This recently upgraded, centrally located family home is ready to move into. The immaculate 2200 square foot two level home is minutes from shopping and schools. In addition to the fresh paint and new laminate flooring the home has a new furnace, hot water tank, faucets and contemporary lighting fixtures. The roof was replaced recently and has many remaining years. The attached single car garage and large driveway offer plenty of parking. The private rear yard has great potential and is awaiting the personal touch of its new owners. All room sizes are approximate and should be confirmed by the purchaser.

View this recently sold Lake and Mountain View or see all my home sales

The best of the best. This lovely 2 bedroom, one level townhome has an incredible view of Mill Lake and Mount Baker. Located behind Seven Oaks Mall, it is a short walk from all conveniences. This is the perfect home for the 55+ couple who is downsizing yet does not want to give up their privacy and convenience.

The next time you are in Osoyoos, make it a point to visit Sonora Ridge overlooking Osoyoos Lake. This new development offers a variety of lots and home designs starting at approximately $540,000 depending upon the size and finishing chosen. There are two show homes to view as well as a 4 bedroom walk up that is ready to move into ($749,000).

This recently upgraded, centrally located family home is ready to move into. The immaculate 2200 square foot two level home is minutes from shopping and schools. In addition to the fresh painting and new laminate flooring the home has a new furnace, hot water tank, faucets and contemporary lighting fixtures. The roof was replaced recently and has many remaining years. The attached single car garage and large driveway offer plenty of parking. The private rear yard has great potential and is awaiting the personal touch of its new owners. All room sizes are approximate and should be confirmed by the purchaser.

Enjoy the solitude yet convenience of this peaceful 5 acre retreat! Complete with workshops, barn and outbuildings, this beautifully treed location has it all. Located 25 minutes east of Osoyoos, the gently rolling south slope property features forests and native grasslands and adjoins crown land. The 30 year old 1,700 square foot low impact 3 bedroom home was built ahead of its time; it offers passive solar heat and a wood burning stove to keep heating costs to a minimum. In addition to the various storage sheds, the property has a 700 square foot, well insulated workshop and a 3,500 square foot clearspan barn. This property has everything for the person who wants to “get away from it all.”

View this recently sold Lakefront or see all my home sales

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

As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 250.495.2238 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.

Ken Trotman
Desert Aire Realty

Enjoy the beauty and tranquility of this first class resort. This two bedroom, ground floor apartment comes fully furnished; all you need is your toothbrush to enjoy up to six months each year of pure luxury. Dine at the incredible Pasa Tempo restaurant, enjoy the award winning Inkameep wines, swim in the elegant pool, golf on the desert course or enjoy the vineyard and lake view from your own private patio. Enjoy the unit for your personal use, add to the rental pool or exchanged with other first class world wide resorts. Vendors are willing to divide this one half interest into two quarter shares if preferred.

With 3 bedrooms on the main floor and a 2 bedroom suite in the basement, this spacious family home is perfect for first time buyers. Situated on almost a quarter acre, there is room for a garden, more fruit trees and a pool with lots of room left for RV parking. In addition to the new roof and irrigation, newer furnace, heat pump and hot water heater, the home boasts a laundry room, workshop, storage room as well as a large office suitable for an extra bedroom.

View this recently sold Gated Adult Community or see all my home sales

Title Insurance

Title Insurance gives homeowners protection should someone else claim a legal interest in their property. It also protects homeowners against loss resulting from pre-existing municipal work orders, survey issues, certificate of location defects, unpaid taxes by previous owners and a number of other covered title risks such as Title Fraud.

What is Title Insurance?
When you purchase a home you're actually paying for title to the land: you acquire the right to occupy and use the space. Part of the price paid will be for the improvement, or the actual home, but the major cost of most property is the land itself. You obtain title to property when the owner signs the deed (transfer document) over to you. Title is then registered in the government’s land registration system.

Prior to closing, public records are "searched" to determine the previous ownership of the property, as well as prior dealings related to it. The search might reveal, for example, existing mortgages, liens for outstanding taxes, utility charges, etc., registered against the property. At closing, the buyer expects the property to be free of such claims, so normally they must be cleared up before closing. For example, the seller's mortgage will be discharged and outstanding monetary expenses (such as taxes and utility charges) will be paid for (or adjusted for) at closing.

If the title is restricted by rights and claims of others; this could in turn limit your use and enjoyment of the property and even bring financial loss. However, such issues may not be discovered or remedied before closing. Title insurance will protect you against these situations.

Do I need Title Insurance?
Title insurance is not a requirement in some provinces. To fully understand what type of protection title insurance can provide you, talk to your lawyer, title insurance company or insurance agent/broker to determine whether or not you should purchase title insurance or if other options exist. Once you get all the facts, you can make an informed decision based on your specific situation and needs.

Who is protected with Title Insurance?
Title insurance policies can be issued in favour of a purchaser (on new/resale homes, condos and vacation properties), a lender, or both the purchaser and lender. Lenders will sometimes require title insurance as a condition of making the loan. Title insurance protects purchasers and/or lenders against loss or damage sustained if a claim that is covered under the terms of the policy is made.

What does Title Insurance cover?
For a one-time fee, called a premium, a title insurance policy may provide protection from losses, such as:

• Unknown title defects (title issues that prevent you from having clear ownership of the property);
• Existing liens against the property’s title (e.g., the previous owner had unpaid debts from utilities, mortgages, property taxes or condominium charges secured against the property);
• Encroachment issues (e.g., a structure on your property needs to be removed because it is on your neighbour’s property);
• Title fraud;
• Errors in surveys and public records; and other title-related issues that can affect your ability to sell, mortgage,
  or lease your property in the future;
• Your title insurance policy will protect you as long as you own your property, and will cover losses up to the maximum coverage set out in the policy. It may also cover most legal expenses related to restoring your property’s title.

For a risk to be covered, generally it has to have existed as of the date of the policy. As with any type of insurance policy, certain types of risks might not be covered, for example, native land claims and environmental hazards are normally excluded. Be sure to discuss with your lawyer what risks are covered and what are excluded.

How long is the insurance coverage?
Residential title insurance coverage lasts as long as you own the property. Most residential title insurance policies extend coverage to your heirs through a will, to a spouse in the event of a divorce, or to children when the property is transferred from parents to children for nominal consideration.

In the case of title insurance covering a lender, the policy remains in effect as long as the mortgage remains on title. A lender covered under a title insurance policy is insured in the event the lender realizes on its security and suffers actual loss or damage with respect to a risk covered under the policy. Lenders are usually covered up to the principal amount of the mortgage.

The premium for title insurance is paid once (at the time of purchase). Generally speaking, in Canada the purchaser of the property pays for the title insurance, though there can be situations where the seller pays for it. Some policies automatically cover both the purchaser and lender; others will cover both for a small additional fee.

Protection and peace of mind
Title insurance can help ensure that a closing is not delayed due to defects in title. And, if an issue relating to title arises with respect to a risk covered under the policy, the title insurance covers the legal fees and expenses associated with defending the insured's title and pays in the event of loss. It is important to keep in mind that title insurance does not replace legal advice when purchasing property.

If your home is important to you, don't overlook this important piece of insurance.

It doesn't really matter how much money you think your home is worth. Nor does it matter what your agent thinks. The person whose opinion matters is the buyer who makes an offer.

Price your home right
Pricing homes is part art and part science. It involves comparing similar properties, making adjustments for the differences among them and tracking market changes. Study the supply and demand within your neighbourhood to consider whether to price your home above or below the market value.

Pricing your home lower than your competitors can essentially generate more offers, thereby driving the price higher. On the other hand, pricing it too high and you risk buyers going into “sticker shock”.

The benefits of pricing right

1. Your property sells faster because it is exposed to more qualified buyers.
2. Your home doesn't lose its "marketability".
3. The closer to market value, the higher the offers.
4. A well-priced property can generate competing offers.
5. Real Estate Professionals will be enthusiastic about presenting your property to buyers.

The result of overpricing
Many sellers believe that if they price their home high initially, they can lower it later. Often, when a home is priced too high, it experiences little activity. Gradually, the seller will lower the price down to market value, but by that time it's been up for sale too long and some buyers will be wary and reject the property.

On occasion, the price is dropped below the market value because the seller runs out of time and the property is sold for less than its value.

Missing the right buyer
You may think that interested buyers "can always make an offer," but if the home is overpriced, potential buyers looking in a lower price range will never see it.

Those who can afford a home at your asking price will soon recognize that they can get a better value elsewhere.

The importance of early activity
As soon as a home comes on the market, there is a flurry of activity surrounding it. This is a crucial time when Real Estate Professionals and potential buyers sit up and take notice.

If the home is overpriced, it doesn't take long for interested parties to lose interest. By the time the price drops, a majority of buyers are lost.

The longer your house sits on the market, the less cash it commands. If you have to sell in a slow market, study the current trends, forget old values, recognize current values, and price your house lower than others in your market. Start at a sale price that is going to entice buyers from the get go. You will be the first one to sell in your neighbourhood and you will win from there.

Events around Osoyoos

• June 12-14, the inaugural Osoyoos Celebrity Wine Festival will be held, with a number of stars hosting and attending events featuring pairings of area food and wines. The events include:

  - June 12, 4-7 p.m., the Osoyoos Celebrity Wine Auction will be held at Walnut Beach Resort, benefiting the Providence Children's Centre in Calgary. Actor Jason Priestley and producer Chad Oakes will host and The Canadian Tenors will perform as the headline musical act.

  - June 12, 7-11 p.m., Desert Spirit BBQ - The Wine Festival After-Party will be held at Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort & Spa, featuring chef Jonathan Thauberger and wines from the South Okanagan.

  - June 12, 7:30-10:30 p.m., Burrowing Owl Winemaker's Dinner will be held at Burrowing Owl Estate Winery, featuring chef Bernard Cassavantes and the wines of Burrowing Owl. 

• June 20-21, the fifth annual Osoyoos Relay for Life fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society will be held at the Desert Park infield from 6 p.m.-6 a.m.  Participants can register online at www.cancer.ca/relay. Join your friends and neighbours to raise funds for your team, or just come to Desert Park to enjoy the live musical entertainment and make a donation onsite. For information call 250-689-3456.

Enjoy all that Casa Del Lago has to offer. From the well equipped clubhouse to the pool, hot tub, exercise room and beautiful sandy beach, this complex has something for everyone.

Fabulous views of Lake Osoyoos from this large lot on the East Bench. The small house is surrounded by a private, treed setting and is currently rented for $400 per month.