The Ultimate Vancouver Rumour Thread!

[officedweller]

The view cone from 12th Ave. limits heights to the height of the existing Crossroads complex.

[GlassCity]

Originally Posted by officedweller

The view cone from 12th Ave. limits heights to the height of the existing Crossroads complex.

Right, I always forget about those. Ironic how they prevent densification in the places that are most suitable to it.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by GlassCity

Right, I always forget about those. Ironic how they prevent densification in the places that are most suitable to it.

Vancouver is just one huge irony.

[Pinion]

Originally Posted by VancouverOfTheFuture

well then go anywhere else in the world. you can afford a 2nd place in Vancouver's Yaletown. tough luck. Vancouver can't just cater to foreigners, that is what has created problems in the first place.

Seriously. Boo hoo, can't use Yaletown condo as our closet. It's exactly the kind of situation we're trying to end.

[jlousa]

*l* you guys know that a lot of these units were only built because of purchasers like that. Without those purchasers there would'nt have been the demand and developers would not of provided the supply. There are more Canadians that own units in foreign countries then the other way around. Lots on the east coast have places in Florida, lots of Canadians with places in Arizona, Palm springs, recreation properties just across the border, homes in Mexico. A lot of first generation families still have their homes in their home country. We just like to think of complicated half thought out solutions to our problems.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by jlousa

*l* you guys know that a lot of these units were only built because of purchasers like that. Without those purchasers there would'nt have been the demand and developers would not of provided the supply. There are more Canadians that own units in foreign countries then the other way around. Lots on the east coast have places in Florida, lots of Canadians with places in Arizona, Palm springs, recreation properties just across the border, homes in Mexico. A lot of first generation families still have their homes in their home country. We just like to think of complicated half thought out solutions to our problems.

<shrug> Then maybe they shouldn't have been built. A lot of neighbourhoods are being told to accept higher density because it is necessary to keep prices down, but if it's really just to provide more second homes for foreigners, why should they be forced to accept it?

There is a big difference between communities like Palm Springs, Scottsdale whose raison d'être is to cater to tourists and Vancouver.

[Tommyrey]

Non-residents are already paying extra property taxes. Why can't the city be satisfied with that? Taxes on our unit are $275.16 with a primary residence grant and $845.16 with no primary residence grant each six months. So our taxes are already 3 times higher than those of a local resident. And thanks jlousa for pointing out that people have vacation homes all over the world and without tourists you wouldn't have the restaurants and amenities you do have.

[giallo]

Terrible news about Bing Thom. Damn. RIP.

[dleung]

Originally Posted by Tommyrey

Non-residents are already paying extra property taxes. Why can't the city be satisfied with that? Taxes on our unit are $275.16 with a primary residence grant and $845.16 with no primary residence grant each six months. So our taxes are already 3 times higher than those of a local resident. And thanks jlousa for pointing out that people have vacation homes all over the world and without tourists you wouldn't have the restaurants and amenities you do have.

Ignore the haters. They mistakenly think you're the only thing between them and affording that house in the west side

[Pinion]

Originally Posted by whatnext

<shrug> Then maybe they shouldn't have been built. A lot of neighbourhoods are being told to accept higher density because it is necessary to keep prices down, but if it's really just to provide more second homes for foreigners, why should they be forced to accept it?

There is a big difference between communities like Palm Springs, Scottsdale whose raison d'être is to cater to tourists and Vancouver.

Exactly. I couldn't care less what other cities accept, don't care if Yaletown remained industrial for a decade longer due to lack of condo demand. We are not in a better place for having insufficient regulation and politicians who sold us out.

Originally Posted by dleung

Ignore the haters. They mistakenly think you're the only thing between them and affording that house in the west side

You're mistaking caring for people as jealousy. My situation is taken care of, trust me. Doesn't mean I want our city to be a Cayman Islands type situation.

[cornholio]

Originally Posted by Tommyrey

Non-residents are already paying extra property taxes. Why can't the city be satisfied with that? Taxes on our unit are $275.16 with a primary residence grant and $845.16 with no primary residence grant each six months. So our taxes are already 3 times higher than those of a local resident. And thanks jlousa for pointing out that people have vacation homes all over the world and without tourists you wouldn't have the restaurants and amenities you do have.

a) The tax is being brought in to offset the cost inflicted on the city by such practices. No one is telling anyone to sell, they are just saying to pay the fair share.

b) The options are to pay, or to sell. Everyone ultimately has to make that choice many times through out their life. The dynamics have changed and as such you need to re evaluate your empty condo and figure out if it is worth keeping or selling. Maybe a hotel 8 times a year is cheaper? I don't know. That's a question for you to answer.

Depending on where in the states you are living chances are your property taxes there are significantly higher. The taxes you claim to pay are rather low. For what its worth. I mean what is the property tax rate in say San Francisco again?

Also I don't see anything wrong with what you are doing, so long as you pay what is determined as fair taxes for the situation. I would do the same I I had money to burn.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by cornholio

No one is telling anyone to sell, they are just saying to pay the fair share.

Fair share? The person pays far more city taxes while using far less city amenities/services than a full-time resident. Thus, he clearly pays more than his fair share. Indeed, your use of city amenities/services is being subsidized by his overpayments.

[Graham_Yvr]

This topic has been hijacked. No rumours here.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by whatnext

<shrug> Then maybe they shouldn't have been built. A lot of neighbourhoods are being told to accept higher density because it is necessary to keep prices down, but if it's really just to provide more second homes for foreigners, why should they be forced to accept it?

There is a big difference between communities like Palm Springs, Scottsdale whose raison d'être is to cater to tourists and Vancouver.

Haven't you heard that the province earned a whopping amount of revenue from property transfer taxes, among others? How come you never commented on that?

Originally Posted by Pinion

Exactly. I couldn't care less what other cities accept, don't care if Yaletown remained industrial for a decade longer due to lack of condo demand. We are not in a better place for having insufficient regulation and politicians who sold us out.

You're mistaking caring for people as jealousy. My situation is taken care of, trust me. Doesn't mean I want our city to be a Cayman Islands type situation.

You like backwater affordability like what Vancouver used to be like before the 80s? No high-rise glass condos, just wood-frame houses from the 30s to the 70s? Well, lots of small cities and towns in BC offer that. Let one city, Vancouver, catch up with the rest of the world and move forward. You like all the amenities and modern changes that were brought in by foreign money and yet you guys hate the cultural changes associated with that. Well, sorry my friend you can't have the cake and eat it too.

[DesignerBunny]

Tmi

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by GlassCity

I would think Cambie and Broadway, if not Commercial-Broadway, since it will have two rapid transit lines intersecting, and City Hall is right there too.

Yes, of course. CAMBIE & Broadway. Particularly with the Canada Line. Can't wait for Broadway west to densify !!!!

[djmk]

Originally Posted by Tommyrey

I haven't seen anything on this site about the proposed Empty House tax. As the owner of a condo in Yaletown that we use 6-8 times a year as a vacation home from our permanent residence in the States, I think it is a terrible idea to penalize us when everywhere else in the world we would be welcomed. We are already paying higher taxes than residents because it is not our primary residence, so how can they justify another tax? We don't want to rent it because it is filled with our clothes and furniture. If we wanted to own rental property we would do so close to home. Check out this link for more information http://vancouver.ca/people-programs/empty-homes.aspx

The City has not defined what "vacant" means and you may end up not falling in that category. I don't think vacation homes will be considered vacant if they are used. But then again, who knows what will happen.

[LeftCoaster]

Great rumours guys

We have a thread for this kind of discussion, let's use it:
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=193748&page=5

[Pinion]

Originally Posted by Vin

You like all the amenities and modern changes that were brought in by foreign money and yet you guys hate the cultural changes associated with that. Well, sorry my friend you can't have the cake and eat it too.

Nothing is significantly better for me now in Vancouver than it was in the 90s. The negatives far outweigh the positives. I can't sell my condo and upgrade. I can't have kids (don't want to, but don't have the option). I can't even get off the north shore after 3pm anymore. I can't talk to strangers without them assuming I want to 🞵🞵🞵🞵 them or at very least scam them. This city is fucked, economically and culturally, and people who didn't live here decades ago shouldn't assume it is better now.

edit: whoops was typing when that last post came in, this will be my last one on the subject.

[Tetsuo]

Got a big rumour scoop here:

Heard Trofirhen is planning a visit home !