For many people, buying a Kamloops home is the biggest investment they will make. It can be exciting as well as overwhelming. Unfortunately, there are some roadblocks that can arise that can be big enough to sink the deal between buyer and seller. Here are some of the obstacles, as well as how a real estate agent can help overcome them. Structural Defects: Buyers should hire a licensed home inspector to examine their potential purchase. The home inspector will report on needed repairs, such as cracked basement walls, as well as what the problem will cost to fix. Sometimes the cost of structural repairs can exceed what the buyers are willing to pay. In this case, the seller may want to complete some of the repairs prior to closing. Another option is for the buyers to contribute sweat equ... 12/06/2010

Just how important is it that sellers take responsibility for having their own pre-inspections done before putting their Kamloops home on the market? Very! It keeps sellers from getting an unexpected surprise repair that may come up during a sale. However, not all sellers do a pre-inspection; that is even more reason why BUYERS should have an inspection completed on a home they are considering purchasing! Home inspections eliminate the need for "Buyer Beware" because they expose potential problems with the home before the sale is final.Buying a home is one of the largest single investments you will ever make. It is important to learn all you can about the condition of the property and any major repairs needed before you buy. A good home inspector may be all that is standing between you ... 11/11/2010

On October 15th, Sun Peaks Village had its first snowfall of the season! It is all downhill from here, which is great news for skiers! The Kamloops area has continued to attract international visitors for the winter season. On October 31st, flights into Vancouver increased as the area prepares for the beginning of snow, skiing and fun in Kamloops!Opening day for the Sun Peaks Resort is November 20, 2010. Crews are already prepping the runs for the arrival of the Austrian Women's Ski Team arriving in mid-November. As cooler temperatures prevail, Mountain Operations crews have begun making fresh snow! So what does all this mean? It is time to make your reservations for winter fun in Kamloops!Many hotels and resorts in the area offer great Winter Adventure packages. One of the largest skia... 11/06/2010

If you haven't figured it out by now, Kamloops is a beautiful place! It's rugged outdoors and vast landscapes make it the perfect place to get away from it all! You can experience everything from lush green wooded areas to dry and arid lands. And there is no better time to go take a hike in Kamloops than fall!No matter what your fitness level, you can find a great place to hike. You can find a variety of trails at the Peterson Creek Park. The park is a popular family spot, with areas for picnics as well as hiking. One of the popular destinations within the park is the Bridal Veil Falls. The whole family can enjoy gently sloping trails or the more experienced hiker can take on the switchback trails. The view of the park from the higher trails is worth the hike.If you want to hike wider m... 10/30/2010

It is the goal of every homeowner who is selling their home: get the most money for your home in the shortest amount of time. Having the right information and the right tools is the best way to accomplish your goal! The first tool should be your local real estate expert. They can help you determine the right price to set for your home. As we have discussed before, having the price right is imperative for making the most from your home. Your agent can also tell you what needs to be done to make your home ready for sale, inside and out! After all, it is about perception when selling your Kamloops home!The perceived value of your home can impact your selling price by as much as 10%! That first impression is based on the overall condition of your home. While we like to think we are very log... 10/23/2010

"All Aboard!" for a journey back in time on a beautifully restored 1912 steam locomotive. The No. 2141 leaves out of the 1927 historic C.N. Railway Station at #6-510 Lorne Street in Kamloops. Operated by the City of Kamloops, the train has carried passengers through the area since 2002. Like many objects from the past, there is a mystery surrounding the old train. In the month of October, you can find more out by climbing aboard the Ghost Train at Kamloops Heritage Railway!GHOST TRAINReady for a Halloween adventure? According to legend, on a dark Halloween night in 1915, a steam locomotive disappeared taking 44 passengers along with it. It was a frightful night, the wind howled and dense fog appeared at Wolfenden. The train steamed into the fog, but never came back out!After its restora... 10/19/2010

Remember the days gone by, when your house hunting started with a slow perusal of the Sunday Classifieds? Or do you recall trying to entice buyers to come view a home by describing it in 20 words or less?  Well those days are definitely behind us! Using the internet to buy or sell your Kamloops home is the new standard.The internet opens a whole new world in house hunting. You can view a home, inside and out usually, map the location and even check out local schools all from the comfort of your own home! No more waiting on your agent to come by with the latest listings or waiting for those classifieds to finally come out. The best part is your agent can get you the latest information on a home that may be perfect for you, just by sending the information to your inbox!The internet is a p... 10/16/2010

Buying a newly constructed home in British Columbia? Under the harmonized sales tax that went into effect in British Columbia in July, 2010 you may pay more - or not.  Since then, there have been many questions about the impact HST will make on the local real estate market and other areas of commerce. It also seems that some confusion remains on where the tax is applicable and who it will affect.The harmonized sales tax applies to the purchase price of a new construction home, service fees, and commissions associated with any real estate transaction; it does not apply to the purchase price of a home that is considered a resale.The rebates are based on the purchase price. For new homes listed below $525,000, the rebate amounts will vary by purchase price. For those purchasing a newly con... 10/10/2010

British Columbia is known for its beauty and abundance of outdoor activities. From hiking and biking, to skiing and horseback riding, there is almost no limit to what you can experience in the great outdoors. But each year, there is a special event, orchestrated by nature, which draws thousands of visitors to the area. But they aren't the only ones headed to Kamloops, where the salmon run!Each year, the Adams River is home to one of the world's largest sockeye salmon runs. Every fourth year there is what is called a dominant run, where the number of salmon swell to huge proportions. 2010 is a dominant year; over 2 million salmon will swim up river to spawn.This is one of the few places you can see this phenomenon in such large numbers. Visitors can also attend the 2010 Salute to the Soc... 10/06/2010

In recent years, Farmer's Markets are once again becoming the place for communities to come together, but our local Farmers Market is a long standing tradition. The Kamloops Farmer's Market actually got its start all the way back in 1914.In 1914, the Kamloops city council set up a local farmers market with sixteen wooden booths where the Plaza Heritage Hotel is at Fourth Avenue and Victoria Street. The original market thrived until after the First World War. The local market came back strong in 1978 and the last 30 years have only strengthened its place in the community.You will find more than just vegetables at the Kamloops Farmer's Market! Depending on the season, you can find bedding plants, fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, eggs, dairy products ,and baked goods. Oh, did we mention ... 09/20/2010

For most people, their home is the most valuable asset they possess. If one of the most important decisions you can make is buying a home, following closely behind that is selling your home. There are a lot of questions that may come up. What is the market like? What do we ask for our home? Is there anything we need to do before putting our home on the market? And the most common question: where do we even start? Here are some tips to help you get started selling your Kamloops, BC home. Tip 1: Understand why you are selling your home. It may seem simple, but the reason you are selling your home will determine how you will go about accomplishing your goal. As an example, if you are relocating and need to sell your home quickly, the price you set and the things you do to prepare for sell ... 09/06/2010

Kamloops, British Columbia is well known as a center of outdoor recreation. Hiking, fishing, skiing, and biking are favorite activities for those living in and visiting the area. But the Thompson Okanagan region is becoming well known for one other activity! GOLF! And great golf can be found right here in Kamloops! One of the newer golf courses is the Tobiano. This course was called "Canada's Best New Golf Course- 2008" by SCOREGolf and Golf Digest Magazines. Thomas McBroom designed the course and it can be enjoyed by beginner golfers to the top professional players. Besides being a wonderful course, the views are amazing! Nestled against the shoreline of Kamloops Lake, this Championship course is a sight to behold. It also boasts a nice practice facility. Now if you are looking for a g... 09/06/2010

Kamloops,  the City of Rivers, is located in central British Columbia where two branches of the Thompson River come together and near Kamloops Lake.  Home to over 96,000 people, Kamloops is the 37th largest city in Canada.   First inhabited by the Shuswap Nation, part of the area is an Indian reserve (the Kamloops Indian Band) located north of downtown and outside the city limits.  Communities such as Rayleigh and Heffley Creek are accessible only by passing through Indian Band Lands. The main part of the city lies in the valley where the rivers meet, and suburbs are stretched out along the branches of the river and along hillsides on the south and northeast.  Despite its location near water, the climate is considered semi-arid and features early springs, hot summers, with low humidity ... 08/15/2010

Mount Paul Mini Storage located at 600 Okanagan  Way Kamloops, BC - 250-374-3382‎   View Larger Map Mount Paul Mini Storage located at 600 Okanagan  Way Kamloops, BC - 250-374-3382 ‎ 05/08/2010

I have Tulips growing in my front garden and it is only Late February!!!  Not usual at all.  Fruit trees and shrubs may take the biggest hit, if a late frost occurs or a late winter blast.  Sad results in that case for sure.  The housing market has been hot as well.  Sunny days seem to bring out the buyers and I have seen multiple offers in many cases.  Asking prices seem to be the starting point for bargaining...the days of $10,000 to $20,000 bids below asking appear to be over. CMHC has posted predictions that there will be a shortage (read smaller than usual inventory) of housing inventory and that certainly seems to be coming true in the short term.  For Buyers, being preapproved for a mortgage can be the difference between bidding with confidence or losing the house due to lack of ... 02/27/2010

So you finally decided to make an offer on the home you saw three times in the past 30 days. You sit down with your agent and decide on the best price.Contrary to the REALTORS® CMA you decide to offer below FMV. You wait all night and wonder what the seller will decide. Late the next day, your REALTOR® calls to tell you your offer was countered...FULL PRICE! Woah...now wait a minute, who does this seller think they are you wonder.Dont take it personal. It does not mean they will not negotiate. All it means is that they do not feel your top line will reach their bottom line, so they dont want to continue negotiations. It does not mean they will not accept less.They may be willing to accept just slightly higher than your top line. If you are in this situation, dont frett. You may still be... 05/19/2009

Buying your first home doesn't have to be scary. When it comes to buying your first home, things can look pretty frightening, especially if you're going it alone. I specialize in helping people who might be thinking about buying their first home. And I can help you in more ways than you might imagine. There's no cost to you! The first thing to know is that my services to you are absolutely free, and that's a promise. No hidden charges, and no surprises. So, there's really nothing to lose, and everything to gain by giving me a call. First things first. You'll want to begin the process by learning exactly how much home you can afford, and I can do this for you in just a few minutes. Once you know what you can afford, I can begin showing you homes that fit your price range. The rest is pre... 02/19/2009

Has anyone ever seen this headline? I can't say that I have. I can tell you one thing for sure, I have about five buyers that are sitting on the fence right now waiting for the front page headline's to say "Now is the Time to Buy" Correct me if I'm wrong but by the time that anouncement hits the papers, it's too late! The ship has sailed because the media is re-active not pro-active. Things have to happen before they can report. If you are in the market for a home whether buying or selling, we need to talk. There are great opportunities in the real estate market today however it is only for those that are buying and selling for the right reasons. 02/14/2009

Driving around Kamloops today I could not help but notice all the new construction. From the airport expansion to the new best western to the new highrise to the new holiday inn to the new... wow there is so many to mention I just realized how many new projects are curently in the works. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I could not find any evidence of a recession in Kamloops. I can only relate all the hype about the market being in a slump to an old restaurantuer who when asked by others on how is business in his little community, he would lower his head and say it's pretty slow with an inner fear of not letting the cat out of the bag.   02/11/2009

I have just spent three days looking through all the dealerships to compare prices on my next car purchase. I know what price range I need so that makes it easy for me to find the best value. As I zipped through all the lots looking for (my car) I realized there were five cars (same year, same model) with a price difference of nearly five thousand dollars. Was my time worth that much over three days? you bet it is. You can also bet that buyers looking at your home have viewed other homes in your price range and will view any others available at the time. Even if you are priced 2% over market value you run the risk of not selling within your time frame. SELLERS - As a real estate professional, I am able to place your home at the right price range so you can sell fast and for top dollar w... 02/01/2009