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Why You Should Consider Leaving Home
The things I wish somebody told me when I was looking to buy my first home.
I grew up in a suburb town 40 minutes outside of Vancouver, Canada. It was where many of the middle-class families in the baby-boomer generation ended up. The town itself is spread out over a wide geographical area, so although it is fairly large, it never felt like it. Many of the neighborhoods are (still) bisected by large agricultural fields, horse ranches, and remaining forest stands. It is a beautiful place to call home.
I began gaining a real-estate conscience about 10 years ago, when Vancouver hosted the 2010 winter Olympic games (… a story for another time). Something many people feared who called the greater Vancouver area home was how all of the world’s eyes on the region might spark international interest in its real estate. It was certainly worth preparing for.
I’m sure the real estate market was already on the rise pre-Olympics, but it ramped up significantly in the years to follow. I mean, with the mildest climate in Canada and the plethora of mountains, rivers, lakes, and beaches to explore, the area is hard to beat. It’s a paradise you pay for, though.
After the Olympics, the region saw massive increases in property value. Insurance rates went up. Property taxes…
