In my EKAN home inspection business areas of North Vancouver and West Vancouver, many of the pre-1970’s homes have had major renovations. Whenever I encounter a reno and especially an addition to or extension of the floor area, I always encourage my clients to visit the municipal offices and do some data mining. It’s important to know that the renovation was done in compliance to code requirements and with a competent contractor. The municipality will have on-file the following permits: building, electrical, plumbing, heating, drainage and sprinklers. In addition, there should be building plans available.  The knowledge gained from the above data review may not make-or-break any deal, but it can provide a buyer with risk considerations of future issues (such as latent defects or faults)... 10/11/2016

Have you ever wanted to buy an ‘off the grid’, cliff-side waterfront property, with spectacular views, live in it year-round and commute daily to the office? Well that’s exactly what a recent client of mine intends to do and needed a property inspection on Passage Island BC to assess the condition.  In this particular case, power is from solar cells, water is from rainwater catchment, effluent is handled by the septic system, fire protection is from an on-site, rain-filled plastic tank, heating is fuelled by both wood and propane. So for those of us who are up to the adventure, here are the top 3 issues.#1 Not Winterized. The recreational property may never have been built to be operational during the cold winter months. Typically the cottage owner goes through the annual winterizing ri... 07/28/2016

  6049221333 The Coliseum MediSpa DERMAFRAC West Vancouver Ambleside Medi Spa http://thecoliseum.ca/blog/tags/dermafrac1447 Bellevue Avenue, West Vancouver British Columbia, Canada V7T 1C36049221333https://twitter.com/@coliseummedispahttps://www.facebook.com/TheColiseumMedicalAestheticshttp://www.pinterest.com/coliseummedispa/http://www.yelp.ca/biz/the-coliseum-medispa-inc-west-vancouverBurnaby CoquitlamLangleyNew WestminsterNorth Vancouver RichmondSurreyTsawwassen  Vancouver West VancouverWhistlercollagenmicrodermabrasionacne treatmentpermanent hair removalpsoriasis treatmentrosacea treatmentdermabrasionlaser tattoo removalred light therapyscar removalvitiligo treatmentcolagenipl laserblue light therapyipl treatmentlaser skin resurfacinglaser treatmentmicro needlingfractional laserlas... 07/14/2014

LET'S TALK TEXTURE - HOME STAGING VANCOUVER Variety is the spice of life.  Creating a stage with many different textures, creates warmth, interest and delight.  Can you imagine a home buyer's heart beating just a little faster at the thought of lounging on a smooth, leather sofa, curled under a soft, scrumptious faux throw?  Texture plays a very important part in creating a pleasing environment.  Let's break it down with a few examples... Natural elements often contain the most interesting textures.  This nubbly, gnarly twig almost looks alive, with its twists and turns.  The twig is laying on a smooth, finished, wooden coffee table.  Now let's add a completely different texture with the cushions in the background.  There's the soft, fluffy, ephemerial, cream cushion to the left, the ti... 11/25/2013

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Rememberance Day Service West Vancouver Lest we forget...  Sunday, November 11, 2012.  Every year we troop down to the Memorial Service at the Cenotaph, across from the West Vancouver Library, located at 20th and Marine Drive.  This service is to pay tribute to the men and women who have layed down their lives for the safeguarding of freedom and democracy. This is a very touching ceremony that always brings a lump to my throat.  Rain or shine, the Memorial Day Parade is well attended, so make sure you get there early. The parade begins at 10:45am followed by the service at 11am at the Memorial Arch.  After the ceremony, refreshments are served in the library.  Brush up on your Vera Lynn, as there is usually a sing-song as well.  I hope you "pack up your troubles", and join the community... 11/09/2012

Sittin' on the Dock of the Georgia Strt, Dundarave, Watchin' the Tide Roll In Have you visited the Dundarave Village in West Vancouver recently?  If not, maybe it's time to check out this wonderful village, complete with restaurants, boutiques, cafes, a seawall and the ocean.  As a North Shore Home Stager, I've staged many properties in the Dundarave area.  This is one of the nicest areas in Vancouver to purchase a home, in my humble opinion. Here are a few photos, showing what Dundarave Village has to offer. Every night around 5pm during the summer, the cruise ships head off on their journey from Vancouver, travelling up to Alaska.  These cruise ships attract visitors from all over the world.  It's fun to go down to the Dundarave seawall, and watch the ships sail by.  If you want to ge... 11/04/2012

Salmon Fishing at Ambleside, West Vancouver While walking my dog along the doggie walk at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver in August, I witnessed a seal catch and devour a huge salmon.  This was quite a sight.  The seal basically grabs the salmon in their mouth, then crash down on the water to stun and kill the fish. The seal does this several times.  Once he has the salmon under control, he rips the salmon apart and eats it.  It's a little gorey to watch, but much like a train wreck, hard to look away. Here are some photos of this seal grabbing some sushi for dinner.  This happened where the Capilano River meets the ocean.  The salmon running in this area are Coho and Chinook.  It's hard to tell by the photos, but this salmon was huge, and must have taken a lot of strength to harness, ... 11/03/2012

DUNDARAVE WEST VANCOUVER HOME STAGING VIDEO Staging this Dundarave, West Vancouver condo for sale was a real delight.  Before staging this property, many pieces of furniture were edited, new carpet was laid, and the walls were painted a fresh, neutral colour.  Once we had a nice, blank canvas, we kept a few of the owner’s pieces of furniture, and added some rental furnishings.  Rather than trying to explain the transformation through words, let us show you, through video, what we did to make this property more appealing, and to speak to the demographic and to the great location near Dundarave Village.     09/19/2012

SELLING YOUR DUNDARAVE WEST VANCOUVER HOME?  HOME STAGING TIPS Are you planning on selling your Dundarave, West Vancouver home?  Before you list your home, you may want to consider staging your home for sale by contacting our company, Exit Stage Right home staging.  Staged homes present beautifully on the MLS®, where the next home is just a mouse click away.   What does the Dundarave area have to offer home buyers?  What’s so special about the Dundarave area?  Dundarave is a wonderful village, offering one-of-a-kind boutique shops, restaurants and cafes.  Feel like a British Pub?  There’s the Red Lion for a pint or two.  Hankering after a nice, frothy latte?  Delaney’s will be happy to serve you.  Fancying a healthy, light lunch or dinner?  The Dundarave Fish Market has a delightful, fr... 07/04/2012

SELLING YOUR EAGLE HARBOUR, WEST VANCOUVER HOME? HOME STAGING TIPS Are you selling your Eagle Harbour home? Don’t know where to start when preparing to sell? Exit Stage Right home staging can help you. We prepare homes for sale that will appeal to a target demographic.   Eagle Harbour is a unique area in West Vancouver. It’s a maritimer’s haven and heaven. Chances are someone who loves the ocean and appreciates boating will want to move to this gem of an area. Let’s play to that. Let’s stage a home with a specific buyer in mind. What will you find in Eagle Harbour? There’s the beautiful Thunderbird Marina, which offers a place to moor your boat, and has winter storage. It’s located in Fisherman’s Cove, next to Howe Sound, and offers shelter to boats from harsh weather conditions. You’ll... 06/26/2012

  Home Staging Vancouver – First Impressions Count!  When selling your Vancouver property, first impressions are everything.   When a potential Home Buyer enters your home, they want to be drawn in immediately, and coaxed to see more.  Like an hors d’oeuvres before the main course, the Home Buyer wants to their senses to be piqued and ready for what’s to come.  This particular Home Owner was very wise to call in our company to help get their property market ready for sale.  Before, the first thing that greeted you upon entering the foyer was a sofa that was gobbling up all the space.  It felt tight and uncomfortable.  With the dresser to the side, there was just too much furniture.     Another ‘no no’:  personal photos were displayed over the dresser, conveying instantly to Home Buyers ... 05/28/2012

Great Ambleside Community Event coming up The 1st Taste of Ambleside festival is coming on May 29, 2012. I think its a wonderful concept!!! From 5 pm to 8 pm, Marine Drive and Bellevue Ave are going to become a pedestrian walkway as the public can amble from one participating merchant to another and receive gifts, samples, appetizers, coupons, beer, wine, and special offers on various items or products. The historic Ferry Building in Ambleside, West Vancouver Over 50 merchants from 13th Street through to 21st Street are joining in on this fun event. Tickets are available from http://www.westvanchamber.com/  at $20/person and $10/kid 17 and under.Ticket holders receive a sample from a participating merchant and can enter a draw for a gift basket once 20 stamps have been collected.  Parti... 05/17/2012

Remembrance Day - November 11, 2011 - Don't Forget! Here's a reminder about the various services being held on Remembrance Day in North Vancouver and West Vancouver.  Remembrance Day is a service in honour of our Veterans and those currently serving in the Canadian Armed Forces. This is an annual community event, all members of the public welcome.  This is a wonderful opportunity to pay tribute to our fallen soldiers, celebrate the gift of freedom, listen to the words of the poem, In Flanders Fields, give 2 minutes silence, and gather with friends and family of the community.  I have a special connection with Remembrance Day, as my grandfather fought in Gallipoli during the Great War, as part of the Royal Navy, and my father manned a mine sweeper during World War II, also with the Royal... 11/10/2011

Digby, the Amazing Diving Ducktoller Here is my entry for the Active Rain VBloggers' Talent Contest.  Ok, I'm not really the talent here, but I'm showcasing my dog's talent.  I may have had a hand in encouraging my dog, but really, he's the one doing all the work.  Yes, I have a diving dog.  Actually, Digby is a Nova Scotia Ducktolling Retriever, or "Ducktoller" for short.  They were bred to go hunting for ducks with the hunters.  The hunter would hide in the tall grass, and the Ducktoller would dance along the shore.  This "attracted" or "tolled" the ducks to shore.  Once in good range, the hunter would shoot the ducks.  The dog would then swim out and retrieve the ducks.  As you can see, Digby was born loving the water.  When he was a puppy, a labrador played with some rocks in the ri... 09/08/2011

JUST CHILLAX'IN - CAFFE ARTIGIANO - WEST VANCOUVER Having a laid back day today.  The past few days have been very hectic, so today, I decided to declare a day off!  The sun is shining and Spring is in the air.  After taking the dog for a nice long walk along the seawall at Ambleside Beach, my daughter and I walked over to Caffe Artigiano, sat outside, and savoured a delicious, creamy, Italian-style latte.  Caffe A. is noted for their wonderful latte art, and have won many competitions.  If you're looking for a coffee that will keep you revving throughout the day, this is the caffe for you.  The orange-pecan biscotti chaser was delicious, too.  Life doesn't get much better than this.  Sometimes you just have to take time out, stop and smell the coffee.   05/18/2011

European House Painter Serving British Properties Speciality is Luxury and Estate Homes 604.726.7100 35 years Professional Luxury Residential Expertise, Interior and Exterior House Painting of Heritage Homes and Luxury Estate Homes Here is what he has to say on how to save money on painting your home.  I have been painter of fine homes since 1974. With over 30 years of painting experience, I have seen over and over again, the sad result of being called in to fix a cheap paint job. The poor homeowner trying to save money, had hired unqualified inexperienced handyman that called themselves painters. It takes much more time, effort and money to correct and repair of poor paint job. The price of a quality paint job is usually not much more than a bargain paint job. The value is considerably... 02/06/2011

West Vancouver Staged Home - Before & After PhotosHere is a lovely home we recently staged in West Vancouver.  The home is over 4,000 square feet, and has a beautiful view, overlooking the Georgia Straight.  We used the homeowner's existing furnishings, and brought in accessories and artwork.  BEFORE - The back of the sofa seemed a little unfriendly, and the T.V. in the living room was distracting.AFTER - We rearranged the furniture to feature the fireplace as the focal point.BEFORE - The dining room needed simplifying, and the dated stenciled walls need to be repainted.AFTER - The dining room was simplified and the red accent colour brought in through artwork and a runner.BEFORE - This homeowner loves to cook!  However, when selling, it's important to clear off as much of the counter s... 01/30/2011

What is that Green Thing Underneath My Sink?! If you carefully open the door to the cabinet underneath my kitchen sink, you will definitely find something green.  Don't worry, though, it's not a growing fungi, but a bottle of environmentally friendly or "green" All Purpose Cleanser.  One of the areas our company, Exit Stage Right, harps on about, is that when you present your home for sale, it must be Q-Tip clean!  No one is interested in buying and living in your dirty home, so it's very important to ensure that all surfaces, floors, windows, light fixtures, and appliances are sparkling clean and brand new looking.  Our company prides itself in using as many eco friendly products as we can, and environmentally friendly cleaning products are a natural fit. We were happy to find a cleani... 10/04/2010

West Vancouver Real Estate, Homes For Sale...Receive Your Free Market Snapshot Report...           The Latest Technology To Help In Your Search For Your New HomeShort of helping you buy or sell a property, the best service I can provide, especially in today’s shifting economic climate, is a monthly snapshot on your investment! What are home values in your neighbourhood? What’s happening to home values in your neighbourhood? What have your neighbour’s homes sold for lately?     I have a new service to offer and I have set you up to receive a Market Snapshot that will arrive every 4 weeks via email.  If you want, I can follow up with a phone call to explain the details of the Snapshot but in advance I want to point out the following.  The map has several options; road, aerial and bird’s e... 11/09/2009