Looking for a investment in a condo to run an airbnb? Most strata don't allow it so it is important to do your research.

All short-term rental operators in Vancouver must have a business licence and include their licence number in all online listings and advertising. 

Note You must have strata approval and/or your landlord must permit the use of short-term rentals in your home before you apply for a licence.

For the Do's and Dont's of airbnb in Vancouver read more...

To some, their favourite part of Christmas is being with loved ones. To others, it’s the giving and receiving of thoughtful gifts. But to many of us, well, we’re also here for the food!

Whether you’re passionate about cooking and are happy to spend full days kitchen-bound or you simply want to create an impressive, yet timely spread, we’ve listed a few of our festive food favourites, because hey, ‘tis the season to deck those… tables!

Read more...

https://stilhavn.com/top-5-festive-food-favourites/

It was beginning to look a little more festive around the region last month; colourful lights started to pop up, snow began to fall, and home sales – in typical seasonal fashion – also began to relax as we ease further toward the holiday season.

Andrew Lis, Director of Economics and Data Analysis at the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) commented on last month’s market activity, sharing that “With the most recent core inflation metrics showing a stubborn reluctance to respond significantly to the furious pace of rate increases, the Bank of Canada may choose to act more forcefully to bring inflation back toward target levels. While it’s always difficult to predict what the bank will do with certainty, this persistent inflationary backdrop sets up the December 7 rate announcement to be yet another increase, making holiday-season home purchases something people may end up foregoing this year.”

Housing Market at a Glance

Last month, the REBGV reported that home sales in the region totalled 1,614. This figure came in at less than half (-52.9%) of the sales recorded in the same month back in 2021 (3,428). When compared to one month prior in October, sales dipped during that time by 15.2% – down from 1,903.

Read on...

https://stilhavn.com/metro-vancouver-housing-update-november-2022/

It wasn’t only the ghost stories, carved pumpkins, and ghoulish get-up’s spooking people across the Metro Vancouver region last month, the local property market was too!

Inflation and rising interest rates have created ongoing caution for buyers and sellers, with home sale activity trending well below historical averages for October.

Andrew Lis, Director of Economics and Data Analysis at the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) commented on these trends saying, “Inflation and rising interest rates continue to dominate headlines, leading many buyers and sellers to assess how these factors impact their housing options. With sales remaining near historic lows, the number of active listings continues to inch upward, causing home prices to recede from the record highs set in the spring of 2022.”

Read more...

https://stilhavn.com/metro-vancouver-housing-update-october-2022/

Maximizing your curb’s attributes and curating the front yard helps elevate the street-side view from your home. In addition to improving the value of your property, landscaping for curb appeal helps minimize the obvious problem areas of your yard. The process of transforming your yard into an attractive space doesn’t have to be difficult, daunting, or expensive. Here are some DIY options that don’t break the bank:

https://stilhavn.com/curb-appeal-home-exterior-renovations-that-boost-value/

The witching hour is upon us where ghouls search for goodies, skulls allude to sweets and cauldrons boil with creepy crawly treats.

It’s trick-or-treating time and we have a few spooky suggestions for how you can decorate your home with DYI decor that are fun for the whole family. It’s eerie, made easy…

https://stilhavn.com/top-5-diy-tips-to-make-your-home-wickedly-welcoming-this-halloween/

It seems the fall weather hasn’t deterred sellers from entering the local property market last month, however buyers remained cautious, with demand levels sitting below the region’s long-term averages.

Andrew Lis, Director, economics and data analytics at the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) released comment as to why September’s records may have showed fewer buyers across Metro Vancouver*. He shared that, “With the Bank of Canada and other central banks around the globe hiking rates in an effort to stamp out inflation, the cost to borrow funds has risen substantially over a short period. This has resulted in a more challenging environment for borrowers looking to purchase a home, and home sales across the region have dropped accordingly.”

Read more...

https://stilhavn.com/metro-vancouver-housing-update-september-2022/

You’ve decided to turn your bathroom into your home’s ultimate relaxation refuge. You’ve decided that the ‘70s green fibreglass tub needs to step into the current decade. Or you’ve moved into your new home and realized that the solo-shower situo, needs to become more of a convenient shower-tub situo.

Whatever your reasons for adding or replacing a bathtub, you might find our top 5 tips on how to pick out the perfect tub, to be quite helpful…

https://stilhavn.com/top-5-tips-for-picking-the-perfect-tub/

August is a time when vacations are calling, a new school year is approaching and buyers and sellers generally take time out to enjoy a quieter end to their summer season.

This year, August looked no different, as Metro Vancouver’s housing market experiencing reduced sale and listing activity.

Andrew Lis, Director of Economics and Data Analysis at the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV), touched on additional factors also shaping last month’s trends, sharing that “With inflationary pressure and interest rates on the rise, home buyer and seller activity shifted below our long-term seasonal averages this summer. This shift in market conditions caused prices to edge down over the past four months.”

Although the crux of the pandemic seems to be behind us (touches wood with crossed fingertips), a lot of us continue to work from a home-based office. To some, this comes as a blessing, having home comforts such as our coffee maker on standby and zero commute. To others, it takes away a more social element and begins to combine home life with work life.

For those that are working remotely now, and even indefinitely, we have some great tips for how to make your remote-based workspace efficient, enjoyable, and effective.

Read more!

https://stilhavn.com/top-5-ways-to-make-working-from-home-a-success/

As the warmer weather ramped up across Metro Vancouver last month, the demand for residential property continued to ease. With the gradual rise in home supply, buyers were still taking things slow, spending more time assessing the market and enjoying being able to weigh up their options.

“Home buyers are exercising more caution in today’s market in response to rising interest rates and inflationary concerns. This allowed the selection of homes for sale to increase and prices to edge down in the region over the last three months”, says Daniel John, Chair of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV).

Read more...

https://stilhavn.com/metro-vancouver-housing-update-july-2022/

It seems warmer weather isn’t the only change that summer has brought home buyers across Metro Vancouver*, but also further increases to the growing residential property pool.

According to Daniel John, Chair at the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV), “Home buyers have more selection to choose from and more time to make decisions than they did over the past year. Rising interest rates and inflationary concerns are making buyers more cautious, which is allowing listings to accumulate.”

Now operating in a changing marketplace, buyers are weighing up various home types, price, and potential locations, which is resulting in less homes being sold across the region.

Read more...

https://stilhavn.com/metro-vancouver-housing-update-june-2022/