Autumn is the perfect time to focus on your wellness because the season can bring a change in weather and routine.

Embrace Seasonal Foods: Incorporate the bounty of seasonal produce into your meals, such as squash, sweet potatoes, apples, and pears. These foods are rich in vitamins and other nutrients that can help boost your immune system and keep you feeling satisfied.

Layer For Outdoor Activities: Don't let the cooler temperatures keep you indoors. Layering allows you to stay warm and comfortable while enjoying outdoor activities.

Enjoy Warm Beverages: Swap out your usual cold drinks for warm beverages that can provide comfort and hydration. Herbal teas, warm apple cider, and even a homemade chai latte can be soothing, enjoyable, and hydrating.

Practice Mindfulness: Take a few moments each day to appreciate the beauty of the changing season. Whether it's through a mindful walk, meditation, or simply sitting quietly with a warm drink, these moments of mindfulness can reduce stress and enhance your overall well-being.

Set A Gentle Routine: With the hustle and bustle of the season, setting a gentle and flexible routine can help you stay balanced. Prioritize activities that bring you joy and relaxation, and don't be afraid to adjust your schedule, if needed. A balanced routine can help you manage stress and maintain a sense of calm.

By subtly incorporating these tips into your routine, you can enjoy a healthy and vibrant autumn season.

About BCREA’s Housing Monitor Dashboard

The BCREA Economics team has created the Housing Monitor Dashboard to help REALTORS^® monitor BC’s housing market. This dashboard, which is updated monthly, provides up-to-date data on key variables for public education and use. Focuses include: 

• Resale Home Market
• Construction
• Rental Market
• Borrowing Costs
• Other BCREA Data

In the dashboard, the image and data are available for download under each chart, where possible.

For more information, please contact: Gino Pezzani.

Have the price tags on Halloween costumes caused a scare? You're not alone. Halloween costumes can get quite pricey, especially given that the outfits will likely get worn only a few times. And many children will quickly outgrow their Halloween costumes, meaning you may have to shell out for a new costume every year. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to lower Halloween costume and decoration costs.

You can make many great costumes and decorations yourself, spending only a few dollars on supplies.

1. Seasonal products often come at a premium due to high demand. Sometimes you can find great costumes outside of the Halloween section.

2. After Halloween wraps up, you can often find awesome costumes on the cheap. The same is true for Halloween decorations. Instead of waiting until next year, pick up some stuff this November.

3. Thrift stores often put together Halloween collections where you can find costumes, props, and costume-ready clothing pieces. 

Pumpkins are not just for jack-o'-lanterns — they’re a nutritional powerhouse offering numerous health benefits. Rich in vitamins A and C, pumpkins play a crucial role in boosting immunity and maintaining eye health. They are also high in fiber, which aids digestion, promotes a healthy gut, and helps keep you feeling full for longer periods. Additionally, the antioxidants found in pumpkins are effective in combating chronic diseases and promoting overall well-being.

There are many delicious and versatile ways to integrate pumpkins into your fall diet. Try adding pumpkin puree to your smoothies for a nutrient-packed breakfast, or incorporate it into soups for a rich and creamy texture. Baked goods like muffins and bread also benefit from the addition of pumpkin, providing extra moisture and flavor. Don't forget about roasted pumpkin seeds, which make a tasty and nutritious snack. 

Embrace the pumpkin season for a healthy autumn boost and enjoy the myriad of ways this versatile vegetable can enhance your meals and your health!

Real estate watchers have been monitoring the data for signs of renewed strength in demand in response to recent mortgage rate reductions, but the September figures don’t offer the signal that many are watching for. 

For more information, please contact: Gino Pezzani.

Read more: https://www.gvrealtors.ca/market-watc...

For the complete news release, including detailed statistics, click here.

Vancouver, BC – October, 2024. The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that 5,579 residential unit sales were recorded in Multiple Listing Service^® (MLS^®) systems in September 2024, up a little under 1 per cent from September 2023. The average MLS^® residential price in BC in September 2024 was down 2.8 per cent at $942,969 compared to an average price of $969,907 in September 2023. 

The total sales dollar volume was $5.3 billion, a 2.1 per cent decline from the same time the previous year. BC MLS^® unit sales were 25 per cent lower than the ten-year average for September.

“Thus far, falling mortgage rates have not had the expected impact on home sales,” said BCREA Chief Economist Brendon Ogmundson. “That said, there has been interesting regional variation with markets on Vancouver Island and in the North recording more historically normal activity while the Lower Mainland and parts of the Interior lag behind.”

Year-to-date, BC residential sales dollar volume is down 3.2 per cent to $56 billion, compared with the same period in 2023. Residential unit sales are down by 4.1 per cent year-over-year at 57,069 units, while the average MLS^® residential price is up 1 per cent to $981,393. 

For more information, please contact: Gino Pezzani.

Canadian employment rose by 0.2 percent from the previous month, growing by 47,000 jobs to 20.582 million in September. Both unemployment and employment rates fell by 0.1 points to 6.5 per cent and 60.7 per cent, respectively. Average hourly wages rose 4.6 per cent year-over-year to $35.59 last month, while total hours worked were up 1.2 per cent from September of the previous year.

Employment in B.C. fell 0.6 per cent to 2.821 million with a loss of 18,000 jobs in September, marking the fifth consecutive month of provincial job losses. Employment in Metro Vancouver rose 0.2 per cent to 1.587 million in September. The unemployment rate in B.C. rose by 0.2 points to 6 per cent. On a similar trend, Vancouver's unemployment rate rose by 0.4 points year-over-year to 6.7 per cent.

September's employment statistics are a beginning sign of a rebounding labour market, with the unemployment rate ticking downward for the first time since January. Moreover, headline job growth is driven by strong private sector expansion (+61,000 jobs), suggesting that firms are willing to incur greater costs amidst continually improving borrowing conditions from the Bank's cutting cycle. Overall, these numbers indicate a slight economic bounceback, which may reduce the odds of a 50 basis point cut later this month. However, September's CPI report will provide more clarity on the economy's expectations of the Bank of Canada's announcements moving forward. 

https://mailchi.mp/bcrea/canadian-employment-september

For more information, please contact: Gino Pezzani.

Although it was long past her bedtime, Sophie couldn't sleep. She climbed out of bed, quietly crept to the living room, and saw her tired mom sitting with a huge smile and reading a book, with a basket of unfolded laundry at her feet.

Hearing Sophie enter, her mom looked up and said, “A book by Erma Bombeck,” already knowing what Sophie was about to ask because moms just know. She patted the couch next to her, smiled when Sophie plopped down next to her, and started reading aloud: