Attempts to Temper Crazy Price Gains in the B.C Real Estate Market

by Bevony on 31 March 2021 Comments Off

The housing market in British Columbia is hot right now thanks to fallen interest rates. As such, the bidding process is being scrutinized to see how it can be changed to temper these price increases. The new normal on the property market is multiple offers which drives selling prices far above a seller’s asking price.

There are now discussions being held about how the bidding process can be changed. This, in an effort to temper price increases. The real estate system in British Columbia is quite opaque. And so, homebuyers rely on the information about offers that are provided by the seller’s agent. So a buyer really has no idea what is going on in the back end. What this means is that an unscrupulous realtor can sway things in their favor. We are not saying that this is happening nor that it is happening often, but we know that the potential is there.

You never really know in actuality how many offers have been submitted. So, if a realtor tells you “we have shown this property 20 times” you may want to put in a higher bid. You will want to do this as you may feel like the competition is high. When in reality, 20 people viewing a property does not mean 20 offers were made. It also doesn’t mean that all the offers made were done at the asking price or higher.

What is the Bidding Process Like in Other Provinces?

In Ontario, there is more transparency in the process. Sellers file offers to a public registry so buyers can see just how many offers have been made on a property. You still are unable to see the terms and prices of an offer. But at least it still gives you a better look at the property listing and how it is performing.

Suggestions for a New Bidding Process

Most bidding websites use an “automatic step-up clause” system. This allows bidders to set a maximum bid and bidding occurs in specific increments. This type of system could help to temper the blind bidding we see being done in the market today.

One example recently tweeted showed how one house got two offers. One was at asking price and the other was $175,000 over asking price. In this case we can see how an automatic step-up clause system could prevent such a huge jump. If the bid amount was set up in increments of $5000, the successful buyer would not have had to spend so much extra money on this one property. And in turn, the property prices of other sale units in the area would not be affected.

Now that borrowing is cheaper for buyers, they can afford more than they could in previous years. With the growing concern about the pandemic, more people want to find that home that really meets the needs of their families while keeping them safe. So buyers are motivated once they can afford a property. But what about those who have been negatively impacted by the pandemic and are now having to deal with living with less income? As prices increase, their dreams of owning a home fade day by day.

Benefits of More Transparency for the Offer Process

Allowing more transparency in the offer process could help some people still have the ability to afford a home during this time. In our current market, you only have the seller’s word and that is what you have to take. Sellers can even fudge the numbers, so they can increase demand.

With this type of behavior in the market, more and more sellers are expecting to get higher prices for their properties. And this creates a double standard of sorts. When agents are working with the buyer they want transparency but when they are working with the seller they want the reverse.

How Can Changing the Process Help?

Changing the process can help everyone. Most sellers go back into the market as buyers. And then they will want to benefit from a more transparent process.

Arm yourself with the knowledge of your rights as a buyer. The Real Estate Council of B.C states that buyers and buyers agents can inquire about the number of offers or how their offer compares to others when there are multiple bids. All brokerages must maintain records about submitted offers, so the information is there if there is an investigation or audit.

Ask for this information as a buyer so you can make an informed choice when trying to purchase a home.

How SilverBeam Homes Can Help

At the end of the day, if you find yourself in a situation where you simply cannot afford homes on the market, contact us. Here at SilverBeam Homes, we may just have what you need. Let us help you to build your home from the ground up according to your needs and to match your budget. Don’t know where to start? That’s OK, we can set you in the right direction and refer you to different professionals within our network for all your home buying needs.

Let’s Look Back at 2020 in Real Estate

by Bevony on 25 March 2021 Comments Off

Many players in the real estate market of Greater Vancouver had big plans for 2020. The COVID-19 came along and disrupted so many plans and lives. While people in all industries were hit, the hit for the real estate market was notable. The main reason being that the real estate industry had a lot of interactions that were mainly faced to face. This would include interactions between realtors and sellers as well as realtors and buyers. Initially, no one knew if the industry would continue to function and the lack of ability to meet face to face was just the first hurdle. But it wasn’t all bad.

Real Estate Designated an Essential Service

In March 2021, the government of British Columbia identified Real Estate as an essential service. And so the industry was encouraged to remain open as long as public health orders were being obeyed. The industry adapted quickly. Many took advantage of virtual showings, zoom meetings, and other types of digital media to keep the lines of communication open.

So it was the traditional open house that was first stopped. There was also the disconnection of the button on many MLS programs so that people couldn’t book open houses. While ways and means were being implemented to work around the lack of face-to-face meetings, there was a bit of difficulty to get the market moving again after the initial scare and pause.

Everything was changing. Staff had to be working from home, realtors had to be educated on the new ways to do business going forward. All in all, it was a challenging experience for most in the intermission.

How the Changes Affected The Industry

When Real Estate was designated an essential service, the Real Estate Council of British Columbia and the British Columbia Real Estate Association along with WorkSafeBC started to develop protocols. It was these protocols that lead to the opening of the industry. Realtors could continue their work and people could continue to fill their needs for selling or purchasing a home.

They started by adopting existing tools that were underutilized and started to include more information on new listings. Information such as room sizes, floor plans, photographs, and video tours all were being shared more often and quickly became the norm. Realtors would also advise clients to drive or walk around a neighborhood before making an appointment for a viewing. This way they could get a feel of the area and see if it truly emulated their style and matched their needs from the exterior.

How Have The Changes Affected The Selling Cycle?

Interestingly enough, all the changes have caused a shortening of the cycle. With more information readily available to buyers they can easier identify homes they are interested in and cross off others they are not. All while not driving around to multiple open houses while losing time and money doing so.

But how does it affect the realtors? Well, they now have a lot more work to do. They now have to space viewings and sanitize a house between viewings. There is also more back-end work since they are adding more information to listings causing longer working hours. But they do it happily as their industry is open. They want to keep it that way while satisfying their customers and helping them to find their dream homes.

Changes in Frazer Valley

Fraser Valley saw a drop in sales by 50% in April 2020. New listings also declined at a whopping rate of 60%. This was a real shock to the market especially since the last time figures were this low were in the ’80s and back then the population was less than half of what it was in 2020.

They too had to replace open houses with virtual experiences providing full digital floor plans and more photographs. This came at the expense of extra time and money spent on listing a property. But it was well worth it for many as it meant keeping their jobs and keeping their own families and their clients safe.

Comparing the Market to 2018 and 2019

Let us consider the pre-pandemic market and the post-pandemic market. In 2018 and 2019, the higher-end market was very quiet. Before the COVID-19 hit buyers were not even motivated by the low-interest rates. Everybody was in a “waiting it out” type of limbo. People were seemingly waiting for prices to drop significantly. While sellers were removing their listings from the market due to the very low offers that were going around.

Along came the pandemic and more people were stuck at home trying to cope with their homes even when they were outgrowing their homes. That is why there was a shortage of inventory when we look at the statistics from July 2020.

With the ability to provide more information digitally, the industry benefited by seeing a reduction in the tire kickers. Fewer people were going out to open houses on the weekend just to burn time or to entertain themselves. So actual viewers were coming in, already knowing what the house looked like and already know their way around. Many of them knew right away if they loved the house or not and if they would be putting in an offer or not.

The Current Process

The current buy-sell process is very conscious. Buyers are now looking more at the quality of a listing instead of looking at crazy amounts of listings. Zoom calls are very important to streamlining operations. Some operations have been streamlined so clients can book zoom meetings online.

The use of technology has made many operations more efficient.

Design Trends That Can Lead to Huge Regrets

by Bevony on 17 March 2021 Comments Off

Overdoing trends can lead to big regrets for many homeowners. Today we want to help steer you away from overdoing trends. Trends tend to be bold, daring, and thought-provoking, and it is easy to fall victim to their charm. Because they are new and noteworthy, it is easy to want to jump onto the wagon, but you will want to play it safe and avoid getting too on-trend with the fixed elements in your home. Leave the excitement to the accessories and accents.

Designers have the expertise to make trends work in a home harmoniously and sympathetically, ensuring beautiful home decor. But when left to your own devices you may not have the touch to provide that balance between too little and too much.

There is a lot of regret from homeowners and a survey done in the UK showed that 61% of participants had regrets of making their homes “too industrial” while another 52% which they had not gotten pulled in by the trend of open shelving. While the actual trends themselves may not be the problem, it is more likely the way they went about applying the trends in their home.

Know What Works

You want to look at the style of your home before you decide on decor. For example, if you have a traditional style home you won’t find industrial decor suiting int well but you could add an industrial flair to your urban downtown condo.

Remember those salad bowl vessel sinks from the late ‘90s, those may be a regrettable choice as today we have moved to straight lines and sinks carved from natural stone for a more rustic and modern mountain style.

Then there was the trend of open shelving. This one is still working well with modern designs. You will see this concept in kitchen designs and it follows the “less is more” approach. Kitchens nowadays have less adornment and open shelves that allow space for not just your usual kitchen inhabitants but also for beautiful objects that have been carefully curated to be left on display. This way you can have a functional item also acting as a decorative item.

How Much Regret Are We Talking About?

When it comes to blindly following a trend, you can end up with a decrease in the value of your property. Yes, you read that right, following the wrong trend or indulging too much in a trend can lead to a decrease in property value. On your regret evaluation, scale how big of a regret would a decrease in your property value be?

Play it safe, keep the fixed elements in your home boring if we may use that word and add the touches of trend in the accent and accessory items that you can easily change and move around. So what trends should you stay away from? Or what trends should you not dive into the deep end with?

Leather sofas
Wall texture
Chic shabby furniture

What’s The Better Option?

We aren’t saying you shouldn’t use any of the above, what we are saying is that you should not go overboard. Right now, in the pandemic, we all are spending more time at home and so a relaxed piece of furniture such as your sofa is something you want to be comfortable and inviting. You can swap things around by adding a slipcover. This way when the trend changes you can change it out without completely purchasing new furniture.

We mentioned leather sofas, and the truth is that the modern leather sofa is not the same as the ones our parents had in the 70s. Ours are more streamlined and are available in more than that one shade of brown so you can find something that works with your home and with your vibe.

Wall textures are another thing that have come back in, but you can now choose monochromatic options or tones and colors that work well with your furniture and your lifestyle without clashing with other items in the room. The bottom line is to be mindful, to be deliberate and keep the core of the space neutral. Get trendy with the accessories, with the accents and with the decor while keeping the main items safe.

In Conclusion

Trends come, and they go, some stay longer than others, and yet others come back around soon after disappearing. Revamping major items in your home with every new trend will be exhausting mentally, physically and financially. Anything you do in your home that doesn’t make it feel more like you or yours is something you will regret. So before you go gung-ho with a new trend, get some swatches, take them home and let them live with you for a couple days or weeks. Wait and see how you feel before you make the decision to do a drastic change that you may regret later on down the line.

Home Thoughts & Trends for 2021

by Bevony on 30 December 2020 Comments Off

Image by Anja?#helpinghands #solidarity#stays healthy? from Pixabay

We had a very rough year in 2020. As we look to 2021 we are entering a new year with COVID-19. Vaccines are now available, but right away a new strain of the virus emerged. Our future is very unpredictable. Our new normal is sanitizing, mask-wearing, and social distancing. What we do know is that COVID-19 will have a long-lasting effect on how we design our houses, neighborhoods, and cities.

Previous Pandemics/Epidemics and House Design

If we think of the tuberculosis epidemic in the 19th and 20th centuries. In a time before antibiotics, people started spending more time outside. This was because the best known cure was fresh air and sunlight. Designers introduced sleeping porches on the upper floors of Victorian style houses so people could get fresher air and sunlight. This is no longer seen in our current homes, but we do have decks and balconies.

The flu pandemic of 1918 introduced “powder rooms” into houses so that guests would not have to use the main bathrooms. This was also a time of transformation for the main bathrooms. White toilet seats replaced wooden ones and more built-in bathtubs and white tiles replaced those of the previous era. All this was done to minimize the spread of germs.

Le Corbusier, a French-Swiss architect, urged residents to get rid of clutter. He urged people to get rid of heavy furniture, and carpets. This while urging them to keep their walls and floors clear to eliminate dark and dirty corners.

Design Before the COVID-19 Pandemic

Before the onset of COVID-19, several developments in the Metro Vancouver area offered clean white interiors and exteriors. When we look at single-family homes, on the other hand, they are designed for another era.

Many people have started to work from home and so homeowners are revamping their homes to include dedicated office space. Now we are seeing the need for more dedicated office spaces that are quieter and away from your family. Because these types of set-ups are more conducive to work. A separate home office is the most ideal scenario, but smaller apartments will prove difficult to make this a reality. The aim would then be to modify the layout of a living room to offer a space for work.

Previous epidemics and pandemics have transformed our built environments. The Cholera pandemic of the 19th century caused urban parks around the world to incorporate tree-lined boulevards. Central Park was created in the 1850s by the New York City’s Board of Health. This was the first public park in the United States.

Vancouver Changes

Years ago Vancouver established a requirement for 2.75 acres of park space for every 1,000 residents. This seems to be forgotten, but we expect in the coming year that many municipalities will start to create more public open spaces, plazas, and parks.

We may see road space reallocated to allow for wider footpaths which would reduce driving lanes for vehicular traffic. Like major European cities, we may even find some streets converted into pedestrian zones.

Historical data shows that with the increases in the prices of lower mainland homes, commuting times have also increased. For potential homeowners to find something they can afford they would have to drive further.

We find many households moving away from the lower mainland to Pemberton and Squamish which are smaller communities. We even see households moving away from Victoria on Vancouver Island.

The use of video conferencing tools has increased during the pandemic. As such, more and more families are realizing there is no need for them to live physically close to their jobs. We expect in the coming years to see many communities’ housing prices become more affordable.

COVID-19 and Urban Density

There are questions about how COVID-19 will affect urban density and apartment living. We think many residents will prefer to opt for ground housing over apartments that are accessed by elevators. But these high-density developments won’t become obsolete in the near or distant future.

There is talk about “the 15-minute city”. This refers to living in an area where residents can get to work, leisure activities, and shopping whether by walk or a short bike ride.

2020 was an awful year for many of us. But happily the pandemic has changed our focus. Now we all want healthier homes and communities in 2021 and beyond.

On a positive note, the team here at Silver Beam wishes you a Happy New Year and a Prosperous 2021.

Houses For Sale During a Pandemic

by Bevony on 16 September 2020 Comments Off

We see people bidding up house prices even though we are in a pandemic and what may turn out to be one of the deepest recessions in history. This is not only true for British Columbia, but we can also see a lot of the real estate market across Canada which is red-hot especially in the market for single-family homes. While this defies all rational logic, it is where we are. People are looking for the security of owning a home even with people losing their jobs and getting pay cuts.

Herd Following

Herd Following is a theory stumbled upon in 1906 when Francis Galton observed a competition. The competition was for persons to guess the weight of an ox. When all the guesses were averaged, the total average gues was 1,197lbs. The actual weight of the ox was 1,198lbs. Since then, there have been a lot of studies on the theory of collective intelligence which have shown similar results.

Information from the Canadian Bankers Association indicates that around 15% of mortgages have been deferred, this is a total of 743,000 mortgages. As the days go by, we see that “the reopening” is not going as well as we would’ve wanted it to go. We see infections getting higher and more businesses are going back to closed doors and working from home. Look at Apple, they have closed seven of their area stores in Houston and 14 of their stores in Florida since the reopening. Of course, they have enough cash to afford to close their stores, but other businesses are not as fortunate with a lot of white-collar jobs been axed.

What are the Banks Doing?

We see central banks flooding the system with liquidity so much so that free-market price discovery is almost entirely out of the window. And so now we see cash finding its home in hard assets.

What Does This Mean for Society on a Whole?

We are getting to that tipping point and this is certain to have long-lasting effects on our society. There are several possible outcomes that we must be ready for.

What We’re Watching

Bond Yields Trading – these are currently at their lowest level in history.
The US is currently not showing a V shape recovery in current business conditions and this is right across the country.

Small businesses that are bringing back all employees account for only 50% of the total small businesses in the US.

Scaling Down Homes is Trending

by Bevony on 10 September 2020 Comments Off

There has been an increase in the interest of small homes and RV model homes in the past couple of months. A factory in Oakland California is offering homeowners the option for a 3D print. They can print a 350 square foot studio in under 24 hours. The company is called Mighty Buildings, and they have a focus on the accessory dwelling unit market.

With a lot of uncertainty due to the pandemic more people are looking into this avenue, not just an accessory dwelling but as their main dwelling. They came up with the technology as a way to address the shortage of housing in California. They boast that they are offering a 21st-century technology to solve a crisis.

The material being used in these structures is a quick, curing, freeform architecture that can support its weight safely. The structure you end up with an energy-efficient structure that is extremely strong.

Sustainability

One of the key driving factors behind this printing technology is sustainability. With this technology, 3 to 5lbs of waste per square foot will not end up in a landfill. With 3D printing, the only thing that is printed is the things that are needed.

Cost Reductions

By cutting waste, this new technology also cuts the overall cost of the building. The average building costs with this technology are reduced by approximately 45%. The cost of labor is one of the things that affect the cost of a house the most. 3D robotics can do the more complicated and dangerous aspects of building, but human workers are still needed to complete the task, so this initiative is not taking jobs away.

With COVID-19 motivating more people to seek financial freedom, many are downsizing their lives as a means of downsizing their expenses. In Vancouver, 3D models can be had from Mint Tiny Homes. They note that they have seen an increase in interest over the past couple of months with persons looking to downsize as they are concerned about the possibilities of job loss. People don’t want to have large bills, and they don’t want to have large liabilities, so they are trying to get in a better financial position while they can before things get worse. We also see where people are looking more towards homes outside of the city and away from the crowds. With more people engaging in flexible working arrangements they need for living or near, the city is no longer necessary.

Seniors Can Look Forward to New Affordable Homes in Kamloops

by Bevony on 26 August 2020 Comments Off

Seniors can breathe a little easier now that they have more affordable housing to look forward to. Construction for a 37 unit project is underway to provide for the aging community, as a result, the project in Kamloops will provide rental housing to seniors.

Seniors and their loved ones can now have the peace of mind that an affordable home provides. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing along with community partners are working to provide housing for people in Kamloops that are safe, good, and affordable.

The houses are being built in partnership with the ASK Wellness Society along with the City of Kamloops. The new homes will be built at 1260 Hillside Ct. The building goes up to four stories and offers one-bedroom units to seniors with rental costs ranging from $375 to $825.

Mayor Ken Christian is happy to see this move for more affordable housing for the seniors of the city. He notes, “Housing is a key area of focus for our council, and we continue to work with our partners to improve diversity and access throughout the housing continuum.”

The project is owned and operated by the ASK Wellness Society and the project will go by the name “Cookie’s Place.” The homes in this development will be co-located and operated alongside Maverick Manor which is also an ASK Wellness Society Development. Their goal is to have people move from streets into homes, so they can regain their health and have better access to employment.

The project is directed towards couples that are 55 years and older. This new development complements the Maverick Manor development that offers residents life-skills training, recovery services, as well as employment placements.

Stakeholder Contribution

Both the Government and the BC Green Party caucus have shared the priority for delivering affordable housing. The BC Green Party Caucus is a partner of the Confidence and Supply Agreement.

The development is being achieved through collaborative efforts from a number of stakeholders. The Land for the project was provided by the society. Along with that, the land values approximately $817,000. The City of Kamloops has also provided municipal waivers of $130,000. The province is additionally allotting 3.9 million dollars which are taken from the Building BC: Community Housing Fund.

The project is expected to be complete and ready for the resident move-in for the fall of 2021.

Kamloops “Cookie’s Place” Quick Facts

The province has over 1,000 homes that are either underway or completed in Kamloops. Of these homes,

290 homes are allotted for moderate-income earners
155 homes are allotted for persons who are currently experiencing homelessness
44 homes are allotted for women and children who are in violent households
There are also an additional 533 beds that will be allotted for student housing

Additional Resources

Check out maps of the development here. You can also find information on how BC Housing is providing support to residents of British Columbia during the pandemic here.

Vancouver Mortgage Delinquencies: What Are The Numbers?

by Bevony on 14 August 2020 Comments Off

Even before the pandemic, there was a trend towards higher figures in Toronto and Vancouver. These two municipalities have seen record lows in 2018 and prior. But the mortgage delinquency numbers across Canada, on the whole, are rising.

Better Dwelling tracks the Canadian Real Estate Market. The Better Dwelling entity was founded by Stephen Punwasi, who is an analyst. They indicate that mortgage delinquencies are rising.

How are Mortgage Delinquencies Measured?

In Vancouver, mortgage delinquencies are measured by looking at the number of mortgages that are overdue for more than 90 days. In the first quarter of 2020, this number reached 0.13%. These numbers show an increase over the same quarter for 2019, rising from a percentage rate of 0.1% in 2018.

In Toronto, the numbers are showing a 10% increase between 2019’s first quarter and 2020’s first quarter. The first quarter’s last few weeks were the beginning of the pandemic and the start of lockdowns in Canada. But the trend towards higher numbers was already established in Toronto and Vancouver before this, so we can’t say COVID-19 is to blame.

What is a Mortgage Delinquency Anyway?

Mortgage delinquency refers to how quickly a home can be converted to its cash value. When the market is hot, homes are selling rapidly. So owners who cannot make their payments can typically, list their home, get an offer and close within three months. If this model is in play in the market, the delinquency rates are kept low. When the process takes longer, then the prices get higher.

Better Dwelling notes that the market as it stands is stalling. The longer it takes to make a sale, the more the delinquencies will rise. With high default rates, many homeowners are unable to exit their real estate in a fast manner.

Steve Saretsky, a realtor in Vancouver, notes that the change in a rising and falling delinquency rate is something we should be watching into 2021. Saretsky thinks the foreclosure rate will also increase in the next couple of years and that the process will be very long and drawn out for British Columbia. In a recent report he notes that “From the time you miss a mortgage payment to the time the house sells in court, it takes an average of between 12 to 15 months,”

How the COVID Pandemic is Affecting Home Design

by Bevony on 21 May 2020 Comments Off

The home design industry experts have always had to be at the forefront of innovation. It is necessary for the nature of their work. They have to be innovative to find ways around roadblocks such as clients’ budgets, regulation restrictions as well as size restrictions. They have to be creative and quick with their thinking in order to find alternative ways to do things. The current COVID pandemic has made it necessary for those in the home design industry to start thinking of ways for us to move forward with the changes in lifestyle that must be brought about due to the COVID 19 outbreak.

Home Builders and designers are now having to strategize innovations into new home designs. With many people now needing to work from home there is the need for home offices more than ever. We also find many couples sharing whatever office space was already present in the home. This has created the need for additional space. With many people not having the financial or time capital to expand their homes, now we have to be looking into designing flex rooms.

A flex room can be used in an office during working hours and can double as a guest room at other times as well as a game or playroom for kids as well. Bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms are ideal for cross use as an office as they allow for working individuals the type of environment they need to work in especially if there are kids at home. These bedrooms are also ideal for persons that may need to self-isolate if showing symptoms of the COVID-19 virus.

Equipping your Home with a Decontamination Room

We can kick things up a notch by investing in ultraviolet light incorporations for foyers or mudrooms. Ultraviolet light is currently being used in hospital settings as a means of decontaminating items. There are of course safety implications so these rooms would have to be entirely lockable if ultraviolet light will be used within.

Equipping Your Home for Deliveries

The option is being explored to have a lockable box built into an exterior envelope on your home. This will allow delivery people to securely leave your deliveries without having to come into contact with you, your home, or vice versa.

Considering New Materials to Use

Surfaces, paints, and other materials that can handle a lot of cleaning will now be essential. This may mean more synthetic materials than natural products. We would have to be moving away from porous surfaces such as natural stones. The move would be towards surfaces such as standard quartz which may prove more durable to repetitive chemical cleaning.

When it comes to color, white may be better for kitchens and bathrooms which must be cleaned often.

New technology comes at a cost. There are now door handles that self sanitize but it is still very early for residential projects. The cost of these times and implementing these new designs could add up and many people are already low on income. We see where people have had to cut costs. We now see more people planting vegetable gardens even when working with limited outdoor space. Those who don’t have space are looking towards growing vertical gardens, garden walls, and garden windowsills.

The Future of Freeing up Floorspace

by Bevony on 29 April 2020 Comments Off

With many places on lockdown, many people are spending a lot more time at home. As such the ability to free up floor space is quite appealing. this is so especially to those who live in homes that accommodate extended families. This is especially appealing to those who live in small quarters.

When it comes to freeing up to floorspace the answer lies in the ceiling. This we see from Bumblebee Spaces. The San Francisco based company makes a modular system for storing home furniture in the ceiling. The design allows for accessories and furniture to be stored in the ceiling and to drop down when they are needed.

With such a design system, when working you need your desk and chair, and not your bed. You also won’t need your dresser or nightstands. With this system, these items can be stored away from sight. That way you only have the things you need to work so you can remain focused while working.

The Inspiration Behind the System

Murphy from the company notes that a move from Maryland to San Francisco meant making do with less space. He is a previous engineer of Tesla and Apple but notes that he had always been interested in home space. His personal frustrations made him even more interested. At the time of his move, the cost of a two to a three-bedroom home in Maryland could only get him a studio or one-bedroom apartment on the West Coast.

Murphy noted that he had a growing family and also had to deal with parents coming to visit. He got inspiration from the Micky Mouse Clubhouse cartoon and began to prototype a floorplan in his home’s garage. The cartoon had him thinking about how the clubhouse could transform from one space to the next. After mulling over that for a while, he realized the importance of first moving shoes, clothes, etc before being able to move rooms.

He went on to note how ceilings were really dead space and how they could be unlocked while also having the ability to liberate walls. Not only would this free up floor space but it would also create better air circulation and result in less clutter and less furniture in the home while offering more natural light.

How their Modular System Works

The system can work with any ceiling that is 9 feet or higher. Anchors are put in place to distribute weight across the entire ceiling. Modules are added using retrofitted furniture which takes up approximately a depth of one foot.

The software that Bumblebee Spaces uses allows individuals the opportunity to have insight into what their homes are capable of. Looking at your home through this software will really cause you to take a look at your possessions and how you are using them. It can also help you to get a handle on items that are not entirely necessary within your home.

Available Bumblebee Modules

Modules by Bumblebee offer desks that descend as whole work stations to include anything you want to leave out on a desk including a computer and even your pens and smaller implements. Items only come down as you needed them so when you want your desk you get only that and when you don’t need it, it won’t be taking up any of your footprints.

Ultimately Bumblebee is giving people space; physical space which further turns around to provide mental space. This allows people to live their best lives on a budget. They can afford a home without having to invest in larger home spaces. Future homeowners may find that they have more money to go around. Thanks to having less money going towards rent and mortgage payments.

Are you considering building a home? Here at SilverBeam Homes, we offer house building services to help make your dream a reality.

What is the Bidding Process Like in Other Provinces?

Suggestions for a New Bidding Process

Benefits of More Transparency for the Offer Process

How Can Changing the Process Help?

How SilverBeam Homes Can Help

Real Estate Designated an Essential Service

How the Changes Affected The Industry

How Have The Changes Affected The Selling Cycle?

Changes in Frazer Valley

Comparing the Market to 2018 and 2019

The Current Process

Know What Works

How Much Regret Are We Talking About?

What’s The Better Option?

In Conclusion

Previous Pandemics/Epidemics and House Design

Design Before the COVID-19 Pandemic

Vancouver Changes

COVID-19 and Urban Density

Herd Following

What are the Banks Doing?

What Does This Mean for Society on a Whole?

What We’re Watching

Sustainability

Cost Reductions

Stakeholder Contribution

Kamloops “Cookie’s Place” Quick Facts

Additional Resources

How are Mortgage Delinquencies Measured?

What is a Mortgage Delinquency Anyway?

Equipping your Home with a Decontamination Room

Equipping Your Home for Deliveries

Considering New Materials to Use

The Inspiration Behind the System

How their Modular System Works

Available Bumblebee Modules

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Archives