January 2020

This article provides you with advice for people who are considering the purchase of a home with a private septic system, both in terms of testing and inspecting the system to make sure that it is functional and passes local standards of operation.

Obviously, there is no test that will guarantee that all of the defects have been purged from a septic system. However, regular inspections can minimize your chances of getting septic failure – which can lead to hazardous conditions and significant cost for repairs – not to mention provincial fines that come when you have let your system get out of inspection.

So, as the buyer, there are several questions you should ask about the system.

1. How long ago was the property built?
2. Does anyone occupy the

Buying your first house can feel overwhelming, but it’s oh-so-worth-it to leave the rental life behind.

We break down the process for you to help get you on the right path to living in your dream home.

1. Save, save, save

First things first: You need to start a savings fund for your home purchase. “Home buyers should have at least 10 percent of the purchase price of the home in their savings account,” says Randall Yates, CEO, The Lenders Network. “In addition, lenders like to see at least two to three months’ worth of mortgage payments in reserves.”

There are also different types of mortgage programs available for new or low-income buyers that require a lower down payment, so be sure to research your qualifications for these programs while

Getting ready to sell your home in Kamloops?

Here are a few real estate tips to think about before you do.

Know your local Real Estate Market –  What are the driving forces in the current Kamloops real estate market? If you do not know, make sure your Realtor knows, if they do not know, find one who does. The focus in Real Estate always has and always will be local, and in order to sell your home, it is vital to know what the local trends here in Kamloops are.

There is nothing convenient about selling a home – You're going to have to get your home ready to sell. You're going to have to do some packing. Your normal living schedule will be interrupted by prospective buyers. The upfront knowledge that you are going to be inconvenienced once you have

The cost of owning a house and starting a family just might be the lost opportunity to get a good head start on saving for retirement.

With the March 1 deadline for contributions to registered retirement savings plans just ahead, it’s a good time to look at how to balance life’s biggest financial responsibilities. Home ownership, starting a family and retirement saving – can you do it all?

In cities with reasonably priced housing, you certainly can. But in expensive markets such as Toronto, Vancouver and their satellite cities, only high earners will manage this balance. Something will have to give in the household budgets of everyone else, and it’s probably going to be retirement saving.

There’s more to this than the average $770,745 cost of a

BCREA 2020 First Quarter Housing Forecast Update

Vancouver, BC – January 23, 2020. The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) released its 2020 First Quarter Housing Forecast Update today.

Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) residential sales in the province are forecast to increase 10.3 per cent to 85,290 units this year, after recording 77,349 residential sales in 2019. MLS® residential sales are forecast to increase 6.3 per cent to 90,700 units in 2021. 

“The outlook for home sales in 2020 is considerably brighter than the past two years,” said Brendon Ogmundson, BCREA Chief Economist. “Momentum carried through from the end of 2019 to 2020 will put the housing market on more solid footing, aided by low interest rates and an improving