Keeping You Informed with Linda Linfoot

“Keeping You Informed” I work for YOU, not the lender!

L inda L infoot Mortgage Professional

Cell: 604.765.8873 Fax: 1.888.253.4963 lindalinfoot@me.com www.LindaLinfoot.com

Verico Paragon Mortgage Inc 227-5589 Byrne Road Burnaby, BC V5J 3J1

L inda L infoot , Mortgage Professional

FEELING COMFORTABLE IN YOUR NEW NEIGHBOURHOOD

After you’ve moved into your new home, you’ll want to explore the community and meet new people. Having a sense of community is good for your overall well being and knowing who lives in the homes around you is good for your security and safety. A great way to meet those that live next to you is to hold a yard or garage sale. You’ll probably have a few things that you moved from your old place that just don’t fit or work with your new space and it won’t hurt to set out a table and spend a Saturday selling your wares and meeting your neighbours. If you have children, they can host a lemonade or cookie stand to meet other children in the neighbourhood. If you don’t have anything to sell, consider sharing the harvest from your garden or overflowing apple tree with those around you. Another tried and true place to meet your neighbours is on the walking trails or nearby

green spaces. Perhaps there is a local running group or walking meet-up that you can join and get to know some new people while staying healthy and active. On the other hand, you can head online to see if your new neighbourhood has a social media page. If they don’t and you are tech savvy, consider starting one yourself. Engage with others online and suggest meeting for coffee at a local shop where you can bond over the best places to eat, which grocery store has the best deals and other things that make your neighbourhood special. Volunteering or attending the community league annual general meeting is another way to meet your neighbours and see what the issues facing your area are. Once you become more familiar with the area and the people around you, you’ll be able to welcome other newcomers when they move into the 'hood'.

www.LindaLinfoot.com

Cell: 604.765.8873

L inda L infoot , Mortgage Professional

QUICK AND INEXPENSIVE KITCHEN UPGRADES

With fall and winter looming, you may be looking for a small and inexpensive change that will turn your "boring" kitchen into something exciting and noteworthy. Here are four things you can do this weekend for under $100. 1. Paint the island - add a pop of colour to your kitchen by painting the island a vibrant red, striking terra cotta or forest green. All of these colours are trendy right now and if you get tired of it, you can just re-paint again in a few months! 2. Remove cupboard doors to create open shelving - display your favourite dishes and cooking gadgets while creating a

more functional and accessible kitchen. Use coloured or textured contact paper to line the shelves for even more excitement. 3. Change out the hardware - swap your old drawer and cupboard knobs for a new style. Be daring and use one style of knob on the upper cabinets and a different one altogether on the bottom ones. 4. Add a peel and stick backsplash to your existing tile to completely change the look of the kitchen. Mix and match patterns and textures if you're feeling adventurous.

www.LindaLinfoot.com

Cell: 604.765.8873

L inda L infoot , Mortgage Professional

BENEFITS OF A CORNER LOT

Many prospective homeowners are hesitant to even look at a home on a corner lot because of the added maintenance required with this particular type of yard. It's true, there will be more sidewalk to shovel and more grass to mow, but think about the positives of owning a corner lot when you're out looking for a new home. That extra grass means more space for children to play with maybe even enough space for a play structure or swing set to be set up. More yard also means more areas to entertain and the possibility of adding a large garden as well as a gazebo firepit instead of having to choose only one because of space limitations. The house itself can end up being brighter

with more natural light as there is only one neighbouring house to block out the sun. This open side also provides a better view and more privacy as your windows won't be looking directly into your neighbour's windows. Depending on if the home is on a busy street or a quiet neighbourhood street, another advantage of a corner lot is more parking space along the curb. Guests or teenage drivers won't have to play musical cars when it's time to leave. As always, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a corner lot with your real estate agent as they'll have a lot more insight having shown and sold these types of properties over the years.

www.LindaLinfoot.com

Cell: 604.765.8873

L inda L infoot , Mortgage Professional

SMART SHOPPING TO SAVE

With prices of almost everything seeming to be on the rise, it's no wonder many Canadians are looking for ways to save a few dollars here and there. One thing you can do is to purchase items when they're on sale or in season. For instance, September is a great time to purchase summer clothes as they're likely on clearance while stores try to make room for fall and winter inventory. Other summer related items may be on clearance as well - items like bicycles, lawn furniture, camping gear, grills and the like will be discounted so check out your favourite stores to see what stock and deals they are offering. Seasonal produce is often discounted in the month of September when it's aptly available - apples, squash, eggplant and

beans are just a few of the ingredients you can save some money on. Shopping and meal planning based on what's in season is a trend many are picking up on. Knowing that fruit like strawberries and grapes, for example, will cost way more in the winter what they would in summer is key to balancing a grocery budget. Try not to purchase electronics, small home appliances and toys in the fall as Black Friday sales have moved into Canada and these are often the most discounted items. Unless it's a necessity, try to hold off until the end of November. On the other hand, new iPhones are released in September so the older models are often discounted if you're not too worried about not having the latest model.

www.LindaLinfoot.com

Cell: 604.765.8873