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B.C. Assessment property valuations for 2017 are now available online. And while the red-hot Metro Vancouver real estate market has cooled in recent months, a random survey of homes currently for sale in the region suggests the assessment valuations are generally close to the mark or below today’s asking prices.

Assessment figures reflect property values as of July 1, 2016, a month before a provincial 15-per-cent tax on foreign buyers took effect Aug. 2 — with a chilling effect on the market.

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In normal years, assessment figures are often considered lower than true market value. A random online sample of 10 residential properties currently for sale throughout Metro shows that is still frequently the case — with exceptions — despite the market volatility of the past year.

Dan Morrison, president of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, cautioned Monday that asking prices aren’t necessarily reflective of the real value of the property: “There could be no logical reason why a seller picks a certain asking price for their property. You can get a distorted view from one-off comparisons.”