nanaimo home owners: How to decrease your home's carbon footprint - 05/22/14 06:24 AM
How to decrease your home's carbon footprint
Going green . . . how many times have you heard that phrase?
Being environmentally conscious isn't a fad, and the nice thing is that it's not that difficult to take the first few steps in reducing your home's carbon footprint.
Composting and recycling are two easy steps to take, and here's an easy way to get the most out of your efforts.  
First, get into the frame of mind where you only have two choices with your trash - recycling or composting.  In other words, whatever can't be recycled has to be … (1 comments)

nanaimo home owners: Four Quick Ways To Adapt To Your New Neighborhood - 05/22/14 06:10 AM
Four Quick Ways To Adapt To Your New Neighborhood
Everybody seems to be super-busy now days, but what's the point in having a beautiful home in a great neighborhood if you don't know the goings on?
Here are four quick and easy ways to make the most of your new neighborhood:
If there's a community association or HOA become an active member.  In addition to being able to put a face to your neighbors' names quickly, being more active in the association can give you great ways to make your neighborhood a better place to live.
Host a block party.  If … (0 comments)

nanaimo home owners: Top Landscaping Trends For 2014 - 04/17/14 02:47 AM
Top Landscaping Trends For 2014
Now that you've done your spring landscape cleanup it's time to think about doing a little outdoor updating.
Here are a few of the most popular landscaping trends for this year according to HGTV and the W Network:
Water features like ponds or fountains are relatively easy and inexpensive to construct.  In addition to being pleasing to look at you'll find that birds and butterflies will like these as well.
Updating your patio furniture is a great way to extend you inside living space to the outdoors.  You could add a sofa and chairs designed for … (0 comments)

nanaimo home owners: How To Feng Shui - 04/17/14 02:45 AM
How To Feng Shui
Feng Shui is a Chinese phrase combing the words for wind (Feng) and water (Shui) and defines a system of laws that govern spatial arrangement and orientation in relation to the flow of energy, taking into account the favorable - or unfavorable - effects when siting and designing buildings.
In plain English, Feng Shui is all about the simple interaction of human beings and their environment.
You can design your surroundings with the principles of natural energy flow, allowing you to achieve harmony with your surroundings. 
Much of Feng Shui is about the art of placement - … (0 comments)

nanaimo home owners: The Three Most Important Things A New Homeowner In Nanaimo Should Know - 04/17/14 02:44 AM
The Three Most Important Things A New Homeowner In Nanaimo Should Know
You've finally found the perfect dream home you've been searching for and today is the big day!
Moving in to a new home is exciting and you've probably got a lot of plans to make this house your home. 
Here are the top three things that a new home owner in Nanaimo should know:
When you were pre-approved for your mortgage your lender explained how your monthly payment would work, but above and beyond that it's important to budget for the routine repairs and improvements that will arise no … (0 comments)

nanaimo home owners: Six Ways To Stay Safe Around The Swimming Pool - 04/17/14 02:38 AM
Six Ways To Stay Safe Around The Swimming Pool
Here are the top six ways to play it safe around the swimming pool this summer:
Don't avoid the water:  Even little ones can take swimming lessons.  Learning things like how to tread water and how to float are fun.  Plus you'll be teaching your kids a new skill and also showing them how to embrace the water instead of avoiding it.
Make sure locks and fences are secure:  While you might have 'water kids' your neighbors or visitors may not.  Be sure that any pool fencing is secure and that the … (0 comments)

nanaimo home owners: How To Live Green In Nanaimo - 04/03/14 04:05 AM
How To Live Green In Nanaimo
Call it what you will - Going Green, Eco Friendly, or Green Living - being environmentally conscious is more than just a passing fad.
Here are some things you can do around the house to make green living a part of your routine:
Install a low-flow shower head: For every 10 minutes that you shower nearly 95 litres of water are used, resulting in (no pun intended) a lot of money going down the drain.
Update your windows and doors: Doors and windows that are not properly sealed or old fixtures that provide poor insulation … (1 comments)

nanaimo home owners: Best Nanaimo Home Decorating Tips - 10/26/13 07:37 AM
Best Nanaimo Home Decorating Tips
The festive Fall  season is  underway, and what better way to spread the cheer than by sprucing up your home?
Here are 3 Festive  Tips for decorating your Nanaimo home this Fall 2013:
#1 Seasonal Paint
Did you know that Emerald Green was voted THE colour of 2013?  You may have noticed this colour sprouting up in vases, window treatments and more - and emerald green paint makes a perfect fall colour as well.  If you think having an entire wall painted green is a bit much, consider incorporating the colour in area rugs, bud vases, … (0 comments)

nanaimo home owners: Top Interior Paint Colors For Fall 2013 - 10/26/13 07:23 AM
Top Interior Paint Colors For Fall 2013
As we head into fall here in Nanaimo you may be thinking that it's time for a change of colour in your home as well.
If you're ready to change out the bright colours of summer for the browns, oranges and greens of fall, here are a few paint colour ideas to get you started:
Emerald Green
Emerald green is the perfect fall colour . . . so perfect in fact that it was voted the 2013 Color of the Year! You've no doubt seen this green on window trim and decor, but why … (2 comments)

nanaimo home owners: Here's how to keep your hanging baskets blooming all summer long - 06/14/13 05:31 AM
Here's how to keep your hanging baskets blooming all summer long
Summer is my favorite time of the year in Nanaimo.  One of the things I love most about summer, are the flowers.  I love to garden and as a result I have bright, colourful annuals blooming in pots and baskets on our deck and throughout the garden.
Through trial and error and through asking many questions at the local nurseries, I have learnt how to keep these baskets and planters blooming all season long.
Here's what I have learnt:
Fertilize: I fertilize my baskets every time I water or at least every … (0 comments)

nanaimo home owners: Are you wondering if you should appeal your BC Assessment? - 01/08/13 05:08 AM
Are you wondering if you should appeal your BC Assessment?
At this time of year I often receive calls from clients regarding their property assessments. 
Many people receive assessments that have either gone up or have gone down from the previous year’s assessment.  It seems that this year, many clients are reporting that their assessed values have gone down.  In Nanaimo there has been a drop of 3% in the average selling price of single family homes over the last 12 months.  With this in mind, it stands to reason that assessed values would depreciate as well.
One option available to … (1 comments)