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Thinking about buying a home?
Sellers Knowing what your home is worth at the present market. Sign up for a Market Snapshot to see similar homes listed, recently sold, and expired in your neighborhood www.activeandsold.com Buyers Create your own Personal MLS Listings Search, the same system that is available to Realtors. Visit www.yourownmls.ca Thinking about buying a home? Purchasing a home can…
Exploring Vancouver neighbourhoods online
Get a feel for different communities without leaving home Published Nov 18, 2024 • Last updated 47 minutes ago • 3 minute read RealTours on location in Chilliwack visiting different homes for sale and exploring the neighbourhood. Photo by Supplied by RealTours Interested in poking around a Vancouver or Lower Mainland neighbourhood from the comfort of your laptop or phone? RealTours is a series of episodes hosted by Stephen Tadgh on the Canadian real estate platform REW, exploring areas like Vancouver, Port Moody, Coquitlam, Cultus Lake and Langley. Tadgh does the research and legwork to give home seekers — or those simply curious about an area — insight into what it costs to buy in these areas and more. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Vancouver Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Vancouver Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Sign In or Create an Account or Article content “We wanted to capture the essence of what living in a place truly feels like from the perspectives of the people already rooted there. Each community is chosen based on a blend of current real estate interest, unique local character, and, of course, the demand from our audience who want to explore beyond the standard market metrics like price per square foot or available listings,” says Tadgh. Behind the scenes with Stephen Tadgh Tadgh created the first episodes of RealTours in 2022, mere months after moving to Vancouver from Ireland. As a new immigrant, he was naturally curious about Vancouver and surrounding areas. He wanted to look around. “Coming from Ireland, where community identity and storytelling are deeply embedded in culture, I connect to people through shared stories, not just places. That background has been instrumental in RealTours,” he says. The team researches each area’s local history, demographic trends and real estate data and then hits the ground to meet people who live there and find out about the local community and favourite spots, says Tadgh. They look at what real estate exists in the community if someone wants to buy today, and they don’t shy away from the potential ‘cons’ of living there. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Article content Article content “I am acutely aware of the optics of being an Irish immigrant who’s lived here for less than three years dictating how these neighbourhoods are immortalized on our screen. To present a sugar-coated version of these communities would be, in my opinion, a grave injustice,” he says. Pride and prices One of the biggest surprises for Tadgh is the sense of identity and pride people who live in these different communities have, he says. “It was very easy as a newcomer to group certain neighbourhoods together indiscriminately. Like Burnaby, for so long, it has been that area outside of Vancouver with the towers. But then you spend some time in Burnaby Heights and realize that there is a whole other vibe and history that exists there versus southern Burnaby or Metrotown.” Real Estate ownership in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland is, to put it politely, disheartening at the moment, says Tadgh. Something they’re trying to do with RealTours is show the diversity of homes available for home seekers interested in specific communities. “Want to live in Kitsilano but can’t afford the multi-million dollar listings by the beach? Why not take a look at the new stratified units made possible through zoning regulation changes?” he says. Article content How to use RealTours People can learn about an area’s past, present and future by referring back to these episodes, says Tadgh. “While we may not go back and visit an area for a number of years, the Guide on REW.ca can keep you informed about the changes in the community.” What’s next? “I’ve been told I’m not allowed to speak too much right now; however, all I’ll say is if you are in Alberta, Northern B.C. or the Okanagan, then I’d love to hear
Canadians getting first GST credit payment of the year today
New year, more money: Canadians are getting their first GST credit payments of 2025 today. The goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) credit is a tax-free quarterly payment. According to the government, this credit aims to help families with low and modest incomes offset the taxes they pay. If you’re eligible, you’ll see extra cash in your bank account on Friday, January 3. Who’s eligible for the payment? The government says you’re generally eligible for the payment if you’re at least 19 years old and a Canadian resident for income tax purposes a month before the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) makes the payment and at the beginning of the month. If you are under 19 years old, the government says you must meet at least one of the following conditions during the same period: You have (or had) a spouse or common-law partner You are (or were) a parent and live (or lived) with your child According to the government, parents in a shared custody situation may be eligible for half of the credit for that child. Additionally, if your income is equal to or exceeds the amounts below, you or your family won’t be eligible for the credit. Government of Canada How much will you get from the GST credit? According to the government, you could get up to: $519 if you are single $680 if you are married or have a common-law partner $179 for each child under the age of 19 Here are some examples of things you could spend this credit on. You don’t need to apply for the credit because you’re automatically considered for it when you file your taxes. In 2022, Ottawa doubled the GST credit for six months during the height of inflation. There are other ways you might get more money from the government this year. From the Canada Child Benefit to the Canada Carbon Rebate, check out the full list here.
Minimum qualifying rate for uninsured mortgages
Current rate:The greater of the mortgage contract rate plus 2% or 5.25%. The minimum qualifying rate (MQR) for uninsured mortgages is a mortgage stress test applied by lenders to borrowers. OSFI obliges federally-regulated lenders to apply this stress test to their borrowers. This helps lenders prepare borrowers so they can continue to make mortgage payments…
Fixed mortgage rates see some easing amid Trump tariff threats. Here’s why
Canada’s mortgage market is reacting to fears this week that United States President Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs could deliver a sharp blow to the Canadian economy. Experts say that home buyers and owners with a mortgage up for renewal could secure a cheaper rate amid the dysfunction, but also warn that the forecast for the spring housing market is far from…