The Vancouver Life Real Estate Podcast

Canada’s real estate industry is officially in crisis mode. In this week’s episode, we break down why some of the country’s most powerful developers — names like Polygon, Westbank, Beedie, and Mosaic — have joined forces to publicly plead for help. From record-breaking drops in pre-construction sales to massive project cancellations and widespread layoffs, the development industry is sounding the...

Feeling like you’re working harder and getting less? You’re not alone — and the numbers prove it. This week’s episode of The Vancouver Life Real Estate Podcast takes a hard look at how Canada’s exploding tax burden, runaway deficits, and fleeing capital are colliding with the nation’s housing market. We connect the dots between Ottawa’s unchecked spending, falling investor confidence, and a real e...

In this week’s episode of The Vancouver Life Real Estate Podcast, we unpack a tidal wave of economic data that’s painting a clear — and sobering — picture for Canada’s housing and financial landscape. The big headline? There will be no rate cut in July. Inflation is ticking up again, job numbers came in scorching hot, and bond yields are surging — all of which are keeping fixed mortgage rates in t...

Even with high interest rates, record-breaking mortgage renewals, a historic surge in pre-sale inventory, and the highest resale listings we've seen in over a decade, Vancouver real estate prices haven’t crashed. Over the past 12 months, prices have only declined 2.8%, and though they’re down 7% from the peak three years ago, they’re still up 12% compared to five years ago. So, the obvious qu...

In this week’s Vancouver real estate update, we dive into the latest data and indicators painting a complex picture of the market. We start with the Housing Affordability Index, a measure of median household income against mortgage payments, taxes, and utilities. According to this index, Canadian homes have never actually been considered affordable—not once in the last 40 years. The most affordabl...

In this week’s episode, we’re diving deep into one of the most dramatic real estate stories in Canadian history — the Fraser Valley housing boom and bust. During the COVID-era market frenzy, the Fraser Valley became a magnet for buyers looking to escape the city. Between 2020 and 2022, prices in cities like Abbotsford skyrocketed, with the average home price doubling from $500,000 to over $1 milli...

Canada is entering a new and unfamiliar chapter—one defined not by explosive population growth, but by a dramatic slowdown that could rewrite the country’s real estate narrative. In fact, Canada just recorded one of the lowest levels of population growth seen in over 70 years. Only two other quarters in modern history have posted weaker numbers: the height of pandemic lockdowns in 2020 and the glo...

Since the 1980s, Canadian real estate prices have increased 700% faster than wages, and the consequences of that imbalance are starting to surface across the country. In this episode, we unpack a dramatic shift in the housing market that could signal the end of a four-decade bull run. We begin with new data showing that real wages have barely moved in 43 years—up just 24%—while real estate values,...

Sales volumes have collapsed across Canada, and Vancouver is no exception. May 2025 saw just 2,228 sales—down 18.5% from an already slow May last year, and a staggering 30.5% below the 10-year average. This marks the slowest May on record in over 20 years, highlighting just how extreme the slowdown has become. In the pre-sale market, the picture is even bleaker. Vancouver saw only 816 new condo sa...

This week in Canadian real estate, we saw a rare move toward improving housing affordability—but is it too little, too late? The federal government has announced a GST rebate for first-time home buyers purchasing new homes valued up to $1.5 million. Homes under $1 million will be eligible for a full GST rebate—as much as $50,000—while homes between $1 million and $1.5 million receive a partial reb...

Affordable housing continues to dominate the national conversation—and yet, no level of government seems to have cracked the code. In today’s episode of The Vancouver Life, we’re taking this issue into our own hands. Following our most-commented video ever, where we introduced a series of bold ideas to bring truly affordable, ownership -based housing to Canadians, we’re back with more. Many respon...

The average home price in Canada has officially dropped 18% since the 2022 peak—but that’s only half the story. In this week’s episode, we unpack April 2025’s national real estate data, and explore a far more revealing trend: What prices looked like 5 years ago versus today. Because while home values are down nearly 20% from peak levels, they’re still up 31% over 5 years. We also take a closer loo...

For the first time in 2025, Vancouver home prices have declined—and combined with multi-year lows in sales activity, have we finally reached the bottom of this market cycle? In this week’s episode, we dive into the May market update for Vancouver, examining why—after four consecutive years of declining home sales—we may be approaching a cyclical turning point. Vancouver just posted its lowest Apri...

When is the right time to buy a home? For many, it's when they feel ready—personally and financially. But even then, timing the market, understanding future price direction, and interpreting shifting economic signals can complicate the decision. In this episode, we break down everything you need to know to make a confident, informed choice about buying a home in 2025. First, we examine the al...

Building major housing projects in Canada is a deeply complex and often misunderstood process — one that requires more than just permits and plans. It’s about aligning the vision, values, and needs of developers, cities, and the communities they aim to serve. And at the centre of that delicate balance is Gary Pooni, President of Pooni Group, a renowned Urban Planning and Land Development consultan...

In this week we cover some of the most consequential turning points in Canada’s housing narrative to date including the breakdown of the Federal Conservative and Liberal housing plans. New home construction is collapsing at a national level—plummeting in cities like Vancouver by as much as 36% year-over-year—just as Canadians are being asked to decide who should lead the country through the next e...

The spring market is all but dead in 2025. That much is clear. The traditional seasonal surge in home sales that typically arrives in March and April has simply failed to show up. Home sales across Canada remain at multi-decade lows, with April currently trending a shocking 33% below last year—an already sluggish benchmark in itself. The market remains paralyzed under the weight of higher interest...

ome sales in Vancouver just hit their lowest point in six years, marking yet another painful milestone in what’s quickly becoming one of the most uncertain and volatile real estate markets in decades. And if you’re wondering why this is happening, just look at the bigger picture—consumer confidence in Canada just hit an all-time low. That’s right—lower than the depths of the Great Financial Crisis...

Just over a year ago, Vancouver’s rental market was on fire. Rents were rising at record pace, showings were fully booked within hours, and competition was fierce. Fast forward to today, and it’s a very different story. Properties that used to rent in a single day are now sitting on the market for months. Rents are softening, vacancy is creeping up, and investors—especially small-scale landlords—a...

Welcome to The Vancouver Life Podcast! In this episode, we dive into the forces shaping the future of Vancouver’s real estate market with Josh White, the General Manager of Planning, Urban Design, and Sustainability for the City of Vancouver. Josh brings a wealth of experience from his time as Director of City and Regional Planning and Co-Chief Planner at the City of Calgary, and now leads Vancouv...

The Bank of Canada cut interest rates this week for the 7th consecutive time, lowering the overnight rate to 2.75%—a level we haven’t seen since August 2022. But what really caught our attention wasn’t just the cut itself—it was what Governor Tiff Macklem said at the press conference. Macklem explicitly stated that tariffs are restraining household spending intentions, and in response, the BOC is...

The impact of tariffs on the housing market is already being felt. Even before they were implemented, just the threat of tariffs was enough to put buyers on the sidelines. Now that they are in place, the effects are hitting fast. Toronto, often viewed as a key indicator of the condo market, saw sales drop 28% month-over-month in February—a month that typically sees an increase from January. Vancou...

The Toronto real estate market is making national headlines, with growing concerns about a condo crisis that has both buyers and developers feeling the pressure. In this episode, we sit down with renowned Toronto Realtor Tom Storey to break down what’s really happening on the ground. With reports of buyers failing to close on pre-sale units and developers facing insolvency, we discuss how these is...

The Canadian housing market is experiencing one of its most dramatic shifts in recent history, as the gap between government promises and market realities continues to widen. While policymakers have focused on demand-side measures like home-flipping taxes, actual housing starts have declined significantly. Meanwhile, an unprecedented number of rental units are entering the market, leading to falli...

Housing inventory is surging across Canada, with cities like Vancouver and Toronto seeing multi-year highs in new listings—Vancouver up 33% YoY (a 13-year high) and Toronto spiking 49% YoY (a 16-year high). This sudden jump in supply is driven by a mix of record completions, stricter tenancy laws, and struggling investors selling off properties due to rising mortgage costs and softening rental mar...