September 2021

Condo residents are finding themselves in the conundrum of being asked to provide their vaccination status to their strata council. Councils requiring this information are insisting the information is needed as a safety measure. But there are concerns with privacy. Who will be seeing this information? What will they be doing with this information? How will this information be collected? What plans are put into place to ensure the information stays safe? 

Here at SilverBeam Homes, we cannot speak to the extent of your rights as a condo owner in a situation such as this. What we know is that based on the current trajectory of the pandemic, we will all be subject to new laws and regulations.  The only way for some of us to avoid this is to move out of condo spaces and into single family homes where there is no strata council.  

Owning a Single Family Home Vs Living in an Owned Condo

When you own your own home you may have restrictions according to where you live and according to your HomeOwners Association if there is one. But you don’t have the larger body of a strata council coming down on you. This is because you are not living in an arrangement with shared public spaces.

No one will be interested in seeing your BC vaccine card. Because you won’t be in a situation at home where you are in breach of any of the social distancing guidelines. For example, at an indoor organized event with more than 50 people, you would be required to show your vaccine card. But of course, you won’t be hosting such events in your backyard, so there would be no need. These types of events may be held at a condo. It is a common area, so we can understand why the council would talk about the safety issue.  

Staring into The Unknown 

There will be changes for those living in condos and other types of multi-housing communities. Eventually strata councils will make amendments to their privacy bylaws that may permit the collection of vaccine card information. If you don’t already own a condo, maybe you should reconsider your position. If you are concerned about your rights and safety. Consider working with us to build you the home of your dreams from the ground up. We are in the business of making your dream of owning a home a reality. We work with a team of experts and have a number of partners from every possible industry. With us, you make your transition into owning a home; a smooth one. 

Give us a call today and let’s talk about what we can accomplish together. 

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Now is a great time to start considering your summer displays while also assessing the weather. Tell me something, when do you typically start emptying your summer flower containers so you can replant them with cold hardy plants suitable for fall and winter seasons? 

I think once temperatures are no longer going above 20°C it is a great time to start transitioning from your summer plants to your fall and winter plants. Your summer flowers by this time have started to look bedraggled so why not start changing them out? It’s the best to do so now since plants will root well into a container during September and early October before the cold weather sets in.

What Type of Plants to Choose?

Violas and Pansies are great options because they offer a long season. They tend to be very easy to find almost everywhere now that plants are sold. They do best in a bowl shaped container approximately 30 cm wide. These containers are also ideal for use with petunias. 

What to Do with Mixed Winter Plantings

You can also opt for mixed winter plantings. For these you will need larger containers such as the patio tubs one uses for mixed summer flowers. Look for tubs that are 25 cm deep and 40 cm wide. You should be able to find suitable ones at your local garden center easily. 

For your mixed pots you can choose one slender evergreen that will create height and stand out of the pot. Think of a slender golden cypress, a red-twigged dogwood, an Irish yew, a broadleaf evergreen or an upright ornamental grass. 

Around this taller plant you can add winter flowering heathers, coral bells, skimmia and small ferns. If you want to create more focal depth you can choose plants that spill over the edges of the pot. Consider trailing plants such as Carex ornamental grasses, small leaved ivies, trailing euonymus or small ferns that cascade over and downward. 

What will you be planting this season and what are your favorites to see in other people’s gardens? 

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In August 2021, the British Columbia Real Estate Association released its third quarter housing report for 2021. The image here summarizes the report which represents unit sales by region. 

The predictions for the rest of the year into 2022 are interesting. But they are also welcome with many eager to have the market normalize. MLS sales for residential areas are expected to see a 26% increase in 2021. And we expect to see a 15% decrease in 2022. 

The Highs and Lows

In recent months we have seen the home sales pace slow though we had a record-breaking start to the year. There is a strong demand and mortgage rates are low. That plus a rebounding economy is good news as long as there will be adequate supply in the market. That, right now, is the only concern. 

Markets outside the Mainland are expected to struggle since they are already looking lackluster. This has caused some of these listings to incur double digit gains. Therefore, the forecast for the remainder of 2021 is an average price increase of 16.6%. In 2020, we are expecting a price increase of around 2.9%. 

We can trust this data from the BCREA because their focus has always been on the impact of real estate on the province. They work alongside the 10 real estate boards in the province and offer professional education, economic research, advocacy and standard forms that help realtors give their clients the best value for money. The association currently has approximately 23,000 realtors in British Columbia under their wings so we know the data they provide is of good value. 

What do you think of these market predictions? Do you have any predictions or estimations of your own?

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Fusion decor is a thing, much like fusion cuisine. Japanid is one of the latest design trends being shared on Pinterest and more social networks. Japan and Scandinavia have distinctive esthetics. Scandinavian design tends to be more rustic with a love of white walls and cool color palettes. Japanese on the other hand like to have furniture low to the floor with minimal separation between outside and indoor areas. They also use warmer colors contracting with black accents. 

Even though they seem very different they do have similarities. For example, they both favor minimalist decor, natural finishes such as bamboo and wood and functional furniture. 

What is Japandi?

Japandi features the sleekness of Japanese design along with the rustic design you can expect from the Nordic side. Consider white walls and warm wooden furniture with touches of black. Sliding doors, seat cushions, modular sofa, windowsill benches and low daybeds all abound. The Japanese side brings in elegant greenery, lots of natural light. 

The aim of this decor fusion is to be warm and bring comfort. This allows people to be soothed by their surroundings and not overwhelmed by unnecessary clutter and loud colors. 

Home has been re-established as the center of the universe for so many of us now that we have to be spending most of our time at home. It is now a hub for working, schooling and so much more. So there is a lot of demand on your home to function in multiple ways not previously required of it. Garden centers are booming unlike most businesses as more people are becoming plant parents. 

Japandi is a representation of this new mindset. In our fast paced marketplace Japandi emphasizes people purchasing high quality pieces that are sustainable. The fusion appreciates things that are made by hand, especially those made with Bamboo since it is so sustainable and highly durable. 

Japandi is quite appealing for those who love eco-friendly products. 

How to Do Japandi

Pull for the coziness of Scandinavian design with softer pieces and warmer textures. Then pull for the elegance of Japanese decor. You want to choose pieces that will work with your decor for many years. Remember that Japandi is not so much about decoration but about functionality. So you will need to look at it as a longer term fix.You want to start with basics that can accept layering over time. 

Traditional Scandinavian and Japanese pieces are known to age well and even get better over time. Think of natural stone, wood and leather. 

What are your thoughts on this decor fusion? Let us know down in the comments if you will be incorporating Japandi elements into your home. 

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