The ‘TED talks of real estate’ hits Vancouver

Beau Jarvis, senior VP, development, of Wesgroup, which sponsored REDTalks, welcomes the speakers: (left to right) Stephen Hurford, Josh Flagg, Brendon DeSimone, Alan Child
Beau Jarvis, senior VP, development, of Wesgroup, which sponsored REDTalks, welcomes the speakers: (left to right) Stephen Hurford, Josh Flagg, Brendon DeSimone, Alan Child

THE#BCBIZDAILY
Talking real estate, working longer and apples that don’t turn brown

Seeing RED
Confirming that Vancouverites really love talking real estate, more than 650 industry people flocked to the “TED talks of real estate” at the Vancouver Playhouse on Thursday. REDTalks organizer Cam Good, president of the Key Group of Companies, chatted to Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles star Josh Flagg, U.K. property advisor Stephen Hurford, Knight Frank chair Alan Child and New York realtor and author Brendon DeSimone, revealing such tidbits as Vancouver real estate is undervalued, Kazakhstan is an emerging market, “key workers” in the City of London can get preferential financing deals, and knowing the local market is what makes realtors valuable.

Shy of retiring
People in Vancouver and Victoria will need to work longer than other Canadians before they can retire, according to a Vancity report published Friday: “Falling Behind: Retirement Realities in B.C.’s Two Largest Cities.” Although more than three-quarters of Vancouver and Victoria residents under 45 do not contribute to RRSPs, the big problem—news flash—is the cost of living in those cities, where the projected minimal annual income for retirement is the highest in the country: $39,195 in Vancouver and $36,913.50 in Victoria. Retire in Toronto and you’d need just $32,370. Or how about Winnipeg: $27,436.50.

How do you like them apples?
Okanagan Specialty Fruits, an agriculture biotechnology company in Summerland, B.C., has developed an apple that resists turning brown when cut, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved it for commercial planting, according to the New York Times. While OSF is committed to using genetic engineering tools and believes strongly in their value, it only uses tree fruit genes to develop new tree fruit varieties. The first available varieties of Arctic are Golden Delicious and Granny Smith, to be followed by Fuji and Gala.