March 2017

Buying a home may be one of the biggest investments you ever make. But it differs from other types of investments in a number of important ways. Before you buy, make sure home ownership is the right choice for you.

4 key differences

1. May be hard to get your money out

Some investments lock in your money for a while. But you can usually pay a penalty and get your money out if you really need it. Buying a home may tie up most of your savings. Turning it into cash means selling it or renting it out — and that can take a lot of time and effort, especially in a slow market.

2. Difficult to plan for all the costs

Most investments have costs like commissions and fees. The costs to maintain a home are different, and many are hard to plan for.

Find the best freebies on your special day

All we read about is what everything costs so lets lets at something that is free. What’s better than free stuff on your birthday? How many retailers actually offer birthday freebies.

The answer? There are dozens of retailers and restaurants giving away free stuff to customers on their birthdays. To claim some of that booty, you’ll have to register online to their newsletter or loyalty program, while for others, no extra effort (apart from showing up and maybe flashing your I.D. as proof that yes, it is your birthday) is required. Not all of the retailers below might be close but hey its worth having a look!

Here are a few birthday freebies you should consider getting your hands on this year. Just check

Turns out 2017 might be the year when B.C. home buyers will finally get a break. But don’t bother throwing a party, yet.

Price drop is due to a lack of supply 

The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) predicts prices will drop by about 7.8% in 2017 in B.C., primarily due to a lack of supply of higher-priced single family homes in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver areas.

CREA’s Chief Economist, Gregory Klump, likens this forecasted price decline as the equivalent of removing the basketball team from a Grade 8 class. “Throw in the basketball team and the average height shoots up. The same applies to markets with higher-end homes.” He continues by saying that, “The forecasted drop in B.C. home prices largely reflects an anticipated decline in