All Blog Entries by Steve Harmer

Once upon a time it was possible for buyers to identify a bank foreclosure from a mile off.

They were often run-down, stripped-to-the-bone and abandoned buildings which looked completely uninhabitable. However it’s a different ball game today, as many banks now choose to renovate their real estate owned (REO) properties before listing them on the market for end users to purchase. This prevents investors and contractors from making a lucrative profit through the bank’s loss.

Banks are cleverer these days, and they understand that the market has improved significantly in recent years, so they won’t come across as desperate anymore. Instead of trying to sell as quickly as possible, they look to minimize their losses. This ultimately creates both

Article Provided by Real Estate Council of British Columbia

Buying a home is the largest investment most of us ever become involved in.

Yet people sometimes take less time over it than they do when buying a new car. That’s because it’s unfamiliar territory to many of us. We don’t know what questions to ask. We may take things for granted, rely on others when we shouldn’t, and sometimes we later wish we had known more about the process involved.

The Real Estate Council of British Columbia feels it is important for you to understand the procedures normally involved in the purchase of a home, to recognize the significance of the documents you will encounter, and to understand the role of other people who may be involved in the transaction. Buying a

The Importance of Listing Descriptions When Selling a Home

With so much emphasis on great pictures – and now video – it is easy to let the listing description for the property you are selling fall through the cracks. Unfortunately, failing to describe the property well can limit the effectiveness of your listing. Interested buyers are going to read the listing description, so it is important to make sure you have good real estate copy if you want to stay at the top of your game as a real estate agent.

In every business there are those who will go the extra mile to make sure they are at the pinnacle of their game, likewise, there are those who don’t pay attention, are lazy, or just don’t care enough to standout at what they do. This is certainly the

Kamloops is one of only four markets in the province where homes for sale align with local earnings, according to a study of 20 B.C. markets by real-estate search and data website Zoocasa.

The findings are based on a summary of October benchmark and average home prices as reported by local real estate boards, the income required to afford the homes and regional median incomes as reported by Statistics Canada.

Kamloops is one of only four markets in the province where homes for sale align with local earnings, according to a study of 20 B.C. markets by real-estate search and data website Zoocasa. 

The findings are based on a summary of October benchmark and average home prices as reported by local real estate boards, the income required to afford

Have you been looking at homes to buy in Kamloops? Have you seen the line "zoning"? What does it all mean?

The city of Kamloops like all other cities across BC and Canada use a system of zoning on every home and piece of land. There are many of these zones and obviously some of them do not apply to Kamloops home buyers.

The full list is large but we can look at some of the most important ones that apply to residential property. To see the full list click here and get the inside scoop.

A-1 (AGRICULTURAL)
FD (FUTURE DEVELOPMENT)
OS (OPEN SPACE)
P-1 (PARKS AND RECREATION)
P-2 (CHURCHES)
P-3 (SCHOOLS)
P-4 (PUBLIC AND QUASI PUBLIC USE) 
P-5 (PRIVATE RECREATIONAL)
P-7 (FUNERAL HOMES)
CR-1 (COUNTRY RESIDENTIAL-1)
CR-2 (COUNTRY RESIDENTIAL-2)
CR-3 (COUNTRY

An in-depth look at the foundation of a design for a typical septic system design in BC

With BC regulations, prior to moving forward with a septic system design BC, an authorized person, typically a Registered Onsite Wastewater Practitioner (ROWP), will perform what is called a site and soil evaluation.

Typical requirements in data are obtained to properly incorporate a septic system design BC, this will include checking the siting of the septic system to ensure that it will comply with any restrictions registered against the land title.

Identifying boundaries for horizontal separation from the system components to such things as property lines, water bodies drilled wells and break out points in the topography.

Looking for potential site

So, working with your real estate agent, you have found your new home and, with assistance of your mortgage professional, you have arranged for a mortgage. What’s next?

It’s time to hire a lawyer or notary public to help with the legal process to finalize the purchase of the home.

Here are the eight steps you will need to go through.

Step 1: Retain the services of a lawyer or notary. Ask your other professional advisors for a referral or family and friends that have gone through the process. Make sure you are hiring someone with experience in real estate closings. Most closings go smoothly but if something unexpected happens you want to make sure your lawyer or notary public has the necessary expertise. You should contact your lawyer or notary as

Many homes in the Kamloops area built before 1957 were originally heated with furnace oil. When natural gas became available, the oil storage tanks, which were normally located underground in backyards, were filled with sand or capped.

However, as these unused buried oil tanks start to corrode and rust, the remaining oil can leak out and flow onto the rest of the owner's property, the neighbour's property, storm sumps and waterways, resulting in contamination of soil and water. Apart from the negative financial impact on the market value of the property, the owner can face substantial legal liability under various statutes and bylaws for such contamination.

The BC Fire Code and bylaws of twelve municipalities (including the City of Vancouver) all

You’ve bought the house — it’s all yours. However, something’s not quite right. When you walk in, there’s a funky odor, and you’ve noticed some gunk in the air filters. These are signs that all is not well, as a little bit of dirt can hide a lot of pollutants and allergens. That problem needs to be nipped in the bud with a deep cleaning before the movers show up with your furniture.

Before you bust out the mop and bucket, here are a few tips to make sure you do it right. In the end, you’ll have a home with pure air that’s healthy to live in.

Test for Radon

To find out more about Radon gas see our BLOG article here

Radon is a radioactive gas created by the decay of uranium in the natural environment, and it can easily enter your home without

Industry group Mortgage Professionals Canada (MPC) have raised some issues regarding the stress test, specifically its capacity to deter many Canadians from the home market. For this reason, the association is asking the government to reassess such policies.

While the government's good intentions regarding these regulations were acknowledged, MPC said that there is a need to address the condition of many Canadians – millennials, single parents, or recent immigrants – who are seeing increased difficulties when it comes to in owning a home.

"Fewer Canadian now are able to obtain the mortgage they need to acquire a home, and many sellers now find fewer buyers to sell their home too," said MPC President and CEO Paul Taylor.

“As we first outlined at