Source: Inc.com

As a realtor, I’m always on the go meeting clients and going to showings and at times it’s takes longer to go into the office. The social benefits of a workplace is always a plus, but it can become a distraction when you engage in conversation with co-workers on your way to get a glass of water.

On occasion, I do work from home which allows me to be productive without external distractions. Although, we are all guilty of falling off our daily agenda when the TV is a few steps away or when we aren’t around others and therefore don’t feel the same obligations to get stuff done.

So, here are some tips I follow to ensure that I’m going to have a productive workday from home:

Wake Up Early

You get to skip your morning commute to the office… why not start the day early and dive right into your to-do list. Otherwise, it might end up looking like a prolonged breakfast and letting your motivation slip away. Getting tasks checked off your list first thing in the morning can be key in being productive for the rest of the day! 

Pretend like You’re Going Into the Office/Meeting clients

Preparing your day like you’re going into work can put you into the mindset of being focused, motivated and determined to be as productive with your day as possible. There shouldn’t be a reason that this mental association should be lost when working remotely. Simple things like setting an alarm, making coffee and changing into another outfit can help put you in the right mindset.

Have a Dedicated Work Space

Working from home can doesn’t mean you can’t have an office. Rather than spending your time working from your bedroom or couch; spaces that are often associated with leisure time — find a specific room or surface in your home to work.

Source: HubSpot

Source: Medical News Today

During this tough time where many of us are in self-quarantine to protect ourselves, our families, friends, and community. Being at home for a vast amount of time means we need to make a few modifications to our daily routine and diet. We have to take on the responsibility of social distancing by opting for coffee at home instead of going to our favourite cafe down the block. With little planning, our food and beverage choices can still be tasty and nutritious. 

Here are some must-haves in your kitchen:

Shelf-Stable Milk — Nowadays, there are is a large variety of milk options from ultra-pasteurized cow’s milk and soy milk to almond milk and oat milk. The good thing about shelf-stable milk is that they have a long shelf life and can be used as an ingredient in many home-cooked meals and of course, in your morning coffee.

Whole Grains — According to Boston registered dietitian Elizabeth Ward, she recommends having whole-grain tortillas, whole-grain bread, quinoa and other whole grains in your household. By combining these various grain options with lean proteins such as boneless, skinless chicken breasts, lean ground beef, and lean ground turkey breast you can create a delicious and guilt-free meal.

Long-Life Vegetables and Fruits — Some of the most important food groups we must consume daily are fresh vegetables and fruits. Having one that has a longer shelf life can be beneficial when being on lockdown at home. Vegetables such as carrots and celery can be stored in water, bell peppers, lettuces, and pea pods are great options. Alternatives also include items that can live outside the fridge like apples, lemons, limes, bananas, tomatoes, avocados, potatoes and onions. 

Snacks — Munching isn’t all bad when you have a nutritious snacks. Many dieticians recommend adding a variety of nuts to your daily meals. For example, having pecans, walnuts, almonds, and cashews are extremely valuable to incorporate into your diet as it adds protein and healthy fats.

Source: U.S. Health News

Source: Home Depot

No matter where you live, your monthly energy bill is often more than you anticipated. Consider having a smart Wi-Fi thermostat installed in your home. This device can’t solve all your energy-related issues in your home but can definitely save you some money! Wirecutter, a New York Times Company, recommends the popular Google Nest Thermostat E. It’s a great device by optimizing your home’s heating and cooling settings so that it’s not running more than necessary. According to a survey, on average, Nest owners save 10 to 15 percent on their energy bill. It’s an obvious solution to save energy and money you should be setting the temperature back. By doing so during times you may not need it as much such as when you’re gone for the day or when you’re sleeping. “The Department of Energy says that just by setting your thermostat back from 7 to 10 degrees for eight hours a day you can save as much as 10 percent of your bill.” With a smart thermostat and consistently setting your temperature back, you can easily save almost 25% of your current bill!

The great thing about having a smart Wi-Fi thermostat is that you can automate your energy from almost anywhere with an app. Having the ability to automatically schedule your energy makes it even more convenient to control the cost of your bill. With all of the technology we have, you can tell Siri, Google Assistant, or Alexa to adjust the settings or pair your thermostat with other smart devices.

Source: Wire Cutter

We were able to distinctively see a full moon on Monday night. It lit up the sky and was exceptionally beautiful as it was seen from anywhere in the city. A common conception of a full moon is the effect it has on human behaviour. According to an article from Farmers’ Almanac, when the Moon reaches a specific phase it also affects ocean tides and the Earth’s crust. So, it would only make sense that with humans being composed of 60% water the Moon would have an effect on us as well. There are various scientific reports arguing for and against the effect of the Moon on human behaviour. Although, detailed analysis showed individuals had heightened mind activity and higher levels of physical and mental distress.

The subtle and intangible effect of the Moon transits frequencies that affect the frequencies of the mind of human beings. In reference to the ‘mind’, we’re referring to one’s feelings, emotions, and desires. We all possess a conscious and unconscious mind and with the Moon’s more subtle frequencies it causes the impressions in our sub-conscious mind to surface to the conscious mind. This may result in us becoming aware of these thoughts and therefore leading us to feel “off” and unlike our normal self.

It’s a fascinating scientific explanation behind how it can impact human behaviour. Along with the daylight savings time change, we may have also felt more tired than usual from losing an hour of sleep.

Does a full moon affect your behaviour? If so, are you aware of them?

Source: Spiritual Research Foundation

OEB Breakfast Co.

One of the more recent and popular breakfast and brunch restaurants located on Marinaside Crescent. Their elevated food menu has unique flavour profiles on traditional dishes like the Waterfowl Benny with smoked Peking duck breast on a butter croissant and the Bacon & Buttermilk Waffle with salted caramel and maple syrup. Make sure you head there early as there’s often a huge line up!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

The Flying Pig - Yaletown

This Vancouver favourite offers brunch on Saturdays and Sundays and on selected long weekends. Their menu has variety for everyone for breakfast and/or lunch, from traditional country-style breakfast, french toast, wagyu burger, house salad, and more. Definitely a must-try!

Jam Cafe on Beatty

Yep! It’s the restaurant everyone’s been raving about. Their menu is inspired by recipes from the south including their house-made cornbread, buttermilk biscuits, and fried chicken. It’s a comforting and unique spin on traditional dishes that will make you wanting more.

Medina Cafe

This exceptional breakfast, lunch and weekend-brunch spot is definitely the place to be for a great meal or coffee with some friends. They’re well known for this Belgian waffles and connoisseur-savvy coffee.

Source: Inc.com

Twitter is one of the most popular social media platforms and is encouraging more than 4800 employees internationally to work from home due to coronavirus. Currently, Twitter is the only tech company that has taken intense and proactive measures in response to the outbreak. 

Twitter released a statement in a blog post, “Our goal is to lower the probability of the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus for us — and the world around us. We are operating out of an abundance of caution and the utmost dedication to keeping our Tweeps healthy.”

The company is also making it a requirement for employees located in offices in Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea to work from home as it is “due in part to government restrictions”. 

This isn’t a huge change for the company as Twitter’s chief executive Jack Dorsey has been a huge supporter of remote working. 

On another spectrum, employees working from home due to the virus may be a positive aspect for the company as remote employees are actually more productive. According to a survey of 1000 full-time employees, they work an average of 16.8 more days every year from having the ability to work from the comfort of their home or place of choice.

Source: BBC News

Source: Pinterest

Pets play a significant role in many families and households. According to The Washington post, 68% of US households include pets. How do pets relate to residential real estate? With the significant amount of pet ownership, homeowners who are looking to attract buyers want to buy a home with a pet can make upgrades. For example, replacing carpeting with ceramic tiles, hardwood/laminate flooring, or other pet-friendly floorings.

How much of an impact does having pet-friendly home features have for prospective buyers? According to a report, having pet-friendly features such as a cat/dog door, mudroom, adjustable shower heads for pet bathing drew more attention to buyers who took into account the needs of their furry friends. Significantly 87% of home buyers with pets were more attracted to a house because of these features.

Obviously, there are costs associated with catering to pet owners but there are many benefits. For those who own investment properties, it “can actually increase [investors’] bottom-line profits.”

According to Realtor.com and their survey data, 90% of dog owners take into great consideration their animals’ needs and how it was crucial in finding and making a decision on purchasing a home. 

With that said, if you’re looking to sell or buy a home (with or without pets) I’d be happy to help!

Source: Forbes

 Source: Hubble Homes

When you think of luxury real estate you automatically think glamorous big cities, beach towns, and popular destinations. Normally, wealthy home buyers think of dropping their investments into real estate in New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Dubai or other international cities. According to a recent Coldwell Banker report, “places generating interest form the richest 1% all smaller inland markets.” 

Believe it or not, the top luxury market currently is Boise, Idaho. You may not know where that is because they are better known for their potatoes rather than real estate. Why is there a drastic change in busy cities to smaller towns to buy luxury properties? It’s partially due to wealth migration from higher-tax states to lower-tax states. There is a greater opportunity at a more valued cost for wealthy buyers.

Boise, has been attracting West Coast buyers for a few years now due to beautiful mountain views and fast-growing tech sector. Although, like everything else, with the constant flow of new residents it has been driving prices up in the once-affordable city in Idaho.

According to realtor.com as of Feb. 1, the median home list price in the metro area of Boise was $375,000. Could you imagine a luxurious and stunning property for that price?!

Source: SFGate

Source: See Toronto Now

According to the Huffington Post, “Toronto has risen to second place in an annual ranking of the major cities with the highest risk of a housing bubble burst, while the risk of a bubble burst in Vancouver has fallen.”

Last year, Vancouver was in fourth place but is now sitting at sixth place due to the falling house prices in the city resulting in real estate becoming less overvalued. After continuous annual growth rates over a couple of quarters Vancouver’s high valuations and unmeasurable affordability have allowed for the slightest demand shifts due to the market vulnerability.

Although, Toronto hasn’t had this type of bounce back or correction in the real estate market like Vancouver has. 

UBS, a Swiss bank analyzes, ranks and researches 24 major cities and their real estate market.

UBS analysts look at various factors and indicators to measure the risk of a bubble such as the change in the ratio of house prices and rents to incomes in each city, change in the value of mortgages, the value of construction and the economy as a whole.

It seems like Toronto is getting hit with a tough real estate market as Vancouver had gone through in the past year. With technological advances in leading cities, it directly correlates with the increasing demand for housing. As a result, there is a growing number of rich people who is also driving up demand.

Source: Huffington Post

For condo owners and renters, insurance companies are increasing insurance premiums which is worrisome with huge bills coming their way. The cost of the strata’s building insurance is being passed down to homeowners through their maintenance fees and if the unit is rented then it is passed on again to the tenants.

Insurers are strict about their risk exposure and as a result, poorly maintained or older strata building face losing their insurance coverage. As a result, this could be mean that if there was damage or major event to occur such as fire, flood or earthquake they would lose everything. 

The reason for this rate increase is due to insurance firms having issues making ends meet as well as the fewer number of insurers in the market. These two reasons have had an effect on the premiums. With the lack of competition, insurance firms are also picking and choosing which building they insure and ones they don’t.

The solution for this would be for more companies to enter the marketplace and start competing with one another and the prices will come down.

Source: Vancouver Courier