In the past, many immigrants to Canada came by sea–often landing at Pier 21 in Halifax. Nowadays, as a new Canadian, you are more than likely to touch down at Vancouver International Airport after a journey of several hours rather than days or weeks. Either way, once on the ground, making a financial start has always been a tough route. Thankfully, today’s evolution of technology makes it easier to prove your creditworthiness in Canada, and to qualify for a mortgage in order to buy your first home here.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. has also produced The Newcomer’s Guide to Canadian Housing, which includes a section on what to consider when buying a home in Canada.
“One of the key things … is credit. You have to find some sort of credit history,” says Jim Rawson, regional manager of Invis mortgage brokerage firm in Toronto. “With the Internet, with easy access to information, we can now check credit from just about anywhere, so we can get credit histories much easier than we could in the past.”
As with any financial agreement, your credit status will determine how much you can borrow.
“There are different kinds of qualifications, depending on how long you’ve been here and depending on whether you have a job or not, whether you’re landed immigrants or here on work permits,” Mr. Rawson says. “But there are several lenders that have new-immigrant policies.”
Every country has its own customs and laws when it comes to home purchasing, and Canada is no different. Colleagues and friends can be a good source of recommendations for trusted accredited real estate agents, lawyers and mortgage brokers to guide you through the process. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. has also produced The Newcomer’s Guide to Canadian Housing, which includes a section on what to consider when buying a home in Canada — right from scoping out a location, to the documents required, to budgeting for the many expenses involved, and the process of making an offer.

If you’re looking for a home in Burnaby, New Westminter or Vancouver, please call or email me. I’m an expert in apartments, townhomes and apartments in the above areas. Let me help you with your real estate needs.

The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) residential sales in the province climbed 68 per cent to 8,576 units in September compared to the same month last year. The average MLS® residential sales price in the province climbed 15 per cent to $474,169 from $412,149 in September “Upward momentum in consumer demand continued unabated in September,” said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. “Low mortgage interest rates and renewed confidence in real estate assets has propelled BC home sales to a level not seen in two years.” September posted the highest number of BC MLS® residential sales for that month since September 2005, and the third highest ever recorded for the month of September. “While Victoria and the Lower mainland are exhibiting strong sellers’ market conditions with rising prices, housing markets in the rest of the province are experiencing a more gradual recovery,” added Muir. Year-to-date, MLS® residential sales dollar volume increased 6 per cent to $29 billion over the same period last year. A total of 63,521 units were sold in the first nine months of 2009, up 6 per cent from 2008, while the average MLS® price declined 1 per cent to $457,389. The housing market is heating up fast! If you’re looking to buy or sell real estate in Burnaby, New Westminster, Vancouver or anywhere in the lower mainland, now is the time to do it. Apartment, townhouse & detached house prices are on the move. Call me or email me today, I’ll send you a market snapshot of your area, where you can see homes for sale, sold homes, pricing differences and other data to give you a better idea of the market in your area.

It is now time to pull out those favourite sweaters from the back of the closet and dust off those wool blankets, because cool, wintry days are just about upon us.

The autumn is also the right time to prepare your home for Old Man Winter.
With advice from some Lower Mainland experts, The Sun has compiled a number of fall “to do list” chores. Their advice will ensure you get your home ready for the cold weather ahead, avoid costly heating bills and even worse — possible expensive repair bills.
Roof and gutters:
The changing colours of the leaves are beautiful but once they die off, they can make a mess of your roof and gutters.
“As the leaves fall, you need to keep them off the roof because as they decay, they will break down your cedar shingles,” says Richard Kalnins, service and maintenance manager at Cambie Roofing and Drainage. “Your roof needs regular maintenance. However, no one should get up there unless they know what they are doing, otherwise, it can be dangerous.”
The roof should be swept or gently blown off to remove any loose debris.
“Also, try to get as much of the rooted moss off your roof, and to avoid that problem in the future, buy some zinc strips,” says Kalnins, adding most Lower Mainland roofs are made of cedar shakes or asphalt. “You place them under the ridge caps and the peak of your roof.”
Then, flush out your gutters with a garden hose or vacuum.
“Once the roof and gutters are cleaned properly, inspect for leaks and misaligned pipes,” Kalnins adds. “Then, check your roof for curled, warped, cracked or buckled shingles, as they will need to be replaced.”
Furnace:
A smooth-running furnace can save a lot of headaches later on, so the first order is make sure to change your filters often, every six weeks or so, says Mark Cooper, president and CEO of Shakespeare Homes & Renovations.
“Do a furnace inspection and stock up on furnace filters . . . if your filter is clogged, your furnace won’t run as efficiently, which costs you more money to heat your house,” says Cooper. “Have a furnace inspection and cleaning done yearly to keep it in good working order.”
Draftproofing:
Wait for a windy day, then, with a lit incense stick placed close to windows, door frames, electrical outlets and recessed lighting, slowly move it across and see if there’s movement, says Simi Heer, media relations for BC Hydro, Power Smart.
“If it moves, that’s a clear indicator that there’s a draft or leak,” Heer says, adding drafts are expensive and a waste of energy. “They can be easily fix it with caulking or weather stripping . . . super-easy fix and not expensive.”
Another simple way to save on your heating bill is to keep your southerly window covering open during the winter, to allow the sun to heat your home, says Heer.
Meanwhile, years of wear and tear can cause doors to allow heat escape.
“An easy solution is to seal any gaps or cracks by installing weather stripping and caulking at the bottom of the door and on the sides to block off air,” says Heer. “Heat can also escape through your wood-burning fireplace.
“A slab of Styrofoam, covered with cloth and pushed into the rectangular front of your fireplace can correct heat loss.”
To keep cool air out, keep your chimney damper closed when the fireplace isn’t in use.
“You can also purchase a protective cap with a screen for your chimney, keeping foreign object, like birds, out,” she says.
According to Heer, thermal insulation, when correctly installed, slows heat from escaping your home in winter and from entering your home in summer, making your home more comfortable and saving money on energy bills.
Cooper echoes Heer and adds: “Check your attic and basement’s insulation to make sure it’s properly in place … then, update to a more energy-efficient insulation or increase the amount of insulation you have, because you can be losing lots of heat.”
Outside pipes:
Wrap those pipes — a burst pipe caused by a winter freeze is a costly nightmare.
“Before the first frost, you must unplug your garden hoses, drain them and shut off your turnoff valve inside your house,” says Heer. “In our B.C. weather, you can install Styrofoam cups with a screw attachment to help insulate spigots.”

-Michelle Hopkins, Vancouver Sun

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Q What can I do to reduce the impact of the gas rates on my gas bill this winter?

If you don’t already have one, consider installing a programmable thermostat.
A Here are some suggestions to help you save energy and money:
1. Every degree that you set your thermostat lower will help you save on your heating costs. For example, set your thermostat to 20 C when you’re home and to 17 C when you go to bed or when you’re away from home.
If you don’t already have one, consider installing a programmable thermostat. Honeywell (1-866-251-2397) carries a full line of very user- friendly models that are simple to install and program.
2. Service and tune your furnace or boiler regularly for safety, efficiency and maximum energy.
Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines, which may include annual maintenance. If you have a forced -air system, clean or replace the filter regularly.
3. Add or upgrade weather stripping around exterior doors and replace broken caulking around windows — inexpensive ways to keep drafts out.
4. If you are looking for a new heating system, choose a high-efficiency model with a rated efficiency greater than 90 per cent.
5. Choose an energy-efficient water heater. Consider installing a Tankless Hot Water Heater; also known as Instantaneous or Demand Water Heater.
Tankless heaters heat water on demand, saving the energy used to keep the tank warm.
6. Consider upgrading windows and insulation in your home to increase comfort and save energy.

- Shell Busey, The Province