peter townsend's vancouver real estate blog

CREA Updates Resale Housing Forecast: up 9.2% in 2011

OTTAWA – May 9, 2011 – The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) has revised its forecast for home sales activity via the Multiple Listing Service^® (MLS^®) Systems of Canadian real estate Boards and Associations for 2011 and 2012.

National sales activity is now expected to reach 441,100 units in 2011, a decline of 1.3 per cent from 2010. This is a slight improvement from the 1.6 per cent decline forecast by CREA in February, due to stronger than expected activity in British Columbia in the first quarter of 2011. Read full report

Love RESIDE magazine.

To view the latest edition of RESIDE just click here.

Another way of looking at real estate...

I've created a new pro facebook page focusing on news about contemporary homes, architecture, design, style and interiors. Just because that's what I enjoy. You might too..... www.facebook.com/PeterTownsend.Vancouver

Scottie's Renovating West Vancouver #3

For those of you following interior designer Scott Steacy's current project, here is the latest update. I'm told that this was probably the worst time to take pictures as every part of the house is in complete transition.

The picture above is taken at the back of the property where Scottie is literally extending the entire back of the home and creating an open plan, inside-outside living area with floor to ceiling sliding doors leading out to a wonderful decked patio area. To enable this, a new back wall,  and concrete foundation was poured recently.

Greater Vancouver housing market sees typical spring activity in April...

"Typical Activity"? I guess by "typical activity" the REBGV simply mean  "hundreds of foreign buyers seeking to invest billions of dollars into local Real Estate" ! Anyway you will find the full REBGV report below:

However, what you do need to know is that houses are selling over three times faster than the same period last year! and that the average number of days on the market is around 23. (last year it was 90)

In April 2011 West Vancouver saw 141 detached homes sold, slightly less than March (152), the "hot" Vancouver Westside saw 214 sold, again slightly less than March (279 and North Vancouver saw 133 sold, just one less than in March.

The disappearing house: The Bonnie Bay Project.

I sold this property on Bonnie Bay a little over a year ago. The buyers, whom I know,  first saw the property in October of 2009 whilst out walking. The property it's self was of little interest to them, however the actual lot is semi waterfront, and situated in a secluded cul de sac with near perfect close up ocean and island views and the most spectacular sunsets, as you can see from the next image.