10 Ways to Help Your Teens Spend Money Wisely

Creating good spending habits is a very valuable skill for anyone.

Did you have good habits before you left home? If not, what kind of difference would it have made in your life? In the current world economic environment it is more important than ever to get your kids to understand the true value of money. With interest rates for saving low it is critical that as your kids look to move out of the family home and into their new life they can manage their financial obligations and be able to afford the essential items for life. When still young it's a great time to start showing them the costs of things and getting them to manage money early in life. Here are a few powerful concepts that can make a huge difference in the way your teens manage their…

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Real Estate Questions You’ve Been Afraid to Ask a Realtor!

Ask your Real Estate Questions

It’s time to sell your home and you have a few questions that you need to clear up, as they’ve been weighing on your mind; some more heavily than others.

You won’t be the first to ask such a question and that you’ve been afraid to ask a Realtor. Please understand that your question(s) have likely been asked before by home Sellers. Ask the question. Clarity is essential for peace of mind. Without peace of mind, how could you ever begin to prepare for selling a home.

Can I exclude something from my home sale?

If you absolutely must exclude something from your home sale, it must be made known upfront for any prospective Buyers. For example, if that one of kind, hanging chandelier over your dining room table is a…

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5 Ways to Reverse Signs of Smoking in Your Home

A smoker’s home can be a massive deterrent to potential buyers.

Not only does smoking leave strong smells in your house, it can also stain walls, cause wallpaper to peel, and stick to furniture. Trapped nicotine residue, known as thirdhand smoke, can pose a threat to anyone living in the home. Here are five ways to get rid of signs of smoking from your home to make it appealing to buyers.

Steam clean carpets
Carpets trap nicotine residue more than anything else in the home and can protrude lingering odors. If you have a carpeted home, take the time to deep clean it with a powerful steam vacuum. Use carpet shampoo and routinely go over areas where smoke stains and odor are most prevalent. Hire a professional steam vacuuming company if you need help.

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Discover the joy of selling a home.

There’s the joy of cooking, the joy of fishing, the joy of cupcakes, the joy of photography, the joy of eating, just to name a few!

Why shouldn’t there be a “joy of selling a home? Joy can be defined as having an emotion awakened from the sense of well-being.  When you sell your home any homeowner wants to know that everything is going to be okay, that you’ll have success at getting your home sold without a whole lot of aggravation, that you can have joy!

1) Hire an accomplished Realtor.

One who knows Real Estate, loves their chosen full time profession as a Realtor and knows their local Real Estate market.

One who has a track record of selling homes and not just listing homes for sale.   Ask them about the homes they list for sale and how…

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What Will You Do With Your Investment Property?

One of the beauties of real estate investing is the numerous options to make money which the industry gives you.

Whether you are looking for quick cash or for long-term income, whether you are after passive income or don’t mind rolling up your sleeves, real estate has the right answer for you. Make sure you have a great Realtor and financial advisor when embarking on any of these life altering decisions.

The Advantages Of Fix And Flip

• Quick Money

The number one pro of the fix and flip strategy is that you make fast money. You can conclude your whole endeavor in a few months and walk out of it several thousand dollars richer. As far as real estate goes, this is the fastest way to make money. And depending on how good you are at buying low…

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Selling my Kamloops Home

Selling Your Kamloops Real Estate

Homeowners don't generally think about filling the shoes of a first-time home seller until they decide to buy a new home. Usually, the motivating factor is the need to move -- due to work-related issues or the needs of a growing family -- and that generally involves buying another house.

Before you begin the selling process, really evaluate why you’re moving. Do you have too few rooms, or too many? Has your job moved to another city and you’re relocating? Are the neighbours driving you away? Or are you simply looking for a change? A complete analysis of your current position will set a good foundation for your next home hunt.  The questions will be coming thick and fast, when is the Best Time to Sell Your Home? What…

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Kamloops Not Immune from Provincewide Slowdown in BC Housing Market

The province-wide slowdown in the BC housing market continued in January. Sales were down 33 per cent compared to the same month last year, while the average home price was down just under 8 per cent.

A large part of that is due to the stress tests on mortgages, according to BC Real Estate Association Chief Economist Cameron Muir.

“Pulled as much as 20 per cent of the purchasing power out of the many potential buyers and that doesn’t go on without seeing an impact,” he said. “Many markets now are showing signs of buyers market territory which means some downward pressure on prices, but many other markets are firmly in balance territory – prices rising around the rate of inflation plus or minus 2 per cent a year.”

Kamloops was a little better off…

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The Worst (and Best) Home Improvements for Increasing Your Property Value

If you’re embarking on a home improvement project to simply make your home more comfortable and enjoyable to live in, then when you’re looking at the cost it’s a matter of what you can afford, and what you’re prepared to pay for the benefits the improvements will bring.

In contrast, if you’re having work done with a mind to increasing your home’s value in a future sale, then you need to take a somewhat harder-headed approach. Contrary to popular belief, not every improvement to your home will be reflected in its sellable value, so if you want to realize a return on your improvement budget, here are four types of project to avoid – and two others to give more serious consideration.

Home Improvements That Make a Poor Investment

#1 A Home Office

…

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What do you need to know about an appraisal? How can you prepare?

In most property transactions the word appraisal comes up sometimes more than once.

As a home buyer you may hear the word appraisal, if you are getting a loan to buy your house, an appraisal could be part of the process. Your lending institution may demand an appraisal on the property if it thinks that the house is not worth what you have offered for it.

This is a professional appraisers estimated value. The appraiser will use recent properties that have sold in the area to help determine the value of the home you choose. The appraiser will also consider the condition of your home, age, size and so forth in determining the value. To better understand what an appraisal typically looks like let me list a few parameters: Sales typically can’t be more…

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6 Home-Buying Warning Signs You Shouldn't Ignore (And What To Do About Them)

Between rising home costs, low inventory and the prevalence of all-cash offers, potential home buyers will readily tell you: It’s rough out there.

So if you’re lucky enough to find an affordable house you like, you may feel the pressure to make an offer right away.  Not so fast.

Before you put down that deposit, don’t forget to carefully inspect the home—even if it appears to be in good condition. “Looks can be deceiving,” says Leslie Piper, a consumer housing specialist for Realtor.com. Of course, there are some flaws you can ignore, like outdated appliances and misguided paint choices. But there are others that might be true deal breakers. And if you overlook the wrong ones, your new home can quickly become a money pit, says Ilyce Glink, a real…

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