3 Benefits of Forwarding Your Snail Mail

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Are you current moving or temporarily re-locating? Canada Post gives the 3 best reasons why forwarding your snail mail is beneficial for you. Forward your mail anywhere in Canada or around the globe. You can take one less thing off your mind during this busy time!

1. Peace of Mind

The thought of knowing that your bills, cheques, final statements and other important mail have been prevented from being lost or returned to the sender will put your mind at peace.

2. Security

By forwarding your snail mail, you are eliminating any risk of identity theft by knowing your mail won’t be delivered to the new occupant of your old house or location.

3. Convenience

You are able to pick up your mail yourself! No need to ask friends or relatives to collect your mail from your previous house or location.

 

Forwarding your snail mail can be accomplished by choosing the right service for you in a few easy steps. To forward your mail to a new home or a new location, 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

Financial Incentives for Building Green in Langley

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Striving to continue to be a leader for energy efficiency, the Township of Langley has adopted a Green Building Permit Rebate Program to provide financial incentives for those developers who build green. It is predicted for the population of Langley to double over the next decade, therefore increasing electricity needs by 50%. This program finds solutions to save energy in the future.

These financial incentives will be offered to those who meet the following criteria:

In Canada, the EnerGuide is a standard rating system for measuring a home’s energy performance. Below is a list outlining the available financial incentives for new residential construction of single family units as well as row/townhouse/duplex units that excels under the EnerGuide rating system.

Single Family Unit:

  • EnerGuide Rating: 80 and above
  • Available Incentives: $750 per home
  • Complimentary Blueprint assessment

Row/Townhouse/Duplex:

  • EnerGuide Rating: 82 and above
  • Available Incentives: $150 per home
  • Complimentary Blueprint assessment

8 Steps to Receive Financial Incentives for Building Green:

  1. Submit a Building Permit Application
  2. Obtain Green Building Rebate Program referral form
  3. Schedule a complimentary blueprint assessment. A Certified Energy Advisor (CEA) will provide an EnerGuide rating of the home and recommend options for reaching a higher rating. Contact City Green Solutions at 604.255.5734 or email at newhomes@citygreen.ca
  4. Build an energy efficient home
  5. Arrange final testing, including a blower door test, by CEA
  6. Receive an EnerGuide label and clearly display it on the home’s electrical panel door or furnace
  7. Within 90 days of final inspection submit EnerGuide documentation, as provided by the CEA, to the Township of Langley
  8. If qualifications are met, the Township will mail you your rebate

For more information on how you can receive financial incentives for building green, while helping Langley continue to be more energy efficient – contact the Permits, License, and Inspection Services Department at the Township of Langley or visit their website

New News on Secondary Suites

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As of May 2013, the Township of Langley has stated that all secondary suites, existing or newly constructed, are required to have a Secondary Suites Licence. A Building Permit is also required to prove inspection has been completed in order to obtain the licence.

What is a secondary suite?

It’s a separate residential unit within a home – more commonly known as a basement suite!  The Township’s Zone Bylaws only permits one single family home to have one secondary suite.

Secondary suites offer many benefits to the community. They provide a range of options for residents such as, more affordable housing. It is important to note that secondary suites must conform to municipal bylaws and provincial standards for public health and safety.

How do I obtain a Secondary Suite Licence?

Once you have received an accepted final inspection along with a Building Permit, the licence must be obtained through the Township of Langley’s Permit, Licence, and Inspection Services Department. There is an annual fee plus an annual utility fee for this licence.

Licence: $350 / $175 (Family Rate)

Utilities: 30% of applicable water/sewer charges to be included on Property Tax Statement

Unfortunately, there are fines for owners who do not have a Secondary Suite Licence. These fines can add up to $500 per day. A sign will be placed on the property tax information sheet which could affect the resale, refinancing or sale of the property. Be sure to obtain your Secondary Suite Licence if you haven’t done so already.

For more information on the Township of Langley’s bylaws regarding secondary suites, click here.

If you have any questions about your secondary suite, please give us a call at 604-588-4466 or email us at info@brokersmart.ca

 

 

 

FVREB March Statistics

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This past month, the Fraser Valley housing market saw an increase in demand towards single family detached homes as more buyers are seeing the value. The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) have released the March Statistics Report. We have added the key stats for the report below.

Key Stats:

  • Total Sales: 1,259 – an increase of 12% compared to March 2013
  • New Listings: 2,799 – a 2% increase compared to March 2013
  • Total Active Listings: 8,763 – a decrease of 8% compared to March 2013

Benchmark Prices

  • Popular Price Range for Single Family Detached Homes: $500,00 – $600,000
  • Detached Homes: $563,400 – an increase of 3.5% compared to March 2013
  • Townhouses: $297,100 – a decrease of 0.4% compared to March 2013
  • Apartments: $195,400 – a 4.3% decrease compared to March 2013

The President of the FVREB, Ray Werger, says, “Last March, sales of detached homes accounted for 55 per cent of sales of our three main residential property types and this year that increased to 58 per cent. It may not sound like much, but that translated into over 100 more sales. The property type that lost ground was townhouses. Our main buyers are families looking for the best value possible by taking advantage of continuing low interest rates and stable home prices.”

Werger adds, “We can’t emphasize enough that real estate is local. What’s happening with the Fraser Valley housing market in general may or may not be happening to the market for your home. Contact your local REALTOR® for detailed market information by community, neighbourhood and property type.”

 

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

To see the full FVREB March 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

REBGV March Statistics

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The Greater Vancouver housing market activity continues to be steady as we enter the spring season. The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) have released their March Statistics Report.

Key Stats:

  • Residential Property Sales Totaled: 2,641, a 12.5% increase from March 2013 and a 4.4% increase compared to February 2014
  • New Listings Totaled: 5,281, an increase of 12.4% from February 2014
  • Current Listings Totaled: 14,472, a decline of 6.4% compared to March 2013
  • Benchmark Price for all Properties: $615, 200, a 3.7% increase compared to March 2013

Detached Properties

  • Sales Totaled: 1,116, a 19.6% increase from March 2013
  • Benchmark Price: $945, 400, a 4.23% increase from March 2013

Apartment Properties

  • Sales Totaled: 1,106, an increase of 12.6% compared to March 2013
  • Benchmark Price: $375,800, a 3.8% increase compared to March 2013

Attached Properties

  • Sales Totaled: 419, a 3% decline from March 2013
  • Benchmark Price: $460,100, an increase of 1.3% compared to March 2013

 

Ray Harris, REBGV president says, “There has been a consistent balance between home seller supply and home buyer demand in our marketplace over the last year.”

“Home prices in the region have experienced incremental gains in most areas and property types over the last 12 months,” Harris said. “It’s important to remember that this is a diverse marketplace and trends will vary depending on area and property type.”

Below is the YouTube video of the March 2014 housing market update:

To see the full REBGV March 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

Increase in Mortgage Insurance Premium

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Less than a month away now until the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) increasing mortgage insurance premiums to 15%. May 1, 2014 marks the day homeowners will witness the increase.

What does this mean for you?

If your application is submitted to the Mortgage Insurer prior to May 1, 2014, the current (lower) premium will apply regardless of your closing date. The increased mortgage insurance premiums will only be effective, on those owner-occupied 1-4 unit properties, for new mortgage loan insurance requests submitted on or after May 1st.

This increase is not to be expected to have a major effect on the housing market.

CMHC Mortgage Insurance Loan is calculated by a percentage of the loan based on the loan-to-value ratio. This premium can be paid as a single lump sum, however it is more common to be a part of your regular payments as it is added to the mortgage principal and amortized over the life of your mortgage.

 

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