The continents most ‘severely unaffordable’ market
Demographia has just released their 5th annual international housing affordability survey, and it puts Vancouver at the top of the list of ‘severely unaffordable‘ markets on the continent, and the 4th most ‘severely unaffordable’ market of all cities surveyed. Here’s a PDF of their report, and here are some choice excerpts:
RSS 2.0 comments feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.In recent decades, the Median Multiple has been remarkably similar among the nations surveyed, with median house prices being generally 3.0 or less times median household incomes. This historic affordability relationship continues in many housing markets of the United States and Canada. However, the Median Multiple has escalated sharply in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom and in some markets of Canada and the United States.
…..…many of these severely unaffordable markets have experienced steep price declines in the last year. Among the major markets, Vancouver is the least affordable, with a Median Multiple of 8.3, followed by Sydney (8.3), San Francisco (8.0), San Jose (7.2), Adelaide (7.1), Melbourne (7.1) New York (7.0) and London (6.9).
January 26th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Don’t even think of doing the “Ha ha I’m first thing”.
Somebody send this story to the media.
I’m tired of the “No need to panic” reassurances from realtors and politicians.
If there is no need to panic why do you keep telling us not to?
January 26th, 2009 at 11:34 am
House prices in the US fall 70% in 2008. We’re next if history is any guide.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/.....refer=news
January 26th, 2009 at 11:38 am
I can’t get teh hyperlink to stick but there is an article on Bloomberg.com stating housing prices fall 70% in the US in 2008.
January 26th, 2009 at 11:39 am
Where is dosh?
he said vanouver had decoupled from the planet and would go up forever
January 26th, 2009 at 11:46 am
If there is any doubt that Vancouver will become the biggest real estate meltdown in North America, the proof is in the pudding. Low median income, coupled by exhorborant real estate prices – go figure.
January 26th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Didn’t Peter Schiff call vancouver the ‘bubbliest city on the planet”?
Is anyone shocked that this affordability report didn’t get onto the front pages our our local papers?
Avatar Bains has made ‘an invitation to treat” ,with his public pronouncement of a price guarantee, take him up on his offer and fax him an acceptance. As a corporate principal he is legally liable for his public utterances.
January 26th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Global TV announced on the noon ‘news’ that the real estate and stock market would turn around by September based on an unnamed source in the Chinese astrological community. You couldn’t dream this shit up. BWAHAHAHAHA.
January 26th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Vancouver was like California, Florida, Vegas, and Spain, Dubai global hotbeds of an artificially inflated RE market.
Summary:
The Rich Asian myth, or myth of more Rich Asians, and specuvestors believed the aforementioned.
Realturds, politicians, economists and banksters are still spewing this garbage -mythology
Sayonara dumbkopfs , the party is OVER.
Get over it so we CAN start over.
January 26th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
realestatesplatter: That was Robert Schiller, not Schiff.
January 26th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
From Garth’s blog
Quote from realtor when asked what they thought the market was going to do:
“I’ve got two b@lls and neither one of them is crystal.”
( Hmm…I wonder what HER name was…)
=================
Garth and his blogs posters are doing a good rip job on the UDI seminar in Vancouver a few days ago on the topic of ” TRUST ” .
http://www.greaterfool.ca/2009...../#comments
QUOTE:
Like I said, everybody knows this. But not the realtors of BC, who days ago held a fib-fest and invited the media, populated as it is by young things with new condos now threatening to eat them alive.
“If you don’t have to sell, wait until the market stabilizes,” said condo king Bob Rennie.
“This is no housing recession.” Said developer Michael Audain. “This is a loss of consumer confidence.”
“While the economy will be weaker in 2009, real estate sales will be higher than in 2008,” intoned BC Real Estate Association chief economist Cameron Muir.
And because these guys are either (a) industry spokespeople, (b) developers and business leaders or (c) high-profile economists, all the words they sputter are written down, edited and then spread to the masses. And this, I would say, makes them culpable. They’re in positions of public influence.
We’ll update this post in one year
====================
I agree, hold these people accountable.
They must know they are lying, they can’t be THAT stupid, can they ?!?
January 26th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
“If you don’t have to sell, wait until the market stabilizes,” said condo king Bob Rennie.
Now who thinks Rennie is telling his clients this? ..or maybe they HAVE to sell? I’m sure local developers wouldn’t mind if some of the competing listings disappeared for a while.
January 26th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Trouble in China:
aka the Rich Asian myth.
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/
Millions of Chinese Struggle to Find Jobs
QUOTE:
In the wake of a global slowdown, Chinese export shrink, civil unrest is a worry, and unemployment is rising as noted in Xinhua says there will be more unemployment and social revolts in 2009.
State council adviser Chen Quansheng, warns that unemployment is much more serious than portrayed by the official statistics. According to Chen, so far at least 670,000 small industries have been closed, leaving 6.7 million people unemployed, but this number refers only to registered workers. But there are millions of people working in the underground economy, coming from the countryside, who are being fired and are forced to return to their villages without any unemployment benefits.
The academy of social sciences is also warning about the worrisome number of firings. In 2009, the government will have to create work for at least 33 million people, including migrants, young people seeking their first jobs, and new graduates.
The odds of China finding work for 33 million workers without printing vast amounts of money are slim.
Hot Money Outflows Exacerbate Chinese Problems
Inquiring minds are reading Monetary conditions might exacerbate the Chinese adjustment by Prof. Michael Pettis.
Synopsis: Chinese monetary policy has locked the country into a dangerously pro-cyclical trap. Hot money flowed into China and pushed the economy into overheating. Those inflows have reversed sharply, perhaps by as much as $100bn last quarter, equivalent to around 8% of Q4 GDP. These outflows are causing a credit contraction and an even sharper economic slowdown at exactly the worst possible moment.
======================
Th eproblem is “Truth is a commodity” and very tightly controlled in these Non Democratic countries.
However, the truth that does come out looks bad enough….. so the total BIG picture must be very BAD!!!
January 26th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
Mold city:
Great thinking, exactly right, after with that many bulk sales to unload who needs the competition from the yokels.
January 26th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
”That’s it. For a city like ours . . . We’re at a time when everybody is looking for fundamentals and nobody has better fundamentals than downtown, for the investor or the homeowner.”
January 26th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Good news, The worst is yet to come.
Bad news: we’re back to 1931. Good news: it’s not 1933 yet
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fin.....3-yet.html
January 26th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Re Schiff:
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/
This blog is also ripping into some of Schiff’s theories .
De-Coupling is duly noted
QUOTE:
Schiff has been ranting about hyperinflation for years. The dollar is substantially higher now than it was at the start of 2005. His explanation for the recent rally is there is no “real demand” for dollars, it’s just deleveraging.
I agree that deleveraging is indeed happening.
But why is deleveraging happening? The answer is everyone herded into anti-dollar plays based on decoupling and hyperinflation theories that did not pan out. Those trades are now being forcibly unwound. The bulk of the carnage is likely over but the losses have been immense.
In 2001-2002 the US$ index peaked at 121. Since then there was a massive flight out of US dollars into anything else. That flight continued into 2008 even though the fundamentals were changing.
The fundamentals of China and the commodity producers were simply not very good once the US consumer threw in the towel.
Schiff simply did not see this coming.
January 26th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
The truth is catching up
Barack Obama inherits an economy already contracting at an annual rate of 6pc, much like the mid-Depression year of 1931 (-6.4pc), writes Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
Last Updated: 8:38AM GMT 26 Jan 2009
Comments 32 | Comment on this article
This may beat Germany (-7pc) Japan (-12pc) and Korea (-22pc) over the fourth quarter. But that merely underlines the dangers ahead as the collapse of global trade chokes the mini-boom in US exports, setting off another stage of the crisis.
The US is losing 500,000 jobs a month. Brazil lost 650,000 in December. Beijing says 10m Chinese have lost their jobs since the crunch began. Japan’s exports fell 35pc last month, year-on-year. The central bank is printing money furiously, buying bonds to prevent a relapse into deflation.
So yes, it is like early 1931. Citigroup and Bank of America have more or less disintegrated. JP Morgan’s health is failing fast. General Motors and Chrysler survive only on life-support from the US taxpayer.
January 26th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
My guess is the Banksters/Lenders will make their client Developers walk the plank , throw in the towel and major fire sales of stagnant RE , say about the middle of the year.
Local Gov’t want their pound of flesh Property Taxes,someone has to pay.. and this will hit big time very soon.
The mythology of RE has to be shed like a snakeskin…we are going to treat it not much differentt than time sensitive products with expiry dates.
Spring and Fall are apparently the peak RE buying seasons so they have to time this historical habit accordingly . People want to enjoy their summers, in winter it is the Xmas season.
A lot more NEWER product will be on the market soon as it moves to completion.
The longer they delay it, the more of a distraction it becomes and takes up most of their attention instead of washing their hands of these liabilities and moving forward .
January 26th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
19000 layoffs at Pharma giant, you can bet the government is getting readfy for social unrest. Condoland is under siege.
http://www.marketwatch.com/new.....TNMostRead
January 26th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Post # 16
QUOTE:
“So yes, it is like early 1931. Citigroup and Bank of America have more or less disintegrated. JP Morgan’s health is failing fast.”
While on the Internet this weekend..rumours abound that the U.S. and European banking system is INSOLVENT.
Obama and other leaders etc. are in the backrooms this week trying to fix it but at the same time not admitting it.
January 26th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
NO -LYMPICS:
they can have a fire sale, but will there be anyone around to buy. I envision tall blacked out junkie towers , fires lighting windows and garbage being thrown out onto the hookers on the yaletown concrete.
January 26th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
Makes total sense. Vancouver is the best place on the planet so it should be the most unaffordable. That’s the fundamentals and crying ain’t going to change it.
January 26th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Layoff notices coming in by the minute
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/.....58822.html
January 26th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
deathspiral:
More pink slips, pay freezes and other hits are expected to slam workers in the months ahead as companies desperately look for ways to survive.
“We’re just seeing the tip of the iceberg — the big firms,” said Rebecca Braeu, economist at John Hancock Financial Services. “There’s certainly other firms beneath them that will lay off workers as quickly or even quicker.”
Looking ahead, economists predicted a net loss of at least 2 million jobs — possibly more — this year even if President Barack Obama’s $825 billion package of increased government spending and tax cuts is enacted. Last year, the economy lost a net 2.6 million jobs, the most since 1945, though the labor force has grown significantly since then.
January 26th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/.....36647.html
can you spell ‘tank’?
January 26th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
badnewsbulls:
January set to be third straight month economy has shed 500,000-plus jobs
January 26th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
deathspiral:
2009 will be a rude awakening for any expecting better days ahead says fund manager
http://www.marketwatch.com/new.....F40584C%7D
January 26th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
great headline
Bloody Monday: Over 68,000 jobs lost
January 26th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Get in now before you get priced out forever with huge obamaboom coming!
January 26th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
If American Express revenues are down 79% this quarter what do you think is happening at the fancy retail stores in Vancouver? These retailers are sure not buying condos or box seats at the Olympics.
http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/2.....2009012616
January 26th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
obamaton: I already got priced out of buying any place I’d actually want to live, now I’m happy to wait until I’m priced back in. Waiting since May has already saved me $122,000 on a house.
..Oh yeah, and I can rent a place I feel like living for less than half what it would cost to buy and don’t have to pay for any of the maintenance, upkeep or taxes.
I think the more pressing concern right now is for those that have been ‘priced in forever’ and will be trying to raise a family in a rapidly depreciating 500 sq foot condo.
January 26th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
20 depressionwatch Says:
January 26th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
NO -LYMPICS:
they can have a fire sale, but will there be anyone around to buy. I envision tall blacked out junkie towers , fires lighting windows and garbage being thrown out onto the hookers on the yaletown concrete.
===============================================
Your armageddon scenario is as good as mine or anyone else’s
There are so many collateral consequences we likely haven’t even imagined yet.
BTW : The term ” fire sale” also refers to shedding of liability, sometimes at any cost.
I posted a story a while back about a guy I’d met who got married during the Depression.
He told me that for a wedding present, He was given a choice between
(i)a bare lot in South East Vancouuer or
(ii) a Toaster
Guess which one he chose?
Hint : if you guessed the lot you guessed wrong!!
January 26th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
I’ve been watching rental prices and it is starting to feel like there are some substantial drops out there. Anyone else getting the same idea? Not sure if it’s just a January effect though.
January 26th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Oh yeah toaster worth so much more than lot. Your friend good investor.
January 26th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
EB
Our family has been landlords for over 40 years.
BTW very low vacancy rates , rent is below market rate for similar accomodations.
IMHO..a landlord starts to panic if the unit is unrented for a 2nd consecutive month.
Only way is to lower the price plus perks, but not too low or you will have people thinking its a dive and attract mostly problem types.
Negotiate when the lease runs up.No one is lowballing per se,its simply a realistic reflection of the current market the old supply(lots) vs. demand (Not lots).
The good tenants will get cherry -picked..the rest will be=___ the great unknown ??
One other poster (tenant)told us their story this weekend , got a discount form their current landlord and Win -Win for both parties. Flexibility and reality meet !
January 26th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
33 obamaton Says:
January 26th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Oh yeah toaster worth so much more than lot. Your friend good investor.
===========================================
Relativity mes amis ,relativity.
Forgot to add that the COV was foreclosing on people back then because THEY COULDN’T AFFORD TO PAY THEIR TAXES !!!
PREDICTION:
Watch that new and evolving trend happen after the July property taxes are supposed to be paid…….pages and pages of tax sales later this year.
January 26th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
quote from Garth Turner
All around us now is an envelope of disbelief and denial. Leading the charge, as documented in my last post, is the real estate industry, followed closely by the MSM, and then the government. These forces cling to the belief that by downplaying the reality of the situation they can ameliorate it.
How true it is. He said today in his blog that the realtards were making pronouncements to young media who were poised to eat them alive.
Has it come to that? Lie or Die, I feel very sorry for the sheeple.
January 26th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
EB:
Rental rates dowtown are tanking huge and I’ve actually visited the units for rent and they’re legit. I posted some of my findings last weekend.
January 26th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Vancouver is falling in the same trajectory to our US counterparts. The only thing thatt is differant is the time lag.
Welcome back to 1970′s folks, cause it looks like we’re going to fall right past the 90′s and by the time we hit the 80′s we should be just about at terminal velocity. We’re all freakin’ doomed as the angriest man in economics has said.
http://edmontonhousingbust.blo.....-here.html
January 26th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
The sheepie’s best fiscal prophylactic “shepherd” is the banks going back to basics, tighter credit etc. That way they won’t screw themselves, because they won’t have the ability to do so.
Posters here are indicating it is FAR cheaper to rent than gamble on the Rennie, Muir and ONNI etc. B.S.
WTF do these guys think buyers will come from…most of the sheep have exposed themselves andfallen over the cliff already , so where do they think new ones will come from?
The rental rates are apparently going South…. as are the actual RE asking prices. Make the call to Rent OR Buy when the dust settles and stability starts to rear its ugly head.
Like someone has posted, if the market has lost an average $120,000, thats literally UNtaxable money in your pocket.
I love the quote also posted above about being ” priced IN forever”…..that’s like a coffin to one’s future.
Let’s think pro-actively and positively outside THAT box.
January 26th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Bloody Monday Indeed …
There have been over 200,000 job cuts announced my major corporations in January alone.
Do realtards and other deniers assume people are as stupid as they are? A person would be downright nuts to assume a massive mortgage on a grossly overpriced lower mainland condo given the state of the world.
Renters have a huge advantage over dopey owners these days.
And there will be 500+ hot to trot millionaire condo buyers waiting to bail Vancouver taxpayers out of the Olympic Village?
A body believing that should send a resume to realtard Rennie. Stupidity loves company.
January 26th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
This is just the initial stage of financial and economic collapse
http://theinternationalforecas.....l_Collapse
Are you cashed up with 5 years cash savings to get you through joblessness and refinancing your condo, if not , you’re screwed.
January 26th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Did anyone catch 60 MINUTES last night
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories.....7832.shtml
DHL is leaving the town of Wilmington Ohio, one of its main hubs, and it was the major employer.
January 26th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
What we need …
is another major global armed conflict to a) destroy built up capital, b) cause immediate and massive demand for goods and services, and c) cull the human population.
It took a world war last time and things are arguably one hell of a lot more screwed up this time vis-a-vis the distribution of wealth.
Given enough hungry and desperate people there is no telling what the downside is going to be. Canada MIGHT have a saftey net, other places most definately DON’T.
I raise the fact again there are upwards of 30,000 illegal refugees in this country. What happens when there are 60,000 or 120,000?
Do we welcome the entire world to eat at our table when we cannot feed our own?
January 26th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
NO -LYMPICS:
A ‘FAKE’ NEWS EVENT SET UP BY THE MEDIA AND A PAYING ADVERTISER. CULPABILTY? ZERO, ETHICS?ZERO, MORALS? ZERO
Meanwhile in Richmond, BC, buyers flocked to grab condos a developer was dumping on the market after creating a fake news event. In the middle of a housing price plunge, with the central bank desperately slashing rates, traders dumping banks, manufacturing and commodities in decline, and deflation stalking the land, why would they do so?
History will wonder.
http://www.greaterfool.ca/2009/01/20/opiate/
January 26th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
NO -LYMPICS:
The DHL (3500 layoff) story pales in comparison to the stealth depression thats been unfolding in BC over the past two years. The official numbers are total bullshit, the media is hiding facts for reasons only they can explain.
There have been 15000 forestry workers layed off in the paast 48 months alone!!! The sheep have had the wool pulled over thier eyes for reasons that history will clarify.
January 26th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
fake refuStuckman:
fake refugees using Canada’s weak policy
http://www.theglobeandmail.com.....ional/home
a previous poster pointed this out in an earlier string and was attacked by some bleeding heart supporter/denier. truth is out. Terrorists use our lax laws and we’re stupid enough to keep up the facade.
January 26th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
There is nothing in the budget for beleagered condo buyers unless you want new hardwood floors put in that is. Harper says ‘spend your way out of your problem” renovate! Hahahaha
Bad news condos dudes and dudettes
http://www.theglobeandmail.com.....itics/home
January 26th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
truthin’ advertising
Totally agree re BC forestry workers…brutal !
DHL has been on the radar screen a while…It is one of many poster’s “poster child” for the slow death of a thousand cuts(layoffs)by a big company in trouble.
If it goes in Wilmington, the whole company may implode, as they have presence all over including YVR…and I actually know a party who works for them here at YVR.
January 26th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
the bad jobs new just keeps on coming
http://business.theglobeandmai.....m_mostview
January 26th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Demographia, what an asinine survey. Here are some quick pedantic factoids from the report:
* Oshawa is included in Toronto
* Canada has 100K threshold for city status where Australia only needs 50K.
* Look at San Fran Case Shiller index: it’s close to the Demographia number. Vancouver’s number is waaaayyyy off, apples to apples.
The report obviously has an agenda to reduce land use restrictions and letting the free market take hold. Detroit, Cincinnati, St. Louis, and the rest of the American Rust Belt are in their good books for having few barriers to development. Obviously they’ve never been to Vancouver or they’d see there is MASSIVE oversupply looming for the next few years. Restrictive indeed. Hilarious.
January 26th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
truthin’ advertising: I don’t think there’s any media conspiracy, I think the answer is simpler than that: They drank the kool-aid.
During the boom the Vancouver Sun had how many pages filled with ads for townhomes, condos, presales, renovation services etc.? Ad revenue is a hard drug to kick and I believe they are simply in denial.
It’s like boiling a frog – forestry has been in decline for so long most people don’t even notice the constant stories of layoffs. Many of those could find work in construction during the boom, so it wasn’t so bad, but now with construction falling off (and looking to crater in a couple years) what’s going to happen?
The party is over and now the bill has to be paid. You can only hide from the collection agents for so long. The Media will face reality eventually, but they report events AFTER they happen, not before and not while they’re happening. They’re still hoping that positivity is all that’s required to get our market booming beyond all reason again.
January 26th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
I should add, why does Demographia think the US Rust Belt has non-restrictive land use policies? Could it be that people are leaving these cities in droves because there are no jobs? Of course local governments there will do anything they can to encourage development when their tax base is moving away!
January 26th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Microsoft reveals that foriegn workers are the first to go. Oh Oh thats not politically correct is it?
http://economictimes.indiatime.....033788.cms
January 26th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
45 – truthin’ advertising – I don’t know if this is related to your post:
http://www.votebcjobs.ca/
But it seems like there is some SERIOUS damage control going on out there. I hear about three patronizing ads from these goofballs a day on the radio while I work telling me about how great the BC liberals are and everythin’s hunky dory.
January 26th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Mold city:
It’s a fact , the media panders to advertisers AND drank the Kool-Aid..
http://www.americanthinker.com.....tters.html
there are hundreds of books published on media dishonest practices.
re-quote from Garth Turner
All around us now is an envelope of disbelief and denial. Leading the charge, as documented in my last post, is the real estate industry, followed closely by the MSM, and then the government. These forces cling to the belief that by downplaying the reality of the situation they can ameliorate it.
How true it is. He said today in his blog that the realtards were making pronouncements to young media who were poised to eat them alive.
January 26th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
Bubble Lad:
The politicos and thier advertising paying dogs are going to keep up a full court press on the BS until the election in 5 months for sure. You are smart to be paying attention and having the ability to recognize BS whan you see it.
January 26th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
The Demographia report will eventually be picked up by local media. Vanc’s 4th place ranking of ‘severely unafforable’ just hammers it home.
I hope by April the deniers will just go away. there will be a point where these pumpers can no longer deny reality.
Side note: I am starting to noticed all the condos I was tracking come back on the grid after having fallen off at the end of December. I am sure some of you are noticing the same.
January 26th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Re: 200,000 jobs lost in January, is that in Canada?
Re: Forestry, agreed. I have ties back to the Kootenays, my family was raised through the industry. My father retired years ago. Over a year ago the mill in my hometown shut down. The union workers laid off. The non-union workers were fired on the spot.
We lived through a few mill shutdowns, most brief. What’s happening this time, is completely unprecedented. I believe the 15,000 jobs numbers, if true are only considering mill workers. What people don’t get is the ripple effect. For example: trucking/transportation, pulp, land sales, logging infrastructure.
Nevermind the fact that the small community I’m from depends on the survival of the mill. Without the mill, you lose the main economic driver for the whole area. What comes next is a ghostown.
I believe the 15,000 is less than the truth. I recall reading an article last year where it said the number of workers connected to lumber normally ran at 215,000 in BC and had dropped to 100,000. Wish I could find that source.
January 26th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
So here’s a partial list of the Coalition of BC Businesses (the ones putting out those incredibly patronizing ads):
BC Real Estate Association
Building Supply Industry Association of BC
Canadian Home Builders’ Association
Independent Contractors and Business Association
Building Owners & Managers Association
So let’s see…they’re pro-Liberal, the liberal Premier has ties to his old pals at Marathon Development, and the coalition is made of of land developers…
This is a riddle inside an enigma…
January 26th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
I heard that the still the vacancy rate in some parts of vancouver is still less than 1% so i don’t see how rents are coming down. Maybe just in yaletown. This site thinks the world is coming to an end and then you look at the rental market and you see at best a small reduction.
January 26th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Who Knows:
Maybe there will be an exodus from the City shiteholes?
People may nuke the ratrace and go back to a more simple existence ie go rural. Survival mode tends towards minimalism and self -sufficiency,does it not? You can’t do that in the City without some NIMBY prick or prickette whining, right ?
January 26th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Post 59 Bubble Lad:
These groups can claim whatever they want.
Maybe they should…that way they can prevent a riot.
Shite, much of my own family still thinks this is a minor economic fart…so I just leave it alone. Other VCI posters, via their own anecdotes, have forewarned the rest of us of what a social leper one will become if one speaks the truth.
January 26th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Now, when the going gets tough the tough get going
Ex Nortel engineer’s new venture
Sex toy buzz helps launch ex-Nortel engineer’s startup
Company spent $500,000 on vibrator’s research and development
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/s.....4:r2:c0:b0
QUOTE:
“This is, to me, not a sex toy. It’s an electromechanical device,” he said. “We truly look at it from a scientific point of view; in terms of plotting the x-y charts of power versus performance, versus the third dimension of the human dynamic: What frequencies do women like?”
QUOTE:
“Dad was pretty quiet about it. Mom was — she absorbed what I was saying. I think she was glad to hear that we had income now.”
===========================================
Rennie, Muir, etc.
RU listening ?
January 26th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Tom: The 1% vacancy stat that so often gets quoted is misleading. That a CMHC statistic that only tracks property management companies that are renting out multiple units. Anyone renting out a townhouse, condo or suite in their house is not included in those stats.
If you look at the flood of listings on craigslist you’ll see that quite a number of them are from small-time or amateur landlords and are not included in the official stats.
I hardly think rents are falling dramatically, but they are going down, and thats from a starting point that only covered half the ownership costs anyways. If you’re a good tenant it’s also a good time to pressure your landlord for a rent cut if you’re considering a move but wouldn’t mind staying where you are.
January 26th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
China fears job riots
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WO.....index.html
January 26th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
crashandburn:
“It’s good to smash”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worl.....baleconomy
January 26th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Not sure if this is old news. I nicked it off Garth Turner’s site – greater fool.
Yaletown H and H are having a belated boxing day sale. 40 percent off:
http://www.greaterfool.ca/wp-c.....n-sale.jpg
January 26th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
dboy,
is that real?
h+H has a 40% off original price sale??????
January 26th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
Tom Says “then you look at the rental market and you see at best a small reduction. ” They are down about 10 to 15 % on average year over year. Impossible to get a 2 bedroom last year for less than 2200 this year fairly easy for 1800 to 2000. Keep in mind I only look at private condo’s which are not included in CMHC stats. Surprised how many Condo owners “one off landlords I call them” actually think rental stats apply to their units.Totally different ballgame. As a side income I manage 14 Condo units for all independent owners. We have kept our rents the same now for two years. We like long term residents no hassle types, and do not need the stress of move in move outs every third month to make a 100 bucks (which we wouldn’t make as almost 100% of units are vacant for a month or two! Our rates (Condo’s less then 10 years old complete with on-suite laundry) 1 bedroom 1400- 1500. (With reaL DEN), TWO BEDROOM 1800, to 1900 with real den! Sorry no vacancy…ever. We like our present tenants.
Oh yea that would be False Creek Waterfront we don’t have any North of Pacific. THEY should be quite a bit less!
January 26th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Yes, my point was that I’m seeing more nicer places for maybe 10-15% less than you would have seen them go for about a year ago. Not in huge numbers yet, and still sitting in the middle of a lot of places going for the standard numbers and a few places going for ridiculous wishing values. All the same they’re there.
January 26th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
romeojordan:
It appears to be. i googled it and could only find this craig’s list post:
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.....69777.html
Real estate is going down faster than than a hooker at a sex trade convention!
January 26th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
Six Errors on the Path to the Financial Crisis
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01......html?_r=1
QUOTE:
The answers, I believe, are yes and no. Our capitalist system did not condemn us to this fate. Instead, it was largely a series of avoidable — yes, avoidable — human errors. Recognizing and understanding these errors will help us fix the system so that it doesn’t malfunction so badly again. And we can do so without ending capitalism as we know it.
My list of errors has six whoppers, in chronologically order. I omit mistakes that became clear only in hindsight, limiting myself to those where prominent voices advocated a different course at the time. Had these six choices been different, I believe the inevitable bursting of the housing bubble would have caused far less harm.
===========================
The authors lists six “whoppers”in the article.
January 26th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
What comes next is a ghostown.
Speaking of ghost towns:
The 390K log house in Greenwood is still for sale
Or 387K will get you this in Kaslo
On the other hand 380K will get you this house in Ottawa, but who needs jobs and services anyway?
January 26th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
Banking crisis brings down Iceland government
Prime minister becomes world’s first national leader to step down as direct result of global financial meltdown
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worl.....dit-crunch
January 26th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
“general theories are simply inappropriate,Any plausible theory must describe why house prices virtually “exploded” in some markets, while remaining at or near historic norms in other markets.”-5th Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey.
Here is very simple answer to the theories.
VANCOUVER IS THE PLACE TO BE
Known for it’s gutsy instinct to stay immune at the time of global economy downturn compare to any other city of this world, with topsy turvey and curve appeal and tonz of indoors and outdoors activities Vancouver is the place to be,A place where buyers never walk away from presale agreements but it’s been experienced in the past that developers seems to be walking away with rising cost from condo project like Sophia and H&H now another developer choose to return back deposit to buyers because they had come to know the Law of physics does not apply in vancouver because hey Vancouver Real Estate Never Go Down.
120 buyers who signed up for the False Creek project, adjacent to the Olympic Athletes Village site, will get their deposits back while the company redesigns the project as rentals bye bye buyers In a result Inventory at 10,749 Soaked ,Interest Rates never seen that low ,average prices are up ,Economy is up 2 slot ,Vancouver Boom2 acquisition is In Progress, from north to south from east to west Ladies and Gentlemens Welcome to Vancouver Boom2 Right Away.
January 26th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
Vancouver Is the best city on this planet
January 26th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Vancouver is the best city on the planet? True, if your planet consists of Surrey, Sudbury and any or all northern Alberta oilsands towns. There are many places worse than Vancouver. Vancouver is actually a fairly OK place to live. But world-class? The best? Really, truly, NO! I’ve been to some real world-class cities. Vancouver is so far out of the running it’s embarrassing to hear that phrase.
January 26th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
developers, bankers and city say VANCOUVER REAL ESTATE GO DOWN DOWN DOWN and floods real yaletown making future “not actually in yaletown” tv towers worthless!
http://www.bowragroup.com/hhyaletown/index.htm
January 26th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
yeah once you got in it would be all good(best place on earth) go canucks get down from alex fraser bridge, go buy one bedroom condo in eastvan,it is only 5 minute drive to downtown,Sky is never going to fall on earth for you because hey?……..
January 26th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Sales Date
The Receiver Manager will be accepting offers on a first come, first serve basis. All sales will take place in the Sales Center of the H&H building on February 7 & 8, 2009 between 1:00PM to 5:00PM.
All offers must be subject free. We recommend that all interested purchasers have financing arranged prior to the sale date.
Real Estate Commissions
The Receiver-Manager will honour all outside realtor commissions, if applicable.
*****ANYONE CAN BUY NOW FOR 40% LESS AND IT WILL SOON BE EVEN LOWER***** VANCOUVER REAL ESTATE NEVER GO UP
January 26th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
It is up than what ever they have sold for in presale,do you know the actual prices? Anyway buy those off location units from cost over run project that would be built in black marked investment go BDK Bowra love your 75k dp.
January 26th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
terrible building H & H, such small and weirdly configured rooms. I saw a living room that was so tiny that your couch would be inside the kitchen area.
January 27th, 2009 at 12:11 am
How are Vancouverboom2′s mom and Vancouver condos alike?
They both go down hard and fast and pretty soon you’ll be paying the same amount for either of them.
Sorry….. just had to say it.
January 27th, 2009 at 3:18 am
Another developer has given up on selling and is turning to renting:
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.....52616.html
Its Legacy in Burnaby. Those nice buildings in the middle of nowhere, overlooking a car dealership, the skytrain and a bowling alley.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:00 am
NEW suites available for rent at Legacy Towers ranging in size from 1BR/1BA to 1BR/1.5 BA + Den (713sf – 963sf).
Prices range from $1,300 – $1,600.
Those numbers do not work for rentals, even if they can get the asking price which is questionable. If the market price is over 100x rent – and there is no doubt they could be sold for over that today – it makes more sense to sell them. The opportunity cost of holding is too high.
I wonder if it’s really the developer or someone else. I think the developer (or their bank) ought to know better.
January 27th, 2009 at 6:41 am
* Look at San Fran Case Shiller index: it’s close to the Demographia number. Vancouver’s number is waaaayyyy off, apples to apples.
Yes, I have argued that for years. I cannot reconcile the Vancouver number. I think our affordability is the worst in North America and has been for some time.
January 27th, 2009 at 7:19 am
Bloomberg story on the Olympic costs here. Kind of fluffy for them. I guess a story on backwater yokels getting taken by fast-talkers in fancy suits doesn’t get their best reporter.
January 27th, 2009 at 7:27 am
re H + H
Bowra has been trying to flog off this and a Richmond Hi Rise condo project for several months…before things tanked.
A few people have commented on H + H…it appears to be one of those shoe-boxes you can’t even swing a cat.
In a hot market , I guess developers try to create “an affordable option” , which correlates to smaller sq. ft per unit…like a condo version of the ” Smart Car”.
That model may have worked if prices kept rising.
Now it stands out in the condo glut as a bad idea.
Why buy it…I can’t see any value now or in re-sale later.
Avoid this and any other bad product. Perhaps Bowra senses this and wants to bail before the market collapses further and the real flood starts.
January 27th, 2009 at 7:42 am
I was in the Pacific Centre Mall yesterday looking for a dress to attend a wedding and when I overheard a family at the EasyPay parking machine say “Nineteen dollars for parking?” They couldn’t believe their eyes. A passerby said the meters outside had been increased to $5/hour.
I said “But it’s the BEST PLACE ON EARTH”!
Everyone laughed hysterically, and the mother of the family said, “If you have a lot of money!”
January 27th, 2009 at 7:45 am
Post # 84 Patriotz
Good points
Using your math, why do they not sell ?
Must be in a hold position and waiting out the storm, thinking things will turnaround, and then they can go back to the original plan to sell.
My guess is they are thinking about one year wait and all will be well. Unless they are deep pocketed and can wait a long time, I think they will regret it and miss the boat as others bail ahead of them.
My guess is that the vacancy rate will shoot up and then we have a rental meltdown to accompany the RE value meltdown. Then people see rental , their last option, is a fiscal black hole ,and then this backwashes to more condo product for sale and an even greater flood of those who want to bail. Ugly !
BTW if it is rented, does that avoid the GST ?
I can’t see how they can afford to effectively subsidize rent when they have such a major investment meant to be sold and all the costs associated with it.
More money than brains? …but soon no money = no brainer !
January 27th, 2009 at 7:47 am
No-lympics:
Terrible analogy to a smartcar. I have one and love it. Very roomy and comfortable. No back seats, of course, that’s the point. But more room for me and one passenger than most vehicles except truly mammoth ones. More room and more hatch than any 2-seater sportscar. I put huge miles on for work, and it’s perfect. Second car of course, few people could find it practical as an only car. We’ve got a RAV4 for her, camping and the occasional need.
Keep on ranting, you’ll get your pulitzer yet. Just don’t slag something you know nothing about. At least not something I love.
January 27th, 2009 at 7:58 am
http://watch.bnn.ca/trading-da.....clip133470
Here’s a BNN clip from yesterday of a guy from kitco saying they expect a low of $630 and a high of $980 for gold next year with an average price of $820/oz.
Why not $2,000 – $3,000?
First, he says India stopped buying — their purchase of gold has been down by 47% last year.
Second, the helicopter money will not be effective enough in creating inflation never mind hyperinflation.
But he does recommend everyone keeps 10% core insurance of their portfolio in gold.
January 27th, 2009 at 8:00 am
freako: Demographia uses median price ($492,600) – but I’ve never seen a source for their Vancouver numbers. If you use the GV Benchmark number instead ($648,421), the multiple for Vancouver goes up from 8.4 to a whopping 11.2!!!!!!
That’s some world-class overvaluation!
January 27th, 2009 at 9:00 am
Realtard marketing gurus need better material…
“Why pay your landlord’s mortgage when you can be building your own equity.”
Better question. Why take a massive hit to your equity when your landlord can take it instead?
http://surreydeltahomereport.com/default.asp
Interesting site that appears to be there to “help” the poor, informed public type sort through all the “opportunities” these days. Yeah well, thank realtard Ruchir Dhall for his ridiculously expensive and terrible advice.
January 27th, 2009 at 9:17 am
Realtard Dhall accidentially IS providing information that appears reasonably true.
Using “market snapshot” and “number of homes” it is obvious to a any turd that house listings in Delta/South Surrey are rising and sales have dropped to virtually zero.
http://www.marketsnapshot.info.....p;agentId={796dbd43-08a7-48e3-b115-213e867f577e}#
January 27th, 2009 at 9:28 am
Canada budget to help home renovations.
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reu.....enovations
January 27th, 2009 at 9:34 am
Regarding The Varley at Brentwood
I pass by this development every day and have commented on the laughable junk the developer is throwing on the balconies to make it appear these units are moving.
They obviously sourced all the cheap folding chairs at the same place.
Yeah well I’m not laughing now. The starting price for this wood framed junk is $ 289,000. For that kind of money a body should, at least, be surrounded by several bedrooms and/or concrete.
Asking prices for this krap are purely stupid. Why a body wouldn’t rent is a complete mystery to me. If I could unload my condo (LoL) I would gratefully rent and save more than a grand a month.
January 27th, 2009 at 9:41 am
Tories hint at tax cuts for those earning under $80,000.
http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/.....ancer.html
January 27th, 2009 at 9:47 am
Lily pad: Here’s a BNN clip from yesterday of a guy from kitco saying … the helicopter money will not be effective enough in creating inflation never mind hyperinflation.
What? A gold dealer saying he doesn’t expect inflation? Why, that’s like a realtot saying he’s not expecting RE to go up. Give these guys a gold star for honesty.
BTW, Kitco sells physical gold for just a few dollars above the “paper” gold spot price, contrary to the conspiracy theories of the gold bugs that the “paper” price of gold doesn’t get you the real thing.
They also have an excellent web site if you’re interested in historical gold prices.
http://www.kitco.com
January 27th, 2009 at 9:51 am
This just in from Bloomberg:
“Olympic Bailout Puts Vancouver Taxpayers on Alert for ‘Big Owe’”
http://tinyurl.com/d7w48o
January 27th, 2009 at 10:05 am
Post # 89
Alexcanuck
Re: SmartCar
I could have expanded the comparison more.
However, I didn’t see people flocking to buy Smart Cars when gas prices shot up, (but no offence to you cheap Lefties that tend to buy them to keep Al Gore and David Suzuki happy ).
An auto executive recently stated that the majority will tend to purchase the biggest gas guzzler they can afford. IMHO that translates into personal safety / security, bigger is or feels safer. Same premise applies with condos, given there will likley be a glut of bigger units anyway, hence more selection.
BTW I am now aiming higher than the Pulitzer…
January 27th, 2009 at 10:06 am
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Home values in 20 major U.S. cities fell a record 18.2% in the 12 months ending in November, Standard & Poor’s reported Tuesday.
January 27th, 2009 at 10:20 am
Unemployment up 12% in November!! Unemployment is Accelerating!! November hadn’t been too bad but dec and Jan numbers should be gangbusters!!
http://www.globeinvestor.com/s.....7/GIStory/
January 27th, 2009 at 10:24 am
realestatesplatter:
Unemployment up more than 99% in some cities
http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?id=1222624
January 27th, 2009 at 10:27 am
The big bullshitter Gordon Campbell is getting backed into an ‘election corner’. Libs now floating trial balloons getting you ready for the bad news that will come out during the election campaign.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com.....itics/home
January 27th, 2009 at 10:35 am
EI numbers are one thing …
Fact is the EI numbers represent the very lucky few able to acculmulate the required hours to get benefits in the first place. EI is simply another tax for the vast majority of workers in this country.
Last I checked it took upwards of 750 hours to even qualify for EI in the lower mainland and the absolute maximum was 5 months of benefits.
Sad to say the vast majority of the construction industry CANNOT acculmulate enough hours because a body is CONTINUALLY working oneself out of a job.
Real numbers are those forced to collect welfare, and that will be exponential moving forward.
And again. Are we happy having 42,000 refugees’ here, 30,000 of which are simply avoiding the immigration que whilst collecting welfare and taking beds from the homeless?
January 27th, 2009 at 10:45 am
OK here we go with the pork and slush with the Olympic village site WTF does this douchebag know about construction? Does anyone think that 1 billion is going to be enough after the politico douchebags at COV hire evry hanger on , brother in law and party campaigner to ‘consult’ on the project? Does anyone now think that this boondoggle isn’t going to be turned into a pretty crack house as a way to ‘save the homeless? What a crock, it’s become a slush fund for every leftie douchebag in Vancouveer politics.
http://www.vancouversun.com/ne.....story.html
January 27th, 2009 at 10:46 am
Olympic Village.
“Poole said it’s only a matter of time before demand for real estate recovers, which will eliminate taxpayers’ exposure.”
Man…what can you possibly say to such stupidity? It’s absolutely mind boggling.
January 27th, 2009 at 10:49 am
jumpbabyjump:
Yeah it’s very convieniant of them to piggyback thier own bad news while the Fed government is having to deliver the bad news budget today. The Libs have put this out now along side the National figures to fool the stupid into thinking that it will be bad here but that it’s being managed and everything will be forgotten by election time and that the news will laready have been released. Typical political trickery.
January 27th, 2009 at 10:54 am
How messed up do things have to be before your great hope is…Jim Green?
January 27th, 2009 at 10:59 am
We screwed up, so now could the public bail us out, we’ll give you some tickets to the ass wiping event. Who is going to want to bail out VANOC by taking strangers into thier home for 20 days without compensation? Wasn’t VANOC supposed to plan for the housing at Whistler and they cancelled, most likely because they blew the money on beer and hookers while “meeting” in Aussie.
http://www.theprovince.com/Spo.....story.html
January 27th, 2009 at 11:03 am
Re; Premier Gordo:
I seem to recall Bill Bennett bailed after EXPO 86..been in over 10 years..leave on high note.
Right now…my view is Gordo wanted to ride the Olympic glory into office, but he can only punch that ticket with a win in May 2009 . That means that he will be in HELL between now and 2010 when the last Polish athlete leaves safely(sorry I had to say that).
I think there wil be a lot of backlash forthcoming when people connect the dots with Gordo, the RE bust and massive bills to pay, and a sell out of BC on so many other fronts.
In other words…if it wasn’t for the Olympics, Gordo would be thinking of bailing and avoidng the shitstorm.
However, my guess he is gone after 2010 shuts down, too much of this mess will be tied to him as Premier at the time. The only joker in the deck is how this plays out with fixed elections… usually a new leader will seek a mandate from the public and go to the polls …so can they or will they do this if Gordo steps down?
Only other option is they stay in the full term.
January 27th, 2009 at 11:05 am
Bubble Lad:
This is a political favour of Olympic proportion. Remember Green was the Vision hopeful who lost against Sullivan previously. After that the incompetant uneducated boob was exiled to the Queen Charlotte Islands on a half time contract for a small native band. This screw up has no knowledge of anything except rabble rousing the NDP extremists voters.
He couldn’t dig a hole for a shit house on a farm and nows he’s going to ‘guide’ the Olympic Village site? Is anything wrong with this? What happened to the so called expert volunteers who were lined up and shot at the photo-op last week?
It’s really going to get ugly.
January 27th, 2009 at 11:18 am
106 Bubble Lad Says:
January 27th, 2009 at 10:46 am
Olympic Village.
“Poole said it’s only a matter of time before demand for real estate recovers, which will eliminate taxpayers’ exposure.”
=========================
That’s why Jimy Pattison should have run this…( but probably too smart ).
Jimmy has done a great public service keeping D-Bag supremo Glen Clark out of trouble.
If Pattison would be running the show…he would whip out his classic “YOUR FIRST LOSS IS YOU BEST LOSS “, have all sorts of projections, read the writing on the wall and likely state “sell the Olympic Village off ASAP”.
The one and only reason Poole etc types want to hold on and wait for a market turnaround in the market for $1000 /sq. ft condo , assuming it will return(if it ever existed) is sheer Fookin denial and ego…cover THEIR asses …nothing more…but who ultimately pays for that? The TAXPAYERS!!!! …who will likley have $$$ MILLIONs of added cost over and above the original loan COV has to access.
Where is that extra money going to come from? The TAXPAYERS!!! M-O-R-E Good money after bad !!!
Do what Jimmy would do? … GET RID OF THEM ASAP !.
January 27th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Stuckman:
Agree 150% on the EI thing. I lost my job back in June and started collecting benefits. OOPS! EI claiimed I owed them 2,000 bucks. Next thing you know OOPS! I didn’t owe them anything. I decided to go back to school, only I didn’t get permission from a caseworker. Turns out you can only go to an EI approved course.
I went to an orientation, there were about 8 guys there. 7 were young tech workers. One was an older construction worker.
I ended up with a “caseworker” who was frankly this big, fat pathetic slab of a man. H’ed obviously been in that job his entire life, and just as obviously would die in his chair. I had taken the time to fill out all the stupid forms, and submit a 25 page business plan in an attempt to explain what I was doing, and why I needed to go to school. This pathetic piece of human excrement didn’t even bother to read the stuff I presented. His whole things was “well if you’re good with computers, why don’t you look for that kind of work”.
I tired politely (at first) to explain I used to roll out infrastructure to call centers, which is not exactly “good with computers”, and he promptly began pulling up ads from craigslist to prove his point.
“Here’s one you could do”
“I’m not a Web developer. I don’t know how to do that job”
“here’s one”
“I”m not qualified to be the CFO of a startup. Is this some kind of joke?”
“Why not this one?”
“OK that’s it. Look, in the private sector when we don’t review documents and we’re plaining incompetent, we get fired. I’m pretty sure they could catch you snorting coke off the back of an underage whore and you’d still come into work the next day. Are you some kind of window-licker? I mean, did they stick me with the retard counsellor? Obviously you aren’t smart enough to understand what I’m saying, and you’re lazy and incompetent to boot. I’m done wasting my time here”
On the way out I asked the secretary how to complain that my caseworker was an incompetent retard.
“That’s not very nice” she said
“Yeah well, I’m not a very nice guy. Thanks for wasting my time and tax dollars.”
And that was it. Even though I paid into it MY ENTIRE LIFE, I can’t get EI benefits. If I were a one legged Native francophone crack whore spreading syphilis all over Hastings, there’d be no end of money, but I’m white, male and middle class so I’m on my own.
A *LOT* of middle class, white collar workers are about to get an EXTREMELY nasty shock. I feel bad for them, but they’re on their own.
The social safety net’s a lie we tell ourselves as a country so we can feel superior to the Americans.
January 27th, 2009 at 11:48 am
Scullboy……
That was one of the best rants you’ve ever posted here. And I agree 100% with your opinion about our government programs.
“If I were a one legged Native francophone crack whore spreading syphilis all over Hastings, there’d be no end of money, but I’m white, male and middle class so I’m on my own.”
ROTFLMAO…!!!!!
January 27th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
111/112 No-lympics/playbyplay – LOL!
January 27th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
scullboy:
well then you’re gonna luv this one
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story.....60109.html
January 27th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Another tuesday, another day of mass layoffs. But/// I listened to some HR recruiters on Bill Good-CKNW lining up to say the everything was just fine, no problem, what a bunch of shithead liars.
http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/2.....2009012715
January 27th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
more good news that CKNW missed
http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/2.....2009012715
January 27th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Someone on an earlier post was asking if anyone knew of the ‘ripple effect’ of unemployment and buisnees failures in BC due to the mass 15000 and counting ( plus all the new mills closing weekly) in the forest industry. Suspiciously and unfortuneatly that information is not made public here in BC. Apparently it’s secret?
If you read this article and extrapolate the info onto the Forestry industry numbers in BC that are accessible you quickly get a picture of whats really happening.
http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/2...../index.htm
January 27th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Scullboy
My sympathies. I have hard similar stories.
Have a good friend who went through a “Tech” downsizing as well.
Seems the EI (or related Gov’t agency) scam is to get you computer literate for a few weeks and submit some business plan for “whatever”. I recall how the NDP tried this same scam on a larger scale for laid -off and downsized Forestry workers.
Reminds me of Archie Bunker on T.V’s “All in The Family”, when he lost his job, was equally frustrated and told the Gov’t worker handling his case:
” The only reason YOU have a job is because I DON’T HAVE ONE !!!
I think the whole Gov’t thing is set up so you get a false sense of hope and concurrently ratchet down your anger, etc.
January 27th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
heh ironically I don’t dare post these rants on my own blog.
I really was the rude to those people. As far as I was concerned tey really, really deserved it. NEEDED it even. If I’m not going to get help, at least they can be emotional punching bags. I deserve SOMETHING for my tax dollars! And as long as you dont’ use racial epithets or profanity there’s precious little they can do. You can call them a waste of resources who should be ashamed of themselves for drawing a govt paycheque RIGHT TO THEIR FACES, and they can’t do anything about it.
No-L: I heard about that scam. They do it all the time in Nova Scotia. There’s a whole cottage industry devoted to teaching illiterate fishermen to use computers.
The irony was, I really am setting up a business, and I really did write a business plan, which was reviewed by several business owners locally. Say what you will about bankers, mine was excellent. She gave me great input into what kinds of things bankers want to see on financial statements, how they work, correct terminology etc.
Not only that, because she was so impressed with my talent, all around god nature (no, really, I don’t rant like this offline) and initiative, she figured out how the bank can finance my business, very quickly and easily. It was AWESOME!
I don’t like banks any more then anyone else, but I agree with patriotz. They’re being conservative with money
January 27th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Unemployment numbers building everywhere.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/bus.....ai-workers
January 27th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Thain subpoenaed over Merrill bonuses
http://business.theglobeandmai.....m_mostview
QUOTE:
NEW YORK — The New York attorney general on Tuesday issued subpoenas to former Merrill Lynch chief executive John Thain and Bank of America’s chief administrative officer, J. Steele Alphin, amid an investigation into bonuses Merrill paid executives just before being sold to Bank of America.
Mr. Thain, 53, was serving as the head of the newly combined company’s wealth management division before he resigned last week. The resignation came shortly after reports surfaced that billions of dollars were paid to Merrill executives in late December.
QUOTE:
Amid the investigation into the Merrill bonuses, the New York attorney general’s office also said it will investigate executive compensation for all institutions that have received federal funds as part of a $700-billion investment program run by the Treasury Department.
The attorney general’s office will work in conjunction with a special inspector general, Neil Barofsky, who is reviewing banks’ use of the government-invested funds.
========
Catch em ,try them , convict them , and throw them all pricks (who likely created the mess and are now double -dipping)in the “crowbar hotel” with 350 LB ” Drooling Bubba”.
January 27th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
Hidetsugu Aneha, i came across this on wikopedia, thought it might be interesting, it happened there could it happen here, there were japaneese contracting companies building condo’s in vancouver at this time.
What seismic limits do we have to live with, what are the design criteria, ie how big a quake can we take before like Kobe the buildings fall over or the windows and bricks fall out of the place to the ground
Talk about a disclosure statement for these condo’s, lawyers start your engines.
January 27th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Great quote from Condohype page
Meanwhile, newly built condos across the city sit empty, more units are coming to completion, and rents undershoot ownership costs by about 50 per cent. Incredibly, this scenario doesn’t faze Polygon’s Michael Audain. He blames the correction on “consumer confidence” as if it’s some kind of mental disorder. Apparently if people were more confident, there’d be demand for cash-flow negative properties.
The insanity must stop. This is hurting Vancouver. It is so hard to accept that real estate prices will eventually settle to historical norms? This isn’t bad for the development industry. Vancouver real estate will still be the most expensive in Canada.
January 27th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Scullboy:
Agreed…there are G-O-O-D Bankers ,Realtors, Economists, Developers etc.
It’s unfortunate the actions/inactions of bad one’s in each profession drag the rest down.
However, that’s THEN the problem of the given professions’ membership to get its house in order…its the often -necessary public outcry that forces the shake-up and ultimate clean -up.
The GOOD ones should benefit from such advertising as word -of- mouth and other venues, then it IS win- win for all concerned.
January 27th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Great rant Scullboy
I too have paid into the EI tax the worker fund for most of my fukkin life.
A few years ago, after more than 10 years in construction I had enough hours to “qualify” (Amazing)
Trouble. EI sent letters to ALL my former employers. I had “quit” once. I was sick as a dog, threw up on site, and decided I needed to go home. The employer demanded I stay. I declined. He told EI I was hung over (absolutely untrue) and that I had “abandoned” my position.
You can guess the rest. EI decided I didn’t qualify after all and demanded every fukkin penny back.
EI is a tax, and the fact there are billions acculmulated in that fund proves it.
January 27th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
However, Enser does not believe stories of pre-sale buyers attempting to abandon their contracts and give up deposits will become rampant because there has been less speculation over the past couple of years.
More buyers, she said, have bought pre-sales because they want to live in the apartments and not because they expected to flip them at profits upon closing.
hahahahahahahah
January 27th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
LilyPad
From Garth blog
QUOTE:
Besides the fact he’s a pussy biker who rides a sports machine and likely wears a pretty leather jumpsuit, George Strombopolous has his serious attributes. The host of CBC-TV’s award-winning The Hour is showing considerable maturity and insight by inviting me on his show on Tuesday evening to discuss, I think, my latest book and various squirrel recipes.
=====
Garth’s Squirrel recipes…
Set up th VCR !!!
PS Supraboy:
Go up to the bikers and tell them they are “pussies” OK… especially for not buying condos .
January 27th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Fed gov announced an increas in RRSP withdrawal limits up to 25K. WTF is that going to do to the 400K++ condo market in Vanc.
January 27th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Further to EI …
Forgot to mention that the Feds DID get every penny back – by taking my tax refunds for the next few years. No appeal, no debate, no recourse.
Perhaps some can now understand why this monkey has a problem with “refugees” collecting welfare, taking jobs away from Canadians, and laughing as they juice Canadians whilst avoiding the immigration que.
It RIDICULOUS. A Mexican “refugee” is far better off the day they get here than a citizen working their arses off their entire damn lives. THEY get benefits up the jing yang instantly whilst we get completely forked at every turn.
Best hope to NEVER hit the skids and need shelter. There are no beds available.
January 27th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
pointystickintheeye:
The Conservatives have backed off on removing the public funding for political parties which caused the ‘coalition’ backlash from the LIBs, NDP and Bloc.
The libs , ndp and bloc were only interested in getting the $1.75 per vote back, look for a collapse of the ‘coalition’ now. God forbid they should have to work for thier funding.
January 27th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Stuckman:
actually the refugees don’t collect provincial welfare, the refugee collects $1300 per month from the fed. gag on that.
January 27th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
blackdog:
from a GOC document
“For this reason, government-assisted refugees receive up to $1,330 from the federal government.”
Makes you want to show up at the airport and pretend to speak no English, doesn’t it.
January 27th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
blackdog:
Refugees make more than a pensioner, thats bad enough but….
It’s even worse in the US where refugees make 2.5 times the old age pensioner. Do you wonder why the cubans are swimming to Miami. Free living, forever.
http://www.snopes.com/politics.....fugees.asp
January 27th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Stuckman Gagging Large …
The Sally Anne in downtown Vancouver, which provides room and board, is almost certainly 1/3 Mexican at any given point in time … including right now.
I have personally seen vans arrive in the mornings to take these boyz to work. And Mexico? What and where is the danger to people in Mexico? (For the same deal I’d go there and be a “refugee” in a frikkin heartbeat)
This is too damn much. If there 42,000 refugees and 30,000 of em are immigration que jumpers, here for a least 2 years … do the freakin math.
January 27th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Stuckman:
EI benefits have been extended to 50 weeks max. Thats if you qualify.
January 27th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Stuckman:
Mexico doesn’t accept refugees from Canada and jails the ones from elsewhere until thier families pay to get them out . They’re not stupid.
January 27th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
$ 936 million
If there are 30,000 false “refugees”, here for 2 years and collecting $ 1300 per month, we are paying out nearly a BILLION BUCKS. (pure direct cost, forget shelter, medical, lost jobs etc etc etc)
What a GREAT and GENEROUS country we live in, as long as your not a dopey Canadian taxpayer.
January 27th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Budget stuff:
Taxpayers can claim renovations on their 2009 tax returns on costs over $1,000, but not exceeding $10,000.
…
Also on the home front, the government will put an extra $300-million over two years into energy retrofits, raise to $25,000 the amount first-time homebuyers can borrow from RRSPs, and provide up to $750 in tax relief to help with their purchases.
January 27th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
“PS Supraboy:
Go up to the bikers and tell them they are “pussies” OK… especially for not buying condos .”
What did I do to you? You’re just a pissed old man hoping to own your own home one day yet you can’t make enough to afford living in Vancouver. Your only hope is to spread bad news with all the bears here hoping that people would start selling their houses below market value. That ain’t going to happen kid. All the chinese restaurants were packed on the weekend. You’re living in your own little cave with the rest of the bears.
When the US economy turns around in the third quarter, you’d wish you had bought at least 5 condos, all leveraged out so you can retire by the end of the year.
January 27th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
Supraboy:
No…we kinda missed you..I saw you hiding in the last VCI item. I see you are up to speed .
Old man?
….cave? ..
… no RE I own?
Put it this way.
Wrong on all counts.
However I am sure as fookin glad I didn’t buy a CONDO…. Deal or no deal…the very thought sends shivers.
Now go see if you can outrun a Harley.
January 27th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Wow, the Mexican refugee problem must be really bad if the NDP is complaining about it!
http://brianmasse.ndp.ca/page/630
January 27th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
“However I am sure as fookin glad I didn’t buy a CONDO…. Deal or no deal…the very thought sends shivers.
Now go see if you can outrun a Harley”
So you’re expecting condo prices to drop how much this year?
Why are there still so many cars on the road? During the dotcom bust, I recalled that the roads were dead. I don’t understand that. Also, why are restaurants so jammed packed during lunch hours? Obviously, people here have a lot of money to spend.
I don’t know why, perhaps you can answer those questions.
January 27th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Scullboy
“If I were a one legged Native francophone crack whore spreading syphilis all over Hastings, there’d be no end of money, but I’m white, male and middle class so I’m on my own”.
So you didn’t read the EI regs and screwed yourself out of benefits and now you’re saying you’re worse off than a disabled prostitute because you’re a white male? Crazy. btw prostitutes don’t qualify for EI so I don’t know where this endless money would come from but if there is some then I’ll be the first to cut-off a leg and start turning tricks because that sounds like a freakin gravy train when compared to the misery of being a white guy in a G8 member state.
January 27th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Supraboy:
Q: What does a Jewish wife make for Supper?
A: Reservations
The Asians also flock to restaurants.
Can they cook at home ?
You see them drive their low end Mercedes, Grandma and Grandpa in the back…drive about 20km/h in a 50 km/hr zone…cell phone fired up…ignore stop signs …. put on about 20 km…..do 3 hour lunch…do 40 km drive ……do 5 hour supper…thats about 8 hour work day…they get tired,….go home , get a well deserved rest.
Repeat the next day.
How they have time to buy condos and flip them I haven’t a clue.
Ya gotta respect their work ethic though.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Skye:
Church groups, particularily in south Florida, are counselling Mexican and Haitian illegal immigrants to go to Canada “because you cannot be refused entry as a refugee’ because of the economic downturn in the southern US. Also immigration authorities have stepped up thier efforts to repatriate illegal immigrants working in the US.
Quote from the Windsor Star
“In Naples, Canadian and U.S. immigration officials met on Friday with leaders of the Jerusalem Haitian Community Center – the organization which first fueled refugee claimants with the notion Canada would grant them asylum, said a spokesman for Finley.
“Efforts are being made to indicate in the U.S. that there is no special program for Haitians, Mexicans and persons of any other nationality to immigrate to Canada,” said Mike Fraser. “Nobody is automatically accepted for refugee status.”
A notice on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website echoed Fraser’s sentiments. “People should be wary of all organizations or individuals who make such claims,” the release said. A Spanish translation was posted as well.
He would not commit on Francis’s request for expedited hearings or added federal financial assistance for the city.
“The province is responsible for social assistance,” Fraser said. “An increase of the number of people, including refugee claimants, are factored into social transfers from federal government to provinces.” Down south, Rev. Louis Telcy described how the last few weeks have been “sad and frustrating” as he has watched his Haitian parishioners and long-time Mexican friends fleeing in panic or being nabbed and sent home “in chains” by U.S. Immigration officials who have launched a crackdown to remove illegal aliens from southwest Florida.
With the Sunshine State’s housing construction in a full swoon, Mexican and Haitian immigrants from Florida showing up on Windsor’s doorstep may simply be connected to jobs, suggested a vice-president of the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce.
“We are undergoing a significant economic downturn,” said Steve Hart.
“Residential construction has slowed significantly and a lot of people are suffering. A lot of people are finding it very difficult going these days in Florida.”
Windsor Star
January 27th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Supraboy: Why are there still so many cars on the road? During the dotcom bust, I recalled that the roads were dead.
That’s weird, I have no such memories of empty roads during the dot com bust but maybe I just wasn’t paying attention. I’d figure people still have to drive in a economic decline, in fact if they get laid off they’d likely be spending more time driving around looking for work.
About everyone out shopping, I hadn’t seen this before: I was in a shoestore on Granville this afternoon and a well dressed middle aged woman was paying for a big bag of shoes with a credit card. The card was declined and the woman insisted it was a mistake, they tried again and she got more and more irritated as the card was declined again, blaming it on their system. She then walked out in a huff WITH the bag of shoes that she hadn’t paid for.
The woman behind the counter chased her half way down the block before she gave the bag back. She wasn’t running, just walking and trying to ignore the woman alongside her saying “ma’am you haven’t paid for that, please give it back”.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Re the Federal budget:
Why don’t they take the renovation allowance and allow it be used/pooled towards the ultimate renovation …” leaky condos”.
Or concurently…call your leaky condo repair a “renovation”.
Some stratas are delaying the inevitable… this way the inevitable is done and employment created.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Moody’s on vancouver’s credit rating.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
kuroame: Hahahah. I wish I could give you a plus 100 for this.
BTW, whats with all the borderline (and outright) racist comments lately? Its not just on this site, I’m seeing it on other blogs too and then there’s the drunk cops with their “we don’t like brown people comment”.
Do people just tend to get all segregated and protectionist during hard times? Go ahead, call me a politically correct left wing bleeding heart liberal if you really want to be that predictable.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
“The Asians also flock to restaurants.
Can they cook at home ?”
True, and yes, they can.
“Ya gotta respect their work ethic though.”
You should. Some of them work really hard.
Now come on, can we give this angle a rest for at least a little while?
January 27th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
the multiplier show how much more awesomer we are than the others. *raises index finger into the air and puches air*
“WE’RE NUMBER 1! WE’RE NUMBER 1! WE’RE NUMBER 1! WE’RE NUMBER 1!”
fail.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
elise:
Now thats denial
January 27th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Seriously folks tone down the racist remarks. Its offensive and makes you come off as an idiot.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
elise:
Whats really obscene is how the press has soft sold the attack on that ‘brown man’ by renaming the attack ‘ a confrontation’. And how the police and media are disregarding and misdirecting witness testimony that the three nazi bastards were beating an innocent paper delivery guy at 2:30 am and charging only one with ‘assault’ and downplaying the entire incident by carving the charges down to the bone AND the fucked up media is standing aside and letting them get away with it.
Not just getting away with downplaying the the fact that three psychopathic drunk and probably cracked up and tweaking cops were beating a guy in front of many witnesses who are not being believed by the media.
But the media is complicit in portraying the police as nice young people well trained at the justice institute. I mean shit, did you see that coverage on the news hour ( Global TV) last night, shots of recruits training , marching all cutesy in the gym, fresh faces, shiny shoes etc., it’s enough to make you puke how the media is spinning this away from the truth. Thats obscene, DID YOU WRITE YOUR ELECTED REP YET.!!!
January 27th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
.
supraboy:
investment vehicle for you
http://tinyurl.com/bczk8j
buy now they aren’t making them anymore!
January 27th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
k9dr:
There are limits to the protestation on politically correct reactions to any and all statements. Not all statements regarding a persons origin are rascist. The other postings have done nothing but restate facts. Are you one of those people who thinks you can hide behind the word rascism? Does your experiance tell you that if you start screaming rascism that you will get a free ride?
If Mexicans ( and by the way Mexico is country not a race) are filing phony refugee claims and someone says ‘hey theres too many phony refugees coming from Mexico” thats not rascism. The Government of Canada and your elected MP’s are speaking out against this scam. Are you calling the Canadian members of Parliament who are trying to defend our borders rascist. Give your pointy head a shake and go to bed, the adults are talking.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Just a couple of days ago someome on VCI posted an idea that we were heading back to the 1970′s. Wow , what a great call, look what popped up today restating what the VCI has previously posted. KUDO’S.
http://www.reuters.com/article.....mp;sp=true
January 27th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
“Export economies to be hit the worst”. This from PRAVDA of all places. The economist also finds that China’s growth in 2009 will sink into technical recession. That means that China will go from 13% growth to sub-zero growth !!! That means tens of millions of Chinese will be unemployed and probably pretty agry since theres no EI or welfare programs, not even medical or education is free in China.
Could be ugly. Too bad you have to go outside canada to get decent honest information.
http://english.pravda.ru/busin.....conomies-0
January 27th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
I thought we were #1 and everyone loved us? So how come no one likes our credit prospects.
http://communities.canada.com/.....t-hit.aspx
January 27th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
blackdog: Down, boy.
January 27th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
That Olympic Condo is gonna cost ..
More and more plywood installed where glass should be. To keep that O SOOOOOO important schedule its gonna cost plenty at this rate.
January 27th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Stuckman:
Don’t worry Jim Green is on the job. His CV includes a long list of major development projects. Ooops no it doesn’t I lied. Jim green is a Vision Vancouver political hackneyed whore that hasn’t ever had a job in construction. I’ll be very surprised if he can find the Mellinium project.
January 27th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
Can Jim Green make glass?
Can Jim Green leap tall buildings without his cape getting caught on the top?
Can Jim Green kiss our taxpayer er hmmm Arse?
January 27th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
The libs , ndp and bloc were only interested in getting the $1.75 per vote back, look for a collapse of the ‘coalition’ now. God forbid they should have to work for thier funding.
If the parties receive public funding based on the support the voters have given them, they are working for their funding.
The public funding was brought in, with the support of all parties, to replace corporate and union donations which are now banned at the federal level. The Cons have no right to renege on this agreement.
Taxpayers can claim renovations on their 2009 tax returns on costs over $1,000, but not exceeding $10,000.
… raise to $25,000 the amount first-time homebuyers can borrow from RRSPs, and provide up to $750 in tax relief to help with their purchases.
Great. The Cons are now going to subsidize flippers and allow taxpayers to jeopardize their retirements to buy an overpriced POS which is guaranteed to lose value. You don’t think this has anything to do with all that unsold RE inventory out there do you? Imagine if the developers had to drop the price to sell it off. The horror!
And we thought the Cons had stopped trying to inflate the bubble when they dropped the 0/40. Excuse me while I throw up. Can we take up a collection to buy Harper a one-way ticket to Crawford?
January 27th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
Blackdog:
Was that link to snopes (in your comment at #135) a joke? Snopes identifies your assertion that a “refugee makes more than a pensioner” a hoax. So wtf, are you racist AND stupid, then?
And your comment at #134 – again WTF? You daft douche bag, you’re quoting than out of context, you immoral, little twerp.
Here’s the link for those interested: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/d.....ts/aid.asp
January 27th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
truthin’advertising: The GDP growth in China was at or below 0 already in Q4 2008!
http://forum.freemarkets.ca/topic.php?id=217
http://forum.freemarkets.ca/topic.php?id=328
January 27th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
check out this article from the times of london:
http://business.timesonline.co.....601115.ece
property values in vancouver should be, at least, 15% lower by december.
ps: i really enjoy this blog but boy are there some ignorant racist accents from some posters. and no, it’s not an excuse to basically state “but i’m just stating facts.”
January 27th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
I accept that a certain amount of the local housing market may be driven by different cultural factors, but the amount of space given to these issues on this blog lately is obscene.
If you have to mention race/ethnicity/country of origin/etc. while discussing housing once a month, fine. But for some of you it is all you talk about, and it has ruined the nature of the conversation on this blog. It also makes me think that many of the new and prolific posters on this blog are really just trolls from the real estate board sent to make us all look bad.
Anyway this long-time lurker (and occasional poster, but under a different name) is about to leave for good, and is embarrassed he ever referred any of his friends/coworkers to this blog.
January 27th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
blackdog: I’m so tired of people trying to score points by pointing out that racist is not the correct term in some particular context, as if the only options out there are ‘racist’ or ‘upright citizen’. Here’s some thesaurus fodder if you need it: bigoted, prejudiced, biased, one-sided, sectarian, discriminatory, dogmatic, intolerant, narrow-minded, blinkered, illiberal, sexist, chauvinistic, jingoistic. Anything there sound good to you?
So yes, you (general, not specific you) may not be a racist if you rant about Mexicans all day on a housing blog, but you certainly come off as a bigot.
I’d love to see any criminally involved or false refugee claimants shipped home ASAP just as much as anyone here, but I’m not going to bitch and moan about it all day relying on unattributed anecdotes and discredited rumours for my ‘facts’. If someone has actual data (you know, the kind that comes from Statcan, not some crap from Rush Limbaugh) showing how Mexicans are responsible for some harm to the Vancouver housing market, please post it. Otherwise, please give it a rest. Give all of us a rest.
January 27th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
BTW, whats with all the borderline (and outright) racist comments lately? Its not just on this site, I’m seeing it on other blogs too
Learn mandarin or cantonese – you’ll hear some things that will make your hair go white. The stuff here is nothing at all.
January 27th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
Only convention refugees are eligible for gov’t assistance. Everyone else must fend for themselves. Most refugees who arrive in Canada are not convention refugees. If someone arrives in Canada and wants to claim refugee status, the gov’t is required by law to give them a hearing to determine the veracity of their claims.
There are undesirable elements in all communities. That does not mean the entire community is criminogenic. Therefore, while there may be some Mexican people who take advantage of us, there are also many Cdn citizens who do the same. However, we do not say that all Cdn citizens are fraudsters, criminals, etc. Thus to make generalizations about all Mexican people based on the undesirable actions of a few is unacceptable and only serves to reinforce negative stereotypes. The media and politicians are complicit in this. Therefore, an informed position comes from being critical of what you are being told based on accessing ALL the information available – not just choosing what it is you want to hear.
January 27th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
Therefore, an informed position comes from being critical of what you are being told based on accessing ALL the information available – not just choosing what it is you want to hear.
You forgot to make the subtext explicit – “and then agreeing with my views”.
January 27th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
Vancouver decoupled thanks to Gordon Campbell leadership and Vision hope and change campaign. Condo buying still good for Vancouver because rich asian need place to keep money safe from doom. Good time for everyone here in most beautiful land on planet place. Good times ahead. First post.
January 27th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
Is Jim Green Mexican ?
Mayor Gregor was in Mexico a few weeks ago y’know during the last snow storm.
January 27th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Learn mandarin or cantonese – you’ll hear some things that will make your hair go white. The stuff here is nothing at all.
The most popular toothpaste in HK was and is…
Darkie, er, Darlie
January 27th, 2009 at 11:28 pm
MrBear:
Having an opinion, restating factual published information and not pretending that only the politically correct opinions currently allowed by the soma masters is obviously a new and uncomfortable enviornment to those who are unable to think independantly. Hate truth if you will but it doesn’t go away, even when you stick your head deep into the sand.
The information from the NDP MP in Ontario must shock your delicate senses, perhaps you want to assasinate all the independant thinkers and publications so that everyone thinks like you. Or are you just parroting this politically correct swill because you heard it on TV and it has filled the void left empty by your lack of a independant personality.
I am bigoted against the weak minded TV new slurpers who drink the bathwater of the idiot fringe.
January 27th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
Supraboy thinks comparing a $20 lunch and a $450,000 condo is an apples to apples comparison. Good for you! You continue to wow me with your knowledge of the subject matter. Way to stay away from data, we all know data has a well known bearish bias! LOL! You really are precious! I think you need to tighten the chinstraps on your walking helmet.
Obamaton – Why don’t you go buy some condos and diary your experience on this blog for all to see? What have you got to lose? Show us how its done!
January 27th, 2009 at 11:53 pm
From Condohype
Memo to Spectrum residents
TO: All Owners/Residents of Spectrum 3, BCS2577
FROM: [XXXX XXXX], Property Manager
DATE: Thursday, May 8th, 2008
During the month of April 2008, there have been incidents of items being thrown from ‘Spectrum-3′ balconies causing damage to Costco’s glass roof top, the repairs of which are likely to run into thousands of dollars. The management of Costco has expressed their anguish and concern to us. While they have handed this matter over to the police for investigation … the security guard has confirmed having witnessed residents living between 5th and 8th floors throwing projectiles such as beer bottles and frozen paint gun pellets.
We would like to remind residents, particularly the ones overlooking Costco to refrain from such acts and realize the repercussions of their irresponsible behaviour that may follow. Throwing off objects like this is very dangerous and may even prove fatal to the pedestrians below.
Let us be a community of responsible citizens and be considerate to our surroundings.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Yours truly,
RANCHO MANAGEMENT SERVICES (B.C.) LTD.
================================================
RANCHO:
That’s Mexican isn’t it ?
Are their Mexicans working in the Costco ?
Does Jim Green wear a sombrero?
January 28th, 2009 at 12:18 am
blackdog: Restating factual published information? Would you care to share where you get factual published information indicating that refugees get $1300/mo from the feds? You know, backing up your claims a bit? Before you put too much effort into it you may want to figure out how to explain away this information that was pointed out to you earlier and that you appear to want to ignore.
And then perhaps you can explain how this refugee stuff is even relevant in a discussion of an article titled Vancouver real estate ‘severely unaffordable’? On a Vancouver condo/housing blog?
Anonymous already pointed out that your own link outs your claim as a lie that refugees get more than pensioners, both in the US and Canada. But that doesn’t square with your idea of ‘factual published information’, so you’re just going to flail around trying random character assassinations against me. Do your worst, I await more ‘facts’ from the reading-disabled. I’m curious what politically correct swill I’m parroting, for instance.
No wait. First explain how any of this is relevant on a Vancouver housing blog, or give it up already.
January 28th, 2009 at 7:19 am
The world is definitely not coming to an end in spite of what many Jesus freaks believe. But it may seem like it for many condo flippers as they desperately trying to rent their overpriced condos they were forced to close on. Just look at craiglist apart/condos for rent
January 28th, 2009 at 8:08 am
The refugee numbers are obscene and growing and there’s not a freakin thing anybody can “do” without being called a racist by self righteous and pontificating dopes.
The system is out of control.
People are taking advantage of stupid Canadian taxpayers and it can only get worse.
If the choices are remaining silent whilst 30,000 are scamming illegally, jumping or avoiding the immigration que completely and being called a “racist”, I guess its time for more “racists” in this country before there are more “refugees” than people actually paying taxes.
Refugees don’t buy condos and they take the jobs of those that do.
January 28th, 2009 at 8:10 am
mass layoffs accelerating
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200.....fi/economy
IBM ‘quietly cuts thousands of jobs
http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/.....bm_layoffs
January 28th, 2009 at 8:19 am
Baron von Scheisshaus: Do you think there won’t be any place for rent at any other time in the centuary or was there ever a no place on rent ever before?
January 28th, 2009 at 8:21 am
MrBear:
Since you swallow every twisted politically correct line of crap you’re told by your government and lickspittle media jump on this publication from the official government of Iran. You have to fall in line with this because it’s a ‘government’ issue. Are you right and everyone else is wrong? Maybe you’re just mentally lazy and you assume these politically correct ideals as your own because you’re desperate to conform. Baaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh.
http://www.breitbart.com/artic....._article=1
January 28th, 2009 at 8:23 am
Obamaton
oster above is not Obamaton,I beleive he is in a house to disscuss stimulas so his name just poped up here.
January 28th, 2009 at 8:25 am
IMF forecast depression, millions more, 51 million more jobs lost say forecasts.
http://www.watoday.com.au/nati.....-7s0g.html
January 28th, 2009 at 8:26 am
RE: ‘i didn’t get EI and the darkies get free money’ rants.
With all the racist-scapegoating posts I feel like we should start predicting when Vancouver’s Kristallnacht will be. I call January 2015.
January 28th, 2009 at 8:27 am
The “refugee” issue has been done.
42,000 pending claims, 30,000 of which will be rejected as having no merit whatsoever, most after 2 years of collecting welfare and usually working here.
Number one country of “refugees” in immient danger of human rights abuse, torture or death is … Mexico?
I’m sorry. Moralizing pulpit pounders have far too expensive tastes for the rest of us to afford. Our “safety net” should be available for those who have spent their lives paying for it.
January 28th, 2009 at 8:28 am
crashbug:
more on mass job losses
http://uk.reuters.com/article/.....5020090128
January 28th, 2009 at 8:30 am
International buisness leader confidence at historic low. Davos meeting indicates no end to recession soon.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/.....2520090128
January 28th, 2009 at 8:34 am
International Monetary Fund says Canadian government is lying about economy. IMF forecasts Canadian recession will be “much deeper”.
http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?id=1226835
January 28th, 2009 at 8:41 am
jumpbabyjump:
just read that article, great news that the CDN gov’t is trying to misle the public with bullshit as allways. I especially like this passage.
“It now sees the Canadian economy contracting by 1.2% this year, which is weaker than the 0.8% shrinkage projected in the federal budget, and then posting only a marginal 1.6% recovery next year, which is also less than the 2.4% projected in the budget and the 3.8% forecast last week by the Bank of Canada.
The IMF’s forecast for Canada this year is also down from its previous projection of 0.3%, noted TD economist Eric Lascelles.
More interesting, however, is the weakness of the IMF forecast for Canada’s economy next year, he added.
“This is the weakest figure we have seen, and it appears that the IMF has revised the Canadian outlook downward by the most of any ‘advanced economy,’ ” he observed. “The divergence between the IMF and the Bank of Canada outlooks are extreme, and we are more sympathetic to the IMF than the Bank of Canada outlook at this juncture, given all of the risks of a sustained slowdown.”
Yeah right I want to buy ‘tree and my huzba buy tree’. Anyone stepping into the real estate market in the next two years is gonna get hit by a train.
But by all mean believe everything you’re told by Bob Rennie and the bum boys down at the REBGV
January 28th, 2009 at 8:49 am
Vancouver Sun confirms that Vancouver is the third most unaffordable real estate market on the planet
http://www.vancouversun.com/We.....story.html
January 28th, 2009 at 9:18 am
Wow I can’t believe the Sun actually ran that story. I wonder if it’s in the print version too, and if so, how buried. Not that it will make any difference, because you know we’re out of land, and best place on earth, etc.
Re: The IMF forcecast, historically, has Canadian recession always lagged US recession? By how long? I’m guessing 6 mo – 2 years… decoupled, my ass.
January 28th, 2009 at 9:18 am
Refugess, Mexicans, Martians, Sasquatches whatever.
It boils down to charity begins at home.
We have tradtionally had immigration as a means to address low birth rate in Canada . Refugees are also accepted as part of our social conscience.
However times have changed and BIG time .
We have a homeless problem we haven’t addressed and a risng unemployment rate.
Our social services safety net will be stretched more and more with less and less ability to fund them.
Tensions will rise as fear and uncertainty take over.
BC , specifically Lower Mainland, will become a Police State as 2010 Olympics draw near.
Refugees here will be under more scrutiny. I am still waiting to see how COV will sweep the homeless etc. off the streets to give this “World Class City ” a 2 – week sanitized makeover. That is standard operating practice pre -Olympics.
In fact, I can foresee BC citizen protests mount against the Olympics…they will see our deluded leadership try to distract us with 2010 Olympic rah rah kool – aid, while Rome burns, and we won’t have much patience for it, most of us won’t give a shite re: 2010.
I am already seeing the stress on the VANOC clowns, ie Poole , Furlong et al , who must wish they never came board and feel like they want to puke.
Our image of Canadian tolerance will be severely tested.
I am not sure it really existed..it was moreso based on ” I’m all right Jack ” , it’s the Gov’ts job to deal with the great unwashed.
The dominos are falling elsewhere, protests and riots in Iceland and Greece.
Don’t delude oneself that it can’t or won’t happen here.
January 28th, 2009 at 9:25 am
Keep in mind the difference between immigrants and refugees.
Refugees are claiming persecution with a clear and present danger to their safety. They are putting themselves above those willing to follow the rules, and 3 of 4 of them are scammers that we CAN’T get rid of for 2 freakin years.
My issue is abuse of the refugee system. I encourage the concept of immigration. Good people wanting to contribute to society are great … scammers looking to enrich themselves off our stupidity are not.
January 28th, 2009 at 9:30 am
stoxxman/ stuckman
Here is a story re: Olympic Village windows:
Any comments?
http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servle.....lumbiablog
QUOTE:
The western Arthur Erickson building (the largest, curved one on the waterfront) is particularly noticeable because it’s so tall and because it doesn’t have a single window pane on it yet. Instead, it stands like some kind of unusual sculpture at the corner of the site, particularly noticeable when you’re driving across the Cambie Bridge.
That building is also attracting attention from other developers, who wonder what the heck is going on with it. I was at the Urban Developers Institute Christmas party last night, a plush affair at the Fairmont Hotel that attracted a whack of politicians, developers and their staffs, affiliated trades companies and lawyes, and the odd media schmoozer such as myself.
Talking with one about the Olympic village project, a favourite topic these days because of all the melodrama surrounding it, one developer said to me he couldn’t understand what was happening at the site, especially the Erickson building.
QUOTE:
What I’ve been told by a senior person at the project is that they’re trying a new method. Instead of putting the windows on from the bottom up, they’re going to put the windows on from the top down. They can do that because it’s a twisting building, so it doesn’t need to have windows from the lower floors supporting windows on the upper floors, the way normal straight up and down buildings do.
etc.
==============
Try something new when you have a deadline to meet?
LOL?
January 28th, 2009 at 9:53 am
MW Glass …
There is so much plywood showing as to be an obvious joke to anybody with any construction experience whatsoever.
The foundation on MW 4 was poured 13 months ago. Where the flying fork is the glass?
That envelope MUST be complete before attempting to put up drywall. The supposed schedule means there bloody well should be plenty of drywall up by now. It ain’t.
Press is 100% at sleep, so far, on this one.
January 28th, 2009 at 9:59 am
NO -LYMPICS:
It will be a police state in 2010. Make no doubt that traffic police check points and barricades will make life a living hell while the royals of the Vanoc, COV, POBC, GOC , OOC fly around town in thier limo’s. The locals will be treated like shit and suspect to search and siezure without cause.
Meanwhile Boeing lays off 10,000
http://business.theglobeandmai.....iness/home
January 28th, 2009 at 10:05 am
depression watch: NO -LYMPICS:
BTW an RCMP planner made a verbal goof in a presentation to the city of Kelowna last week when he accidentally included the PD COV plan to remove the ‘homeless’ from Vancouver for the 2010 games. He was reminding the City of Kelowna that they would have to budget for extra policing costs due to this. Well, the same day a ‘spokesman’ for the RCMP was back-peddling and playing it down as an outside issue and not an official position.
January 28th, 2009 at 10:23 am
Gordo is our number #1 cheerleader. he’s going to try to convince us that everythings just fine as long as you stay ‘confident’. He has swallowed the bathwater of Cameron Muir who has stated that consumer confidence is at the heart of the downturn as lack of confidence is a mental disorder. Theres a lot of Campbells buddies holding a lot of unsold condos looking for a sucker to bail them out. RA RA RA SISS BOOM BA !!!!
It reminds me of the catch phrase the government was using during the Great Depression of the 1930′s
” Better days are just ahead”, which was true when the good times came back 20 years later.
http://www.theprovince.com/Bus.....story.html
January 28th, 2009 at 10:26 am
Large stimulus package for building hockey rinks is good plan for everyone as Canadian helicopter lifts off. Good time to buy condos as Obama-like wave of spending here for ever.
January 28th, 2009 at 10:29 am
Garth Turner is hot today. Depression probability is growing. Buying a house today?
Must read
http://www.greaterfool.ca/
January 28th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Any response from Avtar Bains?
This monkey got no response whatever from realtard extraordinaire Avtar Bains regarding his “Avtar Guarantee”.
Gee Whiz. Here my confidence and belief in the basic human goodness of realtards and their honest pontifications was sky frikkin high.
Shame Avtar. You are full of chit, even more than most realtards.
January 28th, 2009 at 10:31 am
depression watch:
Our Downtown East Side is notorious in North America.
However, we have let the situation evolve within our control or lack thereof without outside interference.
However, much like Suhartos visit in the 1990′s and Sargent Pepper…people will see the black hand of forces OUTSIDE of COV’s tolerance of what exist at the Downtown East Side (ie the IOC and associated mafia ) take over control.
BOTH “Non -rent- a -crowd” and “rent -a -crowd” will be out in force when the sanitizing of the homeless etc happens, and the nasty results will undoubtedly happen when the police intervene . This will make Suharto’s visit look like a Shriner’s convention. Bet on It.
Then we will see how toothless and uselss our Local Gov’t's are, kool -aid swallowers and toads to outside interests, but at least it becomes crystal clear vs simply the usual suspicions and allegations .
January 28th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Hmmmmm.
Cleared my cookies, can’t remember dopey password to save my soul, and somehow now posting as happyface.
Anyways. Fork you Avtar Bains, realtard extraordinaire.
January 28th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Stuckman:
They (refugee claimants) are putting themselves above those willing to follow the rules, and 3 of 4 of them are scammers that we CAN’T get rid of for 2 freakin years.
Sure we can. There’s no law that says it has to take 2 years to process their cases. The reason that it takes 2 years is that the government won’t allocate sufficient resources to process them more quickly.
Now why not? Maybe they want to keep the small time scammers around to take people’s minds off the big time scammers?
You think?
January 28th, 2009 at 10:36 am
happy face:
Contact the Real Estae Board and file a complaint.
Avtar has crossed a line with his guarantee.UNprofessional!
Does he speak for himself ot the REBGV?
Let him twist in the wind .
Maybe it will send a chill to other kool aid dispensers like Rennie so they will STFU instead of reeling in more suckers.
January 28th, 2009 at 10:38 am
blackdog: Very entertaining. Lets take this line by line, shall we?
“Since you swallow every twisted politically correct line of crap you’re told by your government and lickspittle media jump on this publication from the official government of Iran.”
What “twisted politically correct line of crap” have I swallowed, exactly? Care to quote something? The funny thing is that you and I probably agree on a lot of the same values. Fake refugee claimants and illegal immigrants should be packed off posthaste, and every dollar we spend on them is a dollar wasted. Agree? Disagree? Relevance to this blog?
“You have to fall in line with this because it’s a ‘government’ issue.”
It took me a while to figure this out, but you’re suggesting that I would agree with Iranian propaganda because… sorry, you’ve still lost me.
“Are you right and everyone else is wrong?”
This gave me a real chuckle. You do realize you are using Bob Rennie’s argument here, do you not? Disagreeing with you doesn’t make me wrong, and I’m the only one who’s been using verifiable information in our little discussion. You’ve been sticking to very poor attempts at character assassination and ignoring the reality that your “factual published information” isn’t.
“Maybe you’re just mentally lazy and you assume these politically correct ideals as your own because you’re desperate to conform. Baaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh.”
Maybe I’m this, maybe I’m that. You aren’t doing a very good job of pointing out any flaws in my argument or my “factual published information” are you? Have you noticed yet that you’ve been reduced to making ad hominem attacks, while I’ve made none?
Oh, and nice link by the way. You score an extra point for being the first person to bring The Big H into this entire 200+ entry comment thread. A gold star for blackdog!
As you say; quiet down, the adults are talking.
January 28th, 2009 at 11:16 am
The Chief economist for the Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives was interviewed by CTV reporters today, these are the highlights of the interview.
- Over 100,000 jobs lost in Canada in Nov and dec alone, Jan is still being tallyed expects thousands more.
- 6 out of 10 workers do not qualify to collect EI in the event of a layoff
- majority of Canadian workers are two weeks away from poverty
- There is an ongoing stripping of assets from the Canadian middle class
- Wave of job losses coming and will be sustained as the worst period in canadian history
- Economic crisis is at our doorstep
- hundreds of thousands of Canadians are going to lose thier jobs
- we are in for a long and prolonged period of hardship
say’s ” if you don’t have savings. you’re in trouble.
Are you still in the market for a condo? Do you believe that our great leaders and the industry spokesmen in the local market place are telling you the truth?
January 28th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Anyone see the case shiller charts on Seattle today?
http://seattlebubble.com/blog/
January 28th, 2009 at 11:37 am
Looks mighty ugly in Seattle, the problem is I still have friends down there that are quite cocky saying the prices there are still holding up in their neighborhood. I wonder where the truth lies.
January 28th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Supraboy: Why is that a problem for anyone but them? Most people seem to need to believe that their home is different and hasn’t fallen in value like the rest of the market. Just look at all the listings in Vancouver where people are asking peak prices, but can’t even get people to look at their open house.
If believing that their house is different makes them happy, then good for them, as long as they don’t need to sell. I can believe that the moon is made out of cheese and my collection of vintage 1997 bottle caps is priceless, but that doesn’t make it true.
January 28th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Former councillor Jim Green hired to help on Olympic village
http://www.francesbula.com/?p=1042
Seems like old Jim does have in interesting resume’.
Intersting old Rob Macdonald. old uber ” hang the Lefties -NDP high ranter ” at recent UDI event has used old Jim Green as well.
reading this story, old Jim is developing a niche’ being used as a facilitator ( by several developers, and recently Millenium) to bridge the various political fences.
January 28th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Speakin gof Seattle..
Homeland secuiryet this local terrorist across the border?
Do they want to start a war?
An intermission in Seattle: Obama politics, job losses and Bob Rennie
http://www.francesbula.com/?p=1033
QUOTE:
And there, I see, is a familiar Vancouver name: Bob Rennie, being quoted about a condo project in Ballard (one of the several gentrifying neighbourhoods down here outside the central core) that he’s marketing. “This is the fastest-selling project in Seattle, and, quite possibly, in the United States,” says Rennie. “This is the time to buy and they are choosing Canal Station.” Apparently, 80 per cent is sold. Ah, some things never change.
=============================================
This is where BC ‘s most infamous native son since Olsen has been hiding ?
Arrest the SOB !
January 28th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Seattle’s downturn was time-delayed and only occurred recently, as was Vancouver’s, and there still exists a lot of denial there, same as here.
At the end of any big party, there are always a handful of people too inept or too drunk to realize that the party’s over and it’s time to pack up and go home. This one’s no different.
January 28th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Speaking of a-holes in the City err any/all ” holes ” begging for a plug ?
Anybody got any update report on projects like Ritz -Carlton ?
A while back someone posted that there was some activity there again.
Any other projects seeing any action ?
January 28th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Re: spin control on the police who (allegedly) beat the newspaper delivery man.
I’ve never been in a city that relied so heavily on spin & PR, yet does it SO amateurishly. From racist incompetent police, to “targeted shootings” (tell that to the gas meter reader that got killed), to crashing real estate, to (gag) “The Best Place on Earth”. As long as you can find one of the business friendly media outlets, you’re free and clear.
January 28th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
A year ago the Kool Aid dispensers in Seattle were saying the same thing as here in vanc. They were saying ” it’s differant here”. Well , looking at recent CS graphes the Seattle market has fallen hard and is currently passing through 2005 levels and falling.
Seattle has always been a boom and bust town much like vanc. It is being hit by massive layoffs from major employers, Boeing, Microsoft and all the techs and now retail is getting killed along with the Port of Seattle is a dead zone. Americans are much more mobile than canadians, they tend to pick up and move far more frequently than CDN’s do. This jobless geography is pushing hundreds of thousands to leave Calif, Nev and Florida for ex, Washington is heading into an abyss, no doubt.
Any time you hear someone say ‘it’s differant this time’ you should run like hell.
Locally, Gordo Campbell let slip in the Province interview this morning that ” jobs were coming in 90 days’ well isn’t that convieniantly about two weeks before election day in May? There will be a plethora of mostly regurgitated policy announcements and whatever Federal plate scrapings are going into the infrustructure file, but I suspect the news will be mostly fluff as it my opinion that the coffers are bare with the government blowing the cash reserves on ‘unlisted’ Olympic projects with no savings for the great badness ahead.
Don’t forget that the infrastructure money is contingent on Provincial monies matching Fed funds.
January 28th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Bubble Lad:
so true, glad you’re awake, it gets a bit lonely sometimes. it’s just amazing how many seemingly intelligent people will just park thier brains and suck down any sort of bullshit that is ladled out from these ‘news organizations’.
January 28th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
“At the end of any big party, there are always a handful of people too inept or too drunk to realize that the party’s over and it’s time to pack up and go home.”
Yeah if you realize now it’s time to run to buy again, don’t you notice green lights everywhere? Everywhere Just Got Better!This one is no different for Vancouver because hey Vancouver is different.”Best place on earth”.-Forever.
January 28th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
RE: Police
It’s an old boys club, and I think even the politicians fear them.
Any of you remember previous VPD chiefs that got dirt dug up on them and had to quit…remember the Chief that had an old video of him supposely hitting a prisoner?
Was that done in the public’s interest, or to settle an old score. Stories abound re parties feeling jilted and passed over for promotions and nailing their own comrades. Same with Victoria’s Battershill..seesm like in internal grudge got settled big time.
I will give new West Van Chief Kash Heed and VPD Chief Chu credit for nipping things in the bud early, but that may be their career death wish, unless they are pure as the driven snow.
ALSO:
Police used to recruit right out of high Scholl.
Now they want them to have post secondary diplomas or degrees.
IMHO, these new recruits are clueless social -worker with guns….no grasp of reality , no common sense,.. kevlar clad cowboys with tasers at the ready.
How many MORE stories are there REALLY out there re drunk cops, racist cops, etc….we have see the ones that have been reported. I think there is a serious problem with how they are both screened and trained.
I had respect for the old school police..the newer crop of cops are some of the biggest threats to society.
January 28th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
truthin’ advertising:
and don’t you just love that word ‘alleged’ used in heavy rotation, in spite of the fact that there were at least 6 witnesses close proximity, 3 of whom who actively trying to get the police/thugs/drunken cracked up tweakers ( cause lets face it way too much time had elapsed between leaving the Roxie bar for an alcohol high and beating up the paper guy, so they had to have some additional stimulation) 2 of whom were city workers threatening them ( the cops) with shovels if they didn’t stop. This came out at the time but has all been quickly hushed up. What about the fact that one cop had hijacked a driver of a corvette using his police ID to get to the beating, what happened to that information Sssshhhhhhhhh, don’t say any more….
OK, why did the press miss the cops being released from jail? Why weren’t the cops given a blood or alcohol test like anyone else would have. Theres been talk of DNA evidence collected but nothing related to the murderous intent of the cops has even been hinted to in the washed over charges recommended to the crown. Is it supposed to be enough that two of these assholes gets suspended with pay? hell no, they should be headed straight to jail without pay!!!
What a fucked up press ,, what a fucked up city. Boy , this makes me steam. Will I be going to the Roxy any time soon? Not with that recommendation thats for sure. I’m not big on hanging with total scum.
January 28th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
realestatesplatter:
Don’t forget the massive layoff of managers from Starbucks in two tranches in the past 90 days I think the body count was around 6000 jobs lost. Many many stores closed.
January 28th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
truthin’ advertising:
Oh yeah and weyerhauser just closed two more mills in the area.
January 28th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
truthin’ advertising:
“You have to realize the size of the problem confronting us today is significantly larger than in the ‘30s,” George Soros, the billionaire hedge-fund owner and philanthropist, said today. “The situation will continue to deteriorate.”
http://freemarketnews.com/WorldNews.asp?nid=57813
January 28th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
i have friends who made good money from recent real estate bubble by selling to chinese and iranians and other brown people.
yet , when we get together for drinks, he makes racist remarks blaming unaffordable prices for common canadians due
to minorities .. go figure…
let the racist games begin in 2010…as times get tough, blame brown and yellow peril..
January 28th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
The 1980′s are back. : “It’s bad, it’s so bad here”. Thousands of unemployed professionals in 3 hour line at job fair.
read and be very afraid, very afraid, cause it’s coming to an EI office near you.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING.....pstoryview
January 28th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Heres a real life vision of tech hell. Think you don’t need a high end degree to keep your job? Listen to this as aa guy tells it exactly like it is when recessions hit. Somebody mentioned earlier that the minimum standard of Singapore was Ph.D, thats what happens in a depressed market, jobs get squeezed out until only the uber workers survive. If you don’t have savings , you’re fucked.
http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-202962
January 28th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Good News – EI tax fund is now 57 Billion.
Bad News – EI tax fund doesn’t really exist. It was used to pay down the debt.
January 28th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
It just seems like Vancouver is so tiny and isolated, very much like a small town – everybody in any field knows, or knows of everybody else in their field, so why should cops, real estate agents, newspaper & advertising people be any different. Nobody is going to rock the boat in any field and then run into flack at Church/office party/soccer practice. What’s the expression about Six Degrees of separation? I think in Vancouver it’s more like Three (as No-Lympics says, every area of life in Vancouver seems to be a sort of Old Boys Club).
But for some reason Vancouverites see themselves as being like Paris or New York (as the tired RE cliche about prices proves). But God help you if you point this out to anyone. It seems like the clock stopped in Vancouver in about 1988
(And I apologize in advance if I offend anyone, but that’s just my perception).
Now I think I’ll just duck under this table until the bottles and cans stop flying…
January 28th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
41,900 refugee claims pending in Canada as of Q1 2008.
30,500 new claims referred in 08. Claims finalized in 08 … 14,800
http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/m.....acts_e.htm
12 months for determination, 12 months on appeal of deportation.
Number one country … Mexico
(The government website helpfully explains that being threatened by a drug cartel is a successful way to be granted refugee status in Canada) … not a joke.
January 28th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Actually it would be twice as awesome to be homosexual. (again, absolutely no joke)
I beleive Canada has a growing refugee crisis of homosexual Mexican ex-drug cartel members threatened by cruel and unusual treatment.
(o.k. a joke, or not, I just can’t stand it)
January 28th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
“If believing that their house is different makes them happy, then good for them, as long as they don’t need to sell. I can believe that the moon is made out of cheese and my collection of vintage 1997 bottle caps is priceless, but that doesn’t make it true.”
If those who continue to list high prices continue to do so, if all of them join forces and list higher, nobody will ever get to buy their real estate.
“Any time you hear someone say ‘it’s differant this time’ you should run like hell.”
I think it’s different this time. If the US economy recovers in the 3rd quarter, Vancouver will weather the storm. People will just hang on until the turnaround.
January 28th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
By extension …
There will be 56,000 refugee claimants awaiting decisions in 2009.
If 3 in 4 are here improperly that means 42,000 people will be improperly collecting welfare, medical benefits, and other federal benefits in 2009.
In BC welfare is $ 585 per month. Thats $ 294 million for a single year.
January 28th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Re: the dark hand of old boys clubs.
After Richmond Fireman scandal got exposed (school girl thing, and female firefighters quitting)…City went on some navel gazing and went on the old affirmative action thing.
I know a fireman and he told me that the atmosphere is quite toxic…and that Senior City managers are now the de-facto ” fire chief “. I though it was an interim measure.
However, it was reported recently that they have been looking for a new Fire Chief for over a year. The paper reports a source as saying that no one wants the job because of senior staff they would have to work with.
Two councillors seem oblivious to this or in denial….and one is actually married to an ex Fire Chief.
Sometimes it’s an old boys club within an old boys club.
January 28th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Is someone moderating this site? What does Refugees have to do with Real Estate and Condos in BC?
Do we want to become an intolerant society just because some Refugees may have to go on welfare. The vast majority (legally) find work in Canada pending their decision. It is not the refugees fault that the system takes so long to come to a decision.
January 28th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Not sure if anyone posted this link yet but it’s nicely compiled census data by riding. Has some nice tidbits regarding pecentage of population paying over 30% of income on housing and rents.
http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/d.....ped_06.asp
January 28th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
bubble Lad
Quote:
“But for some reason Vancouverites see themselves as being like Paris or New York (as the tired RE cliche about prices proves). But God help you if you point this out to anyone. It seems like the clock stopped in Vancouver in about 1988″.
Unfortunately, we have been lulled into a false sense of security. We never had much of a fall back position. My estimation it goes back to 1980 and the MURB boom bust.
It concerned me that Mill after Mill closed on the Fraser River , BC #1 Industry,….those were the kind of middle class jobs that allowed for the middle class lifestyle.
It got to a point we became beholden to external forces beyond our control…and I think we put a downpayment on our collective souls by accepting all that influx of offshore investment…lets say the EXPO lands sale were the first nail in the coffin.
I never felt that comfortable about it..reminded me too much of the “golden goose” children story, as well as ” the emperor has no clothes “, and that it had to end one day, it made no sense and was unsustainable . BC economy was basically a legal laundering of money that created an RE bubble due to implode. The 1990′s Dot.com bomb was the same story of speculation , simply different commodity. Everyone enjoyed the party, and felt it would go on forever . In hindsight the signs were all there it would not, this was only temporary .
The problem is , it reached such a crescendo, it will wipe out so many previous sources of income (ie factories etc.) these jobs will never come back. Its like a bomb was dropped and nothing left to rebuild or go back to. In a recession things get slowed down but don’t hit a brick wall or go over a cliff.
January 28th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Supraboy:
Soopie soopie soopie, even the most optimistic spokesperson ( see how politically correct I’ve become) from our government or the US government is not forecasting any kind of recovery in the 3rd Q 2009. In fact the numbers continue to deteriorate by the day.
The smartest people in the world are meeting in Davos Switzerland right now and the predictions that are coming out of the world bank and national government spokesmen and Women ( oh I’m just gushing with goo feelings now) are that the situation is worsening now to a point where the 2009 – 2012 recession is going to make the 1930′s depression look like a trip to Disneyland. Read the posted quote from George Soros in an earlier post. If you haven’t heard of Mr. Soros you should just understand thats he’s not saying ” It’s differant this time”.
Sorry to burst your bubble dude, but this is all public information and several excellent pieces have been posted on this site today.
BBC news just reported that it’s expected that 50 million or more jobs will be lost this year. The IMF said this morning that Canada is likely to be hit harder than many other G-8 countries. Does that sound like a bottom to you?
January 28th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
The connection is very clear
When “refugees” are here improperly they are a drain on everybody here legally. They work on your condo instead of Canadians, they do not pay taxes or BUY condos. If you need social services after losing all your money on your chitty condo you probably won’t get it because the improper demand is always greater than our incredibly dopey supply.
Lower mainland condo prices and our ridiculous propensity to let immoral scammers rip us off … neither can last.
January 28th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
AOL swings the axe today . 700 gone. Is the internet dying?
http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/.....ol_layoffs
January 28th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Starbucks says it will lay off ANOTHER 7000 !!! Closes EVEN more ( had closed 300 and will now close 600 more)stores. These guys have been announcing bad news every day and everyday it’s worse. Where are the condo warriors when you need them?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200....._starbucks
January 28th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Dubai has it’s own False Creek sewage issue. God awful mess. I have been to Bali this year and Thailand and saw first hand that all these places just run drain pipes into the ocean and flush everything into the ocean. The beaches ar ruined in Phuket, Pattaya, Ko Samui, Kuta, as the reporter writes herein ” it would be like swimmimg in a toilet”. In this regard we are truly ‘world class’.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/t.....607619.ece
January 28th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
Supraboy:
People don’t have to sell but hold on?
No thats not true.
Anecdote:
Some extended family members inherited some prime oceanfront real estate. One parcel was their parents principal residence , not a problem.
However,there is another parcel in the estate. When an estate gets settled, such property is deemed SOLD at time of death, and unless primary residence, it will be hit with big time taxes( not to mention the NDP’s “probate fee” flat rate of 3% I believe).
They are now forced to sell this in order to pay the taxes on the bare lot.., and the double whammy may be that when their parent died they may take the hit at the higher price at the time of death than what they could get now.
Not everyone can wait out a RE storm..for a number of reasons.
January 28th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
“However,there is another parcel in the estate. When an estate gets settled, such property is deemed SOLD at time of death, and unless primary residence, it will be hit with big time taxes( not to mention the NDP’s “probate fee” flat rate of 3% I believe).”
so now you’re saving that all vancouverites inherited a property and needs to sell. the numbers you’re looking at in that group is miniscual. You’ll have to try harder than that.
January 28th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
FYI, Congress just passed the 800 billion stimulus package in the US. Watch real estate re-inflate.
January 28th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Now mass job job losses cause foreclosures numbers to skyrocket over 236,000 in California exacerbating sub-prime mess
http://www.latimes.com/busines.....8240.story
January 28th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Kuroame thanks for that link! Really interesting to look at the differences stats for areas.
January 28th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Supraboy: If those who continue to list high prices continue to do so, if all of them join forces and list higher, nobody will ever get to buy their real estate.
What a great idea! Hey, maybe that will work for salaries as well. If I agree I want $600k a year, and you agree you want $600k a year, than no one will ever have to earn less than $600k a year!
Brilliant! Are you by any chance a retired wall street economist?
January 28th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Another 3000 tech layoffs at SAP Business Software
http://online.wsj.com/article/.....ts_news_us
January 28th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
blame the refugee ranters;
An honest discussion about people who are scamming tax dollars wouldn’t have false refugee claimants anywhere near the top. Continually bringing it up only serves to identify you as xenophobic right-wingers whose critical thinking skills are limited to the housing market.
Go after income tax and transit fare evaders, they cost us more. (Warning; they may mostly be anglos so only focus on evasion in metro centres with high immigrant populations)
January 28th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
Supraboy
Next time read the details re inheritance …demarcate principal residence from non principal residence.
Sound like you are a spoiled child living in the basement waiting for parents to croak from melamine overdose at Dim Sum.
January 28th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Isn’t this quote from a blog site in Britian pointing to the similar happy face political BS we’ve been hearing from the BC Libs. I’m sure everyone has seen that the election ads have already started although nothing has been mentioned. kind of ‘suggestive ‘ isn’t it.
“So much for Gordon Brown’s frequent assertions that Britain was well positioned to meet recession compared to other countries. Complete hogwash. Labour really will say anything at all, however untrue, to try to stay in power. When, oh when, can we be rid of this government?”
Is BC heading for a ‘surprise fall’ after the election in May? Will the Libs be able to manipulate and hide the real numbers til then?
January 28th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
244 No-lympics – I never thought about it like that – everything being DOWNHILL from Expo – party line has Expo as the dawn of a great new day for all BC. But then again, it does fit well with BC’s extraction economy mindset – get in, get rich quick mining or fishing or logging, and get out (or simply be forced out when the resource is gone). I guess it fits the pattern.
January 28th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
StoptheScammers: I really doubt refugees (legitimate or not) will have much of any impact on our real estate market, and this offtopic tirade is getting tiring. I for one WISH we had more Mexican immigrants in Vancouver so we could get some decent restaurants.
BACK ON TOPIC: I’m hearing about this demographia survey now from coworkers who heard it in the local news.. they don’t seem to know what to make of it, but figure there’s a connection between this factoid and the huge number of homeless wandering the streets outside our office.
Those here who bought recently look worried as the most recent round of layoffs is announced and our company looks for more income to stop the losses.
January 28th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
British Columbia will put up one third of the money needed for the twinning of the Port Mann Bridge and expansion of Highway 1, Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon announced Wednesday.The project will create about 8,000 construction jobs and remains on schedule for a 2013 completion. http://www.vancouversun.com/Bu.....story.html
January 28th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Any of those 3000 jobs cut from SAP in the Vanc. Business Objects offices?
January 28th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
kuroame: I’m pretty sure you’re referring to “refugee ranter” singular, not plural. blackdog hasn’t posted since I last ripped him a new one, and this StopTheScammers character has never posted before. Coincidence? Maybe, but I’m guessing otherwise.
Bear mauls dog, film at 11.
That was a great BC stats link, by the way. Any idea how to get that data in a more raw form without having to reverse engineer all their PDFs? I’ve tried to find it on that site, but no luck in my limited search time.
January 28th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
The British founder of the Virgin Group brand of companies Self-made billionaire Sir Richard Branson says cheers to Canada for avoiding a recession for so long.
January 28th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
Bubble lad…
Re Resource economy
I vividly recall the doom and gloom of the Pearse report in the mid 1980′s on the BC Fisheries. Too many boats chasing too few fish.
Hard to beleive it back then almost 25 years ago.
Its basically toast now.
So ….we have basically a collapsed Forestry Fishery ….and Minng is in recession.
Good thing VANCOUVER REAL ESTATE NEVER GO DOWN !!! or we’d be seriously hooped.
January 28th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
265 Informer10 Says:
January 28th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
The British founder of the Virgin Group brand of companies Self-made billionaire Sir Richard Branson says cheers to Canada for avoiding a recession for so long.
—————————-
Good:
Adventure addict Sir “Dick Branson” can join us in celebration of this fact(?) by rapelling down the Yaletown Spectrum condos as residents pelt him with beer bottles, Bob Rennie blow up dolls, and patio furniture.
January 28th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
NO -LYMPICS: “Adventure addict Sir “Dick Branson” can join us in celebration of this fact(?) by rapelling down the Yaletown Spectrum condos as residents pelt him with beer bottles, Bob Rennie blow up dolls, and patio furniture.”
Literally, LOL.
January 28th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
Ignatieff says”Nobody can shake the harper government because homeowners make nothing but 72% of population in British columbia and almost 69% all over Canada in result:Coalition dies.
January 28th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Someone told me they’ve stopped reading or watching any news because of all the doom and gloom. Same person set to spend 70 G on a renovation. Head, meet sand.
But what can you say? I’ve put a plug in it. They’ve heard our views on real estate before. Now that they can all see we were right, they don’t want to hear any of it. So it’s shut up now about the new crash: the magnitude of the depression/recession we’re facing. Otherwise, our friends and family will tune us out too. Frustrating. Especially when you want to save them.
January 28th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
U.S Postal Service may be forced to eliminate a day of mail service due to plummeting volume and revenue.
Currently it has a mandate of 6 days /week delivery
( Talk about going postal…err postal going ?).
http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/2.....2009012817
January 28th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
McDonald’s to open 1,000 new stores
Despite falling short of Wall Street expectations, the burger chain experiences better-than-expected profit and will open 1,000 new restaurants.
http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/2.....2009012610
January 28th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
January 28th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Any of those 3000 jobs cut from SAP in the Vanc. Business Objects offices?
You can count on it! They’ve been reducing staff in Vancouver for some time now. A/P is being moved to South America with layoffs already announced. Look for more of the same as SAP guts Business Objects.
January 28th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
* Consumers to find a loan for the biggest purchase they will ever make — a house. A second measure is aimed at making it easier to buy cars, trucks and equipment.Budget backs mortgage, vehicle lenders
January 28th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
MrBear:
your sense of self importance is creepy.
January 28th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Helmut Pastrick has revised his forecast yet again, this is like getting to be a weekly thing. On the 6:00 news tonight he’s saying now that prices are set to fall 25%. When he started his downgrades three weeks ago he was forecasting a small increase of 5% per year, now he’s slowly ratcheting down expectations. Two weeks ago the price was going to level out and maybe go down 5% until the spring.
Man this guy just can’t decide.
January 28th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
MrBear:
if the shoe fits, wear it, do you have a self image issue
2.(n) -A depraved individual who sits in front of a computer all day and posts flames of an idiotic or pseudo-intellectual nature on public forums and private websites. Many of these people actually become emotional about what is said on the afore-said mediums and feel it is their duty to punish those who disagree with them. They too may pursue this object in an obsessive-compulsive manner.
Goddamnit! Blog Trolls are such fucktards! Don’t they have anything better to do other than posting stupid bullshit on the forums.
January 28th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
bearette:
Is that what you’d call ‘ the ostrich syndrome’? It’s also like playing peek a boo with an infant, even when you sit right in front of them you ‘disappear’ when you cover your eyes.
There was a famously sad tape on a guy who was walking out on the beach in Southern Thailand towards the incoming Tsunami wave. paople up the hill were calling him to run but he just kept walking towards the wave that killed him
Sometimes you just can’t help people from themselves. I guess thats why they’re called sheeple.
January 28th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Olympimess:
Exactly right, some of these gits don’t get that it’s a blog not a dddddddesperate class room of love me , (please love me , please llllllooook at me, ppppppplease looook at me mommmmmy wahhhhhhhhh ) out to establish thier own ‘ rightness’ with some small pathetic little playpen verbage. Most of us really don’t give a rats ass, not the sane ones anyway. Bring it on trolls, your silly shit is a good one second laugh and when you realise how easy it is to tweak some loser into spewing you might clue in. Out yourself for the world to see. Play on dude.
January 28th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Current property decline won’t last long: Rennie.
January 28th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Close ER down this blog I say. Degenerating big time!
January 28th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Where’s Drachen?
January 28th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
Here’s a great article: New Foreclosure Wave
http://tinyurl.com/b57aq9
January 28th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
Just got back from Shanghai. I was checking out the SUV market there and it’s exploding. Everyone wants and SUV. As luck would have it I have many so I can supply them readily. I also own lots of condos in Vancouver which they all want as well. It’s good to be me.
January 28th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
*CMHC regional economist Carol Frketich says things will improve.
* Vancouver developer Rob Macdonald noted that the 2010 Winter Olympics will soon be advertised in the world’s media.
* “home prices should firm up over the next couple of months”.-Cameron Muir
* B.C.’s property developers remained optimistic Friday at the annual Urban Development Institute forecast lunch, predicting a market turnaround.
January 28th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
StoptheScammers:
Are you intentionally trying to mislead with your links or what?!
The only reference I found to “drug cartel” when searching the site you refer to at comment #237 is in regards to a judicial decision that found that denouncing drug kingpins amounted to political expression because in the country in question, corruption was so pervasive that doing so had the same effect as undermining the government’s authority (see this link and search for “drug cartel” http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/r.....ef04_e.pdf )
So, what gives? Are you just thick? Do you have problems with reading comprehension? Are you just posting links hoping people think you’re actually supporting your statements with facts, and hoping no one checks? What??
My question to others here is this, what is more worrisome, a dim-witted bigot or a clever one?
January 28th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
And, yes, someone please moderate this blog! I agree, the refugee chat belongs elsewhere. Having said that, what to do with bigots who post crap? Ignore?
Anyway, in the interest of good ‘ol RE discourse, any guesses as to when we might begin to see detached homes west of Main below 600K?
January 28th, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Sidelines and Refugees …
Are you too lazy to support your rubbish with actual facts er what? The facts are rock solid. Check out the summary at
http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/m.....acts_e.htm
Your get material like …
“In 2005, the top five countries of origin for refugee protection claims made in Canada and referred to the IRB were Mexico, China, Colombia, Sri Lanka and India.”
Click down to “frequently asked questions”
http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/a.....ndex_e.htm
Yes it goes into detail how being threatened by drug cartels is good and being persecuted because you are homosexual is good too.
Like I said, we probably have a rush of ex-drug dealing Mexican homosexuals being granted refugee status. Butt seriously. If I were a lawyer thats exactly what I would telling my client.
January 28th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
And Sidelines …
All they have to do is get here and there’s NADA forking thing we can do to get rid of them for 2 years. And they know it.
50,000 refugees this year, 35,000 of em scammers. Yeah we got a problem all right, particularly when there’s NO FUKKIN WORK FOR CANADIANS you judgmental pulpit pounding dope.
January 28th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
The Port Mann Bridge/Highway 1 expansion project includes constructing a bridge adjacent to the existing Port Mann Bridge and widening the highway.It also involves upgrading interchanges and improving safety between McGill Street in Vancouver and 216th Street in Langley, a distance of approximately 37 kilometres.
January 28th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
StoptheScammers:
In a weird way, it’s kind of fun to read your crap.
“Yes it goes into detail how being threatened by drug cartels is good and being persecuted because you are homosexual is good too.”
Damn! I just can’t help it, I’ll feed you, troll: where the f*ck does it say anything even remotely close to that?? Tell you what, post a link and give us the paragraph number so we can all check this out, Billy Bob. I checked your link. Waste of my time, yes, but I checked. What you talk about, the homos, the druggie stuff, it no there, muchacho! You say it there, but it no there. ¿Por qué?
January 28th, 2009 at 8:27 pm
PRAISE THE POWER OF THE ONE. I along with everyone on this blog should praise the one as he comes riding to save the world. 800 BILLION DOLLARS will be spent so that others may live. You must bow before the one and cheer the second coming. It is clear the one has come to save the world. It’s like heroes but REAL.
January 28th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Sidelines: “And, yes, someone please moderate this blog! I agree, the refugee chat belongs elsewhere. Having said that, what to do with bigots who post crap? Ignore?”
They don’t go away if you ignore them, but taking them head on seems to encourage sock-puppetry, and even if you nail them on their “facts” they ignore that they’ve been caught out. Since rational argument isn’t possible and moderation isn’t likely, ignoring them probably makes the most sense.
It is too bad though, it poisons the discussion and drives away people who may have useful on-topic content to share but who are offended by all the trash.
January 28th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
Sidelines: “where the f*ck does it say anything even remotely close to that?” See, I noticed that too, just like how blackdog’s main article reference was to a snopes.com page that absolutely disagreed with his point. But you see, he’d have to read past the first sentence on the page to figure that out. Like, one *word* past the first sentence.
I’m assuming blackdog and StopTheScammers are the same person, there’s just too much consistency there.
January 28th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
NO -LYMPICS: I missed the show. Did you get any good recipes?
January 28th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
284 john Says:
January 28th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
Just got back from Shanghai. I was checking out the SUV market there and it’s exploding. Everyone wants and SUV. As luck would have it I have many so I can supply them readily. I also own lots of condos in Vancouver which they all want as well. It’s good to be me.
==============================
John…the SUV market and it’s exploding?
You have it confused with a 1972 Ford Pinto.
January 28th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Kuroame:
There’s a big difference between saying “the system is biased against middle class males” and “I don’t like brown people”. If you can’t see that, well that’s your problem I suppose.
I actually was with a COlombian refugee for quite some time. I helped get his family into the country. The all worked like hell because they were proud and didn’t want a handout.
However, there were a LOT of people in that community scamming the system. So many my ex is embarassed. He mentioned it Xmas Eve.
Pretending there’s a serious problem won’t make it go away…. and neither will implying anyone who points it out is racist.
The reality is, I paid into that fund my whole life. One of the “counsellors” actually said if I had sat on my ass and just filled out the online form I would get benefits.
Instead, like an idiot, I told the truth and tried to find a way to improve my situation and get off EI. You shouldn’t really offer your opinon on the situation because frankly it’s obvious you haven’t any exposure to the situation. It’s a typical reaction and frankly it’s predictable.
The truth is, if you’re middle class and male the system isn’t set up to help. If you’re an alcoholic fisherman on the East Coast, you’re fine. If you’re a one legged whore on Hastings there’s a program for you. However, if you’re smart and independant and just need some help to tide you over while you make the adjustments to your career that you know you need to make, you will never, ever get the help you need. Your money was cllected to:
1) Pay down the debt
2) Fund an enormous layer of incompetants build up of subliterate high school dropouts who found their way into the civil service
3) Fnd a ton of touchy feely programs designed to do things that look good but are in fact a waste of resources, like try and teach fishermen computer skills
The system is set up to TELL you what you need, which works great if you aren’t smart and need someone else to tell you.
And for those who are asking, this is relevant to the blog because the middle class is going to get absolutely slaughtered in this recession and they’re all about to discover the great social safety net they told themselves existed does not in fact exist for them at all.
And THAT, my dears, will kill the condo craze.
January 28th, 2009 at 10:03 pm
Lily Pad
Squirrel recipes?
Yes:
Garth had sauteed sweetbread and entrails.
Shaved tail as garnish.
Head with parsley clutched in the jaws.
Yum!
January 28th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
Strataman: I voted you up, you all want me to close the blog now?
ATTENTION ALL READERS: Please do not mistake my enthusiasm for free speech (more accurately my lack of enthusiasm for actively policing comments on this site) as endorsement* for race-baiting, trolling and ranting about subjects as far off topic as immigrants coming here to take your job**.
I’m not currently deleting comments, but asking nicely for now: keep your comments focused on economics and real estate and try not to generalize about various racial groups if for no other reason than it has nothing to do with the topic at hand. If you want to discuss immigration issues, I’m sure you can find a more appropriate blog to rant on.
And yes, just as you suspected I’m part of the vast bleeding heart left-wing marxist conspiracy to hide the ‘truth’ about people that have different colored skin than you and weren’t blessed to be born in the same town as you.
*I should also note here that the REBGV does not endorse race-baiting, trolling and ranting as far as I know
**by the way, maybe they’re coming to take your job because they’re willing to actually work instead of just trying to look busy as they browse the web all day.
January 28th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
And yes, just as you suspected I’m part of the vast bleeding heart left-wing marxist conspiracy to hide the ‘truth’ about people that have different colored skin than you and weren’t blessed to be born in the same town as you.
=======
Suspicions confirmed
10-4
January 28th, 2009 at 10:50 pm
“Sound like you are a spoiled child living in the basement waiting for parents to croak from melamine overdose at Dim Sum.”
This sort of comment obviously does not belong here.
Anyhow, back to the real estate topic. I’ve seen a few houses near my area listed higher today than it was a year ago. What are these ridiculous people doing?
A house on Heather near 54th going for 3.2 million? What the hell? My dad told me that person bought it for 2.8 million. What world are they living in? Or am I living in the correct world? Let me get this straight, a piece of land there, at 50×130 is worth around a maximum of 900,000. I’m already being generous. Now how much does it cost to build a house on that type of lot size, assuming they’re using premium marble and super thick real granite for their kitchen and fireplace. A million? At max, the house should be worth 2million, and I’m being generous here. How the heck can it be listed for 3.2 Mill?
btw, the house is empty, I pass by it almost every night and day, and yes, I live near there if you really want to know.
January 28th, 2009 at 11:17 pm
MrBear:
“Paranoia strikes deep
Into your heart it will creep
You stop ’cause your allways afraid
Step out ‘a line , the man comes to take you away”
Maybe I’m everybody on the board, maybe I’m you hating your mommy for doing that to you, …… you know what , don’t you. The dog next door is telling you to kill them all, no one understands his barking commands but you. OOOOooooOOOooooOOOO, everybody is conspiring against you now.
Did you take your medication todayyayyayyayyayyay.