The Alto by Anthem properties. This bedroom and den corner unit boasts 10' ceilings throughout! The floor to ceiling windows bring the light in to reveal the high end finishings of the suite. There is a large en suite bathroom and great gourmet kitchen open to the living area. The kitchen has double height cabinets added for storage, soft close doors with stainless appliances and composite stone counter tops. This is a great central location at the corner of Howe & Davie, with restaurants below, a gym across the street and everything just a short walk away. There is a 2-5-10 warranty, 1 parking and 1 storage locker. Easy to show. Taxes, Maintenance Fee and measurements are approx. and to be verified by the Buyer.

View this recently sold Townhouse or see all my home sales

Looking back further, last month’s residential sales are 8.1 per cent below the ten-year average for sales in May. The three highest selling Mays ever recorded occurred in 2005, 2006 and 2007 when sales exceeded the 4,000 mark each year.

“With a sales to active listings ratio of 23 per cent, conditions continue to favour sellers in the Greater Vancouver housing market, but activity has eased away from the near record-setting pace we saw in March,” Rosario Setticasi, REBGV president said.

New listings for detached, attached and apartment properties in Greater Vancouver totalled 5,931 in May 2011. This represents a 15.4 per cent decrease compared to May 2010 when 7,014 properties were listed for sale on the MLS®, which was the second highest total for May on record. Last month’s new listings increased 1.4 per cent compared to April 2011.

At 14,656, the total number of residential property listings on the MLS® increased 2 per cent in May compared to last month and declined 16 per cent from this time last year.

The MLSLink® Housing Price Index (HPI) benchmark price for all residential properties in Greater Vancouver over the last 12 months increased 6.2 per cent to $627,568 in May 2011 from $590,662 in May 2010.

 “We’re seeing more activity at the high end of our market this year than we did one year ago. This is causing today’s average prices in the region to be less reflective of the total activity occurring in the marketplace,” Setticasi said. “The Housing Price Index benchmark prices are more accurate, reliable indicators of housing prices compared to averages.”

Of all residential properties sold on the MLS® in Greater Vancouver in 2011 to date 21 per cent sold for $1-million or higher and 20 per cent sold for $350,000 or lower. While 77 per cent of the properties that sold for over $1-million were located in West Vancouver, the Westside of Vancouver or Richmond, the properties that sold for $350,000 or lower were located throughout the entire Board area.

Sales of detached properties on the MLS® in May 2011 reached 1,570, an increase of 25 per cent from the 1,256 detached sales recorded in May 2010, and a 12 per cent increase from the 1,402 units sold in May 2009. The benchmark price for detached properties increased 10 per cent from May 2010 to $890,833.

Sales of apartment properties reached 1,228 in May 2011, a 9.3 per cent decrease compared to the 1,354 sales in May 2010, and a decrease of 15.8 per cent compared to the 1,458 sales in May 2009. The benchmark price of an apartment property increased 2.2 per cent from May 2010 to $407,419.

Attached property sales in May 2011 totalled 579, a 6 per cent increase compared to the 546 sales in May 2010, and a 12.8 per cent decrease from the 664 attached properties sold in May 2009. The benchmark price of an attached unit increased 3.5 per cent between May 2010 and 2011 to $517,787.

View this recently sold Condo or see all my home sales

View this recently sold Condo or see all my home sales

View this recently sold Condo or see all my home sales

View this recently sold Condo or see all my home sales

View this recently sold Condo or see all my home sales

View this recently sold House or see all my home sales

According to the MLSLink® Housing Price Index (HPI), the benchmark price for all residential properties in Greater Vancouver over the last 12 months has increased 4.6 per cent to $579,349 in October 2010 from $553,702 in October 2009. Since June, however, residential home prices in Greater Vancouver have remained relatively unchanged, declining 0.2 per cent.

“We’ve seen a lot more consistency and less volatility in recent months when it comes to both number of sales and pricing, although it’s important to remember that conditions often vary between communities and neighbourhoods,” Jake Moldowan, Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) president said.

Looking at transactions, the number of residential property sales in Greater Vancouver totalled 2,337 in October 2010. This represents a 5.3 per cent increase compared to September 2010 and a 36.9 per cent decline from the 3,704 sales in October 2009.

More broadly, last month’s residential sales represent a 71.3 per cent increase over the 1,364 residential sales in October 2008, a 22.8 per cent decline compared to October 2007’s 3,028 sales, and a 14.1 per cent decline compared to the 2,722 sales in October 2006.

“As we enter the final two months of the year, buyer demand is in closer alignment with supply than we’ve seen for most of 2010,” Moldowan said. “Those buying today recognize that they still have a chance to enter the market with near-record low interest rates, while gradual reductions in inventory have eased downward pressure on prices.”

Total active listings on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in Greater Vancouver currently sit at 14,075, an 8.6 per cent decline from last month and a 16.4 per cent increase from October 2009. New listings for detached, attached and apartment properties declined 25.7 per cent to 3,698 in October 2010 compared to October 2009 when 4,977 new units were listed.

Sales of detached properties in October 2010 reached 976, a decrease of 34.4 per cent from the 1,487 detached sales recorded in October 2009, and a 98 per cent increase from the 493 units sold in October 2008. The benchmark price for detached properties increased 6.3 per cent from October 2009 to $796,883.

Sales of apartment properties reached 984 in October 2010, a decline of 38.8 per cent compared to the 1,607 sales in October 2009, and an increase of 52.1 per cent compared to the 647 sales in October 2008.The benchmark price of an apartment property increased 2.4 per cent from October 2009 to $390,074.

Attached property sales in October 2010 totalled 377, a decline of 38.2 per cent compared to the 610 sales in October 2009, and a 68.3 per cent increase from the 224 attached properties sold in October 2008. The benchmark price of an attached unit increased 4 per cent between October 2009 and 2010 to $487,530.

Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this South Surrey Townhouse for sale.

As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.

Mark Kowall
TRG Downtown Realty

Location, Location, Location !!! Beautiful neighborhood, walking trails, gym close by,excellent dining and all your shopping needs 2 minutes away! This Beautiful 3 bedroom, 3 bath, 2 level Townhome at the Sereno in South Surrey is just seconds from highway #99 and a short 30 min. trip to downtown. It is just over 1500 square feet and has had many upgrades in the last year. Home is only 2.5 yrs old. Completely repainted in designer colors top to bottom. Gleaming Hardwood floors. Granite Counter tops in Kitchen & Baths. New designer Floor Tile in the bathrooms and hallway. New Designer charcoal Grey carpet upstairs. Custom Slate Rock work around the gas fireplace. All stainless steal appliances; including Bosch DW, LG French Door Fridge, LG MW & Gas Stove. New patio designed for usability and outdoor living. Hot Tub included in rental. Garage is a Tandem + Storage space The Complex has a small gym and spacious clubhouse. Pet friendly with great trails right outside the door and parks a short walk. If your looking for a gorgeous executive turn key townhome, this is it ! We are offering an upscale lifestyle for some lucky couple. The rent is $2200/mth unfurnished plus utilities, including Hot Tub. Will consider furnished rental for $3000/mth. Dogs are welcome and subject to approval.

Vancouver Sun, August 14th 2010

Real estate pundits are starting to announce -albeit somewhat apologetically, in some cases -that the Metro Vancouver real estate market is now leaning away from sellers in favour of buyers. Hey, there's nothing wrong with a buyer's market. If market balance and sharper pricing allow more folks to climb on to the property ladder, bring it on. And history teaches us market conditions in Lotus Land-by-the-Sea can shift quickly. The buyer's market might be short-lived, a summer fling.

I have also noticed that real estate organizations believe the HST has caused some confusion among homebuyers, perhaps stalling their purchase decisions. These organizations want consumers to know there is no HST on resale homes. Hmm, I wonder if this messaging, given the increase in listings, is aimed at steering buyers to resale homes. That tactic would be way too obvious, wouldn't it? That would be like me promoting, say, the many benefits of a brand new home: superior design and leading-edge technology, enhanced building and fire codes, energy-efficiency upgrades, health-related features, competitive pricing and the strongest warranty in North America. I would never do that. And, besides, if the new home is priced lower than $525,000, the HST doesn't have a sizable impact. Higher than that, well, that's an entirely different story, one I have written many times in this space. On Tuesday, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. announced its latest housing-starts statistics for Metro Vancouver.

Not surprisingly, starts for the first seven months of the year are more than double from the same period in 2009, which was a horrid year for home construction. During the January-to-July period, 8,005 housing starts were recorded. Surrey was responsible for a quarter of all Metro Vancouver starts. In fact, Surrey was such a runaway leader, it came very close to recording more detached starts than all other Metro Vancouver municipalities combined.

The Real Estate Investment Network has just released a list of the top 10 Canadian cities in which to invest. Surrey, ranked fourth, was cited for its two border crossings, links to five major highways, deep sea docks and four railways. Vancouver, by the way, did not make the list. You know Surrey has turned a significant corner when residents there are starting to tell Vancouver jokes. The surge in housing starts this year has generated nearly 12,000 additional full-time jobs -both direct and indirect -providing a much-needed boost to the Metro Vancouver economy. With five months remaining in 2010, all fingers are crossed. 

Investors Alert!! Huge loft space currently leased til Oct 2008 at $2700 + GST per month. Another amazing space at the award winning Waterfall building-Arthur Erickson design. Steps from Granville Island - its all about location! This is a great space with loads of potential. The current tenants use it as a work space and will be staying until Oct.2008. Great revenue while the building appreciates in value! Don't miss this one, its the nicest unit in the building!

Investors Alert!! Huge loft space currently leased til Oct 2008 at $2700 + GST per month. Another amazing space at the award winning Waterfall building-Arthur Erickson design. Steps from Granville Island - its all about location! This is a great space with loads of potential. The current tenants use it as a work space and will be staying until Oct.2008. Great revenue while the building appreciates in value! Don't miss this one, its the nicest unit in the building!

Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this Sentinel Hill House for sale.

As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.

Mark Kowall
TRG Downtown Realty

Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this Sentinel Hill House for sale.

As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.

Mark Kowall
TRG Downtown Realty

This is a Lot of Home with a Lot of potential on a Great big lot! This 6 bdrm, 4 bath family home situated in a fantastic West Van neighbourhood is ready for your growing family. There is a Huge suite on the lower level with 3 bdrms, 2 baths, a full kit, bar area, giant rec room & a sauna. Sep entrances allow you to have a great lower suite. The big open rooms upstairs are just what any family is looking for. There is a 500 sf private deck above the garage & accessible from the main area as well as the master bdrm, which itself is almost 350 sf! Lots of windows & skylights bring the lush outdoors in. The large landscaped yard is a gardeners dream! This Kings Ave. home is central to just above everything. A short jaunt down the hill to shopping, exclusive schools & the main highway. The home has had updates over the years, but there is still plenty of room for your renovation ideas! Open House this Weekend, Sat & Sun, March 20th & 21st, 2-4 pm.