The Bettina Reid Group Blog Page

Cloverdale Rodeo Parade

Bettina Reid — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:06:02 -0700

The Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair would not be complete without the Cloverdale Rodeo Parade.

HomeLife wouldn't miss being a part of the parade and once again we will be handing out candy to the crowd as we march in tomorrow's parade.

The parade starts at 10:00am tomorrow Saturday May 18th. Be sure to get there early to get a good seat for the kids as the streets fill up fast.

For details on the route visit the following link:

Cloverdale Rodeo Parade

16673 62A Ave, Cloverdale, British Columbia

Bettina Reid — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:58:35 -0700

I just finished uploading this House for sale, 16673 62A Ave, Cloverdale, British Columbia

"Ridgemont" plan by Qualico. This is a lovely, warm 2 storey family home with fully finished basement, on a fenced, 6070 sqft lot. This home opens to a sitting rm at the front, and a GREAT ROOM, loads of light, maple cabinets in the kitchen, breakfast bar, dining area. Lg balcony at the back looks over a generous yard. Upstairs three bedrms incl a huge Master with a great 4pc ensuite and lg walk in closet. The other two bdrms are both a very good size. A flex area (computer area) is also upstairs. Downstairs you have a rec room with a F/P, an open area with a wet bar, a large bedrm and an offer all with it's own entrance. This area is central, walking dist. to schools, parks, transportation. Come and see!

Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair

Bettina Reid — Thu, 16 May 2013 23:25:00 -0700

Cloverdale is the place to be starting Friday May 17-20 for the annual Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair ...guaranteed fun for the whole family! The Country Fair is the largest in the Fraser Valley with lots of games and rides for everyone.

From a lumberjack show, to the world freestyle skateboarding round up and even the 2nd annual Cowboy Cookoff Rib Fest and BBQ competition. There is lots to see and do this year.

For more details on all the events and times visit the Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair website in the following:

Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair

BC Election 2013

Bettina Reid — Tue, 14 May 2013 21:56:29 -0700

Looks like the Liberals have won a Majority government this evening in the BC provincial election. Definitely an interesting election here in BC and will be interesting to see what the next 4 years will bring us.

What did you think of today's BC election?

Easy Ways to "Go Green"

Bettina Reid — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:59:31 -0700

Easy Ways to "Go Green"

These days, most people want to do their bit to help the environment.

Unfortunately, not everyone is willing, or able, to install solar panels on their

roof or implement an in-ground heat recovery system.

Luckily, there are many smaller things you can do that can make a big

difference. Here are some ideas that can help you "go green" easily and

inexpensively.

Get a recycling bin and learn how to use it. Most jurisdictions have a

recycling program. You may be able to get a rebate on your recycling bin or

even get it for free. Keep a list of items that can be recycled on your fridge

door, so that everyone in the family can participate.

Get a kitchen compost bin. Find out if your jurisdiction has a compost

pick-up program. If they do, get a kitchen compost bin. Composting can

reduce landfill waste by as much as 32%.

Use energy-saving light bulbs. Low energy light bulbs have come a long

way in recent years. Their consistent glow and brightness now rival their

incandescent counterparts. By replacing regular 40-watt bulbs with energysaving

8-watt bulbs, you could save nearly 50% of the electricity you used

for lighting. Results may vary by brand.

Shop for local produce. Many grocery stores and supermarkets offer

produce – fruits, vegetables, – that are grown within a 100 mile radius. The

short transportation distance, means significantly less fossil fuel is required

to get the produce delivered to your local store. Keep in mind that some

non-local produce, such as apples in the off-season, often need to be

transported thousands of miles.

Let nature do the work. As an alternative to air conditioning, open windows

and block out the passive heat gain from the sun with curtains. Do the

opposite in winter. Strategically using curtains and windows can lower your

energy bill by as much as 20%.

As you can see, you don't have to do much to have a "greener" home. Just

a few little changes can make a big difference.

Easy Ways to "Go Green"

These days, most people want to do their bit to help the environment. Unfortunately, not everyone is willing, or able, to install solar panels on their roof or implement an in-ground heat recovery system.

Luckily, there are many smaller things you can do that can make a big difference. Here are some ideas that can help you "go green" easily and inexpensively.

Get a recycling bin and learn how to use it. Most jurisdictions have a recycling program. You may be able to get a rebate on your recycling bin or even get it for free. Keep a list of items that can be recycled on your fridge door, so that everyone in the family can participate.

Get a kitchen compost bin. Find out if your jurisdiction has a compost pick-up program. If they do, get a kitchen compost bin. Composting can reduce landfill waste by as much as 32%.

For Surrey residents their new program is a good program offering both recycling and composting solutions.

Use energy-saving light bulbs. Low energy light bulbs have come a long way in recent years. Their consistent glow and brightness now rival their incandescent counterparts. By replacing regular 40-watt bulbs with energy saving 8-watt bulbs, you could save nearly 50% of the electricity you used for lighting. Results may vary by brand.

Shop for local produce. Many grocery stores and supermarkets offer produce – fruits, vegetables, – that are grown within a 100 mile radius. The short transportation distance, means significantly less fossil fuel is required to get the produce delivered to your local store. Keep in mind that some non-local produce, such as apples in the off-season, often need to be transported thousands of miles.

Let nature do the work. As an alternative to air conditioning, open windows and block out the passive heat gain from the sun with curtains. Do the opposite in winter. Strategically using curtains and windows can lower your energy bill by as much as 20%.

As you can see, you don't have to do much to have a "greener" home. Just a few little changes can make a big difference.

Clayton Community Festival

Bettina Reid — Fri, 10 May 2013 20:23:01 -0700

Really hope the weather holds out for Clayton Community Festival tomorrow. If it is anything like last year it is bound to be a lot of fun for everyone!

Clayton Community Festival is very much Cloverdale's rodeo week kick off. With entertainment on both sides of Fraser Highway and all the merchants from Hillcrest Village and Clayton Crossing . A free family event with lots of music, face painting, games, free samples and so much more.

If you're looking for something to do with the family tomorrow stop by Clayton Community Festival from 11am-3pm at 188th & Fraser Hwy.

Hiring The Right Moving Company

Bettina Reid — Fri, 10 May 2013 20:10:31 -0700

Hiring The Right Moving Company...

How do you select the best moving company for your needs?

• Ask for recommendations from friends or other professionals in the local real estate industry.

• Beware of fly-by-night operations. They may seem like a bargain, but you get what you pay for.

• Does the company provide you with a written estimate and contract?(Beware of movers that just give you a price over the phone.)

• Ask if they are covered by insurance, and what their policy is regarding lost or broken items. Make sure you receive a copy of their insurance certificate.

Finally, always ask what circumstances would result in extra charges being applied. The number one complaint received about movers by the Better Business Bureau is unexpected extra charges.

Questions about moving? Gice us a call today!

McHappy Day!!!

Bettina Reid — Wed, 08 May 2013 10:30:45 -0700

Today is McHappy Day a $1 from the sale of every Egg McMuffin, Happy Meal and Big Mac will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House B.C.

I don't normally advocate eating McDonalds...but today it's to support a very worthy cause! Ronald McDonald house offers families during a very difficult time a place to stay while their children are receiving medical treatment. Giving them a home away from home! As a parent we hope we will never need the Ronald McDonald house...which is why it is even more important to support McHappy Day because Nobody plans to need their services.

To learn more about Ronald McDonald house visit their website today!

http://www.rmhbc.ca/

Make sure to stop by McDonalds for McHappy Day and support Ronald McDonald house today!

Stanley Park one of the Worlds Most Beautiful Parks

Bettina Reid — Tue, 07 May 2013 22:34:47 -0700

Our very own Stanley Park has been named one of the Worlds most beautiful City Parks according to Travel and Leisure. I remember visiting Stanley Park for the 1st time as a child. My family and I were visiting my grandparents who lived at the time in Ladner. One of the 1st places they took us was to Stanley Park to see the totem poles.

After moving here from Ontario 8 years ago, we have been back a number of times sharing the beauty of Stanley Park with other visiting family and friends. We also enjop taking a stroll along the sea wall, where we have been lucky enough to not only enjoy the amazing views but where we also came across a sea lion or 2 over the years.

Stanley Park deserves a place in the Worlds Most Beautiful City Parks.

To see which other parks made the list visit the following link:

http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/worlds-most-beautiful-city-parks/3

104 14833 61ST Ave, Surrey, British Columbia

Bettina Reid — Tue, 07 May 2013 21:51:28 -0700

I just finished uploading this Townhouse for sale, 104 14833 61ST Ave, Surrey, British Columbia

Ashbury Hill. Fairborne's newest townhome development in the sought after family neighborhood of Panorama/Sullivan Heights. This 2 bedroom and den end unit with over 1,200 square feet features a great-room style main floor with laminate hardwood flooring, oversized living/dining area, and gourmet kitchen featuring stainless steel appliances granite counter tops and pantry! Convenient powder room and cozy den located just off the entry. Master suite features his and hers closets and ensuite access to a large bathroom with dual basins. Walking distance to schools, shops and more!

Vancity Billboard made of pennies

Bettina Reid — Fri, 03 May 2013 21:39:00 -0700

At first glance this looks just like any other billboard that you would see around the city...you cannot drive down any city street without coming across some sort of advertisement. But what is exciting and unique about this one is that it is made up of over 60,000 pennies of varying degree of tarnish.

What better way to honour our dying Canadian penny then to create a masterpiece for all to see!

It took a lot of sorting and arranging to find the right ones, to be sure to put them in just the right place. Then they had to glue each and every penny down. But what impressed me even more was how it all came together. Vancity partnered with Starworks to build their Billboard made of pennies. Starworks is a non-profit organization that was established to provide employment for people with developmental disabilities. Vancity prides themselves in working with socially responsible companies and this one certainly fits the bill. This project created jobs for 1/2 dozen people putting Vancity's marketing to good not just to advertise!

“The billboard is an innovative way of demonstrating Vancity’s “Make Good Money” philosophy,” said Richard Seres, VP/Marketing at Vancity. “We want to make good money for our members while creating positive change for local businesses and our community.”

If you are in the area of 4th Ave and Granville St. facing west, at the main entrance to Granville Island you will surely notice this incredible work of art, let us know what you think of Vancity's billboard made of pennies.

The Fraser Valley is having a good Spring Market

Bettina Reid — Thu, 02 May 2013 21:04:00 -0700

The Real estate market has certainly heated up for the typical Spring surge and the news release out from our Fraser Valley real estate board today confirms that.

Kara and I have been quite busy helping our clients with not only the sale of their homes, but with purchases as well. We have noticed if a home is priced right it isn't sitting long forcing buyers to make a decision quickly before someone else does and they lose out on their future home. Today's news release has us leaning towards a balanced market which is good for both buyers and sellers. Prices don't seem to be going down, but they don't seem to be going up too much either. The key thing is that well priced homes are selling.

To read more on today's news release click on the following link:
http://www.fvreb.bc.ca/blog/index.php/2013/05/02/spring-market-bolsters-mlsr-activity-in-fraser-valley#.UYKru7iUTBU.twitter

If you are looking to buy or sell your home, please feel free to give Kara or myself a call and we would be more than happy to help!

UPDATED: East beach Hillside Open House!

Bettina Reid — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:22:31 -0700

Please note the change for this upcoming openhouse.

We are proud to announce that this May 5th, 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM we will be hosting an Open House at Victoria Avenue in the East beach Hillside neighborhood, White Rock. This is an opportunity to visit this excellent House for sale in beautiful East beach Hillside.

Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this East beach Hillside House for sale.

As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 604-574-0161 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.

Bettina Reid
Homelife Benchmark Realty Cloverdale

UPDATED: East beach Hillside Open House!

Bettina Reid — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:22:20 -0700

Please note the change for this upcoming openhouse.

We are proud to announce that this May 4th, 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM we will be hosting an Open House at Victoria Avenue in the East beach Hillside neighborhood, White Rock. This is an opportunity to visit this excellent House for sale in beautiful East beach Hillside.

Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this East beach Hillside House for sale.

As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 604-574-0161 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.

Bettina Reid
Homelife Benchmark Realty Cloverdale

Removing Stains From Rugs And Carpeting

Bettina Reid — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 20:53:11 -0700

Removing Stains From Rugs And Carpeting

Something has just spilled on your favourite rug or carpet. There's a stain

forming. You're worried. Will you be able to remove it? Will the stain set and

stay forever?

Luckily, there's a good chance you can completely lift just about any kind of

stain – if you follow a few guidelines.

The first rule of stain removal is: act fast. The fresher the stain, the easier it

is to lift. So when you notice a stain of any kind, start to work on it right

away. Don't wait.

Begin by trying to dry blot the stain. Avoid the temptation of using a wet

cloth or detergent, at least at this stage of the game. Blot the stain gently

with a clean, dry cloth or absorbent paper towel. Be patient. It may take

several minutes before you see any results.

If dry blotting doesn't completely lift the stain, mix up a combination of one

glass of water with one teaspoon of lemon juice. Again, take a clean cloth or

paper towel, wet it with the water/lemon mixture, and gently blot the area

(test on an inconspicuous area first). Wait five minutes, then try dry blotting

again.

You may have to repeat the above process a few times.

Using a vacuum cleaner directly over the affected area can also help lift

more of the stain.

If, after all your efforts, some of the stain is still there, place a couple of

sheets of paper towel over the stain, with a few books on top to maintain

pressure. Leave those there for 24 hours. Check every hour or so. If you

see stain on the paper towels, you know it's working.

If all else fails, consider calling in a professional cleaner. They know all the

tricks and can often perform a miracle for you!

Something has just spilled on your favourite rug or carpet. There's a stain forming. You're worried. Will you be able to remove it? Will the stain set and stay forever?

Luckily, there's a good chance you can completely lift just about any kind of stain – if you follow a few guidelines.

The first rule of stain removal is: act fast. The fresher the stain, the easier it is to lift. So when you notice a stain of any kind, start to work on it right away. Don't wait.

Begin by trying to dry blot the stain. Avoid the temptation of using a wet cloth or detergent, at least at this stage of the game. Blot the stain gently with a clean, dry cloth or absorbent paper towel. Be patient. It may take several minutes before you see any results.

If dry blotting doesn't completely lift the stain, mix up a combination of one glass of water with one teaspoon of lemon juice. Again, take a clean cloth or paper towel, wet it with the water/lemon mixture, and gently blot the area (test on an inconspicuous area first). Wait five minutes, then try dry blotting again.

You may have to repeat the above process a few times.

Using a vacuum cleaner directly over the affected area can also help lift more of the stain.

If, after all your efforts, some of the stain is still there, place a couple of sheets of paper towel over the stain, with a few books on top to maintain pressure. Leave those there for 24 hours. Check every hour or so. If you see stain on the paper towels, you know it's working.

If all else fails, consider calling in a professional cleaner. They know all the tricks and can often perform a miracle for you!

For some more great ideas on how to use common household items to remove stains from rugs and carpet visit the following link:

http://www.rd.com/home/9-common-products-to-remove-carpet-and-rug-stains/

UPDATED: Cloverdale Open House!

Bettina Reid — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 21:10:47 -0700

Please note the change for this upcoming openhouse.

We are proud to announce that this Apr 27th, 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM we will be hosting an Open House at 18701 66th Avenue in Encore at Hillcrest in the Cloverdale neighborhood, Surrey. This is an opportunity to visit this excellent Townhouse for sale in beautiful Cloverdale.

Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this Cloverdale Townhouse for sale.

As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 604-574-0161 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.

Bettina Reid
Homelife Benchmark Realty Cloverdale

UPDATED: East beach Hillside Open House!

Bettina Reid — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 21:08:20 -0700

Please note the change for this upcoming openhouse.

We are proud to announce that this Apr 28th, 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM we will be hosting an Open House at Victoria Avenue in the East beach Hillside neighborhood, White Rock. This is an opportunity to visit this excellent House for sale in beautiful East beach Hillside.

Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this East beach Hillside House for sale.

As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 604-574-0161 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.

Bettina Reid
Homelife Benchmark Realty Cloverdale

Happy Administrative Professionals Day!!!

Bettina Reid — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:53:51 -0700

Happy Administrative Professionals Day!!! Without our assistant and office assistants we wouldn't be as successful in our business and we wouldn't be able to give our clients the best possible service ever!

A very big THANK YOU to our assistants, hope all administrative professionals have a wonderful day!

58 6785 193RD Street, Cloverdale, British Columbia

Bettina Reid — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:18:00 -0700

Townhouse for sale, 58 6785 193RD Street, Cloverdale, British Columbia

Sunny South facing private hedged backyard accessible from main floor. Fabulous layout with lots of upgrades: Granite, tainless appliances, gas stove, 9' ceilings, quality laminate, 2" blinds, built-in vacuum, Travertine stone fireplace , designer colors. 3 Bedroom, 3 Bath side by side double garage Executive home with powder room between main & lower lever which features a bonus room for Office, Media, or ? Huge Master with walk-in closet, ensuite with double sinks, & large shower. Deck and backyard provide fantastic outdoor space including gas connection for BBQ. Perfect for entertaining or simply relaxing. Balance of 2-5-10 warranty in the very well run MADRONA complex. Close to transit, parks, shopping and more, a must see!

18028 64A Ave, Cloverdale, British Columbia

Bettina Reid — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:15:04 -0700

House for sale, 18028 64A Ave, Cloverdale, British Columbia

STUNNING ORCHARD RIDGE HOME. Almost 2300 sf 4 bedroom 3 bath. Home has been completely renovated top to bottom. BRAND NEW ROOF,BRAND NEW ENERGY EFFICIENT WINDOWS Brand new 91% efficiency furnace, brand new hot water tank, and custom wet bar , entire house has been re-painted with designer colors. Nekitchen with large island, granite counter tops, stainless line steel appliances, crown molding, High end hand scraped laminate flooring, new carpet, new light fixtures, new bathrooms including adding a luxury master ensuite with double glass shower. Backyard features an in-ground pool with brand new liner and Large wood deck that makes it perfect for entertaining and Great for those Summer BBQs and family get togethers.