Who doesn’t love Easter and all the delicious food that comes from the inevitable family dinner? What is your favourite thing about Easter dinner? Do you have any favourite recipes to make?
Here’s one that’s always a crowd pleaser, and pairs perfectly with a traditional Easter ham:
Scalloped Potatoes!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for brushing
1/2 clove garlic
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 fresh bay leaves
1/2 cup grated gruyere cheese (about 2 ounces)
Directions
Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Generously brush a large skillet with butter, then rub with the garlic. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the potatoes, sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste, then arrange the remaining potatoes on top. Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Pour the broth and milk over the potatoes, then add the nutmeg and bay leaves; simmer 3 minutes.
Generously brush a shallow baking dish with butter and slide the potatoes into the dish; arrange with a fork, if desired. (If your skillet is ovenproof, you can skip this step and bake the potatoes right in the skillet.)
Dot the potatoes with the cut-up butter and sprinkle with the gruyere. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Discard the bay leaves.
You’ve probably heard of “staging”. It involves setting up each room of your home in a way that maximizes its appeal to buyers. You’ve probably also heard that this strategy can help sell your home faster – and for a higher price.
That’s true. However, if you’re like many homeowners, you’re worried about the time, energy and cost involved in staging your home properly. After all, don’t professional stagers bring in special furniture and décor? Will you have to do the same thing?
Not necessarily. Staging doesn’t have to be a big imposition. In fact, there are many staging techniques that most homeowners can easily do on their own. Among the simplest are: cleaning, decluttering, fixing, and painting.
Rearranging furniture can also improve the look of a room, while putting some furniture into storage can make the room look more spacious.
A helpful technique is to think of each room in your home as a product for sale. Then, explore ways to make it the kind of room buyers would want to buy. When it comes to effective staging, that’s a good mindset to get you started.
With the availability of more and more powerful mobile technology, it’s reasonable to presume that there is less need to dedicate time and space to a permanent home office. However, we also know that, from time to time, we need the opportunity to isolate ourselves at home, in order to get certain tasks accomplished. Getting “down to business” is a part of life, whether it’s for a student cramming for exams or a homeowner budgeting for a new mortgage. Getting these tasks done can require much less time if they’re easily accommodated. Fortunately, thanks to new modern furnishings that are flexible and adaptable, it’s no longer necessary to create a space that is uniquely dedicated to work.
Nowadays, a homeowner can create a convertible workspace that allows a room to serve a dual role. By installing shelving that can fold out to a desktop, a worktable with an adjustable height, or a bed that folds up into the wall, any room can have the flexibility to serve as a quiet place to read, study or pay monthly bills, and convert into a cozy, welcoming guest room. So, the truth is, we all need a home office – but we don’t necessarily need it to be a dedicated single-use space.
You’ve probably heard the expression, “The early bird gets the worm.” It refers, of course, to those who get in early and reap the rewards. For example, if you arrive early to a retail sore for a big blowout sale, you’re likely to get the deals before the inventory runs out. The stragglers who come later, miss out.
Well, this same wisdom can be applied to selling your home. Starting the process early – even if that means simply doing some initial planning – gives you the edge in several ways.
First of all, you get extra time for preparation. That means you can get your home cleaned, uncluttered and staged without feeling rushed. You also get more time to find out how much your property will likely sell for on today’s market. That’s important information, especially if you’re also looking to finance a new home.
Secondly, there’s less stress. You’ll have more time to make the right decisions. The last thing you want is to be scrambling around, last minute, trying to get your home ready for sale.
Finally, with your initial preparations done, you’ll be able to put our home on the market at a moment’s notice. That’s a huge advantage that’s likely to lead to selling your property more quickly and for the best price. In fact, by getting an early start on the process, you might even find that right now is the best time to list – and you’ll be able to do so, with confidence.
Want help getting an early start on selling your home? Contact me!
As technology becomes more advanced, solar panels using photovoltaic cells to absorb sunlight and create electricity are becoming more affordable, portable and efficient. They are readily available in various sizes to serve a range of needs. Smaller self-powered units are now very common – think of wireless patio lights with solar panels on their tops.
But other types are also gaining wider use. For example, you can buy flexible solar panels small enough to roll up and carry on a backpack, and then roll out to capture sunlight for powering a computer or smartphone while camping, hiking or boating.
On a larger scale, any rooftop, balcony or yard with reasonably consistent exposure to direct sunlight, might be a potential site for a solar panel that provides free energy for home use.
Such installations, of course, would require further investigation, as the upfront costs can be quite high. To begin, check your current electricity bill to see how much you consume in order to determine the size of panels you would need. Next, speak to an expert to find out if your exposure gets enough sunlight to generate sufficient electricity to be worthwhile – a quick search on google will help you find one in your area. Finally, find manufacturers and installers and look for government agencies that may provide discounts, rebates or credits for the electricity you generate.
A recent survey from the National Association of Realtors® revealed that 77 percent of buyers’ agents said staging a home makes it easier for potential buyers to visual it as their own. That’s why I believe staging is not to be overlooked! Here are my top tips.
Dress up your yard. First impressions count, and the first one your home gives comes from the exterior. Mow the lawn, clean up shrubbery, rake any leaves, clean the walkway and driveway, plant in-season flowers, and pull up any unsightly weeds.
Reduce personal items. Make it easier for buyers to imagine themselves making your house their home by removing personal photos and knick-knacks from shelves, walls, and counters. Instead replace them with clean, simple décor, such as abstract paintings, nature images, vases, plants, and more.
Organize your storage areas. Storage is a huge selling point. Tidy up and clear out the accessible closets and cupboards in the home and make sure to point them out during an open house or showing.
Appeal to the senses. Consider ways you can appeal to potential home buyers’ other senses. During a viewing or open house, bake some fresh cookies or burn delicious smelling candles and play light, relaxing music in the background.
Consider turning to an expert. With their knowledge of current trends and great eye for design, professionally certified stagers can transform a home in a variety of ways and have a keen sense of what home buyers want and expect in a home. Investing in hiring a pro may pay off in dividends.
If you’re wondering how your house would fare on the current market, give me a call for a free evaluation!
Try rubbing a piece of raw walnut on a light but visible scrape on the surface of a wood furnishing to provide a temporary natural lustre.
Keep track of your chosen colours by writing the paint source and code on the handle of the stir stick before tossing empty paint cans.
Clean a scorched pan by filling with boiling water to mid-point, mixing in a few teaspoons of baking soda and allowing to cool before scrubbing.
Measure servings of cookie dough easily by coating your spoon with a layer of milk to prevent the raw dough from sticking.
Remove coffee stains from most synthetic upholstery and carpeting by repeatedly sponging the area with a clean white cloth soaked in a mixture of mild dish detergent and water, then dabbing with a clean white cloth rinsed in cold water.
The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that a total of 78,345 residential unit sales were recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in 2018, a decline of 24.5 per cent from the 103,758 units sold in 2017. The annual average MLS® residential price in BC was $712,508, an increase of 0.4 per cent from $709,601 recorded the previous year. Total sales dollar volume was $55.8 billion, a 24.2 per cent decline from 2017.
“BC home sales fell below the 10-year average of 84,800 units in 2018,” said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. “The sharp decline in affordability caused by the B20 mortgage stress test is largely to blame for decline in consumer demand last year.”
A total of 3,497 MLS® residential unit sales were recorded across the province in December, down 39.1 per cent from December 2017. The average MLS® residential price in BC was $695,647, a decline of 5.2 per cent from December 2017. Total sales dollar volume was $2.4 billion, a 42.3 per cent decline during the same period.
Total active residential listings were up 33.3 per cent to 27,615 units in December, the highest December inventory since 2014 when 33,995 active residential listings were recorded.
Happy New Year to all my valued friends & clients!
It’s amazing how quickly the years fly past, isn’t it? I hope you enjoyed the Christmas season with friends and family and have turned the page to a bright New Year. I thought I would just share with you a little about my year in 2018, and provide a bit of insight into what to expect in the Real Estate Market in 2019.
As most of you know, this past year has been a tough one for me. My husband of 39 years passed away suddenly and unexpectedly at the beginning of May. As you can imagine, it turned my whole world upside down. I am slowly but steadily coming to terms with that loss. I have been so blessed to have such an amazing network of family, friends, colleagues and clients rally around and support me. Life does carry on and I am a strong person.
On a positive note, there were some wonderful memories created this year as well. I was able to do some camping this summer in my new red Micro Minnie Winnebago travel trailer. It’s just perfect for me and I can handle towing it and setting it up myself. I took my two granddaughters camping in it for a week which was a lot of fun.
In September my daughters and I went to Nova Scotia and toured the province together for 10 days. That was such a wonderful time: lots of sites, beautiful landscapes and opportunity for us to heal. They both flew back and I stayed on a further week to attend the Royal LePage National Sales Conference in Halifax. It was, as always, a whirlwind of seminars, speakers and workshops as well as reconnecting with and meeting so many Royal LePage agents from across the country. I believe there were over 1000 in attendance and Royal LePage has such a great culture, it really does feel like family.
I took my first solo trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in November. It was a very different experience, but I really enjoyed the downtime and alone time. The highlight of the trip for me was a cooking class that started with a trip to the market and ended with a fabulous 4 course dinner.
Of course, Christmas was very different this year. My family and I all gathered at my daughter’s house in Rutland. She has two young girls so it was good to have them to keep us all on track with the merriment. My Dad, stepmother, brother and my other daughter and her fiancé all joined us. There is nothing like family!
2018 saw a relatively strong start to the South Okanagan Real Estate market that really petered out and slowed over the course of the Fall. We ended the year down about 13% in the total number of residential sales. This slowing or correction has been felt across the country and is largely a result of rising interest rates, tougher mortgage qualifications and new taxes. The predictions for 2019 are pretty consistent in forecasting a continued slowing of the number of sales and even some decline in prices as we transition to more of a buyers market. There is expected to be a further two or more interest rate hikes over the course of the year which could further dampen sales.
In closing, I wish you and your families the very best of love, laughter and good health in 2019. Don’t be a stranger! I’d welcome a coffee, lunch or a glass of wine with you some time. My cell is 250-498-9867. I’d love to hear from you!
Scalloped Potatoes!
You’ve probably heard of “staging”. It involves setting up each room of your home in a way that maximizes its appeal to buyers. You’ve probably also heard that this strategy can help sell your home faster – and for a higher price.
With the availability of more and more powerful mobile technology, it’s reasonable to presume that there is less need to dedicate time and space to a permanent home office. However, we also know that, from time to time, we need the opportunity to isolate ourselves at home, in order to get certain tasks accomplished. Getting “down to business” is a part of life, whether it’s for a student cramming for exams or a homeowner budgeting for a new mortgage. Getting these tasks done can require much less time if they’re easily accommodated. Fortunately, thanks to new modern furnishings that are flexible and adaptable, it’s no longer necessary to create a space that is uniquely dedicated to work.
You’ve probably heard the expression, “The early bird gets the worm.” It refers, of course, to those who get in early and reap the rewards. For example, if you arrive early to a retail sore for a big blowout sale, you’re likely to get the deals before the inventory runs out. The stragglers who come later, miss out.
As technology becomes more advanced, solar panels using photovoltaic cells to absorb sunlight and create electricity are becoming more affordable, portable and efficient. They are readily available in various sizes to serve a range of needs. Smaller self-powered units are now very common – think of wireless patio lights with solar panels on their tops.
Reduce personal items. Make it easier for buyers to imagine themselves making your house their home by removing personal photos and knick-knacks from shelves, walls, and counters. Instead replace them with clean, simple décor, such as abstract paintings, nature images, vases, plants, and more.
Try rubbing a piece of raw walnut on a light but visible scrape on the surface of a wood furnishing to provide a temporary natural lustre.
“BC home sales fell below the 10-year average of 84,800 units in 2018,” said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. “The sharp decline in affordability caused by the B20 mortgage stress test is largely to blame for decline in consumer demand last year.”
On a positive note, there were some wonderful memories created this year as well. I was able to do some camping this summer in my new red Micro Minnie Winnebago travel trailer. It’s just perfect for me and I can handle towing it and setting it up myself. I took my two granddaughters camping in it for a week which was a lot of fun.
sites, beautiful landscapes and opportunity for us to heal. They both flew back and I stayed on a further week to attend the Royal LePage National Sales Conference in Halifax. It was, as always, a whirlwind of seminars, speakers and workshops as well as reconnecting with and meeting so many Royal LePage agents from across the country. I believe there were over 1000 in attendance and Royal LePage has such a great culture, it really does feel like family.
I took my first solo trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in November. It was a very different experience, but I really enjoyed the downtime and alone time. The highlight of the trip for me was a cooking class that started with a trip to the market and ended with a fabulous 4 course dinner.