Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Maria Mak - Burnaby Realtor - Real Estate Websites you need to visit

 Maria Mak - Burnaby Realtor

Throughout the history of the Real
Estate Board of Greater Vancouver,
they’ve positioned themselves on
the cutting edge of technology and
developed some of the most industry-
altering programs and websites.
While real estate remains a people
business, consumers today have access
to scores of informat ion that can
help them find a REALTOR®, find a
property and connect all the dots in
between – all at the click of a mouse!
Here’s a list of useful site:


The Real Estate Board of Greater
Vancouver’s (REBGV) website offers
visitors a 360-degree look at local real
estate, providing detailed MLS® statistics,
monthly podcasts, consumer guidance
and other information and links.
On the site, you can track home prices
in your neighbourhood, search for a
REALTOR®, read about government
initiatives that impact local real estate,
and learn about various cost-savings
programs. The site features a wealth
of consumer information related to
buying and selling a home, from checklists
and FAQ’s to market data and
community profiles. One of the most
important measures in real estate is the
MLS®Link Housing Price Index (HPI),
and this website contains the latest HPI
data as well as a comprehensive breakdown
of home values across the region.


Log on and play ‘Adventures in Real Estate’.
Built and maintained by the Canadian
Real Estate Association, this site is filled
with good information for those looking
to buy or sell a home. As a bonus, there’s a
game that helps you test your knowledge
of buying and selling real estate. ‘Adventures
in Real Estate’ is an interactive game
that allows you to walk in the shoes of a
buyer or seller. Along the way, you’ll run
into several common instances associated
with buying and/or selling, with the
option of going it alone or asking a realtor.


The Real Estate Council of British
Columbia is the body responsible for
licensing and regulating realtors in
B.C. Their website is full of valuable
consumer protection information, as
well as information on how to become
a realtor. One of the features of this
site is the Complaints & Discipline
section, which allows consumers to
file complaints and get information
about recent disciplinary decisions.


Formerly mls.ca, this is the most
comprehensive real estate listing
website in the country.
Used extensively by Canadian realtors
and their clients, this website is the
most popular home listing website in
Canada. Last June, the Canadian Real
Estate Association (CREA) re-designed
the site. This change brought upgraded
search functions and capabilities, which
provide a streamlined experience for
people using the site. Using Microsoft
Virtual Earth technology, the site’s interactive
mapping capabilities allow users
to view active listings as they appear on
the map. As users zoom in and out of
specific areas, the map automatically
refines the display to show as many of
the active listings as possible within that
level of depth. Rolling your cursor over
one of the red dots that represents a
listing on the map will display a thumbnail
view of the property’s specifics.
The updated s i te features l inks
to the REALTORS® Care Foundat
ion and www.howreal torshelp.ca.



Learn about the real estate market
and homes for sale in Greater
Vancouver and the province.
The Realtylink website is a resource for
people looking to buy or sell a home in
B.C. The website contains home listings
for properties across the province. You
can find a REALTOR® in your community
or learn about the
mortgage process and details
regarding offers and completion.
If you’re looking for a property
in B.C., you can search by area
or MLS® number. If you’re looking
for a realtor, you can search
by name, company or area of
specialty. The site also features
links to online versions of the
Realtylink In-Print newspaper
produced for each geographical
area of Metro Vancouver.

For all your real estate services, please
Contact Maria Mak and my team at
Sutton Centre Realty at
604-839-6368 or visit my website at
you’ll be smiling too!

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Maria Mak - Burnaby Realtor/Real Estate Agent - How long will the low mortgage rates last?


            
 
Contact Maria Mak and her elite team @ Sutton Centre Realty @ 604-839-6368 for all your premium professional real estate services or visit her website www.mariamak.com

Maria has been serving her clients in Metro Vancouver for over 25 years with a big heart and with a big smile .THANK YOU .


With the Bank of Canada lowering rates by a full half point earlier this week, is this a good time to choose a variable rate mortgage?

Absolutely, even if you have to pay Prime plus .80 today, you're still below 3.5 %. Clearly these historic lows put us in uncharted territory. Another very valid question is; how long can we expect these low rates to last?

BOC boss Mark Carney, has adjusted his forecast for market recovery and is now saying 12-18 months, so we can expect these rates to stay low as long as the central bank is not concerned about inflation. In the meantime, be aware rates will eventually go up at one point over the next year or so and we could see an historic low on the long term rates as well, and when that happens it may be a good time to lock in.

For all your creative financing, please contact Maria Mak at Sutton Centre Realty at 604-839-6368 or visit my website at http://www.mariamak.com/, you will be smiling too!

Monday, March 9, 2009

Maria Mak - Burnaby Realtor - I feel lucky....



Some people seem to walk through life charmed, with a lucky turn waiting around every corner. Most of us, however, tend to find our luck in little ways throughout the days by capturing the moments that mean the most to us and keeping those memories close at heart.

I feel lucky each and every day… lucky to be able to count my blessings… lucky to be able to care for my family and friends… and lucky to be able to truly do my best for those around me.

How fortunate we are to have new chances, new challenges and new discoveries waiting for us. No need for lucky charms or four-leaf clovers, not when we have the opportunity to continuously learn, grow, give back and contribute to this wonderful world we live in.

I am blessed to work in an industry that allows me to do just that. As a REALTOR®, I have the opportunity to serve my community by sharing my real estate knowledge and experience with people who are very important in my life: my customers. I will always be here for you, with undeniable passion and unwavering commitment.

The way I see it, the best part is the fun I have making good friends and lasting memories along the way! How lucky is that?

For all your real estate services and all your creative mortgage financing, please contact Maria Mak at Sutton Centre Realty or visit my website at http://www.mariamak.com/, you'll be smiling too!

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Property listings decrease, as February sales improve


Vancouver, BC. March 3, 2009

Residential housing sales in Greater Vancouver rose 94 per cent in February compared to the month before, with 1,480 sales registered in February compared to 762 sales in January,which was the slowest month for housing sales in 25 years. Over the past 10 years, February sales have typically surpassed January by an average increase of 53 per cent.

At the same time, new MLS® listings for residential properties continued to decrease for the fourth month in a row. New listings decreased 25.6 per cent in February compared to the previous year; 20 per cent in January; 8.6 per cent in December, and 10 per cent in November.
There are terrific opportunities out there right now, but with property listings continuing to decrease, those opportunities may be available only for a brief window of time, said Dave Watt, president of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver(REBGV)

REBGV reports that year-over-year property sales in Greater Vancouver declined 44.7 per cent in February 2009 from the 2,676 sales recorded in February 2008. Year over year, those are the lowest sales figures for February since the mid 1980s.

REALTORS® are reporting more activity compared to recent months as people begin to see whether their position in the housing market has strenthened as a result of falling interest rates and improved affordability,. Watt say. It took , on average, 67 days to sell to sell a home in Greater Vancouver in February, seven days less than last month, but behind the seller.s market of last February when the average stood at 33 days.

Sales of detached properties in February 2009 declined 41 per cent to 587 from the 995 units sold during the same period in 2008. The benchmark price, as calculated by the MLSLink Housing Price Index®, for detached properties declined 14.2 per cent from February 2008 to $653,452.

Sales of apartment properties declined 45.6 per cent last month to 650, compared to the 1,197 sales in February 2008. The benchmark price of an apartment property declined 13.9 per cent from February 2008 to $333,143.

Attached property sales in February 2009 decreased 49.8 per cent to 243, compared with the 484 sales during the same month in 2008. The benchmark price of an attached unit declined 9.7 per cent between Februarys 2008 and 2009 to $426,268.

New listings for detached, attached and apartment properties declined 25.6 per cent to 3,916 in February 2009 compared to February 2008, when 5,260 new units were listed.

Source from Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver is an association representing more than 9,500 REALTORS®.