The BC Real Estate Discussion Thread

[riffraff]

16 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

No, only the weak or pampered can't go outside in winter.  Ever been skiing?  If Calgary winters are to much for them then they've never been skiing or on a ski hill.

 

I'd trade an extra month of winter for an affordable home and living wage

The move wasn’t about affordability. In fact they purchased a brand new home that is more expensive than what they sold.

 

the wife and kids are used to the island climate that allows all outdoor activities all year round,  the ocean and forests etc.

 

it was consistent-25 in Calgary this winter and there isn’t a ski hill in sight.

[riffraff]

11 minutes ago, inane said:

maybe the same house? not the 'same property'. location location location. you're in a far flung suburb, you're not in Calgary (that house I mean). Easy to look at that sticker price and say ''wow housing is so cheap" but add the weeks wasted every year in life sucking traffic to get to Calgary to work, the fact that you have to drive to do anything and the myriad of negative impacts that that has not to mention the weather.

 

i'm not saying vancouver is affordable. but saying you can get the 'same property' in rural alberta is just not true.  

Never mind the taxes not mentioned associated with an out of province vacation home.

[riffraff]

Wait.  What?

 

move to alberta because Vancouver expensive but then buy expensive okanagan vacation home???

[Tortorella's Rant]

you shouldn't have to move to the interior provinces to find reasonably priced housing. It seems people now have simply accepted these increasingly $&!#tier conditions, again, and taken pressure off the government to do anything about it. 

[-DLC-]

"Chinese people" are not the issue....those wanting to call this place home are not a problem.  It's foreign speculators and flippers who have no intention of ever calling this home who are artificially inflating things as there are sometimes multiple flips on same vacant property in short periods that drive prices up in many cases (it's easy to track). 

Those in it only to make a buck in our ATM had an easy time doing so.  They often contribute little and bypass the systems in place to make sure we all pay our fair share - declaring "students" and "homemakers" as owners and then collecting low income subsidies.  Having faceless/traceless numbered companies (some of whom are now fighting it out in court, exposing the schemes in place to avoid taxes).  Terra Nova in Richmond was a hub for that...how can some of the most prized real estate in this city (with multiple luxury cars in the driveway) not be on Revenue Canada's radar??  At one point the area was listed as equivalent to the DTES in earnings??!   When people are buying passports and forged documents, it's the tip of the iceberg.  It represents a much bigger issue and something targeted, not organic.

 

I have no issue with anyone coming here to call this home...let's face it, my ancestors once did so I'd be a total hypocrite to have that mindset.  I don't agree with people who criticize those vocal about the exploitation that's taken place here because "well, serves you right/how does it feeeel?" based on the fact that First Nations people were booted off their land and their way of life erased as much as possible.  So do we not learn from past mistakes and correct them?  Seems like that makes more sense than repeating them.  In no way, am I comparing the horrors or the past to the here and now...but they come from the same mindset...that those before us don't matter as we only want the land.  People with a lack of respect for others as greed is the driving force.  The value is in the $$ not the community.  First Nations people could have taught us a lot if we'd respected them ... mostly about respecting the land and mother nature.  Once it's gone it's gone forever stuff.

 

The actions that have been put into place have been important as the Lower Mainland was targeted as an easy in.  Launder money through real estate, casinos and luxury cars.  Get rich at the expense of others who now are struggling to just survive here.

[Warhippy]

24 minutes ago, inane said:

maybe the same house? not the 'same property'. location location location. you're in a far flung suburb, you're not in Calgary (that house I mean). Easy to look at that sticker price and say ''wow housing is so cheap" but add the weeks wasted every year in life sucking traffic to get to Calgary to work, the fact that you have to drive to do anything and the myriad of negative impacts that that has not to mention the weather.

 

i'm not saying vancouver is affordable. but saying you can get the 'same property' in rural alberta is just not true.  

I've now been to the area 7 times in the last 13 months looking at homes.  yes, in fact I CAN find homes that cheap in the area.  I can find solid acreage with a newer home as well.  NW Calgary has homes comparable to within $10,000.  Added the LRT is planned and slated for expansion towards Airdrie/Okotoks within the next few years and it makes life much easier.  Plus of course global warming and the 500 km theory.

 

VS Vancouver or the GVRD where you are now being pushed out to Abby, Langley and further to find affordable housing, commuting 2+ hours every day to get to and from work that pays a depressed wage.  Not sure what the difference is you're getting at

 

10 minutes ago, riffraff said:

Wait.  What?

 

move to alberta because Vancouver expensive but then buy expensive okanagan vacation home???

You can buy a comparable home in the GVRD of 2200+ square feet for 3/4's of a million and spend the next 40 years living in near poverty trying to pay it off.  Or you can accept it and live outside of BC for a time and get a nice house for half the cost or less.  When you say "expensive Okanagan home" you're thinking far to grandiose.  There's a 2 bedroom condo available right now in Osoyoos for $182,000.  Needs a bit of work but for the price of the home I linked in Airdrie and the condo that needs work in osoyoos I still come out almost $200,000 cheaper than a comparable home purchase in or around the GVRD/lower mainland.

 

Think outside of the box

5 minutes ago, Tortorella's Rant said:

you shouldn't have to move to the interior provinces to find reasonably priced housing. It seems people now have simply accepted these increasingly $&!#tier conditions, again, and taken pressure off the government to do anything about it. 

You're right.  One shouldn't.  One also shouldn't be under the impression as you say that crappy conditions are acceptable or that there are no other options.  A lifestyle working harder for less and blaming everything but the reality for that situation is about the norm in BC now.

 

Vancouver is seeing an outflow of workers and experts because of that cost of living.  It sucks.  Nobody WANTS to live elsewhere but when you have kids and a business it's no longer about what is comfortable and it becomes time to take ownership to succeed

[riffraff]

11 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

I've now been to the area 7 times in the last 13 months looking at homes.  yes, in fact I CAN find homes that cheap in the area.  I can find solid acreage with a newer home as well.  NW Calgary has homes comparable to within $10,000.  Added the LRT is planned and slated for expansion towards Airdrie/Okotoks within the next few years and it makes life much easier.  Plus of course global warming and the 500 km theory.

 

VS Vancouver or the GVRD where you are now being pushed out to Abby, Langley and further to find affordable housing, commuting 2+ hours every day to get to and from work that pays a depressed wage.  Not sure what the difference is you're getting at

 

You can buy a comparable home in the GVRD of 2200+ square feet for 3/4's of a million and spend the next 40 years living in near poverty trying to pay it off.  Or you can accept it and live outside of BC for a time and get a nice house for half the cost or less.  When you say "expensive Okanagan home" you're thinking far to grandiose.  There's a 2 bedroom condo available right now in Osoyoos for $182,000.  Needs a bit of work but for the price of the home I linked in Airdrie and the condo that needs work in osoyoos I still come out almost $200,000 cheaper than a comparable home purchase in or around the GVRD/lower mainland.

 

Think outside of the box

You're right.  One shouldn't.  One also shouldn't be under the impression as you say that crappy conditions are acceptable or that there are no other options.  A lifestyle working harder for less and blaming everything but the reality for that situation is about the norm in BC now.

 

Vancouver is seeing an outflow of workers and experts because of that cost of living.  It sucks.  Nobody WANTS to live elsewhere but when you have kids and a business it's no longer about what is comfortable and it becomes time to take ownership to succeed

In the direct comparison to Vancouver I do agree with you.  I’ve already left.  But leaving the west coast of B.C.  when there are affordable options to, well, any landlocked locale is not an option for me unless my hand was absolutely forced.

[Warhippy]

Just now, riffraff said:

In the direct comparison to Vancouver I do agree with you.  I’ve already left.  But leaving the west coast of B.C.  when there are affordable options to, well, any landlocked locale is not an option for me unless my hand was absolutely forced.

I live in Penticton.  A direct comparison to the home I linked is just at or around $600,000 here and needs work.  I could stay here, but I need to depress the prices of my business by almost 40% to continue to draw clients due to the nature of our economy but am usually scrambling for work between Nov/March

 

With 2 kids there's no benefit anymore to staying especially knowing that they'll leave anyways to go to college/university within the next 10 years.  Being saddled under a $2000+ a month mortgage means I won't be able to help them while they're out there.  

 

With the downpayment I have, playing it safe I can almost outright purchase a $300,000 home or have a mortgage less than $300 a month if I want to play it safe.  I've done the homework on the area.

 

• Average age is 36.7 years old
• Approaching 80,000 population
• 1.3 million population within an hours drive
• average cost of my business is $375.00 per shooting hour vs $175.00 here
• Average wage $73,000 per year
• Highest levels of education within the province for cities under 100,000
• Airport has a near perfect record for staying open during winter months
• 3 major universities within an hours drive
• Fastest growing family area in that part of Alberta
• My hometown is less than 8 Horus drive away

I cannot find that anywhere in BC where I need to live for my kids.  Kelowna, Victoria area, GVRD.  Wages, cost of living and family life are just factors that cannot be guaranteed at all.  it sucks but it's the reality of the situation these days and a very clear reason why so many in the major areas of BC are leaving.

[riffraff]

1 hour ago, Warhippy said:

I live in Penticton.  A direct comparison to the home I linked is just at or around $600,000 here and needs work.  I could stay here, but I need to depress the prices of my business by almost 40% to continue to draw clients due to the nature of our economy but am usually scrambling for work between Nov/March

 

With 2 kids there's no benefit anymore to staying especially knowing that they'll leave anyways to go to college/university within the next 10 years.  Being saddled under a $2000+ a month mortgage means I won't be able to help them while they're out there.  

 

With the downpayment I have, playing it safe I can almost outright purchase a $300,000 home or have a mortgage less than $300 a month if I want to play it safe.  I've done the homework on the area.

 

• Average age is 36.7 years old
• Approaching 80,000 population
• 1.3 million population within an hours drive
• average cost of my business is $375.00 per shooting hour vs $175.00 here
• Average wage $73,000 per year
• Highest levels of education within the province for cities under 100,000
• Airport has a near perfect record for staying open during winter months
• 3 major universities within an hours drive
• Fastest growing family area in that part of Alberta
• My hometown is less than 8 Horus drive away

I cannot find that anywhere in BC where I need to live for my kids.  Kelowna, Victoria area, GVRD.  Wages, cost of living and family life are just factors that cannot be guaranteed at all.  it sucks but it's the reality of the situation these days and a very clear reason why so many in the major areas of BC are leaving.

Makes good sense Hip.

 

good luck to you.

[Warhippy]

2 minutes ago, riffraff said:

Makes good sense Hip.

 

good luck to you.

I'm going to complain the entire time while I learn how to shew tabacco and enjoy tractor pulls apparently

[ForsbergTheGreat]

2 hours ago, riffraff said:

This.

 

our friends moved from the island to Calgary last year for the husbands work and the rest of the family Hayes it and want to come back.  The wife has said it’s the worst thing hey have ever done.

 

cant go outside in winter.  Forget that noise!

 

2 hours ago, riffraff said:

it was consistent-25 in Calgary this winter and there isn’t a ski hill in sight.

Last year’s average daily winter temperatures l

Dec Avg -2.9 degrees

Jan Avg -3.2 degrees

Feb Avg -18.4 degrees

Mar Avg -2.5 degrees

April Avg +5.3 degrees

 

That’s considered “a don’t leave your house winter” ?? 

 I hate to say it but you have some pretty soft friends. Or feeding you some BS. 

 

While you’re enjoying the 6 inches per month of rain with clouds, we get to be outside enjoying snow activities…..with clear a bright sunny blue sky.. There are 3 good mountains near bye. Plenty of good skiing. 

Edited August 30, 2019 by ForsbergTheGreat

[riffraff]

1 hour ago, Warhippy said:

I'm going to complain the entire time while I learn how to shew tabacco and enjoy tractor pulls apparently

One aspect I didn’t consider is your photography.  Perhaps a new location and all the stimulants and inspiration that goes with that will provide a new outlet for you artistically.  

[Warhippy]

6 minutes ago, riffraff said:

One aspect I didn’t consider is your photography.  Perhaps a new location and all the stimulants and inspiration that goes with that will provide a new outlet for you artistically.  

I'm hoping so.  I've a number of connections in Banff and Calgary and plan on co-hosting a few workshops towards waterton and with Paul in his Portraits in high places workshop soon.

 

I have to depress my pricing locally in the Okanagan.  Less than 400,000 people in a 2 hour drive, but over 200 registered photographers fighting for every contract.

 

Even if your work stands out.  There's a lot of good to great photographers doing full weddings for $1500 which just isn't worth it.b especially with a shooting season that only runs from April through October

 

There's roughly 200 registered photographers in the Calgary area.  1.3 million people and year round shooting.  Added the homes I'm looking at have unfinished basements with walk outs to convert to a studio.

 

I can't justify staying no matter how badly I want to.  If everything crashed tomorrow that might change...but I'm not going to hope for universal hardship for my personal gain

[-DLC-]

Seems you've done your homework in depth and it's for all the right reasons.

 

I, too, wish you the very best of luck.  Sometimes we do have to make hard decisions for our children and I admire and respect you for putting family first and making a bold move to secure their future.  

 

 

[Violator]

16 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

I'm hoping so.  I've a number of connections in Banff and Calgary and plan on co-hosting a few workshops towards waterton and with Paul in his Portraits in high places workshop soon.

 

I have to depress my pricing locally in the Okanagan.  Less than 400,000 people in a 2 hour drive, but over 200 registered photographers fighting for every contract.

 

Even if your work stands out.  There's a lot of good to great photographers doing full weddings for $1500 which just isn't worth it.b especially with a shooting season that only runs from April through October

 

There's roughly 200 registered photographers in the Calgary area.  1.3 million people and year round shooting.  Added the homes I'm looking at have unfinished basements with walk outs to convert to a studio.

 

I can't justify staying no matter how badly I want to.  If everything crashed tomorrow that might change...but I'm not going to hope for universal hardship for my personal gain

Waterton and southern alberta are beautiful areas.

 

Calgary and area are awesome places to live lots of ammenities in smaller areas you dont find that in most places in bc.

Edited August 30, 2019 by Violator

[JM_]

46 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

I'm hoping so.  I've a number of connections in Banff and Calgary and plan on co-hosting a few workshops towards waterton and with Paul in his Portraits in high places workshop soon.

 

I have to depress my pricing locally in the Okanagan.  Less than 400,000 people in a 2 hour drive, but over 200 registered photographers fighting for every contract.

 

Even if your work stands out.  There's a lot of good to great photographers doing full weddings for $1500 which just isn't worth it.b especially with a shooting season that only runs from April through October

 

There's roughly 200 registered photographers in the Calgary area.  1.3 million people and year round shooting.  Added the homes I'm looking at have unfinished basements with walk outs to convert to a studio.

 

I can't justify staying no matter how badly I want to.  If everything crashed tomorrow that might change...but I'm not going to hope for universal hardship for my personal gain

I wonder if there's any business in adventure photography with all the skiing, climbing, etc. In the area? Is there any potential on that kind of thing?

[riffraff]

4 minutes ago, Jimmy McGill said:

I wonder if there's any business in adventure photography with all the skiing, climbing, etc. In the area? Is there any potential on that kind of thing?

Yes but then you would also have to climb and ski.

[JM_]

1 minute ago, riffraff said:

Yes but then you would also have to climb and ski.

What's the problem? Seems more like a benefit to me 

[riffraff]

6 minutes ago, Jimmy McGill said:

What's the problem? Seems more like a benefit to me 

You can’t sell pics of kids on bunny slopes is my point and climbing is climbing.

 

I would think most sports photogs would be activists in said sport for the most part.

 

for example:  surf photography.  The photog May not surf but he/she better be a fit swimmer.

Edited August 30, 2019 by riffraff

[JM_]

26 minutes ago, riffraff said:

You can’t sell pics of kids on bunny slopes is my point and climbing is climbing.

 

I would think most sports photogs would be activists in said sport for the most part.

 

for example:  surf photography.  The photog May not surf but he/she better be a fit swimmer.

I'm not saying Hip has to free climb el Capitan, was just a thought.