A Special Gift from Nova Scotia! If you ever visit Nova Scotia, there is at least one thing that you HAVE to do. You have to go to the lighthouse at Peggy's Cove. The granite rocks at Peggy's Cove are a wonder of nature. The water is deep and during a storm the waves are known to climb higher than the top of the lighthouse. It can be a very dangerous place to visit. You don't turn your back on the waves and you don't walk on the wet rocks. People have been swept off the rocks and never seen again. If you respect the posted warning signs you will have a safe and enjoyable visit.  Visitors to Nova Scotia often remark that Peggy's Cove was a highlight of their trip.  While at the lighthouse site many people visit the extensive gift shop, which features wonderful local products. The on site... 11/29/2011

It took my breath away, I had to stop and shoot it! As I was driving to work one morning this week, I was astounded by the beauty around me. This is part of my regular route and it is always beautiful. That morning, it was dead calm with beautiful light. I had to stop and take these photos. The mirroring of the landscape in the water is amazing. The white in the lower right of the second photo is a reflection of a cloud in the sky. The third photo is also a shot of the sky, reflected in the water. These photos were taken in West LaHave along the LaHave River in Lunenburg County, on the South Shore of Nova Scotia.   11/18/2011

How do you attract people to subscribe to your blog? You could ask. That's what I'm doing. I would like to invite you to subscribe to my blog. I think you will find it interesting and informative. I write about my community. I ask questions of other Activerainers, when I need help with something. You can read their answers in my comments section. I write about things of interest to buyers, sellers and real estate agents. Sometimes I share recipes. Sometimes I video blog. I like to sprinkle a little humor around and take life with a grain of salt.  Check out some of my previous posts, I've included some examples below.  Local Information I write about my province, Nova Scotia, and my local area. You might like this http://actvra.in/ld5 or this http://actvra.in/fzn   General Sometimes Iwr... 10/13/2011

 An Activity Worthy of a Sunday Afternoon! My friends Audrey and Wolf have a lovely cottage, on Caribou Lake, in Nova Scotia. They love to feed the hummingbirds. I sat under their birch tree watching the birds, there were at least eight of them. They are so tiny and move so fast, it's hard to keep track of where they are and where they are going. If you watch closely you can see a couple of them in this short video.     I don't  know what I did wrong, The embedding didn't work. Any suggestions? OK now it's even stranger. I can see the video in the WYSIWYG view, but when I post the blog entry it isn't there. 09/19/2011

You'll never believe what happened when I entered the Vbloggers Contest. I said I would enter the contest, but getting the entry ready took a lot more time than I thought it would. It was a marathon! In addition to the activities that normally fill my day, I had to learn a lot of new things, to put this vblog together. There was the filming and editing which I had done before. But this time there was also searching for the "How to's", to put the video, music and narration together. Eventually, I had all the pieces I needed and felt I had a suitable entry. The next step was upload it to Youtube. Well, for some reason Youtube threw up everytime I tried to upload it.(NOT a reaction to the content, I hope.) Apparently, Youtube was having a problem with my format. After many tries, I got it ... 09/07/2011

Thanksgiving Twice. The Best of Two Traditions. In Lunenburg County on the South Shore of Nova Scotia, Canada, many of our neighbours are Americans who live here for 3 to 6 months of the year. When it comes time for Thanksgiving, we celebrate both the American and the Canadian traditions. Both celebrations are similar. We share a love of turkey with all the fixins' and the company of friends and family to help celebrate.  This year October 10, is the Canadian celebration and November 24, is the American holiday. I have provided a count down clock, from zoodu.com, for both events. Even with two Thanksgivings we never run out of things to be thankful for.     Countdown Clock by Zoodu.com       Countdown Clock by Zoodu.com       08/03/2011

To get the right property at the right price, work with a real estate professional! A professional has the knowledge and experience to help you get what you want. In Lunenburg County on the South Shore of Nova Scotia call Donna Malone at 902-521-8953. Working with a Real Estate Professional is the best way to find the right property at the right price. When you are selling your home, your Agent will help you find the right buyer and get the best price.   08/02/2011

The Ten Best Things About LaHave, Nova Scotia. I have been living in LaHave Nova Scotia for over thirteen years. It is a beautiful little village that follows the LaHave River and the Atlantic Ocean. It is a fabulous place to live in Lunenburg County on the South Shore of Nova Scotia.   #1 - It is the home of the LaHave Ferry, which connects the communities of both sides of the LaHave River, in Lunenburg County on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. #2 - It is five minutes from the LaHave River Yacht Club. The Yacht Club is very active with sailing lessons for the kids, racing nights for sailors and events for power boaters. Friday Night Happy Hour provides snacks and entertainment. All of this in a fantastic riverside setting. You won't find a better yacht club in Lunenburg County on the S... 07/26/2011

Selling Your House? Helpful Tips to Prepare it for Market. on the South Shore of Lunenburg County. Stop thinking of it as your home, Think of it as a house that needs to be sold. It is a product. You need to show it in its' best light, to get it sold. More importantly, to get it sold for top dollar. Get comfortable with the fact that someone else will be living in it. Their furniture will be in the rooms. Their children will fill it with energy. These new people will make it their home. It will become a house you used to own. Sever your emotional attachment to the house. It may be difficult, but you need to do this. De-Personalize!Remove items that remind you of your life in that home. Store your photos, your children's artwork and your fridge magnet collection.  Buyers don't want to s... 06/17/2011

Recent Changes in the Real Estate Market in Nova Scotia, Canada Maximum amortization Periods have dropped from 40 years to 35 years to 30 years. This means larger monthly mortgage payments. As a result, it is more difficult for new buyers to afford a mortgage. Nova Scotia prices have dropped 1% to 2% in the past year. A house that sold for $100,000 is now selling for $98,000 or $99,000. Even with the price drop, Nova Scotia housing is still overvalued by about 7%. This according to Benjamin Tal at a recent address on housing markets & local economic trends. Mr. Tal is arenowned economic advisor. Mortgage rates are expected to start rising in August. This will mean larger monthly payments and shrinkage in the number of people who can afford a mortgage. There will be downward pressure on ... 06/16/2011

The Beach at LaHave Nova Scotia looking across at Riverport. Thanks beach! I am thankful for my neighbourhood beach. It's a great place to walk in a storm and see the waves whipped up in a fury. It's a great place to sit on a hot summer day and enjoy the peace that staring at it brings. It's a great place at night for a bonfire and roasted marshmallows. It's a treasure trove after a storm, for beach combing. 05/26/2011

How I know it's Spring. Let's just say I am not impressed with Spring, so far this year. We've had cool, grey, rainy weather. Some days are more like November than May. Never the less, there are some identifiable signs of Spring. Our local lobster season closes at the end of May. Spring is a time for lobster. We got together with a group of about sixty and had an enjoyable outdoor meal. It was cool, but the lobster was hot.   Azaleas bloom in the Spring and they are abundant this year. I guess all that rain was good for something. Now, if the sun would come out warm things up, I'd wear my sandals. That's the sign of Spring I'm really waiting for.   05/14/2011

Life is a Beach in Lunenburg County, on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia is a land of coastlines and beaches. It has an abundance of waterfront. Do you prefer, ocean, lake or river? We have it all. These pictures are of the beach at the Fort Point Museum, in LaHave and are a short walk from the famous LaHave Bakery. Crescent Beach and Rissers Beach are close by. A short drive away is Green Bay, a favorite summer destination with a great  beach area and McLeod's Canteen. I love to go there for lunch and ice cream. Other beaches in the area include Kingsburg Beach and Hirtle's Beach. It's heaven here for beach lovers. People from Europe and all over North America come to visit, fall in love with the area and buy homes here. Who do you know who would love to buy a home close to ... 05/11/2011

Four hundred years old and still looking good! Our community of LaHave was founded by Viscount de Razilly nearly four hundred years ago. This community in Lunenburg County on the South Shore of Nova Scotia has had many incarnations. The French were followed by the English and the Germans, the farming and logging was followed by a local industrial age and the era of tall ships. Today it is a charming village with a vibrant community spirit. The Fort Point Museum and the well known LaHave Bakery are the gathering places for locals and visitors alike. 05/02/2011

Nova Scotia Facts and Lifestyle Nova Scotia offer's incredible natural beauty. Lakes abound (about 3000 of them) and cottage living is popular. Most people live along the tremendous ocean coastline. There over 3800 coastal islands. It is an environment made for boating and has a rich sailing history. At any place in the province you are never more than an hour from the ocean. There are mountains for skiing and lush, fertile valleys. The population of the province is less than one million people. Metropolitan Halifax is home to Robert Stanfield International Airport. It is the capital and the only city. Halifax is a year round open port and a hub for ocean going transportation. The province has many universities and colleges, several of them in Halifax. The work force has a high level of... 04/11/2011

Great Family Home on Greenbelt Pleasantville South Shore Lunenburg County Nova Scotia I have just listed a wonderful property on the South Shore of Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia. It's a roomy four bedroom family home on over an acre of level land. This lovely house is on a greenbelt in Pleasantville on the South Shore of Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia. The main level has a well designed layout, with a large living room and a larger family room. The spacious dining room in this Pleasantville South Shore Lunenburg County Nova Scotia home, can accomodate furniture to seat 10 to 12, or more. The kitchen with it's large island, has white cupboards with a dark blue countertop and yellow accents. This home in Pleasantville South Shore Lunenburg County Nova Scotia has a fabulous mud room/laundry... 04/07/2011

Buying Selling Real Estate Lunenburg County Nova Scotia, Chester, Mahone Bay, Lunenburg, Bridgewater, Dayspring, Lahave, Rose Bay, Riverport, Petite Riviere, Green Bay, Lunenburg County, South Shore Nova Scotia. Is there a move in your future? Let me help make your buying and selling dreams a reality. I work the Real Estate market on the South Shore of Nova Scotia, from Bridgewater to the beaches and beyond, including both sides of the beautiful LaHave River. There are many communities that would be great choices for relocation. They include Chester, Mahone Bay, Lunenburg, Bridgewater, Dayspring, Lahave, Rose Bay, Riverport, Petite Riviere, Green Bay and the surrounding area in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, Canada.  In today's competitive real estate market, timing is everything. 90% o... 04/04/2011

It is so hard to effectively price a home in a semi-rural area. There is so much difference from house to house and property to property that it is difficult to find truly comparable properties. Home owners seem to have a difficult time understanding the value of location and expect to get city prices. Often, they price their homes too high and have to wait a year or maybe two for a sale. In the end, they accept a price that is probably lower than the offer they would have had many months sooner, if they had realistically priced their home. 03/11/2011

You have just bought your first home, how do you celebrate? You have just retired after 35years of hard work, how do you celebrate? You have moved so many times you can't count, how do you relax? EXIT Realty Inter Lake has just the way to make your dreams come true. A "5 Day Cruise for 2 on Carnival Cruise line!*" It's free to you as our closing gift for buying or selling with me. On a successful closing of either a sale or a purchase I will give you a "FREE CRUISE FOR 2*" I have already given away 4 this month and would love to give more. Mike and Tina Joudrey, New house and a cruise for 2! Yesterday my community of Bridgewater Nova Scotia and the South Shore Regional Hospital came together in a fundraising effort to provide the hospital with 10 new Cardiac Monitors. The goal in this l... 02/15/2011

It's easy to get caught up in analyzing the return on home improvements when thinking of listing. Don't miss out on the importance of improvements that may not increase the value of the home, but may help sell it. Spruce up the outside, street appeal is key, it's what makes them want to come inside. Make sure the inside smells fresh, is clean and clutter free. Invest in professional cleaning, especially if you have pets. Propective buyers don't love them as much as you do. Nobody wants to see hair or fur balls in the corner. Paint is cheap, invest a little elbow grease and brighten things up with a fresh coat of neutral paint. 09/10/2010