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As a kid, summers, at times, seemed endless.  Now, they seem all too fleeting, which is why, as a family, we are doing our best to pack in as much fun as possible and the boys are doing their best to avoid using the dreaded “S” word: school J.  Honestly, like other teachers, my wife probably is too. 

This summer is especially abbreviated with our oldest leaving to pursue his basketball dreams in Edmonton.  It will be an emotional send-off to be sure, and we will miss his daily presence in the house greatly.  I’m sure he will miss us too, and likely the full fridge and stocked snack cupboards as well.  I predict that there will be plenty of teary video calls in the near future, and if he is not too busy to return for Thanksgiving, my guess is that he will have a new found appreciation for home-cooked meals.

While there is sadness in seeing him go, we are excited for him and the many adventures that await.

In other bittersweet news, because of the age of the older two boys and my wife and my desire to have our boys under our roof for as long as possible, we made the difficult and emotional decision to sell our family home.  We absolutely loved our home, but realized that a space that offered our family shared walls, but some more independent living (in the form of a suite) may be a better fit for us moving forward.

We prepped our house at the beginning of summer and put it on the market in late July.  While my family vacationed, I guided the sale process behind the scenes via a childhood friend of mine – an agent that works primarily in Vancouver.  In only two days on the market, we had three showings and two offers.  Subjects were recently removed and, even in this down-turned market, we sold for a record setting price in the community in which we live.  Now, while there is always good fortune in terms of timing that can play a part in a successful sale, there are many strategic decisions that were made to produce a quality outcome. 

It’s not by chance that we sold as we did, it’s by design.

Part of that design is early strategic planning.  For anyone considering a move, I strongly encourage you to connect with an agent as soon as possible – preferably me 🙂  Find someone whom you trust and who will genuinely listen to your life story – where it’s been, where it is now, and where you’d like it to go.  Be open and honest with whoever you choose – after all, they are there to represent your interests – and details matter.

If that agent is one of quality, he or she should be able to provide you with the information you need and options to consider.  Once you have chosen the option that’s best for you, he or she will also be able to provide a game plan for how to achieve your preferred outcome as efficiently and rewardingly as possible.

If you’re curious how I approached my own sale, the many strategic decisions that were made, and how we achieved the result that we did, please give me a call, text, or email and I’d be happy to share more.

We do have plans beyond this next move, but those are for another time.

MARKET UPDATE:

The housing market, overall, in the Fraser Valley remains relatively dormant.  As expected, there was no interest rate cut by the Bank of Canada in July, and trade tensions, political turmoil, and general uncertainty continue to persist making big decisions, such as a home sale or purchase, challenging.

It’s difficult to say what will cause an eventual shift; however, I am a firm believer that the decision to move is better based on housing needs than on market conditions.  My recent personal sale is evidence of that.

If you, too, are considering a move this year or next, please reach out so that we can begin making that ever-important early stages strategic planning.

A LITTLE HUMOUR FROM ONE OF MY STILL LITTLE ONES:

When my family was recently vacationing at Shuswap Lake, a deer was spotted which prompted these jokes from one of my boys:

Q.  Hey, Dad!  What do you call a deer with no eyes?
A.  No eye deer (no idea)

Which he then followed up with…

Q.  Hey, Dad!  What do you call a deer with no eyes and no legs?
A.  Still no eye deer (still no idea)

What a chaotically fun last few weeks highlighted by a grade 7 farewell and a grade 12 graduation, a couple of family birthday celebrations, a Father’s Day shared with my family watching the “C’s” at Nat Bailey Stadium with Wasabi taking the win in the mascot race, and a quick Whistler getaway with my wife! 

The weather has been absolutely phenomenal and we’ve taken full advantage with lots of time shared at the park playing frisbee, pickleball, and scootering the neighbourhood which, of course, is often followed by evening walks to the local ice cream shop and movies on the couch.

I hope that your summer is off to a terrific start too!

A big thank you to everyone who entered the Father’s Day Giveaway to Iron Butcher last month.  I loved receiving the Dad jokes and each of them gave me a good laugh.  Here are a few of them:

“I was going to try an all almond diet, but that’s just nuts.

“Who won the neck decorating contest?  It was a tie.

“Why did Dad sit on the remote?  He wanted to control the situation.”

And, a special congratulation to Connie S., the recipient of the $25 gift card to Iron Butcher, who sent in this gem that her Dad use to tell:

Question: Where does the General keep his armies?

Answer: In his sleeve-ies, of course!

Thank you for that, Connie!  It’s a great joke!

What’s not so funny for many would-be sellers in the Fraser Valley is the coolness of the housing market.  Inventory levels remain high and with the summer months upon us, further seasonal slow-down is to be expected.  While there is another interest rate announcement scheduled for the end of the month that could bring some additional relief to variable rate mortgage holders, any more significant change to current market conditions will likely need to come from a political source.  There remains a lot of uncertainty in the world stemming, in large part, from the United States Government whose decisions has impacts and ripple effects that are far reaching.  Should less tumultuous political times lay ahead, that may be the one domino that needs to fall to set everything else in motion.  We shall see.

If you are in considering a move, and would like to talk about market conditions in more detail, please reach out.  I’d be happy to hear from you.

June is here and so too, if you’re a fan of warm sunny days, is the good weather. For my boys and my wife, June represents the final stretch of the school year and the anticipation of a summer of fun ahead. This month will undoubtedly be a busy one. One of our boys turns thirteen and will be entering highschool in the fall and our oldest of the four will be graduating from highschool later this month.

Without question these events will be emotion filled. They will be celebratory milestones that will serve to highlight the efforts and accomplishments of our boys and will remind my wife and I just how precious and fleeting life can be. In addition to these events, there are a couple of birthdays, father’s day, multiple sports days and field trips, after school sports, and so much more on the family calendar, and, of course, I’m looking forward to it all.

In real estate news, there were likely many people looking forward to the Bank of Canada’s rate announcement on June 4th – hoping for a rate drop, but news of another rate hold likely tempered that enthusiasm. The next rate announcement is scheduled for July 30th. If you’re considering a move or refinance and would like to speak with someone about interest rates, mortgages, and financing options, please let me know and I’m happy to refer you to one of my trusted mortgage professionals.

Housing activity in the Fraser Valley remains relatively slow – keeping buyers firmly in the driver’s seat – at least for now; however, as we know markets shift all the time, so no seat is necessarily comfortable for long. That said, the news for first time home buyers in Canada has gotten even better with the Federal Government’s recent changes to the GST rebate on new home purchases.

According to the Government of Canada website, in an effort “to lower the upfront cost of buying a new home for young Canadians and spur the construction of new homes across the country, the government is eliminating the Goods and Services Tax (GST) for first-time home buyers on new homes up to $1 million and reducing the GST for first-time home buyers on new homes between $1 million and $1.5 million. To be eligible for this rebate, an individual must be a minimum of 18 years of age, be either a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, and not have lived in a home, whether in or outside Canada, that they owned or that their spouse or common-law partner owned in the calendar or the four preceding calendar years. T

here are other details surrounding this rebate that are important to understand, so for those of you with young Canadians in your network of friends of family, who are considering a purchase, please have them reach out to me, so that they receive the information they need to make the most informed decision possible. I am currently making decisions with my own family with this new legislation now in effect to take advantage of the opportunity it represents. If you’d like to hear more about my investment plans, please reach out. I see this is a unique opportunity for first time home buyers to get in the market and I’d love to chat with as many people as possible regarding this topic. To that end, I will be making myself available for complimentary 1-on-1 or group Zoom Q & A information sessions, during the months of July and August of this year.

These information sessions can be booked my emailing, texting, or calling me directly and requesting a conversation. The duration of each session is flexible depending on the individual or group’s questions and objectives and our mutual availability. These will be high value sessions, and I strongly encourage people to reach out if this is of interest. If you’d like to register for a session, please email me at caseyduncan@macrealty.com In keeping with the topic of Federal Government initiatives, much mention has been made during the Liberal campaign around prefabricated housing. For those unfamiliar with what this type of housing is and how it may be used to benefit Canadians, I’ve included an article below from a recent BC Real Estate Association publication on the topic written by Mark Sakai.

“In its throne speech on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, the new federal government confirmed a policy promise from the Liberal Party election campaign: the creation of a major initiative to expand the capacity of Canada’s prefabricated housing sector. Backed by $25 billion, the “Build Canada Homes” program intends to fund innovation and capacity building in this sector. The prefabrication of key building components for assembly at the construction site has the potential to significantly reduce the cost, time requirement, and construction waste of new housing, as well as increase sustainability.

Read on for a breakdown of this rapidly rising sector.

What is Prefabricated Housing?

Not all prefabricated housing or offsite construction options are the same. That makes it important to distinguish between the different types of products and approaches. Here are the two most common:

• “Panelization” is the most basic form, where individual wall, floor, and ceiling panels can be built in a factory and flat-shipped to a site, where they are craned in place and secured. Many builders in BC already use this process.
• “Modular” or “volumetric” construction is the production of modules, which can be anything from individual rooms to entire housing units. These are created in a factory, shipped to the site, and assembled “LEGO-block style.”
  

In a typical year, BC’s prefabricated housing factories produce about five per cent of the province’s homes. But these facilities are currently operating at a fraction of their capacity, meaning they can produce far more than they do now.

According to Modular BC – an organization dedicated to expanding the overall factory-built home sector in the province – the sector eventually hopes to produce 25 per cent of BC’s housing. That figure seems achievable given the current excess capacity, and the plans of the federal and provincial governments to support expansion.

Government Interest

Build Canada Homes plans to invest in prefabricated home producers to help them automate more of their production lines and hire workers for additional shifts. The program also intends to place bulk orders with manufacturers to enable more consistent production runs and keep staff employed during traditional downtimes.

The provincial government has signalled its support as well. During the fall 2024 election campaign, Premier David Eby announced his intention to “fast track” the growth of the sector to build homes quickly and affordably while creating jobs.

Other Benefits

By building in an environmentally controlled facility, manufacturers can maintain high quality while avoiding the exposure to rain and snow moisture that can plague a traditional construction site. The use of quality-control checks at every step of the production process ensures each home meets building code and energy efficiency standards. Indeed, many units being produced today already meet Energy Step Code 4 levels.

New standardized plans for four- and six-plexes, when combined with the Bill 44 Small Scale MultiUnit Housing zoning policy, will create the opportunity to quickly and economically bring this type of ground-oriented housing to cities and towns around the province.

Offsite Construction Challenges

Not to say that the rapid uptake of prefabricated homes is without its challenges.

Local governments must embrace plan approval and inspection processes of these homes to ensure that they can be built and installed in a timely manner. To that end, Modular BC has created checklists for building officials at the planning and inspection stages.

Two other concerns are financing and capacity for housing module transportation. For the former, the sector has engaged the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation to assist with updating high-ratio financing procedures. For the latter, the Ministry of Transportation and local governments will need to streamline approvals for very large loads.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the home buying (and renting) public will need to shift their
perception of prefabricated housing.

Structures built using offsite construction methods aren’t just for mining camps, trailers, and temporary shelters anymore (though they still hold tremendous value in these sectors). They are high-quality, energy-efficient, cost-effective, and customizable – making them a perfect fit for many buyers and renters in BC.

There will always be a market for on-site stick-frame construction for custom housing, challenging sites, and high-end clients, but for a significant portion of the market, prefabricated homes will be a big part of BC’s housing supply solution.”

Should you have any questions about this article or any other real estate related matter, please
reach out. I’m happy to connect with you.

FATHER’S DAY GIVEAWAY:

In an effort to support local business and give back to this e-newsletter community, I will be giving away a $25-dollar gift card to Iron Butcher. Whenever I’m in Maple Ridge, this butcher shop is a “must stop” location for me. The owner, Mike, is an awesome guy and the quality of meat at his butcher shop is the best around. To enter, please email your best Dad joke prior to July 1st. All entries will be placed in a random draw with the winner announced in next month’s newsletter.

A LITTLE HUMOUR:

In honour of father’s day, here’s a Dad joke for you:

Q: “’Dad, did you get a haircut?’.

A: ‘No, I got them all cut!'”

Wishing you a Happy Father’s Day, a Happy Canada Day, and a terrific start to your summer!

I’d like to share with you a scary story or perhaps more aptly described – a precautionary tale.  Recently, I came across a letter that a prospective buyer circulated to a townhouse complex in which I have assisted quite a few home owners sell.  The letter from this prospective buyer stated many things that made me cringe. This buyer, in the letter, expressed interest in purchasing a property in the complex.  That’s okay. However, this buyer, went on to reveal a great deal of very personal information about the buyer’s circumstance, motivation, timeline, purchasing power, and other details that severely weakened the buyer’s negotiating position.  PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS!

The buyer left their contact information on the letter and so I reached out to the buyer in the hopes that the buyer would be willing to meet so that a conversation of the potential consequences of soliciting home owners in this fashion could be had.  I asked the buyer if the buyer was represented. The buyer said “yes.” If this is true, this is even more terrifying. I asked the buyer, to please share with me the name of their agent which the buyer has yet to do. Because the buyer said that they were represented, I could not advise this buyer, and because I was not supplied the agent’s name, I was not able to inform that agent of the letter.  I’m hoping that by sharing this story, this may prevent someone else from making what could be a very costly error.

Whether you are a buyer or a seller, it is advisable to keep your personal information confidential.  Think of how your personal information may be used against you if it were shared. I strongly encourage you and those you know to seek assistance from a professional such as myself who will protect your confidentiality and negotiating position at all times.

This is a caveat emptor (buyer beware) province when it comes to housing purchases.  Please protect yourself by speaking with a qualified professional before you begin your home search.

If you have any questions, please call me.  At the very least, you will leave that conversation better informed to make decisions that you feel are in your best interest.  To schedule a call, please click here: https://caseyduncan.ca/contact-us/

What a tremendously positive response from the community to this year’s 25 Days of Giveaways!  Thousands entered over the 25 Days and, as always, I wish I had more to give. Thank you for your support of this event and of the local business community!  It’s an event I’d like to grow each and every year, so if you have any suggestions as to how to improve it or businesses that should be included in it, please let me know.  I’d love to hear your feedback and suggestions.

I’m happy to report that this year’s “Chipping Away at a Cure” cancer fundraiser was another great success!  I want to thank my good friend Cameron Watt for assisting me over the January 4th and 5th weekend as we picked up many trees in the Langley and Cloverdale communities.  Thousands of dollars have been raised since this event began several years ago and that’s a result of the tremendously generous contributions of the donors, those that liked, shared, or forwarded this event’s information along to their network of family and friends, Richard and the wonderful people at Oh Christmas Tree Farm, Bonnie and everyone at Field’s Trees, and Rachel and the rest of the staff at the BC Cancer Foundation.  Thank you all for “Chipping In!” If you’d like to have your tree picked up next year, please do visit www.chippingawayatacure.com in December to schedule us.  I really appreciate the support and so do many others!

Like giveaways?!  If so, here’s a couple that will be posted to my Facebook page February 1st.  If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to like that page as there’s lots of great information and updates there.  Good luck to all who enter!

Property assessments were recently mailed out to home owners and most will have likely seen a dip in their property’s “assessed value.”  Please keep in mind that assessed value is not the same as market value. Market value is the price at which a property is likely to sell within the current market.  A property’s market value can be affected by many things including the marketing and presentation of the property and the negotiating effectiveness of a skillful agent.  With my extensive range of complimentary services such as home staging, cinematic video tour, and professional home cleaning and as a certified negotiation expert, I am happy to set up a time to meet to discuss the market value of your property.  If you or anyone you know is thinking about selling or is simply curious to know their property’s current market value, please click the following link to book a time for us to chat: https://caseyduncan.ca/contact-us/

We’ll see what kind of impact the recent snowfall and road conditions have on the market.  I suspect it may have a very short term stalling effect because this year is forecasted to be one in which we see housing prices increase.  The table is certainly set for this to occur. Sales activity steadily increased from mid-summer through December which has left inventory depleted.  If interest rates and housing supply remain low and demand remains the same, we will very likely see a rise in housing prices. If you’re considering a move and would like more information, please reach out.  I’d be happy to get together and provide you with more specific information about your area of interest.

Congratulations to last month’s winner of the $25 gift card to Cineplex Odeon: Lyn Kinney.  This month’s giveaway will be 4 bowling passes to Alder Alley. To enter, click the following link: https://caseyduncan.ca/25-days-giveaways/.