Friday, August 31, 2012

Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor. BC Home Sales to rise in 2013



BCREA 2012 Third Quarter Housing Forecast Update

Vancouver, BC – August 30, 2012.
The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) released its 2012 Third Quarter Housing Forecast Update today.

BC Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) residential sales are forecast to edge down 4 per cent to 73,400 units this year, before increasing 7.5 per cent to 78,900 units in 2013. Since 2009, MLS® residential sales in BC have ranged between 74,000 to 78,000 units. A record 106,300 MLS® residential sales were recorded in 2005.

"Despite more robust consumer demand in the Interior, fewer home sales in Vancouver will pull the BC total lower this year," said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. "However, a notable growth trend in full-time employment combined with persistently low mortgage interest rates is expected to boost housing demand around the province in 2013."

"MLS® residential prices are expected to remain relatively stable this year and through 2013, with changes in average price statistics largely the result of a differing mix of home types sold and shifting regional demand patterns," added Muir. Average price data for Vancouver was skewed artificially high in 2011 by a wave of detached home sales in the priciest neighbourhoods. Lower Mainland’s share of provincial home sales is expected to decline to 58 per cent this year from 62 per cent in 2011. The average MLS® residential price in BC is forecast to decline 7.8 per cent to $517,500 this year, and remain relatively unchanged at $519,000 in 2013.

For all premium real estate services, contact Maria Mak @ 604.839.6368 or visit her website
www.mariamak.com, You will be smiling too.



Saturday, August 18, 2012

Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtors. Understanding Agency Relationship when working with REALTOR®

The agency relationship is established through a contract between you, the client, and your agent, the company under which the REALTOR® is licensed. Most REALTOR® use a blue brochure titled Working with a Real Estate Agent to disclose the nature of the agency relationship with their client.

A REALTOR® can act for a seller or a buyer, or to a limited degree, both. Whomever they represent, REALTORS® have a legal obligation to uphold the integrity of their clients, while protecting and promoting their interests.

Seller's AgentBuyer's Agent Dual Agency  

•For your REALTOR® to list your property for sale on MLS®, the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver requires completion of a listing agreement.

•Signing this agreement with you commits your REALTOR® to uphold the above obligations.

•The listing agreement also states the compensation amount the seller will pay the REALTOR®.

•The contract of purchase and sale is initiated when an offer is made by the buyer to purchase the sellers's property.

•The contract outlines the terms and conditions of the offer, such as offer price and subject conditions.

•The seller may reject the offer or make a counter offer.

•Once all terms have been accepted and both seller and buyer have signed the contract, each party is legally bound to fulfill the conditions of the contract.

•Dual agency is created when an agent represents both the buyer and seller in a single transaction.

•This can happen if a REALTOR® who is representing a buyer, sells one of their own listings to that buyer.

•A dual agent must be impartial to both buyer and seller and fully disclose all information relating to the transaction.

•A REALTOR® can be a dual agent only if both seller and buyer agree in writing.

Remember: always read all contracts and disclosure forms before signing. If you have questions about agency relationships contact your REALTOR® or Maria Mak @ Sutton Centre Realty or visit her website at www.mariamak.com , You'll be smilling too!



 




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Friday, August 17, 2012

Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor... I am still drawing

 



I have been drawing

with all my senses,

thick or thin,

happy or sad,

I am…still

drawing.







Photography and written by Maria Mak . Burnaby Realtor










 

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtors. BC Websites for Home Buyers

Technology has been a driving force behind the transformation of many industries. While real estate remains a people business, consumers today have access to scores of information that can help them find an property, a REALTOR® and connect all the dots in between.

Purchasing a home will likely be the most important buying decision you’ll ever have to make so it is important to do your own research, understand your rights and find professionals that you are most comfortable working with.

If you’re deciding whether to buy or sell a home, it’s critical that you understand and properly assess your personal and financial circumstances against current housing opportunities.


The REALTORS® of Canada and other real estate professionals have provided a wealth of information online to help you understand what opportunities are out there for you and your family to consider.
www.realtor.ca

Formerly mls.ca, this is the most comprehensive and popular real estate listing website in the country.

In 2008, the Canadian Real Estate Association rebranded and re-designed mls.ca to become realtor.ca. This change brought upgraded search functions and capabilities, which provide a streamlined experience for people using the site.

If you’re looking for a property in BC, you can search by area or MLS® number. If you’re looking for a REALTOR®, you can search the province by name, company or area of specialty.

www.realtylink.org


Learn about the real estate market and homes for sale in Greater Vancouver and the province.

The online version of this publication, the Realtylink website is an excellent resource for consumers looking to buy or sell a home in BC. The website contains a vast range of home listings for properties across the province and features indepth walkthrough-style information that everyone should know when dealing in real estate. If you’re buying, you can find a REALTOR® in your community or learn more about the mortgage process and details regarding offers and completion.

If you’re selling, you can learn about establishing your home’s value and how to prepare it before it goes on the market.
The site also features links to market data and online versions of the Realtylink In Print newspaper produced for each geographical area in Metro Vancouver.

www.rebgv.org

A wide-ranging, one-stop website for real estate information. The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver’s website offers visitors a 360-degree look at local real estate, providing detailed MLS® statistics, monthly podcasts, consumer guidance and other information and links related to local real estate.

On the site, you can track home prices in your area, search for a REALTOR®, read about government initiatives that impact local real estate, and learn about the various cost-savings programs available for homebuyers and sellers.

The site also 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 of home value 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.
www.recbc.ca

A site for consumer protection and industry regulation.

The Real Estate Council of British Columbia is the body responsible for licensing and regulating REALTORS® in BC. Their website is full of valuable consumer protection information, as well as information on how to become a REALTOR®.

One of the most important features of this site is the Complaints and Discipline section, which allows consumers to file complaints against REALTORS® and inform themselves about recent disciplinary decisions.

www.howrealtorshelp.ca


Built and maintained by the Canadian Real Estate Association, this site is filled with good information for those looking to buy and sell a home.

The site offers information for buyers and sellers on a variety of topics and includes brief videos to illustrate examples.

You can also find handy tools like checklists for buyers and sellers and mortgage calculators.

For all your premium real estate services, please contact Maria Mak @ 604.839.6368 or visit her website www.mariamak.com, You'll be smiling too.



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Monday, July 23, 2012

Maria Mak . Burnaby Realtor. When someone asks how house prices are doing...

When someone asks how house prices are doing in a particular neighbourhood, the question seems easily answered.

The big real estate boards all issue monthly price reports that spell out what the average selling price was in the previous month and how that compares to the month, and the year, before.

But there's a problem with trying to divine market direction from average price data. It's just too blunt a tool.

If real estate — as the saying goes — is really about "location, location, location," then average prices frequently don’t capture the reality of what's going on in a particular city or neighbourhood.

Calculating the average house price is as simple as adding up the prices realized for all home sales in a particular month and dividing by the number of sales. The problem with that metric begins to emerge, however, when one or more parts of the housing market don't act in tandem with all the other segments, as they seldom do.

Average price:
The average price is the figure obtained by dividing the total dollar volume of sales in a given period by the number of sales.
For instance, what happens if the percentage of really expensive homes sold drops more than it does for other types of homes? That could lead to a big drop in the average selling price, even though the price of more moderate homes may be little changed.

That exact scenario played out with the release of the June sales figures from the Canadian Real Estate Association. Among the ocean of figures CREA released was the fact that the average resale price across the country that month was down 0.8 per cent from the same month a year earlier.

It left the impression that prices in the Canadian housing market had dropped compared to the previous year.

Median price:
After ranking all sales in a given time period in numerical order, the median price is the statistical mid-point where half the sales represent cheaper homes and half are more expensive
It turns out that the national average price dropped only because Vancouver's pricey real estate market had 28 per cent fewer sales this June than it did in June 2011.

Exclude Vancouver from the national figures and CREA says the average national selling price last month actually rose 3.2 per cent. In fact, CREA reports the average home price in June was higher year-over-year in 70 per cent of the local markets it looked at.

Average price data within cities are also vulnerable to a shift in the sales mix.

What if a huge batch of low-priced condos are snapped up one month? That would send the average price lower, even though the resale market for other types of housing may not have budged at all.

So it comes as no surprise that economists who analyze the real estate market hate averages.

"Averages are a horrible place to go," says Tsur Somerville, who heads up the Centre for Urban Economics and Real Estate at the University of British Columbia.

Toronto is in the midst of a major condo-building boom, which experts say makes the sector more vulnerable to future price drops. (John Rieti/CBC)
Gregory Klump, the chief economist at CREA, agrees. Using average prices is "like looking in a funhouse mirror," he warns.

Finding the median price, which involves ranking all sales from top to bottom and finding the sale price that's in the middle, is a bit better, Somerville says, but it's still flawed methodology. Like average prices, the median fails to take into account changes in buying patterns.

Economists say there are more sophisticated methods that give a better sense of market trends than either averages or medians.

1. The hedonic approach
More than 15 years ago, the MLS developed its own home price index to get a clearer picture of price trends. It uses a complex statistical model to measure the rate at which housing prices change over time by tracking price changes in "typical" homes in each market. Each neighbourhood has a typical benchmark home.

CREA, in addition to providing average home price data, also releases MLS home price index data for five major markets: Greater Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Calgary, the Greater Toronto Area and Montreal. Sixteen additional markets are slated to be added in the future.

"If you really want an accurate measure of what's going on with home prices, you've got to keep the quality of the homes constant," says CREA's Klump. "That's what the [MLS home price index] does. It compares apples with apples over time. It's not subject to a change in the sales mix the way average and median prices are."

What difference do the different approaches make? In Vancouver, for instance, the average selling price in June was $701,141, down 13.3 per cent from last year. But using the MLS home price index methodology, Greater Vancouver prices actually rose year-over-year by 1.7 per cent.

2. The repeat sales method
This method of tracking home prices looks at how the price of the same house changes over time, so that only properties with at least two sales are entered into the mix. The assumption underlying this process is that each selected property's overall quality remains constant.

Given the high rate of renovations, that can be problematic, but the statistical models attempt to account for that.

The Teranet-National Bank home price index is the best-known example of the repeat sales method in Canada.

"The statistics work out the problem that not every house sells every year," says Somerville, who uses data from both the MLS and the Teranet-National Bank home price indices to track market trends.

In the U.S., the widely tracked Case-Shiller home price index uses the repeat sales method, too.

3. Other methods
Somerville cites a couple of other indicators to track housing price trends.

The Royal Lepage house price survey is a quarterly look at seven types of housing in dozens of neighbourhoods across Canada. The values are estimates of fair market value in each of the surveyed locations, based on local home price data and knowledge of local housing market conditions provided by Royal Lepage real estate agents and brokers.

"In theory, it should be problematic, because it's a survey," says Somerville. "It's not based on actual data. But it moves very well with the higher quality statistical data."

Some market watchers also look at the sales-to-new-listings ratio. Currently, it's at 51.7 per cent nationally and has been trending down. Anything over 60 per cent is considered a sellers' market, with anything below 40 per cent being a buyers' market.

Somerville also looks at sales activity. "Changes in sales tend to lead market conditions," he says. "So when sales are declining, that's the best sign of a weakening market, although price declines don't have to follow. You can get prices flat-lining; they don't have to decline."

Cooling market
Currently, the number of sales in most markets in Canada is slowing. Overall, CREA reports 4.4 per cent fewer sales in June than a year earlier.

At the same time, year-over-year prices aren't retreating in most markets, at least yet. But the recent tightening in mortgage regulations could change that and it could show up as early as August, when sales and price figures for July are released.

"We do anticipate that some first-time buyers will be priced out of the market," Klump says.

These days, the operative words among Canadian housing market watchers seem to be "slowing" and "cooling."

"The cycle of eroding affordability followed by softening home prices has begun in some regions and will be felt in many parts of the country by year-end," Royal Lepage CEO Phil Soper forecasts. "Home prices cannot grow faster than salaries and the underlying economy indefinitely."

Somerville says that of all the housing markets in Canada, Toronto is the one that bears watching. "If I was concerned about a market, I'd be more concerned about Toronto, because the level of building activity has been very, very high there," he says, referring to the the boom in condo-building.

"You see supply levels being very high by historic standards in terms of construction," he says. "I'm not saying things have to go sour; I'd just be more concerned [about Toronto] than elsewhere."

% change in home prices year-over-year
(June 2011 to June 2012 unless indicated otherwise)
City Average price
MLS Home Price Index

Teranet-National Bank HPI (May data) Royal Lepage House Price Survey (Q2)
Vancouver -13.3% +1.7% +4.4% +3.3% to +5.5%
Calgary +2.5% +5.6% +3.5% -0.8% to +5.0%
Toronto +7.3% +7.9% +9.9% +5.5% to +8.3%
Montreal +3.7% +2.7% +4.5% + 0.5% to +3.9%
Sources: CREA, MLS, Teranet-National Bank, Royal Lepage

For all your premium real estate services , please contact Maria Mak @ 604.839.6368 or visit her website www.mariamak.com, you'll be smiling too .

Friday, July 13, 2012

Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor - Chasing my paper moon...


crunched,

tossed
in the bin,

bewildered,

lost,

not a clue;

with the grace of your pull,

and the gent of your push;

rebounced,

refurbished,

re-enlightened,



will you follow me
chasing my paper moon?


Drawing and written by Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor



















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Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Maria Mak. Burnaby Real Estate Agents - 16 ways to sell your home faster


When selling a home , the marketing effort must be coordinated on all fronts. It also must be superior to the competition. This is especially true in a buyers’ market where the homes sitting on the market seemingly outnumber the potential home buyers. In such an environment, you must lift your home out from this crowd and highlight it in the best way possible. You must out-think the competition.


All good marketing efforts begin life as a sound, basic plan and then evolves to fit the particular property and situation. Cut from whole cloth and then tailor-made, such a plan will incorporate innovative new ideas and “rearrange” old ones.



1. Select a Quality Realtor . There are some realtors who are little more than “order takers” who literally can’t properly write out a contract, much less have the hard-won knowledge needed to position your home in the most appropriate and effective way for your particular market. So how do you find such an experienced, market aggressive realtor? Ask around. Check with friends and get some names. When selling in today’s market, you need to be in the hands of a practicing “doctor” and not someone eager to practice on you.


2. The market evaluation should compare your home with at least 10 currently active competitive listings, 10 recent competitive sales and 10 expired listings which didn’t sell. Drive over and check out these benchmark properties yourself to ensure the realtor has put your home in the right “ballpark”. If you disagree, find out the reasoning as to why the realtor has so placed your home. The reasons could be good ones indeed. (Or vice versa.)


3. Once you’ve vetted all three choices, go with the realtor whose combination of experience, proven performance and action-plan for your home is the most impressive. But be careful not to confuse impressive with unattainable.


4. Ensure your home is listed on the realtor’s personal website and other media like ethnic newspaper and magazine. The more exposure, the better.



5. Underline to the realtor that you wish to be kept informed of the sales progress at least once a week during the entire listing period. Every time the home is shown to prospective buyers, ensure the realtor informs you in advance and also gives you a feedback as to the viewer’s reaction to the home. On the other hand, don’t overdo it. Be courteous and be careful not to nag the realtor. When dealing with a professional, be professional.


6. Price Your Home Right: Yes, we all need and want the best price. But be realistic. It might do wonders for the ego and daydreams, but a high price tag does little if it doesn’t come accompanied with a sale. If anything, it has kept your home effectively out of the market. Once you and your realtor have agreed upon an asking price based upon the aforementioned market evaluation, bring in a reality check. Based on your understanding of the competition, is the pricing realistic? This is particularly important in a market where prices are falling.

7. Create a “Benefit and Feature” Sheet For Your Home: Reach back in time and remember why you bought the home in the first place. What caught your eye, what appealed to you? Write these reasons down; more often than not, new buyers will also be attracted to these same features. List every good point, every benefit, your property and your neighborhood enjoys. Today, people want information. Lots of it. Think about the basics and spell them out. A good agent will know the answers already, but nonetheless, these basic features should be highlighted in your feature sheet.


8. Place Your Home on the MLS: If a home is to sell, it must have maximum exposure. The Multiple Listing Service will give it that exposure. As well, ensure your home is put on the Agents Open or MLS Agents Tour so as to educate other realtors as to the home’s potential. But two months is all you need to get on.


9. Buy Some Extra Enthusiasm: Human beings almost always act in their own self-interest first. Take advantage of this to promote some extra interest in your own property. Offer something special to encourage realtors to bring in those offers. Depending upon how hard it is to sell your home (higher price, tough area, unique features that appeal to few, future potential versus today’s reality), offer extra commission to the realtor who brings in the sale…but only if he or she brings it in at the full asking price. As most offers are invariably lower, it’s unlikely you’ll actually end up paying the extra commission, but it does work as an incentive.


10. Advertise: Consider a cost-effective advertising campaign and review such a plan with your realtor. How big an advertisement? Placed where? How often? Review the ad itself with the realtor and test-market it past a few unbiased friends, associates and so forth. Keep your ego out of it.


11. Let Nothing Escape the Net: Insist that the realtor presents to you all and any offers that come in, no matter how low or seemingly impossible. If someone is willing to write an offer, be considerate enough to see it. Besides, it gives you a better idea of just how the market is reacting to your property.


12. First Impressions Do Count: Fix up your home but do it with “resale” in mind: take care of the eye-catching areas and don’t waste the effort (and money) on the rest. The first thing a potential buyers sees is the front porch or entrance. Fix that wobbly front step or squeaky door. Repaint the front door, bathrooms and kitchen. Use off-white or general neutral colors only. If the rug is frayed or stained, consider removing them and going with hardwood floors (assuming you’ve got them and they’re in reasonable shape). Again, sell the “idea” of the place’s renovation potential but don’t waste the effort to carry it through and do the actual doing. Let the new owners do it. But with that said, there are certain largish renovations which may add more cost-effective resale value than others.


13. Spread the Word: Hand out the feature sheet and unique offer/special commission information to everyone you know, including your secretaries, part-time staff and whomever. You never know who the information will get passed on to next.


14. Don’t be afraid to be Different: Agents regularly send out “I Just Listed” flyers to other homes in the neighborhood in the hope of engendering new business. Fine, but check out the flyer and make sure he or she lists the special features and special incentives of your home and not just the standard ubiquitous “vanilla-flavored” preprinted card. Be different. Again, you never know who ends up reading this detailed information. And again, nothing succeeds like success.


15. Declutter and then declutter again. Depersonalize and neutralize. The first items that should go in those packing boxes: family photos, collections and just about anything else that says “you.” Show the home from its best possible side. Have people see how they would feel if they owned the home. Developers have show suites and show homes for a reason.


16. Stage your home! Have a professional come in and help. Stand in the doorway to find each room’s focal point, and use furniture placement to highlight that. The back of your sofa shouldn’t block the view of the fireplace, for example. Remove any extraneous pieces of furniture. “Re-position” them into another room … or into storage altogether. A wingback chair that’s crowding the family room might help create a nice reading nook in the master bedroom. There are a number of reasons why homes don’t sell: overpriced, poor location, poor condition, intense competition as many similar homes similarly priced are all fighting for attention. Homes that do sell are those that are tended diligently by the professional realtor, are priced right (as in just below the competition) and have something unique about them that attracts the buyer’s attention in the first place. You have the right to demand an attentive, professional, upbeat realtor, a person who creates a solid, comprehensive action plan (in writing) and does so in a measurable way (number of showings, numbers of interested buyers, etc.). A good realtor keeps you informed all the way. Be focused. Insist that your realtor be equally as focused. There is no such thing as accidental success. It’s always earned and always comes with a price.




***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 @ www.mariamak.com, you’ll be smiling too!


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Saturday, June 30, 2012

Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor . A poem for my beloved G Bro





let’s peep,

let’s wonder;

be bold,

be gifted;

be thankful for you and me…

have met on the same path,

have pounded on the same dream,

have soared at the same height;

let's play our pianos,

let's write our songs;

be fused

be amazed,

till the last drop of our tears,

till the death of our front dwarfs;

don't bid farewell,

don't say goodbye,

let’s sit together,

 on top of our mount green,

watching the sunset …maybe the sunrise; 

fossils forever and ever.


  

*a poem for my beloved G Bro*

written and drawing by Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor

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Thursday, June 14, 2012

Maria Mak.Burnaby Realtor. Home Price Index for Lower Mainland , May 2012

Maria Mak – Burnaby Realtor – Home Price Index for Lower Mainland, May 2012

-Maria Mak – Burnaby Realtor – Home Price Index for Lower Mainland, May 2012

Home Price Index for Lower Mainland, May 2012

Benchmark Price Index 1 Month +/- 6 Month +/- 1 Year +/- 3 Year +/- 5 Year +/-

Residential (Greater Vancouver Average)

$625,100163.90.63.03.324.020.1
$558,300157.60.52.83.020.315.3

Detached

$779,800165.70.43.04.629.323.1

Townhouse

$402,200146.0-0.11.20.813.19.2

Apartment

$346,500152.00.93.11.512.17.8

How To Read The Table:

BENCHMARK PRICE:
Estimated sale price of a benchmark property. Benchmarks represent a typical property within each market.

–>PRICE INDEX:Index numbers estimate the percentage change in price on typical and constant quality properties over time. All figures are based on past sales.In January 2005, the index = 100Key:* = Sales sample too small; Price information not reported.
The above info is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed. All dollar amounts in CDN.


For all your premium real estate services,, please contact Maria Mak and her team at Sutton Centre Realty at 604-839-6368 or visit her website www.mariamak.com, You will be smiling too!

About mariamak

Your Artsy Real Estate Asian At Sutton Centre Realty. Serving all my clients in real estate in Greater Vancouver since 1989 with a big heart and with a big smile, most importantly with passion.
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Thursday, May 24, 2012

Maria Mak - Burnaby Realtor - and the worms ate into my brain...

 

I have the urge to change the world not in my own war,

and have the desire to warm the coldest heart ever come across,

maybe I have the smile to melt down the previous Berlin wall,

or have the mellow power to soften your hard water ball,

but most of all...

I have the perseverance to keep on chasing our dreams...

dream on for you and me!



Written and Drawing by Maria Mak





Contact Maria Mak @ Sutton Centre Realty @ 604-839-6368 for your premium real estate services or visit her website http://www.mariamak.com/, you will be smiling too!

Friday, May 18, 2012

Maria Mak - Burnaby Realtor - I feel extremely 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 extremely 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?

Take advantages of these low mortages rates offered by Sutton Mortgage Program and contact Maria Mak and my team at Sutton Centre Realty today at 604-839-6368, or visit my website at http://www.mariamak.com/, you’ll be smiling too!


Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Maria Mak. Burnaby Real Estate Agent - Till the death of my dwarf...


Till the death of my dwarf do we part!

I am not afraid of being me,

It is the me who open the real me in me.

There are so many questions waiting to be answered,

But will I be satisfied when the answer is answered with another open question.


Drawing and written by Maria Mak


Thursday, May 10, 2012

Maria Mak - Out of the mundane...


Out of the mundane,

Out of the blue,

Before the sun set sail to the wind,

And the soul caught full in the guilt,

May you and the sky be the one we knew…

Out of the picture …out of the blue.


Drawing and Written by Maria Mak
        
 

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 .


Maria Mak - Sweet Ballerina


Oh...my my sweet ballerina,
tiptoe on your dull world,
fly like a little bird,
defy the law between the gravity and the melody,
 spread your wings through the trinity,
 the love, the hate, the in between,
 the show must go on... silently.

Drawing by Maria Mak 
 
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 .

Monday, March 26, 2012

Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor @ Sutton Centre Realty


            
 
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 .

Closer alignment between home buyer and seller activity helped bring greater balance to the Greater Vancouver housing market in February.

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that residential property sales in Greater Vancouver reached 2,545 on the MLS® system in February 2012. This represents a 61.4 per cent increase compared to the 1,577 sales recorded in January 2012, a decline of 17.8 per cent compared to the 3,097 sales in February 2011 and a 2.9 per cent increase from the 2,473 home sales in February 2010.

February sales in Greater Vancouver were the third lowest February total in the region since 2002, though only 151 sales below the 10-year average.

“With a sales-to-active-listings ratio of over 18 per cent, we see fairly balanced conditions in our marketplace as we move into the traditionally busier spring season,” Rosario Setticasi, REBGV president said.

New listings for detached, attached and apartment properties in Greater Vancouver totalled 5,552 in February 2012. This represents a 2.5 per cent decline compared to February 2011 when 5,693 properties were listed, and a 3.5 per cent decline compared to January 2012 when 5,756 homes were added to the MLS® in Greater Vancouver.

Last month’s new listing count was the second highest February total in Greater Vancouver since 1996.

At 14,055, the total number of residential property listings on the MLS® increased 12 per cent in February compared to last month and increased 17.9 per cent from this time last year.

“Region-wide we’ve seen relative stability in home prices over the last six months, but it’s important to do your homework and consult your REALTOR® because pricing can vary considerably depending on the neighbourhood and property type,” Setticasi said.

The MLS® HPI benchmark price for all residential properties in Greater Vancouver currently sits at $670,900, up 5.8 per cent compared to February 2011 and an increase of 0.9 per cent compared to January 2012. The benchmark price for all residential properties in the Lower Mainland is $601,300, an increase of 5.3 per cent compared to February 2011.

Sales of detached properties on the MLS® in February 2012 reached 1,101, a decline of 21.5 per cent from the 1,402 detached sales recorded in February 2011, and a 12 per cent increase from the 983 units sold in February 2010. The benchmark price for detached properties increased 10.5 per cent from February 2011 to $1,042,900.

Sales of apartment properties reached 1,020 in February 2012, a decline of 15.4 per cent compared to the 1,206 sales in February 2011, and a decrease of 5 per cent compared to the 1,074 sales in February 2010. The benchmark price of an apartment property increased 2.8 per cent from February 2011 to $373,300.

Townhome property sales in February 2012 totalled 424, a decline of 13.3 per cent compared to the 489 sales in February 2011, and a 1.9 per cent increase from the 416 townhome properties sold in February 2010. The benchmark price of a townhome unit declined 0.8 per cent between February 2011 and 2012 to $472,800.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Maria Mak - Burnaby Realtor - Balanced real estate market prevailed through much of 2011

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that total sales of detached, attached and apartment properties in 2011 reached 32,390, a 5.9 per cent increase from the 30,595 sales recorded in 2010, and a 9.2 per cent decrease from the 35,669 residential sales in 2009. Last year’s home sale total was 6.3 per cent below the ten-year average for annual Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) sales in the region.

The number of residential properties listed for sale on the MLS® in Greater Vancouver increased 2.7 per cent in 2011 to
59,549 compared to the 58,009 properties listed in 2010. Looking back further, last year’s total represents a 12.8 per cent
increase compared to the 52,869 residential properties listed in 2009. Last year’s listing total was 11.1 per cent above the ten-year average for annual Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) property listings in the region.

“It was a relatively balanced year for the real estate market in Greater Vancouver with listing totals slightly above historical
norms and sale numbers slightly below,” Rosario Setticasi, REBGV president said.

Residential property sales in Greater Vancouver totalled 1,658 in December 2011, a decrease of 12.7 per cent from the 1,899 sales recorded in December 2010 and a 29.7 per cent decline compared to November 2011 when 2,360 home sales occurred.

More broadly, last month’s residential sales represent a 34.1 per cent decrease over the 2,515 residential sales in December 2009, a 79.4 per cent increase compared to December 2008’s 924 sales, and a 12.6 per cent decrease compared to the 1,897 sales in December 2007.

The overall residential benchmark price, as calculated by the MLSLink Housing Price Index®, for Greater Vancouver
increased 7.6 per cent to $621,674 between Decembers 2010 and 2011. However, prices have decreased 1.5 per cent since hitting a peak of $630,921 in June 2011.

“Our market remained in a balanced state for most of the year, although higher levels of demand for detached properties in
the region’s largest communities caused prices in certain areas to rise higher than others,” Setticasi said. “For example, the benchmark price of a single-family detached home experienced double-digit increases in nine areas within the region over the last 12 months.”

New listings for detached, attached and apartment properties in Greater Vancouver totalled 1,629 in December 2011. This
represents a 4.1 per cent decline compared to the 1,699 units listed in December 2010 and a 49.4 per cent decline compared to November 2011 when 3,222 properties were listed.

Sales of detached properties in December 2011 reached 630, a decrease of 18.1 per cent from the 769 detached sales recorded in December 2010, and a 30.2 per cent decrease from the 902 units sold in December 2009. The benchmark price for detached properties increased 11.2 per cent from December 2010 to $887,471.

Sales of apartment properties reached 774 in December 2011, a decline of 4.6 per cent compared to the 811 sales in
December 2010, and a decrease of 32.9 per cent compared to the 1,154 sales in December 2009. The benchmark price of an apartment property increased 3.7 per cent from December 2010 to $401,396.

Attached property sales in December 2011 totalled 254, a decline of 20.4 per cent compared to the 319 sales in December
2010, and a 44.7 per cent decrease from the 459 attached properties sold in December 2009. The benchmark price of an attached unit increased 4.2 per cent between December 2010 and 2011 to $511,499.

The real estate industry is a key economic driver in British Columbia. In 2010, 30,595 homes changed ownership in the Board's area, generating $1.28 billion in spin-off activity and 8,567 jobs. The total dollar value of residential sales transacted through the MLS® system in Greater Vancouver totalled $21 billion in 2010. The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver is an association representing more than 10,000 REALTORS® and their companies. The Board provides a variety of member services, including the Multiple Listing Service®. For more information on real estate, statistics, and buying or selling a home, contact a local REALTOR® or visit www.rebgv.org.

For all your premium real estate services, please contact Maria Mak and her team at Sutton Centre Realty @ 604-839-6368 or visit her website @ www.mariamak.com, You'll be smiling too!