Date: March 2017

Indoor Aldergrove Fun

This past month has shown us that we need to know the best of our community both outdoors and indoors.

Bad weather can put a damper on outdoor fun so it never hurts to be aware of fun indoor options to get your kids moving and off the couch on not-so-great days. Aldergrove’s Kinsmen Community Centre is close by and offers a fitness centre and local library while the Community Arena offers drop-in skating. Twenty minutes away in Langley, there are five rec centres: George Preston, W. C. Blair, Walnut Grove, Willoughby and Willowbrook.

Indoor fun will be even closer in 2018 with the completion of the new leisure and recreation centre in downtown Aldergrove. This multi-purpose facility will be home to numerous community activities and events and features a 550 seat arena, fitness centre, walking surface and outdoor aquatic facility including pool, waterslide tower, tidal pool, current channel, children’s aqua structure and playground. For more details on this exciting new addition to the community, click the button below.

Top 5 Things You Should Know About Living In A Strata

There are many benefits associated with strata living. Strata homes tend to cost less to buy than single dwellings, which opens up more opportunities for young people who want to own their own home. Stratas also offer a sense of community for residents who can take advantage of common amenities. And, because of the way stratas are set up and managed, residents don’t have to worry about making arrangements for repairs, maintenance or services. If you think strata living is for you, there are few things you should know:

1. Each strata operates with its own set of rules called bylaws. These bylaws set out the guidelines for all residents, for example if pets are allowed and what kind of changes owners can make to an individual unit.

2. Strata owners pay a monthly fee to cover off services and amenities, such as insurance, cleaning, snow removal, yardwork, repairs or maintenance. This can vary from strata to strata.

3. If there are plans for significant upgrades or repairs, as a resident, you’ll have to cover off a portion of those over and above the strata fees.

4. Most strata residences use the services of a property management company so it’s a good idea to find out who they are and determine if their cost is covered in the strata fees or if there’s a separate charge.

5. There are common areas in stratas that all residences make use of. The maintenance and upkeep of these common areas can be part of the monthly fees or it may be separate.

Foreign Buyers Tax Update

In recent real estate news, the Foreign Buyers Tax has been removed for those with work permits.

In August 2016, the government announced a Foreign Buyers tax that added an automatic 15 percent levy to foreigners purchasing residential property in Metro Vancouver. While the tax was brought in to help slow down out-of-control real estate prices, it also negatively affected those with work permits who were wanting to live and work in the region. There’s good news for this group though: the government recently removed the Foreign Buyers tax for people with valid work permits. This opens up opportunities for them to invest in real estate in our area meaning they can also have a place to call home.