VancouverIAM: 2007 Housing Appreciations Labeled “Unreasonable,” Canucks To Fight For Second Place in Western Conference

by Inveslogic | January 10, 2008 at 01:12 pm

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This is a selection of recent popular blog articles from VancouverIAM where you will find the best blogs from Vancouver, BC as well as video uploads, social networking, rumors, and blog authoring

Canucks Take on San Jose Sharks

Over at Canuck’s Hockey Blog, our blogger does not have “a good vibe about tonight's game against the San Jose Sharks.” The game is for “sole possession of second place in the Western Conference.” It's also the last time this season these two teams will meet “unless they match up in the playoffs.” Currently the Sharks are 3-0 against the Canucks.

The post points out that the Canucks have won four of their five games since Christmas break. “However, those four wins were in the comfort of GM Place and their lone loss was on the road against the Calgary Flames.” At least the Sharks don’t have a great home record. “They're 5-0-1 since the Christmas break, but four of those wins were on the road.” Our blogger says that the Canucks really must focus on “getting their offense going and throwing more pucks on Evgeni Nabokov.” So far this season, the Sharks have out shot them every single game.

“Unreasonable” Appreciations for 2007 Housing Market

According to Chinese in Vancouver, Canadian real estate had “unreasonable” appreciations this past year. There were “significant gains in the fourth quarter of 2007 and… little sign of the traditional seasonal slowdown.” The average home prices continued to increase across the country and Vancouver was no exception. “Throughout the fourth quarter, Vancouver’s population continued to surge.” We hold “great appeal” for investors and newcomers to Canada. “The availability of a variety of jobs associated with the 2010 Olympics helped maintain the strength of Vancouver’s housing market” and pushed house prices upwards.

According to the post, in 2007, “Vancouver’s population grew considerably and census reports maintain that large urban centres, including Vancouver, continue to attract people.” Victoria’s real estate market also “experienced strong and steady activity,” as well as a rise in average house prices. “The fourth quarter also saw slightly lower inventory levels, and well-priced product in most categories continued to be at a premium.”

North Shore Affordable Housing Promises Not Being Fulfilled

On North Vancouver Politics.com, John Sharpe’s recent post expresses his concerns “with the current density and so-called affordable housing proposals” for the North Shore. We have a history of being “told one thing” and then ending up with “something completely different.” For example, in 1996 there was a referendum “depicting and promising a pedestrian friendly town centre, bicycle lanes, etc.” and it never materialized. “Whiteley Court is an example of how District council in a very basic way seems to have ignored the affordable housing needs of the community.”

Due to this pattern, he is “leery with future proposals and the deceptions that often exist within.” He states in his post that the North Shore has had a huge share of development, and he would like to see it “keep its mountain side village-esq charm if possible.” Lynn Valley has “awful traffic congestion… and very little in the way of infrastructure planned to back up further mass density.” The proclaimed low vacancy rates and high land values bound to continue mean there’s “all the more reason to be on the watch.” Any “affordable” housing proposals should be “truly affordable” and not just more market housing.

Ice Wine Harvest Finally Underway!

According to The Wine Knows, “a blast of winter cold” finally helped British Columbia's ice wine harvest get under way. It’s not unusual for ice wine harvest to “dip into the next year,” but it’s a relief to winemakers when they can finish before Christmas, like last year. Sometimes, however, the harvest has “started as late as February.”

The post reports that “at Inniskillin Okanagan near Oliver, winemaker Sandor Mayer had crews ready just before midnight on New Year's Eve.” They were picking Riesling and Tempranillo by 2 a.m. “when temperatures dropped to about -10 Celsius.” Some wineries are still waiting for “ideal temperatures.”

About VancouverIAM

VancouverIAM is part of a groundbreaking network of city-focused blog aggregation, user generated media and social networking websites currently rolling out across North America. Each IAM website filters and organizes blog content as well as offering video upload capabilities, social networking, blog authoring, favourites lists and rumours. The IAM Network is a division of SoMedia Networks Inc which also operates Inveslogic.com, Greenedia.com, Healthedia.com and Blabaloo.com. For more information or to register an account, visit VancouverIAM.com.