The UnReal Estate Show: Recent Episodes
Keith Roy
Our guest on the show this week is Brandon Harding of NAI Commercial who focus on multi-family and development in Vancouver.
We're quick to judge landlords, developers and owners of multi-family properties here in Vancouver when in reality we need these people if we're going to solve the housing crisis. With each new tax and each new restriction, buying a rental building or becoming a landlord in Vancouver becomes more risky and more expensive.
Here's why:
More landlords equals more rental properties thus increasing the supply.
More supply equals less demand.
Less demand equals lower rents. And more security for renters.
Though it's a basic economic principal we're not quite sure our municipal or provincial governments seem to understand. So housing prices continue to rise and renters continue to experience little security despite an influx of new taxes and restrictions.
Clearly something is not working.
Money laundering. How do people do it? Why can’t we catch them? And is this actually something that’s increasing house values in Vancouver?
Here to discuss that is former tax lawyer and current white collar crime investigator, Chris Thompson.
Links we talk about:https://www.politico.com/f/?id=0000015f-6d73-d751-af7f-7f735cc70000
Quick disclaimer - Chris Thompson's views are his own and he is not speaking on behalf of the government.
A year ago we released our first Hawaii episode. At that time I was just starting the process of buying a home in Kona. A year later, we've made the purchase and have just finished spending 3 glorious months on the island.
Here to talk about how I bought a home in Hawaii is my realtor, Kevin Walmsley. His episode last year was one of our most highly listened to episodes ever. So this one will not disappoint.
After traveling around the world we take the show back to real estate obsessed home town of Vancouver. Our guest this week is Greg Dent, Keith's best friend of 20+ years, real estate agent extraordinaire and the guy who's been running our team as Keith travels the world.
In this episode we talk about: what happened in the market in 2018, what new government policies are effecting home values this week and what we expect to see in the market in 2019.
Stuff we talk about in this episode - "An independent report done last year found excessive regulation in Vancouver, including taxes, zoning regulation and development charges, can add a staggering $600,000 to the cost of a new home."
Concluding our series on New Zealand real estate this week we sat down with Kiri Barfoot, Director of Barfoot and Thompson - recently awarded the title of Best Real Estate Agency in The World by International Property Awards in London, and agent Tim O'Shea.
Barfoot and Thompson is an impressive company. Professional and established with probably the nicest office space we've ever seen.
Weeks prior to this New Zealand announced it was banning all foreign ownership. As we've learnt from these interviews, there's a number of loopholes to this "ban" and it may not be having the desired effect, though it's still a bit too early to tell.
Happy 2019! We're continuing our real estate world tour and this week we're in New Zealand speaking with documentary film maker Bryan Bruce. I met Bryan two years ago when he interviewed me in Vancouver for his film Who Owns New Zealand Now.
The story of New Zealand real estate is very similar to the story of real estate in Vancouver and other expensive and desirable locations in the world. So we've devoted two episodes to fully understanding how the industry works in New Zealand, the challenges they're facing now and what they're doing to address those issues.
Only a few weeks before our trip to New Zealand the government decided to ban foreign ownership altogether in order to combat their affordability problem. Before making the change Bryan spoke to parliament about his findings. Though he denies it was because of his documentary alone, it was certainly something taken into consideration when the government made their decision.
Enjoy.
We're back this week with the conclusion of our Australia series. This week on the show we're speaking to Buyer's Advocate Cate Bakos in Melbourne.
G'day mate! We're in Australia this week where real estate might as well be the national sport. In this episode we sit down with award winning agent and real estate auctioneer, Glen Coutinho to discuss how real estate is transacted in Australia and the similarities between the Melbourne and Vancouver real estate markets.
Here's a clip for Glen in action.
Be sure to tune in next week when we sit down with a Buyer's Advocate to hear about what the auction process looks like from the buyer's perspective.
We're back in Canada this week checking out the other coast. In this episode I speak with Peter Brouwer with Royal LePage Atlantic. Peter has been selling real estate in Halifax for 20 years now and is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to all things Halifax.
Yet somehow he knows very little about the lobster economy...
Let me start off by saying, if you are a real estate agent, especially if you’re a newer agent trying to grow a business you NEED to listen to this episode.
If you’re something thinking of hiring an agent or want to know more about what makes a truly GREAT agent, this episode is also a must listen.
The episode features Broker-Owner and Author, John Collopy of RE/MAX Results, which is consistently ranked as the most productive RE/MAX Franchise in the United States.
After nearly 40 years in the business, his insight and advice is some of the most valuable I’ve heard on the show to date. His personal story of how he hit rock bottom, ended up in prison and then went on to create this amazingly successful business is, not only fascinating, but inspirational to anyone wanting to build a business of their own.
A huge thank you to John and his team for bringing me in, yet again, to train their agents in Minnesota (still one of my favourite cities of all time).
We’re back in Iceland for another special episode. If you haven’t heard our previous Icelandic episodes, be sure to check them out below.
This time we’re exploring the 2 year real estate school system of Iceland.
http://www.keithroy.com/18-unreal-estate-of-iceland
http://www.keithroy.com/19-unreal-estate-of-iceland-conclusion
Vee arts ein Deutschland! Just in time for Octoberfest, this week we’re talking all things German, from Germany with a guy who lives in Germany.
Our guest this week is Allan Attridge, a man I’ve known my entire life. Allan and I grew up together in Richmond, but after falling in love with a German girl, Allan left the city and moved to a small village near Tübingen, Germany (about 30 minutes outside Stuttgart).
Allan is a professional photographer and long time podcast host himself (check out The Two Hosers Photo Show). He’s taken nearly ever headshot I’ve ever used as a realtor plus his advice was instrumental in us setting up this show nearly two years ago.
In this week’s episode we talk about why he moved to Germany when (if ever) he’s planning to come back to Canada and what his experience with life (and real estate) has been in Deutschland.
A few episodes ago we discussed the merits of leaving the city in favour of country life. Our guest on the show this week will argue that life in the city life is hands down the best way to go.
This week we’re talking to Christian Huggett – Vice President of Development with Podium Developments in Toronto. Christian’s background is in city planning, so we’ll discuss why city planning is so important, plus how micro-suites may help solve many of the challenges facing modern cities today.
This week on the show we’re in Northern Ontario, a 14 hour drive away from Toronto, in the town of Thunder Bay. It’s the first stop on our Ontario real estate tour.
In this episode we sit down with the legend of Thunder Bay real estate, Mr. Vince Mirabelli. If you ask just about any real estate agent in Canada who they’d recommend in Thunder Bay, Vince’s name is sure to come up. I know Vince through his work within the RE/MAX network.
In addition to selling real estate, Vince is avid philanthropist who is known for giving back to his community. Like many RE/MAX agents, Vince works with the Children’s Miracle Network where he donates portion of all of his commission earned to helping children live better.
Ah Winnipeg. Try as I might, I cannot escape you.
We all know someone who lives in (or is from) Winnipeg. One of the people I know in Winnipeg is the legendary Jesse Peters. Jesse is a Realtor with RE/MAX (aka. Mr. Social Savvy). Every time Steph and I come to town we try to visit with Jesse. One of the nicest guys you’ll meet, Jesse has carved out an awesome business in the city he grew up in, using social media and video to set him apart from other agents.
In addition to selling real estate, Jesse is also a speaker and trainer in the real estate industry, running video bootcamps all over the world. We’ll see Jesse next in Amsterdam for the RE/MAX Europe convention this fall.
In this episode, Jesse and I talk all things Winnipeg – what drives the market here, why people are moving back and how he runs his thriving business. We also pick Jesse’s brain about training and what’s next for his social media and video training series.
An episode you don’t want to miss!
As more young people choose to leave Vancouver, one of the places they move to is Kelowna and the surrounding areas. Once thought of as a retirement town, Kelowna has changed significantly in the past decade (with the average age down from 67 to 41).
Here to talk to us about what’s driving that change, and why Kelowna might be a good option for you, is Tamara Stone of The Stone Sisters Group with RE/MAX.
The Stone Sisters are the #1 agents in Kelowna and Tamara’s team is consistently ranked in the top 5 RE/MAX teams in all of Western Canada. Our Realtor listeners will enjoy hearing how Tamara has build her thriving team, and what sets her business apart.
Enjoy.
As prices continue to rise in Vancouver, more and more young families are making the decision to leave the city altogether. But it’s not just the cost of housing that’s prompting this mass exodus as we’ll learn in this week’s episode.
This week on the show I sit down with a Michael Kaisaris, a good friend of mine and former client, who made the decision to leave the rat race of the city and move to a Penticton, BC about a year and a half ago.
If you’re thinking about making the leap from city to country life, this is the episode for you.
Very excited to have our friend Braden Wheatcroft as a guest on the podcast this week. Braden is the Director of Career Development for RE/MAX Camosun on Vancouver Island and host of his own Facebook Live (and future podcast) show, The Vancouver Island Real Estate Show. He’s a long time fan of the show and a dear friend of both myself and Stephanie. He is also a real estate business coach with Richard Robbins International.
As a licensed agent in Victoria, now in a managing role for the company, Braden has a unique top level view of real estate on the island, so it was really interesting to hear his perspective on the current state of the market.
We also talk about what real estate will look like in the next 5-10 years and how the real estate landscape might look now that there’s been some major rule changes for agents in British Columbia.
Continuing the theme of becoming a real estate agent, this week I sit down with my managing broker, Broker/Owner Cory Raven of RE/MAX Select Realty to talk about all the steps agents need to take once they’ve joined a brokerage.
My guest this week is my sister, Kirstyn Hardy-Phipps! She's in the process of becoming and agent and joining my team. We talk about her experience in getting her real estate license, what the course is like and how relevant it actually is.
Our guest this week is Penny Gurstein - Professor and Director at of The School of Community & Regional Planning and Centre for Human Settlements. Penny is also the founder of The Housing Research Collaborative that includes past show guests Tom Davidoff and David Lee.
We met at UBC and had a wide ranging conversation about how housing affordability research.
Since recording this episode Penny has been appointment to the BC Housing Board of Commissioners whose role is to oversee policy implementation and provide strategic guidance to BC Housing, to help deliver on government’s plan for housing affordability and fairness.
Hope you enjoy.
Keith
I'm in Antalya, Turkey this week speaking for RE/MAX of Turkey.
My guest is Zühtü Eşiyok - broker/owner of RE/MAX Hills in Istanbul.
Here's everything you always wanted to know about the Turkish real estate industry but were afraid to ask.
Enjoy.
Keith
My guest on on the show this week is the VP of Project Planning & Partnerships with Catalyst Developments, Stephanie Allen . Catalyst is not for profit development company based out of Vancouver.
We had an informative and interesting conversation around building purpose built rentals to help ease the housing crisis here in Vancouver. I very much enjoyed Stephanie's perspective (and my Stephanie says this is one of the best interviews we've done all year).
I encourage you to check out the Catalyst website to find out more about this organization especially if you're interested in investing in a community project.
Hope you enjoy.
Keith Roy
This week I'm in Buenos Aires, Argentina speaking at the annual RE/MAX of Argentina conference. My guest on the show this week is the owner of RE/MAX Argentina and Uruguay, Sebastian Sosa.
Video of my time in Argentina >> https://www.facebook.com/keithroy/videos/10160274505255475/
Unfortunately it's nothing new to hear about young people leaving Vancouver. In recent times, one of the most memorable farewells to the city has come from journalist Jessica Barrett.
Jessica wrote an opinion piece for the Tyee back in October 2017 titled, "I Left Vancouver Because Vancouver Left Me".
With the article being shared online nearly 20,000 times, clearly this message resonated with a lot of people in this city.
Recording via Skype, Jessica is my guest this week on the podcast. We talk about why she left, what's different for her now and policies she believes are most needed to help combat the housing crisis here in Vancouver.
Stuff we talk about in this episode:
Jessica's essay to Vancouver Policies to help make Vancouver more affordable
This week on the show we're opening up the proverbial mail bag and answering your questions. Updates on:
Our Hawaii house shopping journey The end of dual agency in BC The BC provincial budget (was our speculation speculation correct??) The Federal "budget" The upcoming municipal election Aaaaand, my predictions for the Spring market.
Our guest this week is our podcast producer, my soulmate, Stephanie Arnold.
The BC NDP will be releasing their 2018 budget in just a few days. Since we know almost nothing about what that budget will include, in this episode we speculate on all of the housing policies we might see, including a possible speculation tax. It's speculating about speculation (hence the episode title).
Our guest this week is tax expert and friend of the show, Chris Thompson. Chris has a list of policies the government could implement. Some are ridiculous, but most are great.
Hopefully John Horgan listens to this podcast.
Enjoy.
As of March 15th an agent will no longer be able to represent both buyer and seller in a transaction. As an advocate for greater real estate ethics, I think this is a step in the right direction for consumers. As for how the rules are actually implemented...it's a mess and consumers are about to be hit big time if changes aren't made.
Here to talk about that is my best friend and the buyer's specialist on my team - Greg Dent.
So you are aware, the audio in this episode is a bit crappy. The original recording was deleted and we're using audio from a backup (thankfully we Facebook live-ed this episode and could export the audio from there).
Stuff we talk about:
Contact for the Superintendent of Real Estate for BC Information on the new rules
How much does it cost to build in Vancouver? How does Vancouver differ from other municipalities when it comes to building? How does the building process affect affordability in Vancouver? These questions answered, and more, in this episode of The Vancouver UnReal Estate Show.
My guest this week is the guy who built my house – Shawn Wilson, along with his project manager Pasquale. Shawn is the owner of Northern Concepts, a Vancouver based residential contracting company.
I’ve been wanting to have him on the show for a while now, we I’m super excited to have the both of them as our guests this week.
Here are links to some of the stuff we talk about:
BC Housing Warranties
Additional cost of building green
Happy New Year! I'm starting the year off right on the big island of Hawaii where Stephanie and I are shopping for a vacation home in Kona. On this first episode of 2018, we're talking to our Hawaii agent Kevin Walmsley of Elite Pacific Properties. We talk about how the market works here in Hawaii and why you might want to consider investing on this island in particular.
Enjoy.
- Keith
In our last episode of the year, friend of the show Chris Thompson and I review the top real estate news stories of 2017. We talk about our highlights of the year and follow up on some of our past debates.
Some stuff we mention in this episode:
Sam Sullivan’s Youtube channel Dual agency changes Sam Sullivan episode Provincial election episodes Airbnb rules Federal tax changes Federal housing announcement Vacant home owner tax
We'll be back with a brand new episode on Jan 7th, 2017. Until then, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from The Vancouver UnReal Estate Show!
This week I’m in the centre of the universe – Toronto, Canada. My guest is week is local expert and real estate rock star, Tom Storey.
If you’re a fan of Keith Roy, you’ll be a fan of Tom Storey. Tom is like the young version of me. We’re stats driven, go-getter, Guelf graduates who are obsessed with real estate. So who better to talk to about the state of the Toronto real estate market than him.
In this episode we talk about:
What the impacts of the Ontario Fair Housing Plan have been in the GTA Where the best place to invest is in Toronto What’s next for the GTA in 2018 Where you can find more info (IE. The Storey Report)
Our Christmas Special/year in review episode will be out on December 17th. Our guest is friend of the show, Chris Thompson. So stay tuned!
- Keith Roy
This has to be one of the best conversations on the topic of affordable housing we've ever had on the show. Our guest this week is UBC Professor of Geography, David Ley, a long-time teacher, student and advocate of affordable housing in Vancouver. In fact, David has been studying affordability here for the past 45 years!
David is a prolific voice on housing in Vancouver and is often featured in the media discussing the demand side of Vancouver real estate. He is the author of Millionaire Migrants - an examination of the migration career of wealthy migrants who left East Asia and relocated to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, in the 1980s and 1990s.
As the title of this episode suggests, in this conversation David takes us through a history of unaffordability in Vancouver - how we got here, and what he thinks we can do about it now.
Although our stance on the show has largely been that more supply is the answer to the housing crisis, David's demand-side approach is quite compelling. This episode is bound to produce a lot of conversation, so if you have any questions or comments, find us on Facebook, Twitter or email us at podcast@keithroy.com.
Please note, The Vancouver UnReal Estate Show will be moving to a biweekly format. As we move into 2018, we've decided to focus on quality over quantity, ensuring every episode of #VURES we release is thoughtfully produced as well as valuable and interesting to our growing audience.
As always, if you have any questions or suggestions for guests you'd like to see on the show, email us at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy - Personal Real Estate Corporation
Someone we talk about a lot on The Vancouver UnReal Estate Show is Sam Sullivan. Past mayor of Vancouver and current False Creek MLA, Sam’s proposed housing policies are referenced by guests who are both left leaning and right leaning on the political spectrum. He was a guest on the 2nd episode of our show, and today we want to replay that interview.
A lot has changed since we originally recorded this episode. Sam was re-elected as False Creek’s MLS in the 2017 provincial election and is now running for leadership of the BC Liberal Party.
Sam is a strong proponent of eco-density as a way to combat the housing crisis. His common-sense solutions can help make this city more affordable and sustainable.
Stuff we talk about in this episode:
· Sam’s Housing Affordably campaign video
· BC Liberal Membership
· Sam’s History of Vancouver Videos:
Overview of Three Waves First Wave Second Wave Third Wave A defence of Urban Density One idea to fix the supply problem History and recommendation to prioritize density to the old city Sam’s thoughts on the name Vancouver
All episodes are now available to download on Stitcher and iTunes.
Tune in next week for a brand new episode!
If you have any questions or any guests you would like us to interview, email us at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
All three levels of government have enacted policies in recent weeks to help “fix the housing crisis”. This week on the show we talk about those policies, the obvious loopholes in them and what we believe the consequences of those policies will be.
Our guest this week is my soulmate/show producer, Stephanie Arnold.
Stuff we talk about:
The provincial government closing the fixed term tenancy “loophole” The municipal government enacting a mandatory “locals first” presale policy The federal government’s new mortgage “stress test”
If you have any questions or any guests you would like us to interview, email us at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
Many of our previous guests on the show have argued that the solution to Vancouver’s housing affordability crisis is to increase supply. Our guest on the show this week believes supply alone is not enough to solve this issue and that the real solution lies in curbing demand.
At the core of it, curbing demand is all about foreign ownership, or more specifically, foreign money.
My guest this week is Assistant Professor at the School of Public Policy at Simon Fraser University, Joshua Gordon. In this episode, Josh and I discuss his recent housing affordability report which explores the problem and offers some solutions.
Personally, while I agree that there is an influx of foreign money in the market, I don’t entirely agree that curbing demand is the solution to the housing crisis. However, it was very interesting to have a conflicting voice on the show, with a very well researched perspective.
If you’re interested in what Josh has to say, you can find more commentary from him below:
Josh’s case for taxing foreign home buyers UBCM conference takes on the housing crisis Josh’s housing affordability report
If you have any questions or any guests you would like us to interview, email us at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
*Released 1 week early in preparation for the upcoming election!
Vancouver is having a by-election this Saturday, October 14th, 2017. We will be electing one new city councillor and nine school board trustees.
This election has been primarily about housing. Since this is a housing and real estate podcast, it seems only fair to talk to our council candidates and ask them how they plan to address the housing crisis.
To help prepare you for the election, this week we’re releasing two episodes at the same time. I will be interviewing the two leading candidates for this election, Hector Bremner of the NPA and Pete Fry with the Green Party.
In this episode, I’m talking to Hector Bremner.
For more information visit:
City of Vancouver Election Information Hector Bremner, NPA city council candidate Follow @HectorDBremner on Twitter
And be sure to check out our previous episode where we interview Green candidate, Pete Fry.
If you have any questions or any guests you would like us to interview, email us at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
Vancouver is having a by-election this Saturday, October 14th, 2017. We will be electing one new city councillor and nine school board trustees.
This election has been primarily about housing. Since this is a housing and real estate podcast, it seems only fair to talk to our council candidates and ask them how they plan to address the housing crisis.
To help prepare you for the election, this week we’re releasing two episodes at the same time. I will be interviewing the two leading candidates for this election, Pete Fry with the Green party and Hector Bremner of the NPA.
In this episode, I’m talking to Pete Fry.
For more information visit:
City of Vancouver Election Information Pete Fry, Green party city council candidate Follow @PtFry on Twitter
And be sure to check out next week’s episode (available RIGHT NOW) where we interview NPA candidate, Hector Bremner.
If you have any questions or any guests you would like us to interview, email us at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
DING, DING, DING!
The battle is ON between former tax lawyer Chris Thompson and current Realtor and corporation owner Keith Roy. Chris supports the proposed federal corporate tax changes while Keith is vehemently opposed.
Whatever side of the fence you’re on, you’re sure to learn a thing or two about a thing or two on this week’s episode of The Vancouver UnReal Estate Show.
Stuff we talk about in this episode:
Chris’ Speed Kills Your Pocket Book video Tax Wars - The Phantom Penance 93% Corporate Tax Rate? Unpacking the "alleged" 73%/93% corporate tax rate
Stuff we didn’t talk about but you should watch because it’s hilarious…
Chris eating a granola bar underwater…for some reason.
If you have any questions or any guests you would like us to interview, email us at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
Will I still have a job in the future?
With all of the big tech disruptors in the industry right now, what will the role of an agent look like in the future?
That’s what I wanted to talk to Allen Moon, VP and General Manager of REW.ca - Canada's premier real estate search website, often referred to as "the Zillow of Canada".
Allen has a lot of experience in the real estate tech world, in Vancouver in particular, so I wanted to unpack this with him a little bit more and also talk about the future of real estate for the consumer, in general.
Some stuff we talk about in this episode:
Open Door Redfin
If you have any questions or any guests you would like us to interview, email us at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
Got real estate woes? Vancouver’s real estate therapist, Joannah Connolly is here to help. In our conversation this week, she tells us some of the best advice she’s heard from guests on her Roundhouse radio show, The Real Estate Therapist, including advice for those hoping to buy in this crazy market
In addition to hosting the Real Estate Therapist show on Roundhouse radio (98.3FM) Saturdays from 9 – 10 AM, Joannah is also the editor and content manager for REW.ca, Vancouver’s premier real estate search and news website.
I’m really excited to share this one with you all. I’ve been a guest on Joannah’s show many times, and it was fun to turn the tables around and interview her for once. She has some amazing insight into the market here in Vancouver.
Some stuff we talk about in this episode:
REW’s “How to Interview a Real Estate Agent” Real Estate Therapist’s Twitter account: @estatetherapist Roundhouse radio’s Real Estate Therapist Show
If you have any questions or any guests you would like us to interview, email us at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
How is Seattle tackling the growing demand for real estate on the West Coast and what lessons could we learn from them?
On the show this week to talk about that is Margaret Morales, a senior research associate at the Sightline Institute in Seattle.
I first caught wind of Margaret when I read an article she wrote titled Why Seattle Builds Apartments But Vancouver BC Builds Condos. It’s all about how Seattle managed to incentivize the building of rental apartments, while Vancouver has continued to incentivize the building of condos to purchase.
If you have any questions or any guests you would like us to interview, email us at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
It’s the last weekend of summer and this week I want to go through a quick recap of the summer real estate market in Vancouver and give a few predictions for the fall market.
NOTE: These are real market stats, not just stories, not press releases, not news headlines, but what is actually happening in the market.
As I mention in this episode, if you’d like to receive any of the stats packages I reference, just drop us a line at podcast@keithroy.com.
We’ve got a lot of amazing interviews coming up for you this fall, so be sure to subscribe on iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Enjoy.
This episode is all about home building and the role builders and developers play in Vancouver housing affordability.
My guest is the CEO of The Greater Vancouver Home Builders' Association, Bob De Wit.
Among other things, in this episode we discuss:
The role municipal government plays in the housing crisis Resources for those looking to build a home, including how to hire a contractor What the GVHBA is doing to lobby the government to make building easier Lessons Vancouver can learn from how Tokyo maintains its housing supply
Links we refer to in this episode:
VURES episode #14 with Anne McMullin VURES episode #2 with Sam Sullivan Housing Approval Study which ranks the building approval process among municipalities BC Housing Registry of Residential Builders
If you have any questions or any guests you would like us to interview, email us at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
Whistler, BC is one of my favourite places in the world. A number of years ago I purchased a condo up there, and it remains one of the best investments I’ve ever made.
Here this week to talk a little more about the Whistler real estate market is my friend Jeff Hume of The Whistler Real Estate Company.
Links to some of the things we talk about in this episode:
Phase 1 vs. Phase 2 zoning An intro to Jeff Hume A taste of Whistler real estate listings
If you have any questions or any guests you would like us to interview, email us at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
Our show is on the road again this week and I’m talking with my good friend Andrew Russell in Red Deer, Alberta.
Andrew has been the #1 overall RE/MAX agent in Central Alberta for the past 3 years. He holds a multitude of real estate awards that he’s too modest to talk about, so instead we talk about the real estate market in Alberta, how the price of oil affects the price of homes and where he sees the market heading in the coming years.
Some things we mention in this episode:
Andrew Russell Actually affordable homes Laebon Homes – Custom Home Builder in Central Alberta
Enjoy the show!
If you have any questions or any guests you would like us to interview, email us at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
This week my guest is the Regional Executive Vice President for RE/MAX of Western Canada – Elton Ash.
RE/MAX is the industry leader in the world, and certainly in Western Canada.
RE/MAX of Western Canada oversees:
6914 agents 276 offices Nearly 73 billion dollars in inventory sold in 2016 Nearly 140,000 transactions in 2016
With RE/MAX overseeing such a large percentage of transactions in our marketplace, Elton has a great perspective on the history of the real estate markets in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, as well as some insights into what he sees happening in the future of these four provinces.
Be sure to listen in next week, as we head out to Albert to hear from an agent out there about what’s been going on in there market, and what lessons we can learn from them here in Vancouver.
Enjoy.
If you have any questions or any guests you would like us to interview, email us at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
Is the proposed Vancouver housing strategy going to work or is this just a ploy by the mayor to get reelected?
This updated “housing reset” proposal, which will be brought to council in the coming months, is featured in a 71 page document available on the city website.
This week, friend of the show Chris Thompson and I review this document. Feel free to follow along at home!
NOTE: This is a long episode, because there’s a heck of a lot to talk about.
To summarize:
The city of Vancouver is going to use magic to build 72,000 homes, residents are angry because they don’t have enough “contemplative space” and somehow our houses are expensive because taxes are TOO low…
Oh boy.
Don’t forget to leave us a review, email us or check us out on Facebook. We might send you a brand new VURES mug!
If you have any questions or any guests you would like us to interview, email us at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
This week we open up the proverbial mailbag and answer some listener questions…and there’s a lot to talk about.
Keith addresses the new vacancy tax, rate hikes and once again answers the question, “Is Vancouver in a bubble?”
Here’s a full list of the questions we take on this week:
How is the new interest rate hike going to affect the Vancouver real estate market? Is Vancouver in a bubble? How can the city be better for home owners trying to build? Will the new vacant home tax do anything to cool prices? Is supply in Vancouver keeping up with demand?
From 2010 to 2016 population size in Metro-Vancouver increased by 10.2% while occupied dwellings increasing by 7.8% This change in dwellings vs. population size means an increase in average household size from 2.6 in 2010 to 2.65 by 2016
*Numbers from statistics Canada 2011 and 2016 census data
Canada has the 3rd largest homes in the world, yet 42% of people say they want bigger homes. (study by Point2Homes)
How will technology change the way people buy real estate in the future?
- Time magazine tool “Will a Robot Take Your Job?”
If you have any questions or any guests you would like us to interview, email us at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
After 6 months of doing this show, looking at home ownership in Vancouver, have we managed to figure out how to make this city more affordable?
Yes…and no. What I have discovered in doing this show is that the issues surrounding affordability in this city are much more complicated than many believe them to be. There’s one group of people who say increasing density is the only solution and another group saying we should ban or heavily tax foreign owners…but at the end of the day, any one solution tends to be fairly short sighted.
A more reasonable and effective way to keep the city livable for a variety of people would be a plan that involves at least some of these ideas:
Adjusting expectations Stop ignoring supply and demand A land development plan around transit lines Zero based zoning Upzoning Accepting foreign ownership
These are the best ideas we’ve heard on the show so far and we’re going to review them today.
We highlight some of our most popular interviews in the show this week, and if you haven’t had a chance to listen to the full interview, I highly suggest you go back and do so. Links to those interviews are below:
Tony Joe on Foreign Buyers Anne McMullin on Supply and Demand Tom Davidoff on Upzoning Mayor Richard Stewart on Transit Development Michael Geller on Zero Based Zoning David Eby on Transit Development and Government Intervention
Enjoy
If you have any questions or any guests you would like us to interview, email us at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
With an average house price of $829,600, Victoria, BC is now the 3rd most expensive real estate market in Canada. An hour and a half ferry trip from Vancouver, this island town has seen similar growth to Vancouver in recent years.
Here to talk more about the Victoria real estate market, and how it relates to Vancouver is Tony Joe, a man with many titles, including: past president of The Victoria Real Estate Board, host of The Whole Home Show, long time Victoria Realtor, real estate coach and president of The Asian Real Estate Association.
In this episode we talk about who’s moving to Victoria, whether or not foreigners to blame for unaffordable housing and some of the racism and challenges Tony has faced as a Chinese Realtor in British Columbia.
Things We Talk About in This Episode:
Tony’s real estate team Tony’s flyers spark controversy @TonyJoeVictoria Asian Real Estate Association The Whole Home Show with Tony Joe
If you have any questions or any guests you would like to hear from, email us at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
Uncertainty, an NDP government and confusing market statistics…
…is now really a good time to buy in Vancouver? If so, what’s the best way to make sure you don’t get taken advantage of?
Here to talk about that is my best friend and Buyer’s Agent for Keith Roy and Associates – Greg Dent. Aside from myself, Greg is the first Canadian real estate agent to ever be on our show!
We tell you what numbers you should be looking at as true indicators of the state of the market, plus give you some tips on how to negotiate the pandemonium of the Vancouver real estate market.
Stuff we mention in this episode:
The KRA monthly market update (email podcast@keithroy.com to request a subscription) A Globe and Mail article we were featured in, highlighting how we found our buyers an unlisted property An REW article from earlier this year where I accurately predicted where we are in the market now #humblebrag
If you have any questions or any guests you would like to see, email as at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
This episode will save you money (and a tax audit).
A must listen if you own property, especially rental property.
This week I’m back with Chris Thompson – my friend, husband of Keith Roy and Associate’s team manager, Anna and former tax lawyer.
Stephanie and I went over to Chris and Anna’s for ice-cream last weekend and while we were there Chris and I talked about taxes (because clearly we know how to rock a Saturday night).
We bust out the tax code and break down the following:
Do you have to pay capital gains tax on your home when you sell if you had a rental suite in your house? Do I need to report all rental income to CRA? What’s my tax rate on my rental income? What expenses can I write off if I have a rental property? How long do I need to keep my tax records for? If I move into my rental property for a year before I sell it, do I still have to pay capital gains tax? Do I have to declare AirBnB income?
Links to some of the things we talk about in this episode:
Beware the tax hit hiding in your basement CRA and Real Estate
If you have any questions or any guests you would like to see, email as at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
From 66° N IN ICELAND to 36° S, our international series of The Vancouver UnReal Estate Show continues this week in Santiago, Chile. I’m here for the RE/MAX of Chile convention and sitting down with Gustavo Caricote, director of global development for RE/MAX International, specializing in real estate in Latin America and the Caribbean. We’re answering the question…
What’s the real estate industry like in South America?
Based on the conversations I’ve had with some agents, it seems like the wild-west down here, with no real estate licensing and virtually no industry regulation.
I’ve been describing Chile as “the Canada of South America.” The people here are friendly and the RE/MAX agents are eager to learn, but their system of real estate is years behind our system at home.
Hope you found this interview as interesting to listen to as I did to record it.
Enjoy.
- Photos from Chile
I’m back from my travels now and will continue the show in Vancouver next week.
What other global real estate markets would you like to learn more about? Or are there any other real estate related questions you’d like answered? Let us know by emailing podcast@keithroy.com
This month, The Vancouver UnReal Estate Show is on the road, speaking with agents and brokers from all over the world. We’ll talk about what is unique about their marketplaces and what lessons Vancouver can learn from them.
Last week, we heard from my good friends Binni and Sylvia who a real estate brokerage in Reykjavik called Fasteignasala Reykjavikur, also known as Real Estate of Reykjavik.
In this episode we hear from Binni and Sylvia’s business partner Björn Sigurðsson, who goes by the name Bussy. We’ll review some of the things we talked about in the previous episode and get into a bit more detail about building and the unique challenge of mortgaging property in Iceland, a country of roughly 330,000 that still uses its own currency.
Be sure to tune in next week for UnReal Estate of Chile where I travel from 66° N to 36° S, all the way to Santiago, Chile. I’ll be featuring agents and brokers on the podcast to discuss real estate in Chile, the challenges they face and what Vancouver can learn from them.
If you have any questions or any guests you would like to see, email us at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
This month The Vancouver UnReal Estate Show is on the road, speaking with agents and brokers from all over the world. We’ll talk about what is unique about their marketplaces and what lessons Vancouver can learn from them.
This week and next, we’re in Reykjavik, Iceland where I’m visiting my good friends Binni and Sylvia. Binni and Sylvia own a real estate brokerage in Reykjavik called Fasteignasala Reykjavikur, also known as Real Estate of Reykjavik.
Binni was previously licensed as a Realtor in Iceland, but after the government forced new and existing agents to go back to school for two years or lose their license, he took on a management role with the company. His wife Sylvia did her two years of training and is now a “legalized Realtor.”
We’ll talk about the education requirements a bit more, and we’ll also get into home building, the effect of tourism and, of course, the hot topic of foreign ownership and what Iceland is doing to put their citizens first.
Links below to some of the things we talk about in this episode:
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Costco in Iceland
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Information on the Schengen Association
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The Chinese billionaire named Nubo who wanted to build a golf course in the snow
Be sure to tune in next week where we wrap up the Iceland real estate conversation by speaking with a co-owner of Real Estate of Reykjavik, another friend of mine, Björn Sigurðsson. We’ll get into the unique challenge of mortgaging property in Iceland, a country of roughly 330,000 that still uses its own currency.
If you have any questions or any guests you would like to see, email us at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
Realtors get a bad rep. To be fair, some of it probably justified. I've even spoken out about Realtor ethics in the past before and how I believe there should be more barriers to entry. But all that to say, most of us a good people, just trying to eke out a humble living.
The average Realtor in Canada sells 5.2 homes a year and makes approx $40,000 BEFORE expenses. Most agents are not high rollers by any means.
Here with me this week to talk about his experience in the real estate industry and his perspective on Realtors is my friend, mentor and business coach, Richard Robbins.
I've know Rich for the past 11 years and he's helped me through a lot in both my personal and business life. He is co-founder and CEO of Richard Robbins International (RRi for short), a global sales and business coaching organization that has been providing leading-edge sales and business training solutions to real estate agents, mortgage brokers and leaders at all levels since 1998.
Rich is an amazing public speaker who has inspired countless agents. He even motivated me to go into public speaking, myself. He talks to Realtors all over the world and has a really in depth understanding of real estate markets and the struggles of Realtors all over the country.
Enjoy the episode and as always, let us know if you have any questions or comments.
If you have any questions or any guests you would like to see, email as at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
Thanks for tuning in to part 2 of our 2 part Mother's Day special.
Last week we heard from my grandmother, Deinie Epp with the first half of her life story. A courageous woman, she left my grandfather in 1970 and as she says in this interview, her life started all over again when she turned 43. Hope you enjoy this 2nd part of the interview and her unique perspective on housing and the Vancouver real estate market.
I mention at the end her 90th birthday is coming up this summer. If you'd like to send her a note or a card, our contact info is below.
Thanks again,
Keith
Email: podcast@keithroy.com.
Remax Select (Main St.) 4806 Main St. Vancouver, BC V5V 3R8 604-210-2933
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
Happy Mother's Day!
Last week I flew up to Vernon to interview my 89 year old grandmother, Deinie Epp. She has such an unique story to tell about all of the places she's lived in her almost 90 years. When I first asked her if she wanted to be on the podcast (after telling her what a podcast was), she scoffed and said, "No one cares what I have to say."
But boy is she wrong.
Her perspective on Vancouver real estate is really fascinating and heart warming. She's still sharp as a tack and this interview went for over an hour. So we've split it into two parts. With the first half of her life story on this episode and the 2nd half in another episode out next week.
Hope you enjoy.
If you have any questions or any guests you would like to see, email as at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
Remax Select (Main St.) 4806 Main St. Vancouver, BC V5V 3R8 604-210-2933
Developer is a bad word in Vancouver. It’s right up there with Realtor for the most hated profession in the city, and I would know. I’m a Realtor.
But if we want more affordable housing in the city, somebody has to build it.
Here on the show this week to talk about developers and how they’re addressing housing affordability and is the Anne McMullin - president and CEO of the Urban Development Institute, a non-profit association of the development industry in British Columbia. The UDI promotes wise and efficient urban grown, good planning and development practices, affordable housing and high quality commercial and industrial developments.
In this episode Anne and I discuss the three main policies of the organization:
Transit oriented development
Rental housing stock
Addressing the “missing middle”
Supply side measures
I’ll leave you with this quote from Anne, which I love: “For some reason when it comes to housing, people refuse to accept the principals for supply and demand. It’s like trying to fight gravity.” So much truth to that.
Hope you enjoy the episode.
If you have any questions or any guests you would like to see, email as at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
Thanks for tuning in to part two of my two part interview with Mukhtar Latif. Mukhtar is the former chief housing officer for The City of Vancouver as well as the former CEO of the Vancouver Affordable Housing Agency.
In this 2nd part we're going to finish talking about some of the housing initiatives he was involved with when he worked for the city, including the introduction of modular housing.
If you haven't already listened to part one, I suggest you go back and check that out before listening to this 2nd part.
If you have any questions or any guests you would like to see, email as at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
How can we make housing more affordable for everyone? Not just the really poor or the really rich, but for everyone?
Here to propose some solutions and talk about what the city of Vancouver has already done in an attempt to make housing more affordable is Mukhtar Latif. Mukhtar is the former chief housing officer for The City of Vancouver as well as the former CEO of the Vancouver Affordable Housing Agency.
Mukhtar has over 30 years of experience working for on the housing file and this conversation was so interesting, that it did go a little longer than some of our others. So we decided to make it a two-part episode, to be a bit more conscious of your time. But, don’t worry the 2nd part is available, RIGHT NOW, so make sure you listen to both parts to hear the full conversation.
If you have any questions or any guests you would like to see, email as at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
It’s election season in BC and this week we’re looking at what each party is promising in their platform, specifically about housing and real estate in BC.
My guest on the show this week is my good friend Chris Thompson, huge nerd and former tax lawyer – on location from our vacation in Southern California.
All jazzed up from our day visiting the Ronald Regan memorial library, we’re excited to go head to head discussing the various political policies.
Hope you enjoy.
BC NDP platform
BC Liberal platform
BC Green platform
Chris Thompson's speeding video
We mentioned pre-sale properties briefly in this episode but didn’t go into too much detail. After recording this I was interviewed by the Globe and Mail regarding pre-sales and the article has since been released, if you’re looking to find out more.
If you have any questions or any guests you would like to see, email as at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
Increase supply and adapt expectations.
Although there have been many proposed solutions to the “housing crisis” in Vancouver, these are the two we hear most often on our show.
Our guest this week is a strong believer in both of those things and he doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks the walk.
Adrian Crook is a foundering member of the YIMBY group, Abundant Housing Vancouver.
YIMBY’s ('Yes In My Back Yard') are part of a pro-development/affordable housing movement in contrast and opposition to the NIMBY (‘Not In My Back Yard’) faction. The YIMBY movement supports the development of new housing (with an emphasis on affordable rental units) in cities like Vancouver where rental costs have escalated to unaffordable levels, even when a project’s scale might not be a perfect fit with the neighbourhood for which it is proposed.
As far as adapting expectations goes, you may be more familiar with Adrian though his blog 5 Kids, 1 Condo, which documents how he and his five young children live a minimalist lifestyle in a 1,000-square-foot apartment.
Both of his endeavours have received a lot of media attention lately including (prepare for shameless plug…) a radio interview I did last week on Roundhouse radio.
More info about Adrian below.
5 Kids 1 Condo | Urban life, minimalism and sustainability with 5 kids
Abundant Housing Vancouver | More Housing for More People
Adrian Crook & Associates | Freemium Mobile Game Design & Development
If you have any questions or any guests you would like to see, email as at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
For our 10th episode we’re doing something special. The editor and producer of this show (who also happens to be my soul mate) will be interviewing me for a change.
Stephanie is going to ask me some of the questions our listeners have been asking including…
Who are you going to vote for in the upcoming provincial election?
Is money from China the reason housing is so unaffordable in this city?
AND…
When are you ever going to settle down and marry that girlfriend of yours? (Totally NOT a made up question by Stephanie…)
Some of the things we reference in this episode:
Keith’s Building in Vancouver blog, which chronicles the challenges he faced while building a home in Vancouver.
The super cool Sam Sullivan videos we mention in the beginning of the episode:
Overview of Three Waves First Wave Second Wave Third Wave A defence of Urban Density One idea to fix the supply problem History and recommendation to prioritize density to the old city Sam’s thoughts on the name Vancouver
Gregor Robertson thinks he's above the law when it comes to tree removal.
Georgia Straight article about racist emails
Colour Code Podcast – Race and Real Estate.
If you have any questions or any guests you would like to see, email as at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
While many young families seem to be leaving Vancouver, Ben Wood and his family of four are doing the opposite – they’re moving in.
Ben is my guest on the show this week after making the long commute from the laneway house in my backyard to my home studio. (Listeners might recall that I recently built a house in Vancouver, and thankfully I was able to jump through all the required hoops to be able to build a laneway house that I now rent out.)
A professor of Buddhist studies at Langara Collage, Ben and his family moved here in January from New York City. Him and his wife have lived in various cities all over the world, always happy to sacrifice space for a great location. Embracing a minimalist lifestyle is liberating and allows him and his family to live in urban centers without breaking the bank.
More stuff and more space doesn’t always make you happy and Ben and his family are a true testament to that. Sure they live in less than 700 sqft, but they get to live in a world class city, and they’ve never been happier.
If you have any questions or any guests you would like to see, email as at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
Why is housing in Vancouver so expensive?
Is it because of foreign investments? Is it the fault of greedy landlords and developers?
We’re quick to point fingers, but what if we’re looking at this all wrong. Why are foreign owners willing to pay so much for housing here? Why do landlords feel they can charge so much for rent? Why are brand new homes so expensive to purchase?
It might have something to do with taxes. Sexy, sexy taxes.
This week I have a conversation with the BC Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation – Jordan Bateman to discuss just that.
Jordan has worked as a journalist, small business owner, and Township of Langley councillor. Having won two elections, Jordan resigned from Council in 2011 to take on his role with the CTF. Since then he is often featured in the media speaking out against high taxes that greatly affect affordability in the province (he is best known for leading the successful No Transit Tax campaign in 2015).
The federation is now involved in the housing file in Vancouver, after identifying a whopping 107 different taxes levies and fees associated with housing in the province!
Obviously taxes are important and help pay for things like roads and schools, but at what point is enough, enough?
A great quote from the CTF website sums the situation up perfectly:
“Rather than encourage new housing – thus increasing supply and helping drive down prices – city hall acts like it’s a nuisance to be eradicated. They seem to be trying to tax new housing out of existence.”
While it’s easy to say that those taxes are “paid for by builders”, the cost always trickles down to the consumer.
I could go on and on here about government intervention in the housing market, but you should probably just listen to the episode.
Enjoy.
If you have any questions or any guests you would like to see, email as at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
I’m back at UBC this week interviewing professor of urban economics at The Sauder School of Business, Tom Davidoff. Tom is often featured in the media with his take on the economics of Vancouver real estate.
Tom is one of the more controversial real estate thought leaders in this city, but his policies are scientific and well thought out. His most recent project was The BC Housing Affordability Fund, a proposal to increase property taxes to address housing affordability in Vancouver. We discuss this in more detail in the episode.
Tom is wicked smart and this was a fascinating interview.
If taxation really jazzes you up, be sure to stay tuned next week for my interview with Jordan Bateman, BC director of the Canadian Tax Payers Federation. You’ll hear Jordan answer Tom’s question from this episode and we break down further how changes in taxation could be the answer to housing affordability in Vancouver.
Enjoy!
If you have any questions or any quests you would like to see, email as at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
My friends are leaving Vancouver.
Why is that and how can we fix it? This is the main reason I started The Vancouver UnReal Estate Show – to speak with policy makers; discuss options and to figure out a way to get people to stay.
Furthermore, as someone who makes a living helping people buy and sell houses, everyone leaving the city is not good for business.
In my interview with city councillor Melissa De Genova this week, we discuss one reason people might be leaving - homeowners feel the government is punishing them for owning homes.
Sky-high property taxes, garbage that rarely gets picked up, vacancy taxes, foreign owner taxes, Airbnb restrictions, home building restrictions…the list goes on and on. With a provincial election coming up this year and a municipal election scheduled for 2018, tension is high as homeowners wait to see what regulations the government throws at them this year.
Our conversation is quite timely following Gregor Robertson’s recent address to the Urban Land Institute regarding affordable housing. He makes some great points in his address regarding housing affordability, though many feel it is too little too late. And as Melissa points out in the interview, there is a complete lack of experience by members of Vancouver city council when it comes to working on housing and real estate matters.
This was a really fun and informative interview. Stephanie (my girlfriend and podcast editor) said she was disappointed it was only 30 minutes long and wished we could have talked for another hour. I was surprised when she said I she wanted to hear me talk more, to which she replied that she wanted to hear more of Melissa. With that ringing endorsement, I hope you too enjoy the interview.
If you have any questions or any quests you would like to see, email as at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
This week I drive out to the suburbs to meet with the Mayor of Coquitlam – Richard Stewart.
As many of my clients have been moving to Coquitlam in recent years, I was particularly excited for this interview. Mayor Stewart’s passion for his city clearly shows in this interview and this passion is one of the reasons why he is so well liked by the majority of Coquitlam residents.
Richard has lived in Coquitlam his whole life where he has been a vital part of his community for many years. Richard served as the provincial MLA for Coquitlam-Maillardvile, he was a city councillor and in 2008 he was elected mayor of Coquitlam.
He has an extensive volunteer history in the city as well, working with a large number of social, service, environmental, business and community organizations, including the Coquitlam Rotary Club, the Knights of Columbus, the Maillardville Lions Club, the Société Maillardville Uni and Société Francophone de Maillardville.
In our interview, Richard and I discuss what the City of Coquitlam is doing to address housing issues facing the Lower Mainland. We talk about new housing developments in the area and get into how the new Evergreen transit line is affecting the city. Lastly, we touch on the complexities of mental health issues and his opinion on re-opening Riverview as a drug treatment centre.
Be sure to follow Richard Stewart on Twitter so you can stay up to date on all of the new innovation happening in the diverse city of Coquitlam.
@MayorStewart
If you have any questions or any guests you would like to see, email as at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
This week I head over to UBC to meet with managing director of student housing and hospitality services – Andrew Parr. As the managing director, Andrew controls over 11,000 student residences, which makes him the largest landlord on the Westside of Vancouver.
In this episode, Andrew and I discuss what UBC is doing to address some of the housing affordability issues in Vancouver. As Andrew points out, the growth of UBC student housing is not just supporting students but supporting the overall Vancouver marketplace.
Since 2007 UBC has created 3000 new residences, which effectively added to the overall rental stock in Vancouver. The newest student housing project will add 70 new 140 square foot nano-suites, each of which has its own bathroom and furniture including a hidden desk-bed.
Andrew and I met 15 years ago while I was studying at, and living in residence, at The University of Guelph in Ontario. Talking with Andrew really got me thinking about my university days and the role on-campus residence played in my life. As residence is often a persons’ first home on their own it can provide a formative experience.
In addition to accommodating the growing population at UBC and helping to alleviate pressure on the rental market, student housing provides a warm and welcoming space for young people as they move into their first home, often far away from their families.
It was great catching up with Andrew and learning about UBC’s proactive approach to housing affordability in Vancouver. Certainly there’s a lot The City of Vancouver could learn from these strategies.
I hope you enjoy the interview.
If you have any questions or any quests you would like to see, email as at podcast@keithroy.com.
Keith Roy – Personal Real Estate Corporation, RE/MAX Select Realty.
If you follow real estate news at all in Vancouver you’ve probably heard of this week’s guest – Michael Geller. Michael is architect, planner, real estate consultant and property developer with four decades of experience in the public, private and institutional sectors. He serves on the Adjunct Faculty of the SFU Centre for Sustainable Community Development and writes a bi-weekly civic affairs column in the Vancouver Courier. Michael Geller is an ideas machine - especially regarding housing affordability in Vancouver. He has presented numerous housing affordability ideas while lecturing at SFU including at a speech last week where he offered ideas on how to increase density without adding more towers, citing examples from many European cities. Prior to his public lecture, he was interviewed on CBC and featured in Malcolm Perry’s “who’s-who” column in the Vancouver Sun. Our talk with Michael was particularly timely, as he has had a busy couple of weeks in the public eye commentating on real estate policy changes and housing initiatives. His commentary on container houses was featured in The Georgia Straight. His column in The Vancouver Courier this week discusses the City of Vancouver’s new proposal to retain character houses. I suggest you read the whole thing, but this quote sums up his opinion well, “If we are going to make more zoning changes in Vancouver’s single-family neighbourhoods, why aren’t we addressing both retention of character houses, but also construction of smaller duplexes and townhouses?” With so many wonderful ideas, I’m sure Michael will be a guest on the show in the future, as well. If you would like to learn more about Michael Geller, visit his website, check out his blog and follow him on Twitter. Hope you enjoy this episode of The Vancouver UnReal Estate Show. If you have any questions about the show or guests you would like to see, email us at podcast@keithroy.com. Keith Roy - Personal Real Estate Corporation - RE/MAX Select Realty
I’m so excited about our guest this week. An old friend of mine - Sam Sullivan is the former mayor of Vancouver and current Liberal MLA for Vancouver – False Creek. Sam is also the founder of the Sam Sullivan Disability Foundation and six organizations that currently support quality of life initiatives for people with disabilities across Canada. For this he was made a Member of the Order of Canada.
Sam's Solutions to The Housing Crisis In this episode, Sam offers a unique perspective to housing issues facing Vancouver. He provides some useful context to the history of the city and offers suggestions for increasing housing supply, via “eco-density” as a solution to the Vancouver housing crisis. History of Vancouver Some of the most interesting lessons on the history of housing in Vancouver that I’ve learnt in my 11 years selling real estate in Vancouver have come from Sam. We’ve included some of Sam’s videos below that specifically deal with city development and real estate. Here are just a couple of things Sam discusses in these that I found fascinating:
Why lot sizes are mainly 33 and 50 feet in Vancouver How the term “skid-row” originated in Vancouver How the city of Vancouver was named
Videos
Overview of Three Waves First Wave Second Wave Third Wave A defence of Urban Density One idea to fix the supply problem History and recommendation to prioritize density to the old city Sam’s thoughts on the name Vancouver
Forwarding Question Last week David Eby asked Sam Sullivan, “As a Vancouver MLA how can you justify your provincial government selling off massive chunks of public land instead of using it to build mixed income communities that Vancouver so desperately needs”. Stay tuned to the end of the episode to hear Sam answer this question and ask a question of our next guest – Michael Geller.
Tune in next week to hear my interview with Michael Geller - prolific city planner, Vancouver based architect, real estate consultant and property developer with four decades’ experience in the public, private and institutional sectors. Thanks Again! Hope you enjoy the episode. As we’re a new podcast, I’d really appreciate if you could subscribe on iTunes and write us review. And if there are any topics you’d like to hear about or guests you would like us to have on the show, please email podcast@keithroy.com.
Until next week!
Keith Roy
For our first episode, Keith talks with David Eby – NDP housing critic and MLA for Vancouver Point Grey – about housing affordability in Vancouver and his opinion of government policies affecting home owners in British Columbia.