You asked for a submission so here is one:

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/senator-franken-…

I don't pretend to understand what the heck is going on, and it is a U.S. issue, but perhaps some people on this site could help shed some light on how serious this issue is and what are the implications here in Canada.

Cheers.

I have an idea to carry on from the burst of the housing bubble. Let's talk about the wage and benefits bubble. Not the just the fatter cats, but a lot of the mice that have been doing very well for themselves. Very interesting how a few years of fun and study relate to a self-perceived elevated sense of worth. I think soon stories of failing infrastructure will fill the news. Of course the money that should have been going into maintaining this essential tool of civilization have been going to wages and benefits and paying off capital losses for the 5%'ers. Our civil service should be watching out for our interests, instead they collaborate with their masters, bought off with benefits and dollars. Ahhh, what the h—. Fun site guys , been lurking for a very long time, started… Read more »

but hey, im glad you got your parking meter filled.

"“not too long ago, I was parking myself just next to the Urban Fare in YT, down the street from one of the many yuppie Starbucks, and was fumbling for change for the meter, and some random person just walking by handed me a twonie.” i was walking on granville one day and a guy was lying on the street having a siezure. i stopped, not believing my own eyes, because people were walking past him and over him. not a doctor, but he was turning blue and foaming at the mouth so i ran into the store and had them call 911. i came back out, stayed with the guy, and waited for the ambulance. as i was talking to him, helplessly, a couple of guys walked up to him, kicked him, and yelled, get a job. yes, kicked… Read more »

"@superduperbulltime: Please check your grammar. "

Dear superduperbulltime, The above comment is not asking you to inquire after the health of your mother's mother. Rather, the comment regards sentence construction.

@buffates, "By then Carney will be considering further rate increases and homeowners will start to see year on year price declines which will get the big headlines."

Don't forget massive unemployment as construction cools, and as the massive Real Estate machine (which includes many support services) grinds to a halt. The effect of this will be bigger than many expect.

@superduperbulltime: Please check your grammar.

..unless you're actually retarded, in which case you have my apologies. Nice work operating the keyboard!

@Anoymous: Sounds like most lose bear here.

@Best place on meth: Higher priced areas of SF haven't dropped as much as the Case Shiller index indicates. I expect they will start dropping in the next year.

@Anoymous:

It's been relisted…

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/van/apa/1978038…

@buffates:

No worries…the end of the bubble in the US took years to finally lead to serious price declines. Patience. This won't happen overnight.

@buffates

Nice wishful thinking but unlikely. Prices tend to rise in Spring (even during the US meltdown if you look closely). Fall is the typical time for price weakness.

Actually, if you think about it, what would stop people buying at the moment? Mortgage rates are low and unemployment is low also.

@VHB:

"MoI at this sales pace 7.07"

Would that be a decrease from last month? Or am I just getting confused with a projection from a couple weeks ago?

@VHB: MOI should be below 7 before months end…falling like a stone.

@realpaul: "Yup, ICKY will let you pay for the damage to the other vehicle and you have no premium increase if you do." So rich person crashes into poor person, rich person pays, poor person loses nothing (except has their time wasted a bit, and might have to go without their car for a few days) Poor person crashes into anybody else, poor person pays. Sounds right to me – poor person should have been looking where they were going, just like rich person should have in the first example. Surely it's possible to borrow cash cheaply to pay ICBC in order to avoid their "financing plan", if what you say is true? If you're unable to borrow cheaply, then you're a high credit risk and it's only fair that ICBC charges you a premium? I honestly don't see a… Read more »

@Anonymous:

Regarding your Craiglist ad :

"This posting has been deleted by its author."

@paulb.: YEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAWWWW…..Vancouver is back in the house!

this decline is a marathon not a sprint. The spring will bring the first of the scary drops. By then Carney will be considering further rate increases and homeowners will start to see year on year price declines which will get the big headlines. Until then the best we can wish for is a building inventory so we can start off the next homeselling season higher than normal.

@paulb.:

The question is, are sellers getting desperate by end of month with no sale and dropping prices?

ugh…

New Listings 213

Price Changes 117

Sold Listings 179

Those subsidized housing units in the OV need to be sold immediately.

They could build 3 times as many with the money (maybe only twice as many, if they don't hurry the f up)

What a waste. That's just embarrassing. I wish these idiots would remove their heads from their assess.