I just got back from a vacation down to LA and San Diego, the last before my wife isn’t able to fly and she pops out a kid :). It was a lot of fun and packed in a lot of touristy things in a short time. My feet are as sore as they have ever been! I was amazed at the homes as we drove around the hills near Hollywood. There were so many huge gated homes worth millions, I was amazed. I enjoyed seeing the different cultural influences on buildings there as well such as the Spanish and Victorian influences. it really adds a different feel than here at home. Now it is back to reality and to work. 🙁
Blog
10 Ways To Deck Out Your Patio
As summer is moving along quickly I am sure there have been many patio parties going on. One of my favourite things to do in summer is sit on a patio with a nice view and have a bbq with friends. My current home doesn’t have that great of a patio but is on my wish list for my next place for sure. I have often wondered what can I do to make it more usable, besides eliminating the spiders. 🙂 If you are thinking of selling your home staging your patio or deck to show its use would be a great benefit to you. It would allow buyers to visualize what can happen in that space and maybe make them wish they could even be there themselves. I came across this article which show a few cheap fixes for a patio.
http://www.houzz.com/
Keep Cool!
As most of you have already felt, it is pretty warm out. It make it tough to stay cool in your place without air conditioning. I recently bought an air conditioner for my bedroom and it sure is nice to have. I found this article with a few ways to reduce the heat in your place this summer. If you are finding that heat just too unbearable, just let me know and I can sell your house and find you one with air conditioning! 🙂
http://www.houzz.com/
Whirlwind Season
Well the last few days was a whirlwind. Had to go over to the island because my dad was in hospital due to needing a gall bladder removed. It turns out it was attached to his liver. Good part of it was we got to stay at my parents on the ocean while my mom stayed most the time in hospital. It was nice and warm, though the breezed off the ocean cooled us a bit. Speaking of warm, this June has been crazy in real estate. I wonder if we will hit the usual slow down in July and August. Here is a write up and some stats for you on the market.
http://www.rebgv.org/sites/
It’s Officially Summer!
We are getting into the nice part of the year with lots of sun and warm temperatures. It is a great time to get out to the lake and BBQ or go for a hike. Unfortunately with that comes things like fire bans and watering restrictions etc. With so little rain this spring water restrictions are on already. I found a good list on things you can do at home to cut back on water usage that may come in handy. If you haven’t had a chance to be outside and enjoy the weather I hope it is because you like your home sooo much you don’t want to leave it 🙂 It’s officially summer and I hope you enjoy it it a lot!
Good Time For Investment Property
This spring market has been pretty crazy. It is definitely a sellers market now. That means as a buyer there is less product to choose from and therefore pushing up prices on homes. This can present a good time to buy an investment property and rent it out for possible income and equity gain. If you have been thinking that this might be a good plan for you, let’s chat. Here are some rental stats for you as well.
http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/
Patio Season!
This is the time of year I love to go and sit at a restaurant patio have a drink or two and hopefully enjoy the view. It is a great chance to chat with friends and take advantage of the nice weather in the few months of summer we get here in the Lower Mainland. One of my personal favourites is Mahony and sons down on the water by the cruise ship terminal in Vancouver. Let me know if you need some company I am always up for a trip to a patio in summer. I have attached a link with some of the top patios in the Vancouver area. Enjoy the sun!
http://www.vancouversun.com/
The Cost of Living
I remember when I was younger my family flipped a few homes in Vancouver. They made a bit of money off of this but eventually decided to move out to the Fraser Valley. The cost of living had become high enough to make it undesirable to live there when a short drive away you could buy a beautiful home and live much cheaper. I hear a lot of talk about how expensive Vancouver is to live and can see the valley including Abbotsford grow again in this hot market. A million bucks buys you a beautiful home in the valley compared to a shack in the big city. $300,000 can get you into a home in the valley compared to maybe a condo in the city. I know it is tough to leave friends behind but sometimes setting your self up financially for life may be worth it. If that is something you are thinking about please contact me, I would be happy to help you in your transition.
For First Time Homeowners
The process to become a first time home owner can be a daunting task. What do you do and when. I have dealt with quite a few first timers and have enjoyed walking them through the process and answering all their questions. I came across this article that explains the process of buying quite well, have a read.
An Update
I just got back from a relaxing weekend at my parents place in Parksville, which is right on the ocean. Great place to sit on the beach relax and also get some work done. We could even see the seals jumping around in front of us. There is a great Pub at French Creek that serves potatoe encrusted halibut on Fridays and has become a family tradition to go and eat that when we are there. It is very tasty if you are ever in the area. With the weather being so nice it sure is nice showing homes. I even got a little sunburned on my face! I have had a record month in sales in May so far and it isn’t over yet. I am looking forward to the rest of summer, and still have time to look after your real estate needs or that of someone that you know. For a bonus just ask me how I reward referrals. I hope you all have a great week!