One year ago the following article I wrote was published in the "pros & condos" section of Western Living Condo. Since then I have made it available to the public and other Realtors through my website and seminars. From feedback received I know it has already helped buyers so I thought it would be a good idea to blog post it.
How do I avoid buying a leaky condo?
The number of blue and green tarps sprouting on older condos grows every year. "The only way to minimize the risks is through the buyers' own due diligence," says John Grasty, a licensed real estate representative and advocate for homeowners.
He offers the following tips to avoid buying a leaky condo: more here [...]
BURNABY, BC- A prominent real estate company with offices in the Lower Mainland, including Prudential Sterling Realty in Burnaby, has earned top points from J.D. Power and Associates, a global market research company.
In its 2008 Home Buyer/Seller Study, J.D. Power and Associates named Prudential Real Estate as having the "Highest Satisfaction for Home Sellers Among National Full Services Real Estate Firms."
The inaugural study was based on customer satisfaction for home buyers and sellers and was measured by four factors in selling a home: agent, marketing, office and services. The study included 3,670 evaluations from 3,205 respondents who had bought or sold a home between April 2007 and June 2008.
Prudential scored 793 out of 1,000 for home selling, and garnered high marks in the marketing and office categories.
Randy Ryalls, manager of Prudential Sterling Realty, which serves Burnaby, the Tri-Cities, Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge, said, "We are very proud of this distinction, as it underscores the quality of our hard-working sales professionals. In the current challenging market, our clients want all the expertise and market knowledge we can offer - and by leveraging Prudential's brand strength, its wide array of product and service offerings, and its strong Internet marketing programs, we can provide sellers with the increased exposure they need - along with providing exceptional, attentive service."
According to the J.D. Power study, REALTORS® are key to the success of the real estate industry - despite the ease of the Internet, where home buying and selling resources abound. The study states that professional advice from REALTORS® can be especially valuable to buyers and sellers.
Based in Westlake, California, J.D. Power and Associates (JDPower.com) is part of The McGraw-Hill Companies and focuses on marketing information services including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, training and customer satisfaction.
Prudential Real Estate is one of the largest real estate brokerage franchise networks in North America with 2,100 franchise offices and 64,000 sales professionals.
For more information, contact Randy Ryalls at 604-421-1010 or visit http://www.psr.ca/.
As a British Columbian outsider I am utterly disgusted reading this article on the plight of the Shuman's. I have a great deal of difficulty comprehending how a certain percentage of performance value or work disqualifies a claim for sub-standard workmanship or materials.
Okay, so it is none of my business poking my BC nose into how the Ontario homeowner protection system is structured, or what the legislation and justice allows.
Well maybe it is my business because precedence doesn't seem to have provincial boundaries. Furthermore, the first place other provinces look when reviewing their own homeowner protection is other parts of Canada, just like Nova Scotia is presently.
Perhaps that is why we have such ineffective homeowner protection models throughout Canada; same old, same old. In a day and age when all other industry globally measures quality in parts per billion, Canada's building code is still based on builders feebly trying to achieve minimum standards. More [...]
John in Port Moody
Is it a quirk of fate that the Sheraton Guildford Hotel leaks?
For many years the home builders association has been holding seminars for homebuyers at the Sheraton Guildford Hotel.
As a co-founder of the Coalition of Leaky Condo Owners, I along with some of my concerned colleagues attended these seminars between 1999 and the early 2000's to warn homebuyers that everything isn't necessarily as it appears or as it is being represented.
Our tactic was to sit as close as we could to the microphone so we would have the opportunity to ask awkward questions of the panel of industry experts. Obviously questions about leaky condos, but also about the unacceptable levels of warranty claims, about how a system of minimum standards causes so many building code violations, about owners not getting what they thought they paid for, etc.
Today home buying is still risky business and British Columbians are being lulled into a false sense of security with a home warranty insurance program full of exclusions, limitations, and other "weasel-worded" disclaimers and representations.
Unfortunately for homebuyers...[more]
With all the responsibilities of buying and selling real estate, the need for risk management is crucial.
Whether pre-sale or resale, the onus for property evaluation is always on the buyer, although it is becoming more popular with sellers to have their own pre-sale inspection done to ensure that they are disclosing what needs to be disclosed. In today's real estate marketplace with an overbuilt supply of homes available, sellers will need to proactively prevent objections while buyers can be more demanding and feel more confident.
In an attempt to reduce uncertainty and protect themselves buyers and sellers I am working with will seek my direction. While their responsibility for disclosure or due diligence cannot be delegated it sure can be supported. This regularly involves conducting affirmative investigations of public records and other key informational sources to ensure that all significant facts are discovered. If any uncertainty still exists then professional assistance is recommended.
Buyers looking for an upper hand will often want to prepare themselves. As a public service to buyers I have been offering free seminars called Buyer Beware, and if it sounds scary it is supposed to. This unique real estate seminar will provide you with insights to avoid pitfalls and ways to protect yourself as a buyer.
Buyer Beware upcoming Fall'08 seminar schedule:
7 p.m. Sep. 22 Parks and Rec. Green Room
Port Coquitlam - 604-927-7970
7 p.m. Sep. 24 Public Library Parklane Room
Port Moody - 604-469-4577
7 p.m. October 8 Douglas College Surrey Training Centre
Surrey - 604-588-7772
7 p.m. October 22 Douglas College David Lam Campus
Coquitlam - 604-588-7772
I'd enjoy seeing you there and be available to answer your questions.
John in Port Moody
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Are REALTORS® at a point of competitive convergence? “Commoditization” makes it difficult to be unique. Example: besides John Grasty who else has Ø Expired Listings?
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