Category: Uncategorized

The 2016 tax deadline is fast approaching, and recent home sellers should take note of a new rule introduced by the Federal Government last year.

With spring just around the corner, it’s time to think about your home garden; but before you think about doing all that work yourself, consider getting the kids involved. There are many lessons to be learned with a shovel and some dirt! Gardening is a great way to spend time outside, learn basic plant science, and have loads of family fun.

Not everyone celebrates Valentine’s Day with flowers, cards, and chocolates. Check out this neat infographic on how love is celebrated in different countries around the world.

The final numbers are in for 2016, and it ended up being a record year in our area. Our markets annual sales volume rose 24 per cent over 2015 with a total for the board area of 6,063 single-family homes SOLD on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®). We ended with single-family home sales in December lower than the previous month, reflecting seasonal market conditions and inventory challenges.

Keeping with current trends in interior design is a real passion for our home marketing team. We’ve put together a 2017 list of what trends are upcoming, some are welcomed and some you may choose to reconsider.

Ensuring that your home is ‘Show Ready’ is something that you’ll need to keep in mind once you have decided to offer it for sale. Before we start to create your homes unique listing display, our home marketing specialists have some general tips for ‘Photo Day’ that will ensure your home makes a magnificent first impression. Like a fine piece of art, buyers will spend countless hours examining offerings online. That is why we take great time and care in crafting your home marketing materials, and we need your help to better prepare for this creative process. Follow these tips to prepare your home for the best real estate photos possible.

Back in the 1980s, NASA did a study to look at which plants were best able to filter the air of the space station! And, if it’s good enough for the space station…

Inventory of single-family homes in the Vancouver Island area dropped yet again in November 2016 to reach a new historic low of 1,034, a 37 per cent decrease from one year ago and dipping below October’s 1,158 available listings. Keep in mind that this is for homes under $700,000 as Vancouver island areas, like Nanaimo, have witnessed an increase of higher end homes entering the market in 2016 resulting in a 5 year high in some price points.

Now that winter has officially set in, the days are shorter, the nights are longer and we are spending more and more time in our homes, its time to practice what the Danes like to call HYGGE.

T’is the season, it’s time to celebrate and if you are hosting a party or gathering this season that means it is time to get organized! Many of us lead busy lives, making time a luxury we can’t necessarily afford, so to help you stay on track and impress your guests we have put together a few holiday entertaining tips.

Many homes built before 1990 contain asbestos, whether it is in old floors, ceiling tiles, roof shingles, insulation, or any number of other places.

In October around 399 single-family homes sold on the MLS® System in the Vancouver Island Real Estate board, compared to 368 last October, an increase of eight per cent. Month over month, sales decreased by 24 per cent from September, which saw 528 unit sales. Nanaimo completed 114 of those sales, and is up about 20% over last year in sales. The reduced sales activity in October is likely caused by typical late-summer cooling and continuing low inventory challenges. Active listings of single-family homes dropped once again in October, dipping to 1,158, the lowest VIREB has seen since the board began tracking inventory levels in 1999.