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Uncategorized B.C. Shakes Up Property Transfer Tax: What You Need to Know! The B.C. government has been busy tinkering with the province’s property transfer tax (PTT), and these changes could impact both first-time homebuyers and investors. Let’s break down the key updates: Good News for First-Time Buyers: Higher Exemption Threshold: Starting April 1, 2024, the threshold for the PTT exemption has been increased. This means first-time homebuyers […]
Demystifying Canadian Capital Gains: What You Need to Know! So you’ve made some money selling an investment in Canada? Congrats! But before you celebrate too hard, remember: Uncle Sam (or rather, the Canada Revenue Agency) wants a piece of the pie. This is where capital gains come in. But fear not, fellow Canadian! This blog will break down the basics of capital gains in […]
Architecture through the Okanagan ages! Have you ever wandered around the streets of the Okanagan and noticed that sometimes every house on the street looks exactly the same OR that every house on a certain street seems to be completely random in design compared to its neighbor? Neighborhoods are often built in phases and blocks and depending on the era, […]
Increased stress for your Stress Test! There are a lot of different stressors in the world of real estate right now, particularly for those who are trying to “get in the game” to buy their first home or an investment property. In late 2017, the Canadian government introduced the “stress test” and on June 1, 2021 the Canadian government introduced a […]
Winterizing Your Home! With the first snap of cold and the anticipated first snow fall comes the mad panic to book-in and get those winter tires and last week’s thought of “I’ll get to that” is always a hindsight 20/20 kicker. But what about winterizing your house before the snow flies too? Getting your home ready for the […]
Uncategorized Top 3 Financial Reasons to Buy a Home! Ah yes, the age old debate of “to rent or to buy?”. There are merits to renting, but there are also merits to home ownership. The question is, should you take advantage of the opportunity to own real estate today or not? If you are only going to be in a city temporarily or for […]
Tiny Trends! If you’re a millennial, you know that the reality of owning your own home can seem like an impossibly daunting task in the 21 century in what seems like an ever soaring market in most major Canadian cities. With housing prices climbing year over year in hot markets where all the jobs are, being able […]
The Millennial Buyers! While Boomers may have the most disposable income in our current world, Millennials are the next big thing when it comes to home ownership. This controversial generation called Millennials (born approx. 1981-1997) are a huge factor in the shaping of our current housing market. While they have yet to hit their peak earning years, they […]
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REALTOR® vs Real Estate Agent: same-same, but different? Often used interchangeably, the two terms are not, in fact, referring to the same things! Although all REALTOR®s are Real Estate Agents, not all Real Estate Agents are REALTOR®s; keep reading to learn the difference. By definition, “[t]he trademark REALTOR® identifies only those real estate professionals who are members of the Canadian Real Estate Association […]
Do I have to sell my soul to own an Okanagan Home? It is not a far stretch in some minds to consider the idea of buying an Okanagan home to be as exacerbating as having to sell one’s soul to accomplish the Canadian dream of homeownership today. Is it true though? Do you have to strike a deal with the devil to call those sweet house […]
Support Local Live Music! Music is often an integral part of a vibrant community and the cities of the Okanagan are no exception to that rule. In fact, cities in the Okanagan Valley embrace and encourage citizens to enjoy free music in the parks throughout the valley all summer long when folks can take advantage of the endless days […]
The Age of Passive Housing! There are many housing trends that come and go in the world, but one that is worth taking note of is the concept of passive housing. So what exactly is a Passive House? A Passive House is a “rigorous, voluntary standard for energy efficiency in a building, reducing its ecological footprint. It results in ultra-low […]
First Time Home Buyer Perks! In BC, there are some real advantages to shopping affordably for your first home and there are even some rare tax breaks offered to those who are jumping into the real estate market! Buying a your very first home should be thrilling, enjoyable and only slightly terrifying. To make it more of the former, there […]
Title Insurance? What’s that? If you are thinking about taking the leap into property ownership, you are going to have to purchase Title Insurance, which is the modern day version of paying hundreds of dollars to have your property surveyed and staked and it is a mandatory add-on with the purchase or any property these days. Back in the […]
How to prioritize when the sun is out! Well folks, finally the season we have all been waiting for is just around the corner… summer! You can smell it in the air, see the grass starting to show, while flowers are starting to poke their heads through the ground. Oh, it is just a matter of time before we are into full-blown Okanagan […]
Uncategorized Diving in to Short Term Rentals! What you need to know about Short Term Rentals (AirBnB, VRBO etc)! What is a Short Term Rental (STR)? STRs, like AirB&B or VRBO, are the newest accommodation phenomena to hit the global market and offer an alternative option to hotel and hostel stays. In the STR format, you can rent a shared space, a […]
The Little Things… We all know what it is like when someone does something unexpected, perhaps small, but super impactful for us or for someone we know. The smiles abound and this feeling of warmth and appreciation settles on us. We also know the feeling when the little things do not get done and we want to “face […]
Three Things to Ask Your Future REALTOR® (Buy or Sell)! If you are like me, you might live in a city that is flush with real estate agents. Like those big-brands-that-shall-not-be-named coffee shops, there are probably at least two REALTOR®s on every street corner with a few more “up and coming” ones waiting in the wings. So how do you sift through the seemingly endless […]
Why Buy A Home in 2023? You may have heard the age old adage that “whether you rent or own, you’re paying for someone’s home” and it’s true, so why wouldn’t you want to be paying for your own home? Buying in today’s market, especially in the Okanagan is no small feat, BUT if it’s on your bucket list for 2023, […]
Stressing about the Stress Test? There are a lot of different stressors in the world of real estate right now, especially for those who are trying to “dip their toes in” to buy their first home or an investment property. **Disclaimer: this is not professional mortgage advice. For particulars of your own financial situation, you should consult with your mortgage […]