that he carpet would be there. The buyers were furious. Besides that, carpets are specifically measured to be details of a house. What kind of person would want to take it?” If you do discover something untoward about your home purchase, you can launch a lawsuit; having a specific legal document strengthens your claim. Everitt says you must consider the costs of such a lawsuit, however, “Pick your battles,” he says. “Do you really want to take someone to court over missing light switches?” More importantly for those buying a new home is that the contract is clear on who covers the warranty, which can often be the builder themselves. These people are the ones to approach should your home become more interesting than you intended. “If the house is built as just a one-off, you better be darn sure you know what you’re buying,” adds Everitt. “You don’t want to get stuck with a lemon.”

Tips on Home Buying, Rebate Tax on Green Homes, First Canadian Title, Mortgage Options, And Other Vancouver Real Estate News

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Take Advantage of Prepayment Mortgage Options

Seventy five per cent of recent Vancouver home buyers say they intend to pay off their home mortgage as soon as possible, but only 33 per cent even make a lump sum prepayment against their mortgage, according to a recent survey by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Mortgage brokers offer some strategies fro mortgage holders who are thinking about making mortgage prepayments. Here’s what you could do with a $200,000 five year mortgage at a now competitive fixed rate of 5.45 per cent and a 25 year amortization: Add a bit to your monthly payment: Adding an extra $50 onto the monthly payment of $1,215 will save $14,987 in interest over the life of the mortgage, and allow the borrower to pay off the loan just under two years sooner. Make a yearly pre-payment: Paying an extra $2,000 on this same mortgage once per year on the anniversary date of the mortgage will yield a saving of $39,015 in interest over the life of the mortgage, and allow the borrower to repay the loan about five years sooner. Make a larger prepayment early in the mortgage: Making a single $5,000 lump sum prepayment three years into that mortgage on the anniversary date will save $10,882 over the life of the mortgage. However, waiting 15 years before you make the same payment will result in savings of only $3,446 over the life of the loan.

“Rebate Tax on Green Homes”

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver has joined in a call for the provincial government to cut the property purchase tax (PPT) on the purchase of homes that are built or renovated to high environmental standards. In nothing that PPT revenues are forecast to reach $1 billion in 2008, Brian Naphtali, president of the Real Estate Board of Vancouver, noted tha the government is in a position to tackle climate change by providing the tax incentive. Five recommendations that were delivered to the provincial government will see both PTT and Provincial Sales Tax (PST) revenues used to fund a provincial Green Building Tax Incentive and Rebate Program. The recommendations include offering a PPT rebate on new Built Green homes and PST rebate to homeowners renovating to energy efficient standards.

Home Buyers Weigh Real Estate Needs

Commute may be a factor when looking to purchase a home or condo in Vancouver according to Metro Magazine’s Andrea. First time homebuyers looking to save money should carefully weight their needs and lifestyles against what’s being offered in various municipalities, according to local realtors. Gary Born of Prudential Sussex Realty said that the further away from downtown Vancouver a house is, the cheaper it is likely to be, but other factors such as a lengthy commute can make it impractical. “That’s why they’re less expensive – because the commute is going to be long, expensive and frustrating,” he said. Smon Myara of Sutton Group West Coast Realty said Vancouver real estate home buyers can usually get more for their money the further east they go, in areas such as Burnaby, New Westminster and Langley, for example. “You’ll see that in Vancouver’s west side, for instance, for around $300,000 you would find a dmall, one bedroom apartment,” he said. “as you go further out, you start goint to two bedrooms for $300,000, $320,000. It happens almost right away when you go past a certain boundary,” he added. Born said Abbotsford, Chilliwack and Maple Ridge are three fairly inexpensive areas, as are Pitt Meadows and Northern Langley, which are growing in population due to affordable real estate and developing transit lines. Sebastien Albrecht of Royal LePage Westside recommended areas such as Fairview, an affordable pocket close to both downtown and Granville Island, and East Vancouver real estate, which is close to the Trans Canada Highway and rapidly developing.

Looking to purchase a new home? Congratulations – you’re part of a sophisticated, savvy group. According to a recent report by Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals (CAAMP), Canadians mortgage consumers are educated, informed, attuned to local real estate market conditions, and remain confident in our housing and mortgage markets. We’re also increasingly taking advantage of alternative mortgage products like longer amortization periods, no down-payment mortgages, and interest only mortgages. In fact, CAAMP found 37 per cent of recent home purchases in 2007 had been funded with extended amortization periods. Younger Canadians looking to become first time homebuyers are most interested in alternative mortgage products, and while cautious and conservative, they remain optimistic about the overall future of these options. And within that group, renters loking to buy remain most positive about the value of extended amortization mortgages as part of their home buying strategy. And if you’re one of the people with a new home in your future, here are a few that are making their first appearance in New Home Buyer’s Guide.

Tips on Buying a Vancouver Condo Assignment

The B.C. office of the Superintendent of Real Estate has issued an updated information bulletin for those buying assignment condominiums in Greater Vancouver for a new condo or other residential property. The alert is provided to consumers for information purposes only. It is important for purchasers to obtain appropriate real estate and legal advice prior to entering into an assignment condo Vancouver agreement. Things to consider before buying an assignment condo: Consider whether an assignment is permitted under the purchase contract. Some real estate developers in Vancouver do not permit condo assignments. Others may require the developer’s consent and a substantial assignment fee. Review the Developer’s Disclosure statement and thoroughly review all documents related to the sale. Obatin advice from a lawyer and/or real estate professional prior to entering into an assignment condo Vancouver contract. Consider all your options, such as whether the deposit and “lift” will be paid to the assignor upon signing the Vancouver condo assignment or held in trust until some later date. Generally, it is preferable from the assignee’s perspective if money is released to the assignor only after the unit is built and title is being transferred and Confirm in the Vancouver condo assignment agreement how the assignor will meet all of their agreements for a valid assignment of condominium, and set out what will happen if there is any breach of the assignment agreement or the presale contract. For further information on Vancouver real estate transactions and contact information for government offices and industry associations, visit www.fic.gov.bc.ca or the Homeowner Protection Office official website at www.hpo.bc.ca.

Real Estate Council Censures Nixon

Management infraction nets District of North Vancouver real estate councilor 28 day suspension as published in the North Shore News and written by Bethany L on July 23, 2008. District of North Vancouver councilor Alan Nixon was handed a 28 day suspension from real estate practise last month, after he was censured for professional malpractice by the Real Estate Council of B.C He and three other real estate agents were also ordered to pay a fine of $1,500 between them. “This is a little bump in the orad. It’s something that I’ve put well behind me,” Nixon said about the real estate suspension, which ended on Tuesday. Alan Nixon was disciplined for allowing two real estate agents to act as property managers without the proper licenses and for not actively managing the brockerage that employed him. At the time, Alan Nixon was the managing broker for Re/Max Crest Realty, but he left the brokerage in March and is currently unlicensed. The suspect activities began in October 2005, when Nixon said he discovered that two Realtors under his supervision were managing several condos in Vancouver without the proper accreditation. Douglas Soo and Marjan Mazaheri, with help from their assistant Coral Ashe, were managing about 60 units when Alan Nixon said he told them they must hire someone with a license. “Ironically, this is probably one fo the best documented property management relationships that exist out there in the industry,” Nixon said. “Everything was done in strict accordance with the rules of the Real Estate Services Act, except they didn’t have the necessary accreditation to do it.” Soo and Mazaheri did hire a licensed property manager soon after Nixon spoke to them, but they fired him after six onths and resumed managing the units themselves until July 2007. Mazaheri and Ashe are still listed as Crest employees, but Soo is serving a 21 day suspension that will end on July 29. As part of the disciplinary action, Alan Nixon and Soo were also orderd to attend classes entitled Professionalism – It Pays! Be Safe or Be Sued! And Legal Update. He said he plans to enroll in September. The councilor said he plans to return to the real estate industry in the very near future. He has applied for a license for a new brockerage in North Vancouver, and expects to be approved within the next two weeks. Alan Nixon said that he left Crest because of a conflict between himself and the owner over different “operating philosophies”: the owner wanted to expand the brockerage, but Nixon wanted to maintain its current number of agents. A representative for Re/Max Crest Realty confirmed that Nixon left the company for reasons unrelated to the disciplinary action against him. Nixon comfirmed that he would be running for re-election as a district councilor this fall, when he will seek his third term in office.