This past weekend, I was able to get away from work and spend some much needed time with my family. My wife, two-month-old daughter and I drove up to Edmonton to celebrate with my Cousin at her wedding. It was a lovely wedding and my cousin made a stunning bride.
We survived the 13-hour drive from Abbotsford to Edmonton with minimal screaming from our daughter. If you were looking for suggestion on surviving a road trip with a newborn, I would tell you to drive through the night. It was the best decision we made. Kaitlyn slept through the majority of the trip. I, however, was exhausted by the time we got there.
My wife was able to meet and spend some quality time with my side of the family. Unfortunately they all live so far away that she hasn’t had the opportunity to do so sooner. We spent a day with the family at West Edmonton Mall, watching the young cousins enjoy some rides, having a wonderful family lunch, and doing some shopping. The Mall is huge and has almost every store you can think of. One day was not enough to make the rounds. One day we would like to return with Kaitlyn to spend some time at the wave pool, do some shopping, and of course spend some quality time with extended family.
We are home now and I am back to work. No rest for this guy when the housing market is so hot.
real estate
Beating the winter blues
Beating the winter blues is hard to do. With spring still a few weeks away and rain that doesn’t seem to cease, you might be looking for something to do that doesn’t include sitting at home watching re-runs of Breaking Bad. Have you ever checked out the Fraser Valley Circle Farm tours? Some of these farms offer tours, lessons, or even free samples.
Hofstedede’s Country Barn is one of my favorites. They have loads of local produce and organic products. You can find some of your favorite German or Dutch treats like salted licorice. YUM. They also have a bakery that serves some of the best soups and sandwiches in the Fraser Valley. And, if you are gluten free, you are able to get a gluten free sandwich on fresh in house baked bread.
In the fall, you might want to check out the Chilliwack corn maze. There is so much family fun pack into this one little spot. There is the obvious, the maze, but they also have a corn pit for kids, games, a jumping pillow, fire pits, picnic areas, and a pumpkin patch.
If you are interested in checking out some of these local gems I have attached the link to the flyer. Enjoy, spring will be here before you know it.
http://www.tourismchilliwack.com/files/File/Web%202015%20Circle%20Farm%20Tour.pdf
Saving up for a home
Being a first time home buyer can be a really exciting time in life. However, it could be difficult for some to save up for that new home. It may seem like it will never happen. Especially when the cost of living has your bank account crying at the end of each month and the price of homes is rising. So, how do you save money? It can be difficult. Here are some things my wife and I try to do to save a bit of cash.
1. Shop at Walmart or superstore. Yes these stores are more crowded and you might have to bag your own groceries, but we save about $50-$100 a month. We are not able to buy everything we need at Walmart but it is easy to pop into Save-on-Foods to pick up the few things we can’t get at Walmart.
2. Pay down debt. We put lump sums of money down on our debt to pay it off faster when we are able. This way we pay less interest and it makes our monthly payments less for the months we can pay down more.
3. Eat at home. This can be hard to do. Especially when life is busy and it is so easy to quickly drive through McDonalds. It does save you money. Make coffee at home and skip the Starbucks. Or make Starbucks a weekly treat instead of a daily indulgence.
4. Watch for sales. New clothes are something my wife enjoys. If there is something she needs or wants she waits for sales and only buys from the sale racks. Also, she will ask for mall gift cards for her birthday so that she can fulfill her addiction.
5. Find free activities to do in your local area. Go for a picnic. Walk in the park. Go hiking. Play baseball with your kids in the park. Have home movie nights. It can be hard to do but with a little creativity you are able to make memories without spending money.
6. Put away a little money each month. Maybe it’s just $50. In a high interest savings account it will start to add up. You might not have a down payment saved up in a year but if you plug away and put extra away when you can you will be able to afford that home in no time.
If you want more ideas on how to save some money, check out this website:
http://www.mymoneycoach.ca/saving-money/saving-up-for-a-home
Down payment
With the housing market so hot right now, you might be thinking about jumping on board and finding yourself that dream house. Especially when your house might be selling for asking price or even above. With at little extra cash you might be able to afford something a pricier. But how much do you need that down payment on your new dream home? As of February 15, 2016 the rules have changed. For homes up to 500,000 you need to have 5% down. If you are looking for a home a little more expensive expect to pay more that 5%. Homes over 500,000 up to 1million you are looking at 5% down on the first 500,000 and then 10% on the remaining balance. And for those of you in the market for a home 1million and over, you are looking at a 20% down payment on the home. Time to start saving. If you want to check out some websites with more information on the down payment requirements check out the links below. Happy house hunting.
https://www.cibc.com/ca/mortgages/buying-first-home/need-for-downpayment.html
Happy Family Day!
Happy Family Day to you. What are your plans for the long weekend? Since we have a sick one-month-old baby we will be staying home and staying warm. If you are looking for something fun to do, High Street mall in Abbotsford has some fun events lined up for the day. With any luck we will all be healthy next year so that we can check it out. I hope you are able to get in some quality time with your loved ones this weekend. Enjoy!
Million Dollar Dream Home
Are you in the Market for a million dollar home? Or maybe you like to dream like me! I think that my dream home would have a perfect ocean view, large windows, big kitchen, a view facing office, and a spacious master bathroom. Oh, and a theater room, deck space perfect for entertaining, and a pool. Hmm… I think that I would be able to find that if I had a million or more to spend. Well, check out the richest neighbourhoods in Canada and maybe you will find your dream home.
My getaway to Whistler, BC
This past weekend my wife and I celebrated our one year anniversary. We were able to enjoy a short getaway to Whistler BC. We had a wonderful time wondering the village, eating to our content, and relaxing. Furthermore, we were glad for some quality time together, because in a just a few weeks we will be welcoming our first child into the world. If you haven’t had a chance to visit Whistler, it might be a vacation spot worth seeing. The scenery is beautiful and there is so much you can do. Hopefully we will be able to make family trips to Whistler in the future. With the weekend over, I am back to work. October was a busy month and November shows no sign of slowing. If you are looking to sell or buy a home, I would be happy to help you out. Please don’t hesitate to call or email.
2 Million dollars above list price?
I came across this article in a local newspaper. This is nuts. 2 million above list? This market is hot but that much…wow. I have experienced multiple offers and a bit over list so far but, where will the prices stop? I guess people are really taking advantage of low interest rates. Banks are being tough on giving out money right now, but I guess not that tough 🙂