It's that time of year again and hopefully the weather can hold off for 1 more week so that all the little kids can get out and enjoy Halloween. 

This Saturday October 26th is the annual Cloverdale Halloween Costume Parade and Pumpkin Power. The festivities start at noon and run until 3pm. At 2:00pm they do a big group photo of all the kiddies in front of the Surrey Museum and Plaza. Then they group off and head to various areas of the downtown Cloverdale core lead by volunteers. A large majority of the local Cloverdale vendors participate and hand out treats for the Cloverdale Halloween Costume Parade.

Every year we try to help out if we can and represent our HomeLife office. This year you can come out and see Kara and I handing out candy in the square next to Malary's Fashions on 176th St. The Cloverdale Halloween Costume Parade is always a lot of fun getting to see the cute costumes the kids dress up in....or that their parents have subjected them to. :)

Check out this quick clip of the cutest costume and its so easy to make: LED stick-man costume

It's that time of year again and once again we are going to miss it because I have to work.... :( 

BBQ on the Bypass in Langley is on Sunday September 15, 2013 from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. BBQ on the Bypass is a FREE event for everyone, especially if you like good BBQ food. There will be sampling of course, live entertainment and local vendors. Guaranteed to be a great way to spend your Sunday afternoon.

The event attracts the best of the best BBQ teams from across North America, competing in 5 different meat categories. It is also the site of the Great BC Bake off - an amateur pie baking contest which is open to the public. 

BBQ on the Bypass is hosted by one of my favourite shops Well Seasoned...where I have been taking a number of fantastic cooking classes and found the most delicious feta cheese.

I blogged about it last year and hoped to attend, but missed it. If you have been or plan to go please share your experience and favourite parts of the event, we would love to hear about what we are missing! 

http://www.bettinareidgroup.ca/Blog.php/bbq-on-the-bypass-this-sunday-september-16th

I just read a column written by a past president of our real estate board that was very well written and made me want to share as well.

Why Pay a REALTOR® to sell your home

Very often we will get asked: "Why should we pay you to sell our house?" and then of course it is our job to let people know exactly what value we bring to the table to help people buy and sell their home. 

I don't know how many times as he mentioned in his column that I have heard people say all their REALTOR® did was put a sign on their lawn and post it up on MLS (realtor.ca). As he also mentioned, that is the furthest from the truth. We wish that was all it took to earn an income, but in reality selling your home involves a lot more than just a sign and MLS. 

The 1st thing might be a sign, then comes the research and attention to detail that goes in to writing up a description that will attract potential Buyers to your home. In order to put your home on MLS we need to know quite a bit about the property to accurately promote the property to the public.

We will help our clients prepare their home by making suggestions on what they should do with their personal belongings as well as counselling them on any other cleaning and decor ideas. A proper posting will include as many photos as your real estate board will allow, depending on the style and size of home. Here in the Fraser Valley we can post up to 20 photos. With the Bettina Reid Group we hire professional photographers to come out and take high quality photos in order to promote a clients home online. The more exposure you get the better chance of that perfect Buyer walking through the door. 

An experienced REALTOR® will be able to offer advice as well as help to negotiate not only a good price for you but to ensure all the terms meet your needs as a Buyer or a Seller. 

In this ever changing fast paced world that we live in, we at the Bettina Reid Group are continually looking for ways to educate ourselves and improve our business with our clients best interests in mind.

"Probably the most amazing aspect of the tremendous value REALTORS® provide is Guaranteed Results. The seller pays nothing unless they receive an acceptable offer. There are very few other professional service providers who are prepared to demonstrate their confidence in their ability to produce results for their client in this manner." - Jim McCaughan

The real estate industry is not for everyone and over the years I have seen many people come and go who realize the job isn't just posting a sign on a lawn and waiting for the phone to ring. 

Which is why if you are considering a move whether Buying or selling give Kara and I a call and we will be happy to help.

To read Jim McCaughan's column see below:

During my career I have heard many versions of these two questions: "Why should I pay a REALTOR® to sell my property?" and "What do I get in return for the commission I pay?" 

Many sellers believe that their REALTOR® puts a sign on the lawn, an ad in the newspaper and then waits for the property to sell. Generally, nothing could be further from the truth!

When a seller signs a listing contract, the REALTOR® makes a commitment to help their client obtain the highest price, in the shortest time with minimum inconvenience. A good REALTOR® gives valuable advice, expert guidance, and great value.

The REALTOR® provides objective and accurate information about current market value, allowing the seller to select the appropriate listing price. In many cases they can offer expert advice on staging the property for maximum appeal to potential buyers.

When listing a property, a REALTOR® is trained to represent the seller by making sure the property information is accurately and attractively presented to the marketplace. This includes careful compliance with provincial and federal regulations such as the Personal Information Protection Act, the Real Estate Services Act and the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) money laundering reporting requirements. The REALTOR® ensures that required disclosures are made at the appropriate times.

Once a listing is signed, the REALTOR® begins the expected marketing process which includes putting the property on the Multiple Listing System®, installing a sign, writing appealing print ads, creating feature sheets to leave at the property and holding open houses. In addition, many REALTORS® feature the property on one or more Internet websites and displays the listing at mall kiosks and at open houses for other agents. Giving the property maximum exposure can be expensive but it is part of the commitment of the REALTOR®.

Much of the work of the REALTOR® is done quietly behind the scenes. REALTORS® invest time and energy in activities like qualifying potential buyers, arranging and tracking showings by cooperating agents and obtaining and sharing feedback from other REALTORS®. Many sellers take comfort in knowing that their REALTOR® will handle all inquiries seriously and do their best to ensure that only serious qualified buyers will view the seller's property. This provides a measure of safety and security.

REALTORS® are also trained to provide accurate advice and valuable assistance when dealing with the significant complexities of tenant-occupied properties, estate sales and foreclosure transactions.

One of the areas where a REALTOR® provides the greatest value to their client is negotiation. Handling objections and tactfully representing the seller's best interest is an important skill which REALTORS® obtain through specialized training and personal experience. Writing an enforceable contract and negotiating a legally binding agreement are important services which are often taken for granted by the general public until there is a problem. Then this great REALTOR® value quickly becomes evident.

Another generally invisible service is managing the transaction after acceptance of the offer and during the buyer due diligence period. This consists of arranging inspections, scheduling appraisals, obtaining strata documents (if applicable) etc. Sometimes this also involves handling real estate turbulence which includes things like appraisals lower than the sale price, problems discovered in a property inspection and other unexpected challenges. The experience and guidance of the REALTOR® and their broker can usually overcome these challenges.

The final job of the REALTOR® is to do everything they can to ensure the smooth completion of the transaction. This includes monitoring the conveyance process, confirming payment of the sale proceeds to the seller and a timely transfer of keys to the buyer. Selling or buying a property is a significant decision for most people and the complexities are sometimes not well understood until problems arise. A good REALTOR® has the training, expertise and experience to assist clients to achieve their desired results.

Probably the most amazing aspect of the tremendous value REALTORS® provide is Guaranteed Results. The seller pays nothing unless they receive an acceptable offer. There are very few other professional service providers who are prepared to demonstrate their confidence in their ability to produce results for their client in this manner.

Jim McCaughan has been a REALTOR® for over 30 years and is the Managing Broker of Landmark Realty Corp. He is the Past President of the BC Real Estate Association and was the Chair of the Real Estate Council of BC. Jim has served as the President of the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board and the Chilliwack & District Real Estate Board.

Why Pay Commission to a REALTOR®?

Guest column by Jim McCaughan, Past President, BCREA & FVREB

Like so many tragic moments in the world, September 11, 2001 will always be a day where you remember where you were and what you were doing when tragedy struck.  I was with my daughter and 2 other children that I took care of and we were heading to the grocery store. I remember vaguely hearing about the 1st airplane and the radio station talking about how tragic it was that this plane somehow lost control and hit one of the Towers of the World Trade Centre. I headed in to the store and came out to the reality of it being so far from an accident. Our daughter was supposed to go to her kindergarten class in the afternoon and we just couldn't let her go. 

3 years ago we took our girls to New York for a holiday and to cross a few things off our bucket list. One of which was to pay our respects and visit ground zero. St. Paul's church outside of Ground Zero, had been transformed as a permanent memorial and the emotions that overcame us as we walked through and read accounts of September 11th. We never expected to be so emotional, it brought us back to that day. We can only imagine how difficult it must have been for New Yorkers living with that reminder everyday. 

The present memorial was still in construction when we visited New York, so it still remains on our bucket list to return and pay our repsects once more. 

911 Memorial

Today around the world, our hearts go out to the families that lost loved ones in New York.

How to Hire a Good Interior Designer What is interior design? As the name implies, it's all about designing a living area – such as a bathroom or basement – while taking into account your needs, tastes, and budget, as well as the characteristics of the space itself. If you've ever sketched out an idea for a renovation – to add a wall, install hardwood floors, or paint – then you've done interior design, as least at an amateur level. Home improvement contractors, when they make suggestions about how to renovate a room, are also acting as interior designers. According to the Association of Registered Interior Designers, "Interior Designers will analyze your needs and budget, prepare and present conceptual solutions and then manage the implementation of the project." Although hiring an interior designer may seem like a luxury for many homeowners, it can actually be quite affordable. Plus, consider that your interior designer can manage your project from concept and design all the way through to a finished renovation – including managing the renovation work itself. How do you find a good interior designer? In Canada, check out Interior Designers of Canada at www.IDCanada.org. In the U.S., visit the American Society of Interior Designers at www.asid.org. Both websites have search tools to find qualified registered interior designers in your area. A REALTOR® who is an expert in the local market can also give you a recommendation. When reviewing possible interior designers, take a close look at their portfolios, which are usually in the form of pictures of completed projects. Consider the style of work they've done for other clients, as it is likely that’s what you can expect for yours. According to an article in The Epoch Times by Lloyd Princeton, it's also important that you get along with the interior designer. You'll be working closely with that person. If you have a gut feeling that you're not going to like him or her, then you won't be satisfied with the result – even if the design is actually good.