When looking to buy, it's important to keep your secrets in one place. Bouncing from agent to agent as a buyer is neither a sound practice nor in your best interest. Here's why: Imagine this scenario: You call Agent Al to book an appointment to see his listing on Charming Avenue. Once there, Al asks you lots of questions while answering yours. "So how long have you been looking for a house? When do you need to move? What have you been pre-approved for? What's the most you are prepared to spend? etc, etc." You may answer some or all of these questions.                                                                                                           Then you call Agent Betty to see her lovely listing on Dream Street....Betty seems nice; easy to talk to. The same process happens ag... 11/19/2010

Rhonda Heaslip is a champion! It all began when Rhonda was 21 and out on a routine morning run while serving time in the Canadian Armed Forces. She twisted her ankle in a pot hole—badly! During all the time in rehab what with bandages, splints, crutches, and all, she was introduced to lifting weights with her injured leg. She discovered that she liked lifting with her legs, which led to lifting weights with her arms as well. Immediately she found that she could bench press 95 pounds! Within 6 months she was competing and became 1st in Canada in women’s division. Within two more months she was 3rd in the world. This month (November 2010) Rhonda broke no fewer than 8 records at the Western Canadian Powerlifting Championships held in Vancouver, BC. If you are interested, results of this co... 11/17/2010

Selling Your Home During the Holiday SeasonSelling your home over the holidays can be a bit of a challenge. There are fewer buyers out there and it can take longer. On the upside, there is also less competition on the market and the buyers that are out there, for the most part, are the serious ones who ready to buy.Preparing for sale at this time of year should be done with a critical eye. Here are some things that can help set your property apart and place it out in front of the competition.1)  Pay attention to curb appeal: Lists can be narrowed down simply on the drive-by. A clean and well manicured yard and exterior says a lot about your home.2) De-clutter and de-personalize. Only essential furniture, the best pieces, should be out to create a greater sense of space. Use paintings an... 11/16/2010

Mortgage Rate Market Update The paragraph below is compliments of Layth Matthews of RateMiser Mortgage Advisors:   Fixed mortgage rates bumped up at most lenders across the board today.  We view this as a positive, but likely temporary sign for the economy.  The Bank of Canada has also recently reduced the qualifying rate for variable rate mortgages to 5.19%.  This is the rate that you must stress test to pass if you want a variable rate mortgage with less than 20% equity in your home.  If you have more than 20% down or equity in the case of a refinance, the qualifying rate is usually the discounted 3 year rate at the lender you use. For more information on this visit www.heasliphomes.com and go to my "Links" page to find RateMiser Mortgage Advisors. 11/16/2010

Hello Everyone! I'm posting these newly received photos to finish off the news I've been posting on my recent competition at the Western Canadians in Vancouver. More photos can be found on my Heaslip Homes Facebook page. 11/15/2010

The Other Side Of Me: After the Western Canadians Hello everyone! I am posting this as a follow up to my original post, "The Other Side Of Me". as I received such wonderful comments and encouragement back from you. I am so very pleased to have inspired people. When something in life makes you feel this good it needs to be shared. Well, here's how it all shook out: I broke 8 Canadian records in 9 attempts. All 9 attempts were successful and at the end of the squat and deadlift attempts I felt like there was still fuel left in the tank, but I'm saving it for the Canadian Championships. As well as these records I won the Best Lifter over all weight classes. It was, for me, a stellar day...What a return after 15 years of retirement! I squatted 140 kgs (309 lbs) Broke this event record twice... 11/14/2010

Welcome to the other side of me. As I prepare to compete tomorrow afternoon in Vancouver at the 2010 Western Canadian Powerlifting Championships I have been reflecting on how this way of life has spilled over into so many other facets of my life. I have trained for 31 years and during that time lifted for Canada at 6 World Championships, as well as competed at 7 National Championships. I retired from competition after the 1995 Worlds in Japan where I placed 5th and was Canadian Champion...a good way to go out. Now, after 15 years and at the age of 52, with a brand new Canadian Masters II benchpress record,  I'm back for one more kick at the can, and boy are those butterflies in my belly beating a tune today! I'm nervous, I'm excited...I'm reuniting with a very dear old friend; powerlift... 11/12/2010

Market Your Home With Age In Place RenovationsOur housing needs change as our health and lives change. More and more people are looking to a less expensive and more independent alternative to nursing homes. As I write this article I am being made aware of a niche in our market that needs more attention: Renovations on our current homes so that we can "age in place." Changes like this can broaden your horizon of buyers; marketing your home by attracting people to your multi-level home that might otherwise have been excluded from their searches.Many places in the United States have Certified Aging In Place Specialists or "CAPS" who cater to exactly this clientele and do it extremely well. They employ many design strategies for modifying current residences to allow the owners to stay put. ... 11/10/2010

Search Nanaimo Homes on mls.ca® (realtor.ca®) like an agent. Buyers seeking to own their first or next home will love the ease, functionality, and overall performance of the Private Client Service listing search system. All the Nanaimo homes you search for come directly from the mls.ca® (realtor.ca®) Multiple Listing System. The large variety of search options provides a vast number of choices for refining the criteria for your perfect Nanaimo home.  So search for that perfect Nanaimo home like an agent and cut right to the chase. Just register for free here & get your account started! Just like an agent, you will not only search Nanaimo homes on mls.ca® (realtor.ca®), but you will be able to see the price change history, number of days on market and the Nanaimo homes that have recently... 10/29/2010

“Location. Location. Location.” You’ve probably heard that phrase before. It simply means that where your home is located is just as important as the features of the property itself. Location affects market value. But it also affects your lifestyle. Here are some personal questions to ask yourself when shopping for a new home.   1. Do you want to live in the busy part of a city? A quieter sub-division? A small town? 2. How close do you need to be to work? Are main highways easy to get to? Is public transit readily available? 3. If you have children, is there a school nearby?If not, is busing conveniently available? 4. What amenities do you want nearby? Safe walking areas? Local parks? A shopping mall? A golf course? 5. Do you want to be near family and friends? As a long time Nanaimo ... 10/22/2010

I added a new feature to my web site, you can make floor plans online. Very cool for buyers trying to imagine what a room might look like. It is as you see below but on my site it's easier to use. You could re-design a kitchen or figure out the layout of a living room.    Doug Belcher RE/MAX Nanaimo 10/08/2010

2 Bedroom + Den, Luxury Patio Home in Rocky Point, North Nanaimo with No HST. Frank Lloyd Wright inspired it is gorgeous inside and out. Private covered porch with view of the ocean and sunsets off the Winchelsea Islands, fir doors with art deco glass. The kitchen features maple cabinets with stainless appliances and granite counters. En suite has two sinks and heated floors. This unit includes a washer and dryer. The living room has 11 ft. ceilings and a gas f/p with ledge stone tile surround. Gas is piped to large deck for bbq. There is able parking and storage with 2 car garage and heated crawl space. The ceilings are high allowing for oversized low-E windows to let in lots of light. This is one of the few large units available and has a nice set back from road. 2 / 5 / 10 Home Warra... 09/23/2010

6 car garage with a renovated home or a renovated home with a 6 car garage. Either way you look at it this updated home is a rare listing. The home previously rented for $1000/month prior to renovation. The owner rented the home and used the garage to restore vintage cars. This would be ideal as a family home or as a rental property or for somebody that needs a large shop or storage area. The home has a natural gas furnace and the shop/ garage has an oil furnace and power. The low price of this home combined with low interest rates make it a fantastic buy for anyone looking for this type of real estate. New- carpets, light fixtures fridge and much more make this home move in ready. Built by Mr Sjoberg back when homes were built to last with solid fir timbers. The home sits on a Hudson ... 09/20/2010

North Nanaimo, Ocean view lot located on Norton Road - off Norsea from Hammond Bay Road. Quiet road close to ammenities. Homes in this area with ocean view sell for $500,000+. This lot would be ideal for a ground level entry home with main living area upstairs (panoramic ocean views). Nanaimo real estate 07/21/2010

Ocean view North Nanaimo home on .42 acre lot, 4 bedroom 3 baths, new roof, 2 car garage, priced to sell and vacant ready for quick possession. This is an extraordinary opportunity to own an ocean view residence on a large lot central to shopping and amenities. This home has had a building inspection (on kitchen counter), new roof and freshly painted. The oversized .42 acre property is flat and at the crest of the hill. There is R/V parking 2 car garage and ample of room for tennis courts, swimming pool, dream garden or large shop. This would be ideal for a family or anyone looking for elbow room within the city. Security and sprinkler system installed. The lower floor would be ideal if a adding a suite is desired (subject to city approval). There is no HST/ GST! At this price it won't ... 06/25/2010

There are currently 49 single family homes listed in Departure Bay with an average price of $579,075 2454sq feet is the average size. The median list price is $429,000 with an average size of 2382 sq ft. There are three waterfront homes all under $1,000,000. Average list price for ocean view homes (non-waterfront) is $708,189 with an average size of 3,133 sq ft. The number of homes sold in Departure Bay so far this year was 55 with an avg price of 413,040. The statistics would indicate that there is about one years worth of inventory on the market. So far this year only 8 homes in Departure Bay have sold for more than $500,000 and three of them were waterfront. Departure Bay Nanaimo       View Larger Map 06/15/2010

This 2 bedroom condo has been completely renovated including new floors, appliances, paint and much more. One of the nicest in the complex. Priced to sell! It is conveniently located near Longwood Station, shopping, banks, restaurants and grocery stores. It looks like a new condo show suite. Book an appointment before it's gone. The unit comes with one parking spot; additional spots can be rented when available. Rental and pets allowed. New carpet, lino, crown molding, counters, interior doors,paint, baseboards, electrical plugs and much more. Great for a first time buyer or can be used as an investment property. Nanaimo Condos 06/04/2010

CREA released a news report today announcing that home prices will stabilize and remain stable. Gregory Klump the cheif economist for CREA said that while home prices tend to rise in cycles sharp growth followed by periods of stability. Income on the other hand tends to rise at a more regulated rate. Prices were stagnant through the 90's while income continued to rise. Booms occur to make up for the difference between incomes and home prices. The meltdown in the US home prices is not anticipated in Canada because of our more conservative lending policies. The US also had a massive over supply of housing. Sales were forcast in Feb by CREA  to be up in 2010 by 13% and down 7% in 2011. I think that while forcasts for the national average are interesting to look at they are not always accur... 05/26/2010

  The lowest priced two bedroom condo in Nanaimo. This centrally located 850 sq ft condo is walking distance to the hospital, scholls, parks and shopping. The low strata fees of $195/month include heat and hot water. This would be ideal for parents wishing to buy instead of rent for their children attending college or a nurse or first time home buyer. Nanaimo condos   05/16/2010

The inventory of single family homes in central Nanaimo is quite low right now making it a good time to list your home in this area. The current number of homes for sale in central Nanaimo is 51. If you try and find a 3 bedroom 2 bath home under $325,000 there are only 9 and only 4 of those have garages. The average price in central Nanaimo is $334,391 (single family freehold title). The median price is $332,850. This year 41 single family homes have sold in central Nanaimo with an average price of $295,710. Since April that average went up to $302,357. The average for the last 5 homes sold was $316,900. It would seem a lack of inventory is making prices go up. If you are looking to sell a home in central Nanaimo give me a call and I would be happy to give you a current market evaluatio... 05/14/2010