Comments on: friday free for all!

By: great

great — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 19:58:00 +0000

So with all the building inspectors on strike are these CONdos going to take longer to complete.

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By: HADENOUGH

HADENOUGH — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 11:18:00 +0000

This is interesting. Top rankings for cities in AsiaThe top five cities in Asia were: Auckland (tied for 5th)Sydney (tied for 9th)Wellington (12th)Melbourne (17th)Perth (21st) Osaka (tied for 42nd) was the lowest ranking Asian city in the top 50.Top rankings for cities in EuropeThe top five cities in Europe were: Zurich (1st)Geneva (2nd)Vienna (tied 3th)Dusseldorf (tied for 5th)Frankfort (7th) The lowest ranking European city in the top 50 was Milan (tied for 49th).Top ranking for cities in the AmericasThe top five cities in the Americas were: Vancouver (3rd)Toronto (15th)Ottawa (tied for 18th)Montreal (22nd)Calgary (24th) The lowest ranking Americas city in the top 50 was Seattle (tied for 49th).

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By: HADENOUGH

HADENOUGH — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 11:08:00 +0000

I remember Toronto was voted best place in the world to do business or to live or something like that about 10 years ago.All over the city there were posters saying "TORONTO IS THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE - VOTED NO 1". I found it so strange. It was almost like brainwashing people. Don't comp[lain. This is the Best Place to Live. If you said you wanted to live in Switzerland, Ireland or anywhere else people would get so upset. Now I think TO has sunk down to 20th or something.

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By: HADENOUGH

HADENOUGH — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 11:02:00 +0000

Ken,I think they thought it was tacky driving around with it written on license plates.They don't think they are any better or their country or city is great. Europeans are always complaining. Anyway, they are only in their 30s and did not have much to do with the colonies.I think it is tacky too! Like when we walk around Europe with Candian flags all over us. Silly and naive.Some people think Vancouver is the greatest place on Earth. Some people think Tuscany or Salt Spring or Holt Renfrew are the best places on earth. If in fact Vancouver is the BESTEST PLACE ON EARTH then maybe property should be so expensive because everyone in the whole world wants to live here and living is the BEST PLACE on EARTH is just worth the price. Maybe we should then not complain about the price of property. Gosh! Canadians get offended so easily if anyone says anything negative about our country.

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By: Warren

Warren — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 09:26:00 +0000

Ken:Europeans should be consistantly embarassed, can't believe how backwards they are.You certainly can't accuse the Europeans of modesty and humility. I think BC's claim is a little over the top, but people in glass houses...On a related note, I was in London recently and its amazing to spend some time there and actually wonder how these people at one time ruled the world, nevermind the fact that they currently enjoy a great standard of living on the world scale. Ditto Italy.

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By: markx

markx — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 09:25:00 +0000

tulip-Mania2:In Asia, 100+ story buildings can be considered a reliable predictor of economic downturn. By the time a corporation, a city, or even a nation decides to build the tallest building in the world, it's time to brace for the coming collapse.

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By: markx

markx — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 09:20:00 +0000

Inwonderment: From your story I see the completely different logics people have regarding rent and buy. Rent in Vancouver is at most double of rent in Ottawa, while buying in Vancouver is at least triple the cost of buying in Ottawa. Somehow people would refuse to pay the double rent in Vancouver for the next year, but have no problem commiting to paying triple mortgage for the next 25 years. Just unbelievable. I guess prices going down is just too foreign for most people, and buying is never throwing money away.

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By: patriotz

patriotz — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 08:29:00 +0000

"The riskiest housing marketsA new report projects home-price declines for the next two years. The riskiest markets are in Florida, California, Nevada and Arizona. Here's how to ride out the hard times."This article is more laughable "predicting the past" stuff.For example, look at all the cities in Florida, which are already tanking big time, which have a predicted 50% or so "probability" of price drops. Ditto Sacramento.Yawn.

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By: tulip-Mania2

tulip-Mania2 — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 21:39:00 +0000

Real-estate values and construction have peaked one to two years before a depression, and have stayed at peak levels until the onset of the downturn.The historical evidence is consistent with the theory that speculative booms in real-estate prices and construction act as an impetus for the downturn itself.

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By: blue

blue — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 20:23:00 +0000

I must just be getting completely cynical in my old age - but I can't help but read inwonderment's story and immediately think:The realtor lied to get the buyers from Ottawa to panic and make a quick decision. God, I hate being this jaded.

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