Oh yes! It’s getting busy.

There are two neighbourhood events hosted by some of our Real Estate colleagues.

Be sure to print both pages.

Upcoming:

Neighbourhood Garage Sales in McNally Creek (South Meridian) and up the 152nd corridor above 32 Diversion.

Please keep in mind that WE SELL REAL ESTATE!  We would appreciate the opportunity to present you or your contacts with our outstanding marketing package.

Renting out property to get easier as CMHC changes rules

by Steve Randall28 Jul 2015

The rules around the income from rental units considered in home loan applications submitted to the CMHC are changing.
The agency announced Monday that, from September 28, it will allow 100 per cent of the rental income from a unit to be considered for new loan applications submitted to it for mortgage insurance.

That means that a secondary rentals suite’s income, minus costs including property taxes, will boost the size of the loan that buyers can secure.
Qualifying units must have sustainable income, proven by two years of rental rent payments. These payments will be averaged to assess the unit’s income. Applicants will also need a credit rating of at least 680.
Properties with more than a single rental unit will have slightly different rules and this change is most positive for homeowners with one rental unit. 

Earlier in the school year we had the opportunity to experience one of the Semiahmoo Music Society's various concerts.

While we had heard great things about the school music program, we were blown away by the quality of musicianship of the various levels of bands the school has. Afterwards, we had the opportunity to meet and talk with the Music Department Teachers,  all so very enthusiastic and passionate about what they do.

We realized we have an opportunity to do our part. We enjoy supporting the community through various fund-raising efforts for food-banks, hospital charities, neighbourhood events and sports participation, but we had no focus on the music. And without music... well, what is there to dance to?

As a Team, we would like donate $400 towards the Semiahmoo Music Society for every house marketed to completion or bought through us in the South Surrey/White Rock area.
If you have experienced the joy of the Semi Music Society's talented students, please keep us in mind when the topic of Real Estate comes up in conversation.

With your assistance we can help the music in our neighbourhood play for years to come.

For more information please contact Andrew at 604-773-3940 or Info at HudsonHomeTeam.com

Renee Bernard
Posted Apr 22, 2016 9:44 pm PDT

SURREY (NEWS 1130) – The Surrey Board of Education is making an unusual move in dealing with overcrowded schools.

Trustees are asking the city to temporarily halt new development in three neighbourhoods.

“At the moment we are in a crisis. This is the worst I have ever seen it on the board,” says Laurae McNally, a 30-year veteran of the board, who spearheaded the motion directed at the city.

The board wants the city to “temporarily suspend all new development approvals in the Clayton, Grandview/South Surrey and South Newton regions until the Surrey School District receives adequate provincial capital funding to support the many new students in these regions.”

“We have 275 classroom portables, which we have to pay for out our operating budget. We have four high schools on extended days,” McNally explains.

Plus, a couple of schools need to run five kindergarten classes to meet demand.

“The $4 million a year that the portables cost us is the equivalent of 50 teachers that we could put in our system.”

She says teachers, students and parents have been very patient but they are getting very tired of the situation.

“Everybody wants to see a light at the end of the tunnel.

”Earlier in the school year we had the opportunity to experience one of the Semiahmoo Music Society's various concerts. While we had heard great things about the school music program, we were blown away...

Well the weather isn’t optimum (remember, some hosts may cancel if the weather is inclement), so dress appropriately.

Out LocalGarageSale  website will have a calendar of Neighbourhood Garage Sales upcoming in the next few months.

If you would like your complex or neighbourhood to have an organized garage sale event, let us know.

Oh, by the way, we donate $500 to community support (like Semiahmoo Music & Peace Arch Hospital Fund) with every home we sell in the area.

Click on the image for the most current Garage Sale map.

The Canadian Press Published Thursday, April 21, 2016 10:21AM EDT

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TORONTO -- A new report suggests the red hot real estate markets in Vancouver and Toronto are discouraging some potential sellers from listing their homes because they're afraid of becoming buyers themselves.

The spring market trends report by real estate firm Re/Max on Thursday says while homeowners in those cities know their homes will sell quickly, many are reluctant to become buyers in the highly competitive market.

Re/Max says some are also reluctant to list their homes because they believe that prices could move even higher.

Vancouver and Toronto have been the hottest real estate markets in the country, raising questions about affordability, the role of speculators and the influence of foreign buyers.

The average residential sale price in Vancouver in the first quarter was $1,103,586, up 24 per cent from a year ago, according to Re/Max.

The average price in Toronto was $675,492, up 14 per cent.

The report suggested the strength of Toronto and Vancouver are helping drive prices in neighbouring regions as buyers move further out in search of an affordable home.

The report noted that Hamilton-Burlington and Barrie in Ontario as well as Victoria have seen prices rise 10 per cent or more compared with a year ago.

"The population growth in these regions, driven by housing demand, is growing local economies as restaurants, shops and services expand," the report said.

Good Morning!

Looks a bit cloudy this AM but it should be nicer later on.

Watch for a schwack (not a real word) of Neighbourhood Garage Sales coming up over the next coupe of months.
So far we have confirmed South Meridian, Bayridge and Rosemary Heights school catchments for Spring.

Look for our new logo’s signs  in coming weeks as well!

Click below, on our (complimentary for your use) directional sign to go to this weekend’s map.

Click our new logo below to take you to the latest Open Houses and listings in South Surrey & White Rock.

For more information on this incredible area of Metro Vancouver, contact us by clicking the image below:

Original link:

http://globalnews.ca/video/2614649/open-house-urban-professionals-moving-to-south-surrey

Another season off to a roaring start!

 

Mark May 9th on your calendar #SouthMeridian. Huge neighbourhood garage sale planned for that day!  Details to come at LocalGarageSales.ca.

 

Here is the link to this first garage sale map of the season. Already a busy busy day!

It’s probably not a coincidence that spring is a popular time to deep clean your house and also a great time to list it for sale. Any good agent will tell you that cleaner houses always sell faster and for higher prices, so taking some time to really make your home sparkle is almost always worth the extra effort.

Of course, clean is also a very relative term. What some people see as clean, others just won’t be satisfied with. And when you are expecting to welcome a steady stream of potential buyers into your home, you definitely want to make sure that you have all of your bases covered.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at six areas that sellers often overlook when spring cleaning their homes with the intention of listing them for sale.

The Windows: Both Inside and Outside

One of the most important things that you can do to really help your home shine is clean the windows.

And it’s not enough to simply wipe them off from the inside. Getting the outsides clean too will more than double the positive impact this job will have on the way your home looks.

Having crystal clear windows has two specific benefits. First, clean windows will let in more natural light, brightening your entire home. As if that wasn’t enough, clean windows will also invite perspective buyers to appreciate whatever views you might have.

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Inside the Kitchen Cabinets

Everyone who plans on listing their home knows that they need to clean the kitchen countertops and scrub the floors. But not everyone realizes that home buyers will want to see what the insides of your kitchen cabinets look like.

Would looking inside your cabinets cast your home in a positive light? What about that junk drawer in the kitchen?

Drapes & Light Fixtures

Another commonly overlooked area that could probably use some cleaning is your drapes and light fixtures. Dusting them off is a good place to start, but why stop there?

Take those light fixtures down and wash them out, and when was the last time that you actually washed the drapes? You’ll be shocked at the difference clean light fixtures and freshly washed drapes will make in the way your home presents itself.

The Office Area

You know that one spot where all the bills tend to pile up while you are putting off sitting down to pay them? That’s another place that lots of sellers forget to take care of during their spring cleaning.

In addition to being neat and tidy, your home office area needs to look functional. Make sure that anyone who walks through your home will be able to see themselves working productively there.

The Overstuffed Linen Closet

The linen closet upstairs (the one that has never really been big enough) is another place that can really turn off potential buyers. In order to make it look more roomy, take as much of your stuff out of it as possible and put it in storage until your home sells!

You should also make sure that everything in the bathroom medicine cabinet is neat and tidy.

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Don’t Forget the Outside

While most spring cleaning efforts are focused on the inside of the house, you definitely don’t want to overlook the outside of your home.

Make sure that there isn’t anything in the yard that doesn’t belong there, and spruce up any landscaping that looks like it might detract from a potential buyers first impression.

While you’re at it, you might also want to get out the ladder and give those gutters some attention.

One of the best practices to make sure that your spring cleaning efforts are successful is to simply start over every time you think that you are finished. There is literally no end to the amount of cleaning you can do, and every single bit of that effort will help to sell your house faster for a higher price.

Want some insider advice on updating and upgrading your home? Real Simple asked readers what they wish they had known before—or would have done differently with—their renos.

By Betsy Goldberg

Photo by Robert George Young/Getty Images

“I would have made sure there was more insulation in the wall where the bathroom butts up against a bedroom. My daughter is awakened by every sound in the bathroom. We should have put the closet where her bed is now.” —Ali Dubin

“I would have stuck to my original plan for a stainless steel sink instead of doing a black stone composite sink. Softened water leaves a haze on it, and the sink chips.” —Jennifer Mason Theroux

“Set aside extra money for unforeseen expenses like rotted wood, consults with a plumber, and the replacement of exterior fixtures. It isn’t realistic to think that everything will work out exactly the way it’s supposed to.” —M.P.N.
“I would have put in more electrical outlets on our kitchen island.” —Jennifer Lijertwood

“Don’t underestimate how much construction dust will permeate the rest of your living spaces through the air and ducts. Remove valuable objects from the walls or displays so you’re not having to micro-clean, and seal off any closets that contain clothes, linens, and food.” —Deborah Fairchild
“Make sure you have all the materials before starting. Some of our items took months to come in after ordering, which held up the work. Four months is a long time to be without a kitchen!” —Victoria Wagner
“When we redid our kitchen, I wish we had included ‘eating out’ in the budget!”—Maria C. Kuntz

Article courtesy of realsimple.com

In times of great potential, there arises great potential for unethical and untrustworthy elements.

Here’s another reason to use a local Realtor (like our Team) when dealing with a Real Estate transaction.

Yesterday our Monthly Real Estate Stats post noted the hot hot suburban markets in #WhiteRock & #SouthSurrey.

Well it seems the media agree with us!

Check out this GlobalBC report (then check out the January stats post below).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Fraser Valley Real Estate Statistics – January 2016 (click on image)

Here is some information on the January Real Estate market in #SouthSurrey #Whiterock (and the rest of the #FraserValley).

Look for the link at the top to visit our website. And below the video for links to this months stat documents.

More fires start in the kitchen than in any other room.

Those fires can be expensive; since even a minor incident, with no injuries, can result in significant damage.

That’s why it’s important to keep up with the latest in fire prevention.

The most recent research tells us:

• Never leave cooking food unattended. Doing so is the number one cause of kitchen fires.

• Make sure cooking appliances, especially deep fryers, are safety certified by the appropriate government agency.

• When using oil in a frying pan, always heat slowly at no more than a medium heat setting.

• Always turn off stove burners and other cooking appliances immediately after cooking.

• Never attempt to put out a grease fire with water. Use baking soda or a fire extinguisher.

• Never remove or cover up a smoke detector due to nuisance alarms. The one alarm that isn’t a nuisance may save your life.

Finally, experts say that if you can’t put out a fire immediately, get everyone out of the home and call emergency services.

This article is designed for home owners with 3 years or less on their mortgage term. If this does not apply to you today, feel free to pass it on to friends and family.

It's the holiday season and thinking about your mortgage is likely that last thing on your mind. However, if you're sitting with a lot of equity in your home yet can't seem to manage your debt payments, perhaps thinking about your mortgage is the best thing you can do. With credit card interest rates often pushing the 20% range, five-year fixed-rate mortgages at 2.69% to 2.89% range and variable rates even lower, you may want to consider paying off high-interest debts. Like many financial decisions, you need to look at the big picture. Here's what you need to know.

A refinance alters the terms and conditions of your mortgage; specifically you are increasing the amount of your mortgage to pay off debt. Your mortgage payment may or may not increase, depending on a number of factors, and you may incur a penalty to break your existing mortgage if you are refinancing mid term, but you will be paying off the refinanced debt at a much lower interest rate, which could save you thousands of dollars in interest in the long run.  Here are some reasons to refinance:

- Decrease your overall monthly debt payments by using your equity to pay off those high-interest credit cards or unsecured loans, which can help you better manage your budget.
- You can refinance to purchase another property. Using the existing equity in your home can be a great way to buy a rental property which, if done right, can also make the interest you pay tax deductible.
- You could also take out some of the equity for investment purposes -- an option that many homeowners consider this time of year as they look ahead to the new year
- And there are more uses for your equity such as helping putting your kids through school.

Repayment
Remember that borrowing against your property is not free money. You still own the home so the mortgage loan has to be repaid.
Spending Habits
While using the equity in your home to pay off debt certainly eases financial stress, there may still be challenges. However, some people have experienced a job lay-off or an illness that contributed to their unmanageable debt loads. Make sure you understand what got you into your current situation.

Real Estate Market
Equity measures the fair market value of your property against the balance owing on your mortgage. If you borrow against your property, you may worry that the market will drop and your home value with it. However, the government added a few safeguards over the last few years with respect to refinancing: where once you could refinance up to 95% of the value of your home,  that percentage has dropped to 80% of the value of your home.  By making that change, the government is basically saying it is somewhat confident that house prices will not likely fall far enough for you to lose equity.
Speak to a Professional to Understand Your Options
As you can see there are many factors to consider before deciding to refinance. Each individual's financial situation is different. Let's talk about your unique situation and the options available to you.

Contact us today to put you in touch with John Charbonneau, one of our best Mortgage Specialists

Info@HudsonHomeTeam.com

604-773-3940

Pools, finished basements and shingled roofs are a few of the 14 home elements that can increase your home insurance costs.

Some of the costliest items, according to Alexey Saltykov, co-founder and CEO of InsurEye Inc., a Canadian insurance-services company, are the old home elements that haven’t been upgraded: oil-based heating, wooden stoves, knob and tube wiring, and aluminum wiring.

“Some insurers will not insure you at all, some will require an inspection, and some will classify you as high-risk,” Saltykov said.

And then there are costs for using your home as a business that you might not even have considered.

Most elements are “pretty intuitive,” according to Saltykov. Yet homeowners love to add some of the newer elements, or perceive them as adding value to their home.

Let’s assume an average cost to rebuild value, or building limit, of $300,000. A finished basement leads to 20 per cent more in insurance payments, due to potential flooding, according to the president and CEO of Square One Insurance Services Inc., Daniel Mirkovic.

And a pool “increases the estimated cost to rebuild your home by about $5,000, or six per cent. That will drive the classification of a home into a higher building limit,” while adding about $30 a year in personal and premises liability premiums, Mirkovic said.

Mirkovic says wood shake or shingle roofing can push insurance up over 10 per cent in some cases, if the home is in an area prone to hail or wind. Further, “If your home’s roof is nearing (or has passed) the end of its expected useful life, you may pay as much as 10 per cent more on your home insurance.”

Stone or metal roofs are the best options to reduce insurance costs, according to Saltykov, because they are more durable.

And gardens? According to Mirkovic, traditional pre-packaged policies include coverage for landscaping, fences and gardening equipment, allow you to apply up to five per cent of your building limit towards trees, shrubs, etc. “In our [$300,000] example, this would provide up to $6,000 of coverage for landscaping.” These policies, however, will not pay more than $1,000 for any one tree.

Saltykov says home improvements such as home alarms, upgrading wiring and plumbing, and fire-monitoring systems, will bring premiums back down again.

Here are 14 elements, some old, some new, for your consideration.

1. Expensive items: Jewellery, art, musical instruments, wine collections, high-end watches, sporting equipment and bicycles –  lead to extra premiums, or “riders,” for coverage. Keep track.

2. Swimming pools: Pools obviously represent higher liability because of the potential for drowning,
   liability goes up when not protected by a fence.

3. Fireplace/woodstove: Wood stoves are a source of fire and smoke damage. Insurers will look for additional premiums and/or require a home inspection first.

4. Oil-based heating: You’ll have trouble getting insurance if you still have an oil-based heating system
   since these result in environmental hazards and can cause fire. Insurers prefer electric heat or
   forced-air gas furnaces.

5. Business property: Double the trouble: both your personal contents and business property could be lost
   or damaged, stolen or vandalized.

6. Home being a part of your business: Bed and breakfasts, daycare, and customers or suppliers visiting your home: will all send you back to the policy drawing board.

7. Aluminum wiring: A type of wiring used in houses up to 1970, insurers don’t like it because of its
   potential to overheat and cause fires. Policies for houses with aluminum wiring will be either more expensive or harder to get.

8. Knob and tube wiring: This very old wiring – not well-suited to today’s high energy consumption levels – requires connectors that use knobs to keep the wires isolated. Insulating tubes guide wires through walls. You’ll either have to get the house rewired or pay an additional premium.

9. Old house elements: Roofing and other aging house factors leads to more expensive insurance or sometimes not at all until there’s an upgrade.

10. Galvanized or lead pipes: Galvanized or lead pipes are older types more likely to build up corrosion, resulting in a negative impact on water pressure and water quality. Insurers prefer modern plastics or copper pipes.

11. Roof type:  The least reliable roofs are wood shake or shingle, because of vulnerability to weather hazards, which are on the rise.

12. Building frame: Wood frame homes are more likely to suffer from fire. Insurers like concrete or brick homes.

13. Basement: Finished basements drive up costs because of potential damage if a pipe bursts or sewage backs up, or there’s flooding.

14. Garden and Trees: No risk here! But in most cases you do have to pay extra if you want this type of coverage, if you’ve spent a lot of money and are worried about losing this beauty to weather, vandalism,
    etc.

Each week from April until September, we map all the Garage/Yard sales in the South Surrey & White Rock area.

We distribute them to various places online (over 6000 direct touches).

We offer complimentary signs, offer tips, and organize Neighbourhood Mega-Garage Sales.

ALL COMPLIMENTARY!

(Our Real Estate Marketing is even more impressive!)

Watch the video of what we do with your Garage Sale Listing.

 
Click on the image below for the maps.

And remember to Have Fun!!!! 

Good Morning!

Here are today’s garage sales mapped out for your convenience.

Hope you are still having a great summer!

Click on the image for the map:

HAPPY BC DAY!

 

As anticipated, with this being a long weekend, there are far fewer garage sales in the area than usual.

(click on the BC Flag for the Garage Sale map)

If you have the opportunity, do try to get to the  White Rock Sea Festival!

We will be hosting the Homelife Benchmark tent from 10am – 6pm on Saturday. Come by and say hello.

Click the image for the Seafest page. 

And, as always, when the topic turns to Real Estate, recommending HudsonHomeTeam will make you look savvy to your friends and family.