“Is there really a demand for such high-end properties? What do “most” Vancouverites pay in rent, anyway?”

I am not sure there is that much demand. I think a lot of these rents can be negotiated down. I pay $2200 per month for a newer waterfront 2 bed + den condo downtown. It was advertised at $2700 per month and I offered $2200 (the amount the previous tenant was paying). They took it. I have now been here 3 years with no rent increases. I often see similar places advertised from $2500 to $3200 per month. Even the ones at $2500 seem to sit and get reposted on CL for a month or two so I doubt the ones at the higher end ever get rented for that price.

I have no idea what “most” vancouverites pay, but I pay 1140 a months for a nice 60s (dated kitchen, but clean and spacious) 1 bed, 10th floor apt. in the west end.

@Patiently Waiting:

I was thinking the same thing myself-we’ve been in the market for a larger rental for awhile now (no rush). I keep coming up with 3 bedroom townhouses in the west for $2700-$3600/month, coal harbour townhouses for $7600/month, commercial drive for $2700….meanwhile we’re looking at $2000/month or less (and feeling very poor, though to me $2000/month rent is a big chunk of change). I never knew people in Vancouver were able to pay such huge rents! Is there really a demand for such high-end properties? What do “most” Vancouverites pay in rent, anyway?

Western Capitalist sleazy crooks don’t pay their fair share of taxes

“UK lawmakers will quiz executives of Starbucks, Google and Amazon on Monday about how they have managed to pay only small amounts of tax in Britain while racking up billions of dollars worth of sales here.”

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/uk-lawmakers-will-question-google-starbucks-amazon-execs-in-tax-dodging-probe-2012-11#ixzz2Bydy4uTS

@asalvari1:

It’s unfair to say its a secret when the reality is its just irrelevant information.

Is there a way to access bc assessments for previous years ? It seems to me the best kept secret (previous assessments)

and it was built in 8888….

wait until the assessed value goes down by 100k, then the real fun begins.

http://www.realtor.ca/propertyDetails.aspx?propertyId=12274672&PidKey=2097225926

Warms my heart every time I see a listing description that has the phrase: “Price well under assessment” – in this case almost 10%.

Went to an open house yesterday on the north shore at Berwick Ave.
The development was disgusting to say the least, no privacy and asking 800K + HST for a 1700 sq ft duplex of questionable quality. The selling agent was an older persian looking guy.

The interesting part happened when we said good bye and walked back over the plank (yes a 2″ x10″ plank) that separated the property from the sidewalk. A woman walking her dog stared in horror as we made our way over, she said this is breaking all kinds of codes and the realtor should be ashamed.

She said she knew the bylaws well, why ? because of course she was a realtor too ! hah !

@Groundhog:
Ahhh…it’s a spoof.

The perils of stashing your life savings in the couch because you distrust the banking cartel.

A 9 year old boy in the Ukraine found his parents’ life savings– $3300 US –hidden in the couch. The money was in US dollars and Euros. He laundered the money into Ukrainian currency with the help of an adult with a mental disability. He then used the money to buy lots of candy– so much candy he couldn’t eat it all and had to share it with his friends.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourcommunity/2012/11/9-year-old-boy-blows-his-parents-life-savings-on-candy.html

@Yalie:

If that’s his mission, he’ll be at it for 100 years

The problem is huge. These astronauts are hiding accounts in double trusts offshore.

May I suggest that until we see a few 747s loaded with scofflaw being flown back to shanghai, that this is all just optics. This is the same party that has allowed the HD mining plan to import 2000 chinese coal miners.

http://www.cbc.ca/thisisthat/mobile/touch/blog/2012/10/24/new-list-ranks-canadians-as-the-most-unattractive-people-in-the-world/

BPOE…..

@T:

Google is one of the worst for that I heard. It uses companies in low tax jurisdictions to avoid taxes.

They avoid taxes in the US by moving money to Europe and vice-versa. Other companies do it too.

http://www.dofonline.co.uk/content/view/6617/152/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/oct/14/us-investigates-google-tax-strategies

If an individual did that they would be heading to jail. However I don’t see nay anger when multinationals do it. More money for CEO bonsues

@RealityCheck

“At present, there are no exit controls. At present, all that is required is a letter saying I’m leaving. Nobody checks to see if you’ve actually left.”

Please provide some proof. I’ve read papers where the CBSA raided a church or was it Sikh temple to deport a paraplegic. I doubt anyone would choose to stay and live off grid. Don’t think it’s possible. Bank accounts, car insurance, drivers license. They’d have to give up their independence .

“All this creates demand for rental housing and affects us.”
That might affect you negatively, but it brings in foreign capital and supports our service industry. But then again, where are the numbers?

Kenney shouldn’t get any credit yet.

He must ensure that those Temporary Foreign Workers and students whose Visa expires actually leave the country. At present, there are no exit controls. At present, all that is required is a letter saying I’m leaving. Nobody checks to see if you’ve actually left.

Result: many undocumented workers working in ethnic ghettos for ethnic businesses. Also the temp students program is a scam. More on that later.

All this creates demand for rental housing and affects us.