Not everyone gets to be able to sell their home at the perfect time in life when all clutter is removed. Sometimes moves are made when families simply grow out of their current home.  Two of the forgotten areas of home staging are the back yard and the garage.  In my practice, I have noticed that for these two areas, it has become acceptable to simply leave them as a footnote: garages are jam packed with clutter from the rest of the house and back yards are simply unimpressive spaces accessible from the kitchen with little thought to exterior decor. But people need to "be" outside and incorporating the outside, especially the backyard into your living space will impart lasting benefits to your property.

During the summer months, if you have somehow managed to spiff up your exterior space, take the time to shoot some amazing photography to capture the fruits of your efforts.  Perhaps you might end up selling your home in the winter or the rainy season when leaves and water...

BC has a Property Tax Deferment Program which in certain cases allows a property owner with a principal residence to apply and receive the right to defer all property taxes on that residence for a one-time application fee of $60 with an annual renewal (not automatic) fee of $10.  The interest rate charged on the amount deferred is prime minus 2% which is currently 1.5%- there is no cheaper money around.  There are certain prerequisites which must be met, most notable of which is that one of the property owners must be over 55 years of age and there must be at least 25% equity in the home based upon the BC property assessed value.

This process takes some time so it is best to start it as soon as you get your property assessment.  The 25% equity calculation is sometimes tricky as it may include authorized but not drawn down lines of credit and will include a previous bank’s undischarged mortgage amount even though the balance was refinanced.  Therefore, you need to...

Think back to when you were growing up.  Can you remember any of your friends moving? Moving more than once? Moving more than once in a two year period?

Things are different now.  A recent review that I conducted in Richmond over a two year period from 2014-2015 inclusive revealed that out of 160 single family properties described as having lots greater than 7000 sq ft, frontages greater than 60 feet and homes on the land older than 34 years, 42 of them, or around 25% were sold and relisted at least once during that two year period, often within a few months.

Here's the problem.  They are houses. Houses may qualify for the principal residence exemption and therefore afford a tax free gain on the price increase since purchase. If a person bought a property and sold it, they would only be required to file taxes on it by April of the following year.  That is, if they account for the gain at all.  Being that it is a house, its sale is likely to not even be reported. ...