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Rates Continue to Inch Downwards. . .
 
Buyers are out in droves and the once-large inventory is slowly being absorbed. There are indications that prices in some areas are starting to creep up! Watch for March numbers to be big!

             

Bank Prime Rate 2.50%
Term
Best
Bank Posted
1 year
3.25%
4.50%
3 year
3.69%
5.15%
5 year
3.99%
5.55%
10 year
5.25%
7.15%
25 year
9.15%
9.75%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bold numbers denote change from last posted rates. 
  
Variable mortgage from Prime + .80%...TODAY at 3.30%!
 

Courtesy of

Laura Stein - The Mortgage Centre
Telephone: 604-657-6535 ext 22
2

www.mortgagecents.ca

 

Call Laura today and tell her Lyn sent you!

Read

Property Photo: 105-1515 East 6th Avenue  in Vancouver
I have sold a property at 105-1515 East 6th Avenue in Vancouver.
New Price on COMMERCIAL DRIVE Rainscreened Building! Ground floor 1 bedroom with a HUGE patio & yard. One block from shops, services, coffee & skytrain on the Drive and located right on the bike route to downtown. Insuite laundry, gas fireplace & south facing 600 sq. ft. patio. This condo also features a private entry from the street through your garden patio, just like a townhouse. Laminate flooring, designer paint. Tons of storage & 1 parking included. 1 pet any size okay. Great yard for your dog or vegatable garden.
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Property Photo: # 1105 248 SHERBROOKE ST  in New_Westminster
Please visit our Open House at # 1105 248 SHERBROOKE ST in New_Westminster.
OPEN HOUSE:
PERFECT for 1st TIME BUYERS! This well laid out 805 sf 2 bedroom & den/2 bath ground floor Copperstone suite has an open floor plan & all the nicest finishing touches incl upgraded pine cabinetry. Master bedroom has large walk-in closet leading to full ensuite bathroom wluxurious soaker tub. Den can serve as home office or flex storage space. Good sized patio is on the quiet side of the building sharing future landscaped green space & just waiting for your BBQ. The revitalized Sapperton area is fast becoming an ideal location w/its close proximity to Royal Columbian Hospital, shopping, easy commuter access & just 2 blks from new Sapperton skytrain. Don't pass this one by! Open House Saturday Mar 21st, 2-4pm.
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Property Photo: # 1105 248 SHERBROOKE ST  in New_Westminster
Please visit our Open House at # 1105 248 SHERBROOKE ST in New_Westminster.
OPEN HOUSE: Sat. March 28th 2-4pm
PERFECT for 1st TIME BUYERS! This well laid out 805 sf 2 bedroom & den/2 bath ground floor Copperstone suite has an open floor plan & all the nicest finishing touches incl upgraded pine cabinetry. Master bedroom has large walk-in closet leading to full ensuite bathroom wluxurious soaker tub. Den can serve as home office or flex storage space. Good sized patio is on the quiet side of the building sharing future landscaped green space & just waiting for your BBQ. The revitalized Sapperton area is fast becoming an ideal location w/its close proximity to Royal Columbian Hospital, shopping, easy commuter access & just 2 blks from new Sapperton skytrain. Don't pass this one by! Open House Saturday Mar 21st, 2-4pm.
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Rates at Lowest Levels. . . EVER! 
 
Lenders are very busy now with refinancing business on top of a real estate market that is on the move. The statistics being reported show that February was better than January. Expect to see great numbers when the March numbers are tabulated!

          

If you are in a variable mortgage, stay in it! Lock in time is coming but not yet...stay tuned.
  
Bank Prime Rate 2.50%
Term
Best
Bank Posted
1 year
3.50%
5.00%
3 year
3.79%
5.55%
5 year
3.99%
5.79%
10 year
5.25%
7.35%
25 year
9.15%
9.75%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bold numbers denote change from last posted rates. 
  
Variable mortgage from Prime + .80%...TODAY at 3.30%!
 

Courtesy of

Laura Stein - The Mortgage Centre
Telephone: 604-657-6535 ext 22
2

www.mortgagecents.ca

 

Call Laura today and tell her Lyn sent you!

Read

Knob and tube wiring is usually found in homes built about 50 years ago that have not had the wiring updated. Knob and tube wiring gets its name from the insulator knobs used to keep the wires isolated from objects and the ceramic tubes used to line holes through wooden floor joists. You may find it with older 60 amp services.

Although the actual wire used may be no different from that used today for the most part, it consists of only a hot (black) and neutral (white) wire with no ground wire. Both wires must run separately to fixtures as opposed to those used now which are contained within one plastic sheathing.

Knob and tube wiring can be safe and functional. Hire a qualified electrician to inspect the wiring to determine its safety. With proper documentation from a certified electrician many insurance companies will readily insure your home. While I have safely owned many homes with knob and tube, there are some issues to be concerned about, such as, the fact that there is no ground wire, which may be an issue for today’s lifestyle, high electricity usage and technology. Also, there are potential fire hazards with the break down of the insulation around the knob and tube wiring that comes with age, and should the black and white wires make contact.

In recent years some home insurance companies have begun to refuse to insure homes with knob and tube wiring, however, there are companies that continue to offer regular priced policies for homes with knob and tube, and others who ask a premium for this insurance. If you have any qualms about the safety of your knob and tube wiring, you can hire an electrician to update your home wiring. Be sure to get a quote, and expect to pay more to update a two- or three-story home, than you would for a bungalow. Keep the receipt to show prospective buyers when it comes time to sell.

If you intend to purchase a home in an area where knob and tube wiring was used then ask your realtor for advice on securing insurance and peace of mind. Your realtor may recommend the use of a condition in your offer to purchase that allows you the buyer to satisfy yourself that the house is insurable. That way you won’t be stuck struggling to find insurance right before closing.
 

Electrical Dangers in Homes With Knob and Tube Wiring

by Brian Cook, May 2007
 
Based on about 100 home electrical safety surveys that I have conducted done over the past 6 months, I have found only one home with dangerous knob and tube cabling. In this house the hazardous knob-and-tube wiring was a direct result of over fusing which resulted in over-loading of the conductors followed by insulation breakdown. With this home I rated the home high risk and presented that the home be rewired. The homeowner has done so.
 

A common danger relating to knob and tube wiring is the use of electrical devices requiring grounding that are connected to "ungrounded, 3-prong receptacles" (found in virtually all homes examined). This situation, the "lack of ground" can easily be remedied with the replacement of the ungrounded 3-prong receptacles with GFCI receptacles (or GFCI protection at the panel). This is an excellent solution that in my opinion provides equal if not better ground protection than standard 3-prong grounded receptacles.

A second danger relating to knob and tube wiring is the implementation of "Handyman add-ons". These add-ons are often found, though not exclusively, tapped into existing knob and tube circuits. Handyman add-ons can be very dangerous, consisting of, for example undersized wire, open splices, poor connections and/or dangerous placement or type of device to which it is powering. My findings show that dangerous "Handyman add-ons" are not limited to homes with knob and tube wiring, but related to the age of the house. Regarding homes with serious electrical hazards, I have found a particularly high incidence in homes with secondary suites, a result of the homeowners doing the wiring themselves or by unlicensed electricians.
 
Interestingly, in all homes examined, I have conducted "voltage drop test under loading", an excellent test to determine the conductivity of the conductors, thus a presentation of electrical heat dissipated in the conductors and connections enroute. Any poor connections clearly show up whether the cabling be knob-and-tube, aluminum, or modern wiring. Poor electrical connections can lead to arcing followed by fire. My findings show that if there has not been "handyman tampering" the conductivity of knob-and tube circuits has been by-in-large superior to that modern cabling (1). This is likely due to the soldered connections and the shorter wire runs of knob and tube wiring.
 
A final mention: Of significant concern is dangers of service supply conductors (home powerline). The two very dangerous concerns that have found have been (a) broken "Emily knob" (in 3% of homes) and (b) trees applying pressure to service-supply conductors (in 26% of homes), causing tension on the conductors which could lead to a broken Emily knob. Once the Emily knob has detached from the house, the service supply conductors are at high risk of becoming detached at a point close to the side of the house. This can, and has led to fire outbreak.
 

In summary, electrical hazards have been found both in homes with and without knob and tube wiring, but the hazards have by-in large not been related to the knob and tube wiring itself. Homes with significant hazards have by-in-large been related to (a) the age of the house (the number of years where Handyman tampering could have occurred), (b) the application of the house (secondary suite or not), and proximity of trees to the service supply conductors. A comprehensive electrical inspection by qualified personnel is the only sure way to identify if and where there are electrical hazards.

 
Brian Cook
BCTQ Electrician, Field Safety Representative (Electrical) and owner PowerCheck
 
1. Voltage drop test under loading: Canadian Electrical Code states that at full load values within 5% are acceptable. Modern home wiring circuits typically show values in range of 4 to 4.5 %; Knob & tube circuits most often measure values in the range of 1 to 2%; On aluminum wiring circuits I have measured values exceeding 10%. This additional voltage drop is likely due one or more poor connections enroute to the receptacle, and must be repaired. A 1500 watt load (e.g. an electric kettle) connected to a circuit with a 5% voltage drop at a poor connection yields 60 watts heat generated at that connection. This would be comparable to the heat generated from a 60 W light bulb; most dangerous and must be repaired.
 

 
 
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Property Photo: 404-1990 E. Kent Avenue  in Vancouver
Please visit our Open House at 404-1990 E. Kent Avenue in Vancouver.
OPEN HOUSE: Sun. March 22nd 1:15-3:45 pm
NEW PRICE! Large 1060 sq.ft. top floor southwest facing suite overlooking lagoon and the mighty Fraser river.  2 bedrooms, 2 baths with vaulted ceilings, gas fireplace, in-suite laundry, hardwood floors, window seat, custom made drapery, slate tile entry. AND...this is a rainscreened building with amazing clubhouse facilities! Enjoy the peace and tranquility of the view from your balcony, walk or bike along the Fraser River. What a great lifestyle!
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Property Photo: # 1105 248 SHERBROOKE ST  in New_Westminster
Please visit our Open House at # 1105 248 SHERBROOKE ST in New_Westminster.
OPEN HOUSE: Sat. March 21st 2-4 pm
PERFECT for 1st TIME BUYERS! This well laid out 805 sf 2 bedroom & den/2 bath ground floor Copperstone suite has an open floor plan & all the nicest finishing touches incl upgraded pine cabinetry. Master bedroom has large walk-in closet leading to full ensuite bathroom wluxurious soaker tub. Den can serve as home office or flex storage space. Good sized patio is on the quiet side of the building sharing future landscaped green space & just waiting for your BBQ. The revitalized Sapperton area is fast becoming an ideal location w/its close proximity to Royal Columbian Hospital, shopping, easy commuter access & just 2 blks from new Sapperton skytrain. Don't pass this one by! Open House Saturday Mar 21st, 2-4pm.
Read

All Good News for Buyers!
 
The market is heating up again for spring! All eyes are on first time home buyers who are actively looking at purchasing their dream home. Low interest rates and more affordable pricing seems to be sparking renewed interest. If you are not looking at purchasing a new home at this time, consider the benefits of refinancing at today’s great low rates.
 
If you are in a variable mortgage, stay in it!  
 
Bank Prime Rate 2.50%
Term
Best
Bank Posted
1 year
3.50%
5.00%
3 year
3.89%
5.55%
5 year
4.09%
5.79%
10 year
5.25%
7.35%
25 year
9.15%
9.75%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bold numbers denote change from last posted rates. 
  
Variable mortgage from Prime + .80%...TODAY at 3.30%!
 

Courtesy of

Laura Stein - The Mortgage Centre
Telephone: 604-657-6535 ext 22
2

www.mortgagecents.ca

 

Call Laura today and tell her Lyn sent you!


Read

I have sold a property at 1950 Templeton Drive in Vancouver.
Extensively renovated home just around the corner from Garden Park. In 2005 permits were taken out to open up the attic and install a new legal 2 bedroom suite in the very high ground level. The house was stripped to the studs, rewired, replumbed, insulated and new hot water radiant heat installed. Outside now needs to be painted to show it off. The main floor is spacious with an open plan living room, dining room and new kitchen. A bedroom and new 4pce bath are also on this floor. A new staircase leads to 2 bedrooms, a den and 2pce bathroom upstairs. Downstairs is almost 8ft high with a terrific 2 bedroom suite with good quality kitchen & bathroom. It is owner occupied.
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Property Photo: 1135 E. 15th Avenue  in Vancouver
I have sold a property at 1135 E. 15th Avenue in Vancouver.
A Rare Offering!!!! Fabulous three level heritage style townhome on a quiet tree lined street. There are three bedrooms on the top floor, open plan on the main floor and two bedroom accommodation down with separate entrance. French doors in the living room open onto a large sunny yard. Mountain views from all three levels. Well built complex with 4 units, still under warranty, located in popular Cedar Cottage area close to Charles Dickens Elementary School.
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