Never fails, as soon as the property assessment values hit our mailbox we all find ways to interpret reasons to support or negate what the BC Assessment Authority has said.  “I’d never sell my house for the current assessed value”.  If I had a dollar for every time I had heard that I would have retired from Real Estate long ago.  The only thing that should concern you about your assessed value is the amount of taxes you are going to be paying to the city.  My personal gauge when it comes to determining whether or not I am going to dispute the assessment authorities pricing is 15-20%.  Simply put, if the assessed value is within 15-20% of what I deem to be true market value, I don’t get too bent out of shape.  Having said that, the lower your assessment is the less taxes you will pay in theory.  If you are really concerned or would like a second opinion don’t hesitate to give me a shout.  I will happily review your Kamloops and area assessments over the phone and/or in person.

Yesterday with a 5-4 split our counsel voted to require new builds to be solar hot water ready.  While I appreciate the option of an alternative heating source.  As a person who is currently building I struggle with counsel’s decision.  “Future ready” as some of our counselors have stated makes absolutely no sense, unless it’s mandatory by law or my current heating system blows up (remember I’m a new build) I’m not going to spend the money required to tie in to the new solar heating system.  At the risk of dragging this thing on my building costs are already higher than they should be, taking into consideration my DCC charges and the current code requirements with respect to my plumbing/heating system.  If you are interested, attached is the link to the Kamloops Daily News article where you can read more about this. 

http://www.kamloopsnews.ca/article/20111206/KAMLOOPS0101/111209872/-1/kamloops/council-makes-solar-hot-water-readiness-mandatory-for-new-homes

This article supports what we have been saying all along about keeping your home listed during the Holidays.  If you are trying to decide between keeping your home on the market or taking a break for the Holidays please take the time to read this and consider all the information

When you look at your holiday calendars you may find the months already overloaded with seasonal obligations — shopping, entertaining, children’s pageants, charity work, decorating the house, and so much more. If you are also trying to sell your home, you are under extra pressure to keep your home in “showtime” condition. And that could be the last thing you need before the holiday spirit is broken.

It is understandable why you would be tempted to take your home off the market during the holidays. And the list of justifications is long. If you are too busy, buyers may be also, and you may find your efforts unrewarded by enough showings. And what if you do get an offer? You may be faced with the possibility of packing and moving during the busiest time of the year. Besides, you can give your house a rest, and it will have better momentum after the holidays. Better to just pack it in and start fresh in January, right?

But wait! Top-selling Realtor Jennie Ling says taking your home off the market during the Christmas season is a mistake. A vice president of Virginia Cook REALTORS® and the number one sales person in her company for almost every one of her more than 35 years in the real estate business, Ling exclaims, “The house sure isn’t going to sell off the market! What is the advantage of that? So you’re busy. Let your Realtor do the work. You can leave in the morning, go to work, go shopping, and let your Realtor take care of things.”

“The holidays are my best-selling period. Why? Because most people take off work sometime during the season. The husband and wife are both off and want to see houses. I showed homes on New Year’s Day last year. I like the holidays because the buyers have more time, and they can look at homes together.”

Before you take your home off the market, consider the following points:

• Although buyer activity may appear to slow down, the buyers who are actively looking during the holidays are that much more serious. Ling believes the home market is no more affected at Christmas than during other “busy” period. If that were so, the market would shut down throughout the year as families concentrate on spring weddings, June graduations, summer vacations, and autumn back-to-school activities.
• Many buyers deliberately choose to shop for a home after the busy spring and summer rush. They know that it will be easier to look, and that negotiations will be less stressful. They may not have children, or they may have grown children, so moving to accommodate the school year isn’t a consideration. Finding the right home at the right price, however, is.
• Relocating families often don’t have a choice in when they can leave for their new destination. Although 68 percent of transferring families have children, many families have to transfer during the middle of the school year. These families are that much more motivated to get their families settled in before either before the January semester begins, or to arrange for the move during spring break in March. If you sign a contract by New Year’s Eve, the timing couldn’t be more perfect.
• At Christmastime, our culture focuses on family and the home. Preparing for the indoor activities of winter is one of the most enjoyable periods of family life. Allowing buyers to view your home during this most hospitable of seasons lets them better picture their own family life in the attractive environment you have created.
• When is your home ever more beautiful and inviting? You have cleaned and decorated, and your home looks like a picture postcard. If the results are good enough for family and friends, they will surely be good enough to impress your buyers. Get the family team on board to do a five-minute blitz pick-up every morning to keep holiday messes to a minimum.
• With reduced inventories and motivated buyers, you will have all the members of the MLS on your team. You may find you have more showings than you would if your marketed your home during a busier time of the year.
• If you do get a contract, you can arrange the terms to suit your needs. If moving during the holidays isn’t an option, you can put in the closing date of your choice. “Most people can close 30 to 60 days after a contract is written, so there is plenty of time,” Ling says. “Possession and closings are are very negotiable.”

http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20111125_holidays.htm

There are many ways to beat stress when moving but when in the process it is easy to get overwhelmed.  Here are some tips to help you make you move go as smoothly as possible.

1. Make a list – Write down all the things that will need to be done during your move, to make it even easier you can make your list a timeline reminding when certain things need to be done
2. De-clutter – 20 years of stuff piling up in your basement? Clear it out!!!!! Before packing or during packing go through your items and donate or throw away the things you no longer use. Not only will this clear space for you to put things in your new home it will help you to feel good about the move.
3. Get friends – Don’t be afraid to ask someone for help, they have been there before! Ask friends or family if they would mind helping with packing, if you have kids maybe they can watch them for you for a couple hours while you pack, bring you dinner? There are many ways people can help!
4. Have a back up plan – Booked your moving company? Just to be sure you can book the Team Cavaliere moving trailer or Uncle Joe to help out in case of an emergency.
5. GO WITH THE FLOW – Things can and will go wrong, you will need to be flexible and give yourself some room to deal with these little problems.

If you have kids:

1. Give your kids as much information as possible about the move and make it understood they can ask you any questions.  This will help your child feel more confident and can even be fun if they feel involved.
2. Ask them to sort their own room or help to organize their things.
3. Make a “moving survival kit” box or have them make one that includes things your child will need in the move such as games, books, photos of friends, etc
4. If you have a baby or toddler try and have someone watch them for moving day.

If you have pets:

1. If possible leave your pets at a friend or family member’s house until you have moved, if you can’t leave your pet with someone leave them in an one room with some water and their toy while your stuff is being moved out.
2. If you are moving far ensure you have blankets, food & water in the car for them
3. Your pet should be tattooed or micro chipped in case they get lost, your name & contact information should be clearly visible on their collar
4.  If your dog is staying with friends try to arrange the furniture before they get to the new home or keep them in an empty water with water and toys
5. Stick to your pet’s regular schedule as much as possible, regular walks and play time will help them with the stress of moving

Unpacking:

1. Move your furniture and larger items in first
2. The best place to start unpacking is the kitchen, you will need to eat at some point hahaha.  Start with the things you use most often and you can leave your special china and things you use less in boxes to be unpacked later
3. Next is the bedrooms then the bathrooms (although hopefully you kept some toilet paper aside)
4. Now that all your main rooms are unpacked you can focus on unpacking your office, rec room, etc
5. Once everything is unpacked or as you unpack each room you can decide where you want your pictures and decorations can go

We are excited to announce that our office is in the process of getting an outside facelift.  If you have stopped by in the past couple weeks you may have already noticed the building has been painted blue and some of our railings, etc are missing.  This morning I came in to the back stairs missing! We are completely re-doing our back stairs/porch area and I hear we are even getting a picnic table area for us to eat our lunch outside! J

Once the building reno’s are complete we will be landscaping the outside and adding some greenery.  It will look beautiful when it is done but for now please be patient with us as we deal with the little annoyances that come from renovations.

What are your plans for renovations this summer? Doing anything major or just updating?

Hard to believe it is the end of April!  Everyone here had an amazing weekend spent with family and friends for the holiday.  Angie is back from vacation looking very tanned and feeling great.  Everyone here is happy the weather seems as if it is starting to shift again to a balmier climate and Vince and Katrina continued to torture their bodies training for a crazy tri (I get enough exercise walking to and from the bus frankly).

Speaking about exercise, this weekend is the Kamloops Daily News Boogie the Bridge, if you haven’t registered for the 5km, 10 km or 21 km, walk, run or stroll go to http://www.dailynewsboogie.ca/ and if you’re in the area May 1st stop by our corporate tent to say hi! Our whole team will be there; I am walking the 5km with my Dad and volunteering in the morning.  We would love to see you!!!

-Laura

I’m sorry m’am, you cannot board this flight… you must have a visa to enter India.
Ok, no problem… this has happened to me once before.  By the time I get to Hong Kong we should be sorted.
No m’am, I don’t think you understand… you must have a visa to enter the country.
I don’t think you understand… our flight leaves in an hour so we can either do this now or from Hong Kong.
(I never really understood the necessity of having to be at the airport 3 hours in advance.  All I ever do is buy expensive magazines and overpriced junk food and sit in an uncomfortable chair waiting to sit in an even more uncomfortable chair.  One of these days I will learn to stop challenging rules that are put in place for a reason).
I’m sorry m’am but you must apply for visa in person at the Indian Consulate.
But our flight leaves in less than an hour….!!!
I’m sorry m’am…. I don’t think you understand.  You must have visa to enter country.  It will take 5 to 7 business days to receive visa.

Thankfully I work well under pressure, and my travel companion is thinking as fast as I am.  Next question… does this have to be done from Canada?
No ma’m.. you can do it from anywhere.
Bangkok?
Yes m’am.  But your flight leaves in less than an hour so you must hurry.
No problem, I’m training for a 10k.

And that is why we are in Thailand instead of India….

It’s been such an incredible trip that it’s actually hard to convey in words.  It’s been one serendipitous event after another to the point where we are very certain this is all happening for a reason, we just have no idea what it is.

We arrived in Bangkok in the wee hours of the morning and a very patient cab driver drove us around until we found a hotel that would take us in.  A few hours of sleep and the next morning we were up exploring the city.  Somehow we ended up in the oldest temple in Thailand.  Here what I mean about serendipity… It’s only open on the day that we happened to be there, and there just happened to be a man there who drives 9 hours once a year to come and kneel before the Buddha and make his wishes.  He’s been doing this for 7 years because every time he comes his life changes and gets better.  He was the only other person in the temple that day.

So he lit some incense for us, guided us through a prayer and left us with our thoughts and wishes.  It was like being handed the magical lamp… the genie will appear and your wish is my command.  So there I sat before the Buddha, tears streaming down my face trying to wrap my mind around this incredibly surreal moment.  The greatest realization for me was that I had nothing to wish for… I don’t have to wish for better health, or good friends, or a career, or happiness… how lucky am I??  It was quite a pivoting moment and the most overwhelming feeling of gratitude washed over me as I sat there.

I think the beautiful lesson in all of this is that there is no point in stressing about the outcome of any situation…what will be will be and if there are roadblocks or obstacles in the way, there are there for a reason!  My new motto:  Just roll with it!

We spent our first 5 days in Bangkok just exploring the city and taking it all in.  Now we are in Pattaya which is a crazy little beach town about 2 hours south of BKK.  We got here just in time for the Songkran festival (Thai new year) which has been probably the most fun I have ever had!  It’s a massive week long celebration and the tradition is to pour water over yourself and others in order to wash away the regrets, sins and bad attitudes from the previous year.  The reality is that it’s a MASSIVE water fight in the streets.  You cannot go anywhere without getting soaked… so if you can’t beat ’em, join ‘em!  I’ve taken a ton of photos and video as there are really no words to convey this event.

Sadly our time in Pattaya has come to an end, now we head back to Bangkok for the night and find out first thing tomorrow if our visas to India have been approved.  So if all is a go we fly out tomorrow night and get to experience a whole new world.

I don’t think internet is easily accessible over there so I may not be able to check in.  But I look forward to seeing how the rest of this crazy adventure turns out.  We have absolutely no plan… we’ll just head to the airport tomorrow night and see what flights are available.  We’ll land in Mumbai and figure it out from there.  The ultimate destination is still Goa, how we will get there remains a mystery.  We could fly, or take a train, or a bus… who knows.  I’ve never been a big planner and I’m even less of one now!!!

Ciao for now!!

During my lunch break I had the privilege to visit my brother (Maison Cavaliere) and watch his rugby game at the KIB rugby field.  Having grown up in Kamloops, it’s nice to see all the different areas now available for sporting events!  It’s nice to finally be able to play soccer all year round even when there is snow on the ground.

In 50 days I will be leaving this beautiful city for Australia, normally you would think I would be leaving the sunshine for, well… more sunshine but this trip is for Australia’s ski season.  Full year of skiing!! YAY!!!  I will miss the beautiful summer here but I am excited to resume my winter sports.

Madyson Cavaliere

March 3^rd , I only have one outstanding rent check….  The best part about owning Kamloops area investment properties is taking the checks to the bank and watching your principal balance decrease.  Needless to say, the worst part is outstanding rent checks!  Hahaha

Most people think owning investment properties in the Kamloops area is a hassle, in reality if you treat your investment property like a business, 99% of your job is to just manage people and their expectations.  With the changes in mortgage lending, entry level buyers will definitely have a tougher time getting into the Kamloops Real Estate market.  I see this only as an opportunity for stable home owners looking to diversify their portfolio.

In the Kamloops area vacancy rates are below 2%.  There are still a number of condos available under $150,000 as well you can get into a solid duplex for under $400,000.  If you’re a wannabe investor, get off the fence!  As I mentioned above, vacancy is low in Kamloops and I do not expect it to change anytime soon.  A 2 bedroom apartment rents anywhere between $700 – $1000/month and a 3-5 bedroom house could fetch you up to $2500/month + utilities.  While you won’t cap out at 10% or 12% your $50,000 Real Estate investment could easily get 5% – 7%, depending on where and what you buy.

I just bought some RRSP’s and I can assure you, if it wasn’t for the fact that I diversify my investments a little bit, I would have been better off taking my money and buying another condo.

If you would like more information on investing in the Kamloops Real Estate market or any other market please call me or any member of our team at River City Realty 250-374-1925

Here we are late Tuesday afternoon following up to a hectic weekend and crazy Monday.  Don’t be fooled by the time of year, or think that Mother Nature’s indecision of whether it’s winter or spring has slowed things down.  The Kamloops market is hopping and vibrant!  Our team is working with a number of very motivated buyers, and on more than one occasion we’ve found “The One.” Much to our disappointment we’ve been a day late and a dollar short.

We generally are not big fans of applying pressure to close the deal, so instead we will offer a gentle suggestion to keep in mind… if you find a home you love and it suits all your needs, DO NOT hesitate to make an offer.  Remember, writing an offer doesn’t mean you are buying the house on the spot.  You still have time to do your due diligence which usually is 7-10 business days so you can arrange for financing, have a home inspection, etc. This way you have secured the property for yourself.

Searching for a home can be a lot of fun, but it’s also hard work.  Not only do you need to find time in your busy schedule to go out looking, but you are also getting an education on property values and trying to make the best decision for you and your family.  It can be an emotional roller coaster!!

That’s where we come in… Don’t be afraid to lean on your Realtor for their expertise on the Kamloops Real Estate market.  As professional consultants we can guide you through the offer process and help you realize when you are standing in the living room of a home that you may not recognize as a great buy

Always be honest with us about what you like and what you don’t like.  Both of our time is valuable so the more clarity we have about what you are looking for the better equipped we are to help you achieve your goal!

Angie Kirk, Realtor

River City Realty – Team Cavaliere