A recent ruling by a judge in Toronto has landlords angered after a judge ruled in favour of a young tenant. The building has a no under age policy (18 or younger), even though individuals can legally rent at the agf of 16 or 17 in the province of Ontario. Here is an excert from the original article from Canadian Real Estate Magazine:

The Ontario Human Rights Tribunal recently ordered a landlord to pay a young woman $10,000 for denying her an apartment because she was under-18.

The woman was 17 when she applied for a bachelor apartment at 500 Dawes Rd., the rental building that is often cited as one of the worst in Toronto with reports of mice, bed bugs, broken heating, mould and fire damage.

The building superintendent told the woman that the building had a policy of not renting to anyone under-18 despite Ontario law stating that 16 and 17-year olds can sign leases.

The ruling ordered the payout for injury to the woman’s “dignity, feelings and self-respect,” with the landlord claiming during the hearing that the apartment was not vacant at time of application. The adjudicator also reported that the landlord tried to influence a witness to deny that age was a deciding factor and that she fabricated evidence.

"No property owner should be told who they should rent to," says Kayla Andrade from Ontario Landlords Watch. "Landlords should be allowed to choose whomever they want for their properties and should not feel obligated or pressurised to allow someone they do not feel comfortably with in their rental property."

To view the original article in it's entirety, click here.

What do you think about this? If you are considering investing in some property and have questions about the laws in BC, contact me and I'll be happy to help. 

Article Source: 

Ruling in favour of teen tenant causes uproar- Canadian Real Estate Magazine

Image Source: Canadian Real Estate Magazine

http://www.canadianrealestatemagazine.ca/news/item/2161-ruling-in-favour-of-teen-tenant-causes-uproar

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According to the recent market report from the FVREB, there was an 11% increase in sales over July last year and a 1.4% above the 10 yea average.

President of the Board, Ray Werger had this to say:

“July’s steady activity is a continuation of what we’ve been seeing all year. Our market has fully recovered from last year’s slump and has returned to what we typically see in the Fraser Valley, which is a steady, consistent market... we’re actually seeing a shortage of listings creating a seller’s market for particular homes."

In July the benchmark price determined by the MLS HPI of a 'typical' single family detached home was $568,300; for Townhouses it is $298, 500; for apartments it was $194,700.

To view the full report, click here.

Do you have questions about what a seller's market means for you? Think this is the time to sell? Contact me to help you sell your home fast & take that next step on the property ladder!

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There's been a lot of talk lately in the news and media about the rising cost of real estate in the Vancouver & surrounding markets. (For an informative recent report, check out this post with info from the BCREA). This, combined with low mortgage rates makes it an ideal time to buy.

Before the anticipated increase in home prices, make the most of this opporunity and get the best value for your money. Contact me today to find out more about your local market, what's selling, what's not, and everything else you need to know. I'm happy to answer all your questions and help you find your next home.

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It's important to do some maintenacne on your home as we head into the cooler months.

Here's some things to look out for on your Fall Home Maintenance Checklist from the DIY Network:

Exterior:

-  Clean gutter & downspouts

-  Check wood trim around doors, windows, decks, and railings with a screwdriver to check for holes or rot. Caulk holes or replace rotten areas as needes

- Give your home a fresh coat of exterior paint

- Inspect your roof

- Turn off valves to exterior hoses & drain completely to avoid pipes bursting; wrap taps if necesary

Keeping Warm:

- Have your fireplaces inspected

- Wrap pipes that run along exterior walls to prevent them from freezing & save energy

- Clean & replace furnace filters

- Do you use a hot water heating system? Drain the expansion tank, check the water pressure, & bleed the radiators

- Check the insulation in your attic; is it installed properly? Is there evidence of moisture damage? Are there pests?

Lawn & Garden:

- Divide & move perennials; remove dead annuals

- Mulch perennials after first freeze- but remember not to cover the center of the plant, this can lead to rot

- Clean garden tools before storing away for the winter

- Trim dead tree branches & shrubs

- Rake up leaves to avoid grass dying over the Fall & Winter; leaves are a great item for your compost

- Aerate lawn

- Plant grass seed; certain varieties do very well in the cool Fall climate before Winter hits

Carbon Monoxide & Smoke Detectors

- Check these each Fall & replace batteries

- Make sure you install carbon mooxide detectors according to manufacturer's instructions for optimal use

For more details, check out the full article from the DIY Network here.

Is your home ready for the Fall? Thinking about selling? Let me help you sell your home fast & get settled into your new place as soon as possible! Contact me today!

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According to a new report from the BCREA, BC residential sales are forecast to increase 9.8%, wit the average MLS residentail sale price estimted to rise 5.6% to $567,300.

While the first quarter was somewhat weak, home sales increased in the second quarter, largely due to improved conumers confidence stemming from  low mortgage interest rates and improving economic conditions.goo

Throughout the province market conditions are improving and are much stronger than at the beginning of 2014.Further, most markets are becoming balanced, with the Vancouver, Fraser Valley, and Okanagan markets potentially shifting to seller's markets.

To view the full report, click here.

Have some questions about the local market? Want to know what your home is worth?I'm happy to help! Contact me today to have all your real estate questions answered.

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Open house this Saturday & Sunday 1-4pm

7672 211A St, Langley

Have you paid a visit to Yorkson Properties yet?

If you're looking in Langley, here's your chance to find a beautiful new home that's move- in ready for your family.

Welcome to 7672 211A St

Would you like to call somewhere like this home? Come by the open house this weekend or contact me today to view other properties like it.

For more information, click here.

I know you don't want to think about it yet, but Summer will soon be winding down and it'll be back- to- school time before we know it. Aside from the new school clothes, backpacks, and school supplies shopping, make sure your house is equipped for the upcoming academic year. Setting up a workspace that's inviting and organized is great to encourage work and homework gets done, and helps keep you on top of all those after- school activities!  See below for some ideas I love!

Get organized with a big, beautiful corkboard. Click here for instructions.

Keep After School Activities Organized with a Fridge Calendar.

Click here for instructions. Perfect for kitchen homework spaces!

Corral backpacks & sports equipment with a DIY organizer.

Click here for instructions.

Make the most of the space in your home and get organized for this back- to- school season! I love a good DIY project (they're great for homestaging!)- contact me for more tips to help prep your home for sale.

Image Sources:

Infarrantly Creative

The 36th Avenue

DIY Creator