Courtesy of Yahdon Israel

Yahdon Israel , REALTOR ® 604.365.8818 | contact@yahdon.com www.yahdon.com

Volume 14 Number 3

UPGRADE YOUR EXTERIOR, UPGRADE YOUR HOME’S VALUE Giving the exterior of your home a facelift may seem like a big project, but it doesn’t have to be. And if you’re planning on selling, an exterior refresh is a must. It’s all about the old saying – you never get a second chance to make a first impression. What potential buyers see on the exterior of your home can draw them in – or push them away. So the very first thing you should do when updating your exterior is simply give it a good cleaning. Grab a hose – or a pressure washer for stuck-on muck – and give your home a wash. Once it’s sparkling, assess

if there are any pieces of damaged siding or shingles that need to be replaced. Next, repaint the front door. Choose a colour that highlights your siding while also adding a bit of a wow factor. Red is always classic, but if you prefer neutral, a black or grey door are both modern and timeless. Last up, add some greenery in your flowerbeds

or planters. If it’s winter, put out an evergreen in a pretty pot – or add a simple wreath to say, “Welcome!”

VEGAN CHICKPEA NOODLE SOUP RECIPE

INGREDIENTS: 15 ounces canned chickpeas 2 tablespoons oil 1/2 large yellow or white onion, diced 1 tablespoon minced garlic 3 large carrots, sliced 3 celery ribs, sliced

1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 bay leaf 4 cups vegetable broth 4 cups water (or more vegetable broth) 8 ounces eggless pasta, cooked 1 small bunch dill and/or parsley

1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon dried oregano

DIRECTIONS: 1. In a large pot over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onions, carrots and celery. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until the onions are tender and translucent. 2. Add the garlic, thyme, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Mix well and cook for another 30 seconds. 3. Add the broth/water, chickpeas and bay leaf. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the carrots are easily pierced with a fork. 4. Remove the soup from the heat. Mix in the pasta. 5. If you haven't already, roughly chop the dill and/or parsley. Feel free to use other fresh herbs of your choice. 6. Scoop the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh herbs. Enjoy!

Courtesy of www.ehow.com

FUN WAYS TO UPCYCLE PLASTIC CONTAINERS We all know we should recycle our plastic containers, but what about upcycling instead? If you’ve never heard of the term, upcycling means taking things that are considered “trash” and turning them into something useable – and cool! One of the most fun ways to reuse your household plastics is to turn them into an oversized game of checkers. Save up various plastic bottles, then paint half of them white and half black. Make a giant checkerboard out of cardboard and let the games begin. For a more practical upcycling project, use your plastic containers to sort things like rubber bands, paperclips, nails and so on. You can either leave them plain or decorate them as you please. Are you a green thumb? Or maybe you’d like to be one? Plastic containers are great for starting seeds. Simply cover the bottom with a shallow layer of rocks for drainage, add your soil and seeds, then place the containers in a sunny windowsill. To make your upcycling extra eco-friendly, make your own cleaning supplies and then store them in old plastic bottles. You can even make cute labels to identify which is which. Lastly, if you’ve got a crafty kid in your house then definitely save up your plastic bottles and containers. Give them a project idea and watch them go to town. Or, hand them the containers, scissors, paint, glue, coloured paper and ribbons and see what they come up with all on their own. DOWNTON ABBEY INTERIOR STYLE

The television series may be long over – and the film is already more than a year old, but the beloved characters and location of Downton Abbey will live on in the hearts of fans forever. So much so that some homeowners want the interior of their homes to imitate the famed castle where it all took place. And while this may sound a little extreme, there are ways to bring the Edwardian style into a modern home that feels both grand and contemporary. White linen tablecloths and a silver tea setting can add charm to a sitting area. Four-posted beds layered with tailored bedding and embroidered pillows dress up the bedroom. And beautiful chandeliers dripping with crystals hang from the ceiling – they don’t have to be real crystal to be lovely. Meanwhile, pay tribute to the loveable servants of Downton with a large, wooden kitchen island and lots of bustling around it.

5 REASONS WHY NATURAL LIGHT IS SO GOOD FOR YOU

Aside from being nice to look at, what is it about natural lighting that makes it such an integral part of a healthy home? Nowadays, we spend so much of our lives indoors, yet studies have shown time and time again that exposure to nature greatly improve our physical and mental state. Even though our lives are structured around indoor living, there are several ways to bring the health benefits of nature indoors, perhaps the most important being lots and lots of natural light. Here are five reasons why natural lighting is so good for you. 1. Natural lighting has been shown to improve concentration. In fact, studies comparing employees who work under artificial lights to those who work near windows have shown increased productivity in the latter group. 2. Natural lighting can boost your immune system. Exposure to sunlight produces Vitamin D, which is beneficial to our health in its own right. But Vitamin D also wakens T-cells in our bodies, and T-cells fight off foreign pathogens. 3. Natural lighting is good for your eyesight. Staring into the sun may be bad for your eyes, but indirect sunlight is the best for reading and doing any other tasks that require focused vision. Natural light reduces eyestrain and it also helps the brain to produce dopamine, which is key for healthy eye development in children. 4. Natural lighting gives you more energy. Feeling sluggish? You might feel better if you head on over to a window. Sunlight slows down the making of melatonin, which is the hormone that regulates sleep. If you’re spending your day somewhere dark and dreary, your body might start thinking it’s time to produce melatonin. 5. Natural lighting can help you sleep better. When it’s finally time to get some shut eye, your body will thank you for spending time near natural light. One study even showed that people exposed to more natural light during the day slept an average of 46 minutes more per night.

MOODS AND EMOTIONS WORD SEARCH

Find and circle all of the words that are hidden in the grid. Then unscramble the remaining 12 letters to spell an additional word.

HIDDEN WORDS:

Afraid Agitated Anguish Blue Bored Cheery Dark Down Dread Edgy

Irked Jaded Jovial Lonely Love Mellow Merry Misery Offended Ornery Panic Pleased Remorse Somber Sunny Sympathy

SOLUTION:

Additional Word: Astonishment

Elation Furious Genial

Gloomy Grouchy Helpless Hopeful Humiliated Hurt

Uneasy Upbeat Weary

Courtesy of www.puzzles.ca

Home Buyer Demand Remains Elevated Across Metro Vancouver

BENCHMARK PRICES

$1,576,800 detached

$680,800 apartment

Vancouver February 2, 2021 - The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that residential home sales in the region totaled 2,389 in January 2021, a 52.1 per cent increase from the 1,571 sales recorded in January 2020, and a 22.8 per cent decrease from the 3,093 homes sold in December 2020. There were 4,480 detached, attached and apartment properties newly listed for sale on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in Metro Vancouver in January 2021. The total number of homes currently listed for sale on the MLS® system in Metro Vancouver is 8,306, a 3.6 per cent decrease compared to January 2020 (8,617) and a 2.7 per cent decrease compared to December 2020 (8,538). Sales of detached homes in January 2021 reached 740, a 68.6 per cent increase from the 439 detached sales recorded in January 2020. The benchmark price of a detached homes is $1,576,800.

UP 10.8% year-to-year

UP 2.2% year-to-year

4,480 8,306

NEW LISTINGS

ACTIVE LISTINGS (residential inventory)

SOLD LISTINGS 2,389

1,195

740

Sales of apartment homes reached 1,195 in January 2021, a 46.8 per cent increase compared to the 814 sales in January 2020. The benchmark price of an apartment home is $680,800. Attached home sales

Stats are reflective of January 2021 Source: REBGV Individual home market values will vary and are affected by factors such as location, size, interior and exterior condition. Please call to get an up-to- date evaluation of your home.

detached SOLD LISTINGS apartment

Yahdon Israel , REALTOR ® 604.365.8818 | contact@yahdon.com www.yahdon.com for life. Without client referrals I wouldn’t have made it this far. Your referrals are greatly appreciated, so much in fact I will pay you 5% ongoing commission on your referrals

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