There are so many fun things to do at Halloween, here are a few places to go to get your scare on...

Visit a Haunted House

Potters House of Horrors

• What: Get ready to scream and cower in fear: Potters House of Horrors has reopened for the Halloween season.
• Where: 12530 72nd Avenue, Surrey
• When: Open now until October 31. Lil’ Haunters is from 4 to 7 pm, all-ages family hour is from 4 to 6:30 pm, and the regular ultra-scary show is from 7 to 10 pm.
• Tickets: Starts at $10 for tickets. Click here to purchase.

Haunted Swamp House

• What: For the past four years, Greg McLellen and his wife have been putting on the Haunted Swamp House and it has continued to grow into a Halloween extravaganza. It now comprises of seven rooms, themed after the cannibal-infested, hillbilly-murderer settled swamps so common in horror movies.
• When: October 28 to 30 from 6 to 9 pm. October 31 from 7 to 9 pm.
• Where: 4120 228 St., Langley
• Tickets: Admission by donation

Reapers Haunted Attraction

• What: A number of attractions await for those looking for an adrenaline boost, like an insane asylum themed haunted house that brings the horrors of crazed patients to twisted doctors and hospital staff.
• Where: 9423 Gibson Road, Chilliwack
• When: Open until October 31 with various hours. Click here for more.
• Tickets: $11 for each attraction or $20 for both. Patrons get $1 off with a non-perishable food item.

For younger kids this is a bit more tame...

Go to a Pumpkin Patch

Hazelmere Pumpkin Patch at Gabriel Farms

• What: Besides pumpkins, Gabriel Farms also features hayrides, a petting zoo, and a mini corn maze. The farm will have their annual pumpkin carving contest on October 8. And to really get you in the spirit of Halloween, a bonfire will take place on October 29. The farm accepts cash only.
• When: Open every weekend from 10 am to 5 pm
• Where: 18507 20th Avenue, Surrey
• Cost: General admission $5 (kids under 2 are free), pumpkins sold by size $1 and up

Aldor Acres Pumpkin Patch 

• What: At Aldor Acres, there is no shortage of variety with over 15 types of pumpkins spread across the farm’s 20 acres. After you’re done with pumpkin picking, head over to say hello to the animals or go for a tractor-pulled hayride.
• When: Open for the month of October from 9 am to 5 pm daily
• Where: 8301 252nd Street, Langley
• Cost: $8 admission (anyone of walking age)

Chilliwack Original Corn Maze and Pumpkin Farm

• What: It’s worth making a day trip to this family farm. With a 12-acre corn maze (this year it is Peanuts-themed) , a variety of pumpkins, a giant jumping pillow, an indoor hay bale maze, a corn train and farm animals, your day will be filled with non-stop fall fun.
• When: Open for the month of October. Hours for pumpkin patch and corn maze vary. Check website for details.
• Where: 41905 Yale Road West, Chilliwack
• Cost: $9.50 admission for ages 9-12. $11.50 for ages 13 and older

Info courtesy of the following websites: VancityBuzz.ca, & thedailyhive.com. This blog posting is for informational purposes only. Prices, dates / times and locations could change at the discretion of the host.

When you’re about to sell your home, it may be disheartening to see so many other properties for sale in your neighbourhood. You may be thinking, “That’s a lot of competition! Will our property get noticed?”

Fortunately, there are many proven strategies for standing out in a sea of For Sale signs.

First of all, keep in mind that many home purchasers come from the REALTOR’S personal network of buyers who want to move into your area. So, choosing the right REALTOR® is crucial.

Second, remember that when there are other properties for sale on your street, curb appeal becomes even more important. There are many simple things you can do to make your property look great to those driving around looking at homes. Make sure your property looks as picture perfect as possible.

In a competitive market, it’s also more important than ever to highlight features of your home that are unique and enticing. If, for example, you have a large backyard deck and brand new hardwood flooring, make sure these are mentioned prominently on the feature sheet.

Finally, be as flexible as you can be when scheduling viewings and open houses.Don’t forget that other listed properties in your neighbourhood draw in buyers, who may notice your home. It’s not uncommon for a buyer to view a property and then scout the neighbourhood. So, you want buyers to be able to see your home on short notice and at a convenient time for them. If there are several other nearby properties for sale, it means things are hot from a real estate point of view. You want to roll out the red carpet to buyers.

Looking for help selling your home quickly and for the best price? Call today @ 604-992-1010! 

Thanks,

AA

Fraser Valley inventory reaches highest level in 2016 as sales settle for fall season

SURREY, BC – September housing sales in the Fraser Valley continued to slow throughout September, dropping below the ten-year sales average for the month for the first time this year.

The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board processed 1,305 sales of all property types on its Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in September, a decrease of 24.4 per cent compared to the 1,727 sales in September of last year, and a 23 per cent decrease compared to the 1,694 sales in August 2016.

“What we’re experiencing is an environment where the summer sizzle has ceased, and demand is producing numbers in-line with what we’ve seen historically. It seems dramatic, as would anything else that wasn’t the incredible, continuous uptick we’ve seen for the last eighteen months,” said Charles Wiebe, Board President.

Despite receiving the lowest amount of new listings for the region in seven months, the total active inventory for the Fraser Valley was 6,422 listings in September, the highest level since October 2015’s 6,535 active listings. Active inventory increased by 5.2 per cent month-over-month, but still decreased 9.8 per cent when compared to September 2015.

The Board received 2,709 new listings in September, a 4.6 per cent decrease from August 2016, and a 9.2 per cent increase compared to September 2015’s 2,481 new listings.

“The level of available inventory is rising as we had hoped, and homes are taking a bit longer to sell than they have throughout the year. It’s encouraging, and gives buyers a bit more room to navigate the market more comfortably,” explained Wiebe. “At 20 per cent, our sales to active listings ratio has moved towards a more normalized state.”

For the Fraser Valley region, the average number of days to sell a single family detached home in September 2016 was 27 days, compared to 17 days in June 2016.

“When comparing with August, benchmark prices in September have remained flat, signalling a shift in market dynamics towards a balanced market. However, when stacked against last year at this time, prices are up significantly.”

The MLS® HPI benchmark price of a Fraser Valley single family detached home in September was $879,200, an increase of 37.5 per cent compared to September 2015 when it was $639,500.

The benchmark price of Fraser Valley townhomes in September was set at $419,500, an increase of 35.8 per cent compared to September 2015’s benchmark price of $308,900. Similarly, the benchmark price for an apartment in the Fraser Valley increased 26.5 per cent year-over-year, from $226,133 in September 2015 to $249,800 in September of this year.

Full package:

http://www.fvreb.bc.ca/statistics/Package201609.pdf