The report below is from Dr. Mercola from Mercola.com and is a site that i have a subscription to.  He has a common sense approach to our health and disagrees pationately about how our countries are run based on the health and medical industries.  FDA stand for Food and Drug Administration.  Food and Drugs are together regulated?  Why are they together?  What do Food and Drugs have in common?  The chemicals that are allowed in the production, packaging, preserving and make-up of our food that we eat every day is the connection.  Below is an article from Dr. Mercole about the Corn industry.  i say make sure you buy good old fashioned Organic Maple Syrup for your pancakes and you will be fine:  Hey we sell that in Canada eh! Pundit George Will has joined the ranks of those who have notice... 04/04/2009

Stats are out.   See the link below to learn all about the recent market activity in the Chilliwack BC region.  Our office actually doubled the amount of submitted deals in March in comparison to February.  The market is active and people are calling to get into Buying some Real Estate.  We are booking more showings and writing deals.  Pheeew.  What a feeling....  click on the new link below to learn more detailed information about our market area: http://www.happyhomesbc.ca/chilliwack_statistics.html 04/03/2009

Here is the Chilliwack Real Estate Market Report.Here is a general market report with Statistics from our Board in Chilliwack BC. We are a city with a population of approximately 85,000 people and we are located within 1.5 hours from the City center of Vancouver, BC. We are fantastic community with lakes and mountains and fishing rivers all around us. We have all of the amenities that you need and we are soon to be a University town. We have a WHL hockey team called the Chilliwack Bruins. In the month of January 2009 we totalled 71 total residential sale down 45% from the previous year and about 50% of the total dollar volume. However we saw a slight upturn for the month of February because it seemed that everyone was waiting for the announcment of the Obama administration to happen at ... 03/18/2009

I've personally had a great roll over the last few years and have also felt the blow of the media controlled economy here in Chilliwack BC.  Chilliwack Real Estate sales are no different and we are not immune to the state of fairs down south.  (Although we should be - check out my other blogs at www.happyhomesbc.blogspot.com to read more about why)  However, I have said this over the last year to everybody that this is healthy.  No more success by happenstance.  No more waking up and expecting the phone to ring, selling a house and then patting yourself on the back and complimenting yourself at how great of a marketer you are.  We need these adjustments to cause us to dig deep and find out what we are made of.  We need to learn and grow as individuals in order to be better REALTORs but ... 03/12/2009

I am in Childrens Hospital right now with my wife and my son Connor as we have discovered that my son is now a Type1 Diabetic. He is 8 years old and is taking on this new life change like a pure Champion. He is amazing. He has had to overcome some very real fears in an extreme short period of time. Needles !!! Every day !?! Insulin!! What happens of he hits a "low"? Making sure that he eats right. He has to prick his finger -on purpose- to check his blood sugar level a number of times a day. It is Wednesday and he was admitted to the hospital on Monday night at 8:30pm and he is already acting like this is almost "normal". What? We as parents are going to have to make some serious adjustments and we are going through a major crash course with one more day left. We are tired and feeling ... 03/12/2009

I was interviewed the other day on 89.5 FM "the HAWK". It is a brand new radio station that just started broadcasting in Chilliwack.I was on my way into an appointment to show a client a beautiful home up at "The Falls Golf Course and Resort". (Check out video to learn more) http://www.happyhomesbc.ca/videotours.php I spoke to the reporter for about 5 minutes. She was asking me questions about the Real Estate Market. I quickly assumed that she was intending to create a story about how slow things are or how prices have dropped. I did not give her any material for that at all. I spoke about how Sellers have to be realistic about their home prices. How they have to be priced sharply and I expressed the concept that once they sell they may feel a little bit beat up but once they become the... 03/09/2009

  Home Staging - Preparing your home for Sale! Tuesday  April 21st 2009 7 p.m. 8:15 p.m Chilliwack Public Library   Preparing your home for sale is no easy task so if you are planning on of selling your home in the months to come then this Seminar will help you get started.  Learn what Home Staging is, tips for preparing your house prior to listing to ensure top asking price. Pair Home Design will give you tips on everything from "Curb appeal" to "Broad buyer appeal"Home buyers today expect more and want "Move in Condition" Limited seating:                                 WHICH ROOM DO YOU FIND MORE APPEALING?   03/04/2009

  What a great time we had at the Chilliwack Home Show,  Hosting our first booth at this event proved to be quite spectacular and we received an overwhelming positive response from the Chilliwack Community who are very excited that we are a local company (Chilliwackians) and can offer Home Staging for selling and Redesign for living along with our Design work & renovations for those individuals who want to take advantage of the federal budget renovation incentive tax program and take care of those overdue repairs & renovations prior to listing their property.  We met so many wonderful people who see value in what we have to offer & who welcomed us into their community of Chilliwack.   Pair Home Design did three stage talks one on Home Staging - Preparing your Home For Sale & two on Home... 02/11/2009

                                                   An "Aha" moment is one of those times in your life that all the pieces fall into place. A moment of clarity that enlightens and actually changes you. Please join and share in our New ....Aha group! :-)               "When the market shifts most people get confused and start believing that the floor is the ceiling when actually the ceiling is now the new floor. Our world and assuredly our markets are being built from the ground up and you can get in on the bottom floor and ride the next wave to the top. Forget about the past, the future is going to be controlled by those who see the opportunities that lie ahead and are rewriting the rules. You can either live in the past or break free to the future." Gary Keller                         ... 02/01/2009

                                                                                       The Keller William Difference - Different by Design!  At Keller Williams Realty, we like to think we stand out from other real estate firms in many ways, but these areas in particular define Keller Williams Realty as an industry innovator and leader: Culture, Education, Profit Share and Technology.  We are a company built and shaped by talented, driven real estate professionals who know the value of having a great career, accomplished colleagues, work-life balance and a reputation for being the best in the business.  We focus on helping associates realize their fullest potential. You will find opportunities for growth, support for achieving your objectives and a true sense of family and belonging.  Y... 12/27/2008

For those of you who are fascinated by Stats - here we go for the Month of November......in Chilliwack...Just remember that Statistics although they can be a predicator of the future, in actuality are just a 'hindsight' view of what has happened..........the future is yet unknown......we have a tendency to like to 'connect the dots and 'paint by number' our future.....But....its a brand NEW ahead....like freshly fallen snow........Lets anticipate...and plan for the Very Best we can! :-)    Sardis Park, Chilliwack - December - 2008 Chilliwack has 23.9 months of residential housing inventory with 1767 active listings and only 74 recorded sales in November. Here is the news release from the Chilliwack and District Real Estate Board.Total MLS® sales activity decreased this November in the a... 12/27/2008

                                                 The Keller William Difference - Different by Design!  At Keller Williams Realty, we like to think we stand out from other real estate firms in many ways, but these areas in particular define Keller Williams Realty as an industry innovator and leader: Culture, Education, Profit Share and Technology.  We are a company built and shaped by talented, driven real estate professionals who know the value of having a great career, accomplished colleagues, work-life balance and a reputation for being the best in the business.  We focus on helping associates realize their fullest potential. You will find opportunities for growth, support for achieving your objectives and a true sense of family and belonging.  Your success is our goal.... Make today ... 12/25/2008

                                                                                                                          An "Aha" moment is one of those times in your life that all the pieces fall into place. A moment of clarity that enlightens and actually changes you. Please join and share in our New ....Aha group! :-)               "When the market shifts most people get confused and start believing that the floor is the ceiling when actually the ceiling is now the new floor. Our world and assuredly our markets are being built from the ground up and you can get in on the bottom floor and ride the next wave to the top. Forget about the past, the future is going to be controlled by those who see the opportunities that lie ahead and are rewriting the rules. You can either live in the p... 12/21/2008

                                                                                                The Keller William Difference - Different by Design!  At Keller Williams Realty, we like to think we stand out from other real estate firms in many ways, but these areas in particular define Keller Williams Realty as an industry innovator and leader: Culture, Education, Profit Share and Technology.  We are a company built and shaped by talented, driven real estate professionals who know the value of having a great career, accomplished colleagues, work-life balance and a reputation for being the best in the business.  We focus on helping associates realize their fullest potential. You will find opportunities for growth, support for achieving your objectives and a true sense of family and belon... 12/07/2008

I don't know about you but ever since I saw Demi Moore in "Ghost" I've wanted to learn how to do pottery!This weekend is the Season  Opener Christmas Show,  at Greendale Pottery. (minutes west of Chilliwack)......   The Showroom shelves are full of Stoneware in  distinctive glazes and contemporary designs.  They've just unloaded two new loads of Crystalline glazed porcelain, and they're ready for the Christmas gifting season, with lots of pots for you to enjoy!   Drop by the Studio this Thursday, Friday or Saturday, from 11am to 5pm for the best selection of the season.Then on the following weekend, November 28 and November 29 from 11 til 5, and Sunday November 30 from 12-4, bring friends along and joinus for a unique shopping experience at our 6th Annual CHILLIWACK CHRISTMAS CRAFT CRAW... 11/28/2008

The Hope Slough is an amazing series of meandering waterways that drain the area between Chilliwack and Rosedale. The sloughs run primarily through private property but where the road crosses or parallels them, there's some amazing wildlife....Habitat includes Coho and Chum Salmon... . The sloughs are visited by waterfowl through the year... Watch for American Wigeon, Wood Duck, scaup, Bufflehead, mergansers and Mallard AND from spring to fall, Great Blue Herons are a common sight!  Recently The Fraser Valley Regional Watersheds Coalition has completed its work at Hope River - Funded by the Pacific Salmon Commission Southern Fund, instream work to restore fish habitat in Hope Slough was conducted. A viewing platform and trail allows has been added and allows for public access to the sit... 11/13/2008

Its always interesting to know how the rest of the world sees your country..........With the election of Obama....and the world-wide media attention -I think we're more aware of how the world is watching - and that we do live in a Global Community........What touches one country effects another.....especially when we share a border. Anyhow I recent came across this article written by a British writer.......in the Sunday Telegraph......and it was about Canadians........I thought it was intresting how it took someone from England to put into words what we outselves haven't been able to... ...      Sunday  Telegraph  Article From today's UK wires:                     Salute to  a  brave and modest nation - Kevin Myers, 'The Sunday  Telegraph' LONDON:       Until  the deaths of Canadian sol... 11/11/2008

Last weekend I took my five year old niece Carmen...... to her soccer game at Fairfield Island. My brother and sister-in-law were working and I volunteered....I'll tell you - I'm not sure what the score was but I was mesmerized by the concentration, intensity and passion that I saw ...and was lucky enough to capture a couple of expressions of it...  Make a Smilebox slideshow   Oh to have that kind of drive and single-minded focus' eh?  It brought back memories of my daughter Sarah 10 years ago........same game, same determination........ I felt energized and inspired......To give WHATEVER it is that you're doing at the time Your Complete Attention.......to be Present to the Moment....one Moment at a time.......Savor it, Enjoy it........Give it all You've Got! :-) 11/08/2008

So you've heard this story from me before....How do you live in a town for so long and yet there are so many things you still haven't seen.........so many places you haven't gone?  Well yesterday morning I met my friend Tana and we grabbed a Starbucks and decided to go for a walk down the Rotary Trail........It was a gorgeous Autumn day -  With fishermen casting their lines........the rushing Vedder River humming its autumn sonata......     This trail is wonderful not only for the scenery but for the great accessibility to the Vedder River for fishing. Sockeye and Coho are regular catches of the day...   Forget your weights? No problem just use your bike to do push ups ! :-)  We're not the only ones that enjoy the fishing! The coho fishing continues to get better until it peaks in late ... 11/06/2008

Are you mesmerized by the magic of books?  Do you have a passion for books....for reading and literature? Many of us have been moved and touched by the books we've read. Lives have been transformed by the books read!  I don't know about you....but I remember loving to go to bed early so I could....  snuggle under and.......      my Nancy Drews ...     Later when I had girls of my own ..........I searched the used books stores and bought the whole series again.....and read them to my girls........reliving the excitement of childhood mysteries...                                                                                                         The value and magic of a book is tangible - with its smell .........                                         Dog-eared pages & indelible inscr... 10/10/2008