Bank of Canada Monetary Policy Report

The Bank of Canada has released a summary of their January 2014 edition of the Monetary Policy Report. This report is published on a quarterly basis reflecting the behaviour and the outlook of the Canadian economy.

Monetary Policy Report

Source: Google Images

Here are a few key facts from the Monetary Policy Report:

  • In 2013, real GDP grew by 1.8%, expected to grow to 2.5% in 3014 and 2015
  • Expectation of inflation dropped as projection moved below the 2% target
  • Stronger U.S. demand will help to boost exports and business investments, allowing for continued and strong growth over the next few years

The Canadian economy is gradually returning to its full production capacity in both 2014 and 2015.

For more information and view the entire Monetary Policy Report Summary, click here.

If you have any questions regarding the above, please contact us at 604-588-4466 or email us at info@brokersmart.ca

The Client: Looking to Upgrade

Are you looking to upgrade?  See how we can solve your challenges below with a common scenario.

The Client: The Upgrader 

Ted is in his early 30’s and holds a middle management position at a manufacturing company. He’s recently married and wants to start a family. The time is right to upgrade from his downtown condo to a single family home. Ted knows there have been recent sales in the building but is unsure what his place is actually worth. He and his wife have a good idea of the neighbourhood they want to raise their family in, having done all the research on schools and amenities.

The Challenge

Many home owners are apprehensive about having to navigate the real estate process the second time around. Ted hasn’t heard from his realtor since he bought his current condo and every time he goes into the brand that holds his mortgage, there always seems to be a new person who is in charge of his file. Determining his current equity position, potential household expenses and out of pocket costs as a second time home buyer will be crucial for his family’s financial position with the new purchase.

The Solution

Ted used the one-stop services of BrokerSmart. With dual-licensed agents to handle both the mortgage and real estate side of the purchase and sale, BrokerSmart helped to determine a comfortable mortgage payment, sold his condo at market value and secured the home of their dreams in the neighbourhood they coveted. Ted and his wife were also able to sign all the necessary documents at a convenient location of their choice and at a time that fit their busy work schedules.

If you have any questions regarding the above, give us a call at 604-588-4466 or email us at info@brokersmart.ca

Are you a first time home buyer? Click here. More of a busy professional looking for a place? Click here.

Expert Painting Tips for You

Painting may be the most affordable way to give a room a new look -whether you’re updating your current home to get it ready to sell, or planning on painting in your new home – but it can be an overwhelming decision. Thanks to Style At Home, they have shared their expert painting tips for you to paint with ease.

1. Selecting a Colour

Grab those paint chips! Be sure to have a look at the chips in the artificial and natural light. Test the colour you like by painting a couple coats in a few different areas of the room (3-foot by 3-foot) and then look at the colour in the morning, afternoon and night.Choose a good quality paint as it will create less splatter and will need less coats – saving you time!

2. Preparing 

For the best paint adhesion, wash the walls, doors, and trim with a gentle solution, rinse with a damp cloth, and allow it to dry thoroughly. Sand the doors, window sashes and trim for a smooth finish before painting. To fill gaps and cracks use a molding compound. Also, remove doorknobs, cover plates, and ceiling-light rings for a clean paint job.

3. Priming and Painting 

For the perfect finish, begin with a primer. Using a trim brush, ‘cut’ a border along the ceiling and the baseboards. To fill the entire wall, use a roller and start in the middle of the wall. This allows for excess paint to be spread out among the rest of the wall evenly. Apply at least two coats to finish all surfaces, including the walls, doors, windows, trim and baseboards.

4. Cleaning Up 

For oil-based brushes and rollers, rinse the brushes with solvent, then with warm soapy water until the water runs clean. If you’re using latex paints, skip the solvent step. Wrap the brushes in heavy paper when completely finished.

 

Now you’re all done! Once your paint job is completely dry, start moving the furniture back in the room, add some decor, hang your pictures and watch the room completely transform!

For the full article on Style At Home’s Expert Painting Tips, click here.

 

 

 

The Client: The Busy Professional

Are you a busy professional with your hands full?  See how we can solve your challenges below with a common scenario.

 

The Client: The Busy Professional

Cindy is in her mid-40’s and holds a senior management position at a consumer products company. She’s a working mother who juggles a busy work/life schedule. Cindy’s current family home, once thought to be their ‘forever home’, is no longer meeting her family’s demands – they need more space. Cindy has seen sold signs in her area but is unclear how her place compares to those homes and hasn’t had the time to find out. Both Cindy and her husband would like to stay in the same area for their children’s sake and have a good idea of which neighbourhood they want to move to.

The Challenge

When Cindy isn’t in the office or travelling for work, she’s at a family function, whether it is a dance recital, hockey game or a much needed vacation. Cindy is unsure about her current mortgage options but finding the time and energy to sort out her real estate situation becomes the larger issue at hand, especially when it comes to the little details like sourcing out movers or cleaners to help with the transition. Life as a busy professional doesn’t leave much room for finding, purchasing and moving into a new home.

The Solution

Cindy used the one-stop services of BrokerSmart. With dual-licensed agents, BrokerSmart was able to not only handle the mortgage and real estate side of the purchase and sale, they were also able to co-ordinate the lawyer, movers and house cleaners. Cindy didn’t need to sacrifice time with the family or work and was able to sign all the necessary documents at a convenient location of her choice and at a time that worked around her schedule.

If you have any questions regarding the above, please give us a call 604-588-4466 or email us at info@brokersmart.ca

Are you a first time home buyer? Click here. Or maybe you’re looking to upgrade? Stay tuned for next week!

 

Moving Tips for You!

The process of moving can be overwhelming and very stressful. At BrokerSmart, we focus on helping you at every single step during the entire process of purchasing a home. As big of a job as moving is, we want to share with you a few moving tips to make it as smooth, easy, and organized as possible.

You Move Me is a moving company that is dedicated to helping move you, not just move your boxes. Here are their 8 tips for a smooth move!

1. Label Your Boxes

Write on the box what’s inside to help with organization and efficiency during the move.

2. The Heavier the Item, the Smaller the Box 

Make sure to not over pack one box with many heavy items. This is considered to be the Golden Rule!

3. One Box, One Room

Everything you put in a box should belong to the same room. Make it easy for when you’re unpacking.

4. Last in, First Out

Think about which items you will need first in your new home.

5. Paper Packing

Use regular paper instead of newspaper to avoid smears and stains on your items.

6. No Packing on Moving Day 

It’s a busy day today! Eliminate any extra stress by having your packing done beforehand.

7. Don’t Be Afraid to Order Lots of Boxes

You just never know how many you will need. (Here is a plus: You Move Me will take back the unused boxes!)

8. Pack in All Sizes

With a variety of household items, a variety of boxes will allow to fit all of your belongings.

 

Simple moving tips to make the process as easy as possible. To check out You Move Me and how they can move you, click here.

The Client: The First Time Home Buyer

Are you a first time home buyer? See how we can solve your challenges below with a common scenario.

The Client: The First Timer

Sarah is in her 20’s and holds an accounting position at a construction firm. She’s rented an apartment for the last couple of years but knows the value of home ownership and wants to buy a place to call her own. Sarah has been online and played around with a couple of mortgage calculators, getting an idea of how much she can afford with the hope that the money she’s saved is enough for a down payment. She also has her eye on living downtown but with so many units on the market to choose from, she doesn’t know where to start.

The Challenge

Many first time home buyers feel overwhelmed by the tasks of purchasing a home. Not knowing who to call or trust for advice can delay some from even starting the process. Sarah asks her parents for a contact at their bank and calls a realtor after a quick online search but she doesn’t get any form of reassurance that these people are willing to walk her through the entire process from start to finish. Plus, finding a banker or realtor that can work with her schedule or answer her questions in a timely manner becomes a challenge.

The Solution

Sarah uses the one-stop services of BrokerSmart. With dual-licensed agents to handle both the mortgage and real estate side of the purchase, BrokerSmart was able to answer all of Sarah’s questions, found the prefect place for her budget and negotiated on her behalf for a great mortgage rate. She was also able to sign all the necessary documents at a convenient location of her choice and at a time that fit her busy work schedule.

If you have any questions regarding the above, give us a call at 604-588-4466 or email us at info@brokersmart.ca

 

Are you busy professional? Are you interested in upgrading? Stay tuned for next week!

 

REBGV December Statistics

Ending off 2013, the Greater Vancouver market saw modest home sale and price increases with an overall steadiness throughout the entire year. The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) have released their December Statistics Report, including a summary of the market behaviour for 2013.

Key Stats of 2013: 

  • Total Sales: 28,524 of detached, attached and apartment properties, a 14% increase from 2012
  • Total Listed Properties for Sale: 54,742, a 6.2% decline from 2012
  • Benchmark Price: $603,400, a 2.1% increase from 2012

Sandra Wyant, REBGV Presidents states, “Home sales quietly improved last year compared to 2012, although the volume of activity didn’t compare to some of the record-breaking years we experienced over the last decade. It was a year of stability for the Greater Vancouver housing market.”

Key States of December: 

  • Total Property Sales: 1,953, an increase of 71% from December 2012
  • New Listings: 1,856, a 34.5% increase from December 2012 for detached, attached and apartment properties
  • Detached Homes Benchmark Price: $927,000, an increase of 2.5% from December 2012
  • Apartment Property Benchmark Price: $367,800, an increase of 1.8% from December 2012
  • Attached Unit Benchmark Price: $456,100, an increase of 1.2% from December 2012

*All statistics are from the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®)

To view the full report for the REBGV December Statistics, click here.

To download the complete stats package (PDF), click here.

If you have any questions regarding the above, please give us a call at 604-588-4466 or email us at info@brokersmart.ca

FVREB December Statistics

The Fraser Valley housing market is characterized as quiet with balanced conditions throughout 2013. The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) have released their December Statistics Report along with a summary of the activity throughout the entire year.

Key Stats of 2013: 

  • Total Sales Volume: 13,663 a decrease of 1.5% from 2012
  • Listed Properties: 29,338, a 5.4% decrease compared to 2012
  • Active Listings: 7,541 a 5% increase from 2012

Ron Todson, President of the FVREB states,”It wasn’t the best of years, nor was it the worst. Generally speaking, 2013 overall was quiet. earlier in the year, we didn’t see significant price declines because our inventory also remained lower. When both buyers and sellers take a breather it has a balancing effect on the market where neither has the upper hand.”

Key Stats of December: 

  • Detached Home Benchmark Price: $549,000 , a 1.9% increase compared to December 2012
  • Townhouse Benchmark Price: $293,000, 1% decrease from December 2012
  • Apartment Benchmark Price: $192,600, a decrease of 3.7% from December 2012

*All statistics are from the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®)

 

To view the full FVREB December Statistics report, click here

If you have any questions regarding the above, please give us a call at 604-588-4466 or email us at info@brokersmart.ca

Happy New Year 2014!

It’s 2014!

Today marks the first blank page of a 365 page book. A day to contribute to goals, dreams, plans and resolutions. At BrokerSmart, we wish you a year full of good health, happiness and prosperity.

happy new year

Source: Google

Check out our Painted Picture to see what we will be continuing to work towards this year to reach our goals.

 

Happy New Year 2014!

– The BrokerSmart Team