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Welcome to my guide on what NO ONE tells you about living in Vancouver.

Do you want the inside scoop on what it’s like to live in Vancouver? If you are thinking of moving to Vancouver you won’t want to miss this video!

In this video, I uncover the untold secrets and hidden gems that I’ve learned in 5 decades of living in Vancouver.

These are the secrets that only a born and raised Vancouverite knows. From it’s beaches, amazing food scene, healthy lifestyle and work-life balance Vancouver offers those living in Vancouver so much more than just it’s pretty façade.

By the end of this video you’ll have inside knowledge of what it’s like to live in Vancouver...and it'll help you decide if you should move to Vancouver too.
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Vancouver Real Estate – Monthly Market Update – Infographic – January 2024

So things turned a little positive in 2024.

As I've been talking about in recent months, the winter is usually the slowest period in Vancouver's real estate market. We typically see the lowest amount of activity mid-November through to the end of January.

However, THIS past January bucked that trend a little. What's normally our slowest month of the year actually saw a jump in activity not just in comparison to December 2023 (month to month) but also a very significant increase over January 2023 (year over year).

Sales rose to 412 (from 382). That's a +7.9% increase from last month and a whopping +31.6% increase over a year ago. Notably, it's still -16.4% below the 10-year average for the month of January.

New listings rose a whopping 236% over the month to 1,339. This was up +26.2% from a year ago. To put it into context this was up just +2.9% over the 10-year average.

And despite a big jump in new listings, active listings remained fairly stable. This number rose by just +0.8% to 2,897...

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One of Vancouver’s most interesting neighbourhoods is Mount Pleasant.

If you are moving to Vancouver, or already living in Vancouver then Mount Pleasant is a neighborhood that you need to have on your radar. In this video I take you along for the ride as I explore this eclectic part of Vancouver…and share with you what it’s like to live in Mount pleasant.

I’ll discuss everything you need to know about living here such as the history of the area, demographics, housing options, amenities, the pros and cons of living in Mount Pleasant and a quick map tour of Mount Pleasant, too.

By the end of this video you should know a lot more about Mount Pleasant and if it’s the right place for you to move to and live in. If you’d like to see more information about the area, be sure to check out this video that I put together about neighboring Riley Park/Little Mountain:

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Vancouver Real Estate – Monthly Market Update – Infographic – December 2023
As I predicted last month, December 2023 was another "weak" month in Vancouver's real estate market. All market activity continued the decline that started in November.

But as mentioned last month, this is normal market activity at this time of year. There's (almost) always a sharp decline of activity through the end of the year as most of us focus on family, vacations and holidays.

This year was no exception, but activity levels did fall sharper than we would usually see...with levels falling well below the 10-year average.

Sales fell to 382. This was down -22.2% from last month (but up +3.5% from last year) and off a whopping -31.9% from the 10-year average.

New Listings dropped to 398, down -63.3% from last month (but up +1.5% from a year ago). This was down -16.5% from the 10-year average.

This combined for a total of 2,735 Active Listings in Vancouver at the end of December. Up +24.7% over the 10-year average but down -24.5% from last month and up +1.82% from last year.

The result of softer...
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Vancouver Real Estate – Monthly Market Update – Infographic – November 2023

After a month of consolidation, Vancouver's real estate market softened once again in November. It turns out that October was a short lived reprieve from the pattern we've seen over the last six months.

This isn't a shock. As I mentioned in last months market review, we typically see things pullback from November through to February. So it comes as no surprise that this past month was light on market activity.

Sales (491) were down -15.3% from a month ago, but up +3.2% compared to a year before. That's a significant -32.8% below the 10-year average.

New listings reached 1,083 off -30.7% compared to last month and +0.7% from last year. It was also almost right on the 10-year average up +0.25% while Total Active Listings jumped to 3,620 which was +10.3% over the 10-year average.

As demand has eased off over the last few months we've seen prices slide. This month, every housing type across the city saw price declines except one. The most significant declines were for Westside Townhouses and Eastside...

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Living in downtown Vancouver, BC is a topic thoroughly explored in this insightful YouTube video titled "The Pros and Cons of Living in Downtown Vancouver - 2023." The discussion revolves around the advantages and drawbacks of residing in the heart of Canada's most densely populated city.

Pros:

1. Central Location and Commute:

  • Downtown Vancouver's central location is a major advantage, allowing for easy commutes to various parts of the city.
  • The city has organically grown around this central point, providing convenient access in all directions through well-connected arterials.

2. Urban Amenities:

  • Downtown Vancouver boasts a plethora of urban amenities, including bars, restaurants, nightlife, music venues, and renowned shopping destinations like Pacific Center and Robson Street.
  • Proximity to work is a significant benefit for many residents.

3. Nature and Walkability:

  • Nature is a big pro, with Stanley Park and David Lamb Park bordering downtown Vancouver.
  • The city is known for its high walk...
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Vancouver vs Victoria - WHICH CITY IS BETTER?

Are you thinking of moving to or relocating to Vancouver, BC...but you've also heard great things about living in Victoria, BC? Vancouver or Victoria?

I know that it can be a really tough choice. And that's why I created this video...to give you a really thorough and comprehensive overview of the differences between two beautiful cities with so much to offer.

In this video I cover all aspects of living in Vancouver and Victoria, including geography, climate, demographics, culture, cost of living, transportation, housing, and the economy. I also cover my personal pros and cons of living in Vancouver as well as living in Victoria.

There are some HUGE differences in living in Vancouver, BC or Victoria, BC and before you move here or to the wrong city learn which part of southwestern BC is the perfect fit for you to move to and live.

If you have any questions or topics that you'd like to have me cover, be sure to leave a comment. I'm always available...

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Vancouver Real Estate – Monthly Market Update – Infographic – October 2023
After four months of the Vancouver real estate market softening, October appeared to be a month of consolidation. Back in June 2023 we saw the first signs that the strength of the first few months of 2023 was wavering.
 
It was at that time that we had a "surprise" interest rate hike from the Bank of Canada. That shock seemed to impact the psychology of our market and sap the confidence of potential buyers.
 
From June through to September of this year each successive month appeared to show more cracks in the Vancouver real estate market. Sales slowed, listings increased and prices wavered...along with rising interest rates.
 
But this past month was the first month since June where that slide appeared to slow. Sales increased, new listings slowed and the total inventory on the market remained flat.
 
Of course, the market isn't uniform throughout the city or even between housing types. The weakest market was for condos, and specifically condos on the westside of Vancouver...
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Vancouver Real Estate – Monthly Market Update – Infographic – September 2023

We had 531 sales in Vancouver in September 2023. This was -22.7% from August but up +10.6% from a year ago. It was also down a resounding -31% from the 10-year average...continuing a trend that started back in July of this year.

It was back in July, just after the first "surprise" interest rate hike were we first started to see demand falter after a very strong first half of 2023. This is now 3 months in a row that we've had successive declines on the demand side of housing in Vancouver.

Meanwhile, supply has been growing.

There were 1,777 new listings (+22.8 m-to-m and +31.4% y-to-y) along with 3,642 total active listings. Total listings were up +8.4% from the previous month but importantly remain right around the 10-year average (-0.7%).

So supply has steadily increased through the year, but not to unusual levels. But with supply increasing and a pullback in demand we are seeing pressure on prices finally easing up.

Most housing types across the city were either flat or down slightly....

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Vancouver Real Estate – Monthly Market Update – Infographic – July 2023

There were 723 sales in Vancouver in July 2023. This was an impressive 27% higher than the sales seen in July 2022...and could be otherwise pointed to as an indication of just how hot Vancouver's real estate has been lately.

That is, until you remember that last July was when the Bank of Canada raised interest rates by 1% and we saw a very quick slowdown in sales activity for the remainder of the year.

Looking more closely, we also see that sales were -15% from last month and also -16% from the 10-year average. By these measures, sales activity can clearly be seen to have cooled off from the torrid pace of the last few months.

New listings dropped to 1,525 which was -10.8% from last month but up +27% from a year ago and essentially flat when compared to the 10-year average (+0.4%). Total active listings rose to 3,403 but this was up just slightly over last month (+1.2%) and down (-12.6%) compared to last year.

We can see that generally all activity levels have tapered off to begin summer....

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Reciprocity Logo The data relating to real estate on this website comes in part from the MLS® Reciprocity program of either the Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (GVR), the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) or the Chilliwack and District Real Estate Board (CADREB). Real estate listings held by participating real estate firms are marked with the MLS® logo and detailed information about the listing includes the name of the listing agent. This representation is based in whole or part on data generated by either the GVR, the FVREB or the CADREB which assumes no responsibility for its accuracy. The materials contained on this page may not be reproduced without the express written consent of either the GVR, the FVREB or the CADREB.