Please visit our open house this Saturday 25th from 2-4pm.

For more details click here.

Very high-end designer renovation is a must see. Limestone counters, steam shower up and shower down. Huge deck off the master and very large patio off the family room. Great quiet space in the heart of Mount Pleasant close to all the great shopping on Cambie. This home is done just the way you want.

OPEN HOUSE: Saturday 25th from 2-4pm

Or call me on 604 512-9208 if you would like to book a private showing.

1 Bedroom and den in awesome location in Gastown!

1 bedroom condo with office in the centre of all the action

706 - 58 Keefer, Vancouver, BC V6B 0B8, NW facing 686 s/f one bed + flex space/den or office at Firenze, part of a 3 building complex (58 Keefer, 618 & 688 Abbott). Features include open floor plan & balcony with city views. Amenities include indoor pool, sauna Jacuzzi & gym on 3rd floor and media & party rooms on ground floor. Centrally located with a walk score of 98! Be everywhere in minutes. 1 parking #317 and 1 locker. No restrictions. Go to realtor's website for suite movie, suite pics, floor plans, link to building web site & video tours. Available for immediate occupancy.

Come visit me at my Open House: Saturday October 11, 2014. from 2-4

Or call me at 604-512-9208 to book a private showing.

Found! A 2 bedroom Townhome in the heart of Vancouver for under $500K

Located in the one of the most sought after neighbourhoods in Vancouver

With 950 SqFt of overall living space, this fully renovated, 1 level, 2 bedroom townhome with large south facing deck and plenty of extra storage, is sure to fit your active lifestyle.Perfectly situated on the 7th Ave Bike Path in the Crossroads Corridor (1 block off Cambie), you'll find this completely rainscreened complex with secure underground parking, storage locker & bike room. The Seawall, Whole Foods & Canada Line (3 min to downtown and 20 min to YVR) are all within a 5 minute walk.

Open house Sunday July 6 from 2-4pm

Or call Chris for a private showing: 604-512-9208

Beautiful home in Concrete building

Perfect for a 1st - time homebuyer

SOMA LOFTS: Main Street area 1 Bedroom & Den/Office with Floor to Ceiling Windows over 10ft High. South West Exposure, a Large Deck off the Living Space, Thick Granite Counters, Stainless Appliances, Exposed Concrete Walls & PolishedFloors. There is Plenty of Storage Space with Over-Height Kitchen Cabinets, a Walk-in Closet, and an Extra Room currently used as an Office. There is also In-Suite Laundry, Several Bike Rooms and a large parking spot. Experience Loft Living at it's Finest in the Heart of South Main. Solid Concrete Construction. Pet friendly - rentals currently maxed out. Fabulous building in Vancouver's popular Main St area. Close to transit and downtown.

Open House Sunday June 8th from 2-4

or

Call Chris for a private showing 604-512-9208

Fully Renovated character home in the heart of Yaletown

Stunning New York style loft in the heart of Yaletown. Fully renovated 2 bedroom, bedrooms on quiet side. Exposed brick and beams. Custom concrete floor. New high end custom kitchen, tons of storage with self close doors. Filtered cold/boiling water tap. Custom paneled Jenn-Air appliances. Custom built office area. Massive California Closet, his and her style (hers walk-in). Double sink en-suite master bathroom with extra large spa size shower. Guest powder room. Built in entertainment unit with concealed wiring for TV and speakers. Green low energy LED lighting throughout. Common rooftop patio with shared BBQ space. One block to Yaletown Skytrain.

Open House Sat 31 May & Sun 1 June 2-4pm

Or call Chris for  privatre showing 604-512-9208

Breathtaking Half Duplex Listed in Strathcona

Fantastic home with a yard in one the hottest neighbourhoods in Vancouver

Simply stunning! What a find! Your own piece of heaven right in the heart of Strathcona. With your own sun filled backyard, detached garage and a fabulous layout this is the one you have been waiting for! This lovely light filled home has been totally updated from top to bottom. With quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, integrated dishwasher, subway tile back splash Eat in kitchen bistro area overlooking your new cedar deck and perennial garden perfect for entertaining! With skylights, huge windows, massive crawlspace storage area this is a great find. All steps to cafes, shops, parks and schools with wonderful neighbours! Will not last!

Call Chris immediately for a private showing:

604-512-9208

Some relief coming to  1st time homebuyers

The government has announced, effective February 19, 2014, under the Property Transfer Tax (PTT) First-Time Home Buyers’ Exemption program, qualifying first-time buyers can buy a home worth up to $475,000. The previous threshold was $425,000.

The partial exemption continues and will apply to homes valued between $475,000 and $500,000.

With this change, the government estimates 1,700 additional first-time buyers will annually be eligible to save up to $7,500 in PTT when they buy their home.

The government estimates this measure will cost $8 million in lost tax revenue each year.

The Real Estate Board, together with BC Real Estate Association, has actively lobbied to make home ownership more affordable for first-time home buyers. This increase in the threshold clearly signals our efforts have paid off as in past years.

In 2008, as a result of industry lobbying, the provincial government increased the threshold to $425,000 from $375,000. 

In 2005, the government increased the threshold to $325,000 from $275,000.

The PTT is calculated at a rate of one per cent on the first $200,000 and two per cent on the remaining value of the purchase price. 

With the cost of real estate in Vancouver and many areas of BC being so expensive, these are babysteps. However, any increase is of great help to 1st-time homebuyers, at least in this price point $475,000 and lower.

Fantastic Home just off Main Street

6 Bedrooms and only a kitchen to build downstairs for a mortgage helper

Welcome to the home you have been waiting for! Nestled in one of the most desirable streets of Mt Pleasant/Fraser corridor just steps to everything you want in a neighborhood community. Completely renovated with newer windows, plumbing, electrical, lighting & roof too! Main level features 3 bdrms, gourmet kitchen with S/S appliances, gas stove & double French doors leading out to a 2-tier 300 SF cedar deck. With an additional 3 bdrms below & walk through den you have endless options on how to utilize this desirable floor plan for a growing family or mortgage helper. Current owner using the whole house w/a 2nd kitchen ready to be put back in. Let the kiddies run on this large & extra deep lot surrounded by fruit trees & private garden oasis. Just steps to Main St shops & restaurants, only blocks from Riley Park & Hillcrest Comm Centre. School catchment: General Brock Elem, Charles Tupper Sec, L'Ecole Bilingue Elem, Laura Secord Secondary & Winston Churchill Secondary for French Immersion. An absolute must see!

Call Chris at 604-512-9208 for a private showing.

Majestic character home perfect for investor or family with income suite

This heritage home has 6 bedrooms, 3bathrooms, and 3 kitchen. The possibilities are endless!

Charming character home in the city's best kept secret- Strathcona. Community values, art crawls, festivals in the parks, cafes & diverse families are thriving in Vancouver's historic neighbourhood. Just walk through the streets & you will notice something special happening here. "Cottonwood" is a majestic 4 storey, early 1900's beauty with 6-7 spacious bdrms. Versatile as 3 separate suites or a single family home with mortgage helper. 33' wide lot with potential for laneway housing. Fall in love with the private backyard oasis, thoughtfully landscaped gardens & sitting areas canopied by a stately cottonwood tree. Close to dwntwn, Main St & The Drive.

For a private showing please call Chris at 604-512-9208

Open House in Mount Pleasant: Saturday 1-4

Studio condo in District Building just listed!A building that fits right into the neighborhood, with art spaces, sustainable features, green outdoor spots, rooftop decks, Culturally inclined - Two buildings and a fully restored heritage building on the 7th - Mixing the old with the new. Inside, 8'6' ceilings, walnut wood entry door, engineered hardwood flooring - over sized windows, laminated flat panel kitchen cupboards, stone slab countertop, top of the line appliances 12 x 24 porcelain tiles, under mount stainless steel kitchen sink, top of the line kitchen appliances and washer/dryer, and the space well wait until you see this space, it's so well laid out and so functional, and the view is spectacular Mountains and City from the suite and your lovely art room exercise room, private roof top decks. Balance of 2-5-10 year warranty.

Come by the open house

or

Call Chris for a private showing

604-512-9208

Large 2 bedroom condo with water, mountain, and city views

1,191 square foot Fairview condo with stunning water/ mountain/ and city views listed for $675,000

Open House Sunday 12-2, a must see for this bargain

1702-2668 Ash, V5Z 4K4 "Cambridge Gardens" near 12th & Cambie.

Partially remodeled immaculate 1200 sf, 2 bed + den, 2 bath view suite with new hardwood floors, stainless appliacnes, Gas Fireplace & extra large open 131 s/f patio facing NW.Fantastic view of Downtown & North Shore Mountains.

Facilities include I/D lap pool, Jacuzzi, Sauna in lobby level of sister building next door (across courtyard 2268 Ash).

Next to City Square shopping ctr. Incl. Safeway & 2 blocks to the Broadway/City Hall Skytrain Station.

Open House Sunday June 2 from 12-2

Or call Chris for a private showing

Cell: 604-512-9208

Character is the cornerstone at the Cornerstone Building

Looking for a fantastic character home in Mount Pleasant?

Look no further this 856 SF was fully renovated and retains the charm of this heritage building built in 1909. Located at 12th Ave and Quebec it is in the heart of Mount Pleasant. One of the most vibrant neighbourhoods in Vancouver.

Cornerstone Heritage Church Renovation at 2525 Quebec. This extremely LARGE one bedroom and Den is 856 sq ft. Fully renovated in 2008, New Kitchen with Stainless Steel appliances, Cherrywood Cabinets, Limestone countertops and Italianlimestone floors. Radiant heat travels through the tile flooring and the Mahogany Wood floors throughout the home. New Bathroom with modern tiling and heated floors, Large bedroom with French doors leading to Conservatory/library, with exposed stone and brick walls. Plus the standout of the home are the Heritage Character 1909 windows and the brick surround. Limestone quartz composite surround on the fireplace, finishes the room off nice. Peek-a-boo view of the City & Mountains. 

Please call Chris for a private showing at 604.512.9208

Fantastic Townhome for sale in Fleetwood Tynehead

Townhome is a 1 minute walk to Walnut Road Elementary.

Feels like a house! This expansive home is ideally located a 2 minute walk to Walnut Road Elementary School. And around the corner from Fleetwood Community Centre or Guildford Golf and Country Club or Surrey Golf Course, and all shopping amenities. Laminate flooring throughout Main and upstairs. Brand new appliances, and priced to sell. This is a 4 bedroom 3 bathroom townhouse in a quiet exclusive town home community of Hazelwood Lane. Perfect for a couple or family, with ample room for it to grow.

Open House Sunday April 28 from 1-4

Or call Chris at 604-512-9208 for more information

Ideal Mount Pleasant location for this stunning home

Perfect for a new family or professional needing an home office!

Stunning LARGE one bedroom plus den at STELLA.  This open floor plan has views as far as the eye can see with beautiful corian countertops in the kitchen, gas cook top and S/S appliances.  Large den with a window is perfect for a home office or nursery.  Plenty of in-suite storage with one parking included. Rock solid concrete building only 4 years old!  Steps to Main street and minutes to downtown.
Fantastic investment!

Open House Sunday April 7th, 2:30pm - 4:00pm

Families and teens can visit popular Vancouver attractions for free*

Vancouver residents are able to you use their Vancouver Public Library cards to check out 20 amazing venues throughout the city

The city of Vancouver, Vancouver Park Board and the Vancouver Public Library have teamed up to Sponsor an amazing program. This has been done so the residents of our fair city can explore what millions of tourists come to Vancouver to see and experience.

The twenty partner venues will allow free access to museums, fitness centres, world - class gardens, and popular attractions once in the 2 week period that the pass is live.

This is one of the most fantastic oppurtunities we Vancouverites have to experience the wonders of  Metro Vancouver. I applaud all the organizations that are involved, and celebrate the fact that low income families and our youths can enjoy the sight and sounds of Vancouver for free!!

Program has 20 Venue partners which for the 2 week borrowing period are free (once per venue or activity).

Events and Activities:

Fitness and Recreation:

VPB Fitness Centres                                                  VPB Ice Rinks

VPB Pitch and Putt                                                     VPB Swimming Pools

 Arts and Culture:

Vancouver Art Gallery                                                Vancouver Bach Choir

Vancouver Opera                                                        Vancouver Symphony Orchestra

 Science and Nature:

Beaty Biodiversity Museum                                      Bloedel Conservatory

Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden                                             H.R. MacMillan Space Centre   

Nitobe Memorial Garden                                           Science World

UBC Botanical Garden                                                Vancouver Aquarium

 VanDusen Botanical Garden

 Museums and Heritage:

Museum of Vancouver                               Roedde House Museum

UBC Museum of Anthropology                                Vancouver Maritime Museum

Vancouver Police Museum

Link:How to get you pass

Link:Using your pass

Contact  Vancouver Public Library for more details:

Call 604-331-3603.

or info@vpl.ca

The information in this blog is informational in natuer and any information contained there in should be verified by VPL.

Fantastic opputunity to own in Kitsilano

South facing renovated 1 bedroom north of 4th. Former galley kitchen has been completely opened featuring new cabinets, ceiling pot lights, S/S appliances and large quartz counter top; perfect for entertaining. Fresh paint, bamboo flooring throughout with a large sunny garden level patio surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens. Massive common roof deck with epic city/mountain views. Pet friendly building only 3 blocks to Kits beach and 2 blocks to everything you need on 4th ave. Buy with confidence in this well run building. 1 parking & 1 storage locker included.

August 2012 Housing Market Update - Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver Housing Market Update for August 2012 with REBGV president Eugen Klein.

If you have any questions concerning this video by  the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver or any more specific questions on the Vancouver property market contact me at chris@chrisball.ca or visit http://chrisball.ca

Feel free to leavea comment below.

Great Investment property steps to the Beach

 15 - 3250 West 4th Ave. , Vancouver

Fantastic 2 bedroom and 1.5 bath condo in Kits! Comes with all the furniture and getting $2400 per month in rent

Listed for $516,900

Open House Saturday August 25 from 2-4

For a Private Showing  contact Chris:604-512-9208

Renovated and Rainscreened! This quiet top floor 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath home is located in the heart of Kitsilano. Some of the may features include a North and South exposure, large south facing balcony, engineered hardwood throughout,open kitchen, tons of insuite storage as well as a sunny enclosed solarium. Just steps to parks, shops and cafes. Only 4 blocks to the beach!! Unique 16 suite boutique building. Bonus - owner has been given permission from strata to install a 950 sqft rooftop deck. Open House Sat August 25 from 2-4pm. 

Federal Government Changes to Mortgage Lending

New Canadian Mortgage Rules Come Into Effect July 9, 2012

Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty today announced 4 major changes to Canada mortgage lending rules.

This is the fourth time over the last 4 years that the Federal Government has changed the rules for mortgage insurance. This was done to cool the hot Canadian housing market without raising interest rates, which would have a negative impact on the economy.

The four major changes effective July 9, 2012 are as follows:

1) The maximum amortization on a prime mortgage will be reduced from 30 to 25 years. This change can effectively change the price of the home you can afford by approximately 10%. Please speak with your mortgage provider for their expert advice.

2) Refinancing has been lowered from a maximum of 85% loan-to-value to a maximum of 80% loan-to-value.

3) Mortgage insurance will not be provided for properties valued over $1 million. This change means for someone wishing to purchase a home for over $1 million, your down payment must be over 20% of the purchase price.

4) The maximum gross debt service (GDS) and total debt service (TDS) will be limited to a maximum of 39% and 44% respectively. Currently, GDS does not apply to qualified borrowers with credit scores over 680.

The first two measures will have the most drastic effect on real estate purchases. 1st time home buyers and  people who are planning on upsizing will be the most affected by these srticter rules.

These tighter mortgage approval criteria will reduce the number of "higher risk" borrowers who can qualify for a mortgage.

If you are planning on purchasing a home or are wondering what the implications of these new measures are with your existing home are please contact me at:

Chris Ball: Mobile 604-512-9208

or by email at: chris@chrisball.ca

Oppurtunity to own in this highly regarded  Loft/Conversion Building

Spacious 1 bedroom loft, with soaring 16' ceilings, laminate flooring, insuite laundry,and a walk - in closet. One of only a handful of units with a personal patio.

This well priced home is featured in the SPOT, a highly regarded loft conversion building known for quick sales. Ideally located between Yaletown and the Granville entertainment district, The SPOT earns its 100/100 walk score!

Steps away from shopping, retaurants, cafes and parks. A renowned communal roof top garden, with stunning views. The fitness centre and function room steps away on the same floor, couldn't make fitness or entertaining any easier. perfect for investor or 1st time buyer.

http://chrisball.ca/mylistings.html/details-25080824

Call for Private Showing.

Open Houses:

Friday, June 1 from 10 - 2

Saturday June 2 from 3 - 5

Sunday June 3 from 2 - 4