Subscribe with RSS ReaderOur team would like to sincerely thank every single one of you for your continuous support. Balance Group would like to wish you all a wonderful and safe holiday and a happy 2025!
Allyson, Cécile and Jenny
Macdonald Realty’s Corporate Holiday Party Ice Bucket Challenge 2024
Today is Giving Tuesday - the world’s largest generosity movement. Everyone has something to give and every act of generosity counts.
This holiday season, Macdonald Realty Vancouver is taking the plunge into the icy waters of the Ice Bucket Challenge to show our support for individuals affected by Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS/Lou Gehrig’s disease/motor neuron disease) - a condition with no cure and few treatment options. This challenge aims to raise awareness and vital funds for the Programs & Services offered by the ALS Society of BC.
Cécile Yuen from Balance Group, along with other colleagues at Macdonald Realty, will be taking part in this meaningful Holiday Party Ice Bucket Challenge 2024.
Support us here: https://www.alsbc.ca/macdonald-realtys-corporate-holiday-party-ice-bucket-challenge-2024/
2024 October Market Stats
Check out the real estate market statistics for Greater Vancouver on listings and sales in October 2024.
If you’re looking for more information, send us an email at team@balancegroup.biz .
Inflation rate drops to 1.6% in September 2024
With Canada's inflation rate falling to 1.6% in September (after hitting the Bank of Canada's 2% goal in August), it increases the chance of a Bank of Canada rate cut by 50 basis points on the coming up rate announcement next week on October 23, 2024.
2024 September Market Stats
Check out the 2024 September Stats!
If you’re looking for more information, send us an email at team@balancegroup.biz .
Reminder: BC Speculation and Vacancy Tax Declaration is Due March 31, 2023
.jpg)
A friendly reminder that your annual BC Speculation and Vacancy Tax Declaration is due on March 31, 2023. Each residential owner is required to submit their own declaration. For example, if there are two owners on the title, both owners have to submit their personal declarations.
You can declare online at the BC Speculation and Vacancy Tax website here. You will need the "Letter ID" and "Declaration Code" on the declaration letter that you received from the government in February.
Here's the Speculation and Vacancy Tax branch contact information if you need to reach them.
Happy Lunar New Year!
Happy Lunar New Year! Wishing everyone lots of love, happiness and good health in the Year of Tiger! 
Monthly Market Update - September 2021
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
This communication is not intended to cause or induce breach of an existing agency agreement. **Should you no longer wish to receive this communication, please reply to this email with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line. ©2021 Macdonald Realty Ltd. 2105 W 38th Ave, Vancouver, B.C. V6M 1R8 | macrealty.com |
Monthly Market Update - February 2021
|
||
|
Stay safe,
Allyson, Cécile and Jenny
BCREA: Housing market likely to enjoy an exceptional 2021
|
||
|
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving!!
We are all becoming creative as we determine how to celebrate Thanksgiving 'COVID -style'. Jenny and her family are having a potluck gathering in her sister's backyard. A rain canopy is standing nearby in case it is needed! Allyson’s family is splitting up into several groups as their usual crowd of 15 – 20 people is not possible this year. Cécile is supporting a local restaurant by ordering a “takeout” Thanksgiving dinner.
Whether you're having a small gathering with a few loved ones or a distanced gathering via zoom, we hope you are able to find a moment to focus on what is important this weekend … gratitude for your good health, family, friends and all the other blessings in your life.
Be kind. Be calm. Be safe.
Allyson, Cécile and Jenny
Happy Earth Day Week and Earthrise
In 1968, Apollo 8 was the first crewed spacecraft to reach the Moon, orbit it and return. Its three-astronaut crew - Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders - were the first humans to see the whole, round Earth from space, to witness and photograph an Earthrise. Earthrise is a photograph of Earth and some of the Moon's surface. Earthrise helped people to see our world for what it is: a planet without borders, a home to all people, a life-sustaining wanderer through space. That new vision of our world was so powerful that it inspired the first Earth Day in 1970.
Yesterday definitely was a different kind of Earth Day with most of us isolating at home and so few cars on the road! The lack of Earth Day art projects or in-class celebrations for our kids, made it feel very different. In years past, we've become accustomed to our children coming home from their school's Earth Day commenting upon how they had all the lights off in their classrooms and other sustainable ways of living in order to take care of Mother Earth.
It is apparent that humans are very adaptable beings. COVID-19 is not stopping the real estate market from moving along. Accordingly, we have been very busy this week. The market is more active with buyers who had been waiting on the sidelines now taking this opportunity to look for properties. Please let us know if you need our help or have questions.
We hope you are all doing well. We always love to hear from you. If you have time, feel free to send us an email or give us a call and let us know you are doing.
The Earthrise message was clear: Earth "really is one world". The world response to COVID-19 confirms this message as well. One world, one people.
Be safe. Be kind. Be well.
Allyson, Cécile and Jenny
Staying Positive
Staying Positive
We hope you are all staying healthy and are adjusting to the lifestyle changes we have been adopting this past month. Unless you relish “your alone time”, it can be a difficult transition for most people. We found starting our day with gratitude, goals, and self-care (meditation and exercise) helps us to focus and remain positive in the current environment. While practising social distancing, we are staying connected with our friends and families via phone calls, emails or video.
We feel fortunate to be part of the Macdonald Realty team. We are benefiting from our ongoing virtual Monday morning meetings. The meeting allows us virtual connection with the other 200 Macdonald Realtors and to stay on top of the market activities as we share and exchange ideas and experiences. Market activity has slowed down for obvious reasons, but we are still seeing sales due to pent-up demand. There are still sellers who must sell and buyers who must buy. We are staying on top of the market and the listing inventory as we know that our buyers may be able to negotiate a favourable contract in this market.
Please remember we are just a phone call away if you feel bored at home or if you need help with your groceries!
We found a lovely, positive video about Covid-19 and felt it was a great one to share with you all.
Link here: https://www.facebook.com/BalanceGroupVancouverRealtor/videos/250688496322239/
Stay healthy and safe,
Allyson, Cécile, Jenny
Property Insurance Premiums - Water Damage Prevention
Property insurance premiums for stratas and condos continue to rise.
Do you know what the ten most common water-related damages are?
What can Councils and Owners do to prevent water damage?
Why do unit owners need personal insurance?
Find out more here: below useful information from BFL Canada
Send us an email if you want a PDF copy of the information.
Thank you to our clients
We want to sincerely thank our clients for trusting us with one of their biggest decisions. Last year, we helped our amazing clients purchase their first homes, upsize to bigger townhouses and houses, downsize to single level living, find homes closer to work and investments. We appreciated the opportunity to help all of you, and we look forward to assisting our friends and new clients this year.
We also want to thank our supporting staffs at Macdonald Realty. Thank you to our creative marketing team to help us create listing brochure with professional photos and floor plan for our sellers. Thank you to our conveyancer in preparing the closing files for our buyers and sellers’ lawyer to ensure the Completion process goes as smoothly as possible.
We would also like to thank Joyce Tsang with Mortgage Architects to help our clients arranging financing. Thank you to Flow Staging & Interior Design, Fluff Design, and our qualified home inspectors for helping our clients.
Snow-shovelling Beware and How to be a Snow Angel
Happy Snow Day!
Hope everyone is staying safe on the roads this week. Just a friend reminder that City of Vancouver requires all property owners to clear snow and ice from sidewalks around their property by 10:00am every day.
If you have limited mobility or if you are senior, and are unable to clear the snow, ask a neighbour for help or request a Snow Angel. Failure to remove snow and ice may result in fines.
Want to learn more about volunteering as Snow Angel and help a neighbour, visit City of Vancouver website here.
Pictures from City of Vancouver website
2020 January Market Update
2019 November Market Update
Asbestos: What You Need To Know
INSPECTION INSIGHTS from Pillar-to-Post Home Inspectors!
Asbestos: What You Need To Know
Maybe you’ve been told your home has asbestos. Do you need to worry? We’re here to educate and inform!
For years, asbestos was widely used in wall and ceiling insulation, vinyl flooring, insulation for heating ducts, pipe wrap for water heating systems, roof tiles, acoustic ceiling tiles and much more. Many of these materials are still present in thousands of homes. Breathing asbestos fibers over a long period of time can lead to asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Is it always a problem? Asbestos poses a health risk when the fibers become airborne, which can happen if materials are crumbling or damaged. If there is minor localized damage, it can be professionally repaired by encapsulating the asbestos fibers with a specialized sealant. If the asbestos-containing material is in good condition, the best course of action may be to simply leave it alone.
The biggest risk is when homeowners and other non-professionals attempt asbestos removal themselves. Disturbing asbestos usually makes it dangerous. If it must be removed, it’s a job for an expert who will also properly dispose of it. In some cases, such as a home renovation, asbestos removal is the only option.
The data relating to real estate on this website comes in part from the MLS® Reciprocity program of either the Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (GVR), the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) or the Chilliwack and District Real Estate Board (CADREB). Real estate listings held by participating real estate firms are marked with the MLS® logo and detailed information about the listing includes the name of the listing agent. This representation is based in whole or part on data generated by either the GVR, the FVREB or the CADREB which assumes no responsibility for its accuracy. The materials contained on this page may not be reproduced without the express written consent of either the GVR, the FVREB or the CADREB.