Blog by Betsy Carstairs

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Government Savings Plan

February 28th, 2008
The new "tax free savings plan" is a bit of a joke. With interest rates low ... 3.25% about as high as you will get on a GIC, this equates to under $200.00 per year in interest that this new savings plan will allow to be saved "tax free". For most people I feel it would be smarter (provided they have that $5,000.00) to make a lump sum payment against one's mortgage. It irks me t ...

Great News for First Time Home Buyers

February 21st, 2008
The Government has changed the qualification for exemption on the Property Transfer Tax for First-time buyers. Previously, a first-time buyer could qualify for an exemption with a purchase price of $375,000 or less.  This limit has been increased to $425,000! A partial exemption is available for purchases between $425,000 but less than $450,000. For more information, pleas ...

8574 Wilderness Court, Burnaby, BC

February 20th, 2008

I just sold this 2 storey at 8574 Wilderness Court, Burnaby, BC .

View this recently sold 2 storey or see all my home sales

Park Georgia Luncheon

February 18th, 2008
Once a year we have a luncheon to celebrate the top producers in the office This year we went to The Hart House at Burnaby's Deer Lake. I always enjoy going to these luncheons to connect on a more personal level with others in the office AND also compare notes with the other realtors as to what is going on with their business ...... something we don't seem to have time to do when we a ...

Simply Amazing Whistler

February 14th, 2008

Was up at Whistler visiting with my daughter AND having a GREAT time skiing!!  It amazes it everytime I drive back down into the City at how excited I get 'cause these Whistler VIEWS simply take my breath away!!

BEST POINT INDIAN ARM, North Vancouver, British Columbia

February 13th, 2008
I just finished uploading this Lots 1, 2 and 3 FOR SALE at BEST POINT INDIAN ARM, North Vancouver, British Columbia Lot 1 - LARGE lot at Best Point. Shared Septic and dock to be installed spring 2008. Easement on Lot 2 from dock for access. Property sides onto parkland. BOAT ACCESS ONLY! Lot 2 - Flat access to waters edge. Price includes trailer boat access only! 20 min boat ride ...

CMHC's forecast for 2008

February 12th, 2008
Richard Sam was the feature speaker at our office meeting toay. Richard is CMHC's market analyst so he came fully armed with statistics and predictions. With the subprime disaster in the US, I was interested in how Richard  thought that would affect our market. He seemed to think that: Eastern Canada with her close knit ties in manufacturing to The States would be more negativel ...

Whistler's Olympic ski sites

February 12th, 2008
  Callahan Valley   Here is a picture looking out to one of  the 2010 Whistler Olympic ski venues in Callahan Valley where the cross country skiing and ski jumping will be held. The ski jumping, or more precisely named by the participants, as fliers, not jumpers is up and running. It's amazing to watch the athletes train, and, yes they do fly through the air. One can not even hope to ...

East Van Farmers Market

February 11th, 2008
This weekend I met a friend at The Farmers Market held at The Wise Hall( just off Commercial Drive at Venables). It was so much fun!!!   Not only were there lots of great foods being sold (mostly organic) but there was entertainment inside and out Stephan Taylor & Xania Keane were outside tapping out rhythms and playing everything from violin/keyboard/horn/xylophone/ to percussio ...

tech info

February 5th, 2008
I just bought a new Macintosh putr AND am delving into all the options that this new toy offers me. The great thing about the new Macs is that they now offer "Parallels". Parallels allows me to operate in the Mac or PC world so instead of running from my PC to my Mac I basically have 2..2 ..2 putrs in 1!!!!! While I was exploring options in this I found a great new tool offered by Hewett Pack ...
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