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Vancouver Neighbourhood Details at Your Finger Tips

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 11:41:00 GMT

Real Estate Tools Let You Explore New Neighbourhoods Online

Anyone who's looked for a home or condo to buy in the Vancouver real estate market has probably experienced it at one time or another: That feeling when you realize the dream home you found online is sitting in the middle of a less than dreamy neighbourhood.

Now, thanks to the advanced real estate tools found at www.VancouverJustListed.ca, home hunters can get the 411 on any neighbourhood -- and even their potential new neighbours -- at the same time as they review the condo or house listing details.

Here's a run-down of some of the powerful new tools at your disposal with your free VancouverJustListed.ca membership:

Walk Score:

All properties listed on VancouverJustListed.ca include a Walk Score. This is a number between 0 and 100 that measures the walkability of any Vancouver area-condo or house address.

The service ranks addresses from "Walker's Paradise", where daily errands don't require a car, to "Car-Dependent" neighbourhoods, where almost all errands require a car.

The Walk Score isn't necessarily about the area's suitability for leisurely strolls (although the two often overlap) but how easy it is to become less reliant on a car for everyday tasks and errands, by listing the walking distance to nearby grocery stores and pharmacies to libraries, parks and movie theatres and other amenities.

So even if you've never visited a neighbourhood before, or aren't very familiar with it, you can easily get a sense of the walkability of any property you find on the site, and it's not available through the Vancouver MLS listings sites such as mls.ca / realtor.ca.

Bing's Bird's View to Google Earth:

All results also include built-in access to Bing's Bird's View and Google Earth, all without leaving the listing. These overhead photos can give you an immediate orientation of the property, show you what's nearby, and even give you a sense of how well treed the street is.

Google Maps:

Also included with every result is a Google Map, zoomed in on the property, This can quickly give you the estimate distance from the property to your work, or any other location, by foot, transit or car. If keeping your commute to a reasonable time is important, this is a great feature!

Google Street View:

By using the embedded Google Street View, you can even take a virtual walk down the street, to see what kind of shape the neighbouring properties are like, how busy the street is, and help you identify any potential deal-breakers, before you get in your car to view the property.

This level of detailed information can be a huge help, whether you're looking at Kitsilano houses for sale or Downtown Vancouver condos. It can help you check out for newer neighbourhoods that are quickly gaining new amenities, like False Creek North, Coal Harbour and Gastown.

Or, they can give you a sense of what to expect if you're exploring houses or condos for sale in neighbourhoods in transition, like Mount Pleasant or other up-and-coming East Vancouver areas, all without leaving your desk, couch or even web-enabled mobile device!

Whether you're following the real estate investment strategy of buying the worst house in a good neighborhood, or are buying real estate to live in a sustainable, people-friendly area, these tools put even more power into your hands, and cut down on wasted trips out to see a potential property if the neighbourhood doesn't match your needs.

www.VancouverJustListed.ca

Vancouver Real Estate Market Gets Real

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 21:44:00 GMT

The Vancouver real estate market seems to have stabilized over the last few months, with prices for Vancouver condos and houses posted on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) relatively flat, and just slightly down from their April peak.

The exception to stability came in the luxury home market, which saw some gains over last year. This is a vote of confidence for the market as a whole.

While this calm is less exciting for headline writers and economists, it's a great chance for buyers and sellers -- and those considering either option -- to take a breath and plan their next step. Now is the time to review your own financial situation and goals, and to approach the previously irrational real estate market logically, calmly, and with your homework done.

The good news is that this market stability actually benefits everyone.

With fewer Vancouver condos and houses being added to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), sellers will see their properties getting more exposure with less competition. The first step is an expert property evaluation.

Buyers, meanwhile, benefit from stable prices and the time to find their perfect new Vancouver area house or condo.

And everyone avoids that rollercoaster ride I mentioned in last month's Vancouver Real Estate Market Update

Remember, volatile markets -- whether they're overheated or falling -- add confusion, and can tempt regular buyers and sellers to become speculators, losing site of the basics.

Now, as the market calms down and heads cool (along with the temperatures), we can all focus on and be thankful for what matters.

www.VancouverJustListed.ca

Vancouver Real Estate Market Update

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 18:20:00 GMT

If you’ve been following the real estate headlines lately, you may feel as though you’re still riding on the wooden roller coaster at the PNE, with a blindfold on and no idea of what lies ahead.

Everyone has an opinion about where the housing market’s headed, and every day there’s a new report warning of dangers or trumpeting opportunities.

Even experts who spend every waking hour reading the tea leaves still get it wrong. For example, people who have been trying to time the “bottom” of the market got reminded of the costs of not acting when the Bank of Canada raised interest rates this week.

This volatility has left a lot of people confused and stressed. So I like to remind my clients of something that’s easy to forget…

You aren’t in the housing market: You are in the market for a home.

There’s a big difference. Especially on the West Coast, where we’ve become accustomed to stellar gains in house prices, it’s easy to forget that the fundamentals still apply.

Focus on finding the right home for you, one that you love and that you can afford. Then you can stop reading the headlines, get off that roller coaster, and move into your very own “Dream Home.”