Christmas Time is Here!

With only 10 days until the BIG DAY this community is right in the middle of all kinds of celebrations. There are children's concerts, band concerts, office parties, nativity plays and many decorated homes and office buildings. There are chocolates and oranges and shortbread and egg nog to enjoy. Meals are being planned, and guests invited. Travel is often involved with family members coming and going throughout the season. We hope you take the time to enjoy this special time, be mindful of those who are not so fortunate, and remember why we are celebrating.Many readers will know that both Lorne & Drew are active in their own church congregations. Some of the activities involving a church are not necessarily spiritual. Roofs need to be replaced from time to time, and this photo was taken yesterday (Dec. 14th). When I say that it is not a spiritual activity, I must comment that it has evoked lots of prayer . . . The congregation is praying that the roof will be finished before we get a major snowfall!

Planning ahead really can save you money down the road. And with the high-cost holiday gift-buying and entertaining season quickly approaching, this may be the perfect time to refinance your mortgage and free up some money instead of relying on high-interest credit cards. You may find that taking equity out of your home will help bring joy back into your holiday season – and start the New Year off on a debt-free note, as you may also be able to use some of the equity in your home to pay off high-interest debt such as your credit card balances. This will enable you to put more money in your bank account each month. And since interest rates continue to hover near historic lows, switching to a lower rate may save you a lot of money – possibly thousands of dollars per year. There are penalties for paying your mortgage loan out prior to renewal, but these could be offset by the lower rates and extra money you could acquire through a refinance. I can sit down with you and work through all of the equations to ensure this is the right move for you. With access to more money, you’ll be better able to manage both your holiday spending and existing debt. Refinancing your mortgage and taking some existing equity out could also enable you to do many things you’ve been longing to accomplish – such as purchasing an investment property, taking that well-deserved vacation, renovating your home or even investing in your children’s education. Paying your mortgage down faster By refinancing, you may extend the time it will take to pay off your mortgage, but there are many ways to pay down your mortgage sooner to save you thousands of dollars in interest payments. Most mortgage products, for instance, include prepayment privileges that enable you to pay up to 20% of the principal (the true value of your mortgage minus the interest payments) per calendar year. This will also help reduce your amortization period (the length of your mortgage), which, in turn, saves you money. You can also increase the frequency of your mortgage payments by opting for accelerated bi-weekly payments. Not to be confused with semi-monthly mortgage payments (24 payments per year), accelerated bi-weekly mortgage payments (26 payments per year) will not only pay your mortgage off quicker, but it’s guaranteed to save you a significant amount of money over the term of your mortgage.

The above article is copied from Dominion Lending Centre's Home Financing Journal for November, 2011.

Why Trampolines are Dangerous (Kelowna, B.C.)

Who Says You Can't Get A Trampoline for Five Bucks? Do You Know A Buyer For This Home? This is a truly amazing home, located just outside of Castlegar on a 2.52 acre lot, with mountain views, a large deck, triple garage, hot tub, swimming pool and lots more. Please check it out here. Priced at $699,900 -- an excellent value for this package. Finally, here is a link to an article on the Christmas season I thought you might enjoy. It's an interview with Chris Patterson, the bass player for the Canadian group "The Arrogant Worms". There's no music here (you can find that on YouTube is you want to), but I appreciated his perspective. Thank you for reading, and for those who have contributed notes and photos and comments through the year. We always appreciate feedback, and the interaction with our readers. For a look at more real estate related articles, please check out our business blog at: http://nelsonrealestate.inthekoots.com/ Best Wishes from Lorne & Drew for a Merry Christmas and on into the New Year for all of 2012.

Less Than 40 Shopping Days Left . . . .

I know you didn't want to hear that, but it's true! So, now we're asking "where did 2011 go?" I have a theory about why time seems to go much faster now, and it has nothing to do with technology. It's simply a matter of age. When you were 4 years old the time elapsed from one Christmas to the next was a quarter of your life. That's 25%. If you are 50, that time is reduced to only 2%. That is less than 1/10th of the time from when you were 4. The bad news is that the older we get, the faster these intervals will come around. That's a good thing if you love Christmas (or Valentine's Day, or Easter, or summer vacations, or Thanksgiving, or . . . . ), but not so good when it comes to paying income tax, renewing car insurance or getting an annual physical checkup!

Now that I have dared to mention Christmas, here is a link to a Realtor's blog post on marketing your home during the holiday season. 10 Reasons By the way, the author of the highlighted post is a RE/MAX Realtor in Garden Ridge, Texas.

Do You Know A Buyer For This Home?
This is an outstanding offering, over 24 acres of privacy with this delightful 2 bedroom log cabin. Also includes a 24 x 36 workshop. This serenity is offered at $399,900 and is located in the north end of the Slocan Valley. Check out additional photos, video and details here.

Please check out this short post by my associate, Russ Baillie, who sells for RE/MAX in the Chilliwack area. Canadian Real Estate on Solid Ground.

I have been busy sorting out calendars to deliver or mail out within the next few weeks. If you are reading this and would like to have a Norman Rockwell wall calendar, just send me an e-mail or phone me and I will be sure to get one out to you.

I'm very happy to report that I have received suggestions by 2 readers this month, both of whom are new contributors. I am happy to include both of these, and encourage you to keep these thoughts and ideas coming.

British Newspaper Article about Canada

This is a truly amazing article by Kevin Myers The Sunday Telegraph (London). Please share.

British newspaper salutes Canada . . . this is a good read. It is funny how it took someone in England to put it into words..... Salute to a brave and modest nation - Kevin Myers , 'The Sunday Telegraph' LONDON : Until the deaths of Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan , probably almost no one outside their home country had been aware that Canadian troops are deployed in the region. And as always, Canada will bury its dead, just as the rest of the world, as always will forget its sacrifice, just as it always forgets nearly everything Canada ever does.. It seems that Canada 's historic mission is to come to the selfless aid both of its friends and of complete strangers, and then, once the crisis is over, to be well and truly ignored. Canada is the perpetual wallflower that stands on the edge of the hall, waiting for someone to come and ask her for a dance. A fire breaks out, she risks life and limb to rescue her fellow dance-goers, and suffers serious injuries. But when the hall is repaired and the dancing resumes, there is Canada, the wallflower still, while those she once helped glamorously cavort across the floor, blithely neglecting her yet again. That is the price Canada pays for sharing the North American continent with the United States , and for being a selfless friend of Britain in two global conflicts. For much of the 20th century, Canada was torn in two different directions: It seemed to be a part of the old world, yet had an address in the new one, and that divided identity ensured that it never fully got the gratitude it deserved. Yet its purely voluntary contribution to the cause of freedom in two world wars was perhaps the greatest of any democracy. Almost 10% of Canada 's entire population of seven million people served in the armed forces during the First World War, and nearly 60,000 died. The great Allied victories of 1918 were spearheaded by Canadian troops, perhaps the most capable soldiers in the entire British order of battle. Canada was repaid for its enormous sacrifice by downright neglect, it's unique contribution to victory being absorbed into the popular memory as somehow or other the work of the 'British.' The Second World War provided a re-run. The Canadian navy began the war with a half dozen vessels, and ended up policing nearly half of the Atlantic against U-boat attack. More than 120 Canadian warships participated in the Normandy landings, during which 15,000 Canadian soldiers went ashore on D-Day alone. Canada finished the war with the third-largest navy and the fourth largest air force in the world. The world thanked Canada with the same sublime indifference as it had the previous time. Canadian participation in the war was acknowledged in film only if it was necessary to give an American actor a part in a campaign in which the United States had clearly not participated - a touching scrupulousness which, of course, Hollywood has since abandoned, as it has any notion of a separate Canadian identity. So it is a general rule that actors and filmmakers arriving in Hollywood keep their nationality - unless, that is, they are Canadian. Thus Mary Pickford, Walter Huston, Donald Sutherland, Michael J. Fox, William Shatner, Norman Jewison, David Cronenberg, Alex Trebek, Art Linkletter, Mike Weir, Jim Carrey, Dan Aykroyd, etc. have, in the popular perception become American, and Christopher Plummer, British. It is as if, in the very act of becoming famous, a Canadian ceases to be Canadian, unless she is Margaret Atwood, who is as unshakably Canadian as a moose, or Celine Dion, for whom Canada has proved quite unable to find any takers. Moreover, Canada is every bit as querulously alert to the achievements of its sons and daughters as the rest of the world is completely unaware of them. The Canadians proudly say of themselves - and are unheard by anyone else - that 1% of the world's population has provided 10% of the world's peacekeeping forces. Canadian soldiers in the past half century have been the greatest peacekeepers on Earth - in 39 missions on UN mandates, and six on non-UN peacekeeping duties, from Vietnam to East Timor, from Sinai to Bosnia. Yet the only foreign engagement that has entered the popular non-Canadian imagination was the sorry affair in Somalia , in which out-of-control paratroopers murdered two Somali infiltrators.. Their regiment was then disbanded in disgrace - a uniquely Canadian act of self-abasement for which, naturally, the Canadians received no international credit. So who today in the United States knows about the stoic and selfless friendship its northern neighbour has given it in Afghanistan ? Rather like Cyrano de Bergerac , Canada repeatedly does honourable things for honourable motives, but instead of being thanked for it, it remains something of a figure of fun. It is the Canadian way, for which Canadians should be proud, yet such honour comes at a high cost. This past year more grieving Canadian families knew that cost all too tragically well. Lest we forget. ********************* Please pass this on to any of your friends or relatives who served in the Canadian Forces or anyone who is proud to be Canadian; it is a wonderful tribute to those who choose to serve their country and the world in our quiet Canadian way.

And now for something completely different:

This seems appropriate at this time of year. And, apologies to all blondes. Football and the Blonde Of all the blonde jokes, this one has to be the best -- because it makes football make sense! A guy took his blonde girlfriend to her first football game. They had great seats right behind their team's bench. After the game, he asked her how she liked it. "Oh, I really liked it," she replied, "especially the tight pants and all the big muscles, but I just couldn't understand why they were killing each other over 25 cents." Dumbfounded, her boyfriend asked, "What do you mean?" "Well, they flipped a coin, one team got it and then for the rest of the game, all they kept screaming was... 'Get the quarterback! Get the quarterback!' I'm like...Helloooooo? It's only 25 cents!!!!"

So, with the Grey Cup football game happening in less than 2 weeks I hope you can smile at this, and cheer for our B.C. Lions!

This Saturday, November 19th is election day throughout British Columbia. Municipal, Regional District and School Board candidates are working hard to earn your vote. In Nelson there are all candidate meetings both tonight and tomorrow. Be informed. Be involved. Get out and vote on Saturday.

Wow. When I started this newsletter, I didn't know what I was going to say or include. It seems that I have come up with lots of info to share. If you would like more real estate information, please check out my business blog

Thanks for reading.

Happy Shopping.

Lorne & Drew

Autumn is Gorgeous in Nelson

If this image looks a little blurry, it's probably just the speed at which I am moving . . . .

Okay, now for the truth. I haven't "ridden" one of these since I was 12, but our Rotary club held a raffle last month, and this was one of the prizes. Before it was awarded, I had my photo taken (standing still) so I could share it with you.

By the way, we raised well over $5,000 for youth programs within our community with this raffle.
On Saturday morning, I had occasion to travel to Spokane for meeting during the day. In order to arrive on time I had to get to the Patterson border crossing by 7 a.m. This shot was taken just south of there, along the Columbia River at about 7:30 a.m., with the mist rising off of the river.

Do You Know A Buyer For This Home?
Double wide manufactured home on a waterfront (rented) pad at 6 Mile, along Nelson's North Shore. Well maintained home, beautifully landscaped, with a beach just across the drive. 3 Bedrooms, 2 baths. Check out additional details and photos on our web-site: 6 Mile Home - $199,900

Seen Signs

These signs might not communicate what was hoped for.

On a California freeway: Fine for Littering

On the wall of a British Columbia cleaning service: Able to Do the Worst Possible Job

In a New York jewellery store: Genuine Fauz Pearls

In a Kansas City oculist's office: Broken lenses duplicated here

In a Boston fast-food parking lot: Parking for Drive-Through Customers Only

Billboard on Florida highway: If You Can't Read, We Can Help

On the Triborough Bridge in New York: In Event of Air Attack Drive Off Bridge

On a Lockhart, Texas, gas station and minimart: We're out of Rolaids, but we've got gas.

At the basketball court in a Gastonton, North Carolina, YMCA: Anyone caught hanging from the rim will be suspended

On a Rapid City store: Give That Bride a Good Case of Worms or Other Fine Bait
On the door of an Ellsworth, Maine, restaurant: The Indian Trading Post will be closed for Yom Kippur

In a Grand Rapids restaurant: Half baked chicken

In a Dayton barbershop: During vacation of owner, a competent hair stylist will be here

On a Jacksonville, Florida, bookstore: Rare, out-of-print, and nonexistent books

On a library in Marlboro, New Hampshire, honouring Robert Frost: Frost Free Library

*Thanks to Pastor Tim for this joke!*

GOING GREEN Eating Home-Grown Food: There are a number of resources on the Internet to help you start a vegetable garden next Spring. Have fun and enjoy the true green food. It can be as simple as growing tomatoes in a planter or as extensive as producing all your food needs for the growing season and beyond. Composting for Your Garden & Lawn: When food waste is buried in a landfill or dump, it isn’t exposed to the oxygen needed in the process to break down the food, so it changes much more slowly and releases methane gas. Composting is easy and odour free if you follow some guidelines on what to put in the compost and what not. In general, only put in fruits, vegetables and garden waste that do not have any oils, fat or meat with them. Coffee grounds and egg shells can also be composted. The added bonus in this solution for going green is that you will have rich natural fertilizer for your lawn and garden..

I have posted some current statistics for sales in the Nelson area on my "other" blog. Please check it out at: Nelson Real Estate

That pretty well does it for another month. As always, your suggestions, comments and participation is always welcome. We welcome your feedback, either on the site, or by e-mail.

Thank you for reading.

Lorne & Drew

September Song

What's up with the title to this month's newsletter? It actually is the title to an old song. I participate in a group that usually sings and plays at seniors' homes and September Song is one that we are doing this month. I remember the song from many, many years ago, but I don't remember who sang it (the version I remember hearing, so long ago). So, I checked it out on YouTube and found several versions of the song, being done by a wide range of singers from Frank Sinatra to Willie Nelson. The one I picked to share with you (above link) is by Jimmy Durante, and was recorded in 1955.


Do You Know A Buyer For This Home?Sitting on a corner lot in the Rosemont area of Nelson, this home has a fully finished basement, potential for a suite, double carport, plenty of storage and a price that will appeal. $329,000
For further details please check out web-site

As the days get shorter and the nights cooler we realize that we are, again, in a change of season with the autumn equinox occurring early Friday morning. Once summer arrived, it was a good one, but we wouldn't mind if it were extended a little bit more!Although it didn't seem to be a huge run of "red-fish" (kokanee - a land-locked sockeye salmon) this year, it always amazes me to watch this process of these fish working their way up the stream to the spawning beds.
Another event this month was the annual Road Kings car show, which also has a kids' component built into it with the soap box derby, which ran from Silica Street to Baker St. along Kootenay Street. Lots of excitement, and even a few spills during this year's event.
Of course the main event at the car show is the Saturday show & shine in downtown Nelson. This year over 350 classic, antique and modern masterpieces were on display, including this very fine '57 Chevy.


Imagine that you had won the following prize in a contest: Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400.00 in your private account for your use.

However, this prize has rules, just as any game has certain rules.. The first set of rules would be:

Everything that you didn't spend during each day would be taken away from you.

You may not simply transfer money into some other account..
You may only spend it.

Each morning upon awakening, the bank opens your account with another $86,400.00 for that day. The second set of rules:

The bank can end the game without warning; at any time it can say, Its over, the game is over! It can close the account and you will not receive a new one.

What would you personally do?

You would buy anything and everything you wanted right? Not only for yourself, but for all people you love, right? Even for people you don't know, because you couldn't possibly spend it all on yourself, right? You would try to spend every cent, and use it all, right?

ACTUALLY This GAME is REALITY!

Each of us is in possession of such a magical bank. We just can't seem to see it.

The MAGICAL BANK is TIME!

Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of life, and when we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is NOT credited to us.

What we haven't lived up that day is forever lost.

Yesterday is forever gone.

Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank can dissolve your account at any time....WITHOUT WARNING.

SO, what will YOU do with your 86,400 seconds?

Those seconds are worth so much more than the same amount in dollars.

Think about that,and always think of this:

Enjoy every second of your life, because time races by so much quicker than you think.

So take care of yourself, be Happy, Love Deeply and Enjoy Life!

Here's wishing you a wonderful and beautiful day.


Start spendingWhen I contemplate the time bank mentioned above, I tend to think of my grand-daughters and how they are growing up so quickly. Last month Dorothy and I decided to surprise them with a weekend trip to Saskatchewan to say "Hi". Well, they were surprised (their parents, too) and we had a wonderful weekend, though at 1,200 km. each way it was quite a journey for a 4 day trip. This photo was taken on the first day of school, and the youngest was not happy that she didn't get to go with her sisters. Next year she will begin kindergarten.

Politically Correct Statements

Your bedroom isn't cluttered, it's just "passage restrictive."

Kids don't get grounded anymore. They merely hit "social speed bumps."

You're not late, you just have a "rescheduled arrival time."

You're not having a bad hair day, you're suffering from "rebellious follicle syndrome."

No one's tall anymore. He's "vertically enhanced."

You're not shy. You're "conversationally selective."

You don't talk a lot. You're just "abundantly verbal."

It's not called gossip anymore. It's "the speedy transmission of near-factual information."

AND FOR STUDENTS...

The food at the school cafeteria isn't awful. It's "digestively challenged."

No one fails a class anymore, he's merely "passing impaired."

You don't have detention, you're just one of the "exit delayed."

These days, a student isn't lazy. He's "energetically declined."

Your locker isn't overflowing with junk, it's just "closure prohibitive."

Your homework isn't missing, its just having an "out-of-notebook experience."

You're not sleeping in class, you're "rationing consciousness."

You don't have smelly gym socks, you have "odor-retentive athletic footwear."

You weren't passing notes in class. You were "participating in the discreet exchange of penned meditations."

You're not being sent to the principal's office. You're "going on a mandatory field trip to the administrative building."

Thanks to Pastor Tim for this joke. Check out their web-site here

Well, this day is just about done, and so is this newsletter. For more real estate related information please check out http://nelsonrealestate.inthekoots.com/

Thanks for reading.

Lorne & Drew

Hot August Nights

Well, the days have been nice and warm, but we haven't had hot temperatures overnight, which is quite pleasant. Once the sun goes down, the heat dissipates.

Our rhododendron was late to bloom this year, but when it did it was spectacular.

We got the tent trailer out and went on a short road trip last month. We attended a family reunion at Oliver. Dorothy's family is of Mennonite background, so we always have a shared meal during these events. Here is a shot taken just before we devoured this table-full of delicious food. Lots of eating, lots of stories told and lots of games played (yes, Mennonites sometimes even play cards!)


Of course, since this was occurring on the Canada Day weekend, we had to show our national pride. My daughter, Yvonne, provided the "tattoos" that we all sported.



There is so much going on in our community that you just can't do it all. As you may know, one of my passions is bicycling. For the past 6 years I have helped out with a fund-raising ride, with the proceeds going to the Our Daily Bread hot meal program in Nelson. This year there were about 40 of us who participated in a 1 day ride, where we were transported west along Highway 3. We were dropped off just east of the Paulson Bridge, traveled down the Paulson Detour Road to where it intersects with the old Canadian Pacific line, which is now a recreational trail. Where we join the trail is close to the summit, so there is very little uphill riding, and what there is is a rail grade. From the summit we head down the line to Castlegar. There are tunnels, trestles and incredible scenery to enjoy. It is about 53 kilometres from start to finish.
This shot was taken near the end of the ride. Our youngest rider, along with her family, had ridden the entire trip. She is 9 years old!
The Miracle of Life! At the top of one of the columns on our front porch we noticed that a pair of birds had built a nest. Before long they were being very protective of that area, as their chicks had hatched. I took this photo on the 30th of July. If you look closely you'll see 3 chicks packed into this little nest. Within a few more days they had flown away (we didn't see that event) and now the nest is abandoned.


I know that it has been a while since I last posted a newsletter. This is supposed to be a monthly letter, not quarterly! However, if you are looking for statistics on Nelson Real Estate sales for this year, I invite you to check out our "other" blog site at: Nelson Real Estate In The Koots.


Do You Know a Buyer For This Home?

Located on a compact lot, close to downtown, this 2 bedroom home is neat as a pin, and has a fantastic garden.
If you thought that home ownership was not within your grasp, give us a call for assistance in qualifying for a mortgage. This home makes great sense for a single person, a couple starting out, or even as a retirement home (there are a few stairs to access the home). Further details can be found at out web-site 2 bedroom starter home. Priced at $239,000


Can I interest you in a 2 day bike ride? We leave Nelson on September 10th, travel to Kaslo for lunch, then over to New Denver where we'll spend the night. Day 2 will bring us back to Nelson via Highway 6, the Slocan Valley highway, following the Slocan River and then along the Kootenay River back into Nelson. There's lots of support along the way, wonderful scenic views, encouragement and new friends to be found. You can find out more here. Oh, yes, we'll feed you, too.

We can't end this newsletter without at least a little humour. This one came from a friend in Kelowna and it certainly made me smile:

FAMILY TREE OF VINCENT VAN GOGH


His dizzy aunt ----------------------------------------------- Verti Gogh

The brother who ate prunes------------------------------- Gotta Gogh

The brother who worked at a convenience store ------ Stop N Gogh

The grandfather from Yugoslavia ----------------------------- U Gogh

His magician uncle -------------------------------- Where-diddy Gogh

His Mexican cousin ---------------------------------------- A Mee Gogh

The Mexican cousin's American half-brother ------------ Gring Gogh

The nephew who drove a stage coach --------------- Wells-far Gogh

The constipated uncle ------------------------------------- Can't Gogh

The ballroom dancing aunt -------------------------------- Tang Gogh

The bird lover uncle -------------------------------------- Flamin Gogh

The fruit- loving cousin -------------------------------------- Man Gogh

An aunt who taught positive thinking ------------------ Way-to-Gogh

The little bouncy nephew ----------------------------------- Poe Gogh

A sister who loved disco -------------------------------------- Go Gogh

And his niece who travels the country in an RV --- Winnie Bay Gogh


I saw you smiling . . . there ya Gogh!

Are you on Facebook? If so, this article, also provided to me by a Realtor friend in the Fraser Valley (thanks, Bob!) may interest you. If you don't have a Facebook account, I suggest you just skip over this article:

With over 750 million active users, Facebook is the communication medium of today. I came across this article about protecting your email address from third party apps on Facebook and thought that I would share it with you. Also, this would be great to share with your clients as well as I am sure that they are concerned about the security of their e-mail address as well.

---

Protect Your Email Address from Facebook Apps
Here's a tip to help protect your privacy on Facebook.

Ever wondered what's happening with your email address when you share it with 3rd party applications on Facebook? Can you trust them with it? Will you get more spam?

Little do most people know, you can actually prevent third party applications from using your real email address with a little help from Facebook.

According to this brief piece from LifeHacker, "If you'd like to keep your email private, you can actually have Facebook create a temporary forwarding email just for apps."

Instructions for how to change the setting are available here:

(Even if you're not concerned about it personally, this little tip can be shared with your clients to show them you're looking out for their interests.)

One last scenery shot that I want to share with you. Last Sunday morning (July 31st) I was part of the team that went out to sweep the edge of the highway in preparation for the triathlon that day. It's really not that big a job - a sweeper had passed over the road surface in the days before the event, but it gets one up early enough to enjoy the sunrise. This was taken at 6 Mile along the North Shore.


I'm not certain, but I think that is a beaver swimming at the front of the photo.

Your comments and feedback are always welcome. Thanks for reading.

Lorne & Drew

If It's April, It Must Be Time For My Birthday!

Yes, April really is the month when my birthday falls. The above photo doesn't have anything to do with that, but you can see that it is an old one. That's my older brother, John, on the outside of this canoe, with me facing the camera. Any guesses on who the young lady is sitting opposite me? This was taken in Stanley Park nearly 53 years ago. Time flies when you're having fun!

A couple of weeks ago the first crocus blossomed in our yard. The snow had only been gone for a few days when this took place. Spring is not early this year, but it's great to see the signs appearing.


I should be out on my bicycle by this time of the year, but for several reasons, that hasn't happened yet. So on Saturday morning I set out for a walk and took my camera. It was early, daylight but before sunrise, so here are a couple of those photos.

Cottonwood Creek, near Baker St.

Looking toward downtown (& beyond toward Kokanee Glacier)
From the Path to Rosemont

Do You Know A Buyer For This Home?

A beautiful and tranquil country setting, just 10 minutes outside of Nelson on 2.5 acres. A 3 bedroom home with an extra rental cabin plus a shed and a combined workshop/studio. Priced at $379,000, this is an attractive listing. For more photos and details, check out our web-site or check this link, posted by the owner.

Every quarter I try to give an update on the real estate market. Since the first quarter of the year is just ended, I tend to receive quite a bit of information from many sources. Here is a link to some current information on the Vancouver and Lower Mainland Markets. For the local statistics, I am going to refer you to my "other" blog site.

For those who are new to this page, or who may have forgotten the "other" site is something I try to update weekly with specific real estate related topics.

Aging

~ Maybe it's true that life begins at fifty. But everything else starts to wear out, fall out, or spread out.

~ There are three signs of old age. The first is your loss of memory. I forget the other two.

~ You're getting old when you don't care where your spouse goes, just as long as you don't have to go along.

~ Middle age is when work is a lot less fun--and fun is a lot more work.

~ Statistics show that at the age of seventy, there are five women to every man. Isn't that a bad time for a guy to get those odds?

~ You know you're getting on in years when the girls at the office start confiding in you.

~ Middle age is when it takes longer to rest than to get tired.

~ By the time a man is wise enough to watch his step, he's too old to go anywhere.

~ Middle age is when you have stopped growing at both ends, and have begun to grow in the middle.

~ A man has reached middle age when he is cautioned to slow down by his doctor instead of by the police.

~ You know you're into middle age when you realize that caution is the only thing you care to exercise.

~ The aging process could be slowed down if it had to work its way through Congress.

~ You're getting old when you're sitting in a rocker and you can't get it started.

~ You're getting old when you wake up with that morning-after feeling, and you didn't do anything the night before.

~ The cardiologist's diet: if it tastes good, spit it out.

~ Doctor to patient: I have good news and bad news: the good news is that you are not a hypochondriac.

~ It's hard to be nostalgic when you can't remember anything.

~ You know you're getting old when you stop buying green bananas.

~ Last Will and Testament: Being of sound mind, I spent all my money.

~ When you lean over to pick something up off the floor, you ask yourself if there is anything else you need to do while you are down there.

~ You find yourself in the middle of the stairway, and you can't remember if you were downstairs going up or upstairs going down

*Thanks to Pastor Tim for this joke!*

This man, Keith Kitchen, is a Canadian contemporary Christian singer. He will be appearing in Nelson on Saturday, May 7th at 7 p.m. at the First Baptist Church, 611 5th St., Nelson. Admission is by donation. You can learn more about Keith, and here some clips of his music (click on "Gallery") here.

Well, the Vancouver Canucks, for the first time in their 40 year NHL history, finished on top of the league and won the President's Trophy this year. Now the playoffs have begun, and we hope it's a long run, culminating in a Stanley Cup! If you're interested, there are plenty of videos intended to get the fans fired up for their team on YouTube. One of them is here. If you wish to see more of them, go to YouTube and then search "Vancouver Canucks playoffs.

And, that brings us to the conclusion of the April news. Comments are always welcome. Contributions and ideas are gladly accepted. If you need a Realtor, please give us a call!

Lorne & Drew

Waiting for Spring

Clocks move forward 1 hour tonight.

Daylight Savings Time begins.

I'm going to do my best to get this newsletter back on a regular schedule. Usually that works pretty well, but this year, for some reason(s), it's been a struggle.

Well, okay, I admit it - traveling on a cruise ship is not much a struggle at all! We had a 10 day cruise, plus a couple of extra days in Florida. In the Everglades, we took an air-boat ride and saw quite a few alligators.
I was able to do a day's bicycling in Grand Cayman, where we visited a "Turtle Farm".
In Panama, Dorothy and I left the ship at Colon (Caribbean side) and traveled by bus to Panama City (Pacific side). That only took about an hour.
In Colombia, these beautiful birds were fighting over scraps of fruit.

Do You Know A Buyer For This Home?

The Wedgwood Manor, located on 6+ acres at Crawford Bay is a 100 year old mansion, presently operating as a Country Inn. It has a commercial kitchen, 6 guest rooms, all with private baths and separate owner's quarters. This is truly an outstanding property. For additional photos and details, please check the web-site: Wedgwood
Priced at $825,000 for a sale of shares.
After spending a couple of weeks with tropical-type weather, I'm certainly looking forward to the end of winter.

Water Saving Options
In a typical stand-alone home, study
findings indicated that the majority of
water consumption is used in the following
ways: 31 per cent through toilets, 25 per
cent through washing machines and 19 per
cent through showers.
Homeowners can replace large-volume
toilets that use 13 litres per flush with high
efficiency units that only use 4.8 litres or
less per flush and reduce water usage by
roughly 63 per cent. Well-designed low
flush toilets can retail for as little as $100
and dual flush toilets that give the user the
option of a three- or six-litre flush are also
available. Installing a water-saver flush kit
in a toilet can also save thousands of litres
of water per year.
For washing clothing, efficient front load
clothes washers provide the most effective
way of saving water, using only 40 to 50
litres per load in comparison to 100 to 150
litres per load for top loaders. Possible water
savings from efficient models can be as
much as 73 per cent. Look for the ENERGY
STAR label as an indication that a model is
water efficient.
Among the least expensive water conservation
options, homeowners can invest in
low flow shower heads with flow rates as
low as 5.7 litres a minute compared to the
average Canadian showerhead with a flow
rate of 9.5 litres a minute. This would result
in a water and energy saving of 40 per cent
and would save the average BC family of
four $50 a year or more on their hydro bill.
Other ways to minimize a home’s water
consumption include high efficiency dishwashers
and bathroom faucets, as well as
investing in the use of rain barrels, rainwater
harvesting systems and domestic
greywater systems.

Water Conservation Benefits
Domestic water conservation not only
provides a range of values such as reduced
energy consumption and cost savings, but
also important benefits for protecting ecosystems
and watersheds and for building
better communities. Thinking about these
broader reasons could provide the additional
motivation that an individual needs
to make an environmentally-friendly
investment in their home.

Exam By Chance

A young student reports for a final examination that consists of only true/false type statements. The student takes a seat in the hall, stares at the question paper for five minutes, removes a coin and starts tossing the coin and marking the answer sheet. Heads means true, tails means false. The young student is all done in 30 minutes while the rest of the class is sweating it out. But, suddenly, during the last few minutes, the young student is seen desperately throwing the coin and sweating profusely. The moderator, alarmed, approaches the student and asks what is going on. "Well, I finished the exam in half an hour," says the student, "but I thought I ought to recheck my answers."
*Thanks to Pastor Tim for this joke!*

And so, another month is gone. The market is acting in a positive manner and we're looking forward to an active spring. I'll have the first quarter's statistics available next month.

Thanks for reading.

Lorne & Drew

It's too late to wish you a Happy New Year!

. . . . . but you know I would, if it were appropriate.

Yes, it's true. I didn't get out a January newsletter update. Shame on me, no doubt. Perhaps it's still o.k. to wish you a Happy Chinese New Year. This is year 4709 on the Chinese lunar calendar, and it is the year of the Rabbit. (Is this where the symbol of the rabbit's foot bringing good luck started? If you know, please let me know.)

Gong Xi Fa Chai

Some of these tips may be a little off the wall, but some of them could be very handy:

SEND THESE TIPS TO YOUR COLD WEATHER FRIENDS

Helpful Hints For Winter
Keep your headlights clear with car wax! Just wipe ordinary car wax on your headlights. It contains special water repellents that will prevent that messy mixture from accumulating on your lights - lasts 6 weeks.

Squeak-proof your wipers with rubbing alcohol! Wipe the wipers with a cloth saturated with rubbing alcohol or ammonia. This one trick can make badly streaking & squeaking wipers change to near perfect silence & clarity.

Ice-proof your windows with vinegar! Frost on it's way? Just fill a spray bottle with three parts vinegar to one part water & spritz it on all your windows at night. In the morning, they'll be clear of icy mess. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which raises the melting point of water---preventing water from freezing!

Prevent car doors from freezing shut with cooking spray! Spritz cooking oil on the rubber seals around car doors & rub it in with a paper towel. The cooking spray prevents water from melting into the rubber

Fog-proof your windshield with shaving cream! Spray some shaving cream on the inside of your windshield & wipe if off with paper towels. Shaving cream has many of the same ingredients found in commercial defoggers.

De-ice your lock in seconds with rubbing alcohol! Wipe the wipers with a cloth saturated with rubbing alcohol or ammonia. This one trick can make badly streaking & squeaking wipers change to near perfect silence & clarity. with vinegar! Frost on it's way? Just fill a spray bottle with three parts vinegar to one part water & spritz it on all your windows at night. In the morning, they'll be clear of icy mess. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which raises the melting point of water---preventing water from freezing! with shaving cream! Spray some shaving cream on the inside of your windshield & wipe if off with paper towels. Shaving cream has many of the same ingredients found in commercial defoggers. with hand sanitizer! Just put some hand sanitizer gel on the key & the lock & the problems solved!

Here's a community event I hope you will consider supporting. This coming weekend, February 11 - 14th our office is holding a community food drive in the Chahko Mika mall, right at the exit to Save On Foods. You can bring in your non-perishable items to donate, or you may purchase a bag of non-perishables that Save On will prepare and just bring that in once you've gone through the checkout.

We'll be there from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on all 4 days. The proceeds are going to the Salvation Army and the Nelson Food Cupboard. We're doing this now because the need continues throughout the year. We know they get plenty of support around Christmas time, but sometimes the shelves get pretty bare at other times, so we're trying to do our part to get that message out into our community. Thanks, in advance.

Do You Know A Buyer For This Home?
This is a 1 bedroom + den unit on the top floor of the Amber Bay development. This condominium is less than 3 years old with a large deck, great view and a very workable floor plan. Full details and more photos on our web-site: Amber Bay
Priced at $299,900

You must have know that I'd have a photo of my grand-daughters. Here they are in the sweaters that their grandma knitted them for Christmas. It was great having everyone home.

When it comes to statistical information for the end of the year, inside the city there was very little change from 2009. In both years there were 103 single family home sales. In 2010 the average sale price of a single family home was $350,517. This is an increase over 2009 when the average s.f. home price was $342,285.

Outside of the city, in the rural area surrounding us, the single family home sales were down from 2009. During 2010 there were 87 sales (105 in 2009) and the average price rose from $352,036 in 2009 to $361,250 during 2010.

Land sales in the rural area are almost unchanged from the previous year, but there was an drop in average prices from $190,212 down to $145,072. However, my statistics don't show how many of these lots were waterfront, and it is my opinion that waterfront was a slow part of the market in 2010, so that could account for the rather drastic change in average prices.

Vacant land sales within the city show an increase from 8 (2009) to 17 in 2010, but that difference is almost entirely made up of the lots that the City of Nelson sold during 2010 that are adjacent to the development @ Fairview Heights and the new park that the city is intending to develop. Again, average prices are up from $134,225 (2009) to $138,512 (2010).

These number do show that while sales have been sluggish, the market price is holding steady.

Please don't hesitate to call us if you would like more specific information on the real estate market.

Amazed dentist

"Open wider," requested the dentist, as he began his examination of the patient.

"Good Grief!" he said startled.

"You've got the biggest cavity I've ever seen -- the biggest cavity I've ever seen."

"OK Doc!" replied the patient. "I'm scared enough without you saying something like that twice."

"I didn't!" said the dentist. "That was the echo."

*Thanks to Pastor Tim for this joke!*

Please remember that if you are seeking more real estate related information, you can check out our "in the koots" blog-site at: Nelson Real Estate In The Koots

That's all we wrote for this month (& last!). Your comments, criticisms and contributions are always welcome. Thanks for reading!

Lorne & Drew