Request To Readers From 'Global TV’ - "I'm doing a story next week comparing renting vs. buying in today's market, and would like to talk to anyone who may have sold their property in the past year or so in order to rent instead."

Tanya Beja, of Global TV, would like to hear from readers who have sold their Vancouver homes and now rent:
“I work with Global TV, and I am a regular follower of your blog. I’m doing a story next week comparing renting vs. buying in today’s market, and am wondering if you know of anyone, or have contact info for anyone, who may have sold their property in the past year or so in order to rent instead? This is part of a week-long series examining the high-cost of living in BC.
Thanks so much,
Tanya Beja
Global TV”
tanya.beja@globalnews.ca
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The irony of this request was not lost on us, given our past criticism of Global’s poor and industry-serving coverage of our housing bubble. For a moment we considered waggishly suggesting that Tanya talk to Gord Goble, who meets the description of recent-owner-come-renter but is also someone who has actively taken Global to task for their faux-news-reporting on local RE issues.
We responded saying we could post a request to readers, adding “You guys may follow VREAA but, boy, your reports sure don’t reflect that. How about a Global piece on how the relative “high-cost of living in BC” is almost entirely attributable to a speculative mania in housing? That really is the case, and history will prove that viewpoint correct.”
Tanya responded: “My goal with this series is to get a snapshot of what’s happening to first-time buyers. I’m not intending to forecast the future, but at least with the renting story I do hope to challenge the idea that buying real estate in yvr is always a ‘smart investment’.”
So, in that spirit, let’s try to help her out, and see if Global can in any way redeem themselves before judgment day. (Melodrama intentional.)
- vreaa