Property Surveyors, sometimes referred to as land Surveyors, play a vital role in the real estate world. They are the professionals who determine or confirm the exact boundaries of a property.

Will you need to deal with a Property Surveyor when selling your home? You might.

Sometimes the mortgage lender will ask for a land survey, especially if your property is older and hasn’t changed hands in many years. You might also be asked for one by the buyer if there is any confusion about the size and boundaries of your property – or if significant changes have been made to it in recent years.

This is nothing to be concerned about.

A qualified Property Surveyor will do the appropriate inspection and measurements on your property and issue you the survey. (It looks a little like a blueprint.)

Property Surveyors are highly trained and licensed. In the United States, the profession is represented by the National Society of Professional Surveyors, with each state having its own governing body. In Canada, Professional Surveyors Canada (PSC) represents the profession nationally, and most provinces have their own professional associations.

Before getting a new land survey, make sure you don’t already have one. Hopefully, you’ve stored the paperwork that relates to the purchase of your home. Look through it. A valid land survey might be right there.

If you have questions about land surveys, call today. 

I have been meaning to post about this for over a month now and figure it was about time, especially with this cold snap we are experiencing this week....Very thankful for the service we received from all the staff at Gandy Installations....happy to have heat tonight!

The second week in October it was starting to get cold and I caved and decided to turn the furnace on. But when we did, we found the house was actually getting colder not warmer. Only the fan was blowing....After trying to source the issue ourselves to no avail, the following morning I called Gandy Installations and they were quick to get us a fact finding service call. The technician was very polite and found that the inducer assembly was shot which meant they needed to order the part and come back for another service call. 

We were going away for a week, so we scheduled it for the Monday after we returned. But I tell ya, you don't realize what you take for granted until you are without. When we returned the Saturday before the service call, it was almost the end of October and temperatures were between 0-10 degrees...we walked into a very cold house. The only saving grace was our gas fireplace and cooking meals in the oven, otherwise it was pretty cold in our house. We were definitely snuggling underneath big warm duvets at night to keep warm.

Thanks Gandy for your prompt and courteous service from everyone we came into contact with. We would highly recommend Gandy Installations to anyone.

Sutton Place Hotel Vancouver

To celebrate the holidays and our amazing year we stayed downtown last Saturday night at the Sutton Place Hotel Vancouver. When we arrived in the pouring rain to the Sutton Place Hotel Vancouver we entered a stunning lobby all decked out for the holidays. We wanted to share just how beautiful the displays were. 

CinCin

From there we were off to dinner at CinCin a wood fired Italian Cucina. Where we had the most amazing meal from start to finish. Our server did a fantastic job, as did the entire staff. If you are ever looking for a good Italian restaurant, we wouldn't hesitate to recommend CinCin. We have never had a bad experience there and this time was no exception! From the chef accomodating our request for burrata with just greens to ensuring we were all very well taken care of. Just about every one of us had something different and every dish was savoured where everyone finished their meals wanting to rewind and start all over again.

When we come across a good local business, we like to show our support....as we know how important referrals are to anyone's business. Quality work is worth mentioning. Above were cabinets installed in a family members laundry room by Adam Hill from Unique Storage and Organizers. Below are pictures of their master bedroom closet nicely organized after the new shelving and drawers were installed.

If you are in need of some storage and/or organizers give Adam a call at his office: 604-576-6496 or on his cell: 604-612-8158 
Visit their website in the following link: Unique Storage and Organizers

Unique Storage and Organizers specialize in the custom design and installation of all types of storage organizers for closets, pantries, laundry rooms and garages.

See below for more photos from recent work they have done for family and Erinn Mate.

Before being filled with clothing.

Organized closet and drawers with sturdy shelves for more storage up top. Everyone wishes their closet was this neat and tidy! :)

Every closet should have one of these...shelving for all of our shoes.

Erinn was missing a pantry in her home and Adam built her a beautiful cabinet....money well spent as she LOVES her new pantry!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our American friends and their families from all of us at The Bettina Reid Group. We hope you get to spend some quality time making special memories.

It’s early in the evening and there’s a knock on the door. You answer and are greeted by an official-looking man who claims he needs to see your utility bill to confirm you’re getting your energy rebate.

Do you let him in?

While he may be legitimate, he may also be using deception to sell you something you don’t want. Here are some suggestions for finding out:

• Ask for a business card. Then, check if it has an address, phone number and website. If the salesperson refuses or just shows you his ID card (which anyone can fake), that’s a red flag.

• Ask for the name of his employer. Sometimes salespeople will say they “represent the phone company”. That doesn’t mean they actually work for it.

• Ask if you can call his company to confirm details before buying. If he refuses, or says the office is closed, shut the door.

• Ask if you can consider the offer and call the office the next day to place your order.

• If you’re really suspicious, ask him to come back later. Then, call the non-emergency police number. Police are aware of common scams in the area.

  Most importantly, use your common sense. Door-to-door salespeople can be pretty persuasive, but if something doesn’t seem right to you, trust your gut. Say, “No thanks.”

  Of course, if everything checks out with the salesperson, and the offer is a good one, consider taking advantage of it. 

No matter how much you love your current property, you may be dreaming of the day you can buy up into a better home in a better neighbourhood.

Is that day today, or, is it a few years down the road? Here’s a quick way to make that assessment.

First, make a list of all the practical reasons why it might be time to move up. Those reasons might include features such as: more bedrooms, proximity to work and school, a larger backyard with trees, nearby parks and walking paths and better access to things you enjoy like theatre.

Next, make a list of the emotional reasons for making such a move. Those reasons might include memorable get-togethers with friends on a more spacious deck, an easier and less stressful commute to work, more family time with the kids and enjoyable Saturday golf at a nearby course.

Finally, take a financial snapshot to determine if you can afford to move up. You’ll need to get a good idea of what your current property will sell for in today’s market, average price of homes in your desired neighbourhood, and how much mortgage you’ll need.

Once you have all that down on paper, you’ll have a clear picture of your readiness. If the practical and emotional reasons for buying up are compelling, and you can afford to make the move, then you have your answer.

The time is now!

By the way, if you need help in making this determination – especially figuring out what your home will likely sell for, call today.

When you’re out-of-town, there are plenty of kennels and other facilities that will mind your dog or cat. In fact, the pet-care business is booming! However, the same options aren’t available for your houseplants. So what do you do?

First, keep in mind that plants can go for several days or even a couple of weeks without water. This frequently happens in their natural habitats. So if you’re gone for just a few days, your flora will probably be fine.

Flowering plants tend to need the most water. Give them an extra dose just before you leave. Also, make sure they are in indirect, rather than direct sunlight. That will help them conserve water.

If you’re going to be away for a week or more, consider one of the several products on the market that water plants automatically. Many of these allow you to adjust how much water each plant gets — and when.

You’ll find plenty of do-it-yourself instructions for making your own automatic waterer on the internet, from plastic cups with tiny holes in the bottom to upside-down bottles with wicks. These might work, but you’ll want to test them first. 

Of course, your best option might be to have a friend or trusted neighbour take care of the plants for you. Just be sure to give them clear instructions.

Your houseplants will thank you. 

CONGRATULATIONS to both of our 2016 Halloween colouring Contest winners. Sorry for the delay in posting, one of our winners was away on holidays. Above we have Lilah our under 6 year old winner. Below we have Brooke our 6-12 year old winner. 

Be sure to watch for our 2017 Easter Colouring Contest which will be sent out in the mail next March 2017.

Thanks again to everyone that entered our Contest!

So excited with the new changes from the recent upgrade that Vancity did. I was able to logon to my Vancity app and now have all my accounts in one place. Makes for transferring money to my children's accounts a breeze. Because I don't have to do it often it used to be frustrating having to logout of one account double check the account number and then make sure I was transferring money to the right account. Now all I have to do is login and transfer between accounts. Easy peasy. Thanks Vancity, much more efficient banking.

Next on my agenda is to cancel my paper records and have them emailed each month...can't wait. Big steps in the right direction and finally good to see Vancity following its values and helping us eliminate paper waste!

Never have I been more thankful we have a BCAA membership. My poor husband was on his way home tonight and blew a tire in the middle of rush hour traffic. He's never had a tire go flat so fast and thankfully he was able to get over 3 lanes of traffic to the very narrow shoulder to pull over. 

It took a while for BCAA to get there, but finally the driver arrived and we have a new appreciation for tow truck drivers and the risk they take for people. When he changed the tire with the donut, cars continued to proceed in the lane next to him without slowing down or moving over. It was for this reason before the tow truck came that my husband decided to climb out of the car and climb over the cement barrier for fear of someone hitting the car with him in it. 

It is the law people...."On January 1, 2015 the previous 'Slow Down and Move Over' law was amended to require motorists to Slow Down and Move Over, for ALL vehicles stopped alongside the road, which have flashing red, blue or yellow lights. ... On undivided highways, this applies to motorists approaching the parked vehicle from either direction." I pulled this directly from the RCMP website to read more visit the following link: RCMP

I hope you will think twice next time you see a car pulled over on the side of the road. 

Kara, Erinn and I have been out canvassing our neighbourhoods around the 22nd annual Realtors Care Blanket Drive. It runs from Monday November 14 until next Monday November 21st. Each time we have been out we have managed to gather a bag or 2 of clothing. It has been a great way to get out to talk to people in our community around a good cause. 

Each year Realtors from all over The Greater Vancouver and Fraser Valley Real Estate Boards band together to gather the following items for the homeless and those in need in preparation for our cold winters.

This year, again, the Blanket Drive is focusing on collecting new or gently used:

• sleeping bags

• blankets of all types, including twin sheets

• coats and jackets for women, men and children (especially plus sizes)

• gloves, toques, scarves, mittens, slippers

Several charities are also requesting new socks, underwear and pillows.

Give us a call we would be happy to pick up any donations or visit the following link to see the list of drop off locations in your area:

Blanket Drive