Last month’s Metro Vancouver home sales stayed below 10-year seasonal averages, according to the Greater Vancouver Realtors (GVR). The region’s residential sales totalled 1,904, marking a 17.1 per cent decline from the 2,296 sales the year before and 26 per cent less than the 10-year seasonal average (2,572).

“From a seasonal perspective, August is typically a slower month for sales than June or July. In this respect, this August has been no different,” Andrew Lis, GVR’s director of economics and data analytics explains. “With that said, sales remain in a holding pattern, trending roughly 20 per cent below their 10-year seasonal average, which suggests buyers are still feeling the pinch of higher borrowing costs, despite two recent quarter percentage point reductions to the policy rate this summer.” 

Buyers’ hesitancy + new listing activity result in accumulated inventory & balanced market conditions

4,109 new listings for detached, attached and apartment properties were on Metro Vancouver’s MLS in August, a 4.2 per cent increase from the 3,943 properties listed the year before. Despite the increase, the total was 1.7 per cent below the 10-year seasonal average (4,179).

The total number of properties listed for sale stands at 13,812, a 37 per cent rise from August 2023’s total of 10,082 and 20.8 per cent above the 10-year seasonal average of 11,432.

For all property types, the sales-to-active listings ratio in August was 14.3 per cent. By category, it was 9.6 per cent for detached homes, 18 per cent for attached homes and 17.2 per cent for apartments.

“Buyers’ hesitancy to enter the market, paired with new listing activity on the part of sellers that is in line with historical averages, has allowed inventory to accumulate for a number of months and has moved the market firmly into balanced conditions,” Lis notes.

He says that with the Bank of Canada reducing the policy rate this month by another quarter percentage point, and with September being a time that often sees more seasonal sales, the fall market should bring more buyers off the sidelines.

Where prices landed

The composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver currently sits at $1,195,900, 0.9 per cent less than August 2023 and 0.1 per cent less than July 2024.

By property type, detached home sales reached 509, a 13.9 per cent decline from 591 the year before. Apartment sales totalled 1,012 in August, 20.3 per cent less than the 1,270 sales in August 2023 and attached homes totalled 370 sales last month, 12.3 per cent less than the 422 sales of the prior year.

Review the full report here.

Last month, Calgary’s market continued to move from the strong seller’s market conditions of the spring, the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB) reports. More inventory and fewer sales brought months of supply to more than two months, a level unseen since 2022.

“As expected, rising new home construction and gains in new listings are starting to support a better-supplied housing market,” says Ann-Marie Lurie, chief economist at CREB. “This trend is expected to continue throughout the remainder of the year, but it’s important to note that supply levels remain low, especially for lower-priced properties. It will take time for supply levels to return to those that support more balanced conditions.”

More inventory driven by higher-priced properties; fewer sales thanks to lower-priced properties

Last month’s inventory reached 4,487 units, 37.3 per cent higher than the year prior but almost 25 per cent lower than long-term trends for August.

Higher-priced properties mostly drove these gains, with more new listings and less sales, at 2,186 — 19.5 per cent less than 2023’s record high yet 17 per cent higher than long-term averages for August. Sales declines were for homes priced below $600,000.

August’s unadjusted residential benchmark price was $601,800, 6.3 per cent higher than last year and slightly lower than last month. The average benchmark price rose by 9.0 per cent year-to-date.

Detached homes

Compared to a year ago, detached home sales fell by 14 per cent. August saw 2,011 detached homes in inventory, with over 85 per cent priced above $600,000, helping push the months of supply up to nearly two months.

August’s unadjusted detached benchmark price was $762,600, just under last month but over 9.0 per cent higher than last year.

Semi-detached homes

For semi-detached properties, the region saw 297 new listings and 172 sales, with a sales-to-new-listings ratio drop to 58 per cent that supported increased inventory and a months of supply jump to nearly two months.

This category’s August unadjusted benchmark price was $681,200, a drop from July but almost 10 per cent higher than last year.

Row homes

Last month, new listings for row homes priced above $400,000 added to year-to-date growth of about 16 per cent, while slower sales over the past quarter also boosted inventory gains. There were 660 row home units available, a 75 per cent increase over particularly low levels reported last year.

This category’s unadjusted benchmark price in August was $461,700, slightly lower than last month but over 12 per cent higher than the year prior.

Apartment condominium homes

August’s new listings of apartment condominium homes reached 1,001, a record high for the month. This was paired with declining sales, which caused the sales-to-new-listings ratio to fall to 60 per cent and inventories to rise to 1,476 units, with months of supply to rise to about two and a half months.

The month’s unadjusted benchmark price was $346,500, similar to July’s and almost 16 per cent higher than 2023’s prices.

Review CREB’s full reports for the city and region.

Last week, Greater Vancouver Realtors (GVR) released its 2024 second-half (H2) housing forecast, which reviews new dynamics impacting the market along with economic trends that informed the first half of 2024.

Here are some highlights of what GVR expects for the second half of the year.

Sales and price forecasts

This year, GVR sales and price forecasts are almost exactly on target, but market balance has shifted from favouring sellers at the year’s start towards more balanced conditions.

GVR’s 2024 first-half (H1) forecast predicted that sales across Greater Vancouver would jump by about 8.0 per cent compared to 2023 (28,250 by year-end).

Sales from January to July this year totalled 16,227, with the prediction being 16,256 — a 0.18 per cent difference. GVR is keeping its year-end sales prediction as-is.

So far, aggregate price metrics have shown slight increases as the H1 forecast predicts, driven by steady sales combined with near-record-low inventory levels at 2024’s start. With these levels rising throughout the past few months, most aggregate price metrics are trending sideways or slightly downward.

Yet the median differential between the list price and sale price for all GVR properties has trended at a close to 2.0 per cent discount since the start of the year.

In the near term, GVR’s outlook for the year’s second half is a balanced market that continues to support modest price appreciation by year-end. The organization keeps its outlook of price appreciation in the 1.0-4.0 per cent range across market segments to year-end.

Inventory

As sellers stay keen to list their properties, Greater Vancouver hasn’t seen such inventory level highs since 2019. Compared to 2023 levels, this boost has been the biggest surprise in H1 data.

The main drivers behind this trend are a result of steady demand from buyers along with higher-than-expected new listing activity levels, which isn’t of concern to GVR right now. The sense is that increased inventory might be positive, especially for buyers, as it signals a return to more balanced market conditions.

Though sales are below their 10-year average, they’re not the lowest seen before and this isn’t a new trend. Newly listed properties are meeting or exceeding historical averages, which has resulted in accumulated inventory thanks to below-average sales.

GVR found that many factors have contributed to the new listing activity boost, including the fact that early 2023 had lower-than-normal new listing activity and sellers who waited to sell then are possibly doing so this year.

Interest rate cut impacts

GVR says that while additional reductions to the Bank of Canada’s policy rate are expected this year, it may take longer to see increased buyer demand.

This is suggested by the fact that while the H2 forecast favours another 50-basis point reduction to the policy rate, buyers showed a lack of response to the 50-basis point reduction in H1.

Review the full H2 forecast here.

Glen Muir, broker/owner of Re/Max Preferred Realty in Windsor-Essex County, Ontario, has recently acquired Re/Max Chatham-Kent Realty.

Muir, who founded Re/Max Preferred Realty in 1992, has 46 years of industry experience.

The expansion

The expansion will allow Re/Max Preferred Realty to broaden its presence in the Chatham and Tilbury markets, with the addition of two new office locations and 17 real estate agents. Now, Re/Max Preferred Realty hosts a network of 175 agents across six offices. 

Muir brings his sales team, including managers Denny Laurin, with 33 years of local market expertise, and his son, Gord Muir, with 11 years of industry experience.

Moving forward

Muir remains committed to providing his agents with all the support, tools and resources they need for their continued success at Re/Max. “We are excited about this next chapter of growth and the opportunity it provides us with, to build lasting relationships with clients in these communities,” he shares.

Muir says he looks forward to helping the Re/Max brand secure the Chatham-Kent region’s top market share spot for many years to come.

Flourishing new technology and generative AI looks to offer professionals plenty of tools for success. Perhaps most paramount, however, is access to information and the ability to analyze that data, in order to make informed decisions. 

In real estate, with buyers and sellers seeking an edge to get the most value, those who are better equipped at data aggregation and analysis are poised to succeed, especially in times like now when markets are tense and chaotic.

As Jeremy Dawn, founder and CEO of SNFLWR Investment Corp. attests, technology and apps have revolutionized the real estate investor game, enabling investors to find properties that cash flow even in tough markets.

“One of the most significant shifts has been the availability of data. In the past, investors had to rely on traditional sources such as real estate agents and property managers for information about potential investments,” he notes. “Today, a wealth of data is available online, including property listings, rental rates and market trends. This data can be used to identify properties that are likely to generate positive cash flow.”

A desire for better information access and analysis methods to make sound investment decisions

When investor Liz Macey couldn’t find an ideal tool to identify money-generating properties based on her needs and parameters, she set out to create one.

Macey founded UnitIQ and explains the platform helps investors find and invest in properties that cash flow. “We’re able to take data from a whole bunch of different sources and make this search process a whole lot easier. We have active listings in the country with vacancy rates and rental prices, and we use financial analysis tools to find cash flow.”

Macey, whose diverse professional background includes an MBA and a pilot’s license, developed the platform after realizing how overwhelming it can be to know how and where to level up her investing. She wanted better access to information and improved ways to analyze what’s available to make savvy choices.

“(This) is a pain point for investors and realtors, especially when you’re looking at multiple communities. It’s a lot of data when you’re trying to find good opportunities.” She explains with UnitIQ, users can input their different parameters, such as budget or downpayment.

The tool will offer both a free model that allows for a basic search as well as a paid subscription tier aiming to serve agents. The latter option will incorporate advanced analytical tools: agents can create multiple profiles and specific searches for clients and have the ability to export data with custom branding.

Analytical systems and generative AI: Promising, useful tools to help clients

Eva Landreth champions such newfound tools as essential to success. A realtor with Century 21 Millennium Inc., Landreth has found success using analytical systems such as HouseSigma and AirDNA to connect clients with investment properties and secondary chalets in Ontario, with a focus on short-term rentals.

“It’s amazing,” she says of what’s possible. “Before you buy a property, you can see revenue, trends, occupancy and price strategy. You can compare similar properties on a street, look at property manager companies and really get to know the historical data, seeing if certain properties aren’t performing well,” she explains. 

Generative AI proves a promising tool as well, one that Landreth is also leveraging. “I think people are using the basics,” she says. “I don’t think people have unlocked all its potential. You have to feed it smart information to get out what you want. I think it’s just going to help our job, make things go a lot quicker — the mundane tasks, it will make easier.”

Dawn concurs, noting that tools and technologies have made it easier for investors to find and analyze potential investments, manage their properties and communicate with tenants. “They’ve also helped to level the playing field, giving (investors) access to the same data and tools that professional investors use,” he points out.

Tools and tech will never replace the human touch

Dawn feels that as technology continues to evolve, investors can expect to see even more innovation that makes it easier to find properties that cash flow and aid in decision making, saving time and money and ultimately achieving financial goals.

Still, Landreth believes you need that lived experience, wisdom and connection with clients in order to provide the best guidance. “The tools will help you get the market trends and find the hidden opportunities, but you still need that human touch. If you’re just looking at the data, you don’t have the human interaction and expertise in the local market.”

While a more diverse tool kit may prove useful for investors, there is concern about its effects on renters and those seeking to buy their first home. Macey notes some of UnitIQ’s users are prospective first-time homebuyers, and that potentially more data about property management companies will help improve the rental market.

“Investing in real estate is a tricky conversation to have when you’re considering everyone in the economy,” she says. “My hope is that we’re able to end up having more rental properties on the market, helping increase the supply so that hopefully you can find a home more easily.”

In today’s pricey Toronto real estate market, buying a home can feel like an impossible dream. So for those who love city life but want to build equity, “rentvesting” is a strategy worth considering.

Rentvesting involves purchasing a more affordable property in another city and renting it out for income while continuing to live as a tenant in a preferred city like Toronto. Over time, the rental income and property appreciation help build equity, which can be used for a down payment on a home in Toronto down the road.

Zoocasa looked into the top cities most Torontonians could afford to buy and where investments could likely turn a profit.

Best cities for Torontonians to rentvest in a condominium

To determine the best cities for Torontonians to rentvest, the study analyzed the maximum mortgage amount affordable ($275,402) on an average Toronto income ($62,050), then compared condominium prices and rents across Canada.

Torontonians could make profitable investments in several cities, including Edmonton ($163,452) and Regina ($183,630), where average condominium prices fall well within this range. 

The study notes that Etobicoke is home to the highest average annual income of the six GTA cities analyzed and, as a result, those residents can afford the largest mortgage amount ($307,137). On average, they’re a few hundred dollars short of affording a condominium in Brantford Region and Windsor-Essex, or potentially in Oshawa (which has an average price of $420,575 and a total mortgage amount of $336,460). 

Profitable Investments. In cities like Edmonton, investors can earn substantial monthly profits. With average rents at $1,553 and mortgage payments at $886, the potential for monthly gains is $667. Calgary is another great option, with potential gains of $474 per month due to the difference between rent ($1,954) and mortgage payments ($1,480).

Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Ottawa and Halifax-Dartmouth also offer opportunities for positive monthly cash flow, making them attractive for rentvesting.

Is rentvesting right for your clients?

Before diving into rentvesting, it’s crucial your clients understand what comes with it:

Higher down payments and stricter criteria. Investment property mortgages typically require at least a 20 per cent down payment and have more stringent credit score and debt-to-income ratio requirements compared to traditional mortgages.

Tax implications and benefits. While the First Home Savings Account (FHSA) cannot be used to purchase investment properties, there are potential tax benefits. Investors can often deduct mortgage interest, property taxes, insurance and maintenance costs from their rental income.

Management responsibilities. Owning a rental property comes with the responsibility of managing tenants, complying with local regulations and handling unexpected repairs. It’s important to factor in these duties when considering rentvesting.

For those willing to think creatively and take a strategic approach, rentvesting offers a pathway to achieving homeownership dreams in Toronto while building a solid financial foundation through real estate investments.

As the long-awaited decline in interest rates begins to take shape, early insights from Re/Max brokers and agents nationwide suggest the fall’s housing market activity will be steady. According to Re/Max’s 2024 Fall Housing Market Outlook, average sale prices for all housing types are expected to increase between one and six per cent in most regions by the end of the year.

With the next Bank of Canada (BoC) interest rate announcement scheduled for September 4, many Canadians are watching closely. A recent Re/Max survey reveals that 16 per cent of Canadians would feel more comfortable entering the real estate market if the BoC implements a rate cut of more than 100 basis points by the end of the year.

“The fall market is usually a good early indicator for activity as we look ahead to early 2025, and we’re headed toward more healthy territory. With interest rates starting to ease, buyers are beginning to come off the sidelines,” says Christopher Alexander, president, Re/Max Canada. 

However, Alexander notes that while the market is showing signs of life, it won’t necessarily return to historical activity levels without a more substantial move from the Bank of Canada.

Consumer confidence on the rise with remaining challenges

As anticipation builds around further potential interest rate cuts, first-time homebuyer confidence is notably increasing. The survey found that 25 per cent of Canadians are actively saving for a home and believe they will soon be able to purchase, with the most optimism seen among younger Millennials and Gen Zs aged 18-24 (35 per cent).

On the other hand, some current homeowners may find that the rate cuts come too late. 14 per cent of homeowners facing mortgage renewal at higher rates are considering selling their homes due to affordability challenges.

Financial priorities for many Canadians remain focused on day-to-day expenses, such as utilities and food (58 per cent), and travel (45 per cent), with home purchases ranking among the top three priorities for 25 per cent of respondents. Meanwhile, affordability concerns are prompting 28 per cent of Canadians to consider relocating to another country, and 25 per cent are reconsidering starting a family.

Affordability and supply remain key concerns

“Despite some consumer confidence starting to return to the market this season, the reality is Canadians are still grappling with some serious housing affordability challenges rooted in lack of supply. Yes, borrowing is becoming less expensive, but this won’t make housing affordable in the long run,” says Alexander.

As more buyers re-enter the market and available inventory is absorbed, Alexander warns of potential upward pressure on prices. He stresses the need for a comprehensive national housing strategy developed collaboratively by all levels of government to address supply shortages strategically.

“In the meantime, buyers would be wise to work with an experienced real estate agent to help navigate those cyclical market ups and downs that often accompany this push and pull of supply and demand.”

Review the full report, including regional insights.

Recently, the Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA) revoked Mariman Homes’ license to build and sell homes in Ontario. This is the strictest action the authority can take against a licensed builder.

What happened

Due to complaints from purchasers, the HCRA suspended the Hamilton builder’s license last December. An inspection showed it had entered into agreements of purchase and sale for 108 homes without proper authorization and enrollment in Tarion’s warranty program (a requirement to legally build and sell homes in Ontario).

Also, the HCRA discovered that Mariman had allowed its creditors to seek improper price increases from purchasers and failed to hold the deposits it received in trust (as was required under the company’s purchase agreements).

To minimize the impact on purchasers, the HCRA gave Mariman the chance to enroll the homes and prove it could complete construction within the timeframe and price it had committed to. This was done to find a solution that would still allow purchasers to obtain their homes.

Unmet commitments result in revoked license and fines of $400,000

When Mariman was unable to satisfy its commitments, the HCRA revoked its license and ordered it to pay $400,000 in administrative penalties. In the end, the company sold over 100 homes it was not authorized to sell.

“Given these infractions, including a history of financial mismanagement, the HCRA has revoked Mariman’s license to build and sell new homes,” says Wendy Moir, chief executive officer and registrar of the HCRA. “This builder’s past and present conduct raises serious doubts about its ability to operate their business lawfully and with honesty and integrity.”

A ‘textbook example of why builders and sellers must go through the licensing and enrollment process’

Moir stresses, “This is a textbook example of why builders and sellers must go through the licensing and enrollment process. These standards are designed to ensure builders have the competency and financial capability to operate a business before they collect money from purchasers.”

Mariman is currently undergoing receivership proceedings in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Tarion is monitoring the situation for any impact on deposit protection coverage for purchasers.

Overlooking the horizon in Palm Springs, California, you would think that finding solar power for a residential real estate project wouldn’t be an issue.

But Kevin Lesowski, asset coordinator at Gatehouse Design and Developments, based in Chilliwack, British Columbia, and his team faced exactly that with their project in the California city of La Quinta. This experience highlights the need for alternative energy solutions in housing, both here in Canada and south of the border.

No power available, $20 million price tag for substation upgrade

An average home requires about 200 amps of electricity to be fully functional, yet, after about a year of dealing with the Imperial Irrigation District, the organization that deals with energy service in the area, they were told that there was no power — period. 

“Power was always known as an issue in the area, but it definitely caught us by surprise,” admitted Lesowski.

Gatehouse, along with other developers in the surrounding Palm Springs area, were advised that they’d need to upgrade a substation to service the homes, at a price tag of $20 million. 

Creating a smaller project of 34 single-family homes, the team at Gatehouse knew that it would take some unorthodox thinking to solve this problem.

A solution: Solar panels linked to batteries add power to communal grid

A year after they were given the condition, while also working alongside a consortium of developers in the surrounding area, Lesowski found a third-party company called Block Energy that specializes in creating residential micro-grid communities.

“They have solar panels on the roof that go into batteries in the garages,” he explains. “Then the whole community is linked on a communal grid — once the batteries in the garage are full, they dump power into a community battery bank.”

Vancouver: Environmentally sustainable project turning profits for residents — too good to be true?

While Vancouver may not get as much sunlight as our southern California counterparts, that didn’t stop Graham Carter, co-founder of Vertex Developments, from also exploring alternative energy solutions that would work for development projects in B.C.

For Carter, this led to more research into geothermal energy: in essence, energy derived from the Earth’s crust.

“If you could have a little utility running into your building, like a geothermal system, potentially there’s an income stream for the strata corporation long-term,” says Carter.

An environmentally sustainable real estate development project that could also actually make money for its future residents? Sounds too good to be true. And as Carter and his team discovered, it was.

“What we found with everything we looked at is (it) was cost prohibitive, especially in Vancouver with the cost of building buildings. We can’t be competitive and add an extra ‘nice to have’,” he shares.

Actual and hidden costs: A huge factor all around

Carlos Gamez Ruiz, associate partner at Berry Architecture, while now based in Kelowna, B.C., previously lived and worked in Alberta. From his experience, cost also appears to be a significant factor for clients deciding on energy options for their projects.

“Either here in B.C. or in Alberta is the same situation — the cost. Also, what (will) be the hidden costs that are required to have that system in place?” Ruiz adds. “In terms of investments, talking about multi-residential types of dwelling units, we always try to see if the investment makes sense.”

Alberta: Wind energy being explored

Wind energy is currently being explored in parts of Alberta, in large part due to the topography of the region that suits this option well.

“They’re trying to make the most of the open scenarios, as there are quite a few areas there where the land is pretty flat,” notes Ruiz. “So you open the opportunity for higher winds more. In Medicine Hat, (there’s) a wind farm that they’re trying to bring on as an alternative energy solution for communities back in Red Deer.” (Medicine Hat is about 410 kilometres southeast of Red Deer.)

Bioenergy: More research & education needed for long-term traction

Another alternative energy source that could potentially garner more attention in the future? Bioenergy.

“Garbage generates some gasses,” explains Ruiz. “And they take those types of gasses to generate energy in a clean way.”

Bioenergy can be produced from multiple renewable, biological sources such as by-products from industrial forest processes or construction and demolition waste. But according to Ruiz, for this energy source to gain more traction as a long-term viable option, more research and education are needed.

Discovering, studying and eventually implementing alternative energy solutions into residential real estate projects will not be an easy task or overnight success. But despite the challenges Lesowski faced in Palm Springs, he’s optimistic about the potential for Canada’s future development landscape.

“It’s really, really great to be on the crest of that pioneering wave,” he adds. ”I think that our project aside, just the fact that everything is changing is super cool.”

Editor’s notes:

Aug. 29. As reported by the Toronto Star and CTV News Toronto: York Regional Police say the Canada Border Services Agency confirmed Zhixiong Marko Hu has fled to Hong Kong. Police did not confirm when he may have left Canada.

Aug. 28. Today, York Regional Police reported its homicide unit investigators issued a national warrant on Aug. 27 for 47-year-old Markham resident Zhixiong Marko Hu, wanted for first-degree murder in connection with the disappearance and death of Mui.

Police found suspects in possession of Mui’s property and initially charged three youths with firearms and fraud-related offences. A fourth suspect has since been identified as being involved in her disappearance.

Investigators seized two vehicles associated with Hu:

• a white 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van with Ontario licence plate CWHW720
• a grey 2021 Porsche Cayenne SUV with Ontario licence plate CTZT172

(They believe the Porsche may have had a different licence plate attached to it on or before Aug. 9: CHCD989.)

Anyone with information is asked to contact the homicide unit at 1-866-876-5423 ext. 7865 or homicide@yrp.ca, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or leave an anonymous tip online at www.1800222tips.com.

Aug. 26. In response to the news of August 22, Jennifer Pearce, president of the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB), made the following statement:

“TRREB is deeply saddened by the tragic news surrounding the homicide of Yuk-Ying (Anita) Mui, a Member of our realtor community. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences go out to her family, friends and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time.

We understand that the York Regional Police and the Ontario Provincial Police are actively investigating this matter as a criminal case. TRREB has full confidence in the police forces handling this investigation and expects that their diligent efforts will lead to a resolution that provides much-needed answers and reassures both the realtor community and the public.

At this time, TRREB has not received any information indicating an increased risk to realtors in the course of their professional activities. However, we remain vigilant and are closely monitoring the situation. We continue to emphasize the importance of safety and routinely share realtor safety tips with our members to ensure they are equipped with the best practices for their protection.

TRREB urges anyone with information relevant to this case to come forward to assist in the ongoing investigation. We remain committed to supporting our members and ensuring their safety in all aspects of their professional lives.”

Aug. 22. Today, the Toronto Star reported that on Monday in Parry Sound, York Regional police found and identified the body of Mui with the assistance of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

OPP officers found burned human remains near Avro Arrow Road and Highway 400, in McDougall Township on Aug. 12. The remains were confirmed as Mui. Police say three youths have been charged with weapon and fraud offences.

York Regional Police are searching for missing Markham realtor, 56-year-old Yuk-Ying (Anita) Mui, with efforts in a rural Stouffville area, the Toronto Star and CBC News reports. Mui disappeared under “suspicious” circumstances.

On Friday, Mui left her Markham home when she typically does around 9:30 a.m., her colleague, Stephen Chow, president of Century 21 Atria Realty Inc., indicated. Around 11:00 a.m. that same morning, one of her two adult sons spoke to her. She hasn’t been heard from or seen since.

A few hours later, police recovered Mui’s vehicle (a white 2024 Mercedes-Benz) in a Scarborough parking lot near Finch Avenue East and Warden Avenue.

Yesterday, Constable Lisa Moskaluk told CBC News reporters that police have no “suspicious evidence” to suggest what may have happened to her but the fact she hasn’t yet checked in with her family was enough to raise concern. Moskaluk said police don’t know where Mui was going Friday morning or why she was at the Scarborough lot, as her schedule was “all over the place.”

Constable James Dickson, York police spokesperson, told the Star that information obtained through the investigation suggests Mui may have been seen in the rural area in York Region near Kennedy and Vandorf roads in Stouffville, about 20 minutes north of where she was last seen.

Police are seeking witnesses who may have seen Mui or her vehicle. Mui is described as 5’6” tall and 130 pounds with a medium build, brown eyes and straight, shoulder-length black hair.

Photo: AnitaMuiHomes.com