Strata Tip of the Week – Most Stratas Are Not Saving Enough for the Future

When buyers and owners look at the expenses that come with strata living, it’s natural to focus on unit prices and monthly strata fees. But what those fees don’t always reveal is whether the strata is setting aside enough in its contingency reserve fund (CRF) to pay for major repairs and replacemen

Strata Tip of the Week – Understanding Depreciation Report Estimates

Depreciation reports, as they’re known in BC, or reserve fund studies, as they’re known in many other jurisdictions, help strata corporations plan for the maintenance, repair, and replacement of common property and assets. From a buyer or owner’s perspective, these reports provide insight into: The

The Nanaimo Market Split: What My Tracking Reveals This Week

I'm obsessed with tracking Nanaimo single-family detached sales. My analysis yesterday revealed some interesting opportunities. I am observing 2 totally different markets. Get my predictions every week by subscribing here.   - John Cooper

Weekly Real Estate Take September 2025 - Week 3

September has brought new listing volume up to levels we haven't seen since June of this year. 65 new single family homes were listed in Nanaimo last week (up from 60 the week prior). Sales have declined subtly with 16 homes selling in Nanaimo last week (down from 20 the previous week

Why Settle for Practice When You Can Have Proven Results?

🏠 NANAIMO HOMEOWNERS: Here's the logic that'll earn you thousands.Professional service providers, like real estate agents, have different experience levels and track records, right? Some have 2 years. Others have 15 plus years and proven results.So here's the simple math:➡️ Different experience +

Strata Tip of the Week – Are Stratas Required to Provide General Meeting Notice Packages?

If you’ve worked with Condo Clear before, you’ll know that in addition to reviewing the general meeting minutes, we also recommend that you obtain and review the general meeting notice packages, as they often contain important information not included anywhere else. 1. So, is the strata corporation

Weekly Real Estate Take September 2025 - Week 2

Last week brought an increase in new listings, with 60 single-family homes hitting the Nanaimo market compared to 36 the week prior. Sales, however, saw a slight dip, with 20 single-family homes sold versus 23 the previous week. It’s common, this week,  to see a bit of a slowdown in s

September Newsletter 2025

Last week saw a steady continuation of new listings from the previous week with 36 single family homes listed in Nanaimo (37 the previous week). Sales also held steady with 23 single family homes selling in Nanaimo last week (down from 26 the previous week). Overall August 2025 saw a 10% increase

Strata Tip of the Week – The Importance Of Homeowner Insurance

When buying into a strata corporation, many consumers assume that the strata’s insurance will fully protect them in the event of a loss. In reality, strata insurance has limitations and deductibles that can leave owners with significant out-of-pocket expenses unless they also carry their own homeow

Weekly Real Estate Take August 2025 - Week 4

  The number of new single family homes listed this week in Nanaimo declined to 37, down from 45 last week. Sales have increased, with 26 single family homes selling last week. That is an increase of 7 sales from the previous week. The blazing hot weather this week should slow down th

Weekly Real Estate Take August 2025 - Week 3

August sales activity has remained steady. There was a slight increase in the number of new single family homes listed in Nanaimo last week. 45 new homes were added to the MLS, up from 37 the week prior. Sales also saw an increase in activity, with 20 single family homes selling in Nanaimo last wee

What REALLY Sets Top Real Estate Agents Apart?

It's NOT the fancy photos, viral videos, or flashy branding...In Nanaimo, BC, we have approximately 445+ agents for 100K people. That's 1 agent for every 225 residents! 🤯So what makes the difference when EVERYONE has great marketing?**ACCURACY.**✅ Precise property valuations✅ Reliable market predi

Weekly Real Estate Take August 2025 - Week 2

Last week saw an increase in the number of single-family homes hitting the market, with 37 homes being introduced to the market. That's up from the 31 that were launched in the week prior. In that same time period, we saw 15 single-family homes sell in Nanaimo. That is 8 homes less than t

The Best Advice Starts with This Question

    The Question That Matters   When you're talking to potential advisors, ask them: "If you were me, what would you do?"A good advisor will give you a straight answer. They'll tell you exactly what they would do in your situation and why.What I've Noticed:Some advisors avoid this question. They'll

Strata Tip of the Week - Did You Get All the Meeting Minutes?

Missing meeting minutes are one of the most common issues we run into when reviewing strata documents. To help avoid this, here’s a simple five-step process you can follow to check whether you’ve received them all. Step 1: Separate the council meeting minutes from the gen

August Newsletter 2025

Last week saw a slight decline in the number of new single-family homes introduced to the market in Nanaimo, with 31 homes being listed, down from 44 last week. Sales of Nanaimo single-family homes also declined, with 23 homes selling last week, down from 31 the week prior.I am witnessing 2 distin

Strata Tip of the Week - When Strata Bylaw Packages Become Confusing

Bylaws are one of the most important documents in any strata corporation, but reviewing them isn’t always straightforward. Some bylaw packages are clear and easy to follow, while others can be a confusing mix of originals and multiple layers of amendments. This week, we’re

Weekly Real Estate Take July 2025 - Week 5

This past week in Nanaimo 44 single family homes were introduced to the market. In that same time period, 31 single family homes were sold. It is increasingly competitive for home sellers, as new inventory competes with the homes that were priced too high for the spring market. These home

Navigating Complexity with Focused Strategy

  Complex problems and difficulties are solved through focus and intent. Knowing where to focus your attention is the key skill to overcome complex problems. A good advisor will skillfully guide your attention to the areas that demand your greatest input and listen attentively as you share your ide

Weekly Real Estate Take July 2025 - Week 4

  49 new single family homes were listed in Nanaimo last week. That is down subtly from 54 the previous week. Single Family home sales have declined from 29 last week, to 23 this week. We are stepping into the “dog days of summer” and the volume of weekly sales and new listings is likely

Strata Tip of the Week - What is parking and/or storage allocated by owner developer assignment?

If you’ve read our email titled Understanding Parking and Storage Designations, you’ll know that there are different ways parking and storage can be designated within a strata corporation. One of these is when parking and/or storage has been allocated by owner developer ass

Kicking Off a Big Property Decision? Avoid These Early Slip-Ups

  2 homeowner mistakes to avoid when faced with a high value real estate decision. Choose wisely and explore your options.   #love #kindness #accountability #growth #johncooper #realestate #vancouverisland #nanaimo

Weekly Real Estate Take July 2025 - Week 3

  Over the last 3 weeks, we've consistently seen over 50 new single family homes listed in Nanaimo every 7 days (54 last week). Sales have also been steady with approximately 30 single family homes selling each week in Nanaimo (29 last week). This is a very sustainable pace for the Nanaimo real es

Strata Tip of the Week - Who Can Write a Depreciation Report?

July Newsletter 2025

  Last week, 58 new single family homes were introduced to the Nanaimo real estate market. That's an increase of only 2 homes from the previous week. Sales have seen a significant decrease with only 26 homes selling, compared to 38 homes selling the previous week.  Overall, the market

Weekly Real Estate Take June 2025 - Week 4

The number of new single family homes entering the Nanaimo market in  the last 7 days is on the decline with 62 homes listed last week. That's down from 82 homes listed in the previous week. Last week was a record for single family home sales with 35 homes selling. The highest number of sales in a

Strata Tip of the Week - Providing Strata Lot Access

Strata corporations are allowed to access various areas of a property when needed in order to carry out their responsibilities. For example: If a limited common property patio is assigned to a strata lot and repairs are required, the strata can request access from the own

Smart Decisions Start with Honest Advice

  When deciding on a real estate advisor, there are a number of skills that you should be looking for, including marketing excellence, negotiating skills, property valuation expertise, and communication skills. Be on the lookout for advisors who struggle with difficult conversations. The last thing

Weekly Real Estate Take June 2025 - Week 3

                      The last 3 weeks have seen the highest number of homes selling in a 21 day stretch in 2025. 82 new single family homes were listed in Nanaimo in the last week. That's 6 more homes available than the previous week. Sales also increased with 28 homes selling in Nanaimo in the l

Strata Tip of the Week - Understanding the Schedule of Unit Entitlement

1. What Is a Schedule of Unit Entitlement? In BC, the Schedule of Unit Entitlement is a numerical table which determines two important things for each strata lot: A. The share of common property and common assets that each strata lot owns, and B. The proportion of common ex