Welcome to KelownaRealEstateNews.com your information source for the Okanagan!
Click Here>OKANAGAN FORECLOSURE INFORMATION
Super Natural British Columbia...
Kelowna located in BC's Central Okanagan is Canada's four season playground! Whether you are looking to relocate here for work, retirement or simply to invest in that "home away from home", we have it all. The Okanagan lifestyle offers everything from: wine tasting tours, golf, water sports, downhill and cross country skiing, mountain biking, snowmobiling, fishing, backpacking, camping, fine dining, street cafes, shopping, well I think you get the idea...
As a Realtor ® ,my philosophy is to make the buying and selling process of real estate an enjoyable experience for everyone! When my clients are faced with tough decisions and need some guidance or advice I am there every step of the way. I put my clients needs and wants at the forefront of everything that I do! I want to be your Realtor ® for life!! My core values are: Honesty , Integrity and to be considered Trustworthy . The highest compliment I could ever receive is the referral of a friend or family member. It is about being so much more than talk, it is about being true to your word through action!
I may not be the biggest name in Kelowna Real Estate...
I am simply the best name!
SOCIAL NETWORKS:
CITY OF KELOWNA
OKANAGAN WINERIES
KELOWNA YACHT CLUB
Kelowna Visitor Information
TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION INFO:
B.C. Road Conditions 1-800-550-4997 or visit: DriveBC.ca
Weather Report (250) 470-5155 or visit: WeatherNetwork.com
Kelowna International Airport (250) 765-5125 or visit: KelownaAirport.com
B.C. Ferries Schedule 1-888-223-3779 or visit: BCFerries.com
Greyhound Bus Line 1-800-661-8747 or visit: Greyhound.ca
IMPORTANT NUMBERS:
Fire, Ambulance, Police 911
Kelowna RCMP (250) 762-3300
Non-Emergency Police (250) 762-3300
Mission Community Police Office (250) 764-5004
Rutland Community Police Office (250) 765-6355
Glenmore Community Police Office (250) 763-1531
Kelowna General Hospital (250) 862-4000
Crimestoppers (250) 861-8477
Crisis Line (250) 763-9191
Forest Fire Report 1-800-663-5555 or Cell *5555
Aircraft Distress 1-800-567-5111 0r Cell *311
KELOWNA RADIO STATIONS:
CBC Radio One 88.9 FM News/Talk
K963 FM 96.3 FM Classic Rock
Sun FM 99.9 FM Top 40
Silk FM 101.5 FM Soft AC
Q103 103.1 FM Adult Hits
The Juice 103.9 FM Adult Hits
Power 104 104.7 FM Rock
CKOV 63 630 AM News/Talk
AM 1150 1150 AM News/Talk
OKANAGAN TELEVISION STATIONS:
CHBC News
OKBC.tv
Kelowna...Did you know???
K.L.O. - means "Kelowna Land and Orchard Company", the company owned most of the land in that area for many years.
Kelowna's Fall Wine Festival is ranked amongst the "Top 100 Events in North America" year after year.
Mount Boucherie is one of five extinct volcanoes found in the Okanagan.
Kelowna's five major performance companies produce over 15 plays and musicals each year.
The "Sunny Okanagan" earned its namesake due to the over 2,000 hours of sunshine that recreational enthusiasts enjoy each year.
Dilworth Mountain was named after John Dilworth, an early Kelowna farmer.
Knox Mountain was named after Arthur Booth Knox who arrived in the Okanagan in 1874
There are 28 Regional Parks in the Central Okanagan.
The Shell Aero Centre welcomes private aircraft and provides pilot services such as sleeping quarters, cooking facilities and 24 hour Customs.
Kelowna International Airport welcomes nearly 1.5 million visitors each year!
What I Will Do To Sell Your Home...
You have heard enough of the promises, you simply want results! Selling your home in today's ever changing market calls for a Realtor with new and innovative ideas. It has been proven time and time again that to get maximum exposure for a listing, marketing through the Internet is critical. I truly believe in the power of Internet advertising and how it brings Buyers "out of the woodwork." Statistics show that over 90% of Buyers utilize the Internet to research properties prior to viewing them. It is absolutely essential to bring a property full exposure to a online visual marketplace! Well, many experts predicted it would happen and yes the market has now definitely shifted to more of a Buyer's market! With inventory levels of properties gradually increasing and Buyers taking their time before deciding to purchase a home, the Sellers of today need every edge that they can get!
Well, many experts predicted it would happen and yes the market has now definitely shifted to more of a Buyers market! With inventory levels of properties reaching all time highs and Buyers taking their time before deciding to purchase a home, the Sellers of today need every edge that they can get!
Here are some creative ways I will advertise your property to online Buyers:
1. MLS.ca
2. Realtor.ca
3. I purchase your home's address as a domain name, ex) 645RutlandRoad.com 107EllisCourt.com
4. My website www.KelownaRealEstateNews .com
5. Century 21 Kelowna
6. Century 21 Quebec
7. Century 21 Canada
8. Twitter.com
9. Craigslist .com
10. Castanet.net
11. Kijiji .ca
12. Facebook Marketplace
13. Google Ad-words and Facebook Ad Words
14. Open House Kelowna .com
15. ActiveRain.com
16. FriendFeed.com
17. OKmapguides.com
18. Blogspot .com
19. Point2Agent.com
20. Wordpress.com
21. YouTube .com
Well, I think you get the point!
These are just some of the many places I will advertise your property online. I do even more to get your property the best possible exposure and decrease the time it takes to sell and let's face it the faster it sells the happier you will be! The thing to remember is that I do more advertising online than most agents...please call and ask other agents what they do for online advertising and you will not likely find even one that does close to as much as I do. You can also expect a weekly update on activity on your home even if there have been no showings. With regular communication like this, you know I am still on the job and have not vanished from sight!
Again, I will market your home prominently on my website at www.KelownaRealEstateNews .com Top 50 most active real estate websites for traffic within the entire Century 21 Canada system, out of 7500 sites!
I will purchase the domain name for your homes address and have signage created to allow prospective Buyers to link directly to information on your home by simply imputing your homes address into the computer.
I have paid to make certain that I am on the first page of Google whenever anyone searches for "Kelowna Real Estate Agent" or most any combination of those words. With this type of web presence it will give your home even more exposure.
I will hold open houses (or not if you don't like the idea) which will allow prospective Buyers the opportunity to view your home in a stress free manner. I will be available at each open house both to answer questions and to emphasize all the positive aspects of your home.
I will list your home on the MLS Realtors' tour. This gives Realtors from various offices an opportunity to view your home first hand so they can better describe what your home has to offer to their clients who may be in the market for a home like yours.
I hire a professional photographer to come and take high resolution photos of your home. I link these 21 photos to a website that I purchase using the civic address of your residence. The photos give Buyers a chance to preview your home and see it showcased in a way that catches and captivates their attention!
I then take those same 21 professional photos and have high quality brochures created to put on display at your home giving Buyers a takeaway reminder of the features they liked about your home.
I will utilize the world recognized Century 21 branding by placing the gold sign prominently on your property to alert any passersby that your home is for sale and where to find further information.
I will include your home in my virtual office tour allowing my colleagues the chance to see pictures and details of your property. This is a real asset as it allows me to answer their questions and to really sell your home to other Realtors and to access their group of qualified Buyers.
I will send information regarding your property to entire my sphere of influence (prospective buyers, investors, past clients, etc.) letting them know why they may want to look into buying your property. I will also make certain that that I update my sphere of influence whenever we have a major change to the listing whether it is a price adjustment, renovation, upgrade, etc. According to the Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board over 85% of home sales take place due directly to the contacts and relationships a Realtor has built over the length of their career.
I will have your home is listed in the Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board (OMREB) MLS Review newspaper.
I will execute strategic advertising by sending the property details to those in the Century 21 network system of 400 plus offices and 8,000 sales agents that I have worked with in the past or met at our national conventions.
I will keep detailed records of who saw your home and when. This will allow me to contact anyone who has shown any interest in your property so that when we get an idea that an offer might be presented I can potentially instigate a multiple offer situation. We know what multiple offers mean right? MORE MONEY FOR YOU!
I will provide a complementary moving truck to assist you in moving out of your old house and into your new home. The truck will also be offered to any Buyer who purchases through Century 21. This is one more incentive for them to buy your home instead of someone else's !
By listing with me, a Century 21 Real Estate Agent, you will also have the opportunity to earn Airmiles. The Airmiles program will also be offered to any Buyer who purchases through the Century 21 system. This is another incentive for them to buy your home. No other real estate company in Canada can offer you this.
These are some (but by no means all) of the things I do to assist you in the selling of your home. It is very important to make your home stand out from the crowd and I will do my best to make that happen! Of course, every property has its individual characteristics and strengths. I will capitalize on these strengths and use them to their fullest potential. No agent will spend more time or effort to sell your home then I will. I am so confident in that statement I will say it again..."No agent will spend more time or effort to sell your home!"
By enlisting my services, I make the sale of your home as easy and stress free as possible. I will provide you with a sales and marketing plan that outlines what we can do to make your home sell quickly and at the best possible price. Some may consider hiring any agent a risky thing to do, I see it as an opportunity to get a sold sign on your front yard!
AIR MILES
Ask me how to earn AIR MILES® reward miles when you buy or sell a home through me.
Buyer's Corner
Whether you are a first time buyer, moving up in the real estate market, or downsizing, it is important to have an experienced, qualified sales representative working for you. Choosing a Real Estate Professional is one of the most important decisions you will make to ensure the success of your venture. As your "Local Expert" my market knowledge will help you select the property that meets all of your needs. .
Get Mortgage Pre-Approval A mortgage pre-approval not only helps you determine what you can reasonably afford, but also improves your status as a buyer. With Kelowna's current market conditions right now, an offer placed by a pre-approved Buyer is attractive to a Seller because it minimizes the risk of the sale falling through because of a lack of financing. It saves everyone time and money. Pre-approval of a mortgage is when your lender has reviewed all your financial information and has determined the maximum amount of money you can borrow. Many banks and financial institutions are competing for your business so it makes sense to shop around for a mortgage. Most lenders will reduce their posted interest rate so don't be shy about bargaining. Your ability to negotiate a lower rate and a flexible mortgage will often depend on how much business you have with your. You can contact banks and credit unions directly, or my preference is to work with a mortgage broker. Typically, a mortgage broker will assist you in finding a suitable lender as they deal with several financial lenders at a time. Mortgage brokers use their contacts within the mortgage industry to negotiate the best mortgage package available.
Searching for a house
Purchasing your dream home
I will assist you throughout the entire "Contract of Purchase and Sale" process. Together we can compare what neighbouring properties have sold for recently and then discuss what amount to offer, as well as terms and conditions that best suit you as the Buyer. I then will present the offer in person (as often as the Seller allows it) to the Seller with their agent present. I truly enjoy the negotiation process on a property and always have you as my Buyer best interests at heart.
Completion
Some of the professionals you will need to hire prior to completion are:
Lawyer or Notary Public
Home Inspector
Insurance Company
Moving Company (or if moving locally I provide a free moving van).
Follow up
Seller's Corner
There are a number of different areas that are important to consider when choosing your real estate representative:
Personality & Service
Marketing
Property Presentation
Exterior (Curb Appeal):
Interior: Important Reminders:
Professional Background
Professionally, my background includes resort and recreational real estate which has given me crucial experience and understanding of the construction process as well as the importance of sales and marketing. I started a successful family business in manufacturing right out of high school and enjoyed every minute of it. However, my main focus over the years has been in the construction industry. My construction experience includes the following:
Lumber Yard Manager
Plan Bidding and Take Offs
Engineering Technician
Truss Manufacturing
Shipping and Receiving
Sales and Marketing
My extensive knowledge of the construction industry from the beginnings of a poured foundation to the turn key end product is a valuable asset to my Buyers and Sellers. Whether you are looking to purchase a home for the very first time or like to renovate and flip houses for profit, I offer unmatched service and experience. My experience is your advantage in the incredibly competitive world of real estate.
Personal Background
Having lived in British Columbia my entire life I really feel somewhat spoiled. The abundance of things to do and see in our beautiful province is truly amazing. I grew up for the most part in the Lower Mainland with the bulk of that time in Abbotsford
As a family we traveled to the Okanagan Kelowna as a child and thinking "this would be a cool place to live!" Well, I guess wishes do come true as my family moved here a few years ago and we have loved every minute of it. During the various seasons we like to explore the Okanagan and spend time at the beach, the ski hills, the local shops, pick fresh fruit in the orchards or whatever else seems like fun for that day! Kelowna really is a special place!
Personal Interests
Personally, I have a few hobbies and some a little more unique than others. I have two younger children so one thing that I do with them is go out to garage and yard sales. We go "treasure hunting" looking for deals on toys. I have found many vintage toys and in particular die-cast over the years. I collect Hot Wheels, MatchBox, Dinky and Corgi to name a few. Although, I must admit I do not have a proper hobby room to display my collection that is something I hope to have one day. Honestly, it is the story behind these die-cast toys that interests me the most, because every one of them has a history to them. I often wonder if there are grown men looking through their parent's attics in dusty old boxes for their old car collections? Really, at the end of the day all I am doing is buying my old memories back and creating new ones along the way.
So, if you know of anyone that has an old collection of toys they are looking to sell please feel free to pass my information on to them.
Awards
2008 - Masters Silver
2007 - Masters Silver