- Thoughtrons
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In the beginning was the Word
(cosmic vibration, the creative life energy or vibratory thoughts of God) and the Word was with God and the word was God. Man's body of gross mater consist of tissues, constructed of molecules. Molecules are made of atoms: Atoms are formed by electrons and protons. Electrons and protons consist of intelligent life force-or lifetrons. Lifetrons can be further resolved into their source, the 'Thoughtrons' of God.
-The Bhagavad Gita
This is ancient wisdom, it feels like we are just getting up to speed or perhaps in this age of 'Google' we can now search out the bits and pieces of information that pull it all together.
I am proud of these young people who are standing up for the rest of us, their energy is changing the way the world is run, scientists don't really know what energy is they know its characteristics and have figured out a mathematical
calculation to describe it and they know it is a property of matter that makes
all things happen or at least has that potential. But it is these young people who are out there giving freely of that energy, that agent of change, fearlessly fighting for a better way.
So if atoms are essentially made of space or 'Thoughtrons' we just have to fill in
that space of good energy, call it LOVE, Call it GRACE call it God
May 2012 bring you Love and Joy and Prosperity
Sandy & Pat
- Energy Efficiency Bulletin
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| City Green Solutions - Energy Efficiency Bullentin www.citygreen.ca |
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August 12, 2011
In this Issue:
· Provincial AND
Federal Grants Available to Sellers and Buyers for a Limited Time
· Business Energy
Efficiency Grants - Upgrade Your Office and Save!
· CRD Time of
Sale Home Energy Labelling Pilot Project
· Grants for New
Homes for Energy Efficiency
Provincial AND Federal Grants
Available to Sellers and Buyers for a Limited Time
Across BC, home buyers and
sellers can access thousands of dollars from both ecoENERGY and LiveSmart BC
grants for energy saving upgrades to their homes, including $3075 for
wall insulation, $2250 for basement insulation, $2000 for a heat pump,
and up to $100 for each window, door, or skylight upgrade. If your
clients ask about how to access grants for their upgrades, we can help!
See our Home Energy Efficiency Grants page for details, and contact Glenys Verhulst, City Green
Communications Coordinator, at 1.866.381.9995 x.110 for questions.
Businesses Energy Efficiency
Grants - Upgrade Your Office and Save!
Eligible businesses can:
· Receive a free
energy assessment
· Learn about
upgrades that improve your work environment and deliver quick payback
through energy savings.
· Receive utility
and provincial grants for upgrading lighting, heating and cooling
systems, refrigeration systems, and more.
Visit www.citygreen.ca/business to sign up your business for
savings today!
CRD Time of Sale Home Energy
Labelling Pilot Project
Sellers who would like to prove
the efficiency of their home, or help close the sale by offering access
to upgrade grants to buyers can now access FREE home energy
assessements for EnerGuide Ratings, which can then be posted on MLS®.
See
City
Green's CRD Time of Sale
EnerGuide for Houses Labelling Program page for details.
Grants for New Homes for
Energy Efficiency
Did you know?
· Research shows
that energy efficiency is increasingly important to buyers.
· Homebuyers can
access a 10% Mortgage Loan Insurance Rebate from CMHC for energy
efficient homes.
· Builders and
developers can access up to $1700 per home in utility rebates for building
energy efficient homes.
Learn more about our New Homes services on our website. To connect
your clients with grants, contact Mike Young, Certified Energy Advisor
with City Green at 1.866.381.9995 x126 or newhomes@citygreen.ca.
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- Home Sales to Climb Eight Per Cent in 2011
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BCREA Housing Forecast Update - First Quarter 2011
Vancouver, BC – February 23, 2011
The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA)
released its Housing Forecast for the first quarter of 2011 today.
BC Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) residential sales
are forecast to increase 8 per cent from 74,640 units in
2010 to 80,900 units this year, and increase another 4
per cent to 83,950 units in 2012.
“British Columbia housing markets are returning to
normalcy after two years of volatility,” said Cameron
Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. “Employment and
population growth will fuel consumer demand over the
next two years. However, higher mortgage interest rates
and tighter credit conditions for low equity home buyers
will limit home sales to below the ten-year average of
87,600 units.”
“Total active residential listings in the province declined 14 per cent since last spring. However, the
inventory of homes for sale is expected to edge higher as the number of new listings to the market
advances during the first two quarters of 2011,” added Muir. “Regional market differences continue
in the province, with Vancouver trending into a seller’s market, while the Okanagan, Kootenay and
Kamloops markets trend from a buyer’s market toward balanced conditions.”
The average MLS® residential price is forecast to increase 2 per cent to $517,000 this year and
remain relatively unchanged in 2012, albeit declining by 0.4 per cent to $515,400.
Let's Talk
Sandy Stinson
(250) 749-6000
- MORTGAGE RULES CHANGE March 18, 2011
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The rules change again, hopefully for the last time, it is hoped that this latest tightening of the belt will suffice to hinder the possibilities of a Canadian mortgage meltdown. This further 5% decrease of your mortgage monies buying power rounds out a list of changes including generally reducing the 40 year mortgage to the 30 year mortgage. This will affect mortgages with loan to value ratio's over 80% . Canadians will only be able to borrow 85% of the value of their homes, during the last meltdown that seemed to be the crux of the problem, people were borrowing more than the value of their homes as well as more than their historically accepted 30% of income on housing . The federal government is also withdrawing backing on using our homes as equity for lines of credit.
It seems to me the concern now is on rising inflation which could possibly induce higher interest rates.
- CONSIDER STAGING YOUR HOUSE
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You decorate to make your home a reflectionof yourself.
You stage your house to present it in a waythat appeals to potential buyers, in order to SELL!
Statisticsshow:
Vacant properties stay on the market longer than occupied (furnished) properties.
- 90% of buyers can not envision the “potential” of a property and staging helps show what the space can really be like.
- Staging does help sell properties and sell properties faster.
KEYELEMENTS OF STAGING (this is not an exhaustivelist)
Clean – make your house as close to spotless as possible from top tobottom.
CurbAppeal
Create a good first impression and makesomeone want to come inside your house.
Is your house exterior in good repair?(paint if necessary)
Is your entrance inviting? (attractivefront door, no rusty mailbox or rusty stair rails, etc.)
Do you have attractive, simple landscapingthat is easy to maintain? (no overgrown shrubs covering the front of the house.)
Decluttering/Organizing
Less is more but too little isuninviting. Find the right balance.
Create an open, spacious and brightenvironment.
Start packing before you list your house (youwill have to pack eventually).
Remove most items from table tops, dressertops, bathroom vanities, etc.
Remove most items from kitchen counters –leave coffee pot, plant, bowl of fruit. Remove items from walls and leave a fewstrategically placed pictures and mirrors.
Organize your closets so they are only 2/3full. (Don’t make it appear that you have insufficient storage space bycramming things into closets. Ifnecessary, pack away your off-season clothing).
Define a room so buyers know its purposeimmediately. If it’s a dining room, don’t have children’s toys, musicalinstruments, computers, etc., in the room.
Depersonalizing
Remove things that are a personalreflection of who you are such as family photos (leave one on your bedroom dresser),trophies, certificates, collections such as spoons, dolls, souvenirs,children’s growth charts, etc.
Neutralizing
Make your décor appeal to everyone.
Walls and floors should be neutral incolour. Use soft shades of taupe, grey or beige.
You can add some “punch” with colouredthrow cushions.
Clean or replace carpeting and removewallpaper.
Provide an updated contemporary appearance(paint wood panelling).
Create a spa-look in the bathroom withfresh white towels and white fixtures (tubs can be re-glazed inexpensively).
For window coverings, use light colouredcurtains or no curtains at all if privacy is not an issue.
Creatinga Focal Point
Create a point of interest in each room andthen arrange other items in the room around it. Examples of focal pointsinclude:
Living Room –fireplace, window with a great view, television.
Dining Room –table, china cabinet, art work.
Bedroom – bedwith fresh neutral coloured bedding.
Kitchen –cupboards, countertop (update your wood cupboards by painting an “espresso” orwhite colour and adding contemporary hardware).
Replace yourcountertop if necessary (consider a laminate that resembles granite).
Don’t overfill a room with furniture.
Contributed by Brad Bergen
Let's Talk!
Sandy Stinson
(250) 749-6000
- SOME TINY TIPS TO HELP YOU THROUGH THIS TOUGH ECONOMY
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When you are going through Hell, Keep Going! Winston Churchill
SUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY ATTACH YOURSELF TO A CAUSE THAT YOU HAVE A PASSION FOR IT WILL MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER
IF YOU HAVE A BUSINESS DO SOMETHING CREATIVE TO HELP YOU STAND OUT IN THIS DEPRESSED MARKET, GIVE EXTRA VALUE, GO THE EXTRA MILE, BIG BREATH
BE REALLY GREEN , WALK THE WALK, TRY AND BE CONSCIOUS OF IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, THE UNEXPECTED BENEFITS ARE DELIGHTFUL AND SURPRISING
IN MY BACK YARD! : COMPLEMENTS OF 'THE TIPPING POINT' APPARENTLY WE AS HUMAN BEINGS CAN ONLY RECOGNIZE AROUND 150 - 200 FACES AND KEEP IT ALL STRAIGHT, WE SEEM TO BE GRAVITATING BACK TO THAT CONCEPT WITH OUR LOVELY FARM MARKETS POPPING UP ALL OVER BC, THE DISTANCE WE HAVE TO TRAVEL IS LESS, THE SLOW FOOD MOVEMENT THAT IS SO PREVELENT HERE ON VANCOUVER ISLAND PARTICULARLY IN THE COWICHAN VALLEY AND THE AWARENESS OF THE ZERO MILE AND HUNDRED MILE DIETS HAVE ROMANCED OUR SENSE OF GRACIOUS LIVING AND WE ARE EMBRACING IT , AND IT DOES NOT COST A LOT OF MONEY, AND IT SLOWS THE WORLD DOWN A BIT '
BE MORE SENSITIVE TO YOUR CUSTOMERS NEEDS
EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK YOU SEE SOMEONE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 46 AND 65. CONSIDER THE IMPLICATIONS IN YOUR PARTICULAR BUSINESS
GOOD COMMUNICATIONS ARE VITAL IT IS SO VERY EASY TO MISS-COMMUNICATE, , BE A PROBLEM SOLVER , IN THIS AGING POPULATION THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO WILL PAY YOU FOR IT AS IT HAS BECOME TO DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO MANAGE ANY MORE, AND THEY HAVE SOME DISPOSABLE INCOME
DISCOVER YOUR PASSION, WHAT YOU ARE GOOD AT AND WHAT COMES EASY TO YOU MIGHT BE A GOOD PLACE TO LOOK, OR AT LEAST SOME VARIATION OF CERTAIN ASPECTS OF IT
BE GRATEFUL FOR WHERE YOU LIVE THE ISLAND IS INDEED A VERY SPECIAL PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK
HANG IN THERE, LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES AND WHEN THINGS GET BETTER AS THEY ALWAYS DO YOU WILL BE HONED AND FITTER , PERSISTENCE ALWAYS WINS THE DAY
ALL THE BEST
SANDY STINSON
(250) 749-6000
- Alternative Housing - Straw Bale Homes
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When you think of building with green materials, straw should be very near the top of the list. It grows so fast and often, if not used for animal bedding or garden mulch, becomes a waste material.
Building homes with straw was first seen in the Nebraska sandhills and the pioneers there would often get together as a community for the "barnraising". Other building materials would have been scarce and expensive so it became a perfect material for the early settlers to use.
Today, this type of building is enjoying renewed popularity and the techniques have been refined.
Often a wood frame is built first, making the structure far more stable. The straw used has to be very dry to eliminate any chance of rot or mould, but once the bales are ready to go, the building goes up quite quickly, with very little skill needed and no special tools.
Since the straw bales are so thick, they act as excellent insulators against the elements, keeping the place warmer in winter and cooler in summer. When all the bales are in place, they are usually wrapped with stucco netting and later plastered. Find more info. at www.thelaststraw.org.
Let's Talk!
Sandy Stinson
(250) 749-6000
- Livability
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In order to stay alive inside we need to stay active. If you research Stats Canada for best areas of livability, in Canada, according to days when a normal person would go outside I came up with four hotspots: Vancouver Island, Vancouver, Southern Ontario and the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia. I have lived in three of these spots, Vancouver, great if you like a city, I grew up in Southern Ontario and even way back then we often had smog alerts and days when we could not swim because of the water quality,plus you could cut the air with a knife on those hot humid days, I know nothing about the Annapolis Valley but it sounds lovely and has well priced homes, and then my favorite Vancouver Island where I have lived for the past 35 years. The Island is quite diverse, although it is all a Rain Forest some parts are dryer or colder than others. The Cowichan Valley where we live enjoys some of the highest temperatures on the Island, Courtney has the Ski hills and the Ocean, further up North enjoys amazing fishing and remote areas but a little too much rain for me. I love our access to Victoria and Nanaimo, I seldom get off the Island unless it is to visit friends. As long as a person gets away for a couple of weeks in the dreary winter months this is Paradise! I remember visiting Mom and Dad in Ontario when the kids where little and Dad said 'Don't those kids know enough to come in out of the Rain" and I realized that that is exactly the trick for Island Living, just put on your appropriate apparel and away you go. The weather is so changeable on the Coast that we often layer our clothes then we are ready for anything. Some of my most memorable evenings have been out on the Lake in a Kayak in a light mist and then home to cuddle up in front of the fire.
Lets Talk!
Sandy Stinson
(250) 749-6000
- Alternative Housing - Cob Homes
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Probably the greenest way of building is using the materials at hand. One very old method that has made somewhat of a comeback is making a mixture of clay, sand, straw and water. and "sculpting" a house. The mixture is called cob and was very popular in England in the 19th century.
Traditionally, the cob was mixed with the feet, but modern cob builders usually rely on machines to do the job. The building requires no forms or cement and the method is very free form, making each dwelling an original. It is easy to leave spaces on the inside walls that serve as shelves and storage.
Repairs are easy to do and these buildings really have stood the test of time. Many of the older homes in England have survived for many decades in good shape, even in a rainy climate. Since the cob mixture is a good insulator, the homes stay warmer in winter and remain cooler in summer.
For more info. on cob home building, a good book is Building Green-A Complete Guide to Alternative Building Methods by C. Snell and T. Callahan 2006.
Let's Talk!!
Sandy Stinson
(250) 749-6000
- TEN TOP SELLING TIPS FOR AUGUST OF 2010
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1. Price it correctly, go over the solds in your area and discuss them with your Realtor who has likely seen the inside of them, do a drive by for a first impression of the curb appeal and compare it to your home, and know that in this market many people do not want to reduce their asking price however they will take much less when a offer is presented to them, this is a buyers market today and not the time to test the waters price wise.
2. Stage your property to its best advantage, clutter cuts equity and ugly costs you twenty thousand. There are lots of local people who will come in and help you, your Realtor can often suggest someone who will help you stage and not even charge you until the house sells. Staging helps you get more money, I would like to suggest that only 30% of people are good at seeing past your furniture and decorating schemes.
3. Consider a loc box, the easier it is to access your property the more Realtors you will get through and the better chance you have of selling for top dollar.
4. Put up a for sale sign, I know it feels like a private matter at first but all the neighbors will know soon enough and they just might like to have their friend or relative in the area so they might be your biggest resource.
5. Absorb all feedback, if one person is saying it it is likely that more are thinking it. If you hear that your brightly colored wall that you just love is turning off potential buyers chances are that they are not the only one.
6. Accentuate the Positive: Selling and moving is right up there is the top three stressors of life, ask your Realtor how they would change things if it was their home, what would they do different to get a sale, ask your friends and family and try and listen carefully this is no time to let your feelings get in the way.
7. Patience is a virtue: Ask your Realtor to go over the local sales and prices and days on market every few months, if you see that similar homes are selling at similar prices find another Realtor if not, reduce your price, especially in this market it is all about price.
8. Flexibility is fundamental : No showings or offers mean the price is too high, no amount of marketing in the world is going to make a over priced house sell, you may get lucky in having the only place of your type on the market at that time and get a premium but apples being apples no one is going to pay twice as much for a similar product. As long as you are buying and selling a similar house in a similar market it does not really affect the bottom line.
9. Remember all those old House and Garden tips, clean is queen, smell is very important, it conjures memories, bake something good or at least throw some cinnamon on the burner before you leave the house so the the Buyer can come in and feel at home. We often have buyers tell us that they want this or that and buy something completely different because it felt like home.
10. Get three Realtors in to give you a estimate, don't be fooled just because one gives you a higher price he may then start a system of going down in increments till you feel beat up, go with the one that you are going to be comfortable working with and who has a proven track record of strong sales. You will be spending a lot of time together in the months ahead.
Let's Talk!
Sandy Stinson
(250) 749-6000
- What Are We Doing Growing Grass?
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It seems that almost every home owner wants a huge expanse of bright green grass in front of their house and out in the back yard as well.
Sure it looks good, but at what expense and labour?
Levelling the lawn area, seeding, watering, cutting, raking, fertilizing and weeding are all chores that come with our insistence on having lawns, and for what?
Wouldn't our time and resources be better spent on using the land we own to grow food? Nowadays, food that has to travel to us gets more and more expensive as gas prices climb. Plus, we are never really sure what kinds of pesticides or herbicides they may contain.
How much less grass would we have to cut if part of our yard was vegetable boxes, a row of berries, a few fruit trees and a patch of rhubarb?
It would be great to see new home builders use some of their left-over materials to build garden boxes, a cold frame or trellises and start the new home owner on the path to growing more food than grass on his property.
Let's Talk!
Sandy Stinson
(250) 749-6000
- Development of Solar Panels
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The science of storing and using the sun's energy is still developing. The first photovoltaic cell was made by Alexandre Becquerel. It was able to absorb the rays from the sun and emit electrons. Really, the first solar panel on a small scale.
After scientists found a way to connect many of these cells and store the electrons in a series of batteries, solar panels were on their way to becoming a useable energy source.
Among the first applications were experiments in the space industry. Space engineers needed a source of power to run electronics devices on satellites and space vehicles while not adding to the overall weight on take off (as regular fuel would).
The 1990s saw an increase in the production and uses of solar panels, plus efforts to reduce their cost to consumers. California has led the way in subsidizing the switch to solar power by developing efficient mobile uses for it. It is becoming more and more common to find appliances in RVs and boats, among many others that are run on solar power.
Currently, the worries about global warming and the detrimental effects of burning fossil fuels has led to a greater interest in solar panels and green energy. Also, reports keep coming in that warn of the depletion of oil and coal on the planet and this just might force our hand to fully use the clean, renewable energy of our sun.
In future years, more governments will follow California's lead by offering incentives to switch homes and businesses to solar power.
Sandy Stinson
(250) 749-6000
- Our Sun: A Powerful Source of Energy (Part I)
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Throughout history, the Sun has been revered for its warmth, power and ability to support all living things on the planet.
The construction of the Pyramids in Egypt and Mexico, Stonehenge in England and many other ancient monuments were based on following the Sun's path across the sky.
We take it for granted, but without the sun's power the temperature on Earth would be so cold that the planet could not support any form of life.
Early tribes switched from a hunter-gatherer society when they learned the skills of planting and tending crops. They paid attention to the sun's path in the heavens and grew their crops accordingly. With a steady supply of food available and without the need for so much travel, settlements and villages evolved. The inhabitants had the spare time and stability to develop Art,Music, Science and Culture and our modern society began to take shape.
Science especially would prove to do the most to change our lifestyles throughout the ages and it would be centuries before the next step; harnessing the Sun's energy would be developed.
“Let’s Talk”
Sandy Stinson
(250) 749-6000
- Grey Water
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Grey water comprises 50-80% ofresidential waste water!
It is water that has been used for bathing,showers, dishwashing, and laundry (It excludes sewage)
A grey water system is especiallyimportant in drought areas.
The added bonus is that muchless water enters the sewage treatment plants.
Phosphate rich soaps and cleanersin your grey water are really pollutants. They accelerate algae growth inour waterways, which eventually leads to oxygen depletion for fish and marinelife.
Luckily, these same"pollutants" are nutrition when you use your grey water forirrigation of fruit trees, landscaping plants and garden beds.
A very informative book forinstalling systems is "The New Create an Oasis with Grey water" byArt Ludwig. It will help building professionals and homeowners to workwithin building codes to include grey water systems in new construction or remodeling.
When you consider the amount ofwater we are talking about, this could be one of the most advantageousimprovements you could do for a greener environment.
“Let’s Talk”
Sandy Stinson
(250) 749-6000
- Rain Gardens
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For those of us with a low lying spot on their property, a Rain Garden can be a great benefit.
Most homes have gutter systems which divert run-off water in times of heavy rain. It ends up going through a storm drain where it can pick up all kinds of pollutants as it drains.Instead, channel the water onto a low-lying place on your property where you have set up your Rain Garden.
A good size is about 10 feet by 5 feet by 2 feet. For about $75 you can top dress the area with a cubic foot of top soil mixed with 2 cubic feet of sand. (add rotted compost as you make it).
Then talk to your nursery owner about adding plants that like low-lying damp areas or better yet, take a walk and find out which native plants like these kinds of conditions and transplant them. As your Rain Garden grows, it will become a beautiful focal point for your property.
Sandy Stinson
(250) 749-6000