Deborah LeBlanc

This month's Item of Value shows ways to Improve the Value to Your Home in different cost efficient ways; As Canadians we spent $25.8 billion on home renovations in 2009 and the kitchen remains the most popular room in the house to remodel. Although it's tempting to spend thousands on the latest trends and brands, it is possible to revamp the kitchen without breaking the bank.

Please check out the valuable info on cost-effective kitchen remodeling, attached. The 1st page outlines cost saving alternatives of the most common elements of a kitchen remodel. Page 2 offers valuable tips for a pre-sale kitchen renovation. Please share this info with your family and friends who may be interested in remodeling their kitchens.

Download, Improve the Value to Your Home HERE!

July proved to be our busiest month this year - we apologize for no July newsletter! The real estate market continues to be strong, especially on the Westside of Vancouver, Richmond and West Vancouver.

For those of you that like to check out properties on line, there is a very easy way to look for properties on our webpage, just click on the Properties tab and go from there.

Please feel free to call us with any home or real estate questions. We have a great contact list of professionals that we can refer you to for anything from renewing your mortgage, painting & renovating or setting up your will. We truly appreciate those referral calls and enjoy helping all your connections.

REBGV Stats for July 2011:
Comments from Rosario Setticasi - REBGV President;

"It is taking on average 41 days to sell a property in the region, which is unchanged from June of this year."

"The number of homes listed for sale in the region has increased each month since the start of they year, which is giving buyers more selection to choose from and more time to make decisions."

• Detached properties - benchmark price increased 13.3% from July 2010 to $898,886
  % of detached listings that sold in July = 17.2%
• Attached properties - benchmark price increased by 6.9% between July 2010 to 2011 to $524,909
  % of attached listings that sold in July = 18.2%
• Apartment properties - benchamrk price increased 4.5% from July 2010 to $405,306
  % of apartment listings that sold in July = 16.2%
• Homes priced competively continue to sell at a swift pace.

This month's Item of Value shows ways to Improve the Value to Your Home in different cost efficient ways; As Canadians we spent $25.8 billion on home renovations in 2009 and the kitchen remains the most popular room in the house to remodel. Although it's tempting to spend thousands on the latest trends and brands, it is possible to revamp the kitchen without breaking the bank.

Please check out the valuable info on cost-effective kitchen remodeling, attached. The 1st page outlines cost saving alternatives of the most common elements of a kitchen remodel. Page 2 offers valuable tips for a pre-sale kitchen renovation. Please share this info with your family and friends who may be interested in remodeling their kitchens.

Oh, by the way............We are never too busy for your Referrals! Don't forget our appreciation of $500.00 for each successful referral.

We are happy to announce our September Business Partner of the Month;

Blaine St. Arnault, BA, CFP at ARTECH Asset Advisory Services Inc.

Blaine is a financial planner who we have worked with personally for over 20 years! 

ARTECH is a small boutique firm focused on providing personalized service and independent financial advice to a select group of famiies, indiviudals and businesses.

ARTECH offers a wide variety of brokered financial instruments to provide solutions to any of your investment needs. Since ARTECH does not represent any one financial institution such as a Bank, Credit Union or Life Insurance company, they are able to offer more independent service and advice.

Their mission is to ensure that they understand their clients' financial situation and financial goals before recommending any product or service.

Advice and Planning on;

• RRSP's and RRIF's
• TFSA's
• RESP's and In-Trust Accounts
• Locking in RRSP's & LIF's or LRIF's
• Investment Accounts

Products Offered;

• Mutual Funds
• GIC's
• Segregated Funds
• Life Annuities
• Life Insurance
• Disability Insurance
• Critical Illness Insurance
• Long Term Care Insurance

Contact Blaine;

Blaine St. Arnault, BA, CFP

ARTECH Asset Advisory Services Inc.

209-3993 Henning Drive

Burnaby, BC   V5C 6P7

Office: (604) 434-3863

Fax:    (604) 434-3783

Email: blaine66@shaw.ca 

Thank you so much for al your phone calls and referrals! Spring has been a very active market for us and we appreciate you passing our names along to your friends and family.

This month's business partner we are promoting is Peter Pasula whom we have worked with for years. Many of you have found great rates on mortgages through Peter's services. If you are thinking of buying, renewing your mortgage, or shifting finances around give Peter a call to discuss your options. Information attached here!

REBGV Stats for May 2011:

• "with a sales to active listing ratio of 23%, conditions continue to favour sellers in the Greater Vancouver housing market, but activity has eased away from the near record setting pace we saw in March." Rosario Setticasi, REBGV President said. (1 out of 4 total properties listed are selling)
• The MLSLink Housing Price Index (HPI) benchmark price for all residential properties in Greater Vancouver over the last 12 months increased 6.2% to $627,568 in May 2011 from $590,662 in May 2010.
• Of all the residential properties sold on the MLS in Greater Vancouver in 2011 to date - 21% sold for $1 million or higher, 20% sold for $350,000 or lower. 77% of the properties that sold for over $1 million were located in West Vancouver, the Westside of Vancouver or Richmond, the propertiers that sold for $350.000 or lower were located throughout the entire Broad Area.
• Detached Properties - (1 out of 4 sold) benchmark price increased 10% from May 2010 to $890,830
• Attached Properties - (1 out of 4 sold) benchmark price increased 3.5% between May 2010 to 2011 to $517,787
• Apartments - (1 out of 5 sold) benchmark price of an apartment increased 2.2% from May 2010 to $407,419

This Month's Item of Value - Did you know you have Hazardous Materials in Your Home?

• How to properly dispose of common household hazardous materials to keep your family and community safe.
• Goods we use every day, including CFL light bulbs and computers, contain harmful chemicals that when released can pollute the air, soil and water.
• Page 2 provides a helpful list of items containing hazardous materials that you have may have in your household.
• Download the file, here!

Feel free to share this information with family & friends!

Oh, by the way.......We are never too busy for your referrals!

Did you know you have Hazardous Materials in Your Home?

• How to properly dispose of common household hazardous materials to keep your family and community safe.
• Goods we use every day, including CFL light bulbs and computers, contain harmful chemicals that when released can pollute the air, soil and water.
• Page 2 provides a helpful list of items containing hazardous materials that you have may have in your household.
• Download the file, here!

Feel free to share this information with family & friends!