If you’re like me, you’ve probably been asking yourself what would liven up your outdoor space this summer? While there are many ways to achieve this, an obvious one is to plant some beautiful flowers. Although if you struggle with tending to said plants like I do, (being a busy Realtor and all!) then you’ve come to the right blog!

I thought it might be advantageous to look into plants that are easy to maintain, both because they will flourish in our Okanagan climate, but also because they are found naturally here. We are pretty fortunate to have a large selection of beautiful plant life here!

During my search for such plants, I found a great resource for information on native Okanagan plants, which you can check out for yourself at Okanagan Xeriscape (Xeriscape is a word by definition that refers to a landscape design that requires little to no irrigation or other maintenance – Which is right up my alley!) If you are interested in learning more about our local plant life or finding the perfect plant for your outdoor space, this database is a great resource, both for finding great plants, as well as where you can purchase them.

Here are some of my favorite finds from the database:

Double Bubble Mint (Agastache Cana)
Perennial Blooms Jul – Oct
Height 24” – 36” Spread 16” – 24”
Attracts Humming Birds & Pollinators Repels Mosquito’s
Requires  Full or Partial Sun

 

Butterfly Weed (Asclepias Tuberosa)
Perennial Blooms Jul – Aug
Height 12” – 24” Spread 12” – 24”
Attracts Pollinators
Requires Full Sun

 

Balloon Flower (Platycodon Grandiflorus)
Perennial Blooms Jun – Jul
Height 24” – 30” Spread 12” – 24”
Attracts Butterflies
Requires Full or Partial Sun

 

Alpine Skullcap (Scutellaria Alpina)
Perennial Blooms May – Aug
Height 8” Spread 12”
Attracts Humming Birds, Self Seeding
Requires Full Sun

 

Bertram Anderson Stonecrop (Sedum ‘Bertram Anderson’)
Perennial Blooms in August
Height 4” – 6” Spread 12” – 18
Attracts Pollinators
Requires Full or Partial Sun

 

I’m looking forward to adding some colour to my outdoor space this year, I hope you are too!

 

 

 

With all the flooding that is happening right now, I can’t help but think of what this will mean for our lake shores, streams, creeks and ravines in the future?

 

If you’re not familiar with riparian areas, and how they can affect you, then you’ve come to the right place. Riparian areas are the boundaries which are bordering on streams, lakes, and wetlands, that link water to land. The blend of stream-beds, water, trees, shrubs and grasses within a certain parameter, directly influence and provide for fish habitats. BC has put regulations in place that protect waterways and their natural habitats. However, these regulations typically only affect those who are building new developments or rebuilding a current development within an assessment zone.

Currently within the regional district of the North Okanagan, if you are located in a “riparian assessment area”, any building in the region must be at least 30 meters from the riparian area. In addition to this, the builder is required to hire a qualified environmental professional to provide an assessment report. The report must be presented to the Ministry of Environment, as well as Fisheries and Oceans Canada, who must approve it before the local jurisdiction can issue a building permit.

Now that we have established a new “high water” mark in the Okanagan, I find myself curious about how this will potentially affect the riparian areas and regulations that are currently in place. While we may not have those answers today, I am positive that riparian area regulations will be re-evaluated in the future. It should be interesting to see what changes may come of our current situation, in regards to these regulations.

If you would like more information on riparian areas you can visit:

Riparian Area Information – Government of BC

Alternatively, if you would like to read about our current regulations, you can visit:

Riparian Regulations – Regional District of the North Okanagan

 

Our Chaotic Real Estate Market & How to Navigate it…

 

Buying or selling a home is a huge financial decision, one that should not be taken lightly, especially in our crazy real estate market! I have written a lot of informative blogs recently and I thought today that I might cover the emotional side of things, but don’t worry I won’t get all sappy on you!

One of the biggest issues were facing in a market like this one, is that you’ll likely be making some big decisions more quickly than you are comfortable with. Unlike in the past, when the market worked for the buyer, the ball is currently in the seller’s court. For this reason, I am working hard to help mentally and emotionally prepare my clients for this market, even before we start looking. Of course, this doesn’t mean I’m putting my clients at risk, it just means that the sequence in which we would usually make decisions, is a bit of a different route.

This means that we will likely bring an offer to the table immediately upon finding a home that you love. Then we’ll use the “subject removal” stage to gather all our information and decide if the home is truly a fit for you. By being aware of the pace at which things are expected to move forward, you will be better prepared to deal with making an offer as soon as you come across “THE House”.

Another thing to be aware of, is the negotiation process in our current real estate market, which is always a very stressful time for all involved. Typically, the average individual will react emotionally to this part of the process, which is why its great to have a skilled negotiator in your court.  Managing emotions during this phase is the key to making it a successful process. By keeping emotions in check and using non-combative as well as strategic wording, a successful outcome is more likely for both parties involved.

As a seller, you’ll be dealing with showings and the feedback that comes of them, while also looking for your new home. The constant interruption of your normal life can cause a fair amount of stress in a family. It is a good idea to make a plan prior to listing your home, regarding how to manage the showings, schedules, and individual family tasks, which can help ease this stress.

A few suggestions for making this process smoother are:

• Keep a nice set of bathroom towels on hand to make a quick switch for a showing,
• Spread out the work, have a set job for everyone to break up the work load before a showing
• Make a plan for pets, including stashing away their bedding and dishes
• Manage the smells in your home, by making sure to air out your home as often as possible
• Always take the showing feedback with a grain of salt, it is not personal

Lastly, make sure to have open communication with your agent about your expectations for the entire process. With our real estate market being as chaotic as it is, ensuring proper communication, will prevent issues from creeping up and becoming bigger then they need to be. If you don’t want any showings after a certain time in the evening, tell your agent. If you are not willing to part with certain items in the house, either remove them before you list the house or make a list for your agent. No need to add undue stress to an already crazy time in your life. The better prepared you are physically and emotionally, the easier this entire process will be!

Remember, my job as Realtor is to make this transaction happen quickly, at the best price possible and with the least amount of stress for all involved!

If you are interested in buying or selling a home, let me help you Find Your Perfect Home

Are you adequately insured?

With all the concerns around the recent flood in the North Okanagan, many insurance companies are not issuing new policies to those who are in higher risk areas. I feel that this would be a good time to remind everyone to check your policies!

There are many definitions of “flooding” and at a time like this, it is important to know what your policy may or may not cover. I am sure we have all experienced some sort of water related incident at some point in our lives, my hot water tank once gave up in the middle of the night and filled my basement with water. At the time, I told friends and family that my basement flooded, because in my mind it had!  When I spoke to my insurance company, from their perspective, it was not considered a flood but just water damage. Their definition of a flood is when a large amount of water seeps over dry land and into a home. This most commonly occurs from spring run off, a drastic storm, tidal flooding or some sort of structural failure.

Helping my clients stay protected through the home buying process is my first priority. I currently have two clients whom are in the midst of purchasing a home. So, when I drew up their contract to purchase I ensured that one of the conditions I put forward was confirmation of insurance coverage. Which is obviously more important right now because of the flood risk. It is imperative that they are able to obtain adequate binding insurance coverage before we remove that condition.  If something does occur that affects their new home, they won’t end up in a financially burdened situation because they had a great realtor working with them to ensure their new investment is taken care of no matter the circumstance.

If you have questions or concerns regarding flooding, you can get more information at
http://www.getfloodinsurance.ca/

If you have been effected by the flood and are seeking financial aid you can get more information by going to:

http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/emergency-response-and-recovery/disaster-financial-assistance

 To see if your area qualifies for government aid visit:

http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/emergency-response-and-recovery/disaster-financial-assistance/eligible-events

My hope is that all of you are currently safe and dry this wet spring season!

I love working with first time home buyers, they are very excited about the endeavour and I’ve helped them to reach a new milestone in their life, purchasing their first home.  Of course, one of the most nerve wracking moments through the entire process is making the offer, and having that offer accepted by the seller. It feels like we have climbed a mountain to get here…

Congratulations, you have an accepted offer!

Now what?

As a Realtor®, I know the home buying process can be very stressful and confusing. Let’s review what the process looks like once you have picked the home that’s right for your family and achieved an accepted offer. If you have a good agent, they will have guided you through the contract for purchase and helped you put some conditions in place for your protection. These conditions must be satisfied by a certain date, so I always suggest that my clients get started on them right away.

The first thing that should be tackled on your list is getting the signed contract to your mortgage specialist so they can start working on securing your mortgage. In many cases, you can avoid facing potential issues by ensuring your lender has everything they require to complete the loan process. Sometimes the bank will ask for an appraisal, which they may not be able to book immediately. If this is the case, making sure your lender has what they need, so they may book this appointment as soon as possible, can help to ensure that you meet your contractual dead lines.

The next step should be securing a qualified home inspector. This is a crucial step for anyone who is purchasing a home, which ensures that the new owner avoids any unexpected and potentially costly surprises after moving in. I always recommend that my clients get a home inspection done, as it will provide confidence in their investment as well as peace of mind.

Reviewing documentation as it becomes available to you. Like the title search, which is a document that once you receive, is very important to read & understand. If there are any concerns with the home, they would be listed on the title. Things such as easements, restrictive covenants, right of ways, pending litigation’s and financial encumbrances, which may be registered against the property, will appear on this document. Don’t panic if you find one or more of these things on title, most properties have some of these items listed but are generally of little consequence to the new home owner. If you do see something of concern to you, this can be discussed further with your agent or lawyer. They can help you understand and make sense of anything your unsure about. Your lawyer will also pull the title again before the sale closes, to ensure nothing has been added since you wrote the offer.

The property disclosure statement is another document that is good to review in full. It is completed by the seller to the best of his/her knowledge. Reading this document should make you aware of any small issues with the home. Once you have explored all the items on the document, you should find yourself satisfied with everything on there. If you are uncomfortable with something on the disclosure statement, talk to your agent about the best way to proceed with resolving the issue.

At this point you will want to contact your insurance agent and confirm you can get insurance on the home at a rate that you are satisfied with.

By now you should have also acquired a lawyer, assuming that all contractual conditions have been met and you are satisfied with the findings. Your Realtor® will need to know which lawyer or notary you are working with. The legal representative is necessary to prepare the documentation, hold the funds in trust until everything is in order, as well as doing that final check on title as we discussed earlier to ensure that it is clear of any outstanding financial encumbrances.

Once all the legal paperwork, financing, & conditions are satisfied, you can prepare for the final step, making your moving arrangements. Hire movers, change your address, swap your utilities, get home insurance, register children in school, hire cleaning help if necessary and start packing!

I helped a client purchase a home and shortly after he moved in, he began the process of preparing to install a fence. With the survey in hand, he began marking the property and removing shrubs. The neighbor happened to notice what was happening and came out in protest stating that my client was marking his new fence line on their property. At this point a long conversation ensued and another survey had to be done. As it turns out, according to the legal documentation, not only was it not the neighbor’s property but their home was encroaching onto my client’s yard!

Since it was a manufactured home, he asked that the neighbors relocate their home to fit into the proper boundaries. Of course, there was a cost involved, which can make a huge impact on a families overall financial future. Thankfully they had title insurance to help cover this cost.

So, what is title insurance?

It is an insurance to protect you, as well as your lender’s priority in the mortgage, against losses arising from various title risks.

Some potential risks could be:

• Another party owns an interest in your title
• Existing liens against the title
• Violations of municipal zoning by-law’s
• Encroachments onto an adjoining property (Other than fences and boundary walls)
• Setback violation’s
• Tax arrears
• Outstanding municipal utility charges (Provided such charges form a lien on the title’s existing work orders)
• Lack of legal access to the property

Always contact your lawyer and insurance agent to find out what best suits your needs. If you are looking for a referral to a good insurance company that provides title insurance, feel free to get in touch anytime!