Looking to move to Kamloops? Want to know more about the city?

Here is an article first published on a lawstudents.ca website highlighting the experience of a couple moving from Calgary to Kamloops.

When we moved to Kamloops from Calgary, I thought for sure that I would miss the hustle and bustle of the big city, along with its zany politics and daily happenings. We lived in Hillhurst (inner city) and took advantage of Calgary's many festivals, farmers' markets, restaurants and night life. While I was sure I would make friends and that law school would provide more than enough entertainment, I expected Kamloops life to be otherwise pretty boring. Probably a fairly natural big city perspective. Those coming from Vancouver had much the same

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

FAQ Sheet on Getting a Mortgage

Getting a mortgage is a big thing. For first time buyers this can be a tough and complicated process. Here are some common questions that get asked and some answers that may help with your mortgage application process.

SEE OUR MORTGAGE BROKER DIRECTORY HERE

Q: What is the minimum down payment on a home in BC?

A: A minimum down payment for someone who is fully income qualified is five per cent. However, if the purchase price of a property is over $500K, a minimum down payment of five per cent on the first $500K is required. After that, you will be required to come up with 10 per cent on the remaining amount. For example: The down payment for a property valued at $600K would be five per cent of $500K ($25K) plus

Want to buy an acreage? Need more information?

Finding the right acreage for you will provide years of enjoyment. Make sure that pretty piece of land will support your vision. Read on or click below to jump to the subjects:

• Financing for acreage
• Consider the services
• Maintenance and insurance
• Covenants and Zoning
• Tips
• Develop it yourself

More and more people are leaving the suburbs to live a country life, but buying an acreage is a little different than buying a house in the burbs. Buyers should investigate a number of things on the property, assuring them that the land they purchase is going to support the lifestyle they have envisioned.

Danielle lives on an acreage in Kamloops BC, give her a call to let her guide you on

It’s been 60 years since the RRSP was introduced as a retirement savings tool.

But that doesn’t mean Canadians have learned all the lessons of the past. Here’s a look at five common mistakes investors make with their RRSPs:

1. Dipping into the funds:

Carol Bezaire, the vice-president of tax, estate and strategic philanthropy at Mackenzie Investments, says the No. 1 blunder is dipping into an RRSP for expenses other than retirement income.

“People are making random withdrawals out of it for vacation or whatever,” she says. “And what they end up with in April is an unexpected tax bill.”

Financial institutions withhold some of the withdrawal — between five and 30 per cent depending on the province and total sum — and, depending on a person’s

As we near the deadline of March 1 for making your RRSP contributions, I thought it is an appropriate time to give you a “to do” list of financial and investment planning items to review or consider.

Nancy Woods is an associate portfolio manager and investment adviser with RBC Dominion Securities Inc.

1. If you are the typical procrastinator when it comes to making an RRSP contribution, consider setting up a monthly payment plan into your RRSP. Making a contribution in the first 60 days of the calendar year allows you the option to choose which taxation year you deduct the amount from your income. There’s nothing that says you have to wait until the following year to make your contribution. This is, of course, dependent on you having earned income

Imagine the anxiety of watching your credit score unexpectedly plummet after spending your entire adult life maintaining good credit.

Now suppose this credit decline blocks you from getting a mortgage on the house you planned to buy. That’s precisely what happens to mortgage applicants all across the country with surprising frequency.

All too often the culprit is unpaid phone bills. In some case's cellphone providers send  accounts to a collection agency after being just more than a month late. That can cause credit score to drop like a lead pickle, approximately 80 points (out of a theoretical 900) virtually overnight.

It never should happen that way or should it? Collections are meant for people who can’t or don’t want to pay their debts right?

After price, surely people prioritize home size, bedrooms and location, right? A recent survey of BC residents says a surprising feature is more important

When it comes to must-haves in buying or renting a home, a recent survey of BC residents says that, after the price, there is one other thing more important than the number of bedrooms, size or location – and that’s private outdoor space.

According to a survey carried out by Insights West on behalf of Resonance Consulting, and presented to an Urban Development Institute seminar January 24, the key home feature to BC residents is the price. Eight out of 10 respondents identified cost as their most important feature, and it was the top concern of each of the individual age groups, which breaks down

You will have heard about the changes to British Columbia real estate laws

The British Columbia government is in the midst of a wide-ranging overhaul of how the housing market is regulated and taxed, amid growing concerns that foreign ownership, rampant speculation and unscrupulous real estate agents are fueling an affordability crisis.

On Aug. 2 2016, a 15-per-cent tax took effect for home purchases in the Metro Vancouver area involving foreigners. During the past several months, the province has also announced an end to self-regulation, largely in response to a series of Globe and Mail investigations into questionable practices within the industry. This has included a tax on vacant homes in the City of Vancouver.

These are in addition to what