OKANAGAN REAL ESTATE COMPANY

NEW LISTINGS:  #16 - 4490     Gallaghers Forest       $639,000   15-670    Lequime Rd        $585,000   234    Riverside Ave        $765,000   207-686    Lequime Rd        $309,000   34-670    Lequime Rd        $599,999   #13-2283    Shannon Heights Crt.        $542,900   #14-2283    Shannon Heights Crt.       

Affordable Luxury

With only 44 Built Green™ (www.builtgreencanada.ca) townhomes available and starting at a mortgage payment of approximately $2,070* per month, Amberhill presents a terrific opportunity for you to be part of something spectacular, sustainable and affordable.

Rich Living

Being located close to the Kettle Valley Village Centre, Bertram Creek Regional Park, a new elementary school (scheduled for opening in the fall of 2009), childrens' water park and playground, a tapas restaurant and fitness gym, means that when you live at Amberhill you will never be at a loss for things to do. If you are looking

New Law Requires Real Estate Agents to Collect and Verify ID of Buyers and Sellers

New federal laws and regulations designed to prevent money laundering and anti-terrorist financing went into effect June 23, 2008. Realtors must obtain proof of identity from all parties in any real estate transaction, even if one of the parties is not represented by a real estate agent. Realtors must also track the source of funds received during the course of a real estate transaction, such as the deposit. If the client is a corporation, corporate documentation and the names of the corporation directors must be provided and the corporation

Considering a Condo? What You Should Know Before Buying.

Condominiums are a great alternative to home ownership. If you’re looking to buy your first home, or want to downsize, chances you are considering buying a condominium. There are a few things that you should know first before signing on the dotted line.

It’s often said that buying a condominium is buying a lifestyle. What does that mean?

Condominium living is different from owning or renting a detached house because condominiums have a dual nature. Condominium owners hold title to their units and share responsibility

9 Easy Ways to Create Curb Appeal

"Curb appeal" is a generic real estate term used to describe the attractiveness of a home as seen from the street. Various studies show that professional landscaping can increase the value of your home by up to 15%. Having a well designed and landscaped front yard, that accents your home, is a desirable virtue for everyone.

Unlike backyard landscaping, with the front yard you have to consider home access, parking, safety and invitation. Accenting walkways and driveways with flower beds and borders will, in most cases, instantly create an impressive and inviting

How to Make a Dirt Cheap Compost Bin with a Garbage Can.

A compost bin can be a perfect addition to your organic garden and making a bin doesn’t have to be expensive. There are many excellent reasons to use a compost bin. Composting is a great way to give back to the environment. Compost is a wonderful addition to the soil of your existing garden and helps to replenish the soil when rotating crops. The most important reason to compost is to reduce your garbage– which will cut down on your greenhouse gas emissions. If you are a do-it-yourself (DIY) person, you can convert an old garbage bin into a compost

7 Tips to Help You Pay Your Mortgage Faster and Save You Thousands of Dollars.

There's a major sense of accomplishment and peace of mind of owning your home outright. Paying off your mortgage sooner can make sound financial sense by saving you thousands of dollars in interest costs. Learning how to save on your mortgage can slice years off your loan. Finding out if you can save on your mortgage payments won't cost you anything, and you will discover whether you have the best loan available for your individual circumstances. 1- Shop around for the best mortgage possible with your credit score. When a mortgage

Market Watch - August 2008

While some areas saw a remarkable increase in sales in July, average sales numbers dropped slightly in most areas throughout Canada. Homeowners continue to see a healthy return, however, it is taking a little longer to achieve a sale, and the average time on market has increased slightly, due to the fact that there are more choices available to homebuyers. Alberta Residential sales through the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton Multiple Listing Service® in July were up 14% compared to the same month last year. Only sales in July 2006 were higher than this July’s

A market shift = a shift in expectations

Market conditions have shifted. After five years of blockbuster activity and double-digit price growth, market conditions have slowed, and now favour buyers in many areas of the province.

 Residential sales have declined 22 per cent in the first six months of this year, while available resale inventory has grown by 54 per cent to 57,000 active listings in June. In the Greater Vancouver board area, where longer-term data is available, inventory is at the highest level since 1998.

Home price appreciation observed from 2004 to 2007 is less

Putting title fraud in perspective

Title fraud made its way into the media headlines earlier this summer, creating an unhealthy climate of fear that unnecessarily worried land owners. REALTORS® felt the heat too, as their buyers and sellers asked whether they and their properties were safe from fraud.

The facts are that BC’s land title system is one of the safest in the world, there is no pattern of increased title fraud and the Assurance Fund is available to compensate owners in the very unlikely case that they are financially affected by a title registration error.

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