I'm excited to tell you about a new and upcoming project in the tri-cities!  

This project is designed for people that are downsizing from their large homes!

This is wonderful news to have some new properties available in the tri-cities.  As many people know there has not been a lot to choose from for people that are wanting to stay in the tri-city area and downsize from their large homes.  

These homes will have an attention to detail and high quality construction, including rain screen technology!  They will offer a comprehensive Travelers Guarantee Company of Canada warranty coverage: 1 year for materials, 2 years for mechanical and electrical, and 5 years for building envelope and 10 years for sturctural coverage!

I will have more information coming soon so keep checking back or e-mail me @ leannesellshomes@shaw.ca if you would like to visit one of these homes!

I

Top 28 Grants and Rebates for Property Buyers and Owners.....

For further information about any of the following grants please visit the following websites provided.

1. Home Buyers' Plan - Home buyers that qualify can withdraw up to $25,000.00 and couples up to $50,000.00 from their RRSP's for a down payment on their first home!  Visit www.cra.gc.ca for further information.
2. GST Rebate on New homes - New home buyers can apply for rebates of the federal portion of the HST (the 5% GST portion) for home buyers that qualify.  Go to www.cra.gc.ca an enter RC4028 in the search box.
3. BC New Housing Rebate (HST) - Eligible Home buyers of new or substantially renovated homes may be eligible for a provincial enhanced New Housing Rebate.  Visit www.hstinbc.ca for more information.
4. BC New Housing Rebate (HST) for Secondary Vacation or Recreational Homes - Qualifying buyers of new or substantially renovated homes outside the Greater Vancouver and Capital Regional Districts may be eligible for provincial enhanced New Housing Rebates.  www.hstinbc.ca for more information.
5. BC New Rental Housing Rebate (HST) - Landlords buying new or substantially renovated homes are eligible for rebates.  www.hstinbc.ca for further information.
6. BC First-time New Home Buyers' Bonus - First-time new home buyers may be eligible for a one time grant.  This program ends March 31, 2013.
7. BC Property Transfer Tax (PTT) First-time Home Buyers' Program - Qualifying first-time buyers may be exempt from paying the PPT!  Visit BC Ministry of Small Business and Revenue for more information.
8. First-time Home Buyers' Tax Credit (HBTC) - This federal non-refundable income tax credit is for qualifying buyers of detached, attached, condominiums, mobile homes or shares in a cooperative housing corporation.  Visit Canada Revenue Agency for more information or click on this link.
9. BC Home Owner Grant - Property taxes for home owners get a reduction in property taxes for homes assessed up to $1285,000.00.  Check BC Minstry of Small Business and Revenue @ www.rev.gov.bc.ca/hog or contact your municipal tax office for further information.
10. BC Property Tax Deferment Programs  - *Property Tax Deferment Program - Qualifying home owners aged 55+ may be eligible to defer property taxes. *Financial Hardship Property Tax Deferment Program - Qualifying low-income home owners may be eligible to defer property taxes.  *Property Tax Deferment Program for families with Children - Low income home owners who financially support children under age 18 may be eligible to defer property taxes.  Check out www.sbr.gov.bc.ca/individuals/Property_taxes/Property_Tax_Deferment/ptd.htm for more information.
11. Canada Mortgage and Housing (CMHC) Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP) Grants - Financial aid to qualifying low-income home owners to repair substandard housing.  www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/prfinas/prfinas_001.cfm for more information
12. Home adaptations for Independence (HAFI) - Jointly sponsored by the provincial & federal governments providing up to $20,000.00 to help eligible low income seniors and disabled home owners and landlords to finance modifications to their homes to make them safer.  Check out BC Housing @ www.bchousing.org/options/home_renovations.
13. CMHC Mortgage Loan Insurance Premium Refund - Provides home buyers with CMHC insurance with a a 10% refund and possible extended amortization without surcharge when buyers purchase an energy efficient mortgage or make energy saving renovations!   www.cmhc.ca
14. Energy Saviing Mortgages - Financial institutions offer a range of mortgages to home buyers and owners who make their home more energy efficient.
15. Low Interest Renovation Loans - Financial Institutions offer loans for home owners making energy efficient upgrades.
16. LiveSmart BC Energy Incentive Program - Qualifying home owners receive cash incentives from this provincial program for improving energy efficiency of their homes.  Check out www.livesmartbc.ca/rebates.
17. BC Residential Energy Credit - Residential landlords and home owners buying heating fuel can receive a BC govbernment point of sale rebate.  
18. BC Hydro Appliance Rebates - Mail in rebates are available for Energy Star clothes washers, refrigerators, dishwashers or freezers. Visit BC Hydro for more information.
19. BC Hydro Fridge Buy-Back Program - $30.00 rebates available to BC Hydro c.ustomers who turn in spare fridges that are in working condition
20. BC Hydro Windows Rebate Program - You pay no HST when you buy Energy Star high performance windows and doors.
21. BC Hydro Mail-in Rebates/Savings Coupons - BC Hydro offers mail in rebates.  Check BC Hydro for more information.
22. Fortis BC Rebate Program - Rebates for home owners ranging from $50.00 (hot water tank upgrades) to $1000.00 (rebates for switching to natural gas and installing Energy Star heating system).
23. Fortis BC Efficient Boiler Program - Provides a cash rebate for commercial buildings for an energy efficient boiler for new construction or retrofits.  Check www.fortisbc.com/NaturalGas/Business/Offers/Pages/default.aspx for more information.
24. City of Vancouver Rain Barrel Subsidy Program - Providing a subsidy of 50% of the cost of a rain barrel for Vancouver residents.  Other communities also offer subsidized rain barrels so check the municipal website to see if there is a program in your area.  
25. City of Vancouver Greenest City 2020 Pilot Home Eneergy Loan Program - The City of Vancouver in cooperation with Vancity, FortisBC, BC Hydro and Natural Resources Canada offers access to loans for energy retrofits.  Check www.vancouver.ca/energyloan for more information.
26. Vancity Green Building Grant - Vancity provides grants up to $50,000.00 each to qualifying charities, not for profit organizations and co-operatives for projects which focus on building renovations/retrofits.
27. Local Government Water Conservation Incentives - Some municipalities provide grants and incentives to residents to help save water.  Check your local municipal website to see if there is a program in your area.
28. Local Government Water Meter Programs - Municipalities are offering voluntary water metering so that you pay only for the amount of water that you use.  Check your local municipal website to see if there is a program in your area.

Courtesy of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vacouver

Todays Market continues to favor Buyers!   Low interest rates, good selection on the market and less time pressure in terms of decision making make it a good time to buy!

Sales to Active listing ratio is up 11% since September!  First time since March that their has been an increase in this ratio.

LINCOLN STATION!  An additional station is being added to the Evergreen Line.   

Lincoln Station is being funded through a unique partnership between the Government of Canada, the City of Coquitlam and the owners of Coquitlam Centre Mall. The new station will be located at Pinetree Way and Lincoln Avenue.  Lincoln Station will serve Coquitlam Centre Mall and is located in the heart of a growing commercial and residential area.  With more than a dozen existing and planned residential and retail developments located within a short walk of the station, the new station supports the planning goals outlined in the City of Coquitlam’s Official Community Plan for the City Centre to become a sustainable, high density, urban core!

EVERGREEN LINE FACTS:

Did you know the length will be 11 kilometers? 

There will be 7 stations in total!

Total travel time will be .15 minutes from Coquitlam City Centre to Lougheed Town Center !   40 minutes total travel time from Coquitlam City Center to Vancouver!

Maximum travel speed will be 80 km/h

Estimated Capital Cost:  $1.4 billion

Estimated time of completion and in service date is summer 2016!

For more information and up to date information on the Evergreen Line please click on the link!

Source:  http://www.evergreenline.gov.bc.ca/ 

The City of Port Moody and Coquitlam will be hosting a free information session for businesses that would like to purchase and install a public electric vehicle charging station!

Provincial incentives up to $4000.00 are available.  ATTRACT CUSTOMERS & GAIN PROFILE - Information session is Monday, November 19 from 9:00am - 11:00am at Coquitlam City Council Chambers - 3000 Guildford Way, Coquitlam - Registration is not required.  

For more information visit these City of Coquitlam or City of Port Moody links!

The City of Port Coquitlam is offering free emergency preparedness sessions to the residents of Poco.  

Families should be prepared to sustain themselves for 72 hours in an emergency.  According to the Cities website, the most important thing you can do to keep yourself and your family safe in an emergency is to prepare, stay calm, and follow instructions from emergency personnel.

Topics that will be covered in the one day course are:  Personal Preparedness, Rapid Damage Assessment, Basic fire suppression, Light urban search and rescue.  

For more information and class times, visit the cities website or click this link!

Well, hard to believe, but Christmas is just around the corner!  

The City of Coquitlam will be hosting a Christmas pyjama morning with Santa on Sundya, December 16th from 8:30am till 11:30am!  It will be lots of fun for the kids and parents with music, crafts and pancake breakfast!  The event will take place in the Howie room at the Poirier Community Center at 630 Poirer Street in Coquitlam but all family members that will be attending the event must register!  No drop ins at the door!

For more information contact the City of Coquitlam or click on this link!

*Courtesy of the City of Coquitlam

The City of Coquitlam has an interesting up coming Field to Fork event as part of their series of high profile speakers that is available to the public!  

Thursday, November 22, 2012 the City of Coquitlam is hosting an event at the Evergreen Cultural Center and will be discussing the benefits and challenges of purchasing and eating locally grown food.  You will also learn how individual food choices influence the health and long term sustainability of our food system.  

There will be a series of speakers as well as food and beverage tasting starting at 6pm!

For more information about this event click here!

DO YOU WANT TO BE THE BIGGEST WASTE LOOSER?

You could win a iPad, iPod Touch, Kindle Reader or One-night stay at a theme room at Poco Inn and Suites!  Port Coquitlam households can enter here!  Contest runs from January - April 2013!

For more details visit City of Port Coquitlam's webiste or click on this link!

FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2012 - PORT COQUITLAM!

TICKETS $5.00 - THIS GREAT CAUSE SUPPORTS FAMILIES AFFECTED BY CHILDHOOD CANCER!  

Family Movie Night Fundraiser
Date Friday, November 02, 2012
Time 6:30 pm PDT
Where Coquitlam River Elementary Gym
4250 Shaughnessy St
Port Coquitlam, BC V3E, Canada
Type of Event Charitable
Audience All-ages
Cost $5 each
Contact Name Tanya
Contact Email contactus@gabydavisfoundation.com
Contact Phone 604.464.4229

Family Movie Night Fundraiser "TARZAN" presented by the Gaby Davis Foundation in support of families affected by childhood cancer.
Doors open at 6:30pm Movie starts at 7:30pm
Tickets $5 at the door
Bring your foamies, pillows, blankets and PJ's!
Door Prizes and Raffles, Popcorn and treats!
For more information visit www.gabydavisfoundation.com