Familly matters, especially when buying a new home. We all want safe and healthy neighbourhood with quality infrastructure. Good school for our kids is often in the centre of our attention. But how to search in MLS for a home near a particular school? Sure you can look at the map and compare the distance, but that's pretty climsy, isn't it? Luckily, for those of you living in Vancouver BC, Vancouver Realtor Sebastian Albrecht comes with a new feature on his site - Vancouver property search by by School Catchments. You can simply enter which school you prefer and his automated search function will find you all available properties in that school's catchment. Pretty neat, hm? 07/21/2012

Zsa Zsa Gabor Kitty Meets Sally Home Stager Vancouver If looks could kill, this Vancouver Home Stager would certainly be dead by now!  We recently staged a condo on Vancouver's Westside.  The home owner went out while we worked our magic, but resident kitty stayed to watch over us, making sure we didn't touch her feather ball with the bell in it, or her food dish!  She was certainly not happy that we were moving furniture around to create a better flow, and bringing some rental furniture in to create a lighter, brighter space.   This beautiful kitty was staring daggers at us, and couldn't wait for us to depart so she could sleep in peace. I'm not sure what this kitty's real name was, but if I were to name her, it would certainly be Zsa Zsa Gabor.  You could almost hear her say "Dahrlink... 07/11/2012

Chinatown has always mesmerized me; fascinated and tantalized me, but it's been years since the last time I prowled it's streets.  Minutes from the Waterfront Station and next to Gastown, Chinatown has a mystique all it's own.  Apparently it is the 2nd largest Chinatown in North America - next to the one in San Francisco. With scents and sounds all its own, I wandered down the streets and the alleys intriqued by the the Chinese Medicine Shops - carrying herbs and untoward animal bodyparts - thinking this is a topic I really would like to know more about...Interspersed with Chinese tea shops, restaurants, unique architecture and memorials, not to mention yummy bakeries. I eventually succumbed to temptation and bought a delicious coconut cream filled bun.  As I traversed back and forth ac... 07/08/2012

  It seems like Vancouver can't get enough of the fiberglass street statues........During the Olympics it was Orcas, we've had eagles and bears too, and now its dozens of sculptures modelled after the 2,200-year-old terracotta warrior statues unearthed in China decades ago. The warriors — each painted by a different artist — will be auctioned off Sept. 27 with the proceeds going to the BC Lions Society Easter Seal Houses and Easter Seal Camps for children with disabilities.  In the meantime they're fashioning the corners of our streets, fascinating and yet somehow they feel lost in time... Read the Vancouver Sun for the history of the subterranean terracotta warriors as well as a photo gallery of the Vancouver statues. If you’d like to see them in person, 24 Hours has a map pointing to ... 07/08/2012

07/08/2012

It's been a whilie since I've been on Active Rain - and as I was writing up this blog on WordPress and for Facebook I thought I really should get back to my 'first-love' - Active Rain! So.....  A suburbanite being an urbanite for seven days ~ isn’t that the cat’s meow? Having lived in the country now for almost a dozen years, The Chilliwack Girl is realizing that she might really and truly be a city girl at heart.  So when this two week job stint came up requiring me to work for one hour on a West Coast Express train trip to Vancouver – stay in Vancouver for 8-9 hours & free to do as I wish and then work another one hour on the trip back to Mission,  I for one was not about to look a gift horse in it’s mouth. (Where do these idioms come from???)    Since it wasn’t likely that I’d be ta... 07/08/2012

While Canada has always been one of the world's top destinations for immigrants and our real estate market has been strongly influenced by it, there is a new trend emerging. US citizens, tired of the dismal economic situation in their homecountry, are coming in rising numbers to Canada to settle down and seek jobs. This offers unusual opportunity to real estate professionals to serve this market segment. Vancouver real estate has been particularly attractive for foreign buyers. Local Realtor Sebastian Albrecht looks at the new phenomena of US buyers in his article about US immigration to Canada. 07/02/2012

The truly Unique and fully renovated properties in new buildings under a Million this is a JEM! Measurements Approximate & to be verified by Buyer. 2D & 3D Floorplans, Virtual Tour, Photos, 3D Walkthrough, Feature Sheets at: www.618Abbott.com. *BUYER REALTOR BONUS*: $5,000. Parking Stall #: 68, Locker #: 226. OFFERS Welcome ASAP Built by "Henderson Developments" this PENTHOUSE unit, @ the "FIRENZE 3" building, includes: 2 Bedrooms + Den, 2 Baths, 2 Roof-top Decks, Views of Mountains & Water & unparalleled PRIVACY. This 1,485sf of living space on 2 LEVELS, PLUS 500sf on Two Decks is a Diamond in Vancouver Downtown. FEATURING: Imported Marble Tiles, Custom-Built-in Bookshelves, German Hardwood-Laminate, 20' High Drapes, Ceiling Crown Moldings, Japanese Heated Toilet Seats w/ Spray Clean ... 06/29/2012

I LOVE SELLING UNIQUE PROPERTIES - For all the information on this one please go to: 518BeattyStreet.com True GEM 2 LEVEL CORNER PENTHOUSE HERITAGE "NEW YORK Style" Conversion! Revel in $400,000+/- exquisite renos in this astounding, well-appointed, move-in ready "Crosstown" HOME! A block from SKYTRAIN/Shopping/Cafes, be WOWed by 10'/12' Wood BEAMED Ceilings, Brick, Sandblasted Concrete Walls, CHERRY WOOD Cabinetry, Stunning OAK floors, Tilt/Turn Windows, DIMMERED LIGHTS, Chef's Kitchen w/ GRANITE Counters/Bar/Bksplash, SS Appliances, GAS Stove, Wine Fridge, SPA Baths, Sunken JET TUB, TEMPERED GLASS Showers, GLASS Tiles, RADIANT SLATE Floors + EURO Fixtures throughout! PRIVATE 300SF Deck w/ ZEN Garden & fed GAS BBQ. Tons of Storage/Closet Space! SHARED ROOFTOP Deck + SECURED Parking! O... 06/29/2012

The busy real estate market in Vancouver, BC, inspired local realtor Sebastian Albrecht to open a new website dedicated to buyers and sellers in Vancouver area. Calle simply YourVancouverRealEstate.ca, this site has larger ambitions than a standard real estate agent's web. One of the most special features is it's Which Area of Vancouver Should You Live In? quiz, which helps newcomers to locate their ideal neighbourhood in a playful way. Beside being a top performing realtor, Sebastian is also a record holder of the Grouse Grind run, when he conquered the Grouse Gring 14 times in a single day! 05/26/2012

I borrowed this article from one of the most promising young Vancouver realtors right now - Sebastian Albrecht. --- The housing market in Vancouver is a favourite topic in Canada’s housing bubble discussion. Extremely high prices, low affordability, and changing conditions in the housing market suggest that this isn’t the right time to buy a home. Of course, it’s true for those who can’t afford it. Buying a home is probably the biggest financial decision you will ever make, so before buying, you should gather as much information as possible and think about investing. How much can you afford? Is this the right time for you? What are the conditions in the housing market? If you are sure you can handle your living costs, there is no reason to hesitate.   Affordability Worst in the Country ... 05/09/2012

Many years I have driven, walked and biked the Seawall through Stanley Park. Many years I passed by this lovely creature on the rock and thought about how sweet it was that we had a mermaid peacefully sitting there. Apparently I'm not the only one either! Do an google image search for mermaid in Stanley Park and this is what you get!  But many don't know this - but it's not a mermaid! It's actually a life size bronze statue of a woman in a wetsuit. In September of 1968, Douglas Brown, a Vancouver lawyer, talked to sculptor Elek Imredy about his desire to commission a sculpture inspired by the famous Copenhagen mermaid.  Imredy proposed a life-size bronze sculpture of a scuba diver. On June 9th, 1972, the sculpture was set in place by an electric crane. The next day the sculpture was cer... 04/27/2012

Your guide to “Seasonal Home Maintenance”, Vancouver B.C   Most home maintenance activities are seasonal. Spring is the time to assess winter damage, start repairs and prepare for warmer months. While most maintenance is seasonal, there are some things you should do on a frequent basis year-round:      Make sure air vents indoors and outdoors (intake, exhaust and forced air) are not blocked by snow or debris.  Check and clean range hood filters on a monthly basis.  Test ground fault circuit interrupter(s) on electrical outlets monthly by pushing the test button, which should then cause the reset button to pop up.  If there are young children in the house, make sure electrical outlets are equipped with safety plugs.  Regularly check the house for safety hazards, such as a loose handrail,... 04/23/2012

Vancouver Homes I just sold this House at 1517 West 59th Ave, Vancouver, BC South Granville, Westside Vancouver. To view this listing please click on the link below: http://www.frankjava.com/RecentSales.php/Details/8 Almost every Realtor that I bump into, complains about having a hard time selling a brand new home. That is true, with the new shift in the market brand new Vancouver homes are hard to sell, or actually westside Vancouver I should say. I have been working with many buyers in the past few years, mostly Chinese, and I have come to realize that the developers are not meeting the consumer's expectations. The market for the Vancouver homes had been really good for quiet a few years, and because of that many developers who were benefiting from that booming new house market, got a... 04/23/2012

Sutton West Coast Realty Gala - Vancouver 2012 We had a wonderful time at the 3rd Annual Sutton West Coast Realty Gala last night, and I just wanted to share some photos of this fun event.  My company, Exit Stage Right, was thrilled to be asked to participate as a sponsor at this year's gala.  Sutton literally rolled out the red carpet to its Agents, and upon arrival at the beautiful Westin Bayshore Hotel, were greeted by the glamorous Merrily Hackett, General Manager/Owner of Sutton West Coast Realty.  It certainly felt like being at the Oscars, with "paparazzi" lined up to take photos of each guest. Merrily Hackett on the left, and a Realtor® arriving on the right (wearing Tangerine Tango, I might add) The Ballroom was decorated in a chillingly lovely ice theme, adding wonderful panac... 04/13/2012

Home sales in March trended below the 10-year average in Greater Vancouver while home listing activity outpaced what’s typical for the month. The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that residential property sales in Greater Vancouver reached 2,874 on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in March 2012. This represents a 12.9 per cent increase compared to the 2,545 sales recorded in February 2012, a decline of 29.6 per cent compared to the 4,080 sales in March 2011 and an 8.4 per cent decline compared to the 3,137 home sales in March 2010. March sales in Greater Vancouver were the second lowest total for the month in the region since 2002 and were 16.8 per cent below the 10-year sales average for the month. Home sellers have been more active than buyers the first few m... 04/13/2012

If you live in Vancouver or at least had the pleasure of visiting English Bay, I'm sure you know which building I'm talking about. The Famous Building with the Tree! I thought I'd share with you the story of the significance of this building and the tree - it's an interesting one. The Euginia Building - 1919 Beach Avenue - a prestige building offering 17 unique homes (only 1 per floor). Built in 1991 and designed by Architect Richard Henriquez. He wanted to somehow symbolize Vancouver's history, when Vancouver was little more than a clearing in a clearcut. So how did he do that? A few very creative ways. First of all - the stone wall that you can see below that surrounds the tower reproduces the foundations of the four houses that once stood on the same location. If you look closely at ... 04/10/2012

Home Staging is like living the movie, The Devil Wears Prada Have you ever felt like life resembles art?  This Vancouver Home Stager often feels like she’s playing the part of Stanley Tucci in The Devil Wears Prada! Please, let me explain further.  I know I don’t look like Stanley Tucci, but let’s face it; his role as Nigel, the art director at Runway Magazine, transformed Anne Hathaway’s character, Andy Sachs, from a frumpy, lumpy invisible being, into a stunning, stand-out beauty who can’t be ignored.    Really, this is movie is just another new take on the classic fairy tale, Cinderella.  Nigel is the Fairy Godmother to Andy, as I am the Fairy Godmother to homeowners with frumpy, lumpy, dumpy homes!  It takes cunning and expertise to know just what looks good, and what needs to be ch... 04/03/2012

In an effort to provide the best online imagery for my listings, I have discovered a way to do reaaly cool video of any room. If you open it on your ipad, iphone, or smart phone you can press the AR button and it will let you check out the room as if you are actually in it! you turn the phone to the right and can see whats to the right in the room, you turn the phone left, it shows you whats left in the room. Up, down and around work too. I believe it is going to be a great way for me to market Vancouver homes and condos. Please take a peek of my living room and tell me what you think!   MY LIVING ROOM   Debra Harbaruk Realtor Vancouver BC ReMax City Realty 03/31/2012

What's unique about Commercial Drive on a rainy day? Well the umbrellas of course! What other community has the environmental mindset to turn their colourful community banners into bright and sturdy umbrellas with a lifetime warranty? Oh and reuseable bags to boot!      The Commercial Drive Business society replaces it's  256 nylon street banners almost every year in an effort to keep the Drive alive. That left them with the question of what to do with the 256 banners they take down every year. Their answer was genius on so many levels. These banners are remade into reusable shopping bags and umbrellas. According to the Commercial Drive Business Society, as of December 2011, this has prevented  over 14.3 tons of CO2 emissions, eliminated 805 lbs from going to the landfill & saved enough... 03/29/2012