VREP #499 | Vancouver Real Estate 2025: Reviewing The Year Of Reckoning With Adam & Matt Scalena

After a year that defied expectations, Vancouver real estate's 2025 reality check reveals uncomfortable truths about market psychology and price compression. Adam & Matt sit down for an end of the year conversation to dissect the deepest volume slowdown in decades, stubborn inventory levels well above historical norms, and a luxury-led price correction reshaping everything below it. From West Side single family homes losing hundreds of thousands to Whistler condos surging 10%, this wide-ranging market review cuts through the noise to reveal which neighborhoods stayed resilient and which crumbled under the pressure. Is 2026 the year buyer confidence finally returns? What's driving the dramatic divergence between Kitsilano and South Burnaby? And with inventory at record highs, are we finally circling bottom or just beginning the descent? Don't miss this one! 

They say it's not what you make but what you keep. And today's guests can definitely help with that. DMCL tax specialists Mohammad Shahid and Nav Pannu sit down with Adam & Matt this week to decode the tax implications that real estate investors face at every stage. From understanding when incorporation makes sense to navigating capital gains calculations, change-of-use rules, and interest deductibility strategies, this conversation cuts through technical jargon to reveal practical strategies & concrete examples for minimizing tax exposure. When should you incorporate versus holding properties personally? How do laneway homes impact your principal residence exemption? And can you really maintain primary residence status for four years without living in a property? Don’t miss this one!

Two out of three Vancouverites believe their city's brand is in decline. Veteran journalist and CityAge founder Miro Cernetig joins Adam & Matt this week to explore this stark reality, arguing that cities need powerful stories to unite residents and attract the world - and Vancouver has begun to lose the plot. From the post-Olympics swagger to today's "troubled, sleepy city," he traces how the stories we tell ourselves shape civic destiny. And that destiny feels more uncertain than it once did. Can Vancouver revitalize its brand by changing the story it tells? What's the crucial difference between renting temporary events like FIFA versus building transformative infrastructure like the Olympics? And what unifying narrative could transform Vancouver's next decade? Don't miss this provocative conversation about the stories that shape cities.

Can you really retire comfortably in Vancouver with just $500,000 in liquid assets? Senior Financial Planner Adam Beaudin-Ball from Raymond James sits down with Adam & Matt to reveal his comprehensive wealth-building playbook for Vancouverites. From maximizing the new $40,000 First Home Savings Account to leveraging RESPs for both education and property purchases, Adam breaks down the government programs and investment strategies that most people miss. He shares real client stories - including a blue-collar worker who saved $380,000 by age 29 - while explaining why diversification between real estate and stocks matters more than ever. Why shouldn't interest rates dictate which debt you tackle first? How can you use home equity lines to create tax-deductible investment income? And what's the optimal sequence for contributing to FHSAs, RRSPs, and TFSAs? Don't miss this masterclass on building sustainable wealth in Canada's most expensive city. 

After three years of adjustment, where does Kelowna real estate stand today? Realtor Colin Krieg and Mission Group President Luke Turri sit down with Adam & Matt to provide an assessment of both the resale and presale markets in a city that's shifted from 98% of listings selling at peak to just 10% today. Colin pulls no punches about a market he's never seen before, while Luke reveals Mission Group's bold upcoming one-day sale offering lakefront homes at a 20% discount across the board. The conversations reveal which price points still generate competition and why developers are pivoting from traditional presale models to completed inventory strategies. What does it mean when 70% of buyers are now local versus outside investors? Is Kelowna evolving beyond its boom-bust reputation into a true urban center? And is now the time to be looking for blue chip property deals in the Okanagan? Don't miss these ground-level insights from two of Kelowna's most plugged-in market participants.

Vancouver's housing market is in worse shape today than five years ago. Not because of Trump or the economy or market cycles, but because of misguided policies that have fundamentally undermined property rights and destroyed real estate value. SFU Finance professor Andrey Pavlov sits down with Adam & Matt to deliver his unflinching analysis of BC's housing crisis, revealing how measures like speculation taxes and rent controls have backfired spectacularly. From Canada’s shocking 22nd-place global ranking in GDP per capita to the hidden dangers of converting condos to rentals, this conversation challenges every assumption about what's really broken in Vancouver real estate. What makes the speculation tax the most destructive policy in BC history? Is government-imposed risk the actual driving force for our current market stagnation? And is Vancouver actually in a full-blown recession that nobody's talking about? Don’t miss this provocative reality check on Vancouver’s housing future!

All's fair in love and real estate – or is it? Harper Grey lawyer C. Ryan Chan sits down with Adam & Matt this week to reveal what every couple needs to know before signing on the dotted line. From the myth of automatic 50/50 splits to why cohabitation agreements are becoming essential in Vancouver's high-stakes market, Ryan breaks down how relationship law intersects with real estate ownership. The conversation explores everything from prenups to protecting inherited property, plus crucial advice for parents gifting down payments to their children. Should you hold property as joint tenants or tenants in common? What should parents consider before gifting that down payment? And what happens to the money you spent renovating your partner's property if you split? Don't miss these essential legal insights that could not only save your assets but your relationship!

The Cowichan Decision has rocked Metro Vancouver — but what does it really mean for homeowners, real estate investors, and property ownership in Metro Vancouver and the province? Vancouver lawyer Sam Adkins joins Matt & Adam to unpack the landmark ruling that recognized Aboriginal title on private land in Richmond, a first in Canadian history! Could this ruling challenge the very foundation of private property ownership in B.C.? What happens to mortgage renewals and home sales inside claim areas? Will this spark a wave of new title claims across the province and country? Sam explains the case, the players, and what happens next as this decision heads to appeal. From the constitutional roots of Aboriginal title to the practical realities for everyday property owners, this conversation cuts through the noise to reveal what’s at stake for the future of land in B.C. A must listen for anyone who owns, plans to own, lends on, or develops land in British Columbia.

With only six weeks left before the market shuts down for the holidays, Metro Vancouver sellers face a critical decision - list now or wait until spring? Adam & Matt tackle the tough fall reality this week, where active listings sit 36% above the ten-year average, sales are down 20% & “shadow” inventory adds thousands more properties to your competition. From pricing strategies that work in a 10% sales ratio environment to understanding why patience isn't your friend anymore, this episode delivers the course correction sellers need right now. Should you push through the fall or wait for spring when inventory pressures could be even worse? How do you stand out when buyers have endless choices? And with sales ratios hovering around 10%, what does it actually take to be the one property that sells? Tune in for the strategies that work when kicking the can down the road is no longer an option.

Politicians keep touting housing supply numbers as progress, but if you're hoping to ever own rather than rent you should be very nervous about our so-called success—fully half of Vancouver's new "supply" is purpose-built rentals, not homes you can buy. Mortgage expert and author Dustan Woodhouse sits down with Adam & Matt to expose how this unreported shift fundamentally changed the market while everyone's been looking the other way. From the shocking reality that only 20% of mortgage applicants would qualify today versus 57% a decade ago, to why developers get 50-year amortizations while first-time buyers are locked out, this conversation reveals what's really happening beyond the misleading headlines. What happens when an entire generation becomes lifetime renters? Could a 50-year amortization actually solve the housing crisis? And with the Bank of Canada using "uncertainty" 79 times in their latest report, what should buyers and sellers do right now? Don't miss this reality check on Vancouver's housing future.