Kye Grace's (lastcar) Blog

How Do You Search For Real Estate?

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 06:39:38 -0700

With all the advances in technology I am curious how home buyers are searching for real estate? I ran into Ian Watt this morning at Raging Bean Coffee in Yaletown. Ian asked me how tech savvy I thought the residents of my neighbourhood were (Fairview, Vancouver). Fairview doesn't strike me as the most tech savvy area, although in hindsight this was based on my perception of the demographics and may not be accurate. What follows is a description of the various methods one could use to search for properties for sale and a poll asking which is the first method you would use. Please take a minute to answer the poll, it would be most appreciated. You can find the poll here http://www.kyegrace.com/ViewBlog/105/ MLS.ca/Realtor.ca - a website managed by the Canadian Real Estate Association which contains every property listed on the MLS system across Canada. Web Search - There are numerous other sites where one can find properties for sale including http://Zoocasa.com, http://Craigslist.ca, http://Homes.Point2.com, http://RealtyLink.org or other online real estate search tools or online classifieds. Google - Inputting the address into Google. If you search an address you will often find not only properties for sale but also sold properties with the address inputted. Very useful for condo buildings or townhouse complexes. Newspaper - Your local newspaper, Province, or Vancouver Sun classifieds or real estate section. Periodicals - Print advertising providing real estate listings. Examples would be Real Estate Weekly which is often found in the free newspaper boxes or a separate newsprint version included with your local news paper. A Realtor - Contacting a Realtor and providing them your search criteria so they can provide you the results. For Sale Signs - Traveling the neighbourhoods you are interested in, looking for ‘For Sale' signs.

5 Things...Not About Real Estate in Metro Vancouver

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 06:56:09 -0700

This does not directly relate to real estate in Metro Vancouver but it can't always be ‘all business'! Tim Ayres tagged me in the ‘5 Things' Meme, seemed like fun so here you have it. Here is a collection of 5 things about me you may not have known. 5 things I was doing 10 years ago: 1. Working for BC Ambulance Service as a Paramedic and Dispatcher. 2. Living in Whistler in winters skiing as many days as I could. 3. Not buying a condo in the Savoy at 928 Richards despite a strong urge to do so. Damn. 4. Being single and loving it. 5. Settling in for a lifelong government job. Thank goodness things change! 5 things on my to do list today: 1. Picking up a cheque, always a positive! 2. Calling expired listings. 3. Follow up with a couple of clients. 4. Working on my websites and getting a couple of blogs done. 5. My Real Estate Boot Camp home work. 5 snacks I love: 1. Burgers, they're a snack right? 2. Fruit of any kind, I know...complete opposite of burgers. 3. Island Oat Bar from Starbucks. 4. Beef Jerky, lots of it. 5. Cookies and milk, yes I just said that. 5 things I would do if I were a millionaire: 1. Buy two homes, one in Vancouver and one on a fishing lake in the Interior. 2. Invest in rental properties. 3. Take care of my friends and those that helped me get there. 4. Head to Florida, right now. 5. Give 10% to charities, Union Gospel Mission, KidSport BC and Greg Feely Family Trust 5 places I've lived (for various lengths of time): 1. Hope, BC 2. Sicamous, BC 3. Cranbrook, BC 4. Manning Park, BC 5. Vancouver, BC. 5 jobs I've had: 1. Ski Patrol 2. REALTOR®! 3. Green Chain in a Cedar Mill 4. Paramedic. 5. Designing and building the Terrain Park at Manning Park (best job ever). There is so much more I would have included but alas it is 5 things, not as many things as I can think of...

What Will Turn the Real Estate Market Around?

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 07:40:20 -0700

http://kyegrace.com People often ask me how long will real estate prices go down? When will the real estate market turn around? House prices will go higher than before, right? I don't know. I have opinions on it which would be too long winded to share here. I ask you, what event do you see occurring that will reverse the trend of dropping real estate prices? What do you see happening in the next 18 months that will motivate people to return to feverish buying of real estate? Now I am not in the ‘doom and gloom’ camp that many are. I am simply asking you the question that I ask myself each day when I contemplate if the market has bottomed yet. I think what we are going through is healthy, painful but very healthy for the economy and our long term financial well being. The lessons learned here will protect our children and generations to come. That is until the lessons become so old they are forgotten, much like the lessons of the Great Depression were forgotten and here we sit in this mess.

Is "Green" Important to You in Your Next Real Estate Purchase?

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 05:43:13 -0700

Is the environment a factor in your decision when buying real estate in Metro Vancouver or British Columbia? A large portion of green house gases are created by the buildings we live and work in, some estimates are as high as 55%. Both municipal and provincial governments are requiring efforts by builders. Here is a link to the City of Vancouver's requirements and below is a summary of the provincial government's changes. The British Columbia government is taking steps to make the province a greener place to live. New Building Code requirements that came into effect September 5 are claimed to "green the B.C. Building Code," and are the first steps designed to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions related to all construction. "Greening the B.C. Building code will reduce the environmental footprint of buildings and will lower energy bills for British Columbians," said B.C. Housing Minister Rich Coleman. The new requirements are focused in two key areas: energy and water efficiency. With the legislation now in effect, single-family, small multi-family, commercial and industrial buildings all must adhere to new insulation standards to improve energy efficiency. High-rise multi-family residential buildings and larger industrial, commercial and institutional buildings also have new insulation standards to improve energy efficiency. To meet the water efficiency requirements, ultra low-flow toilets (6L) and other water-saving plumbing fixtures and fittings became mandatory in new construction and renovations. When it comes to housing, builders can opt out of the insulation requirement by achieving an EnerGuide Rating System rating of 77. The EnerGuide system applies computer software to consider the building as a system, and includes an energy efficiency rating. Builders will have the choice of combining different building materials and techniques to achieve the EnerGuide rating of 77. When it comes to high-rise residential buildings and larger commercial buildings, builders must meet the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Engineers 90.1 standard, (ASHRAE 90.1). Although the new Building Code requirements follow the spirit of LEED, the new code does not go as far as the LEED standards. For example, LEED considers secondary elements of a building such as landscaping and sewer when assessing a building for LEED status.

Does the Potential of Auto Crime Impact Your Real Estate Purchase

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:26:11 -0700

When you buy a home do you take security and crime into consideration? Do you want your Realtor to have data on crime in the areas you are looking? I would love to hear your thoughts, use the comments option below. The Vancouver Police Department has done an excellent job reducing auto theft, with our support they can continue to make further progress. Here are some tips to avoid auto crime from ICBC * Keep your spare keys in your wallet, not in your car. * Invest in a good anti-theft device. * Close windows and lock doors. Take your possessions with you. * Avoid parking behind fences or hedges. * At home, light your driveway all night. Elsewhere, park in well-lit areas near pedestrian traffic. * After opening an automatic gate to underground parking, watch out for thieves waiting to slip inside. Wait for the gate to close behind you. * Engrave your stereo and other on-board valuables with your driver's licence number. * Install an anti-theft device to protect your stereo, or buy a unit that's removable and take it with you when you park. * If you see any suspicious person or activity near a vehicle, call the police immediately.

Prices Are Falling-Will Vancouver Make a Comeback?

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:22:03 -0700

With real estate prices falling in Vancouver, will this create an opportunity for people to buy a home where they want as opposed to where they can afford? Commuting costs are more expensive than ever, besides who wants to spend that time in their car as opposed to spending time with friends or family. It will be interesting to watch over the coming months as prices decline how many people choose to buy their first home in Vancouver and remain in Vancouver long term as a result.

Blog Action Day

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 15:27:58 -0700

Blog Action Day is an annual nonprofit event that aims to unite the world’s bloggers, podcasters & videocasters, to post about the same issue on the same day. Our aim is to raise awareness & trigger a global discussion. This year the topic is poverty. Everyone have causes they choose to support which I compliment you for doing so, I am curious how many choose poverty to the or one of the causes they support. This does not detract from anyone's efforts towards other causes, there are countless needs to be filled in this world and I thank for supporting any of these many needs. There are two charities that combat poverty I choose to donate to from the income from my real estate business. Union Gospel Mission is a non-profit urban relief organization serving the Lower Mainland, providing hope for the hungry, hurting & homeless since 1940. If you’d like to donate time, resources, or make a monetary contribution to help us reach our community. http://www.ugm.ca/ KidSportTM is a community-based sport charity that provides grants for Canadian children age six to 18 to participate in a season of sport of their choice.For KidSportTM success is measured by the number of new sport opportunities created for children who would otherwise not have a chance to play. http://www.sport.bc.ca/programs/kidSportBC/ To see more about how I donate money to these charities visit this page.

Where did all the bad Realtors go?

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 15:24:59 -0700

In this slowing real estate market what will happen to the bad Realtors? Make no mistake there are bad Realtors. Every profession has underacheivers so I am not picking on just Realtors. What is nice about Realtors is outside of a real estate boom the population is thinned out. 'They' just won't survive; the realtors who are competent, have strong communication skills, and are constantly learning and adapting to change will. Three things I will be doing to ensure not only I succeed but more importantly my clients succeed are: 1. Constant learning - taking courses, studying the market harder than ever, reading as many blogs and articles I can on real estate to be on the cutting edge of what is really happening. 2. Improving my communication skills. I will strive to improve my ability to share critical information in an easy to understand manner. 3. I will look to adapt, accept change and be different than the rest. I will find the 'next' way to market and service my clients and their properties.

8 Things That Determine Market Value of Your Home

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:46:52 -0700

Here are eight things that will determine market value of a home for sale. True market value of real estate is what a buyer is willing to pay, nothing more, nothing less. 1.The current market condition We are currently in a buyer's market. 2.The amount of competition There is immense competition especially for townhouses and condos which are often very similar. 3. Current Financing This week variable rates are at or above prime raising the cost of buying. 4. Current Economic Conditions Downmarket, recession, depression, stock market crash, price of oil plummeting...all headlines this week. Not all accurate but perception is a powerful thing. 5. Buyer's Perception of the Properties Condition Curb appeal and how your home shows can influence the buyer particularly regarding their perceived value of your home. Repair any minor issues at the very least. 6. Location Location, location, location...need I say more. 7. Amount of Time on the Market A property that is on the market well past the average time to sell becomes stale. 8. Showing accessibility You need a Realtor who will accommodate showing requests. If no one can get in, no one will buy.

Will the conclusion of Cambie construction affect prices?

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:21:54 -0700

How will real estate prices react now that the Canada Line and Residential/Commercial construction is wrapping up along Cambie Street in Vancouver? With the Vancouver market moving downwards will the traffic and neighbourhood returning to normal change this trend in this neighbourhood? I kind of doubt it but only time will tell. <script src="http://js-kit.com/comments.js"> </script>

Do you care if your Vancouver Realtor shaves?

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:18:39 -0700

www.momentumgrooming.com I am continuing my series of highlighting Vancouver independent business in neighbourhoods with real estate for sale. As a Realtor I often get jabs, pokes and constructive feedback regarding my facial hair from clients, peers and friends. It seems people assume that I have not shaven in my pictures, videos or on my live show ( http://propertyegg.ca ). I shave everyday and according to Graham Bingham of Momentum Grooming I have a dark thick beard so inevitably it will appear sooner in the day. So there! Graham spent the time to help me choose a shaving cream to help provide a closer shave along with some great dialogue about the history of shaving and other products I may want to consider down the road. Coming in November you will be able to go to Momentum and have a internationally trained professional provide you a shave that will compare to nothing you could do yourself. I will be near the front of the line for this service and will send word! Thanks for your time and great service Graham. You can find Momentum Grooming online or at 1237 Burrard St, Vancouver. <script src="http://js-kit.com/comments.js"> </script>

Economic & Real Estate History is Being Made

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:33:04 -0700

Is the economy of the US about to collapse due to the real estate crisis? These are scary times as I watch not just as a Realtor but as Canadian will the US bailout happen? How will the bailout affect the US economy and real estate? How will it affect Canada and real estate here?

Why is a down market a bad thing?

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 07:27:27 -0700

I was asked "Why is it considered a bad thing when real estate prices go down? Isn't it just a bad thing for sellers?". Yes and no. In isolation the answer is yes. In the context of the overall economy the answer is no. Watch the video to see the reasons why.

Drinks on the patio anyone?

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 06:28:25 -0700

In Vancouver and the Lower Mainland we tend notice our rain and grey days far more than the beautiful weather. Yet we are having an awesome September and as you can see in the video just yesterday we were enjoying time on the patio. You can find some fabulous patios and outdoor living attached to condos and townhouses if you and/or your Realtor put in the time and effort to look for them. It is square footage that is fantastic to be able to use and yet you don't pay taxes or strata fees on it! In weather like we have now patios are often the the popular seats at restaurants and pubs, so why not create the same at home?

MLS.ca stinks....

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:40:52 -0700

Update - A viewer pointed out that to complete search as suggested in the video is possible to do. I had not intended to include 'in Kits' but it 'slipped out' as I had been dealing with the topic of Kits properties earlier in the day. My apologies for this, however my stance on the usability of MLS.ca has not changed. Am I the only one that thinks http://mls.ca does not provide the service that a national real estate website should? As a Realtor I find it frusterating knowing that this is the best that my industry can do to provide an online resource. I've tried using it and it just doesn't cut it. Try http://zillow.com or http://trulia.com and search for and select a property and see what you can discover about the property, recent sales, price trends, local ammeneties etc. You will see what you are missing. Really what you are missing is qaulity service, sorry about.

Avoiding the call?

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 07:30:10 -0700

Ever avoided calling a phone number because you had no interest in speaking to a sales person? I use a solution that allows the buyer and seller to be accommodated without anyone having to speak to the Realtor until they know the property is truly of interest. The alternative, if they don't call the sign, we hope they follow up on MLS.ca when they get home. Why take the chance? I apologize for the audio, I am using a new camera and it may take me a bit to get the audio sorted. I felt it was better to get something up rather than nothing at all today. I vow to solve this quickly.

Act Fast? Doubt It...

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:44:37 -0700

Act Fast? I doubt it...your listing has been on the market for a 120 days. What is with Realtors who cannot, will not or just plain do not update the property descriptions in their MLS listings. I love coming across a listing that says 'Act Fast', 'Better Hurry', 'Seller Motivated' and the property has been on the market for more than 30 days and often into the 100s of days on the market. To me it says two things about the Realtor, one their evaluation of the price or desirability of the property was innaccurate or they are simply throwing a weak sales pitch at consumers. An attempt at fear, if you don't move quick you won't get this property. Oh no the consumer may have to buy one of the other properties that make up the record number of listings available. I consider these two areas of these Realtor's work needing swift improvement. The importance of communicating the market value and condition of a property to the Seller is near the top of 'the hills to die' on in Real Estate. Without the ability to do so, or walk away from the listing is shortcut to a long drawn out likely to die on the vine listing. How does that serve the clients? That and I believe firmly the charlatan days of Real Estate are gone. After the housing meltdown in the US, buyers and sellers are leery; cheesy sales gimmicks trigger an emotional response associated with the meltdown and turn them off. In my city sellers are paying around 12 to 25 thousand dollars in commissions to have their property marketed and sold. Reality is prices are sliding monthly in most areas so the longer it takes the more it costing them on top of the commission. Hook the clients up and keep the marketing current. Better yet make it effective from day one. In case there is any wonder what marketing I use follow this LINK (to avoid sounding like a hypocrite). There are a few more items to come in the next few months relating to full color features sheets directly to mobile phones, individual websites for each property and professional copywriting. You know what isn't coming...print ads, not now...not ever. That and the term 'Act Fast'.

Got Kids?

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:42:56 -0700

If you have young children and are looking to purchase a condo or townhouse one amenity you may want to consider looking for is a playground in a secure courtyard. As you see in this vlog we can pop outside for fifteen or twenty minutes of outside play time without having to leave the property. We get down to the large playground at False Creek Elementary when we can but time does not always allow that to happen. It is a great feature that you might not think much of until you start to take advantage of.

Is Your House Prepared?

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 03:58:52 -0700

I spent some time at my Grandmother's helping get her house ready for sale. What an amazing amount of work it is prepping an older home for sale. The two 'easier' actions you can take are painting the interior and pressure washing the exterior areas. These are two tasks that will drastically improve the impression your home makes on buyers and will cost very little compared to the return they will bring.

Easily Offended?

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 08:09:38 -0700

Selling your home privately comes with challenges that you may not be ready for. In this vlog I discuss the difficulty of negotiating as a private seller directly with the buyer and how that may be difficult. People become very attached to certain things in their life and no doubt money and their home are two of them. If you don't think you can be told your is not worth that you think it is or as nice as you think it is and remain constructive then perhaps dealing directly with the buyer is not for you. Odds are you think your house is nicer or worth more than you think it is, and better odds are the buyer will think the opposite.

How Do You Know If It Is Working?

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 04:30:12 -0700

How do you know if the marketing your Realtor is using is actually drawing people to your home? Your Realtor can use Listingnumber.com to track the effectiveness of the various forms of marketing. The real estate industry is full of perceptions regarding what marketing is effective and what isn't. Well now a Realtor is able to collect their own data specific to their efforts and know what works to sell their clients properties. I am looking forward to using this tool and will share my data over time through my blog. Update: Listingnumber.com adds a three character code to the end of the url not five as I state.

30 Minute Real Estate

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:39:10 -0700

If only it was this easy. My toungue is planted firmly in cheek in this vlog. It is interesting though, observing all the different avenues that revenue is generated from the sale of real estate not directly attached to the actual property. I do enjoy catching these show when I have a chance and only wish it could be this easy. Of course, is anything easy worth doing?

Do You Trust Your Realtor?

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 05:03:09 -0700

By being up front with your Realtor you can avoid headaches or even worse losing the opportunity to purchase your new home due to last minute financing issues. If you haven't gone through the financing process your Realtor may be able to refer you to some great mortgage professionals. Sure they may receive a referral fee for this, in my case I get points to put towards merchandise from one and nothing at all from another. This by no means influences my decision to recommend this person anymore than collecting grocery store points influence my eating choices. The points rewards do not compare to the reward of extremely satisfied clients.

Who Cares About National House Prices?

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 19:09:30 -0700

First I will start off by saying I am not a Realtor who is defensive about house prices reducing. That would be like being offended by the sun rising each day. History has shown that the sun comes up, the sun goes down. House prices go up, house prices go down. The difference is one is fairly predictable. To not accept the rise and fall of real estate prices would be unproductive if not irrational. Am I the only one who finds articles discussing the Canadian housing market seeing price reductions somewhat useless to home buyers? Am I buying or selling houses in Canada? Well yes...well sort of...well no. I was thinking about narrowing it down to a province or even maybe a city. Heck I may even be so brazen as to narrow it down to a particular neighbourhood. Now I realize that the media can’t or won’t report on market activity in each neighbourhood in Canada. However, what does a reader gain from knowing the prices are down such and such percent across Canada? Can they take that tidbit of information into negotiations with them? Point being, real estate is local. Neighbouring towns can have polar opposite trends depending on job creation, in migration, supply, quality of schools, hospitals and transportation. Different parts of a city will experience the same effect. Here is a real life example, a mill burns down in Prince George and house prices falter as there is job losses; the Hebron oil deal is approved in Newfoundland which includes partial manufacturing of the rig in province and house prices start rising. They are 7335 kilometres apart by car; both are used to calculate the average national housing price and subsequent increases or decreases. There is nothing wrong with trying to be in tune with what the real estate market is doing, just make sure it is the market that is actually relevant to you. By the way, these articles and this data do have a practical application for those observing the national economy for purposes other than the purchase or sale of real estate. Real estate tends to be an indicator of the overall health of our economy, however it is not a driving force of the economy.

5 Reasons I Love Ubertor

Kye Grace (Sutton Group - West Coast Realty) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:39:23 -0700

The content though is 100% mine, especially after the great day I had to today working on my site and integrating other services such as Google Apps. I am constantly adding pages or tweaking my site which I sure wouldn't be doing if I had to know anything about HTML or any other language... Thanks guys for not only offering and supporting a great product but for your efforts away from the computers also. http://www.ubertor.com