Exterior Lighting Ideas for Your Patio

May 15, 2017 | Homeowners

patio

If you go through the process of decorating your outdoor living space to make it more inviting and comfortable for the warmer weather, consider taking the added initiative of creating a unique ambient environment with complementary LED lighting.

Not only are the new lighting systems energy efficient, they are also extremely versatile, offering you an inspiring range of possibilities in a dazzling array of colours.

From subtle pathway lights to strategic spotlights and energy-efficient floodlights, there’s no better way to wake up your garden, patio or balcony at nightfall.

Staging the Outside of Your Home

May 10, 2017 | Real Estate 101

stagingYou’re probably familiar with the term “home staging”. It involves cleaning, de-cluttering, reorganizing, and decorating, specifically in order to make your home more attractive to potential buyers. Furniture stores do something similar when they “stage” a bedroom suite in a showroom.

Most sellers focus their staging efforts on the inside of their homes. But the outside is important too. After all, a property’s exterior is the first thing potential buyers see. So you want to make sure that the first impression is a good one.

Here are some ideas on how to make sure that happens:

  • When preparing your home for sale, imagine you’re a potential buyer and take a walk around the outside of your property. Do you like what you see? Are there issues that concern you? Try to be as objective as possible.
  • You may notice, for example, that the deck is faded and worn, some of the border stones around the flower bed are chipped or missing, or the fence gate squeaks. If you notice these things, so will potential buyers. So consider getting these minor problems repaired.
  • As you inspect your yard, pay particular attention to sheds and other areas where items tend to accumulate. Just as you would unclutter the inside of your home before a showing, you should also make sure the exterior areas of your property are as uncluttered as possible.
  • Then explore simple ways you can make the exterior of your property look even more attractive. For example, giving your hedges, shrubs and other plants a trimming, can dramatically improve the look of your yard.

 

Need more tips on preparing your home for sale? Contact me today!

Email Beth for more information

Buying Your Dream Home in a Hot Market

May 8, 2017 | Real Estate 101

targetImagine finding the perfect home, only to discover there is serious interest from at least a dozen other buyers. It’s like scrambling for the last piece of cake at a buffet!

Fortunately, there are things you can do to help get the home you want, even in a highly competitive market. Here are just a few ideas:

  • Only view a few ideal properties at a time. If you see too many, and thus spread yourself too thin, you risk homes slipping through your fingers.
  • Be realistic about price. Focus on finding a great home that you can afford, rather than trying to find a bargain.
  • Consider homes that need some work. They get less interest than perfectly staged properties, yet can turn out to be a dream home.
  • Be prepared to make an offer with as few conditions as possible. An offer conditional on passing inspection is usually fine, but in a competitive situation, offers with other conditions will likely be turned down flat.
  • Make your decisions quickly. If there are likely to be other interested buyers, you want to get your offer in early.
  • Make the right offer. To win the deal, you want your offer to be as enticing as possible to the seller — especially when it comes to price.

Yes, it can be tough finding an ideal home in a hot market, but I can help. Contact me and I’ll show you how!

 

Email Beth for more information  

 

Coming Events

May 5, 2017 | Around the Wine Capital

Coming Events Title Graphic

 

May 6, 2017

The SOAP Theatre presents:

Since You Left Us

When: 7:30pm-9:45pm
Where: Frank Venables Theatres

About: There’s dysfunctional and there’s really, really dysfunctional.  The family in Since You Left Us is one of the latter: shot through with alcoholism, bad parenting, sibling rivalry and unhealthy co-dependency (with a Jack Russell Terrier named…Jack).

Since You Left Us is laugh-out-loud funny until the end when something is revealed that suddenly makes the play profoundly poignant.  Since You Left Us has all the hallmarks of a farce, complete with its over-the-top characters and the ridiculous situations they find themselves in.  Vancouver playwright Susinn McFarlen shows her ample skills by giving us so much more than a simple silly romp.

Tickets: 

  • Advance Tickets: $22.50
  • Regular Tickets: $25.00

Tickets for assigned seating can be purchased at the following locations:

  • Frank Venables online ticket sales (Visa/MC):
    – Open 24 hours/day X 7 days/week.
    – Click on “Get My Tickets” button above.
    – Follow prompts to buy tickets for receipt by email or pick up at the theatre.
  • Frank Venables Theatre ticket desk :
    – In-person sales at 6100 Gala Street in Oliver on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 3pm (cash, debit, credit, cheque)
    – Telephone sales at  250-498-1626 at above times (credit card)
    – Other times as staff is available: Call 250-498-1626 or email tix@venablestheatre.ca and leave a message for them to call you back.

http://soplayers.ca/since-you-left-us.html

May 7, 2017

The South Okanagan Rehabilitation Centre for Owls presents:

SORCO Open House

10:00am
SORCO – 8965 Hwy 97

The South Okanagan Rehabilitation Centre for Owls opens its doors to the public only one day per year.  This year they are having their annual open house on May 1st from 10-3pm.

This is a great event to come out to to show your support for SORCO and to learn about owls native to the South Okanagan as well as other birds who are being rehabilitated at the centre.

This year there will be a kiddies corner, a silent auction, and a BBQ by donation.

Entry is by donation.

May 9, 2017

Miradoro Restaurant presents:

Communal Dinner

When: 6:30 pm
Where: Miradoro Restaurant

About:

Held at Miradoro Restaurant at 6:30pm on Tuesdays from October through December
and March to May the Communal Table will bring together locals and visitors to celebrate
regional food and wine, featuring fare that is local, rustic, simple,
straightforward and seasonal. Reservations are required. $35 per person.

Seating is limited so reservations are required.  Call 250-498-3742 to reserve your table.

Click for more information

Spring 2017 Communal Table Dinner themes*:

April 4 – The Food of Roma – With a history of civilization going back thousands of years, the food of Rome is rich and diverse. Join us in exploring some of these dishes.

April 11 – Lebanon – Olive oil, lemon, garlic and Spices. The cuisine of Lebanon is one of the freshest, healthiest and most delicious cuisines in the world.

April 18 – Twisted Tuesday – Watch the stress levels rise as Manny and Chef Jeff switch positions and step out of their elements.

April 25 – Sustainable Seafood – Learn about sustainable seafood and how to make good choices when buying your seafood while enjoying a delicious meal made with ethical choices from the sea.

May 2 – Italian American – The Italian diaspora is large in America and has been there for generations. The food has stayed true to the homeland while evolving to the ingredients and lifestyle of the new world.

May 9 – Celebration of Spring – After a long, dark winter come enjoy the taste of spring as we serve dishes celebrating all that is fresh and green!

May 16 – Foraging – The kitchen will bring beautiful and unique flavours to the plate using the bounty of the forest.

May 23 – Salt, Acid, Smoke and Fermentation: preserving our bounty – Come taste the flavours of preservation that were born of necessity, but enjoyed for their depth and complexity.

May 30 – Spot Prawn Paella – come celebrate spot prawn season with this iconic Spanish dish cooked over the open fire.

*Dinner themes are subject to change without notice.

May 12 Feb 2, 2017

Medici’s presents:

Texasippi Soul Man

6:30pm-9:00pm

A Bucketful of Soul-Texassippi Style

Born in Canada’s heartland, Danny Brooks has honed his craft and steeped his soul in the cradle of America’s Southern Soul birthplace….This great southern soul man has lived, breathed and played for most of his stellar career in the hallowed music halls of Alabama, Mississippi, Texas. Louisiana and Tennessee…Danny has been schooled at the knees of the southern blues great. He has played in the sacred World Famous FAME Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Home of the Muscle Shoals Sound and the legendary studio band The Swampers…….all of this ‘over the top’ semi hyperbole is meant to convey that this man is REALLY worth experiencing.

Doors open at 6:30pm
250-498-2228
http://www.medicisgelateria.ca