Happy St. Patrick's Day from all of us at The Bettina Reid Group. May the luck of the Irish be with you! :)

Don't forget to set your clocks forward before you go to bed tonight. Not looking forward to losing an hour of sleep, but really looking forward to gaining an hour of daylight. 

Only 13 days until Spring!

If you’re thinking of shopping for a new home, one of the first considerations is price range. You want to know what you can reasonably afford.

How do you figure that out?

First of all, you need to determine the initial out-of-pocket costs you will need to cover. There are often more costs associated with purchasing a home than its actual price. You need to take into account such additional expenses as moving costs, legal fees, and a home inspection, not to mention the costs of prepping your current property for sale.

Experts say you should budget 5-10% above the purchase price for these items. So if you can afford to spend $470K on a new home, you should be shopping in the $425-445K range.

Another factor to consider are the potential proceeds from the sale of your current home. Your REALTOR® can help you determine how much your property will likely sell for in today’s market. Any existing mortgage will need to be subtracted from that amount to determine how much cash will be left.

Of course, you should speak to a mortgage broker or lender who can calculate how much of a mortgage you qualify for. Remember, qualifying for a big mortgage doesn’t necessarily mean you should have one. You also need to consider your personal finances and desired lifestyle – and whether or not having a large mortgage is a good idea for you.

Once you have gathered all of your information, you can add any potential sale proceeds to the amount of mortgage you qualify for, add other sources of cash available for this purpose and subtract 5-10% for initial expenses, and you’ll have an idea of the price range you should be considering.

Finally, it’s important to take the time to decide what kind of home you want. Do you want a large backyard with trees? A quiet, family-oriented neighbourhood? Four bedrooms and a finished basement? Once you decide what you want most in a new home, it becomes much easier to find one that’s in your price range. 

Need help deciding how much you can afford when shopping for a new home? Call today. 

Last week my Aunt and Uncle had to say Good bye to a very dear member of their family, their longtime pet - Ryder. It is never an easy decision to make but they knew it was time, as he was quite old and his body was failing him. 

My family was referred to a local Veteranarian's office - BC Animal Hospital  and they offered to come to their home to help Ryder pass peacefully in the comfort of his own home instead of a clinical office. Most people would want to die in the comfort of their own home surrounded by their family, I can only imagine how much more calming it would be for a pet to pass in their own home surrounded by the ones they love. In his last days, we figure he knew it was time as he sensed the family's sadness and showered them with love.

Dr. Brandon Chan the owner and operator of the BC Animal Hospital helped the family through one of the most difficult decisions they ever had to make. When my grandfather passed away last year I talked about how it was an honour and a privilege to have been a part of that experience. I think that was how my Aunt and Uncle felt, Dr. Chan walked them through the process and let them be with Ryder until the end. Even though I was not there, I am sure there were tears of love and loss...but I am also sure he made them feel at peace with their decision.

I only wish when our dog - Spencer passed away 10 years ago that we had that service. To have let him go in our home instead of having to take our 8 year old daughter to a cold clinic...where even though they did their best to try and make us all comfortable. There really is no way to be comfortable when you aren't in your own surroundings. 

There was another service offered that we would have loved....BC Animal Hospital works with another company for Cremation services Paws to Remember where they offer a variety of cost effective and environmentally friendly cremation options. But more importantly they will take imprints of your pets paws and make "Paw print castings" for families to have a special piece of their loved pet forever. For many the ashes are important, for me I think the castings would mean that much more. I highly recommend if your veteranarian doesn't already work with Paws to Remember that you insist they do for you and your pet when the time comes. If your veteranarian doesn't offer home visits to help on that difficult time then I would highly recommend contacting Dr. Chan at the BC Animal Hospital. 

RIP Ryder, you are already dearly missed.

February 25th 2015 is Pink Shirt Day  in support of efforts to Stop Bullying of all kinds. Whether it be in the workplace, schools, home or on the internet. By wearing something pink you are supporting the efforts to STOP bullying of any kind.

Bullying has been around for a long time and tolerated for just as long because too many people couldn't or wouldn't stand up. In 2015 Bullying is happening more rampantly than ever and its never been more important to stand up for those that can't be heard. More and more I keep hearing about people that have been incessantly harassed in person, by email, or on some form of social media. The latter two seeming to give the Bullies a voice that they wouldn't normally have. The courage to hurt behind closed doors. It is long overdue to give those being bullied the Voice and the Courage!

I love it, this year Coast Capital Savings wants to turn the Internet Positive by donating a $1 to Pink Shirt Day  for every time that #PinkItForward is used 

3 years ago In Richmond 500 students took part in a flash mob at the Aberdeen Centre. It brought tears to my eyes. I know I'm sappy but it was great to see kids of all ages taking part to help stomp out bullying. Take a peak at their youtube video:

http://youtu.be/oJ1A_IBi01E

For more information and to see how you can take part, here's a website set up for the day to share your pictures and thoughts. We'd love to hear from you too!

Pink Shirt Day 

Support anti-bullying by wearing PINK tomorrow! Let's help those without a voice be heard! Let's show them we care!

Last week Cineplex announced that in partnership with Autism Speaks Canada, they will have special screenings of movies for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder that will be "Sensory Friendly". This is great news for families with autistic children and adults giving them a chance to get out and enjoy a movie as a family. 

We are lucky here in the lower mainland, because our very own Cineplex Cinemas in Langley (formerly known as Colossus Langley) will have screenings and so far they are the only theatre providing this in BC. They will offer movies in 2D projection, with increased lighting, lower volume and smaller crowds. Families will also be able to bring in outside food for those with dietary needs. 

Ticket prices will be the same for everyone attending at children's prices. Movies will be shown in select theatres every 4-6 weeks and played on Saturday mornings at 10:30am before the Theatre opens to the general public.  Movies will not be available every Satruday morning so check out their website regularly for a schedule of the special screenings. The next movie to be offered is the new "Cinderella" movie being offered on Saturday April 4, 2015 at 10:30am. Not sure if it will be available at the Langley location...be sure to check out Cineplex closer to the dates, as the tickets go on sale the Tuesday before each showing. 
Cineplex Cinemas in Langley

My husband and I decided to make Valentine's Day about experiences instead of commercial gifts, so we went for a nice drive out to Chilliwack yesterday. We love the scenery with mountains all around and we did actually go to Chilliwack on a mission. We have heard from friends and family about this place that has amazing pies. So we thought let's go check it out and were so happy we did!

We drove to the Chilliwack Airport Coffee Shop and it was a busy place. We quickly found out why and that our friends and family were right. My husband ordered their Peanut Butter Cup pie and I ordered the Raspberry, Peaches and Cream pie....were they ever delicious....I was sad I couldn't eat it all, because the pieces were actually big enough to share one let alone each having a piece. 

Chilliwack Airport Coffee Shop has been around for a long time serving locals and people from afar just like us. They don't only serve Pies, they also offer full meals - diner/coffee shop style. They are open 7 days a week from 7am - 7pm.

Check out their website for their address and menu: 

Chilliwack Airport Coffee Shop

You probably don't think buying a lighting fixture for a room is all that complicated. It isn't. However, it does require you to consider which types of lighting you may need. According to the Lighting Association, there are three types:

General lighting. By far the most common, this is the type of lighting that is designed to create a functional brightness that spreads throughout a room. A good example is a main ceiling light.

Task lighting. As the name implies, this type provides extra light needed for a specific task, such as working at a desk or chopping onions on a kitchen countertop. A bedside lamp used for reading is another example of task lighting.

Accent lighting. This type is designed to set off a particular feature of a room, such as a painting. It creates some practical light, but its main purpose is to add to the overall decor.

When choosing lighting for a room, it's important to consider these three types. First, decide how best to light the space generally. Then think about any special lighting you might need for specific functions, such as reading. Finally, consider how accent lighting might add to the overall look.