Having clean indoor air is critical for respiratory health.There is one source of pollutants that we are just discovering: automotive pollution from attached garages. 

Attached garages are convenient, and common. The attachment could be to the side of the house, with a room over top of the garage, or even as a part of what traditionally is the basement (see figures 1, 2 and 3).

Automobiles give off pollution. Starting a car in a garage, even with the garage door wide open, can result in a higher concentration of combustion pollutants (for example, carbon monoxide) in the garage and house. Driving a car into the garage and closing the door results in emissions of various chemicals over the next several hours as the engine and its fluids cool down. The pollutants in the garage air can be drawn into the house over time.

This is not just a theoretical problem. In a survey done by Health Canada in more than 100 houses in Windsor, Ontario, the results were very clear. Houses with attached garages had measurable concentrations of benzene (a gasoline related pollutant) in their indoor air. Houses with no garages or detached garages had little or no benzene. This is true of a host of other airborne chemicals. The study revealed that pollutants in attached garages can find their way into the house.

There are also secondary sources of pollutants in garages, apart from car-based emissions. There are many gas-powered appliances, such as lawn mowers, chain saws and edging tools whose emission systems are not as good as those found in cars. Chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides are also sources of pollutants.

One disconcerting fact is that garage-to-house air movement is not obvious or straightforward. In the 1990s, when the first inexpensive carbon monoxide (CO) sensors became commercially available, many started going off without an evident source of carbon monoxide. Responders such as utilities and fire departments often wrote off the incidents as false alarms, prompted by over-sensitive CO detectors. However, research in Minnesota (Wilber & Klossner, 1997) showed that the time delay of CO entry to the house from the garage could be a factor. When a cold car engine starts up in the garage, even with the main garage door open, it can generate up to several hundred parts per million of carbon monoxide gas in the garage. Once the car has left and the garage door is closed, the garage may still hold a relatively high CO concentration for hours. Air leaking from the garage to the house can cause the CO level in the house to start climbing. After several hours, the house CO level is high enough to set off the CO alarm, but by then the garage is low in CO and is not recognized as a source.

How Garage Air Gets Into Your House

It can be difficult to understand how and why garage air moves into the house. After all, there is at least one layer of drywall between the house and the garage, and a significant amount of insulation. The door from the attached garage to the house typically has weatherstripping and a spring to hold the door closed. So how does air enter?

Air can move through small cracks in the walls between the house and the garage, and through the top floor ceiling. There are many tiny holes and cracks that permit this air exchange to take place and they exist in all houses. It takes a sophisticated test with specialized tools, such as a blower door and leakage detection equipment, to find infiltration and exfiltration points.

Field tests by CMHC have discovered that the walls (and perhaps ceilings) between garages and the house can be as air leaky as the rest of the house. Some houses get most of their “fresh air” through the garage. One or two of those tested had so little leakage that there was no measurable air movement through the walls between house and garage. However, most garages have some air leaks, roughly in proportion to the size of the exterior wall.

But air movement into a house requires both a hole and a pressure difference. Does a pressure difference exist? Yes. CMHC measured the pressure difference across the house-garage wall and the house pressures are often lower than garage pressures, especially in winter. This is quite common in colder weather. Having exhaust fans or vented heating appliances also creates lower pressures inside the house, and garage air is drawn in through the leaks.

Preventing Garage-to-House Transfer in New Houses

The best way to prevent garage air entry into the house is to make sure that there are no leaks between the garage and the house. In new construction, this should be easy. The builder should make the interface walls and ceilings as airtight as possible. This is more readily done if the builder knows that reducing pollution transfer from the garage is a priority.

The builder should:

Preventing Garage-to-House Pollution Transfer in Existing Houses

It is much harder to prevent air movement from a garage to a house in an existing house. In a house already built, there will be leakage areas but they are usually hidden. They are not easy to locate and not easy to seal.

However, air-sealing the garage-to-house walls and ceilings may still prove worthwhile. If the garage side has no drywall, sealing air leaks may be simple. If the drywall is simply screwed on the wall and is otherwise unfinished, removing the drywall gives access to the interior spaces. Finishing the drywall itself with drywall compound and paint, as well as caulking all visible cracks and joints, may improve airtightness.

Another approach involves installing an exhaust fan to vent garage air outside. A good bathroom fan could be used. By operating the fan, the garage becomes depressurized relative to the house thereby preventing air movement from the garage to the house. This will not impact to any great extent on house heating costs but there will be an electrical cost to run a fan.

The use of a garage exhaust fan may lower the garage pressure enough for airflow through the holes to go from the house to the garage, rather than the garage to the house. Check the pressure difference by opening the door to the house just a crack and feeling for air movement from the house to the garage. A smouldering string can also be used to detect air movement. If air is moving into the garage, the pressure is in the right direction. This will assure that garage pollutants do not enter house air. Have the fan activated for a period (for example, one hour) after the garage door is used.

• There are a lot of noxious chemicals in the garage. Better yet, consider sending them to a hazardous waste disposal site.
• The garage is used to store or maintain older vehicles with higher emissions.
• There is a lot of coming to and going from the garage through the main garage door.

What to do

All buyers of new houses should confirm that their builder is aware of this issue and takes measures to do a good job of sealing air leakage paths. It is the only easy time to seal the air leakage points. An effective air sealing approach is far better than installing an exhaust fan after the fact.

Owners of existing houses have harder choices. If there is evident and annoying transfer of odours and drafts from the garage to the rooms next to the garage, the leaks should be located and sealed. If that task is too onerous or expensive, the garage exhaust fan solution could be considered.

Finally, if the attached garage is not used for vehicles (as is often true) and there are no other major chemical sources in that space, garage-to-house air movement should not be a significant problem.

Throw out what they taught you about earthquake survival. Here's the reality!

I was the United Nations expert in Disaster Mitigation for two years. I have worked at every major disaster in the world since 1985, except for simultaneous disasters.

The first building I ever crawled inside of was a school in Mexico City during the 1985 earthquake. Every child was under its desk. Every child was crushed to the thickness of their bones. They could have survived by lying down next to their desks in the aisles. It was obscene, unnecessary and I wondered why the children were not in the aisles. I didn't at the time know that the children were told to hide under something.

Simply stated, when buildings collapse, the weight of the ceilings falling upon the objects or furniture inside crushes these objects, leaving a space or void next to them. This space is what I call the "triangle of life".

The larger the object, the stronger, the less it will compact. The less the object compacts, the larger the void, the greater the probability that the person who is using this void for safety will not be injured. The next time you watch collapsed buildings, on television, count the "triangles" you see formed. They are everywhere. It is the most common shape, you will see, in a collapsed building.

1) Most everyone who simply "ducks and covers" WHEN BUILDINGS COLLAPSE are crushed to death. People who get under objects, like desks or cars, are crushed. 

2) Cats, dogs and babies often naturally curl up in the fetal position. You should too in an earthquake... It is a natural safety/survival instinct. You can survive in a smaller void. Get next to an object, next to a sofa, next to a large bulky object that will compress slightly but leave a void next to it.

3) Wooden buildings are the safest type of construction to be in during an earthquake. Wood is flexible and moves with the force of the earthquake.  If the wooden building does collapse, large survival voids are created. Also, the wooden building has less concentrated, crushing weight. Brick buildings will break into individual bricks. Bricks will cause many injuries but less squashed bodies than concrete slabs.

4) If you are in bed during the night and an earthquake occurs, simply roll off the bed. A safe void will exist around the bed. Hotels can achieve a much greater survival rate in earthquakes, simply by posting a sign on The back of the door of every room telling occupants to lie down on the floor, next to the bottom of the bed during an earthquake.

5) If an earthquake happens and you cannot easily escape by getting out the door or window, then lie down and curl up in the fetal position next to a sofa, or large chair. 

 6) Most everyone who gets under a doorway when buildings collapse is killed. How? If you stand under a doorway and the doorjamb falls forward or backward you will be crushed by the ceiling above. If the door jam falls sideways you will be cut in half by the doorway. In either case, you will be killed!

7) Never go to the stairs. The stairs have a different "moment of frequency" (they swing separately from the main part of the building).  The stairs and remainder of the building continuously bump into each other until structural failure of the stairs takes place. The people who get on stairs before they fail are chopped up by the stair treads - horribly mutilated. Even if the building doesn't collapse, stay away from the stairs. The stairs are a likely part of the building to be damaged. Even if the stairs are not collapsed by the earthquake, they may collapse later when overloaded by fleeing people. They should always be checked for safety, even when the rest of the building is not damaged. 

8) Get Near the Outer Walls Of Buildings Or Outside Of Them If Possible - It is much better to be near the outside of the building rather than the interior. The farther inside you are from the outside perimeter of the building the greater the probability that your escape route will be blocked.

9) People inside of their vehicles are crushed when the road above falls in an earthquake and crushes their vehicles; which is exactly what happened with the slabs between the decks of the Nimitz Freeway... The victims of the San Francisco earthquake all stayed inside of their vehicles. They were all killed. They could have easily survived by getting out and sitting or lying next to their vehicles. Everyone killed would have survived if they had been able to get out of their cars and sit or lie next to them. All the crushed cars had voids 3 feet high next to them, except for the cars that had columns fall directly across them.

10) I discovered, while crawling inside of collapsed newspaper offices and other offices with a lot of paper, that paper does not compact.  Large voids are found surrounding stacks of paper. 

Spread the word and save someone's life... The Entire world is experiencing natural calamities so be prepared!

"We are but angels with one wing, it takes two to fly".

In 1996 we made a film, which proved my survival methodology to be correct. The Turkish Federal Government, City of Istanbul, University of Istanbul Case Productions and ARTI cooperated to film this practical, scientific test. We collapsed a school and a home with 20 mannequins inside. Ten mannequins did "duck and cover," and ten mannequins I used in my "triangle of life" survival method. After the simulated earthquake collapse we crawled through the rubble and entered the building to film and document the results. The film, in which I practiced my survival techniques under directly observable, scientific conditions, relevant to building collapse, showed there would have been zero percent survival for those doing duck and cover.

There would likely have been 100 percent survivability for people using my method of the "triangle of life." This film has been seen by millions  of viewers on television in Turkey and the rest of Europe, and it was seen in the USA , Canada and Latin America on the TV program Real TV.

Moving Tips

Used Victoria, Big Brothers, Diabetes Association, Salvation Army

5 Things A New Homeowner Should Do Immediately to Save Money

1. Check the insulation in your attic - and install more if needed.  If you have an unfinished attic, pop your head up there and take a look around.  You should see some insulation up there, and there should be at least six inches of it everywhere.  If there's inadequate insulation up there - or the insulation you have appears damaged - install new insulation.

2. Lower the temperature on your hot water heater to 120F (55C). This is the optimum temperature for your hot water heater.  Most people do not utilize water that's hotter than that, and thus energy used to keep the water that hot isn't efficient. 

3. Toss a water heater blanket over the hot water heater.  While most are well-insulated, some are insulated better than others and many older heaters aren't insulated well at all. 

4. Install a ceiling fan in most rooms. Ceiling fans are a low-energy way to keep air moving in your home.  Because of the air circulation effect, you can get away with keeping your thermostat a degree or two higher in summer and lower in winter, netting a rather large savings.  Air directly below the fan should be blowing down on you in the summer and should be pulled upwards away from you in the winter - you can use the reversal switch on your fan to change modes.

5. Hang a clothes rack in your laundry room or better yet, an outdoor clothesline.  A clothes dryer can really eat up your energy costs but we find it convenient.  Battle this and you'll save lots on your hydro bill.

SOLD IN 4 DAYS, 98% OF ASKING! 1741 Patly Place, Rockland

Yes the market is picking up this month. Sales for March topped out at 602, a very healthy sales number for March.  Balancing the simmering market are 1216 new listings. This will keep prices competitive.  Total active listings at the end of March was 3859, so there's lots of competition and pricing needs to be based on current market values to achieve successful sales.  This darling Tudor home in Rockland sold in only 4 days after being prepared and staged for sale.  It had previously been on the market with no luck. 

So how did we turn around a sad tale of no new owners? 

The floors were a major stumbling block for purchasers.  It was hard to take their eyes off the slightly mismatched colours of carpets and curtains and take in the spacious well designed layout.  So we removed them and replaced them with a laminate flooring that blended with the colours in the house.  There had been carpeting in the kitchen previously, which was also removed.  The family room carpeting was worn and stained and so it was torn up and replaced with an updated broadloom.  This process took one week. 

Once the floors were complete the principal rooms in the home were staged with furniture which enhanced the layout of the individual rooms and showed off the ample space. 

Colours were kept neutral and the charm of the home was revealed once again.  Our designers went to work selecting and placing the right pieces giving the home that clean, inviting hotel-like space that people love.  Depersonalized but warm and welcoming with elements of humour to make those who came through smile. Touches included setting towels in the main bathrooms and linens for the master bedroom. In all 4 rooms were staged.   

A cozy custom bench below a large picture window was barely noticable prior to staging.  Now the dining room has pizazz and character!  Notice the clean uncluttered look of each room.  Only basic pieces with a few decorative touches.  Minimalist approach - as I always say - "Think Empty" to start and then just a few touches of accents here and there.

The best part of the whole process was that the owners got to sit back and relax while we set the stage for selling. 

The new flooring gave a touch of style but did not distract the purchasers from seeing the well laid out home with lots of potential for their own decorating ideas.  The last thing that we did to the house, at a cost of only $400 was replace 9 of the most noticable light fixtures.  Old light fixtures will date a home faster than you can say "uncle" and it is so easy to remedy.

Keep in mind that the entrance way is the first thing the buyer sees upon entry and it should be appealing, inviting and if possible stunning! Focus some extra effort on this area, as first impressions count.  Here we replaced the old light fixture and created a seating area with light decorative touches. Notice how the floors give the house some bling! All updates and renos were kept under $4000 which was more than returned upon the prompt sale! 

Another successful sale in your neighborhood.  If you need real estate advice or assistance with selling your home contact me.  If you know someone who needs expert advice, forward my newsletter and refer them to me.  Rest assured I will do my very best to give them the top notch service they deserve!

In today’s economic climate of tighter credit requirements and increased unemployment rates taking their toll on some Canadians, there’s no doubt that many people may not fit into the traditional banks’ financing boxes as easily as they may have just a year or two ago.

I can help you determine whether your situation can be quickly repaired or if you face a longer road to credit recovery. Either way, there are solutions to every problem.

Because I am familiar with the credit repair niche, I can help credit challenged clients improve their situations via a number of routes. And if the situation is beyond my expertise, I can help you get in touch with other professionals, including credit counsellors and bankruptcy trustees.

If you have some equity built up in your home and still have a manageable credit score, for instance, you can often refinance your mortgage and use that money to pay off high-interest credit card debt. By clearing up this debt, you are freeing up more cash flow each month.

In the current lending environment, with interest rates hovering at an all-time low, now may be an ideal time for you to refinance your mortgage and pay off some debt.

Following are five steps you can use to help attain a speedy credit score boost:

1) Pay down credit cards. The number one way to increase your credit score is to pay down your credit cards. Revolving credit like credit cards seems to have a more significant impact on credit scores than car loans, lines of credit, and so on.

2) Limit the use of credit cards. Racking up a large amount and then paying it off in monthly instalments can hurt your credit score. If there is a balance at the end of the month, this affects your score – credit formulas don’t take into account the fact that you may have paid the balance off the next month.

3) Check credit limits. If your lender is slower at reporting monthly transactions, this can have a significant impact on how other lenders may view your file. Ensure everything’s up to date as old bills that have been paid can come back to haunt you.

Some financial institutions don’t even report your maximum limits. As such, the credit bureau is left to only use the balance that’s on hand. The problem is, if you consistently charge the same amount each month – say $1,000 to $1,500 – it may appear to the credit-scoring agencies that you’re regularly maxing out your cards.

The best bet is to pay your balances down or off before your statement periods close.

4) Keep old cards. Older credit is better credit. If you stop using older credit cards, the issuers may stop updating your accounts. As such, the cards can lose their weight in the credit formula and, therefore, may not be as valuable – even though you have had the cards for a long time. You should use these cards periodically and then pay them off.

5) Don’t let mistakes build up. You should always dispute any mistakes or situations that may harm your score. If, for instance, a cell phone bill is incorrect and the company will not amend it, you can dispute this by making the credit bureau aware of the situation.

If, however, you have repeatedly missed payments on your credit cards, you may not be in a situation where refinancing or quickly boosting your credit score will be possible. Depending on the severity of your situation – and the reasons behind the delinquencies, including job loss, divorce, illness, and so on – I can help you address the concerns through a variety of means and even refer you to other professionals to help get your credit situation in check. 

As always, if you have any questions about you credit situation or your mortgage in general, I’m here to help!
 

The happy surprise is that, compared with conventional water heaters, these on-demand water heaters can save energy and money and deliver an endless flow of hot water. In fact, installing a qualifying tankless water heater can save you money on your taxes through a $300 credit.

The familiar tank-style water heater is basically a large container with a heater. It stores a lot of water (typically 40 to 80 gallons), heats the water, and keeps it hot until it's needed.

When hot water leaves the tank to serve a faucet or appliance, it is replaced by cold water, and the cycle repeats. The obvious downside of a conventional water heater is that it wastes considerable energy keeping water hot 24 hours a day, seven days a week, whether or not hot water is wanted.

A tankless water heater, as its name implies, doesn't have a tank. Instead of storing hot water, it circulates incoming water through a series of electric coils or gas burners that heat up automatically when you turn on a hot water tap or appliance. When you turn off the faucet, the elements or burners turn off.

Tankless water heaters are sold in several varieties, from small electric point-of-use models to larger gas appliances that supply the whole house. If you want to replace a conventional water heater, you'll need a whole-house tankless water heater.

If you just want to provide hot water quickly and efficiently at a single fixture, such as a bathroom sink, a point-of-use water heater may be the better choice. If you simply want instant hot water at the kitchen sink, a hot water dispenser is the appliance for you.

A thorough home inspection is a crucial step for wise home purchaser. No one wants to discover major, hidden defects after the fact. Make sure you include a home inspection in your offer to purchase. Choosing a home inspector can be a daunting task because in BC, anyone can start up a home inspection business. Get the one who is qualified and licensed.

Here's how.

Telephone a short list of inspectors, before making a final decision on which to hire. The following list of simple questions will guide your conversation easily to a point where you are comfortable with the inspector.

• 1. Are they licensed with the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors?
• 2. Is the inspector experienced with the kind of home you are purchasing?
• 3. How much does it cost and what forms of payment are accepted?
• 4. Can you accompany the inspector?
• 5. Do they carry a valid business license that includes the area where the home is located?
• 6. Do they have Errors and Omissions Insurance with Casualty and General Liability insurance?
• 7. What kind of report will be received after the inspection?

With the answers to these questions and the ensuing conversation, ask yourself this. Are you comfortable with this person as your home inspector? If you are still uncomfortable go on to the next one. And it never hurts to ask for a recommendation from other homeowners.

Maximize the most important key to selling your home after pricing.  EXPOSURE!

When you list your home with me, you are ensured of maximum internet exposure.  I bring your home to the International Market.

 Why is this important?

More than 65% of all property sales last year originated on the internet. 

85% of all property searches began on the internet. 

On average, international purchasers paid more for home purchases than local residents. 

Primary buying demographics are from 22 to 44 years old. Internet savvy is a way of life and they account for 85% of home sales.

Try out my Open House Video Tour. Click here.

Here is my 'incomplete' list of advertising venues...

. . .and the list keeps on growing

Exposure plus my Unique Open House Video Tour, gives you the Marketing Edge above the Competition. 

Unsurpassable marketing.

My promise to you. Maximum Exposure. Effective Marketing. Results.

There once was a boy who had a temper. His father gave the boy a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the fence. By the end of the first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence.

Over the next few weeks the boy learned to control his anger and the number of nails hammered gradually dwindled down. He discovered that it was easier to hold his temper than drive nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper. He told his father, and his father suggested that he now pull out one nail for each day he was able to hold his anger. The days passed and the boy told his father all the nails were gone. The father took the boy by the hand and led him to the fence.

The father said, "Son, look at the holes in the fence. That fence will never be the same. When you lose your temper and say things in anger, your words leave a scar just like the scars on the fence. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out, and say you’re sorry. But it won't matter how many times you say ‘I’m sorry’—the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one."

Friends are very rare. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, and always want to open their hearts to us. Show your friends how much you care.

A prospective resident of Victoria?

As we say in Real Estate, "Location, location, location!" and this one is Canada Prime! Vancouver Islandis home to some of the best luxury properties available in North America. Victoria is located on the southeastern tip of Vancouver Island and is the southern most urban center in Western Canada, located just south of the 49th parallel. It is one of the sunniest places to live in Canada, boasting an average of 2,223 hours of sunshine per year. It is the driest location on the BC coast, due to the shadow effect of Washington's Olympic Mountains.

Annual precipitation? 608 mm compared to Vancouver's 1589mm. Two thirds of that precipitation falls during rainy season, November through February. The mild rainy winters and warm dry summers give Victoria a very unusual sub-Mediterranean climate, allowing several species of palms, eucalyptus and even bananas to grow comfortably here. Vancouver Island! Canada's own Banana Belt! Our history boasts infamous visits, such as Captain Cook in 1776, historic sites such as Butchart Gardens, slightly more than a century old and the Empress Hotelof the same vintage. The gold rush on the mainland sprouted a bustling town of outfitters and suppliers from a population of 300 to 5000 within a few days, in the year 1858. Choosing which of Victoria's distinctive communities to live in depends on your personal lifestyle. Various levels of luxury are available here on Vancouver Island and especially in the Greater Victoria Region. Each of the communities has something unique and special to offer its residents. Here's a glimpse of each to help you choose where to locate.

One of the most desirable areas of Victoria. Luxury properties abound here! Captivating offshore vistas extending for many walkable miles along its scenic coastline, Oak Bay'swaterfront residential properties (Uplands district) are among the most expensive private real estate in North America. This upscale neighbourhood is prime Vancouver Island luxury property and is known for its large private gardens, historic McClurearchitecture and magnificent views of the Haro Strait, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountains. Oak Bay Village has a distinctly British ambience. An air of all things English pervades and the Queen herself would feel quite at home strolling Oak Bay Avenue past the tea-rooms, pubs, antique shops and restaurants. It has a large number of retirement communities including many upscale retirement condominiums. It is home to two world class golf courses, The Uplands Golf Cluband the Victoria Golf Club, as well as, the RoyalVictoria Yacht Club and the Oak Bay Marina. It has a population of 17,798 (2001 census) and an altitude of 10 metres. Oak Bay's motto "Sub Quercu Felicitas", Latin for "Under the Oak, Good Fortune", certainly true if you are an owner of property here! Location location location and luxury luxury luxury too!

This municipality is immediately to the west of Victoria and home to the Canadian Navy, which employs approximately 7000 military and civilian personnel. It offers an abundance of parks, a marina and coastline vistas to charm the eye. There are many large old family homes mixed with cottages and newer luxury condos with spectacular views of the inner harbour and downtown Victoria. Esquimalt offers a new recreational complex, a library, and a golf course - with a military cemetery between holes 12 and 17- and some of the prettiest little parks in Greater Victoria. Two of the most attractive residential areas offering some Vancouver Island luxury, are located at Saxe Point (offering plenty of waterfront) and Rockheights.

The town of View Royalholds 1,007 hectares of land and 253 hectares of foreshore. It has a slightly more countrified ambience than its neighbour to the east - Esquimalt. View Royal is only ten minutes drive to downtown Victoria and new town homes are springing up everywhere. The population is just shy of 6000 people and it lies adjacent to Saanich and Esquimalt. View Royal is serviced by the RCMP and waste disposal is privately operated. The area is protected by tree cutting bi-laws. As a result the area has a country cottage feel while offering some prime Vancouver Island luxury properties for sale.

The city of Colwoodhas a population of over 14,000 people. The Juan de Fuca Sports complexis one of the most complete complexes in the Province. The golf courses in the area are highly rated including the magnificent Olympic View Golf Course where even the driving range affords marvellous scenery, and the Royal Colwood Golf Course, conveniently located beside the Island Highway. The Juan de Fuca nine hole course is also available. Ocean recreation in the area includes a beach for bathers, swimmers and wind surfers as well as a nature reserve and areas for sailing enthusiasts. The views of downtown Victoria and the Olympic Mountains from the foreshore make sunset simply splendid. A major shopping and condominium complex has been approved for the Colwood corners district of Vancouver Island.

Saanich - East, Central and North

There are more parks per capita in Saanich than in any other municipality in BC. There are 170 municipal parks and 3 regional parks. Cycling routeswind their way through most of the district connecting it to the outer reaches of the Victoria region. The golf courses servicing enthusiasts in the area include Blenkinshop Valley, Cedar Hill, Cordova Bayand Prospect Lake.

East Saanich

The University of Victoriais an integral part of Saanich East Community life. Even non-students become involved in and enjoy the regular public lectures and off the beaten track movies. Four distinctive communities make up East Saanich. They are High Quadra, which overlooks the Blenkinship Valley; Gordon Head, a family oriented neighbourhood close to shopping malls and theatres; and Cordova Bay, a heritage of small farms, cottages and family homes sprinkled along a seaside road with charming shops, café's and the Cordova Bay Golf Course.

Central Saanich

Sunshine Hills is the resident golf course. This district has its own police force, fire department and private garbage collection.

North Saanich

The overriding philosophy of the residents in this community is to protect the environment. The vast majority of houses in this rural countryside are single detached family homes. Many of these are luxury properties. The local leisure center provides indoor tennis, swimming, ice-skating and the Glen Meadow Golf and Country Clubmore than satisfies golf enthusiasts. The tap water in this region is both well and municipal supply.

North Saanichis under the careful watch of the RCMP and garbage collection is privately operated.

Allow me to briefly thank Dmitri and David  and John for recent referrals.  From the bottom of my heart THANKS because I depend on your referrals for my business to grow. 

For more information click here.

Come on out and join the One Door at a Time Caravan!

  

• $418,000 Purchase price.   $75,000 downpayment

• $343,000 mortgage (5yr closed at 4%)  monthly payments  $1511

• $850 per month for the basement rent

• $1100 per month for the shared upstairs

• $1,950 per month in rents -mtg pymt $1511 = $439 in profit which now pays for her taxes and utilities.

 

• $410,000  $65,000  downpayment.
• $345000 mortgage  (5yr closed at 3.79%) monthly payments $1478.00
• $1150 rent for 2 bedroom - mtg pymt $1478 = $328
• $328 (plus his taxes and utilities)  is his monthly mortgage payment.

• at least $250,000 in equity gain on a house
• at least $75,000 tenant income to go toward your mortgage payment total of $101,000

Saturday, January 8, 11am

Save your spot now....

Saanich

There are more parks per capita in Saanich than in any other municipality in BC.  There are 170 municipal parks and 3 regional parks.  Extensive cycling routes such as the Lochside Trail and the Galloping Goose wind their way through most of the district connecting it to the outer reaches of the Victoria region. The golf courses servicing enthusiasts in the area include Blenkinshop Valley, Cedar Hill, Cordova Bay and Prospect Lake.

East and West Districts

The University of Victoria is an integral part of Saanich East Community life.  Even non-students become involved in and enjoy the regular public lectures and off the beaten track movies. High Quadra and Cedar Hill areas, overlook the Blenkinshop Valley; Gordon Head is a family oriented neighbourhood, close to shopping malls and theatres; and Cordova Bay, boasts a heritage of small farms, cottages and family homes sprinkled along a seaside road with charming shops, café's and the Cordova Bay Golf Course. The West district is residential and family neighbourhoods sprinkled with convenient restaurant, cinema and shopping amenities as well as a local recreation centre. Many schools and parks and great road and highway access make this a central and handy place to raise a busy family.

Central Saanich

Conscientious residents actively support the protection of this district's rural character and charm from overdevelopment and the encroachment of the busy city. Agricultural land use dominates in this district.  There are two distinct town communities, Brentwood Bay and Saanichton, both lovely family neighbourhoods having their own charming amenities. You will even find your own privately owned  and now prize winning wineries here!

Sunshine Hills is the resident golf course.  This district has its own police force, fire department and private garbage collection.

North Saanich

The overriding philosophy of the residents in this community is to protect the environment.  The vast majority of houses in this rural countryside are single detached family homes. The Panorama Leisure Center provides indoor tennis, swimming, ice-skating and the Glen Meadow Golf and Country Club more than satisfies golf enthusiasts.  Again hidden away you will also find the odd treasured winery operating here. The tap water in this region is both well and municipal supply.  North Saanich is under the careful watch of the RCMP and garbage collection is privately operated.

"First Time Buyers Seminar"  Monday, March 30^th  5:30pm  Delta Ocean Point 

If you or someone you know fears jumping into the market, then this seminar is for you.  Full of helpful information on the current market,  how to navigate the storm with tips and strategies to get you off to a good start and actually put lots of equity ($$and cash!$$!) into your pocket! If you currently rent, you need to come out to this seminar. You will walk out wealthier and wiser for it. Please forward this newsletter to anyone you know who is considering a first purchase!

According to the Vancouver Sun the real estate market is suffering from a "Perception Gap".  Potential buyers think that sellers have to sell at any price and that "low balling" is the way to go and sellers meanwhile, think they can get the same price they could have had a year ago.  Buyers and sellers need to meet in the middle in order to witness the absorption that is necessary for the price declines to end. 

Both figuratively and literally we have a moving market, a market in flux. Our office is recording many home sales and Open Houses are bustling.  Smart purchasers are realizing that now is a great time to upgrade to a larger home because the price differential has shrunk to an affordable level and interest rates make the leap easy.  The numbers are working in favour of owning over renting - yes - even here in Victoria, due to the extremely low interest rates. It is a good market for investors and homeseekers to take advantage of the moderated prices and for sellers to upgrade to more luxurious homes.  When most are fearful, be bold.  Conditions are right.

We listed 1741 Patly Place in Rockland after tidying up a few details and staging four principal rooms. At a cost of just over $3000 in repairs and updates, the owner more than recovered this money in a quick offer on day 4 of being on the market.  Just shy of 98% was obtained in a market most media sources today consider slow and difficult.  What is true, is that in a fluid market such as this one, purchasers and sellers need the guidance, skill and knowledge of a good realtor to safely navigate the turmoil.

If you want to see more, just check out the listing on my website. And if you know someone who needs this kind of service in today's fluctuating and fluid market, please send them my way.  Your referrals are how I build my business and my reputation. 

All the best to you and yours whether you are buying, selling, investing or staying put.  And don't forget to forward this newsletter to the first time buyers in your circle of family and friends. 

Kind regards,

Laurette Anderson

Women! Give yourself a Valentine Treat!

Why dream when you can plan? Meet 4 Professionals to get this year off to a riproaring start!

Be the best possible you with Giovanni our fabulous fashion guru!

Find and Keep the Perfect Mate with Mick - our dating coach for Professional Women!

Be entered in our raffle for an immediate makeover - haircut and style and makeup with Mina - Exquisite salon owner.

Or just have a glass of wine, an hors d'oeuvre and enjoy mingling with other professional women and our experts while learning about the art of style and dating. 

And of course how about learning about passive income from real estate investment at the same time!  So that well into our retirement years we can afford to dress in style, clothe ourselves stylishly and flirt well with the men in our lives, and perhaps not caring if they pick up the tab!!   To register please click here!