Kelsie Struch (www.kelsiestruch.com) : Blog

Lower Lonsdale Open House!

Kelsie Struch — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:01:49 -0800

We are proud to announce that this Feb 5th, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM we will be hosting an Open House at 444 LONSDALE Ave in the Lower Lonsdale neighborhood, North Vancouver. This is an opportunity to visit this excellent Condo for sale in beautiful Lower Lonsdale.

Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this Lower Lonsdale Condo for sale.

As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 7783876090 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.

Kelsie Struch
In Town Realty

Lower Lonsdale Open House!

Kelsie Struch — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:25:12 -0800

We are proud to announce that this Jan 28th, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM we will be hosting an Open House at 444 LONSDALE Ave in the Lower Lonsdale neighborhood, North Vancouver. This is an opportunity to visit this excellent Condo for sale in beautiful Lower Lonsdale.

Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this Lower Lonsdale Condo for sale.

As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 7783876090 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.

Kelsie Struch
In Town Realty

702 444 LONSDALE Ave, North Vancouver, British Columbia

Kelsie Struch — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:23:24 -0800

I just finished uploading this Condo for sale, 702 444 LONSDALE Ave, North Vancouver, British Columbia

Stunning VIEW condo in Lower Lonsdale's Royal Kensington. This nearly 700 SqFt home has been completely renovated (Jan 2012) with beveled laminate flooring, all new light fixtures & custom kitchen featuring double thick granite counters, ne w S/S appliance package, travertine backsplash & ample work/storage space. The bathroom features new tub, toilet & custom glass vanity while the XL bedroom has large walk-in-closet. This SE corner unit offers gorgeous views to the water and DT Van from the living room, bedroom and oversized tiled balcony. The Royal Kensington is a 60 unit concrete strata with resident caretaker, outdoor pool, hot tub, sauna, gym, meeting room/library. Parking & storage included. View video online!

Downtown VW Open House!

Kelsie Struch — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:18:02 -0800

We are proud to announce that this Jan 29th, 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM we will be hosting an Open House at 1295 RICHARDS Street in the Downtown VW neighborhood, Vancouver West. This is an opportunity to visit this excellent Condo for sale in beautiful Downtown VW.

Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this Downtown VW Condo for sale.

As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 7783876090 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.

Kelsie Struch
In Town Realty

Hastings Sunrise Open House!

Kelsie Struch — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:16:26 -0800

We are proud to announce that this Jan 29th, 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM we will be hosting an Open House at 29 Templeton Drive in Templeton Heights in the Hastings Sunrise neighborhood, Vancouver. This is an opportunity to visit this excellent Penthouse for sale in beautiful Hastings Sunrise.

Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this Hastings Sunrise Penthouse for sale.

As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 7783876090 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.

Kelsie Struch
In Town Realty

Hastings Open House!

Kelsie Struch — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:15:43 -0800

We are proud to announce that this Jan 29th, 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM we will be hosting an Open House at 29 TEMPLETON Drive in Templeton Heights in the Hastings neighborhood, Vancouver East. This is an opportunity to visit this excellent Condo for sale in beautiful Hastings.

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

As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 7783876090 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.

Kelsie Struch
In Town Realty

702 444 LONSDALE Ave, North Vancouver, British Columbia

Kelsie Struch — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:12:08 -0800

I just finished uploading this Condo for sale, 702 444 LONSDALE Ave, North Vancouver, British Columbia

Downtown VW Open House!

Kelsie Struch — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:11:40 -0800

Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this Downtown VW Condo for sale.

As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 7783876090 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.

Kelsie Struch
In Town Realty

Hastings Sunrise Open House!

Kelsie Struch — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:11:03 -0800

Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this Hastings Sunrise Penthouse for sale.

As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 7783876090 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.

Kelsie Struch
In Town Realty

Hastings Open House!

Kelsie Struch — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:10:26 -0800

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

As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 7783876090 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.

Kelsie Struch
In Town Realty

Downtown VW Open House!

Kelsie Struch — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:13:26 -0800

We are proud to announce that this Jan 22nd, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM we will be hosting an Open House at 1295 RICHARDS Street in the Downtown VW neighborhood, Vancouver West. This is an opportunity to visit this excellent Condo for sale in beautiful Downtown VW.

Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this Downtown VW Condo for sale.

As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 7783876090 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.

Kelsie Struch
In Town Realty

Downtown VW Open House!

Kelsie Struch — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:38:07 -0800

Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this Downtown VW Condo for sale.

As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 7783876090 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.

Kelsie Struch
In Town Realty

Downtown VW Open House!

Kelsie Struch — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:45:58 -0800

We are proud to announce that this Jan 8th, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM we will be hosting an Open House at 1295 RICHARDS Street in the Downtown VW neighborhood, Vancouver West. This is an opportunity to visit this excellent Condo for sale in beautiful Downtown VW.

Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this Downtown VW Condo for sale.

As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 7783876090 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.

Kelsie Struch
In Town Realty

Downtown VW Open House!

Kelsie Struch — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:45:38 -0800

We are proud to announce that this Jan 7th, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM we will be hosting an Open House at 1295 RICHARDS Street in the Downtown VW neighborhood, Vancouver West. This is an opportunity to visit this excellent Condo for sale in beautiful Downtown VW.

Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this Downtown VW Condo for sale.

As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 7783876090 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.

Kelsie Struch
In Town Realty

December 2011 & Annual Market Review

Kelsie Struch — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:15:16 -0800

What Happened in Vancouver's Real Estate Market in 2011? What I Predict for 2012....

A year in Vancouver real estate that had been predicted by the media and many economists to be slow and filled with doom and gloom, once again, prevailed and proved the sceptics wrong.

There were several reasons that contributed to the successful market we experienced in 2011, here's a few key drivers, in my opinion:

1) Low Interest Rates - owning in many cases actually proved to be less $$ than renting.. especially in the Downtown & East Side condo market.
2) A Growing Population - Immigration from other parts of Canada and BC - Greater Vancouver's population grows on average by 1000 people a week
3) A Baby Boom?! - I helped numerous couples move from condos to houses, every couple that upsizes results in a minimum of 2 sales.
4) An Aging Population - Downsizers! Kids are gone, yard is too big, time for a dream CONDO or RANCHER.
5) Overseas Buyers - yes, it's true, they do contribute to our positive market, especially in the Downtown Vancouver, Westside, Burnaby and Richmond markets.
6) We live in an absolutely incredible place. There is a huge demand to live in Vancouver and there is only so much dirt available. The detached home market had an amazing year and markets within 20 minutes of Downtown Vancouver thrived, as people, including investors, saw value in LAND and rushed to scoop it up!

My predictions for 2012:

A balanced market with minimal to moderate price increases in the areas I specialize in - Downtown Vancouver, East Vancouver, West Side, North Vancouver, West Vancouver and Burnaby.

I am working with more buyers than usual for this early in the year and expect January - March to slightly favour sellers over buyers (based on a lack of supply right now). After March, I expect to see a balanced market for the remainder of the year.

As long as interest rates remain reasonable and the world economy doesn't completely self destruct, I see no reason for our market to slow much. I also don't expect to see prices drop, sorry for those of you who were hoping for this. Some words of advice I heed myself "don't wait to buy real estate, buy real estate and wait". Especially in Vancouver.

One quick note on Vancouver Homeowner debt loads and Vancouver's affordability, or lack thereof. Sorry, but I have to mention this as it's been driving me nuts. Sure, our home prices look completely out of whack in terms of what Vancouverites make for annual income ON THE SURFACE. But PLEASE, analyse all the information being presented by the media before you panic and move to Alberta. There is a factor that is not being taken into account by our housing affordability reports and it affects anywhere from 30-40% of Vancouver homeowners (approx, could be more). Here it is....... INCOME SUITES IN DETACHED HOMES

This income is not taken into account in these reports. In the markets I work the average 2 bedroom suite rents for $1400 a month, that's an additional $16,800 a year of income and covers almost $300,000 of a mortgage payment (based on today's rates). Once suite income is included, all of a sudden our market gets a whole lot more affordable.

**

In summary, I strongly suggest you talk to a Realtor about the market if you are thinking of buying or selling a home in 2012. We have different views and opinions on Vancouver's real estate market than many economists and media outlets. We have the facts and the true data to back up what we tell you.

I live, eat, and breathe this business every single day. I feel changes far before the media ever picks up on them and advise my clients accordingly, that way they are always ahead of the game.

**

Wishing you a happy, healthy and successful 2012.

Here's to another positive, prosporous & steady year in Vancouver Real Estate.

Kelsie Struch
Vancouver REALTOR
778-387-6090
Century 21 In Town Realty
info@kelsiestruch.com

November 2011 Real Estate Market Update

Kelsie Struch — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:59:25 -0800

A Healthy Balance Between Vancouver's Buyers and Sellers

November 2011 was a steady month in the Downtown, East Side and North Shore Markets. Showings on our listings are up and property's that are priced right and marketed appropriately are selling. Buyers have been out in full force; however, many seem content just looking and educating themselves on the market rather than writing offers. With interest rates remaining low and expected to remain low for monthes to come, buyers can take their time on deciding on a home luxury that is often hard to come by in Vancouver.

For the complete stats package put out by Vancouver's Real Estate Board please click on the link below...

November 2011 Stats

For additional information on the Vancouver and North Shore Real Estate Markets contact Kelsie directly at 778-387-6090 or info@kelsiestruch.com

Should all new apartment and condo buildings in Metro Vancouver be smoke-free?

Kelsie Struch — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:38:11 -0800

Nonsmoking multi-unit dwellings are next to impossible to find

By Carlito Pablo, December 21, 2011

California’s Sonoma County is going to be the envy of Lower Mainland residents who have to put up with the secondhand smoke of their neighbours.

Starting on May 10 next year, all new multi-unit residences in the county will be smoke-free. Then, as of January 12, 2013, the ban will extend to all existing multiple-dwelling units like apartments and condos.

While Sonoma’s smoking prohibition may appear to be too ambitious for Canadian jurisdictions, a more modest approach could work.

Vision Vancouver’s Tim Stevenson is open to the idea that future multi-unit premises should be completely smoke-free.

“Even the people who smoke say if they try to live together, it’s so much smoke, they’re practically choking to death on each other’s smoke,” Stevenson said in a phone interview with the Georgia Straight.

However, the four-term councillor also noted that he’s concerned about how this measure would impact a certain sector of the city’s population. Having served on the board of the First United Church, he has seen how cigarettes are important to many Downtown Eastside residents dealing with addictions and mental illness.

“To ask them not to smoke or tell them they can’t smoke, they would be faced with the choice of not having living space or being out on the street—or trying to lie,” Stevenson said. “And the problem that that gets into is other residents in the building who don’t smoke report them, and then you get conflict.”

But, outside the Downtown Eastside, Stevenson sees no problem with having new smoke-free residential buildings. According to him, the city doesn’t have a smoking ban in its housing properties.

The proposal of putting in smoking bans in future buildings in Canadian municipalities was among the recommendations made by UBC endocrinologist Stuart Kreisman.

Writing in the October issue of the B.C. Medical Journal, the St. Paul’s Hospital doctor stated that this will help meet the demand for smoke-free homes.

When he was living on the top floor of a condo building in downtown Vancouver, Kreisman had to endure the secondhand smoke wafting up from units below him. He later asked to be transferred to the bottom floor.

“It’s justifiable,” Kreisman told the Straight by phone regarding smoke-free multi-unit dwellings. “You’re not allowed to blast music at 3 a.m. Why are you allowed to put smoke into your neighbour’s home?”

In his BCMJ article “Toward smoke-free multi-unit dwellings”, Kreisman also suggested other measured steps. One is to designate a contiguous portion of existing buildings as smoke-free. Another is to amend the Residential Tenancy Act to tag secondhand smoke as a nuisance, and a violation of the “right to quiet enjoyment”.

Kreisman also proposed that landlords state in leases the smoking status of floors and units in their buildings. He likewise recommended that strata councils and rental-building owners be given incentives to convert their properties into nonsmoking premises.

Despite the demand for smoke-free dwellings, Kreisman said that it is close to impossible to find one in the Greater Vancouver area. Only the Envy and Verdant condominiums in North Vancouver and Burnaby, respectively, are known to have antismoking strata bylaws.

In 2007, Metro Vancouver designated a section of Heather Place, one of its public housing properties, as a no-smoking area. It was supposed to be a pilot project that would be replicated in its other housing buildings. The regional body did not make a spokesperson available to provide an update on this initiative before the Straight’s deadline.

New Westminster councillor Bill Harper anticipates a number of issues arising if smoking is prohibited in multi-unit buildings. One, according to him, is the mobility challenges of many seniors who are smokers.

Harper also told the Straight by phone that he wants to see more of the research into the effects of secondhand smoke, information that Kreisman may perhaps be more than willing to share.

There are only two smoke-free condominium developments in Greater Vancouver. Envy in North Vancouver and Verdant in Burnaby. I completely support the idea of more non-smoking developments in Vancouver. Please share with me your thoughts and concerns regarding this issue.

Kelsie Struch
In Town Realty,
421 Pacific St,
Vancouver,
V6Z2P5

Phone: 7783876090
Office Phone: 6046855951
kelsiestruch@gmail.com

When Is The Best Time of Year to Sell a House?

Kelsie Struch — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 20:25:55 -0800

When Is The Best Time of Year to Sell a House?

Is there such a thing as a best time of year to sell a house? Certainly, seasonal factors come into play when trying to sell a home, but there are other things to consider as well, like the tug and pull of supply and demand, as well as unique local market conditions.

No matter when a home goes on the market, one should take a few things under consideration that will likely affect not just the ability to sell a property, but more importantly the ability to get your asking price. Timing, it seems, is everything.

The Economy

While the economy does not follow the predictable ebb and flow of the seasonal changes in real estate and in buyer attention, the economy, it’s state and it’s prospects boil down to property values, and consumer confidence. When the economy is under fire, people are nervous about their jobs. There is generally a reluctance to spend, accumulate debt or make major purchases.

The market will tell you what a home is worth. The problem is, during an economic downturn, the market may value your home lower than you had hoped, or than from when you started.

That may succeed in removing a number of buyers from your pool. For those that must buy a property though, the economy will play less of a factor in the decision to purchase, but it may give them power at the bargaining table, and it may be more difficult to get the desired price. Interest rates figure into this as well. The lower they are, the more your pool of buyers may increase as well, as the cost to borrow comes down and people, in theory can borrow more.

Springtime

In a country like Canada, where there are four distinct seasons, seasonal influences play a large part in creating good selling conditions.

Wintertime brings with it a series of challenges, among them the weather, holiday distractions and lack of interest from buyers.

When the snow thaws though, and greenery re-emerges from the ground, buyers tend to re-emerge as well. The spring tends to be the peak of the market, simply because the timing suits people in general. The weather is more favourable, properties generally can be better displayed, and moves and property closings can more reasonably be managed through the summer months, so for those with families relocating is less disruptive.

According to data, home sales begin in February, with closings peaking through late May, June, July and August- and this has been a consistent trend since the early 2000’s. For sellers then, they will likely have the opportunity to engage more traffic and interest in their homes.

Patience is a Virtue

While the springtime may typically be a more optimal time to sell, there will typically be more competition on the market. Sometimes, if a seller is flexible on their dates, it may be advisable to wait until the spring market to list, simply because of the flood of buyers onto the market. Often, a property will sell for more, and sell much faster because of volume.

As there will be more properties on the market, the seller really needs to take time to make their property stand out, using the slow winter months to actively prepare their homes to list. For some, it can take weeks, or even months to de-clutter and re-organize their properties to best reflect the space, and the positive attributes.

Advise sellers that, even though you may list in the spring, the selling process begins now- behind the scenes. Think staging before selling.

propertywire.ca

For more information on the Vancouver Real Estate Market or Buying or Selling a home contact Kelsie Struch, Realtor with Century 21 In Town Realty. Cell 778.387.6090 email info@kelsiestruch.com

1620 Riverside Drive, North Vancouver, BC

Kelsie Struch — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:33:48 -0800

I just sold this House at 1620 Riverside Drive, North Vancouver, BC Seymour.

View this recently sold House or see all my home sales

Downtown VW Open House!

Kelsie Struch — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:41:27 -0800

We are proud to announce that this Dec 11th, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM we will be hosting an Open House at 1295 RICHARDS Street in the Downtown VW neighborhood, Vancouver West. This is an opportunity to visit this excellent Condo for sale in beautiful Downtown VW.

Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this Downtown VW Condo for sale.

As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 7783876090 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.

Kelsie Struch
In Town Realty