August « 2010 « Les Twarog Vancouver Real Estate and Condo Blog

Archive for August, 2010

New chapter in self-publishing begins

Monday, August 16th, 2010

Espresso Book Machine lets writers print their work without relying on traditional business model

Emily Jackson
Sun

Barry Bechta is a manager at Oscar’s Art Books and an author. The book store owns one of the six ‘print-on-demand’ book publishing machines in Canada. The machine cost the bookstore $120,000. Photograph by: Jenelle Schneider, Vancouver Sun, Vancouver Sun

Attention, aspiring authors: Publishing books in Vancouver just got easier. B.C.’s first Espresso Book Machine — a machine that can print a high-quality, 100-page book in five minutes — now resides at Oscar’s Art Books, an independent, arts-focused bookstore on West Broadway at Granville Street.

“All you need is two PDFs — one for the cover, one for the book — and we can print it,” store manager Barry Bechta said. (PDF, or portable document format, is a cross-platform file format.)

Stigmas surrounding self-publishing or “vanity publishing” are slowly fading as new technologies have made it easier, and sometimes more profitable, to take the non-traditional route to printing books.

Self-publishing was often viewed as a self-indulgence for those who wanted to see their names in print. People who can’t convince major publishers to print their books in large volumes have turned to the practice for years, Bechta said. However, as technology shakes up the traditional publishing business model, perceptions about self-publishing are changing.

Vancouverite Stephen Jagger says he has seen success with his foray into self-publishing. Amazon’s print-on-demand service, Create Space, publishes his book Sociable!, which he co-wrote with Shane Gibson.

“Anybody could do it,” he said. “That’s the beauty about it.” The traditional publishing model didn’t appeal to Jagger, who writes about social media in the business world. He opted to avoid a big publisher and sell his books on Amazon. com.

The process is not only simple, but Jagger said it is also quite lucrative.

Jagger, who pays between $4 and $5 per book for printing, said he walks away with $11 per sale, as opposed to $2 from a traditional publisher.

Profit margins are higher on Amazon. com because the website doesn’t need much inventory space, Jagger said. “If you went on Amazon right now to buy the book, it doesn’t exist. They print it the moment you charge your credit card.”

Once it is printed, the website mails the book to the customer. Amazon. com takes a 40-per-cent cut of the book’s list price, according to Create Space’s website. Depending on the length, size, colour and page quality, Create Space charges a fee for each book printed in addition to an initial setup fee of about $1,000.

But higher profits aren’t the only benefit of print-on-demand technology. If Jagger wants to add a chapter, change a paragraph or delete a sentence, he simply sends Create Space an updated word document. The next buyer is sent the most recent copy of the book. “If you do that in the traditional means, you could have 10,000 books sitting in a warehouse that are useless,” he said.

Jagger said his frequent public speaking engagements give him the opportunities he needs to promote his book. However, he recognizes the downside to self-publishing: The mere existence of a book doesn’t guarantee it will be read.

Rolf Maurer, the publisher at Vancouver’s New Star Books, agrees.

“It’s very easy to get that skid full of books into your garage, but it’s very, very hard to get it out again,” he said.

The role of the traditional publisher is to get books into the marketplace, Maurer said. It involves a lot of behind-the-scenes distribution work that people often overlook when they decide to self-publish. “When people propose to self-publish, they’re not cutting out the editor and the publisher — they’re becoming the editor and the publisher.”

For those who do not have a built-in market to sell their books but still want to give self-publishing a try, the Espresso Book Machine is a less expensive option. Printing a book at Oscar’s costs $3 plus three cents per page, and an initial setup fee of $99. A 100-page book costs $5.99 to print.

Christine Monaghan prints her book, Heart Broke: From Uncertainty to Possibility, at the bookstore.

Monaghan said the machine allows first-time authors to get their messages across without breaking the bank. She uses the money from book sales to print the next round of copies. “The book is starting to pay for itself. But the big thing for me is that it’s delivering a message out there.”

Monaghan said the machine has shaken up the publishing industry because it supports entrepreneurs instead of big business.

“If I only sold 10 books, I would still feel as accomplished as if I had sold 250,000 books,” she said.

To those who still see self-publishing as an indulgence, Monaghan has one thing to say: “When you’ve written a book yourself, then come talk to me.”

Like Jagger, Monaghan comes from a business background. Her marketing experience gives her “a leg up” on other writers going through the self-publishing process, she said.

Timing is another advantage of the new machine, which cost the bookstore $120,000. “We’re able to give someone a physical product in their hand in five minutes,” Bechta said. Traditional publishers can take much longer to deliver a book.

Production speed is what led Arsenal Pulp Press, a Vancouver-based independent publishing company, to use the machine at Oscar’s Art Books. The company uses the machine to print advance copies of books that will be released in the fall, Arsenal marketing director Janice Beley said.

“Our turnaround time was around three weeks for advances. Now I can get them within two to three days.”

The quality is comparable to books produced by a traditional publisher, although Beley acknowledged “the paper may be a little thinner. You can see through it a little.”

There are only six of the machines in use across Canada, according to On Demand Books, the company behind the technology.

Oscar’s Art Books is the first private bookstore to own the Espresso Book Machine in Canada. “We see a lot of bookstores going the way of the dodo,” store owner Sean O’Slynn said. “We decided to look at this as an opportunity to revitalize the store.”

Oscar’s Art Books has been in business for 21 years, despite competition from a Chapters outlet that opened across the street 12 years ago.

Posted in Technology Related Articles | Comments Off on New chapter in self-publishing begins

2300 Kingsway, phase 2 Eldorado Kingsway and Nanaimo, Vancouver

Sunday, August 15th, 2010

Pricing key to homes’ allure

Province

Phase 1 consists of a 22-storey highrise and mid rise; phase 2 will consist of 96 homes — PNG PHOTOS

Project show suite — PNG PHOTOS

Project show suite — PNG PHOTOS

Project show suite — PNG PHOTOS

Project show suite — PNG PHOTOS

THE FACTS

2300 Kingsway, phase 2
What: 96 townhouses and apartments
Where: Kingsway and Nanaimo, Vancouver
Developer: Wall Group of Companies

Sizes: 1 bed, 436-621 sq. ft; 2 bed + den, 897-1,228 sq. ft; town houses 1,246-1,283 sq. ft.

Price: 1 bed from $229,000; 1 bed + flex from $265,000 2 bed + den from $385,000; town houses from $529,000

Open: Sales centre: 2330 Kingsway; Hours: noon -5 p.m., Sat –Thur

As marketer Bob Rennie sees it, the homes in the new development at Kingsway and Nanaimo are noteworthy not only for their value; they also further his belief that such development will continue to blur Vancouver’s east-west divide.

“I’ve been preaching about ‘moving’ east since 2002,” says Rennie, whose Rennie Marketing Systems is coordinating the sales campaign for the 2300 Kingsway project.

“I think the east-west divide is disappearing, and eventually we’ll start hearing people just asking whether or not you live in the city.”

Phase 1 of the development is comprised of a 22-storey highrise and a mid-rise, and went on sale on May 29. The bulk of those units have been snapped up and demand is now high for the 96 homes in phase two. (The project will also eventually include a 37-space childcare centre for toddlers and preschool-aged children, to be run by the City of Vancouver.

“Affordability is key in this equation,” says Rennie. “. . . The views are great. You can see water from the third floor; those views would be much more expensive downtown.”

Designer Ada Bonini of BYU Design says she worked hard at giving the interiors a contemporary appearance, while staying conscious of pricing.

“We budgeted the funds into more important spots, like the composite stone counter in the bathrooms and kitchens, and the appliances,” she says. The stainless steel stovetops use natural gas, which is an unexpected touch at this price.

“Then we used laminate flooring and ceramic tile, which are less expensive.”

Bonini chose a palette of cream, oatmeal, cafe au lait, and chocolate. Kitchen cabinetry has been designed to feel like part of the furniture, since it’s visible from the living room and will need to be compatible with a homeowner’s other pieces.

Kitchen countertops include deep overhangs to serve as breakfast bars. Bathrooms in many of the one-bedroom apartments have been made “cheater” ensuites, and include open shelving under the sink for linens. The sink is a square raised bowl, echoing the neat lines of the soaker tub.

Phase two has been dubbed Eldorado in honour of the hotel on the site, which was originally oriented primarily toward business travellers. It’s here that Rennie has more than a marketing connection: his mother worked for years as a waitress in the dining room.

“The businessmen started moving away to stay at other places, and the hotel wasn’t viable,” explains Rennie. “The beer parlour became the focus, and it eventually became a detriment to the neighbourhood.”

The 2300 Kingsway/Eldorado project will be complete in 2013.

Posted in Real Estate Related | 1 Comment »

City plans several large projects that will affect neighbourhoods on Cambie Corridor route

Sunday, August 15th, 2010

Next stop: Construction controversy

Frank Luba
Province

Commuters are seen on the platform at Waterfront station. The one-year-old Canada Line has enjoyed solid ridership numbers, and the City of Vancouver is now planning the redevelopment of the entire Cambie corridor. Experts say that well-designed density around the stations is key to increasing future ridership. Photograph by: Steve Bosch, PNG, The Province

Construction could again become a familiar sight along the Canada Line. Photograph by: Jason Payne File — PNG, The Province

One year after the opening of the $2-billion Canada Line, commuters are hopping the rapid-transit link between Richmond and Vancouver in massive numbers — and the people who planned it are crowing about how lovingly the once-controversial line has been embraced.

The latter group should probably strap themselves in. Because their ride is about to get a whole lot rougher.

The construction dust has barely had a chance to settle in the year since Aug. 17, 2009, when the line began operation.

But it will soon begin to stir again as development chases after the more than 100,000 riders who now use the 19-kilometre line every day. The push will be especially strong along its low-density residential leg through Vancouver.

The debates over what will be built to house people within striking distance of Canada Line stations — how that housing will look, where it will be, how significantly it will affect the existing neighbourhoods — promise to be as lively as the original arguments about the line, its cost and its construction methods.

The City of Vancouver began studying the entire Cambie corridor well before the Canada Line opened, with council adopting a set of “planning principles” and an “interim rezoning policy” in January of this year.

That’s not just bureaucratic bafflegab. Planning is turning into reality, and fast.

There’s already one enormous project contemplated under the Cambie Corridor Planning Program: the bulky Marine Gateway at the foot of Cambie Street and Marine Drive. Critics fear the tallest tower could reach 35 storeys.

It would be the biggest building in the city outside the downtown core. And it’s creating controversy among neighbours concerned about having 483 residential units (both condominiums and rental units), retail facilities (such as grocery and drug stores), a cinema and offices all dumped into their corner of the city.

Gudrun Langolf, president of the Marpole Oakridge Area Council Society, says she’d prefer a park on the site. If it must be developed, she says, she’d prefer something on a smaller, more “human” scale.

“I believe Marpole is one of the last neighbourhoods being targeted by the developers,” says Langolf. “I think people are very wary of what is being dumped in the neighbourhood.”

Jo-Anne Pringle co-founded the Marpole Area Residents’ Association created in June to find out more about development in the neighbourhood.

“There is a feeling in our community that there is a sense of panic to hurry and densify all along the Cambie Corridor,” Pringle told The Province.

“Now that the [Canada Line] is here, I think most residents all along the line expect development to take place around the stations, but this sense of panic seems to be causing the public consultation process to be shoved aside,” she said. “This type of process isn’t only a concern for Marpole, but for any area in Vancouver that is now, or will be facing development or redevelopment.”

Pringle is right about the sense of haste.

Vancouver Coun. Geoff Meggs admits the Cambie corridor has become a “priority” for the city.

The massive Marine Gateway development has yet to come before council for rezoning, but one stormy public meeting has already been held and another is set for September.

Planning staff opposed the Marine Gateway from the beginning, because the property is zoned industrial and isn’t far from the city’s waste-transfer station.

Langolf says the smell from the garbage is “very strong,” depending on the prevailing wind.

But Meggs says council made the decision to overrule staff.

“The opportunity to develop on a transit site like that is too good to pass up, so we have to mitigate any impacts,” Meggs says.

“The other side of the coin is [that] the community, which includes Marpole, has raised real questions about the height and the amount of density,” he says.

The city can expect more of the same concern as housing densifies all along the line, Meggs admits.

“I think it’s fair to say that in all of these cases, you’re going to see that tension play out, because all along the Cambie corridor is mostly residential,” he says.

Brent Toderian, Vancouver’s director of planning, is working with the developers of Marine Gateway to ease the residential component of the project onto industrial land — and he says he’s optimistic about the outcome.

“It’s been a very challenging process for us, because this is a first for Vancouver with a project of this scale outside the downtown area,” he says.

“It’s not a surprising application, because of the Canada Line. This is what significant transit infrastructure does. It changes the assumptions for what happens around it.

“It can be a challenge, but let’s be clear, it’s also a very good thing. The reason why we’re motivated to find well-designed solution to this is [that] putting mixed-use density, density done well, around station areas is a key component to increasing ridership, decreasing our carbon footprint and helping us become, as our goal states, the greenest city in the world by 2020.

“It may be tough, but it’s worth doing.”

Gateway is just one of the projects being contemplated for the Marine and Cambie area. Others are expected to surface north along the line at King Edward, Oakridge and Langara.

The density debate isn’t really about convincing people to use the line. Average ridership has already hit levels not initially expected until 2013.

WAS THE CANADA LINE THE BEST USE OF TRANSIT DOLLARS?

After the rousing success of the line, particularly during the 2010 Winter Olympics, it’s hard to remember that the Canada Line was controversial.

In spite of shiny trains and sparkling ridership, University of B. C commerce professor Tsur Somerville still isn’t convinced the line was the right thing to do.

“They put it along the right corridor,” says Somerville, director of the Centre

for Urban Economics and Real Estate at the Sauder School of Business. “Cambie is the correct place to put a rapid transit line going from Richmond to Vancouver.

“[But] I do not feel that a subway-system investment was the best use of transit funds for the transit challenges in the Lower Mainland,” adds Somerville, who lives near the King Edward station and owns property there that will likely grow in value.

“It’s an extremely expensive investment,” he says. “The biggest public transit challenge is moving people from suburb to suburb, particularly in the [Fraser] Valley.

“Moving people from the airport and Richmond into Vancouver was not the biggest, most pressing transit issue in my mind. To a great extent, what they did was take everybody riding on buses along Granville from the suburbs and Richmond and put them on a transit line.”

But Somerville is aware of the political machinations that got the shovels into the ground for the Canada Line.

The line is a unique mix of federal government contributions ($450 million), provincial money ($370 million), airport money ($300 million), funding from regional transportation authority Trans-Link ($370 million) and from the private sector ($700 million).

The province’s money was dependent on the project being a public-private partnership. And Victoria wanted it built before the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Unlike the skeptical Somerville, Trans-Link CEO Ian Jarvis prefers to take the “long-term view” of the Canada Line.

“An investment like this really helps us achieve our long-term objectives for the region,” says Jarvis, who says that maintaining livability and economic viability in the region requires an effective transportation network.

There were other, and possibly more pressing, rapid-transit needs — the long-delayed Evergreen Line to Coquitlam, as well as an extension in Surrey and on the Broadway corridor in Vancouver, he admits.

“They’re all priorities,” Jarvis says. “We got a check mark beside one. Isn’t that good?”

Roberta Napoleao thinks so.

She and her family were visiting sister Renata from Brazil recently, and their entire party of five hauled nine bags, including a baby stroller, to the airport for their trip home.

They even had to walk three blocks to a SkyTrain station to get over to the Canada Line.

“It wasn’t easy to carry the bags on the street,” concedes Napoleao, who still thinks that “the Canada Line is very good.”

Vancouver resident Gerold Kuklinski, who normally drives to the airport (and everywhere else), agrees. The 74-year-old decided to give transit a try to see his daughter off on a recent flight, he says.

“I think it’s fantastic. It should have been done 10 years ago or more,” says Kuklinski, who notes that he wasted time and spent $12 on parking the last time he drove to pick a friend up at the airport. His tab on the Canada Line was the concession fare of $2.50.

In fact, Vancouver’s airport is probably the most prominent beneficiary of the Canada Line.

About 15 per cent of the people coming to or from YVR are using public transit, compared to just three per cent before the Canada Line opened, says airport communications director Rebecca Catley.

Other beneficiaries? Shopping at malls

along the line is suddenly easier, as is going to the River Rock Resort Casino just across the street from the Bridgeport Station.

Howard Blank, vice-president of Great Canadian Gaming, said visits to River Rock are up by 10 per cent.

The Oakridge Centre mall has seen an increase in business of around 10 per cent after the Canada Line, according to general manager Kathy Barr.

Worst off? There are more than 1,500 cabs in the Lower Mainland and of that total, 525 service YVR, says B.C. Taxi Association president Mohan Kang.

Kang says no official figures have been compiled, but he’s heard that business is off as much as 30 per cent. He thinks that might be right, given that ridership on the line is booming and that some of those riders clearly used to take cabs.

“We’re not against the Canada Line,” he says. “We’re just saying it has hurt the taxi industry.” [email protected]

THE NUMBERS

– Average weekday ridership has topped 100,000 people for the last four months, according to TransLink. That wasn’t forecast to happen until 2013.

– Daily averages, factoring in lower-ridership weekends, are almost at 100,000 as well, hitting 99,210 in July.

– Big numbers mean the break-even financial point for the line could come in 2020, three years ahead of the projected 2023.

– High numbers and crowded platforms don’t mean more trains. There are no immediate plans for buying additional trains, but TransLink has budgeted for pulling two cars out of the “spares” garage, bumping the fleet to 16 cars in August of 2011 and increasing capacity by 12 per cent.

Posted in Other News Articles | 1 Comment »

Councils can borrow funds for upgrades

Sunday, August 15th, 2010

Prepare detailed reports

Tony Gioventu
Province

Dear Condo Smarts:

Our strata corporation is about to proceed with some major exterior work. Can a strata corporation borrow money in the same way an individual takes out a mortgage to buy a home? How and what are the best ways to set the payment schedule? Is it best through a special levy or through our monthly strata fees?

— John Alton, Burnaby

Dear John: Yes, strata corporations can most definitely borrow funds, and they can borrow large amounts. There are several banking institutions in the province which lend to strata corporations for major construction and upgrades.

Your strata council should first start with a complete construction report on the scope of work you intend to conduct, and once you have established an accurate cost estimate, it is time to start shopping around for the best service and best rates. Provided the ratio of the loan, versus the capacity of value is not excessive, the rates should be competitive at a commercial level, and the terms of repayment can be five to 10 years.

Repayment could be achieved by one of two methods. A special levy, or levies, could be imposed until the loan is paid. An expense to the annual operating budget is a second method; the monthly fees would include the value of each strata lot’s loan payment by unit entitlement.

Depending on the term of the loan, value of the loan, and your management administration costs it may be more economical and efficient to approve the loan as part of the operating budget and monthly fees. If the repayment is short term and a fixed rate with no variables, then a special levy may be the appropriate decision.

The strata corporation enters into a loan agreement, which is a contractual document that will grant the lender the first priority of receipt of special levies or strata fees.

Because the strata cannot mortgage common property, this is the security required by most lenders to ensure that they have the legal authority to collect on behalf of the strata corporation in the event that the strata corporation defaults on the loan.

Before you enter into a loan agreement you will first need the approval of three-quarters of the owners for the value of the loan, terms and conditions of the loan, and the period of the loan.

It is critical for the owners of the strata, the strata council and the lender, that the three-quarter resolution is properly written and reflects all of the conditions and payment schedules of the loan.

A strata council should seek legal advice on the writing of the resolution, and the loan negotiations. If the resolution is not properly worded owners may be exposed to changes in the loan rates or terms that they did not approve, and the council and the lender may not be granted the authority necessary to execute the loan or take proper action for collections.

When negotiating a loan, it is critical to identify what the monthly payments will be in the repayment schedule. And don’t forget the economics of the loan repayment.

It may have seemed like a good idea to borrow the funds, until you discover the payments have raised strata fees or a special levy by $300 to $500 monthly.

Tony Gioventu is executive director of the Condominium Home Owners’ Association. E-mail [email protected].

Posted in Strata Information | Comments Off on Councils can borrow funds for upgrades

How to walk with your builder

Saturday, August 14th, 2010

Wallmark Homes has found it only takes nine steps

Sun

To say the leading benefit of designing your own home is the opportunity to get exactly what you want is to tell only half the story.

You also need to know what you want and how, and when, to make your needs known to your builder (if you are not your own builder).

To that end, Wallmark Homes has developed a “nine-step process” for its customers that any one with a “dream” home in their future might want to consider, and consider long before they seek out a builder.

First, though, a little bit about Wallmark (and why its builder-customer relationship is a model worth knowing about). It has been building homes for more than two decades, and it is both a builder of custom and tract homes. The North Shore home, above and right top, is an example of a custom assignment. The Birchwood Estates home, right middle and bottom, is an example of a tract home (in the Burke Mountain new-home community).

Now the nine steps, as shared by Brad Cowden, the company’s marketing and communications manager:

1. The topographic survey: The legal survey of the property will provide a clear idea of all the elements that will influence the design, and construction, of the home, including elevations, rights of way, easements and zoning.

2. The design stage: Wallmark’s design staff helps a customer assemble a wish list and create a custom plan. A designer will provide preliminary drawings, which will allow Wallmark to provide the customer with a budget estimate. After approval of the plans, the designer will prepare a full set of blueprints.

3. Contract and permit stage: Before the customer signs off on the design work, it’s important to understand the type of contract involved and the payment structure. “Take time to clarify what’s included in your contract and have a clear idea what you are paying for and what is the builder’s responsibility. Once your contract is finalized, your builder should obtain your building permit,” Wallmark advises.

4. The pre-construction conference: Customer and project manager review the plans together. “You can discuss new ideas, make minor revisions and receive a detailed homeowner’s manual to help you follow along the construction process.”

5. Design selection: “Instead of driving from supplier to supplier, we’ll introduce you to a professional interior designer and a show room where you can explore colour schemes, styles and choose finishing options. Not all builders provide the services of a designer, but those that do can save you time and make the experience extremely rewarding.

6. Framing and electrical tour: “Your project manager will walk you through the framing and room layouts, the electrical plan, structural wiring and the plumbing layout. You’ll have an up-close look at the quality and craftsmanship and have all your questions answered along the way.”

7. Cabinet layout: “Now that you are getting a feel for your new home, we’ll be able to make some tweaks and adjustments to ensure that you have everything you want. You’ll review your cabinet layout and have time to add design enhancements and finishing touches.”

8. Homeowner orientation: “It’s almost time to move in, but before you do you’ll have a quality assurance walk-through with a team member. We want to demonstrate all the new systems in your home, discuss the warranty and the maintenance program. Then we’ll hand over the keys and it’s time to enjoy your new home.”

9. After-occupancy service: “Soon after you take possession of your new custom home one of our representatives will contact you to make sure that you are completely satisfied.”

Wallmark’s website, wallmark. ca, has a lot more,

Posted in Real Estate Related | Comments Off on How to walk with your builder

Why I wouldn’t mind being a first-time buyer right now

Saturday, August 14th, 2010

Buyer’s market improves opportunities at bottom of ladder; HST threshold unlikely to create stumbling block for real estate newbies

Peter Simpson
Sun

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.

– – –

I want to switch gears and comment on an issue I find quite worrisome -scams against consumers, particularly senior citizens who might not be as aware or guarded as they were in earlier years.

The Internet, its enormous popularity and inestimable value notwithstanding, is also rife with scumbags –both foreign and domestic -looking to prey on vulnerable and unsuspecting victims.

Every day, my mailbox contains at least a couple of messages informing me I have won something.

Recently, I learned I had won sizable lottery jackpots in Holland, Spain and Hong Kong.

All I had to do to claim the cash was provide some personal information. Hook, line and sinker, they thought.

A Nigerian notified me via e-mail that due to the tragic circumstances of his once-influential, now-deceased relative, I was presented with a glorious opportunity to help him move a large sum of cash through the system and, for my trouble, I would be given a generous share of the loot. All he required from me, his new “dear friend,” were my personal particulars and banking details.

I have also received fraudulent notices from people posing as officials from major Canadian financial institutions, complete with corporate logos, telling me, for example, that my bank account access has been disabled and that my security can be reset simply by logging on and answering a few questions.

Another e-mail alerted me to the fact the bank was performing regular maintenance of its security measures and I would be taken through an online security-verification process. Yet another bank asked me if I tried to access online banking on a certain date and time. If I responded that I didn’t, I would be provided with an opportunity to safeguard my account. All these steps, of course, are designed to squeeze as much personal and banking information as possible from unwary individuals.

I received an e-mail saying my PayPal account had been limited because the system detected unusual charges to a credit card linked to my Pay-Pal account, which I didn’t have. To activate my account, I needed to provide confidential information. The e-mail even included hints on fraud protection.

Another e-mail I received included a bold heading, “Tax Refund Canada Revenue Agency.” An amount of $386.00 was going to be credited to my credit card. All I had to do was, you guessed it, verify the card number and type in my name, address and social insurance number.

All the e-mails appeared quite official and convincing, but no banks, Canada Revenue Agency or credit card companies operate in this manner. Sadly, however, I can see how a trusting soul or confused senior citizen could perhaps fall victim to these despicable consumer scams.

Finally, be wary of so-called tradespeople who knock on your door, trying to push their services or offer a time-limited sweet deal. They will then try to convince you to pay for the job right away.

A few years ago, a sweet, elderly lady called to tell me she had paid for a roof repair she likely didn’t need.

The scammer told the lady he was driving by her house and noticed some roof shingles were in danger of falling off, which would cause her roof to leak badly.

He said he could come back later to repair the roof, but he needed $3,000 to buy materials. Feeling pressured, she wrote a cheque. About 20 minutes later, she realized she acted in haste, called her son for advice, then called her bank to cancel the cheque. Too late, the guy had already raced to her bank to grab the cash.

If you have aging parents or other relatives, please have a frank chat with them.

Ask them to call you if they are uncertain about anything e-mailed or mailed to them, or if aggressive salespeople harass them over the phone or at the door. Getting through the day can be confusing enough for some of these gentle people.

Call me old school, but preying on seniors should be punishable by public flogging, or at least a heavy, well-placed kick to the groin by 56-year-old Lui Passaglia.

Peter Simpson is the president and chief executive officer of the Greater Vancouver Home Builders’ Association. E-mail [email protected].

Posted in Real Estate Related | Comments Off on Why I wouldn’t mind being a first-time buyer right now

Steveston Views – Steveston, Richmond

Saturday, August 14th, 2010

Steveston turns visitors into residents

Michelle Hopkins
Sun

The Steveston Views’ exterior has been designed as references to its rich and colourful past.

In View from the stairs of the living room and its white-oak flooring and gas fireplace.

The Steveston Views kitchens, quartz tops the counters; the cabinet and drawer fronts are faced with a high gloss finish; drawers are soft close; and the appliances are either Bosch or Fisher Paykal.

A powder room has been installed on the cook-dine-live floor.

Each bedroom in the two-bedroom Steveston Views residences has its own bathroom.

Project location: Steveston, Richmond

Project size: 10 townhouses, 4 commercial spaces

Residence sizes: 980 sq. ft. — 1,528 sq. ft.

Prices: from $558,000

Sales centre: 3993 Chatham (at No. 1 Road)

Hours: 1– 4 p.m., Sat — Sun

Telephone: 604-787-8490

E-mail: [email protected]

Web: stevestonviews. com

Developer: Steveston Views Development Corporation, H.A. (Tussy) Berg

Architect: Interface Architecture Inc., Ken Chow

Interior designer: Campos Leckie, Michael Leckie

Occupancy: August

—

The historic fishing village of Steveston has charmed Mikhail and Lee Suntsov for years.

As frequent weekend visitors, they have strolled the boardwalk between the two national historic sites, the Britannia shipyard and the Gulf of Georgia cannery. They have lunched on fish and chips dock-side, watched the kites at Garry Point Park, and poked their heads into the shops on Moncton Street. Lee started the couple on their transition from visitors to residents. “We spend so much time in Steveston, why don’t we live there?” she remembers asking Mikhail.

The couple looked at several developments in the area before purchasing at Steveston Views. The mountain-and-water views from rooftop decks were one attraction. The connection between rooftop and interior space was a second, a staircase constructed from reclaimed Douglas fir timbers. Green features were a third.

“I was instantly attracted to the rooftop patios for entertaining and the rain barrels to recycle the water for gardening,” says Mikhail Suntsov. “I also like that they are lots of tall windows, which will offer us lots of natural light, cutting our dependency on electricity.”

Mikhail and Lee Suntsov say they have purchased more than a home: they have bought into a lifestyle, an opportunity to reside, work and play in a lovely neighbourhood.

“Steveston offers small-time charm with big-city amenities, all within walking or short driving distance,” he adds.

The Steveston Views’ developer, Tussy Berg, has made his home in Steveston for more than 25 years, and knows what the Suntsovs mean. “People love Steveston,” he says. He is a realtor with more than 35 years experience, during which time he has built several homes across the Lower Mainland, developed land and managed and owned a real estate company.

“I knew the family who owned this property and when I heard they were thinking of selling it, I just had to jump on it,” says Berg. “It is one of the last parcels of land available in Steveston right now.”

Given his attachment to the neighbourhood, Berg commissioned a design for Steveston Views that is both neighbourhood and family-friendly.

Steveston Views is across the street from Steveston Community Centre and Park. Outdoor facilities include a pool, a playground and water park, picnic grounds, a lacrosse box, a fitness track, tennis courts, ball diamonds, and basketball courts. Inside facilities include a gym and meeting rooms.

Two pointers to one of the village’s original demographics are also located on the community centre grounds, the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre and the Steveston Japanese Language School.

The latter was founded in 1911. Today, it is located in the cultural centre.

The Steveston Views exterior have been designed as references to Steveston’s rich and colourful past.

“The exterior was inspired by Steveston’s commercial centre and its fishing industry,” Tussy Berg says.

“We used Steveston’s rich heritage colour scheme and its traditional architecture for the exterior of the building.”

At the corner of the building by the front entrance stands a tall, steel ornamental tide clock, which will display information on the tides.

Located on No. 1 Road and Chatham Street, the townhouses are distinguished by open-plan interiors behind tall windows, between seven and eight feet in height.

Unique features include staircases constructed from reclaimed Steveston and Sunshine Coast timbers with glass/metal railings; ceilings that soar from nine to 18 feet; environmentally certified white oak; radiant heat flooring; gas fireplaces and fibre-cement siding.

“From the start, we wanted a very open, European design with lots of natural light to accentuated the bright and airy homes,” says Berg.

An Italian system, called Baxi, heats and cools the homes. “It’s the next best thing to geothermal heating … Baxi is from Italy and is 98 per cent efficient, so efficient you can enjoy a week-long shower if you wanted to,” Berg says.

“It’s also small and so quiet you can have it in your bedroom.”

Beyond the fourth staircase in each home is the fully landscaped rooftop patio with gas hookups and large planters. Cedars divide each home’s rooftop space.

“The corner units’ patios are 500 square feet and the other units are between 400 and 500 square feet,” Berg says.

“The large fibreglass rain barrels can collect up to 75 gallons of rain water to be used to water the gardens and shrubbery.”

With some homes fronting busy No. 1 Road, wouldn’t the traffic noise turn off potential buyers?

Berg shakes his head no. “We have Hardie Plank siding, which enhances noise reduction, as well as Roxul insulation, which is energy-efficient, very dense and one of the best product available today for sound absorbency,” adds Berg. “Prospective buyers have commented on how quiet the units are.”

Posted in Real Estate Related | Comments Off on Steveston Views – Steveston, Richmond

Property insurance is not just about getting the best quote

Saturday, August 14th, 2010

Strata councils are well advised to establish a long-term relationship with one broker

Suzanne Morphet
Sun

Insuring your strata property in case it’s damaged by fire, storms, earthquakes and other hazards is not just common sense; it’s the law.

Section 149 of the Strata Property Act requires strata corporations to obtain enough insurance to cover the full replacement cost. Section 150 requires strata to purchase a minimum of $2 million in liability insurance in case of property damage or bodily injury.

So important is insurance that section 154 says strata corporations must review the adequacy of their insurance every year and report on their coverage at every annual general meeting.

Yet insurance is a major expense for most strata corporations and it’s tempting to reduce expenses. One reader wrote to me: “A small complex such as our own (six units) finds the premium for compulsory liability insurance too onerous . . . Okay, so one year we decide to allow the policy to lapse. Who knows and who is watching?”

His point is that nobody enforces the Strata Property Act, which is true. But when it comes to insurance, it’s probably not a good idea to flout the law.

If your strata corporation is underinsured, it could be subject to something called a co-insurance penalty.

For example, if the appraised replacement cost of the strata building(s) is $10 million and your strata corporation has purchased an $8 million insurance policy, it is 20 per cent underinsured, which means it would be covered for only 80 per cent of any loss. So if, say, you have a $10,000 claim for water damage, your insurance would pay only $8,000 less the deductible.

According to Harvey Williams, the past president of the Vancouver Island Strata Owners Association, insurance brokers sometimes quote on a policy that has a co-insurance clause in it, stating that the insurer will cover, for example, only 90 per cent of the replacement value. Such policies are illegal.

Harvey says he’s even heard of strata corporations with four buildings buying sufficient insurance for only one of them, believing that they can apply that insurance to any one of the four should something happen. “It comes as a shock when there is a loss to discover that there is de facto co-insurance and only one-quarter of the loss, less deductible, is paid,” he says.

Even if you and your strata corporation have no intention of under-insuring, you might be tempted to seek out the best rates you can every year, changing insurance companies, if necessary.

Don’t do that, at least not routinely. “It’s not a good idea to shop around

year to year because if you move from insurance company to insurance company based on price you don’t build a relationship with that company,” says Gerald Matier, executive director of the Insurance Council of B.C., the organization that licenses insurance agents.

He explains that if you have a claim and if you’ve only been insured by that company for one year, it may decline to insure you again. Rates, he says, are “a big factor, but one has to be conscious of the fact there is a benefit to loyalty and consistency.”

And even if loyalty wasn’t a consideration, you probably don’t have the knowledge to pick the best insurance.

In his information booklet for strata corporations, Williams writes: “Strata councils that obtain quotes from several different insurance companies and who then try to compare policies and costs are attempting a task for which they are ill-equipped.”

In other words, when it comes to insurance, find a broker you trust, rely on his or her advice and find other places to cut your expenses.

Williams’ booklet, Strata Insurance, can be ordered from the VISOA website at www.visoa.bc.ca

Posted in Strata Information | Comments Off on Property insurance is not just about getting the best quote