Work Experience

Property Assessment

Experience since 1978 has included the review of up to 400 property assessments each year including negotiations with BC Assessment and attending Appeal Board hearings.  Pre-roll consultations with BC Assessment have been conducted annually to ensure that BCA are fully aware of any factors affecting the value.

 

Arbitrations

Disputes arise between landlord and tenants, partners and others where rents and values can not be agreed upon. Mr. Austin, with his Chartered Arbitrator designation and vast experience as an expert witness, has handled many arbitrations over the years.

 

Rental Studies

Many landlords and tenants need evidence to support their claim for an increased or decreased rent upon the renewal or turnover of a lease. For many years, both short form (in the form of a lease chart) or a full appraisal prepared by Mr. Austin, have assisted parties in negotiating a rental both feel is market rate.

 

Appraisal

Austin Real Estate Consultants cover most types of real property, ranging from vacant land to major developed complexes for clients that include many of British Columbia's and Canada's largest companies, various levels of Government, and Financial Institutions. The company has been retained by many major landowners and law firms to assist them with their assessment appeals, expropriation, rental disputes, and other legal matters.

 

Feasibility and Due Diligence

Austin Real Estate Consultants also performs research and feasibility analysis for:

  • developers investigating the potential for development sites and
  • purchasers with regard to the viability of investment proposals. The company has been contracted by several clients to investigate problem projects.

 

Property Management

The parent company has been active in the management of a shopping centre from inception including the arranging for tenant set up and move in. The company has also been active in the management of an office building and over 20 apartment buildings, with as many as 100 units, at one point in time.

 

Development

The company has been the owner of several land parcels.  The company has steered projects through to the building permit stage, overseeing renovation, conversion, and refurbishment of over 25 multifamily properties.

 

Education

Peter Austin’s Teaching assignments include Appraisal at UBC for the Diploma course, Property management course at Langara and guest speaker for various professional organisations including the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board and BC Central Credit Union. He has also organised and spoken at several Property Tax Seminars put on by Lorman Educational Services of Wisconsin USA, as well as the annual Assessment review for BC sponsored by CPTA and one of their National workshops at Kananaskis.