Friday Free-for-all!
It’s the end of the week! Free-for-all open topic discussion time, here are a few stories to kick off the chat:
-Breaking News! Get a rad pad, get laid by the desperate
-City offers low income loans for home repair
-What’s a co-op condo?
-Be prepared for downturn, but don’t worry
-Comparison shop for a mortgage
-Canadian personal debt loads keep growing
-Portland home sales drop near 17 year low
-
So what are you seeing out there? Post your news links, thoughts and anecdotes here and have an excellent weekend!
June 5th, 2011 at 7:17 pm
@chip:
Calling the CCNC a "protest group" is missing the point a bit, it's an ethnic lobby group of the sort which has been around in Canada since its origin, and like its counterparts it's used as a vehicle for parties seeking ethnic support (traditionally the Liberals but more recently the Conservatives) to buy votes.
But you are not going to see the Conservatives cut off funding to them the way they are going to cut off direct funding to the political parties based on voter support. Some kinds of political funding are more equal than others.
June 5th, 2011 at 6:41 pm
@chip: Par for the course. There are dozens of groups funded by various levels of government which are basically special interest groups with an agenda designed to squeeze your wallet, or your rights and freedoms. On the other side, there are small organizations struggling on private funding, and sometimes "corporate" donations, for which they are often vilified (because "monied interests" are behind them). Many hands reaching into the public purse and pushing their agenda relentlessly, not very much organized opposition… you can only take them on one at a time, and there's just not enough reward for the work. You squash one, two more pop up. After all, it's one or two cents per taxpayer. But a cent here and a cent there, pretty soon you're talking several hundred dollars.
June 5th, 2011 at 4:24 pm
More than ten times income, huh? Shocking!
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f4afb162-8f8a-11e0-954d…
June 5th, 2011 at 3:12 pm
@Teacher:
China today is different now and it is much stronger.So don't worry, our motherland and its govening party will do its best to protect its citizens abroad through diplomatic channel or,during emergency like the "1883 Chinese Exclusion Act"Riot,Chinese Navy and its Marine will be ready.Though,our body in Chau Camp but our heart still remain in Han Camp.身在曹營,心在漢.
June 5th, 2011 at 3:07 pm
Cut the music!!
Let's talk salaries –> go to the forum to post factual information on BC and Vancouver salaries. 2010 VPD salaries are posted: http://vancouvercondo.info/forum/topic/vancouver-…
June 5th, 2011 at 2:49 pm
We should let all Asian prospective Promontory buyer know that the building is built on leased land that used to be a burial site.
June 5th, 2011 at 2:43 pm
@Chipper:
Whenever I see a group like the Chinese Canadian National Congress agitating against government policy I always check their website for source of funding. And the CCNC doesn't disappoint. While there is no info on the national site, on the Toronto site there are four source of funds:
Federal govt
Provincial got
City of Toronto
Agency of prov govt
And this is Canada today. The govt pays professional protest groups to agitate for concessions and payoffs from the same govt.
June 5th, 2011 at 12:37 pm
@patriotz: ……I’ve been following the US bust since it started and I’ve heard plenty of BS from homedebtors on that front, but I have to say I haven’t heard anyone blame their troubles on having sick people next door. Another first for Vancouver……
Yes, sadly, it really is different here: no class!
June 5th, 2011 at 12:04 pm
Reckless Endangerment: Making Debt Owe-nership Easy
June 5th, 2011 at 8:33 am
Charts of price to rent for vancouver re and comparing real returns among tsx, vancouver re, bonds.
http://lifevancouvercity.com/
June 5th, 2011 at 6:39 am
"More likely, Morrison said, the success is a result of spending a year doing research into what types of amenities the market was looking for. Morrison said a large number of the condos were purchased by New Westminster locals who wanted the homes for their children.
"There's a lot people in there that have 18- to 22-year-olds who are just coming out of school and they want to put their kids into these homes. Almost a third of our homes went to that group," he said.
Morrison said interest from offshore buyers spiked as the marketing period ended resulting in about 20-25 per cent of the units being purchased by foreign investors."
Read more: http://www.royalcityrecord.com/business/ended+wit…
So the majority of these condos will either be owned by kids or foreign speculators. This place will be party central. There are no drinking establishments close by, but there's a liquor store around the corner.
But what happens when Johnny or Janey move on? What will they do with their parents "investment" in their future? More likely an attempt by the parents to keep their kids close to home that will ultimately fail if youth unemployment remains high around here.
My parents live close by, so I'm sure I'll have many entertaining anecdotes over the next few years.
June 5th, 2011 at 5:47 am
@JRoss:
I'd have to choose lesbiens. I mean…. who would want to live next to them??? Especially if they look like the ones in those movies my wife hates me watching…
June 5th, 2011 at 3:56 am
Actually the discrimination we're seeing with the UBC hospice isn't based on age or race, it's mental/ physical disability – also Charter protected.
June 5th, 2011 at 3:37 am
@JRoss:
Which of these stances would be acceptable to you?
Niggers.
June 5th, 2011 at 2:51 am
Cut the music!
Bruins in 6!
Li kai's ord rady in 68 mabe 70 … Somwhere in between there!
I rolled out of whalley last night in the shagin wagin and spent most of the evening yelling at those honking canucks fans… I told them to shut up and go crawl back into bob rennie's vagina. The overseas chinese fans were easy to disperse, i just said, "look there is a new presale line up forming at 8888 minoru.."
The indians fans were even easier…. I just said, "dairy sale at superstore"
There was a scotish pub in port moody full of canuck sweat hogs andall i had to say was…. "horny sheep" and the canucks were the last thing on their minds.
Just like real estate and li kai's old lady, canucks are going down!
June 5th, 2011 at 2:29 am
http://www.financialpost.com/personal-finance/Str…
What, bankers worried? Nah.
Rate of debt growth is slowing, because a) consumers are tapped out, and b) CMHC no longer insures HELOCs. Duh.
June 5th, 2011 at 1:26 am
@Best place on meth:
Reply fail, was meant for vreaa.
June 5th, 2011 at 1:24 am
@Boob Rennie:
What that tells me is that people here are out of money and can't come up with an extra $600 if they want to go to the game.
June 5th, 2011 at 1:06 am
Here is my latest research report on Vancouver real estate: http://www.urbanfutures.com/reports/BTN%20Housing…
June 5th, 2011 at 12:48 am
Saturday 4 Jun 2011, Second game of the Stanley Cup Finals, Vancouver Canucks vs Boston Bruins, CBC broadcast. The shot shows two fans holding handmade signs, visible via backlighting, in reverse. Take a closer look…
"NUX TIX OR MORTGAGE PAYMENT?"
Anybody else see this playoff placard…?
More testimony to the pervasiveness of the preoccupation with real estate in Vancouver.
http://wp.me/pcq1o-2sT
June 5th, 2011 at 12:47 am
Collum,
Question:
They are worrried about their properties values because African-Americans are moving next door.
They are worrried about their properties values because Native Canadians are moving next door.
They are worrried about their properties values because Mexicans are moving next door.
They are worrried about their properties values because lesbians are moving next door.
They are worrried about their properties values because Italians are moving next door.
They are worrried about their properties values because Irish are moving next door.
They are worrried about their properties values because the old and sick are moving next door.
Which of these stances would be acceptable to you?
June 4th, 2011 at 8:30 pm
Look, it's not racism; it's the Chinese who are painting a shitty but clear picture of themselves. Chinese condo owners are petitioning against the hostel because other Chinese will value the property lower if it's built. How is that racist? There's nothing racist about it.
June 4th, 2011 at 4:40 pm
@Collum: White supremacists? OK, which one of you is Cam Good?
June 4th, 2011 at 3:16 pm
@jesse:
>>Fine. They’re not racists. But me calling them “agists” doesn’t have the same ring to it. But it should.<<
How about "bigots?"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigotry
June 4th, 2011 at 2:58 pm
Agree with other comments on here. This blog is now nothing more than a place for white supremacists to hang out.
June 4th, 2011 at 2:31 pm
@Stu: Start a pool? First person to find a quote from a pumper using a Stanley cup victory as a reason to buy now or be priced out forever.
June 4th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
Hey crew, big Stu here. I can tell you i've seen a lot of chinese come here. I remember when they started in the corner store, hell Stu can almost remember when they built the railroad. One thing i never thought i would see is a Canucks Stanley cup victory. Two oddities today crew, Canucks as winners and Stu with a sun burn. Lets face it bears, it was a bad omen when the Grizzlies left town. Stanley cup champions next week gang, time to get positive.
June 4th, 2011 at 1:33 pm
I hate to say it but I'm not cheering for the bears right now….the Bruins that is….
Go C_____s Go!
June 4th, 2011 at 12:17 pm
The government is trying to shift the attention to Chinese investors so that they can be blamed when CHMC will collapse. Of course, the government has done NOTHING wrong in the past 4 years with mortgage rules
Chinese investors will be presented as speculators responsible for inflated prices and mortgage defaults.
To me, this is a sign that the end of house appreciation is coming.
June 4th, 2011 at 12:07 pm
Any SOB incubi that vote me down get double digit rent increeze
June 4th, 2011 at 10:45 am
@Teacher:
No
U wrong
Itarian goaries big chokersz..
Boston will kick ass.
Itarian owners and Itarian goalie bad combo….too mch mafia involved.
Buy glass bottom boat and see Itarian navy and air force..maybe spumoni guy too.
Why hang out with losers……ask Rick..
June 4th, 2011 at 10:02 am
@Teacher: You think they discriminate against ghosts? Holy crap no. They are telling the living elderly they are not welcome.
June 4th, 2011 at 9:56 am
@ Old guy:
"…if this anti-dying, self-centred belief is not universal, that someone- like you- has not stepped forward from the community and said ‘this does not represent us…."
Been done. Click on the link provided by Patiently Waiting on comment #66.
June 4th, 2011 at 9:03 am
@Teacher:
Generalization much?
The Promontory residents were accompanied at their press conference by representatives from the Chinese Canadian National Congress. Their mandate, as stated on their home page reads:
Hell of a way to promote understanding and cooperation between Chinese Canadians and all other ethnic, cultural and racial groups. Ineptly handled, which is why public sentiment is clearly against the condo owners.
June 4th, 2011 at 8:56 am
@Old guy:
Would anyone be allowed airtime just to say that? This story isnt even on the minds of most Chinese or other Vancouverites for
that matter.
I believe they just wanted the hospice somewhere else, not gone entirely. But, nonetheless, I wouldn't be happy about the people protesting if I were sick and dying.
June 4th, 2011 at 8:50 am
@Li Kai Shing:
He does not speak for Chinese people.
Game time!! Wooooohooooooo Go Canucks!!!!!!