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Advertorial in the Vancouver Sun

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In an editorial the Vancouver Sun says the best way to afford a house in Greater Vancouver is to buy a house far outside of Greater Vancouver:

That being said, RBC’s average price of a standard two-storey house of $843,300 may understate the case because there is virtually nothing detached on the west side for under $1 million and it’s slim pickings on the east side as well. Indeed, the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver says its benchmark price for all single detached homes in Metro Vancouver is $902,000. However, anyone prepared to commute can buy a lot of house nearby at prices far below those in the city. Detached homes can be had for just over $500,000 in Squamish, less than hour’s drive from downtown Vancouver; and $360,000 in Mission, at the end of the West Coast Express line. There are also bargains – relatively speaking – in Tsawwassen, Coquitlam, Langley and Surrey and other Lower Mainland communities.

How much are they being paid to publish this crap? Here’s the full Advertorial.

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Bob Rennie's gl

@patriotz:

DP's had to be sponsored in , did shite jobs and share crowded accomodations.

Also, many had to learn ENGLISH at their own cost before entering the public school system.

Now, it's a joke, no wonder Canada is a sinking joke.

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YLTN @ Work

Or just move to Malibu and buy a "mansion" for 900K

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-08-30/wealthy-…

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Frank

Here's how you can afford Vancouver Housing.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-08-30/sino-for…

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jesse1

@fixie guy: If that is the philosophy I have doubts many in the core of the Conservative movement believe it. Immigration in the '50s and '60s was coupled with high global growth and a construction boom to support a high birth rate. These days high unemployment and underemployment will make any quota increase unpopular.

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Ahab

@Frank Says:

I have to say that the anti-immigration posts ignore the fact that a lot of our most successful companies are set up by immigrants from Shopper’s to Future Shop (which was sold to Best Buy and the owner paid hundreds of Millions in tax) to many of the high tech like Wilan and JDS and pharma companies.

What we need is entreprenerial young people who have ideas and are willing to work hard. We have a tsunami of the elderly about to bankrupt our system.

Exactly how does that jibe with bringing over grandparents and great aunts/uncles?

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fixie guy

@50 Devore Says: "The real real reason for immigration, not just in Canada, but in all western nations, is to support the social programs for boomers…"

If that's the reasoning, the Statcan data I posted below suggests Canada spent decades admitting more boomers. Male boomers numbered roughly 225K, females 235K in 1962, 275K and 265K respectively in 2006 even factoring local mortality rates.

The real reason the feds are arguing to drive up quotas today, during a global recession, is the economic stimulus they provide now that the CMHC tap is dry. It's a criminal disservice to us and them. And the overloading of social services also suits Conservative views on their value and privatization.

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patriotz

"Years ago, post WW II when Canada need immigrants, there were very stringent requirements and little if any social programs.

One elderly Scottish lady I know said her mother was denied access to medicare till she lived in Canada for 10 years."

Come on off it, it was far easier to immigrate to Canada post-WWII than today. Canada took in huge numbers of "DP's" from Europe without any qualifications – some of whom turned out to be Nazi war criminals.

BTW Medicare did not exist until the mid-1960s.

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macho nacho

@Van MD: Just did the survey. May as well stand and be counted.

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jesse

August sales and listings update:

Average Sales 110

Total Sales 2302

Average Listings 217

Total Listings 4553

Average sell/list 51%

Days in month 22

Days elapsed 21

% days elapsed 95%

Expected sales 2,412

Expected listings 4,770

August 2010

Average Sales 106

Total Sales 2230

Average Listings 179

Total Listings 3768

Average sell/list 61%

Days in month 21

Days elapsed 21

% days elapsed 100%

Expected sales 2,230

Expected listings 3,768

Previous sales volume reported by REBGV (paulb. uses a slightly different count):

2005 3649

2006 2998

2007 3384

2008 1550

2009 3500

2010 2202

That's right, 27% increase in listings YOY. It's probably nothing, because it's been nothing for so long how could it be anything else? :mrgreen:

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Anonymouse

@Best place on meth: Well what do you know? It’s the end of August and yet we’re still making yearly highs in inventory.

Just like last year then? Inventory has peaked, nothing to get excited about this year.

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Frank

Here is an interesting thread at VREAA's site

http://vreaa.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/retirement-…

Look at the comment at the liabilities we have for one middle aged couple who want to retire in their fifties, without medicare costs and you will be astounded. It is in the comments sections below the piece. This is a bigger crisis than who gets in. The politicians know that we need a steady flow of dough AND people who are willing to provide care for low wages. the alternative is to cut entitlements and that wont fly.

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Bob Rennie's gl

Immigration has been about POLITICS.

Period.

The Politicians paint it as a good deed,humanitarian etc. etc when its simply to create " voting blocks" rich or poor. NOTE: Review PM Trudeau.

Years ago, post WW II when Canada need immigrants, there were very stringent requirements and little if any social programs.

One elderly Scottish lady I know said her mother was denied access to medicare till she lived in Canada for 10 years.

If you don't believe it, go back to your basement suite and play with yourself.

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Devore

@Phil: It's easier to just import them. The real real reason for immigration, not just in Canada, but in all western nations, is to support the social programs for boomers, who are slowly making their way through the demographic pyramid. Other thinly veiled reasons include "growing the economy" and various forms of altruism and humanitarian reasons, but ultimately they all lead to the need for more net tax payers. To be honest, I don't know whether on average immigrants into Canada are. I'm guessing so.

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Bob Rennie's gl

@Darth Turner:

No Growth can be infinite, there is some MAXIMUM wall that gets hit.

Add to that "growth" has ultimately been modelled as a ponzi scheme, given the way $$$ is created out of thin air .

Read the tea leaves, the bankers had the crystal ball…and saw they had one last shot.

Rest is a big UNknown, but also an opportunity. Learn contemporary survival skills ASAP

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Bob Rennie's gl

Nah, can't see them letting in more immigrants.

Menial jobs are being replaced, plus younger generation too lazy ,high expectations etc.

That leaves skilled and educated HERE that don't have jobs.

Forsee closed borders and protectionism anyway…charity begins at home. All modern day immigration has done is cherry pick the rich and create poverty at home.

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Devore

@Frank: This is the kind of simplistic, polarizing, with-us-or-against-us statement that doesn't do anyone any good. Virtually no one is against immigration. But a lot of people think the current model isn't working for Canada and its citizens.

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ReadyToPop

Anybody notice the comments under the Sun article? Whew…there's a lot of upset people. Makes this site look tame. I guess the big question is…do policy makers care?

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Best place on meth

@Anonymous: #43

The chart at the 3 minute mark paints a definitive picture of the death of the real estate market.

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chip

@Darth Turner:

Canada is a big country with plenty of room for people. Personally, I think immigration can be a big plus. But when there is a clear and significant net cost to the country, obviously we're not bringing in the right mix of people. This is partly explained by the fact that we rarely hear economic reasons for immigration these days. Instead, it's a fuzzy appeal to diversity and multiculturalism.

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Anonymous

Funky Patch says market "slightly tilted toward home buyers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEJfMyseVJ0

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Phil

@Frank, another way would be to ever increase a stable populations productivity. Again, you provide incentives for the natural population to reproduce, rather than replace it.

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Frank

@Darth Turner:

The problem is our social welfare net is not sustainable without a constant influx of money and tax-payers. So many are due to drop off the work force and become just consumers- pension, healthcare, nursing homes etc- that we need more people to sustain them. That's why a 20 year hard working couple are a bonus that many countries would want, but another retired 75 year old unfortunately isn't.

BTW- Canada was for some years a net exporter of people – especially to the US. The number of Canadian born US citizens runs into the hundreds of thousands and may even be a Million. I have lost the exact link.

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Phil

@ Darth, Ive been asking myself that same question. It boggles the mind. The only reason I can see is that the powers that be want cheap labour and make up reasons to convince (brainwash) the average inattentive citizen. Multicultural this, great food that.. Anyhow, the real way you should attempt to stabilize your population would be by encouraging the current population to reproduce. Not completely replace an aging population with third world citizens.

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Darth Turner

One question about our immigration policies that I've never heard answered – or for that matter even asked – is "Why do we need an ever-increasing population?" Every year Greater Vancouver adds another 30,000 people, with the accompanying increase in traffic, pollution, and construction. Does it make us better off? Do we get a bit happier with each added person? Is there a reason nobody even bothers to ask these questions?

I get that we need immigrants to keep our population from going down, but I don't get why we absolutely need it to keep going up, up, up forever.

I filled out the survey, but I'm pretty sure I still won't get an answer.

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Best place on meth

Well what do you know? It's the end of August and yet we're still making yearly highs in inventory.

And Global is lamenting the loss of our #1 status in a completely useless survey.

Does that mean the Chinese won't buy here anymore?

Look out Melbourne, here come the yellow hordes!

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