Rick Alder

Ahhhh – it’s May.  My favourite time of year.  The days are longer and the weather is spectacular.  Does this help to justify our skyrocketing home prices? – I think maybe a little.
 
Are you hearing about the large number of vacant homes in metro Vancouver?  The media can make it sound like an outrage. In fact the vacant home rate has remained flat over the last 14 years according to a new report recently released by Vancouver City council.  In 2002 the vacancy rate was 4.9% compared with 4.8% in 2014, and we are in line with other big Canadian cities.  The study also shows that 90% of those empty homes are condos.  Maybe stratas should lighten up in their ‘no rental’ policies.  What are your thoughts?
 
For those of us that are old enough to remember –it’s hard to believe that it has actually been 30 years since the opening of Expo 86. Now you can re-live the fanfare of Expo and check out some of the memorabilia that flooded Vancouver at the Museum of Vancouver.  It’s like a time machine – where you can put your ‘World in Motion’ back to when Science World was brand new.  Has the city changed for the better in the last 30 years?  I’m not too sure about that!
 
The Real Estate Market is sizzling.  The Kazamea Real Estate Group  has been busy selling properties in Vancouver, Richmond, Coquitlam, Surrey as well as Sechelt, Victoria and Nanaimo.  Please see our current inventory here. Interested in re-locating? Give us a call.  We are at your service!
 
Looking for some good old free family time? The Richmond Public Works Open House is taking place this Saturday from11am to 3pm. You will find plenty to do for all ages – gardeners can grab some free topsoil, get up close and personal with the heavy equipment.  Lunch at the food court or go for a hay ride tour of the Works Yard. See the Classic Car Show, live music, face painting and more.  All in celebration of National Public Works Week.  I could use a bit of topsoil.
 
That’s it for this time. Please stay healthy and enjoy each and every day. Send me a note if you have any remarks (hopefully nice ones) – I look forward to hearing from you.

Until next time,
Rick

Before moving into your new home, take the opportunity to confirm or re-map the electrical circuits at the fuse box. This great idea was given to me by Bill Ostlund of Northern Alarm Systems Ltd.

http://www.northernalarms.com/

I’ve done it for a couple of homes and find it very useful. Bill advises doing it in an empty home to make it much faster and efficient to complete. Starting with a blank sheet of paper, he sketches out the fuse panel. For power receptacles, he uses a loud plug-in radio to plug into the wall outlet, then simply tests the fuse switches to determine which fuse it belongs to. For light switches that operate receptacles, either use the radio or the attached light fixture to identify.

As the map fills in, it shows exactly which outlets and switches are on each circuit or fuse. Remember to do the major appliances and exterior or garage if applicable.

Then put the map information on a spreadsheet with the fuse number or ID and the connections on that circuit. Print and tape it to the inside of the fuse panel door. Voila! Each circuit in your home is now detailed in one handy spot, ready for use in repairs and renos.