Saturday, December 27, 2008

Maria Mak - Sutton Centre Realty -2009 New Year's Resolution



I was totally defeated in this flu battle, my nose is all plugged up like the city catch basins from the heavy snow which started melting slowly like my slurpy.

As I was drinking my chicken soup, eating my ABC alphabets in the bowl, listening to Bob Dylan's " Workingman's Blues", my mind wouldn't stop wandering to my winter wonderland and the peaceful time I spent at my hobbit hut up at Whistler during last Christmas holidays.

My being bedridden has forced my brain to start thinking about my 2009 New Year's Resolution : Regardless how much gloom and doom the economists predict for 2009, I am determined to be sunny and cheerful and hopefully a better person next year. Hey... who am I anyway? Just a dedicated realtor serving my clients with a big heart and with a big smile.

Whether you are buying your first home, or are a property owner looking to sell or buy, upsize or downsize, or investment, Maria and her team have the experience and successful track record to provide you with the utmost confidence that your real estate experience working with me as your agent will be an enjoyable one.

Call Maria Mak and my team at Sutton Centre Realty 604-839-6368 or visit my website at http://www.mariamak.com/ , you'll be smiling too!

Monday, December 22, 2008

Maria Mak - Vancouver Realtor - Retreat to my gingerbread hobbit hut at Whistler









I will retreat to my gingerbread hobbit hut at Whistler from 23 December to 26 December 2008 to do some soul searching, once again thanks for all your business and support for this year and looking forward to serving you again with a big heart and with a big smile in 2009....for all your real estate needs, call Maria Mak at Sutton Centre Realty 604-839-6368 or visit my website at http://www.mariamak.com/ , you'll be smiling too...cheers.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Season's Greetings from Maria Mak - Sutton Centre Realty

Wishing all my clients and friends a Merry X'mas
and a Happy New Year.

Maria Mak - Vancouver Realtors®- /Burnaby Real Estate Agent




Sutton Centre Realty



3010 Boundary Road



Burnaby BC V5M 4A1



(Office): 604-435-9477



(Cell): 604-839-6368



Monday, December 15, 2008

Maria Mak - Burnaby Realtor - Melt the heart of Mr Snowman in this chilly chilly cold winter


Even though in this chilly cold cold winter morning minus 17 degree with wind chill factored in, I woke up with a cosy warm feeling in my heart.

Despite of all the negative bad news on our struggling economy , even the kid on the block and the doggie on the leash, are all talking about recession, depression, I firmly believe if you hold on to your DREAMS, step by step, day by day ...always... knowing truly one day, someday, you will get there and achieve all your goals. Yes...You can melt the heart of Mr Snowman in this deep freeze winter, heart to heart, toes to toes... oops! Yes... you can tackle and pull through all the difficulties in the uncertain future if you just believe.
Believe in yourself, be positive, be thankful, stay healthy, help the less fortunate, give generously, and be jolly for this coming happy holidays.
If you're thinking of buying and selling real estate, Contact Maria Mak and my team at Sutton Centre Realty for more creative financing or visit my website at http://www.mariamak.com/, you'll be smiling too!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Maria Mak . Burnaby Realtor - THANK YOU .

Believe it or not, it is possible not only to survive, but to thrive in tougher economic markets. And guess what…. if you learn how to profit even in “down” markets, than think how well you will flourish when things inevitably get better again.


They say that if you took all of the wealth in the world and spread it evenly amongst all the people, within 50 years 82% of the people would be in the same economic position as they are today. This is because wealth is behavior-based and less dependent on outside factors than you may realize.

Use this tough market as a wake-up call and condition yourself to take steps to adapt the behaviors necessary to truly build wealth for you and your family. Learn from the pros and the families that have withstood generations of ups and downs in the economy.

Recognize that thriving assumes surviving. Survival in these tough times is critical, but it’s not enough to just stop there. By focusing instead on thriving, survival is assured. You’ve got nothing to lose by living with an optimistic, great outlook; you have everything to lose by living in fear.
Acknowledge fear as natural and necessary, but insist on living beyond it.


Courage is not the lack of fear; rather it is the willingness to push on through fear. Consider what’s right about the situation and where the opportunities are. This is not always easy or natural, but it is always possible and for those choosing to thrive rather than simply survive, it is absolutely essential.

Invest in yourself. If you are thinking of buying and selling real estate, contact Maria Mak and my team at Sutton Centre Realty 604-839-6368 for more creative financing or visit my website at www.mariamak.com, you'll be smiling too!

Monday, December 8, 2008

10 reasons for selling during Christmas Holidays


1.Most December and early January buyers are particularly serious and very likely facing some sort of deadline.

2.January is the biggest transfer month of the year and job transferee’s use the holidays to house hunt.

3.Many people want to buy before the end of the year for financial and tax reasons.
Investors usually want to close by year-end for tax purposes.

4.Most sellers wait until spring or summer to list their home. This means that during the winter months your property will have far less competition versus any other time of the year.

5.Homes show well when decorated for the holidays creating a sense of family and people are much more emotionally drawn to the house, emotion sells.

6.Many people take vacation around the holidays allowing more time to look for a home.

7.Remodeling, decorating, appliance installation and other services are more available and at less of a premium.

8.Lenders aren’t as busy and can process mortgage loans faster.

9.Showings will be fewer and less intrusive, but more likely to be fruitful with motivated, qualified buyers.

10.Many homes that have been on the market for more than 60 days, will be taken off the market and relisted in January ie) less property on the market = more focus on your home.

Call Maria Mak at 604-839-6368 at Sutton Centre Reatly for free home market evaluation without any obligation NOW.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Slow home sales create window of opportunity


VANCOUVER, B.C. – December 2, 2008 – November reductions in home sales and prices have helped improve affordability in Greater Vancouver. However, November also saw a corresponding decrease in the number of new homes coming onto the market.

In its most recent statistics release, the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that residential property sales in Greater Vancouver declined 69.7 per cent in November 2008 to 874 from the 2,883 sales recorded in November 2007.

Residential benchmark prices, as calculated by the MLSLink Housing Price Index®, declined 12.8 per cent between May and November 2008, amounting to an 8.3 per cent year-to-date price reduction for detached, attached and apartment properties in Greater Vancouver between November 2007 and 2008. In May 2008, the overall residential benchmark price was $568,411, compared to $495,704 in November 2008.

“Times of turmoil, from which we always emerge, offer excellent opportunities to buy quality real estate,” says REBGV president, Dave Watt.“For those whose personal finances allow them to get involved, there are opportunities in today’s housing market that have not been seen in many years.

“The local real estate market is not immune to the current economic challenges globally; however, Canada’s disciplined lending structure has kept the mortgage landscape steady in these uncertain times.”

New listings for detached, attached and apartment properties declined 10.8 per cent to 3,012 in November 2008 compared to November 2007, when 3,377 new units were listed. Active listings in November declined 4.7 per cent to 18,348 from the 19,257 active listings in Greater Vancouver in October 2008.

Sales of detached properties in November 2008 declined 69.8 per cent to 322 from the 1,067 units sold during the same period in 2007. The benchmark price for detached properties declined 8.6 per cent from November 2007 to $666,525. Since May 2008, the benchmark price for a detached property in Greater Vancouver has declined 13.6 per cent.

Sales of apartment properties declined 67.9 per cent last month to 410 compared to 1,276 sales in November 2007. The benchmark price of an apartment property declined 8.6 per cent from November 2007 to $342,315. Since May 2008, the benchmark price for an apartment property in Greater Vancouver has declined 12.2 per cent.

Attached property sales in November 2008 decreased 73.7 per cent to 142, compared with the 540 sales in November 2007. The benchmark price of an attached unit declined 6.4 per cent between November 2007 and 2008 to $426,287. Since May 2008, the benchmark price for an attached property in Greater Vancouver has declined 11 per cent.


My clients having been asking me whether is it the best time to buy?
Real estate prices went through ups and downs just like a roller coaster. Nobody can see through the crystal ball. Always listen to your heart and put some senses into your head, get into the market when you're ready to take the ride, building up your equity at this very moment is always wise and sound!

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Maria Mak - Burnaby Realtor/Real Estate Agent - Why use a realtor?

Real estate licensees who are members of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver® are called REALTORS®. REALTORS® are committed to treat all parties to a transaction honestly. 

REALTORS® subscribe to a strict code of ethics and are expected to maintain a higher level of knowledge of the process of buying and selling real estate. An independent survey reports that 84% of home buyers would use the same REALTOR® again. 

Real estate transactions involve one of the biggest financial investments most people experience in their lifetime. Transactions today usually exceed $100,000. If you had a $100,000 income tax problem, would you attempt to deal with it without the help of a CPA? If you had a $100,000 legal question, would you deal with it without the help of an attorney? 

Considering the small upside cost and the large downside risk, it would be foolish to consider a deal in real estate without the professional assistance of a REALTOR®. But if you're still not convinced of the value of a REALTOR®, here are a dozen more reasons to use one:

1. Your REALTOR® can help you determine your buying power -- that is, your financial reserves plus your borrowing capacity. If you give a REALTOR® some basic information about your available savings, income and current debt, he or she can refer you to lenders best qualified to help you. Most lenders -- banks and mortgage companies -- offer limited choices.

2. Your REALTOR® has many resources to assist you in your home search. Sometimes the property you are seeking is available but not actively advertised in the market, and it will take some investigation by your agent to find all available properties.

3. Your REALTOR® can assist you in the selection process by providing objective information about each property. Agents who are REALTORS® have access to a variety of informational resources. REALTORS® can provide local community information on utilities, zoning. schools, etc. There are two things you'll want to know. First, will the property provide the environment I want for a home or investment? Second, will the property have resale value when I am ready to sell?

4. Your REALTOR® can help you negotiate. There are myriad negotiating factors, including but not limited to price, financing, terms, date of possession and often the inclusion or exclusion of repairs and furnishings or equipment. The purchase agreement should provide a period of time for you to complete appropriate inspections and investigations of the property before you are bound to complete the purchase. Your agent can advise you as to which investigations and inspections are recommended or required.

5. Your REALTOR® provides due diligence during the evaluation of the property. Depending on the area and property, this could include inspections for termites, dry rot, asbestos, faulty structure, roof condition, septic tank and well tests, just to name a few. Your REALTOR® can assist you in finding qualified responsible professionals to do most of these investigations and provide you with written reports. You will also want to see a preliminary report on the title of the property. Title indicates ownership of property and can be mired in confusing status of past owners or rights of access. The title to most properties will have some limitations; for example, easements (access rights) for utilities. Your REALTOR®, title company or attorney can help you resolve issues that might cause problems at a later date.

6. Your REALTOR® can help you in understanding different financing options and in identifying qualified lenders.

7. Your REALTOR® can guide you through the closing process and make sure everything flows together smoothly.

8. When selling your home, your REALTOR® can give you up-to-date information on what is happening in the marketplace and the price, financing, terms and condition of competing properties. These are key factors in getting your property sold at the best price, quickly and with minimum hassle.

9. Your REALTOR® markets your property to other real estate agents and the public. Often, your REALTOR® can recommend repairs or cosmetic work that will significantly enhance the salability of your property. Your REALTOR® markets your property to other real estate agents and the public. In many markets across the country, over 50% of real estate sales are cooperative sales; that is, a real estate agent other than yours brings in the buyer. Your REALTOR® acts as the marketing coordinator, disbursing information about your property to other real estate agents through a Multiple Listing Service or other cooperative marketing networks, open houses for agents, etc. The REALTOR® Code of Ethics requires REALTORS® to utilize these cooperative relationships when they benefit their clients.

10. Your REALTOR® will know when, where and how to advertise your property. There is a misconception that advertising sells real estate. The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® studies show that 82% of real estate sales are the result of agent contacts through previous clients, referrals, friends, family and personal contacts. When a property is marketed with the help of your REALTOR®, you do not have to allow strangers into your home. Your REALTOR® will generally prescreen and accompany qualified prospects through your property.

11. Your REALTOR® can help you objectively evaluate every buyer's proposal without compromising your marketing position. This initial agreement is only the beginning of a process of appraisals, inspections and financing -- a lot of possible pitfalls. Your REALTOR® can help you write a legally binding, win-win agreement that will be more likely to make it through the process.

12. Your REALTOR® can help close the sale of your home. Between the initial sales agreement and closing (or settlement), questions may arise. For example, unexpected repairs are required to obtain financing or a cloud in the title is discovered. The required paperwork alone is overwhelming for most sellers. Your REALTOR® is the best person to objectively help you resolve these issues and move the transaction to closing (or settlement).

Call Maria Mak at Sutton Centre Realty at 604-839-6368  or visit my website at http://www.mariamak.ca/  for all your real estate services, You'll be smiling too!