Best way to resolve issues with the Strata Council is to make sure you have up to date bylaws and request a meeting. I serve on a Starta council and we have issues also. Most times if they are presented in writing, (which they should be), we give them consideration and response.

This case is a little different. Read on.

Dear Condo Smarts: I don't know who to turn to. I bought a condo in Vancouver in February, moved in with my dog on March 15, and March 20 began to receive threatening letters from the strata about my dog. It claims the strata has a "no pets" rule, and that I have to either get rid of my dog or move. Before I purchased, I requested information about the strata corporation, and my agent was given the strata website and password to access the minutes of the strata meetings, bylaws and rules of the strata corporation, as well as other information, including a maintenance and building report done in 2008. Absolutely nothing indicated on the website that pets were prohibited and that there was a no-pets rule. As the information we received was provided by the agent, doesn't the strata have to abide by the information that individual disclosed to a buyer? I admit that since talking to my lawyer, I should have requested a copy of a Form B Information certificate before I bought. Now what am I supposed to do? - Frankie D.

Dear Frankie: While online information may be helpful in investigating a strata corporation, it may also be seriously misleading. The blame is not entirely yours however, as the strata corporation, through its agent, provided you with access to the strata corporation's current records, and nothing was disclosed in those records at the time regarding the prohibition of pets.

You should have been advised to obtain an information certificate, and to obtain a registered copy of the bylaw amendments. Relying solely on the information posted to the website, you only viewed dated materials. Had you obtained a copy of the registered bylaws through the Land Title Registry, you would have immediately noticed that the strata amended its bylaws in December of 2009, adopting a bylaw that prohibits pets. Unfortunately, the website had not been updated since Nov. 15, 2009, so the information posted was inaccurate.

The other challenge for the strata is that while the manager provides the access-code information, the website is actually maintained by the strata council. The manager was not advised that the council has not been maintaining the website, and as of April 30, the same dated material is still posted on the site. If a website is only archived information, then it should provide dated signatures to identify the periods of information posted. If the website is active current information, it should have a "real person" or company you can contact to obtain written verification of the claims or data posted on a website.

By Tony Gioventu of CHOA, in Province May 9th, 2010

The CHOA website, for example, hosts over 600 information bulletins and articles, all of which are routinely reviewed and updated for changes in legislation, contact information, access to links, changes in case law, or regulations that impact strata corporations.

I have assisted over a 1000 buyers in purchasing strata property.
If you are thinking of buying strata property, give me a call. My services are FREE and it could save you a lot of hassle and money 

If you are looking to Buy or to Sell real estate in Vancouver area, give me a call. My consultations are FREE. The benefits to You, may be worth a lot of money.
Call Jeff Stark at 604-290-7890 or email me at jeff@jeffreystark.net

Earth Day? It sounds so, so kind of big. How can we be earth friendly? What do we need to do?

And can we, in our little ways really affect the earth eco systems.

Well, we can. We don't have to do deprive ourselves of anything, reaslly. We just need to act more responsibly and cut a little here and there. Little things done by a lot of people will make a difference.

You don't have to become solar or grow your own food, but here are some things you can do;

1  Green up your appliances. Next time you need to by appliances or if you have old ones, maybe you should switch to the green "Energy Star" type. There are local government programs with rebates and it probably wouldn't cost you very much, but you can realize big savings in energy consumption

2  Watch the temperature - almost half the home's energy goes to heating and cooling.

3  Save water - install an aerator on the kitchen faucet and save up to 50% of water
                      install a low-flow toilet. They use only 1.6 gal, (just over 6 litres)
                      or adjust the flow valve to let less water in to the tank

4  Clean Green - One of the best books I like and used it's cleaning suggestions in,
                      Haley' Cleaning Hints, which uses inexpensive everyday items to clean.
                      Amazing what you can do without using the expensive cleraning solutions bought 
                      at your local stores.

5  Use energy efficient lights and light bulbs

6  Save a tree, use less paper  - Use recycled paper products and ones with less virgin
                      pulp in it's contents.

7  Want hardwood floors? - Did you know that bamboo is a better choice? Bamboo ages in 4-6
                      years and hardwood forests take 50-100 years to mature.

8  Reduce use of plastics - from shopping bags to sandwich plastic bags, find an alternate
                     eco friendly product.

9  Use healthier paint - avoid use of solvent base paints as they release toxic fumes into
                      the atmosphere.

10  Garden green - use composting. Use native plants in your garden, perennials are better
                     than annuals. Stop using chemical pesticides as better options are available.
                     Remember the DDT? We are still paying the price even though it has been out
                     of use for some time.
                                           

These are just some ways we can help and get greener. So don't stop now just because the earth days is just a day on the calendar.

Keep contributing in small ways every day, and we will all be better for it.

If you are looking to Buy or to Sell real estate in Vancouver area, give me a call. My consultations are FREE. The benefits to You, may be worth a lot of money.
Call Jeff Stark at 604-290-7890 or email me at jeff@jeffreystark.net

Whenever you hear some bad news about our health services, we never think that it will affect us. It just something other people have to endure. It won't happen to me.

I was reading the story in today's Sun paper about the long wait time, lack of space and service at the ER in VGH.

The local TV stations covered it in last night news as well. Everybody speculates and no-one has an answer to the problem.

Doctors complains about short staff at the ER and lack of space is spinned by the government of the day as politics. Doctors are negotiating.

But things are not getting any better no matter how the problem is being swept under the rug.

The other day my daughter had a problem that in her opinion warranted going to the VGH ER. She went at the time, (a.m.), when there is supposed to be normal at the ER. Not the busy evening times when most people seem to need emergency services.
After 6 hours of sitting around a blood sample was taken and that was it.  No examination of any kind. The report will be sent to her family doctor.

It seems that whichever governing party is in power, nothing gets done. Elected party blames the previous government for miss-managing the health care, and that is it. No answers and no attempts to solve the problem Just, more money needed.

Isn't getting tiring listening to the same story over and over again?  So what's the answer? Who can fix it?

All through history we have learned that human mind has some extraordinary powers. We can solve problems that are seemingly unsolvable. So why can't we fix this problem?

My suggestion is for the party in power to take 6 months or whatever it takes and concentrate on the problem on hand. Forget other things. Everyone agrees that health is the largest single budget item and getting bigger by the moment.

Get everyone in unison, across party lines, doctors, health managers etc, to concentrate on the problem and get it solved.

And I don't mean another inquiry! They are useless, take forever and solve nothing.

If you are looking to Buy or to Sell real estate in Vancouver area, give me a call. My consultations are FREE. The benefits to You, may be worth a lot of money.
Call Jeff Stark at 604-290-7890 or email me at jeff@jeffreystark.net

The market is changing and going through it's phases.

With more listings on the market and the interest rates on the way up we are slowly switching from a sellers to a buyers market.
Is that bad?  Your home will cost you more?

It depends. The way some of the buyers behaved in the sellers market, it may actually do them some good. And why is that?

In a frenzy of rising prices and lack of inventory, buyers were making some pretty stupid decisions. Like, buying a home without having it inspected!! You are making your most important decision of your lifetime, committing yourself to mortgage payments for the next 25 or so, years, and you don't even want to know in what shape is your future home?? For those buying into a strata, condo, enviornment, it was like, you want me to read strata meeting minutes for the last 2 years? I don't have time. If there are no tarps it should be OK!!!

Stupid or what? You buy a $7000 car and you take it to a garage to make sure it doesn't have any problems. Helooo!

Homes can have a lot more suttle problems or real ones you may not even think of. Some of those buyers have had some rude awakenings. Let's hope it wasn't you.

In a buyers market the buyers are not rushed. They have time to think, assess, inspect and decide overnight, (at least), without to have to make a snap decision. They can make a purchase without that tight gut feeling of, Oh  my god? What did we do?

That is not to say that a home of any kind may not have some issues. But at least you get into it with some knowledge based on some good research and good home buying practices.

And how does this "new  market" scenario affect the seller's?

Read it in my next post about seller's choices. 

Jeff Stark works with Buyers and Sellers to guide them through a complicated process of Buying and Selling real-estate with a minimum of hassle making the process enjoyable, as it should be.

Finding your dream home is not that difficult. Check this video

If you are looking to Buy or to Sell real estate in Vancouver area, give me a call. My consultations are FREE. The benefits to You, may be worth a lot of money.
Call Jeff Stark at 604-290-7890 or email me at jeff@jeffreystark.net

There was some good news in the Vancouver Real Estate Board's news release.

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that new listings for detached, attached and apartment properties in Greater Vancouver totalled 7,004 in March 2010. This represents a 60 per cent increase compared to March 2009 when 4,385 new units were listed, and a 52.1 per cent increase compared to February 2010 when 4,606 properties were listed on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®).

At 13,538, the total number of property listings on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS®) increased 19 per cent in March compared to last month, but remains 7.6 per cent below this time last year.

"The total number of homes listed for sale on our MLS® is at its highest level in 10 months, which translates into more options and variety for those looking to buy during the traditionally busy spring period," Jake Moldowan, REBGV president said. more.....

Sales are up but the listings are up as well.
Good news for the buyers?

Depends how you look at it. For a long time we have been in a draught. Not enough listings for the number of buyers out there.
So with the latest statistics released by the reale state board, it would seem that the problem has been solved.

Not just yet.
In this graph we can see that the problem is still there. The sellers are still in control in many areas. If you assume that 1 would be a total sellers market, than 10 would be ideal buyers market.
Check the graph and see for yourself. Buyers are still having a tough time finding the right properties without haveing some competition.

If you are looking for a home to buy you need some help.

If you are looking to Buy or to Sell real estate in Vancouver area, give me a call. My consultations are FREE. The benefits to You, may be worth a lot of money.
Call Jeff Stark at 604-290-7890 or email me at jeff@jeffreystark.net