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Real estate reopens

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SURREY, British Columbia, May 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Thinking of putting your home on the market? You’re not alone. As of May 25th, new listings in the Fraser Valley have increased by over 46 per cent compared to the same period in April.

And last month, even though transactions were down significantly compared to April of last year, on average on a daily basis, 23 families in the Fraser Valley relied on the guidance and advice from their REALTOR® and purchased a new home, while on average, 47 sellers per day listed their home.

Chris Shields is the President of the FVREB. “Housing needs do not stop during a pandemic. It’s why we were declared an essential service early on and why the real estate industry was included in BC’s phased reopening for businesses.”

“We have been working hard since the beginning of the lockdown to serve our clients in innovative and effective ways that limit personal interaction yet showcase homes and facilitate sales,” added Shields.

If you are currently considering buying or selling a home, here are the top ten actions REALTORS® are taking to meet WorkSafeBC’s new guidelines to serve the public:

  1. DIGITAL COMMUNICATION
    Your Realtor will communicate with you through telephone, email, or video/teleconference. During this period, Realtors have been connecting virtually with their clients more than ever through FaceTime, Zoom and other videoconferencing technologies.
  2. DOUBLING THE VOLUME OF LISTING PHOTOS ON REALTOR.CA
    As you search Canada’s most-viewed real estate website, you’ll notice that Fraser Valley listings may display up to 40 photos now, up from a previous maximum of 20. This allows your Realtor to provide more visual depth and detail for your listing.
  3. VIRTUAL HOME TOURS
    In April, Realtor.ca introduced a new feature that allows Realtors to showcase listings by integrating video and 3D tours from multiple popular services. Since mid-April, traffic to Realtor.ca has increased by 14 per cent and inquiries to Realtors have increased by 25 per cent.
  4. LIVE STREAMING OPEN HOUSES
    Realtors are now scheduling and promoting live stream open houses using popular platforms such as Facebook Live, Instagram Live, Zoom and YouTube. They walk through the home videoing each room describing while you watch live and in real time. “What’s behind that door?” They’ll show you.
  5. E-TRANSACTIONS
    No sharing of pens and much more efficient. For many years, Fraser Valley Realtors have guided their clients through the completion of MLS® contracts electronically using PDF and e-signature technology.
  6. E-DOCUMENTS
    If you haven’t sold your home in a while, you may not be aware that strata documents, land title documents, floor plans and others are available digitally. Your Realtor will email them to you.
  7. SAFE IN-PERSON VIEWINGS
    When a client is serious about a purchase, they (and their home inspector) must see the home. Per WorkSafeBC’s reopening guidelines, Realtors are working with their buyers and sellers to ensure that in-person viewings adhere to stringent safety protocols including physical distancing; handwashing and sanitizing; the use of masks, gloves and shoe covers; viewings by appointment only; limiting the number of viewers and allowing time to disinfect between viewings.
  8. DISINFECTING REALTOR/CLIENT HIGH-TOUCH SURFACES
    When appropriate, Realtors are taking extra precautions to ensure that high-touch areas such as keys, lockboxes, doorknobs, handrails, elevator buttons, etc. are cleaned and disinfected.
  9. ENSURING REAL ESTATE OFFICES ARE SAFE TO VISIT
    Like many businesses, numerous local real estate brokerages are in the process of reopening and are aware of the government’s stringent public safety guidelines including physical distancing policies, personal protective measures, and disinfection protocols.
  10. NEW PROVINCIAL REAL ESTATE STANDARD FORMS TO PROTECT CLIENTS
    A new Notice & Acknowledgement form is available for use by your Realtor during the COVID-19 pandemic. It alerts clients of changes to the real estate practice and supports your safety by helping you make informed decisions.

For more information about how the FVREB and its 3,671 members are working to keep real estate transactions safe during the pandemic, see our dedicated page at www.fvreb.bc.ca/about/covid-19-update/

In addition, the province’s real estate licensing body, the Real Estate Council of BC has a COVID-19 page devoted to consumers.

Contact
Laurie Dawson, Communications Specialist
Fraser Valley Real Estate Board

laurie.dawson@fvreb.bc.ca
Telephone 604.930.7657
Fax 604.930.7623
www.fvreb.bc.ca

Source: GlobeNewswire

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Edited BY Harry Miller

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Greater Toronto home sales jump in October after Bank of Canada rate cuts: board

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TORONTO – The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board says home sales in October surged as buyers continued moving off the sidelines amid lower interest rates.

The board said 6,658 homes changed hands last month in the Greater Toronto Area, up 44.4 per cent compared with 4,611 in the same month last year. Sales were up 14 per cent from September on a seasonally adjusted basis.

The average selling price was up 1.1 per cent compared with a year earlier at $1,135,215. The composite benchmark price, meant to represent the typical home, was down 3.3 per cent year-over-year.

“While we are still early in the Bank of Canada’s rate cutting cycle, it definitely does appear that an increasing number of buyers moved off the sidelines and back into the marketplace in October,” said TRREB president Jennifer Pearce in a news release.

“The positive affordability picture brought about by lower borrowing costs and relatively flat home prices prompted this improvement in market activity.”

The Bank of Canada has slashed its key interest rate four times since June, including a half-percentage point cut on Oct. 23. The rate now stands at 3.75 per cent, down from the high of five per cent that deterred many would-be buyers from the housing market.

New listings last month totalled 15,328, up 4.3 per cent from a year earlier.

In the City of Toronto, there were 2,509 sales last month, a 37.6 per cent jump from October 2023. Throughout the rest of the GTA, home sales rose 48.9 per cent to 4,149.

The sales uptick is encouraging, said Cameron Forbes, general manager and broker for Re/Max Realtron Realty Inc., who added the figures for October were stronger than he anticipated.

“I thought they’d be up for sure, but not necessarily that much,” said Forbes.

“Obviously, the 50 basis points was certainly a great move in the right direction. I just thought it would take more to get things going.”

He said it shows confidence in the market is returning faster than expected, especially among existing homeowners looking for a new property.

“The average consumer who’s employed and may have been able to get some increases in their wages over the last little bit to make up some ground with inflation, I think they’re confident, so they’re looking in the market.

“The conditions are nice because you’ve got a little more time, you’ve got more choice, you’ve got fewer other buyers to compete against.”

All property types saw more sales in October compared with a year ago throughout the GTA.

Townhouses led the surge with 56.8 per cent more sales, followed by detached homes at 46.6 per cent and semi-detached homes at 44 per cent. There were 33.4 per cent more condos that changed hands year-over-year.

“Market conditions did tighten in October, but there is still a lot of inventory and therefore choice for homebuyers,” said TRREB chief market analyst Jason Mercer.

“This choice will keep home price growth moderate over the next few months. However, as inventory is absorbed and home construction continues to lag population growth, selling price growth will accelerate, likely as we move through the spring of 2025.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Homelessness: Tiny home village to open next week in Halifax suburb

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HALIFAX – A village of tiny homes is set to open next month in a Halifax suburb, the latest project by the provincial government to address homelessness.

Located in Lower Sackville, N.S., the tiny home community will house up to 34 people when the first 26 units open Nov. 4.

Another 35 people are scheduled to move in when construction on another 29 units should be complete in December, under a partnership between the province, the Halifax Regional Municipality, United Way Halifax, The Shaw Group and Dexter Construction.

The province invested $9.4 million to build the village and will contribute $935,000 annually for operating costs.

Residents have been chosen from a list of people experiencing homelessness maintained by the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia.

They will pay rent that is tied to their income for a unit that is fully furnished with a private bathroom, shower and a kitchen equipped with a cooktop, small fridge and microwave.

The Atlantic Community Shelters Society will also provide support to residents, ranging from counselling and mental health supports to employment and educational services.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 24, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Here are some facts about British Columbia’s housing market

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Housing affordability is a key issue in the provincial election campaign in British Columbia, particularly in major centres.

Here are some statistics about housing in B.C. from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s 2024 Rental Market Report, issued in January, and the B.C. Real Estate Association’s August 2024 report.

Average residential home price in B.C.: $938,500

Average price in greater Vancouver (2024 year to date): $1,304,438

Average price in greater Victoria (2024 year to date): $979,103

Average price in the Okanagan (2024 year to date): $748,015

Average two-bedroom purpose-built rental in Vancouver: $2,181

Average two-bedroom purpose-built rental in Victoria: $1,839

Average two-bedroom purpose-built rental in Canada: $1,359

Rental vacancy rate in Vancouver: 0.9 per cent

How much more do new renters in Vancouver pay compared with renters who have occupied their home for at least a year: 27 per cent

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.

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