Home buys now better Prices for detached homes fall | Deana Lancaster News Reporter deana@usnews.com IF a new home is on your wish list, but you haven’t yet begun the search, get busy — bargains abound! According to the Real Estare Board of Greater Vancouver, hoate prices have decreased throughout the Lower Maitdand, so there are some great deals out there. “Irs very interesting because although prices are down, buyers are still hesitar- ing to make the purchase,” - said board president Calvin Lindberg. “Homebuyers may not realize this but Lower Mainland homes are very affordable. This is a great time to buy.” Multiple Listing Service sales for detached, attached and apartments in) March were down 25% compared to March 1997. According to the board's Housing Price Index, the price of a actacned home in Greater Vancouver in March was $352,020, dawn from $378,110 in the same menth last year. Sales for dcrached homes were down 25% fur 2 total of 929 sales for the month compared to 1,254 in March of last year. In the attachec!. or town- house category, sales were down 30% with 288 sales recorded. The indes price for townhouses :n march = has remained steady at $225,360. Apartment sales overall were also down by about 23% while the indexed price was $157,420, down — from $162,624 in March 1997. “Ivow thar CMHC has announced thai all homebuy- ers have access to: mortyage insurance with as little as 5% down, more homebuyers can get into and move up in the housing marker. This pro- gram provides homebuyers with an excellent new advan- tage,” added Lindberg. For example, according to the AILS, some of the North Shore arcas thar have seen price decreases include: B@ North Vancouver -— although “VW. price of single- family he. :. has risen slight- ly, townhomes have dropped from an av.rage price of $263,190 in 1997) to $256,645 in 1998. Apartments have dropped from $170,648 to $159,052. Bin West Vancouver/Howe Sound, single-family honies have, dropped from an aver- age price of $732,503 in 1997 ro $640,874 in 1998. The price of townhomes has dropped an incredible 65% — from an average of $619,291 to $217,000. According to Gerry Thiessen, — president: of the B.C, Real Estate Association, sales in thé provinee are pick- ing up slightly from month to month, but they're: still down from last vear. “We have to remember that sales in 1997, and 1996 for that matter were fueled by high levels of immigra- tion and economic activity; compony ats that are not pre- sent in today’s marker.” Friday, Aprit 10, 1998 ~ North Shore News — 43 NEWS file photo Brad Ledwidge PLAYHOUSE Junction, a fundraiser for BC Children’s Hospital, recently appeared at Capilano Mall. The StoryLook House, above, built by North Van's API Construction, went to a Sardis family. Winners get to play house Deana Lancaster News Reporter deana@usnews.com NINE lucky Lower Mainland families have won new homies in a lottery. And their children are moving in. Thar’s because the houses are play- houses — they were constructed and donated by members of the Greater Vancouver Home Builders’ Association for Playhouse Junction, 2 fundraiser for B.C.’s Children’s Hospital. The children’s “street of dreams” first went on display ac the BC Home and Garden Show at BC Place Stadium in February. Visitors to the show could vore AT A GLANCE Peeve ce ceccesnearvoressneees for their favorite house and enter to win one of them for a suggested minimum donation of $2. The playhouses also trav- elled to various communities, including a stop at Capilano Mall. The total money raised for the hospi- tal was $37,403. Two North Shere families will be making room in their yards for new play- houses. Ray Giuliani in North Vancouver won “Fire Hall No. 2,° and Gerry Atwood in West Vancouver won “Hickory Dickory Dock.” The two playhouses which were built b. orth Shore builders have also found new Aomes. “The Toon Playhouse,” built by North Vancouver’s Blue Ocean Construction and based on plans drawn up by a focus group of children, went to a family in Maple Ridge. “The Storvbock House,” built by North Vancouver’s APT Construction went to a Sardis family. Linda Ashcroft of APL said she and husband Mark discovered last week that the family who won it has five taster chil- dren. “We thought thar was really neat,” she said. The playhouse, designed by Mark Ashcroft and Eric Pattison of Decosse Pattison Architects, was a community project, she added. Hollyburn Lumber and Alternate Building Supplies donated the materials, and API's sub-contractors helped the Asherofts put it together. Feature Listing 24-1550 Larkhall Cr. ADDRESS: 24-1550 Larknai! Crescent Cem mare eeerer area r ees e reese eeerensseerne AGE: 4 years Pee w ema cweracn ann seauecernereoseunasssenes INTERIOR SIZE: 1,863 sq. ft. Nahanee Woods Bright and spacious two-level contemporary townhome at the gated community st Nahanee Woods in the desirable Northlands neighborhood. The master bedroom is conveniently iacated on the Pere eee CSS e Terese eee eer eee eee ree eeryy NUMBER OF BEDROOMS: 3 Cen em mee veemeersessaccesreresseneeeeseeteese NUMBER OF FLOORS: 2 Oem mem m ac sceeaeecensatensessresesseseereee ASKING PRICE: $387,500 Wem e eee c enema ns aaoncaratusesonesrerseges main level with a five-piece ensuite. The living and The Mexican-titad dining room beast vaulted ceilings and skylights. family room looks onto a greenbelt. Designer finishings, a two-car garage, two gas fireplaces and one of the best locations in L_-/ the project make this a § ima Mitha, mark- Saitra Mitha, . éting co-ordinator “Stataman” must see. SUSSEX GROUP-SADKU MITHA REALTY CORP. OPEN HOUSE: Sat. 1-3 pm/ Sun. 3-5 p.m. LISTING AGENTS: Sadru Mitha & Salma Mitha, 984-9711 SPECIAL FEATURES: Vaulted ceilings, main level master bedroom, backs unto greenbelt