Betsy Carstairs

As we head into the fall there is a definate change in the market.  It is usual for our fall market to kick in mid September BUT this year  I am noticing  a shift in the wind...so to speak. Many properties are not selling & the new listings are not flying of the shelf. Vancouver sellers are so conditioned to a rising market they can not seem to fathom that their piece of dirt's value would do ...

What better way to spend the last few days of summer but out on the water kayaking up The Indian Arm. We finally have our summer so yesterday off I went up The Arm 1st thing in the morning. The waters were like glass & the fingerlings were jumping & the seals were feasting. I did see lots of jelly fish mostly little white ones however I did also see 2 big red/orange jelly fish. One was over 3 ...

Always a quandry what choice does one pick to renew their mortgage?? After lunch with some friends of mine discussing what to do with their mortgage I thought this article from mortgage broker Jessi Johnson was interesting. Here is what he says............   Are you interested in a variable payment but fear the risks? Do you love the security of the fixed rate mortgage but know that hi ...

Policy change now allows unlimited daily parking @ the public dock in Deep Cove so does that make the public dock a private dock.???? With all the mooring spaces taken up by commuter boats this dock is now very unpublic unless one wishes to buy a parking permit from the city for the tune of $1,000. Last week when I decided to join a friend for coffee I was more than a little annoyed to find t ...

I have some cool suspended cupboards in a closetless room in my Whistler home. I love everything about these cupboards but except that the frosted glass in the top cupboards is not frosted enough to hide the stuff on the shelves soooooo I finally decided to do something that would keep the glass in tact but make it a bit more opaque. With some research I found the perfect solution. I have som ...

I was in court today competing with 6 other offers on a heritage house in East Vancouver near the PNE. When you write a offer on a foreclosure it must be subject free & you also need to support your offer with a substantial deposit showing the serious intent to complete if you are the successful bidder. This house had knob & tube wiring so that as well as many other things needed immediate at ...

Just helped a client  buy their 1st house & was so happy for them that the interest rates are so low. 3.7% for a 5 year fixed & 2.2% on a variable through a mortgage broker. I come from paying 19% in the early 80's so these rates look like a gift to me. Know housing prices have shot up dramatically in the last 30 years but the mortgage payment with the low rates really have not increased that ...

I recently met Renee Safrata. Although our meeting was brief I was impressed with her clarity & ability to respond to what I needed so being a curious person I went to her web site & very much liked her video blog on tips for communications. Interrupting another person for me is a pet peeve so when I viewed Renee's short video blog #2 called" Listen UP"  I thought I would share it. ...

What better way to celebrate Canada Day then to go for a paddle up The Indian Arm 1st thing in the morning. Yes I do mean 1st thing ie @ sunrise when the fjord is as calm as glass so that is how I kick started the morning. Was a little surprised to find the temperature so low...as it is summer time but thought it would warm up as would I as I worked up a strong rythmn paddling. Thankfully the ...

Read about this book in the Globe & Mail. It seemed to be in sync with where I am at now as I am dealing with my 92 year old mother. Thought this would be a good book to get some insights into death & grieving  as my mother's "due date" is in the not too distant future. I found this book to be interesting, insightful & a very easy read so purchased one for myself & 1  as a gift to a friend wh ...