FROM PAGE A1

But Finney says the decline in sales is only ap- parent.

“It means that agents are confident they can sell the houses on their own, and not have to go through the Multiple Listing Service, which is more expensive. If they can sell the houses on their own, that means sales are up, not down.”

MLS-listed houses have a greater potential market because real estate agencies throughout Vancouver know about the houses. But it costs money to list a house through the MLS so agents avoid it when they can.

SALES RISING

This means MLS sales can decrease while actual sales are rising, says Finney.

Sales this year have ac- tually been even better than last year, he savs.

Harold Duech. the real estate board = divisional president for North Van-

couver, agrees that sales are

better than ever, even though the MLS shows a decline from Ofl single

family unis sold in the first half of 1979 to 536 for the

‘s say N.

corresponding period this year.

“There's been quite an influx of people moving into North Vancouver,” he says.

The movement of people to the North Shore has caused prices to rise rapidly over the past year.

The real estate board report divides sales in each area into four equal groups, depending on price, and these showed a dramatic mse in house pnces on the North Shore.

While the median = sale price in the lowest of the four groups last year was $59,000 in North Van, the median price jumped to $82 _.500 this year.

In West Vancouver, in the lowest group. the median price jumped trom $86,000 to $120,000.

But Finney says most houses are selling in the $200,000 range, in his ex- perience.

“You really cant pet anything you'd want to live in in West Vancouver at that price( $1 20,000).” he says.

Individual realtors confirm the high prices listed in the report.

DRAMATIC INCREASE

While the most expensive house sold in North Van in

the first half of 1979 was $159,500, the most ex- pensive house sold before the end of June this year was $275,000.

The most expensive house sold in West Van in the first half of 1979 was $391,000. This year the most expensive house cost $550,000.

Though the real estate board report only goes up to June, Finney says prices in West Vancouver have continued to climb in July.

“There's no question that demand has increased.”

Dueck says house prices have increased throughout the Greater Vancouver area, but he says the report's findings should be taken with a grain of salt.

“Its very dangerous to talk about averages medians.

“Prices for higher priced homes have really ac- celerated, but the lower priced ones haven't msen so much.”

A spokesperson for the real estate board says the figures in the report are quite accurate in “denoting a trend.”

Anne Broadfoot says she felt “as an educated guess” that SO percent of unit sales on the North Shore were

or

processed through the MLS

SOARING HOUSE PRICES are indicated by these (wo examples. Over the last year, the houses pictured at the top, in West Vancouver, have gone in value from $250,000 to $400,000. On the lower end of the scale, the bottom house located in Lynn Valley has risen in valuc over the last year trom $70,000 to $90,000. (Esworh Dickson

photos)

Math & Science Tutorial Service

We hove B (professional teaching certificates ond severat yearn classroom = teoc! expernence ot

Schoo! or versity level on wel a» extemive tutoring en specializing tn

perience

Mathematics (algebro geometry

cotculws, bask moth skills ond beckground work) and the Sctences (chemistry. biology and physics)

738-6146

Improve Grades * Improve Attitude * Develop Better Study Habits

Grade 8 through University

and used in report.

She says the figures “are much more representative in

the statistical

North Vancouver than in West Van.” Finney says the rise in

All-Sunday News, August 31, 1980

prices and sales is most nouceable in the central part of the North Shore.

“Prices certainly aren't that high in Deep Cove or Horseshoe Bay,” he says.

Condominium prices have

hore popular place fo live

also increased, though not as dramatically as house prices. In the lowest price bracket for North Vancouver, the median price for condos rose from $27,500 to $35,000 between 1979 and 1980.

Hearing for alleged arsonist

An 18-year-old man _ is scheduled to appear in North Vancouver Provincial Court December 18 to continue a preliminary hearing = on whether he shouid stand trial on arson charges resulting from a fire at the Capilano Hotel, in North Vancouver.

Michael Winsor, of Alberta, appeared in court Wednesday to begin a preliminary hearing on two charges before Judge K.D. Page.

Winsor was charged after a fire on September 15 caused an estimated $2500 to a room and furnishings tn the Capilano Hotel, 1634 Capilano Road.

Try the XL250S regular $1849

DO YOU OWN SUBDIVIDEABLE PROPERTY?

Block Bros. Contractors Ltd. urgently requires fand for

single-family residential development.

Land for im-

mediate development is preferred but notaing.proper-

ties will also be considered.

Please reply in confidence to:

STEVEN KURREIN B.C. MANAGER

BLOCK BROS. CONTRACTORS LTD. _ #507-1030 West Georgia St.

Vancouver, B.C. V6E 2Y3

Tel: 685-3474

SALE PRICED $1649

Or check out the CM400E (3 regular $1999

SALE PRICED AT $1789

Fon _—_ PAN . Zn N ca p's. 4

Tonka Motorcycle Sales Ltd.

1353 Pemberton Ave. North Vancouver, BC

985-5341