Michael Peterson's Blog: Nanaimo Buyers

A house foundation must be designed and constructed to carry the house load as well as protect against external forces. Besides supporting the weight of the house it acts as a retaining wall to hold back those forces of soil and water. The foundation wall itself must be strong to withstand this external force or it will crack and shift. When a wall is overloaded from pressure such as frost heave, saturated soil, improper back filling, or other conditions, it can move laterally and bow inward often cracking. Deep foundations with constructed with concrete blocks are particularly vulnerable.

To help avoid excessive external pressure against a finished foundation, grading and drainage should be maintained to direct all water flow around and away from the…

Built Green BC is a program offered to builders by the BC division of the Canadian Home Builders Association which has been in existence for nearly 2 years. In order to build a ‘built green home’, you have to be a registered and trained contractor. On Vancouver Island there is only but a handful. The fundamentally sound program will cost the home owner a bit more initially but will result in savings for them down the road. To register a home under the program an independent energy auditor comes out to evaluate the home and puts an EnerGuide label on the house. The actual results of the test will determine the final EnerGuide rating and the subsequent level of achievement in ‘built green’. Builders and consumers can choose from three “built green”…

The mortgage meltdown that's so drastically hitting the American Real Estate marketplace is going to have only a slight impact on the Canadian market - according to our resident mortgage authority Moira Steele.

In a nutshell, the mortgage collapse south of the border is going to have only a slight effect on its Canadian counterparts - due mainly to the type of mortgages involved. The so-called "Sub Prime Mortgages" at the heart of the American crises are essentially mortgages lent with little or no actual collateral, given to individuals with sketchy at best financial backgrounds. The end result of all this has been massive numbers of default mortgages, with the result that some 90 American financial institutions have been forced out of business. In the…

Nanaimo is becoming one of the most popular places to live, work, and play on Vancouver Island. This trend is due to Nanaimo’s comfortable climate, flourishing job market, and affordable real estate. Many young families are also choosing the city for its excellent school system, and expanding facilities at Malaspina University-College.

Not to mention the senior population look to retire to our island paradise.

The Harbour City is well connected to the lower mainland and international markets acting as a transportation hub with extensive ferry and air service. The city also has a thriving port facility operated by the Nanaimo Port Authority, which regularly harbours international container and cruise ships.

Steady growth in recent years has helped…

Fresh House: Smells Sell

A smell can either make or break a home. Yes, it's true. Even a Realtor will tell you to make a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies before holding an open house or to air the home out and make it smell good.

But let's face it, sometimes there are circumstances that hold this possibility at bay. In other words: kids, dirty clothes, pets, preparing fish for dinner or even cutting up an onion can all stink up the house for weeks on end. So, what's a homeowner to do? Relax.

Here are few tried and true options in getting your home back on track so you can enjoy a home that smells clean and wonderful rather than old and stinky.

Charming rancher with tons of updates! This 956 sqft, 2 bedroom, 1 bath home offers new electrical, brand new fully renovated bathroom, new thermal windows, new baseboard heaters and a 2 year old roof. Plus a detached studio/workshop/office which is fully wired with storage on one side, and a bedroom on the other! Not to mention the big 8712 sqft lot that is completely private with fruit trees. This home is close to shopping, amenities and on the bus route.

First time a unit in this building has been on the market! This top floor, corner unit offers 2 generous sized bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and to 2 balconies! This condo is bright and spacious and rentals are allowed. It’s located within walking distance to shopping, restaurants, and recreation including Long Lake and it’s on the bus route.

Priced Below Appraisal! This cute and cozy 1 bedroom, 1 bath rancher has been remodeled with new bathroom fixtures, an updated kitchen and new hot water tank. This easy care home also has a large enclosed sundeck which could be converted into more living space if needed. Outside on this 7436 sqft lot you will find a wired workshop/garage for extra storage, alley access and RV parking. This homes is close to all levels of schools, shopping, recreation and on the bus route.