Testimonials

Historically normal activity keeps the Greater Vancouver housing market in a balanced state

VANCOUVER, B.C. – December 2, 2011 – The Greater Vancouver housing market saw relatively typical home sale and listing activity in November.

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that residential property sales of detached, attached and apartment properties on the region’s Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) reached 2,360 in November. This represents a 5.9 per cent decline compared to the 2,509 sales in November 2010 and a 1.9 per cent increase compared to the 2,317 sales recorded in October 2011.

Looking back further, last month’s residential sales total is 5.8 per cent below the ten-year average for sales in November.

“The pace of home listings entering the market eased slightly in November, compared to recent months, while sale levels remained fairly normal for this time of year,” Rosario Setticasi, REBGV president said. “November activity helped put our market firmly in balanced territory.”

New listings for detached, attached and apartment properties in Greater Vancouver totalled 3,222 in November. This represents a 26.3 per cent decline compared to the 4,374 new listings reported in October 2011, but a 6.3 per cent increase compared to November 2010 when 3,030 properties were listed for sale on the MLS®.

Looking back further, last month’s new listing total is 2.1 per cent above the ten-year average for November.

The total number of properties currently listed for sale on the Greater Vancouver MLS® sits at 14,090, a decline of 9 per cent compared to October 2011 but an increase of 13 per cent when compared to this time last year.

The MLSLink® Housing Price Index (HPI) benchmark price for all residential properties in Greater Vancouver over the last 12 months has increased 7.2 per cent to $622,087 in November 2011 from $580,080 in November 2010.

Since reaching a peak in June of $630,921, the benchmark price for all residential properties in the region has declined 1.4 per cent.

Sales of detached properties on the MLS® in November 2011 reached 916, a decrease of 12.8 per cent from the 1,050 detached sales recorded in November 2010, and a 21.3 per cent decrease from the 1,164 units sold in November 2009. The benchmark price for detached properties increased 11.4 per cent from November 2010 to $890,204.

Sales of apartment properties reached 1,000 in November 2011, a 4.9 per cent decrease compared to the 1,052 sales in November 2010, and a decrease of 28.4 per cent compared to the 1,396 sales in November 2009. The benchmark price of an apartment property increased 2.7 per cent from November 2010 to $399,686.

Attached property sales in November 2011 totalled 444, a 9.1 per cent increase compared to the 407 sales in November 2010, and a 15.1 per cent decrease from the 523 attached properties sold in November 2009. The benchmark price of an attached unit increased 4.5 per cent between November 2010 and 2011 to $510,960.

Vancouver Benchmark Prices

DETACHED BENCHMARK PRICES

• Detached Greater Vancouver $890,204 (11.4%), [3yr: 33.6%]
• Burnaby $911,365 (14.9%), [3yr: 39.2%]
• Coquitlam $689,527 (1.1%), [3yr: 12%]
• South Delta $686,430 (11.2%), [3yr: 21%]
• Maple Ridge $448,315 (1.9%), [3yr: 6.4%]
• New Westminster $683,503 (13.5%), [3yr: 26.7%]
• North Vancouver $985,731 (11%), [3yr: 31.7%]
• Pitt Meadows $520,416 (-0.6%), [3yr: 7.5%]
• Port Coquitlam $581,502 (5.2%), [3yr: 12.9%]
• Port Moody $751,345 (4.4%), [3yr: 29.8%]
• Richmond $1,061,256 (15.3%), [3yr: 56.1%]
• Squamish $530,896 (10.6%), [3yr: -9.6%]
• Sunshine Coast $374,502 (-6.7%), [3yr: -11.2%]
• Vancouver East $863,183 (15.9%), [3yr: 42.6%]
• Vancouver West $2,019,926 (18.9%), [3yr: 81%]
• West Vancouver $1,759,616 (23.9%), [3yr: 37.1%]

ATTACHED BENCHMARK PRICES

• Attached Greater Vancouver $510,960 (4.5%), [3yr: 19.9%]
• Burnaby $502,422 (2.4%), [3yr: 17.2%]
• Coquitlam $460,110 (12.5%), [3yr: 16.5%]
• South Delta $479,920 (1.4%), [3yr: 7.3%]
• Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows $302,655 (-1.1%), [3yr: 0.2%]
• North Vancouver $645,539 (11.1%), [3yr: 18.3%]
• Port Coquitlam $410,259 (6.8%), [3yr: 16.8%]
• Port Moody $414,007 (2%), [3yr: 8.6%]
• Richmond $542,648 (3.5%), [3yr: 29.7%]
• Vancouver East $556,380 (4.4%), [3yr: 19.8%]
• Vancouver West $790,046 (4.8%), [3yr: 38.6%]

APARTMENT BENCHMARK PRICES

• Apartment Greater Vancouver $399,686 (2.7%), [3yr: 16.8%]
• Burnaby $367,819 (4.4%), [3yr: 17.6%]
• Coquitlam $298,143 (3.9%), [3yr: 12.9%]
• South Delta $355,624 (1.4%), [3yr: -0.3%]
• Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows $237,450 (0.7%), [3yr: 2.7%]
• New Westminster $304,567 (2.7%), [3yr: 15.6%]
• North Vancouver $380,075 (-0.9%), [3yr: 14.4%]
• Port Coquitlam $246,966 (0.2%), [3yr: 8.2%]
• Port Moody $308,311 (4%), [3yr: 13.8%]
• Richmond $353,285 (3.8%), [3yr: 19.8%]
• Vancouver East $341,419 (6.3%), [3yr: 14.2%]
• Vancouver West $511,412 (1.7%), [3yr: 19.3%]
• West Vancouver $692,659 (6.2%), [3yr: 28.6%]

We offered to write this letter of recommendation for Frank & Sue Gerryts and we do so without reservation. During the whole process of selling our home they were outstanding! From the very beginning to the closing of the sale, they were always available, eager to help, addressed all our concerns, and on a number of situations acted as a mediator to ensure expediency. Above all, they were professional in their approach, extremely knowledge of the housing market, enjoyable to work with, a delight to know. They receive our highest commendation; we recommend them to anyone who is in the market for buying or selling a house. We doubt you could find a better sales associate anywhere.

Sincerely,

Richard & Glenda Longworth

February 21, 2011

During the whole buying process I felt very comfortable on all levels. I specifically liked your reassuring manner and patience in answering my questions. I felt well-informed of condos that were available and received good advise during decision making. I will recommend you to future friends and colleagues.

Shauna U. First time buyer and condo owner.

I want to give a shout out to Sue Gerryts and recommend her to anyone who is thinking of working with a realtor in vancouver!

my partner and i came out to visit and research the city in february, and sue really bent over backwards to help us. she was VERY friendly and helpful and made us feel warmly welcomed to the city. we took a driving tour to look at neighborhoods on one day, and visited open houses on another. she and her husband frank even picked us up to drive to a delicious indian dinner gathering.

so for anyone thinking about finding a realtor in vancouver, you should talk to sue.

Y.H. returning Canadian

I was reluctant in making up my mind whether it would be a safe bet purchasing a property in Nth Van without looking at it in person; I still think not many people do this. [True!]

I was able to overcome my fear and you gave me the confidence that I have someone reliable and trustful who would give me the right advice as a realtor compared to dealing with someone who is local. I have no hesitation in recommending someone else to do the same.

We have peace of mind that the property we have selected is right for us, the effort you put in explaining the details at each step of the way eased the anxiety. Prompt replies to email queries and being able to speak to you in person almost everyday were a great help.

Overall the service you are providing especially for UK based purchasers is exemplary.

Your website was one of many I viewed before our trip and I have to admit seeing the website mentioned in an article on moving to Vancouver did make me take another look in more depth.  It is a good marketing ploy to suggest spending half a day on a research tour and this did meet our expectations.  We were looking for an overview of the types of property available in the areas chosen for the money we could afford and this was, on the whole, achieved.  We were not reluctant because to put it bluntly we could just walk away if it wasn't working out. 

To us it was a plus point that you had moved to Vancouver yourselves some years ago and therefore had experienced each stage of the buying/moving process and knew the pitfalls. This provided a more value added service than just being a realtor.

I suppose we achieved the purpose of our visit, we probably know Highway 1 and parts of West/North Van better than some locals and as a result we purchased a property which I hope we get to live in at some stage.  [Molly and Tim rented their property out initially]

I don't know if you get many people who try to buy within a week [as Molly and Tim did] but if you get the impression they are looking to do so it may be worth suggesting they get a bank account sorted out immediately upon arrival and bring all their financial info with them if they need a mortgage. 

We were expecting professional help from a couple who we knew had been through the same process moving from Britain to Canada. It was a definite attraction dealing with people who knew the challenges of moving country.

We were delighted by the service delivered by Sue and Frank. Very professional and very pleasant to deal with. We felt very confident that we were having the best service. We were really impressed by the amount of time committed by you to our visit.

I think we achieved a knowledge of the area. You were honest with us about the benefits and drawbacks of the various different areas we looked at. I think we also learned a lot about the differences we might expect between the UK and living in Canada.

I would recommend you to anyone going through this process. However, can't think of anyone we know right now. We will obviously pass on your details to anyone who follows!

We would love to keep in touch. It is a scary thought moving there and knowing no-one. We really enjoyed your company.

Before we met you, we expected a similar service to what we would have received in the UK (i.e. minimal input). Doug was hesitant because whilst eager to get onto the property market quickly, he also didn't want to rush into anything and buy the wrong house.

By the time we had worked with you, we felt that a lot of the work was done for us. We looked at houses that we probably would not have considered before. Meeting us at the airport, the welcome pack and helping us find the apartment was a well appreciated touch and something that we did not expect.

And in the end we got onto the property ladder quickly. Having the process explained to us at an early stage took away the need for us to do lots of research on our own.

We have already referred our friends Mark and Liz to you. Mark and Liz who we have already referred.

A suggestion : Put PG tips in the welcome pack (just kidding!)

We didn't really know what to expect as we had no idea how the process worked in Canada. We were reluctant and wary at such an early stage to sign a form which stated that you would sue us if we used any other realtor to buy a house in the North Shore! We also felt that we were a little bit at your mercy in having to place our full trust in you because we knew so little about the process ourselves.

We are very pleased to have gone through this whole process with you. We really appreciated your straight forward honesty, the fact that you never pressured or pushed us in any direction, your accessibility and accomodation at all times and on a personal level the humour and friendship, and of course, your kindness towards Holly.

With your help we have managed to buy what we consider to be a very cool house in an area which we dreamed about living in - Deep Cove living has to offer pretty much everything that we've moved to Canada for.

We wouldn't hesitate in referring anyone to you in the future. There's no one that we know of looking to buy at the moment.

Explain a bit more at the outset how the market works and eg. how to manage/avoid! multiple offers etc.

On a personal level we'd very much like to keep in contact with you in the future. In a funny kind of way we were just saying to each other how we'll miss seeing you! We've enjoyed your friendship in everyway throughout.

Andy and Orla - moved from Dublin to Deep Cove

Before using you as a our Real Estate Agent, I suppose we were perhaps slightly wary of being pushed to sign-up before we were ready. This was not the case at all, of course - in fact - you never even mentioned it!  In what was in some ways a stressful visit - just because of all we had to see and do, you never made us feel under pressure. 

Having met some Canadian Realtors at house viewings, we were pleased to have your help and advice - you saw things from our point of view.  We were able to make contact before we came out so, you knew our situation and what we were looking for.  Your website and emails explained the whole buying process so we were well prepared.   Having Frank there too meant that we had a team working for us - you both worked so hard on our behalf - it was almost like having our own Kirsty and Phil (do you remember, from Location, Location ..). 

We successfully bought a house - the whole process took more or less 4 days! 

The website was (and is) absolutely invaluable.  There is so much useful advice on there.  Having gone through the whole experience yourselves you know the kind of concerns people have.  The research trip was a great success for us and we achieved such a lot - partly because we were able to do our homework before we came - suss out the market and how much we could afford.  We had almost decided on West Vancouver as an area to live before we came and it worked out well for us that this was your area.  We have also received excellent service from Keith and Matt who you recommended to us. 

Your service offers so much more than Real Estate - you truly are a Relocation service. 

We would thoroughly recommend your service.  Just at the moment, there isn't anyone else we know but, we wouldn't hesitate to pass on your name in the future. 

Maybe one thing ... We enjoyed the meetings in Starbucks and it was a good starting point for us when setting off for viewings in West Vancouver but because it gets so busy there it might sometimes have been less hassle to have gone to somewhere more quiet (with bigger tables) - maybe your home-office or the company office in Marine Drive?  That's not a big complaint - we actually liked the coffee shop - and we met the Normans there and Amanda and Peter who have both kept in touch.

Jean and Iain - moved from Scotland to Eagle Harbour, West Vancouver

My husband Stuart and I moved to Vancouver in June 2005 when Stuart's job was relocated here. We were put up in a rented apartment for our first 8 weeks by Stuart's employers, but since we're not renters by nature, we were very keen to buy our own place as soon as possible after this period was up.

I found Sue through the Brits2BC website [now relocation2bc] (which is a great reference for all new residents in the area, as well as an excellent service for those planning a move). Having a real estate agent who understands the differences between house-buying in the UK and BC was a real plus for us, and Sue explains the process in a way that's easy to understand for newcomers.

The process is much better than in the UK, and as a realtor acting solely on the behalf of the buyer, Sue's services didn't cost us a penny. I found this hard to believe given what a tremendous asset it was having our own expert guide us through the system. I felt like I was on an episode of "Location, Location, Location" [British TV property programme] and Sue was our very own Kirsty Allsop!

We had a pretty good idea of what we were looking for from the outset - we wanted to live in an apartment downtown, with as nice a view and as many amenities as possible. Sue kept us updated with new properties coming on the market, and arranged and accompanied us to all the viewings. Sue has access to lots of additional market data, so she can give great advice on exactly what a realistic offer price is. We found a place that was perfect very quickly, and unbelievably got the keys within 3 weeks of making the offer! Sue also recommended mortgage brokers and lawyers to help get the deal done so quickly.

We're now in our new apartment, and even had a week of overlap to move from the company rental to our new home. I can't believe we own our own place and we've only been here for two months! Sue has been a fantastic help to us through this process, as well as introducing us to other British expats in the area and becoming a friend to us herself.

I used to dread house-hunting, but going through the process with Sue was a real pleasure, and we're delighted with the result.

Thanks Sue!

Stuart and Debs, originally from the UK

My wife and I moved to Vancouver in March 2005. Prior to the move, we visited Vancouver to take a tour and decide which areas to focus in. We met Sue Gerryts who showed us around North Vancouver. We then looked at a number of properties which suited our criteria. We found the perfect house and with Sue's help immediately put in an offer.  Sue managed to have all the subjects removed and the deal closed in just 5 days!!! Sue went out of here way to ensure the deal was completed before we went back to the UK.

This was the perfect move for us as we received the keys to our new house just 3 days after arriving in Vancouver to start our new lives. We are indebted to Sue for her help and time to ensure a perfect start for us.

Andy and Joanne B.