tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post6334895453854359420..comments2023-12-02T00:38:46.467-08:00Comments on House Hunt Victoria: September stats, listings spike in the low-endHouseHuntVictoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07456914359088891317noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-7382686472789009232011-10-07T07:50:21.315-07:002011-10-07T07:50:21.315-07:00Look at what this Jack Ass had to say ... He is t...Look at what this Jack Ass had to say ... He is the President of the Victoria RE Board and he says property will never go down here. The only place in the world. Wow!<br /><br /><br />http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_south/victorianews/news/131066118.htmlNancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13756361299909314983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-11431946831031680932011-10-05T21:11:25.604-07:002011-10-05T21:11:25.604-07:00Looks like I offended some people.
Well, my paren...Looks like I offended some people.<br /><br />Well, my parents left a war torn country in the 1990s and came to Canada with a few hundred dollars to a foreign language. At one point I didn't see my father for 2 years (he was in Victoria, I and my mom were stuck in Croatia trying to sort out the paperwork). We rented the biggest dump in Fernwood and over the course of the first two years both my parents worked 6 day weeks so they could scrap together enough money to put a downpayment on a dumpy house in Fernwood.<br /><br />My father went from being a naval architect to working as a stone mason and my mother went from being an accountant to a housekeeper.<br /><br />There was no hockey for me, just delivering flyers on weekends and then mixing mortar and carry rocks for my father, often in the rain. <br /><br />I lived for 15 years with my parents in 807 sq/ft top floor, 2 bedrooms, and 1 bathroom bungalow in Fernwood. Never had a problem with it - I thought it was adequate.<br /><br />Should an average family of four be able to afford a 1,200 sq/ft home with a smaller yard, one car, one TV, and kids playing soccer? Sure, I think that is reasonable. A strong middle class is what makes Canada such a great place to live.<br /><br />What people want is a 2,000 sq/ft home, preferably in good location, plus a double car garage, large yard, 2 cars, 3 vacations, 3 TVs, 2 computers, 2 Ipads, 2 Iphones, and they want to work 35 hours a week, with a cat and a dog. I really don't think this is sustainable for the average family.<br /><br />"How can you possibly know what it is like for a honest working couple with a child having little or no family support, wanting nothing more than a decent place to live and a companion pet that they will dearly cherish the memory of for their entire life?"<br /><br />Going forward I am going to ignor ridicolous comments like this but for now: At 20 years old I was working 12 hour nightshifts in ICUs running life support ventilators, running to cardiac and respiratory arrests, intubating people (sticking breathing tubes in them), inserting artlines - look it up....a few years ago I remember working a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thrusday night, waking up after 3 hours sleep on the Friday, heading over to Vancouver to get to my UBC masters courses and than sitting through 20 hours of lectures..coming back on a Sunday night and Monday morning being on a construction site helping my father tile a bathroom. I think I understand the concept of honest work better than most people. Thanks.Markohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08315282480144281935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-79275619554093151572011-10-05T20:10:34.287-07:002011-10-05T20:10:34.287-07:00A big difference between those wishing to own a ho...A big difference between those wishing to own a house in Victoria now and those who wished to do so (and were generally able to do so) a generation ago is that Victoria has since then become filled up.<br /><br />Lot prices have gone from $8000 in Oak Bay in the early 70's to around 80 times as much today. But construction costs have not gone up more than about six- or eight-fold. <br /><br />So the solution for those who want a house, not a box in the sky, is to move somewhere less crowded -- the Western communities, up island, or Newfoundland.<br /><br />We experienced the same dilemma in the 1980's when I contemplated the offer of a job in downtown Toronto. We drove around looking at houses. Hey, Forest Hills is nice, so is Rosedale. But prices started at $600K, whereas our Oak Bay house was worth on $140K. All we could find anywhere near downtown for $140K was a Victorian row house on Jane Street with a 12 and 1/2 foot frontage and a front door opening directly onto the sidewalk. We decided not to move.CShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03399620869685840906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-1605429180926200382011-10-05T17:06:56.038-07:002011-10-05T17:06:56.038-07:00I agree with DavidL. You can have the backyard, do...I agree with DavidL. You can have the backyard, dog, and kids on a modest salary and still live in Victoria. <br /><br />The problem is that most people equate "living in Victoria" with "owning in Victoria".mlnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17812603610666862194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-48810213101848272872011-10-05T16:57:43.376-07:002011-10-05T16:57:43.376-07:00The average woman these days they say have 20 pair...The average woman these days they say have 20 pairs of shoes/boots/sandals. I have more than that and pretty well every woman I know does. 30 years ago I would say the avg woman had 6 pairs and 50 years ago 3 pairs. People walked more then too.<br /><br />The average family now probably has 2 cars.....50 years ago one and if you lived in a small town, no car.<br /><br />40 years ago most families had one TV, one radio, one car, one phone and took one holiday every three years or so.<br /><br />Infants in the 60's had maybe three little outfits and one coat to wear at any stage of growing. Now they have 20, 30, 40.... you name it and much of it they don't ever wear. They drank out of glass bottles that were sterilized each day. Disposable diapers really didn't become the norm until the 80's. A fortunate child had perhaps five toys at any given time. Now most children have rooms, garages and yards full of them.<br /><br />Our needs now have become truly blurred with our wants and most of us can't differentiate between the two.Alexandraherehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13100843258061373047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-89265840585521243282011-10-05T16:44:43.842-07:002011-10-05T16:44:43.842-07:00"Generally speaking, over the last several ye...<i>"Generally speaking, over the last several years taxes have fallen, particularly for those who are the most 'well-off'."</i><br /><br />Was at a party with a few doctors. Subject always turns to one of: sailing, skiing, investments, or taxes. This time, though, it was all sailing and skiing, nary a mention of taxes. That's when I clued in that tax rates may have swung a bit too far in favour of the high end of the pay scale. :)jessehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02155122147972263497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-86046991825762402972011-10-05T16:25:38.200-07:002011-10-05T16:25:38.200-07:00Some provinces saw minor reduction in the last few...Some provinces saw minor reduction in the last few years but these are tiny adjustments in a trend that sees us working 17% more to pay for the higher tax bill.<br /><br />People were discussing why earlier generations had more income. This is one significant reason.Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06687365669171143056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-49817750363705108932011-10-05T16:05:55.639-07:002011-10-05T16:05:55.639-07:00Craig - it depends what report you read - the Fras...Craig - it depends what report you read - the Fraser Institute, the Taxpayer's Federation, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, etc. Generally speaking, over the last several years taxes have fallen, particularly for those who are the most 'well-off'.Just Janicehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06002680972898096266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-30310628671934128152011-10-05T15:44:58.713-07:002011-10-05T15:44:58.713-07:00It's not dogs, BBQs or even the hockey that co...It's not dogs, BBQs or even the hockey that cost to much - it's the cost of housing.<br /><br />This is why (for most) renting makes more financial sense that owning, and why the price of real estate is and will continue to go down. Real estate is only worth what other people are willing to pay. If the asking price is considered too much, the price must be lowered in order to sell.DavidLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00353906360642344879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-49847961479771129312011-10-05T15:41:01.095-07:002011-10-05T15:41:01.095-07:00One of the biggest impacts on disposable income fo...One of the biggest impacts on disposable income for our generation is taxes. The day in the calendar year in which we stop working to pay our tax bill currently falls in mid-June.<br /><br />In 1961, it was in April, which means we are working an extra two months to pay for the increase in taxes.Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06687365669171143056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-13038637926558716682011-10-05T15:00:56.604-07:002011-10-05T15:00:56.604-07:00It's getting hot in here!
I agree with both M...It's getting hot in here!<br /><br />I agree with both Marko and Just Janice. We do want too much. But wanting a house, a pet, and to be able to enroll your kids in sports is not wanting too much. I think these are the "basics" that we should all be able to afford.<br /><br />It is incredibly unfortunate that inflation has surpassed wages to the point that, even with two incomes, the average family can't afford the basics - a house, 2.2 kids, and a pet. Of course, we can obtain the debt to get these things.Sweetrealtorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11643504502534685881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-41548084119036485372011-10-05T14:51:03.520-07:002011-10-05T14:51:03.520-07:00Marko said...
so.....the first family wants a nic...Marko said...<br /><br /><i>so.....the first family wants a nice house, a backyard, a dog, and for their son to play hockey. Isn't hockey like 10k/year? Never have owned a dog but they can't be cheap either.<br /><br /> I think people want too much...just my opinion.</i><br /><br />But in years not so far past, that's exactly what families had: a house, backyard for bbqs, a dog and kids playing hockey. I don't think that's wanting too much.pod_xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15563878261558272350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-197171417548828552011-10-05T14:13:49.036-07:002011-10-05T14:13:49.036-07:00I was raised in Victoria during the 70s. We had 2 ...I was raised in Victoria during the 70s. We had 2 dogs, four kids, all played hockey, had new houses on 1 tradesman income,times have sure changed in good old Vic. Finally gave up on the city and cashed out last March, looking to relocate. Meanwhile we are taking a year off working and just traveling thanks to the people that wanted our modest little house that bad!Love Your RVhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12977694318975282470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-24087880938775776992011-10-05T14:09:48.556-07:002011-10-05T14:09:48.556-07:00I kind of agree with Janice. Let me get this righ...I kind of agree with Janice. Let me get this right. Marko thinks young adults (age 28-36?) today want too much? How can you really assess that Marko? I mean, you let the tax payers somewhat pay for your education, you are not married and I presume don't have children, you don't have a pet, you live in your parents basement and when you have a down month selling real estate you can always have first dibs at working in construction at your parent's construction business. How can you possibly know what it is like for a honest working couple with a child having little or no family support, wanting nothing more than a decent place to live and a companion pet that they will dearly cherish the memory of for their entire life? I do agree about the hockey though, there are other forms of sports/activities that are cheaper or free to participate in. To me this is simply deserving the basics in life in exchange for hard work....they are hardly being filled with the sense of entitlement that so many of their peers seem to accept as their right these days.Alexandraherehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13100843258061373047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-54765338146030062312011-10-05T13:56:04.517-07:002011-10-05T13:56:04.517-07:00Is the media trying to call it a buyers market to ...Is the media trying to call it a buyers market to try and fire up sales? <br /><br />I was recently thinking of buying a condo, but thankfully changed my mind =)Homebasehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10300382304150804283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-46258251126884157392011-10-05T13:53:58.941-07:002011-10-05T13:53:58.941-07:00Leo - it's too easy to say we're here beca...Leo - it's too easy to say we're here because people overextended themselves - they only play with the rules they're given.<br /><br />We're here because somebody thought it would be a good idea to lower downpayment requirements and extend mortgage terms while enacting no countervailing policy to prevent such loose money from being abused. Those loose provisions might be fine for a primary residence with fairly strict rules about taking equity out of the home in the form of a HELOC...not so great to be applied generally. If every adult was only allowed one primary residence under the 'loose' rules and they could not take out any equity until they at least had 50% equity - the world would be a very different place.<br /><br />We're here because somebody thought that giving tax cuts was smart while the economic sun was shining. What if instead of constant tax cuts over the last 25 years taxes had remained stable? Would our social programs (healthcare, education and pensions) be better funded and more stable?<br /><br />We're here because wages have stagnated and declined in real terms. What if wage gains actually kept pace with inflation over the last 25 years?<br /><br />Saying we should just 'want less' is a bit of a cop out in my opinion.Just Janicehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06002680972898096266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-25103953425433402852011-10-05T13:15:47.315-07:002011-10-05T13:15:47.315-07:00Really? Is that the Canada you really want to live...<i>Really? Is that the Canada you really want to live in?</i><br /><br />No. But part of the reason we're in this mess (record indebtedness) is because people have been living above their means. Yes it would be nice if everyone could have all that, but perhaps it is not possible.<br /><br />More importantly, besides being angry about it, what can be done to reverse the state of affairs?Leo Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02951281972056927807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-87556731970440300852011-10-05T13:04:11.074-07:002011-10-05T13:04:11.074-07:00Really? Is that the Canada you really want to liv...Really? Is that the Canada you really want to live in? The one where only the rich can have their kids play hockey and know the joy of pet ownership? The one where only the rich can have a nice house (Marko didn't specify rent vs. own, he just said nice house)?<br /><br />We live in a time when most families have two incomes, higher levels of education, working more hours and are barely making ends meet...and when they want a nice house, a pet, a kid (heaven forbid they want more than 2!), participation in sports and maybe to retire before they die - they are wanting too much?!?!?<br /><br />I'm sorry but I cannot agree with Marko.Just Janicehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06002680972898096266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-31185785168317990342011-10-05T12:47:06.792-07:002011-10-05T12:47:06.792-07:00I also agree with Marko and think that Just Janice...I also agree with Marko and think that Just Janice might be a little too optimistic about the future. The Baby Boomers (who I assume are Just Janice's parents referred to) essentially lived their lives economically borrowing from the current workforce. If Just Janice wants to maintain that lifestyle (while working harder) she's going to need to extend that credit another generation down the line. The current economic situation is a little bit of a ponzi scheme, where returns on investments are taken out of the capital of the investment bit-by-bit. Eventually the underlying asset is so devalued that it can't support the illusion of generating a return. EI is an example, payments were made out of the revenue collected but as payments increase and revenue stagnates or collapses there simply isn't going to be the ability to continue the program with the same level of burden on the employed.Mid2Modhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03980883998707942102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-54387791711199314812011-10-05T12:43:53.413-07:002011-10-05T12:43:53.413-07:00You CAN have hockey, pets, vacations and some extr...You CAN have hockey, pets, vacations and some extra spending money every month. How?<br /><br />Rent.Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15206505328540811613noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-25417476653135502892011-10-05T12:32:10.139-07:002011-10-05T12:32:10.139-07:00Actually I agree with Marko on that one (shock). ...Actually I agree with Marko on that one (shock). <br /><br />Complaining about the fact that you can't afford everything you want is not going to solve anything. The market is what the market is. If that means you can't afford what your parents could, then such is life. Since when are we entitled to have an ever increasing (or even constant) quality of life?Leo Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02951281972056927807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-12076243506819809112011-10-05T12:12:20.167-07:002011-10-05T12:12:20.167-07:00Marko - your comment:
"so.....the first famil...Marko - your comment:<br />"so.....the first family wants a nice house, a backyard, a dog, and for their son to play hockey. Isn't hockey like 10k/year? Never have owned a dog but they can't be cheap either.<br /><br />I think people want too much...just my opinion."<br /><br />I think your comment made me thow up just a little...how is wanting what your parents were able to have after you have worked harder wanting "too much"? I'm sorry but you're coming off as arrogant, immature, obnoxious and ignorant.<br /><br />May life instill in you the lessons your masters degree and experience to date have failed to teach in such a way that you look upon who you now are with great distaste and remorse.Just Janicehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06002680972898096266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-30827722300037675552011-10-05T11:52:39.873-07:002011-10-05T11:52:39.873-07:0015%, that's nothing!
A poll of Canadians aged...15%, that's nothing!<br /><br /><i>A poll of Canadians aged 45 to 64 conducted by Environics Research for TD Waterhouse was even more mind-boggling: 32 per cent said they expected a lottery win to support them post-retirement</i><br /><br />I feel a super tramp song coming on “you know you are a dreamer, well can you put your hands in your head, oh no..”SJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11421821610882545660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-64691103195124751522011-10-05T11:15:58.358-07:002011-10-05T11:15:58.358-07:00Marko says "I think people want too much...ju...Marko says "I think people want too much...just my opinion."<br /><br />Yes, yes...sacrificing the good things in life like a family pet and sports for the kids are are a worthwhile exchange for living in Victoria or Vancouver!! Those things just cost too much and that family should be ashamed for wanting such frivolous things in life. Where are their priorities? Sheesh!!MD80https://www.blogger.com/profile/12038598423004309285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123542260692860177.post-89544476460749220682011-10-05T10:46:08.065-07:002011-10-05T10:46:08.065-07:00The title of that article in the Times Colonist is...The title of that article in the Times Colonist is misleading ... it's not 15% of Canadians - it's 15% of baby boomers, which number around 4.5 million, so that works out to approx 675,000 people - possibly arriving over a 20 year period. Also, the survey was done of 800 "across the country," including people living in Victoria now. BMO's other reports say that people are delaying their retirement beyond 65.<br /><br />In any case, with a net migration of younger families out of BC, and a possible increase of affluent baby boomers into BC, that may explain why high-end homes continue to sell while mid- to low-end is flattening.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com