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Please visit our Open House at 2783 OXTOBY PL in Coquitlam.
Open House on Sunday, May 31, 2015 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Lovely home in the Ranch Park neighborhood! Cul-de-sac and family oriented neighbourhood. 2 story home with walkout basement provides several options for the family and potential suite. Large master bedroom with ensuite bathroom and amazingmountain view from balcony. Main floor has open living room with hardwood floors, updated kitchen and eating area, new paint, roof is only 3 years old. Carport for one car but room for 3 more cars and RV parking. Nice garden area, small fish pond and gazebo. Walk to West Coast Express and future Evergreen Line Skytrain, Coquitlam Centre & all levels of schools. FIRST SHOWINGS SAT & SUN 2-4PM.
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Please visit our Open House at 46 19525 73RD AVE in Surrey.
Open House on Saturday, May 30, 2015 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Over 15k in upgrades! One of the most desirable family friendly & upscale neighborhoods in Clayton. This corner 1944 sqft 3 bdrm 4 bathroom townhome offers open concept gourmet kitchen, granite counters in Kitchen & all bathrooms, upgraded S/S appliances, tons of storage & espresso laminate flooring & powder room on main. Upstairs 3 spacious bdrms, 2 luxurious baths, large games room and 4pc bathroom on lower level, easy to make into 4th bdrm. Extra large windows for maximum daylight, screens, a custom built fireplace feature wall, designer lighting, landscaped yard with rear fencing and double car side by side garage with large parking pad, built-in vacuum. No GST, under 2-5-10 warranty. Open House Sat 30th 12-2pm
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New property listed at 2783 OXTOBY PL in Coquitlam.
Lovely home in the Ranch Park neighborhood! Cul-de-sac and family oriented neighbourhood. 2 story home with walkout basement provides several options for the family and potential suite. Large master bedroom with ensuite bathroom and amazingmountain view from balcony. Main floor has open living room with hardwood floors, updated kitchen and eating area, new paint, roof is only 3 years old. Carport for one car but room for 3 more cars and RV parking. Nice garden area, small fish pond and gazebo. Walk to West Coast Express and future Evergreen Line Skytrain, Coquitlam Centre & all levels of schools. FIRST SHOWINGS SAT & SUN 2-4PM.
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Please visit our Open House at 2783 OXTOBY PL in Coquitlam.
Open House on Saturday, May 30, 2015 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Lovely home in the Ranch Park neighborhood! Cul-de-sac and family oriented neighbourhood. 2 story home with walkout basement provides several options for the family and potential suite. Large master bedroom with ensuite bathroom and amazingmountain view from balcony. Main floor has open living room with hardwood floors, updated kitchen and eating area, new paint, roof is only 3 years old. Carport for one car but room for 3 more cars and RV parking. Nice garden area, small fish pond and gazebo. Walk to West Coast Express and future Evergreen Line Skytrain, Coquitlam Centre & all levels of schools. FIRST SHOWINGS SAT & SUN 2-4PM.
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We all protect our home from fire and smoke, but what about water damage? The Home Insurance experts at BCAA offer eight excellent tips to avoid a costly mess


 

Water damage is one of the most common and costly challenges facing BC homeowners. The frequency and severity of water damage claims continue to grow due to extreme weather, more complex appliances and the growing popularity of condensed multi-unit living.





Most insurance policies do not cover water damage caused by continuous or repeated seepage, rising ground waters or surface waters – but sudden, while accidental, escape of water from a watermain, plumbing, heating system or internal drain are usually covered. Water damage resulting from a private external drain or entry of water through an opening in your roof are usually not covered and depend on your policy; additional coverage can be purchased for either event to provide you with protection needed.


A few simple precautions can help to safeguard your home and possessions from water damage:


Install water alarms. They work like smoke detectors but warn of leaks from toilets, water heaters, overflowing baths and sinks. Simply place near any water source and a high-pitched alarm alerts you to water leaks. Water alarms start from as little as $15 a unit.

Install stainless steel-braided hoses where possible. These hoses cost around $20 and are less likely to deteriorate than plastic hoses. Dishwasher and washing machine hoses should be inspected and replaced every three to five years.


Use a rain barrel. Rain barrels keep rainwater out of overloaded storm sewer infrastructures and provide you with water for your garden. Check if your municipality has a program that offers subsidies for a rain barrel purchase.


Connect an eavestrough downspout extension. Extend the eavestrough at least six feet from foundation walls to prevent water from draining into your basement, and direct it towards the street. Downspout extensions cost around $15.

Check the foundation. As ice melts or after heavy rain, clear any pooling water away from the home.

Inspect the roof. Get the roof inspected every few years to check the condition of the shingles and replace when necessary in order to prevent leaks.

Test the sump pump. If the basement has one, examine it and conduct a test run especially if it doesn’t get used frequently.

Protect your valuables. Consider moving valuables away from high-risk areas, such as the basement, or place items on high shelves or risers, especially in homes prone to water damage.

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I have sold a property at 403 200 NEWPORT DR in Port Moody.
Over 1200 sqft spacious, 2 bedroom & den Condo in the heart of whistler inspired Newport Village. This well-kept home features modern paint, updated kitchen, stainless steel high end appliances, French doors to the den, walk in closetand large ensuite in master bedroom and lots of room for storage and closets! Bosa built concrete building features hot tub & gym & extra storage. Steps away from Brown's Social House, Italian Deli and Bakery, St James Well, Sushi Restaurant, Wine shop Ice Cream Parlour and much more! Walking distance from Rocky Point Park, Suter Brook, transit, Rec Centre, Library & future Evergreen Line.
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Please visit our Open House at 46 19525 73RD AVE in Surrey.
Open House on Sunday, May 24, 2015 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Over 15k in upgrades! One of the most desirable family friendly & upscale neighborhoods in Clayton. This corner 1944 sqft 3 bdrm 3.5 bathroom townhome offers open concept gourmet kitchen, granite counters in Kitchen & all bathrooms, upgraded S/S appliances, tons of storage & espresso laminate flooring & powder room on main. Upstairs 3 spacious bdrms, 2 luxurious baths, large games room and 4pc bathroom on lower level, easy to make into 4th bdrm. Extra large windows for maximum daylight, screens, a custom built fireplace feature wall, designer lighting, landscaped yard with rear fencing and double car side by side garage with large parking pad, built-in vacuum. No GST, under 2-5-10 warranty, great location in complex.
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Please visit our Open House at 18 13210 SHOESMITH CRES in Maple Ridge.
Open House on Saturday, May 23, 2015 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Very private 2-storey "Cavalier" home in the Prestigious Rock Point. Located above Golden Ears Park and minutes to Alouette Lake. This home is at nature's door with green space front & back. Open floor plan boasts expresso hardwood floors,granite counters and high end stainless steel appliances. Huge master bedroom offers larger walk-in closet & ensuite has soaker tub & shower. 2 full size bedrooms & bathroom complete the upstairs & additional bedroom downstairs is available for guest. Fully finished 2 bedroom executive suite mortgage helper or perfect in-law suite. Central A/C, triple car garage, storage, built-in vacuum, shed and extra RV parking. The only thing left to do is relax in the amazing hot tub/cabana!
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New property listed at 18 13210 SHOESMITH CRES in Maple Ridge.
Very private 2-storey executive home in the Prestigious Rock Point. Located above Golden Ears Park and minutes to Alouette Lake. This home is at nature's door with green space front & back. Open floor plan boasts expresso hardwood floors,granite counters and high end stainless steel appliances. Huge master bedroom offers larger walk-in closet & ensuite has soaker tub & shower. 2 full size bedrooms & bathroom complete the upstairs & additional bedroom downstairs is available for guest. Fully finished 2 bedroom executive suite mortgage helper or perfect in-law suite. Central A/C, triple car garage, storage, built-in vacuum, shed and extra RV parking. The only thing left to do is relax in the amazing hot tub/cabana!
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Moving to a smaller place? Over time, we tend to accumulate stuff - lots of stuff. We have drawers full of stuff, gifts that we have never used (and never will), furniture we don’t really need but keep “just in case” and items that we’ve had for years may be difficult to part with due to nothing more than familiarity while serving no functional purpose. Now is the time to get rid of excess baggage (literally!) and pare down to the essentials.

 

 

 
1. Assess your actual needs. Someday, you may take up exercising, but the treadmill/Stairmaster/Bowflex has been gathering dust for some time. Wouldn’t a good pair of walking/running shoes be more useful and take up significantly less space? Does anyone actually sit in the chair in the corner? How often do you eat at the table? When was the last time you used your stereo?

Deciding what you really need requires a good long look at how you live your life daily and prioritizing the activities and items that are already a part of your actual lifestyle--not those activities or items that you wantto be part of your lifestyle, but haven't gotten around to yet.
  • Take a walk through your house or apartment and evaluate everything you come across (furniture, books, food, etc.). Ask yourself if you've used it in the past year and, if so, how often? Be honest with yourself. If you think you could live well without it, out the door it should go. Make a note of it.
  • Consider that most of the stuff people keep without using is a tribute to an unmet goal. The most common example is probably exercise machines that we always say we'll use, but don't. Then there are those books we intend to read, that table we eventually want to have dinners and brunches on, etc. We keep things around "just in case", or hoping that their presence will eventually encourage us to use them. But let's be realistic, if seeing that treadmill get a coating of dust hasn't inspired you yet, what makes you think it ever will? Make room for the things you'll actually use.
  • For stuff that you really have a hard time getting rid of, make this agreement with yourself: Put the items in storage. If you don't need or use them within 6 months, give, sell or throw them away.

 

 

 

2. Go through your home, every cabinet, shelf and closet should be cleared. Only put back the things you couldn't live well without. That means that if you use a whisk every other day it stays but the melon-baller when you don't even like melon... Out it goes. Put these items in boxes, crates or bags in a garage or other storage area.
 
 
 
3. Measure your furniture. You will need to know how your furniture will (or won’t) fit into your new space - particularly large items such as your sofa and your bed - so measure everything.

You will also need to get the room measurements of your new space. Ask if you can take measurements or if there is a floor plan available to you. Don’t forget about the location of doors and windows as this will be a factor in furniture placement. Once you have these measurements, make a floor plan using your furniture’s measurements. Try using Better Homes and Gardens’ Arrange-A-Room online software to simplify the process (requires registration but is free). This will give you a much better idea on what you can keep and what will have to go.
 
 

4. Assess your new storage areas. How many times have you moved into a new place only to realize - too late - that you have overestimated the amount of storage space? While you’re getting room measurements, make sure to properly assess the storage situation you’ll be inheriting. Will you have fewer kitchen cupboards? How many closets will you have? If you are moving into an apartment, does it have a storage locker and, if so, what are its dimensions?

Assessing exactly how much of the new space is dedicated to storage will give you and idea of the volume of items you need to dispose of before moving in. Don’t forget hidden storage areas you currently use in your old place. If you place a lot of items above the kitchen cabinets in your current home, for example, find out if the cupboards in the new place have storage in that area as well.

 
 

5. Ransack your old storage areas. Go through your storage areas first (attics, basements, closets, etc). You will be surprised to find out what you’ve put away instead of gotten rid of. If you’re like most of us, you will find boxes of items that haven’t seen the light of day for years and there’s a reason for this: you don’t need them. Get rid of them at once. Hesitation will only melt your resolve.
  • Don’t forget to go through your bathroom cabinets, kitchen and “junk” drawers. We have a tendency to accumulate unnecessary items in these places. Get rid of empty bottles, balls of twine, expired medicines and beauty products, and your collection of plastic margarine containers. Be brutal.
  • How you dispose of these unnecessary items will depend on how much energy and/or time you have. The easiest thing to do is to load them up on a truck and drop them off at the nearest thrift shop.
  • Join a Freecycle group to give stuff away (www.freecycle.org)
  • If you live in an apartment building or townhouse complex, notice boards and drop off areas for giving unwanted items to neighbours is sometimes provided.
  • Call up your friends and relatives and see what they need. You may be able to enlist their help in the move for a promised dresser/bed/armchair!

 

 


6. Sell your stuff. If you’re in need of a pre-move windfall, try these:
  • For a large number of items, have a yard sale (or a series of yard sales), or if you have a lot to sell quickly, consider a service to take care of it for you (e.g., Google liquidation estate content sales).
  • If you have time before the move, utilize sites such as Craigslist and eBay to sell off the best stuff. You’ll likely get more money for your items this way but it is more time consuming.
  • Craigslist is a good avenue for selling larger items such as furniture, appliances and home decor items to people living in your area. If you have the means, offering delivery will often produce quicker sales.
  • eBay is a good venue for selling collectible items such as old albums, comic books, and figurines. Make sure to take good quality photos of the items and offer good descriptions. Remember that you are a salesperson. Sell those products!
  • Used designer clothing can be resold in consignment shops. These stores can be found in your local business directory. Be sure to shop around. Some stores offer better rates than others.

 

 

 
7. Get organized. Before you move into your new place, it’s a good time to work out some storage solutions for your stored items. You can do this as you pack. Place your storage items in decorative storage boxes that can be moved and placed in the new storage areas without much effort. Plastic bins are great for moving and storing, come in many sizes, are stackable, and the see-through ones make finding what you need a snap. The measurements taken of the new storage areas will ensure a good fit. Come moving day, these boxes will be much easier to deal with.
 
Label everything by room. Don’t think that you will remember big television box is actually full of pots and pans. You won’t.

 
 
 
8. Move large items first. Move your furniture into your new home first. You will have the most energy for this task at the beginning of the move and it will also give you a better indication of where the smaller things will go. Do not merely fill a room with furniture with the idea of sorting it all out later. There is nothing worse than trying to navigate through small rooms littered with boxes and stacks of furniture after a day of moving. Place furniture in the rooms as you go, according to the plan you made earlier. If you have done your homework correctly, your big items should fit in nicely and already give you a sense of home (and a place to sit while taking a break from all of your hard work!)

 
 
 
9. Put away storage items. Contained items that are meant for storage can be placed directly in their allotted spaces where they will be out of the way. By putting these things away as you move in, you’ll be saving yourself the stress of trying to maneuver through tiny, packed rooms during the next few days.

 
 
 
10. Organize boxed items. Your labeled boxes can now be put into their respective rooms and the unpacking can begin. Begin with the bathroom, as that is the room most likely to be needed immediately. If you have only kept the basics, unpacking this room will be a breeze.

 
 
 
11. Organize your space as you unpack. Utilize closet and cupboard storage solutions as you unpack. This way, more can be stored in these tight spaces and you will be setting a precedent for how your new, smaller space will be used. Don’t fall back into lazy habits or your downsized place will get you down.
 
 
 

12. Relax and enjoy! You have now entered the realm of living small. You no longer have to worry about the financial burden or time draining tasks of maintaining a home too big for your needs and you have simplified your life by surrounding yourself with only those things that are most important to you. Rejoice!
 

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