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Book Reviews

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Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace…One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

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The Warhol Economy by Elizabeth Currid

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Wikinomics - 5 implications for cities

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The Missing Class: Portraits of the near poor in America by Newman and Chan

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Suburban Transformations by Paul Lukez

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real estate

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Stealth density vs high rise density

Thursday, June 10th, 2010

Living in walkable, urban neighbourhoods is becoming trendy.  And communities are defined as “walkable” when virtually everything you could need from groceries to clothes to plumbing supplies can be acquired on foot.
But to support those businesses, you need a dependable large supply of consumers.  Walkable places therefore tend to have higher housing density than less-walkable […]

Households as both renters and owners

Thursday, May 6th, 2010

Several friends of mine own a condominium unit but don’t live there.  Instead, they are renters when it comes to their family home (a larger condo, a townhouse, or the main floor of a small house).
Is this a uniquely Vancouver experience, or the start of a broader urban trend in North America?
Here’s how it has […]

Value of (old fashioned) home ownership

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

In his Great Reset press tour, Richard Florida has been challenging people to think hard about the role of home ownership, especially in the US but also in some struggling Canadian cities.  He is correct to point out the tragedy of the problem–people who have no equity in their homes and cannot sell them also […]

Higher fuel, living green and a new normal for home prices?

Saturday, April 3rd, 2010

Over the past few years, many urban residents have become increasingly interested in more sustainable as well as more time efficient lifestyles.  Thousands (even millions worldwide) are choosing to live closer to work, even if it means a smaller home–whether to save money, spare the environment or save time (or all three).
Simultaneous with the above […]

Asia-Pacific Cities and Premium Home Prices

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries cities in the Atlantic region flourished.  As key centers for “world trade” (or at least trade between Europe and the Americas, which to many was the world), great streets for commerce and neighbourhoods for families emerged, including highly exclusive addresses.
Many of these great Atlantic world cities still have pricey […]

Condo units in the downturn: vertical sprawl

Sunday, March 1st, 2009

Well located, condominium units in Vancouver’s uber-chic Yaletown have become as challenging to sell these days as a generic single family home in the suburbs.  As the residential real estate market has softened, it has hit some homes harder than others.
The economic principle of “scarcity” has been evident.  Where there is “geographic constraint” or a […]

Home prices rising

Saturday, November 22nd, 2008

In the majority of US cities, home prices continue to decline with some cities in California seeing declines of over 30% year on year.
However, in at least 28 US cities, median prices in Q3 2008 were up according to the National Association of Realtors.   Here are the top 10:

Elmira, NY -  12.5%
Decatur, IL  -   […]

Think ahead: 3 bedroom condos needed

Friday, October 24th, 2008

During the last real estate cycle, condominium living became popular in many cities.  Most buyers were singles or either young couples without kids or empty-nesters.  With perhaps Manhattan and Vancouver being notable exceptions, families with young children have generally not been among the new inner urban residents.
In part, this is because few new condominiums offer […]

Which cities are more recession proof?

Monday, October 6th, 2008

Professionally and personally I’ve been devoting considerable time to understanding the current American economic crisis.
One interesting issue emerging from my readings — but that is being overlooked in the mainstream media and even in some of my favorite economic blogs — is that there is not really _one_ national economy.  The US economy is comprised […]

Tougher home ownership credentials: better for cities?

Saturday, July 12th, 2008

 Over the past few years, home ownership became easier than it had been in decades in the United States and in many countries around the world.  40 year mortgages and buying with little or no downpayment made purchasing easier.  A US practice of loaning 103% of the value of a house made it seem […]

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