Hiring an inspector to go over a home top-to-bottom before purchasing it is a must. Along with avoiding future headaches and hefty repair bills, it also puts the ball in the buyer’s court if a fault (or faults) are discovered. Hold the current homeowner responsible, lower the asking price, or move on to another home; homeowner protection starts with hiring the proper inspector to [...] Read More
Smoking in the home can reduce the resale value by as much as 29 per cent according to a study sponsored by Pfizer Canada, which makes products to help people quit smoking. Kevin Basran, a Fraser Valley and Vancouver realtor, says lingering smoke can ruin buyers’ first impressions in less than a minute. “It’s psychological. Most people make up their decision subconsciously between 30 [...] Read More
On May 14, 3.1 million British Columbia registered voters will be eligible to cast their vote to elect the 85 members of the Legislative Assembly in the 40th Provincial General Election. Voters, understandably, have a number of concerns with respect to issues such as health care, education and the province’s economic situation. Valued at approximately $15 billion, B.C.’s residential-construction industry is our second largest [...] Read More
Some among today’s Generation Y – also known as millennials – may not own a home in their lifetime. Young homebuyers in today’s housing market have a much tougher financial struggle compared to the baby boomer generation; for example, an average detached home in Greater Vancouver sells for just over $900,000, even in what experts describe as a buyers’ market. Wages have not risen at [...] Read More
April is New Homes Month throughout B.C. and Canada, and for CHBA BC and all its members – 30 days devoted to helping homebuyers answer the question of whether to buy a new or older (resale) home. While a brand-new abode typically includes a larger asking price, British Columbia’s homes come armed with the latest in construction design, technology and more, including energy efficiency, [...] Read More
Ever struggled to paint a picture of a home renovation project to your family, colleagues or contractor? There’s an app for that! Literally. BuildApp Pro, available for iPhone, Blackberry, and Android, is the award-winning, first full 3D home design tool that lets app users draw a new apartment or house layout and design in minutes. Get ‘appy before renovating The beginning process was eerily [...] Read More
A total of 5,661 residential sales were recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in B.C. during March, up 6.6 per cent from February on a seasonally adjusted basis, reports the British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA). March home sales were down 17.7 per cent when compared to March 2012, however. Biggest increase since January 2011 “B.C. home sales in March posted the largest [...] Read More
B.C. builders continue to shine across the entire country. Two British Columbia-based home builders were among the winners announced April 8 at the 2013 Avid Awards for Best Customer Experience in Canada. G.D. Nielsen Developments Ltd. and Portrait Homes were both honoured with Avid Awards at the ceremony, which was held in Calgary, Alta. this year. The awards take into account the THBE (Total [...] Read More
A practical space to prepare for the day together and a private haven to relax at the end of it is just one of the perks of a his-and-her bathroom. It’s creating one that can be the hard part. Balancing masculine and feminine design, and sticking to neutral tones when creating a room for two can help ensure a happy medium, according to a [...] Read More
You can already read BC Homes with one touch. You can choose to read it on your cellphone, laptop, tablet, e-reader or home computer – it just depends on what mood you’re in when it’s time to see what’s new with BC Homes. You can also read BC Homes in full colour with our print edition too, of course. When the Canadian Home Builders Association of British [...] Read More
Builders are creators. They start at ground level and erect a skeleton, flesh it in then finish with a living, breathing entity, whether a single-family home, multi-family community, resort or renovation project. The exceptional talents of British Columbia’s residential construction community were the focus of the 21st Annual Georgie Awards® gala, held February 23, 2013 at the Vancouver Convention Centre West. It was a [...] Read More
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