Dodi Thorhaug : Re/Max Dodi Thorhaug Realty

This great recap from the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver outlines the rules:

An age restriction bylaw is strata corporation bylaw requiring some or all of residents of a strata unit to be over a certain age. 'A strata corporation may adopt an age restriction bylaw and enforce it,' said real estate lawyer Mike Mangan. The bylaw must meet the requirements of the Strata Property Act and the Human Rights Code and other provincial and federal legislation and regulations. 

Human Rights Code

The Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination unless the activity is exempted.

The Code does not apply to an age restriction if a statute specifically permits a distinction based on age.

The Strata Property Act

The Strata Property Act s. 123 (1.1) permits this distinction:
     'Without limiting a strata corporation's power to pass any other bylaws, a strata corporation may pass a bylaw that restricts
      the age of persons who may reside in a strata lot.'

What does this mean?

'So long as an age restriction bylaw otherwise meets the requirements for enforceability, the strata corporation may enforce its age restriction bylaw against every resident equally, regardless (of) whether the person is an owner or a tenant,' said Mangan.

Exceptions – phased strata developments

There is an exception in some phased strata developments, explains Mangan.

A phased strata plan involves the development of strata lots on one or more separate parcels of land in two or more phases.

'If certain conditions exist in a phased development, the strata corporation may not make, modify or repeal a bylaw to restrict the age of occupants, unless particular requirements are met,' said Mangan.

If the developer in a phased development complies with the dates in the Phased Strata Plan Declaration or in an amended Declaration, for the beginning of construction of each phase, the regulations state that the strata corporation may not create, change or repeal any bylaws dealing with 'the age of the occupants' until one of the following occurs:

     • the annual general meeting is held following the deposit of the final phase 
     • in accordance with the Strata Property Act, the developer elects not to proceed with the next phase 
     • The Supreme Court of British Columbia declares that the developer is deemed to have elected not to proceed
     • the strata corporation obtains the written consent of the developer.

If you have questions about age restriction bylaws, contact your don't hesitate to call us 604.644.3634

Home buyer demand increases across Greater Vancouver housing

market! 

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver reports we are experiencing the most actrive market since Spring 2011, and we agree. While detached home sales on the North Shore have been hot for over a year, our current sales to listing ratio is 38%, overall sales for detached and attached Greater Vancouver properties have just moved above 20%, or into a seller's market at 20.4%, for the first time since June 2011. With inventory levels lower than last year, if you are planning on changing your lifestyle, now really is a good time to sell your house. I'd love to talk with you about how you can capitalize on today's trends. Don't hesitate to call, 604.644.3634.

Dodi

Read the full press release is below. Full report, click here: May 2014 

VANCOUVER, B.C. – June 3, 2014 – An increase in home buyer demand put Greater
Vancouver in the upper reaches of a balanced real estate market in May.

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that residential property sales in
Greater Vancouver reached 3,286 on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in May 2014. This
represents a 14 per cent increase compared to the 2,882 sales recorded in May 2013, and a 7.7
per cent increase compared to the 3,050 sales in April 2014.

Last month’s sales were 6.5 per cent below the 10-year sales average for May of 3,514.
The sales-to-active-listings ratio currently sits at 20.4 per cent in Greater Vancouver, which is the
first time that this measure has been above 20 per cent since June 2011.

“Our MLS® statistics tell us that there’s more home buyer demand today than at any point over
the last three years,” Ray Harris, REBGV president said. “With sales surpassing the 3,000 mark
in May and our sales-to-active-listing ratio exceeding 20 per cent, this is the most active
marketplace we’ve seen since the spring of 2011,”

New listings for detached, attached and apartment properties in Greater Vancouver totalled 5,936
in May. This represents a 5 per cent increase compared to the 5,656 new listings in May 2013
and a 0.2 per cent decline from the 5,950 new listings in April. Last month’s new listing count
was 2 per cent below the region’s 10-year new listing average for the month.

The total number of properties currently listed for sale on the MLS® system in Greater
Vancouver is 16,072, a 6.7 per cent decline compared to May 2013 and a 3.6 per cent increase
compared to April 2014.

The MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro
Vancouver is currently $624,000. This represents a 4.3 per cent increase compared to May 2013.
“Home prices have experienced consistent yet modest increases in our region since the beginning
of 2013,” Harris said.

Sales of detached properties in May 2014 reached 1,453, an increase of 19.9 per cent from the
1,212 detached sales recorded in May 2013, and a 23.1 per cent increase from the 1,180 units
sold in May 2012. The benchmark price for detached properties increased 5.4 per cent from May
2013 to $966,500.

Sales of apartment properties reached 1,286 in May 2014, an increase of 13.2 per cent compared
to the 1,136 sales in May 2013, and an 11.2 per cent increase compared to the 1,156 sales in May
2012. The benchmark price of an apartment property increased 3.2 per cent from May 2013 to
$377,500.

Attached property sales in May 2014 totalled 547, a 2.4 per cent increase compared to the 534
sales in May 2013, and a 5.8 per cent increase over the 517 attached properties sold in May
2012. The