Back in December last year, I asked Jen Arbo, New Westminster's Citizen of the Year and Editor of Tenth to the Fraser, to give us some of her latest recommendations on her community and on the social media front. Her answers were included in one of our Facebook posts here, but we decided to make it available on our blog as well, just in case some of you missed it!

---

Reasons We Love New Westminster - December 13, 2016 · 

The Rundown Project - We ask residents to give us their current favourites and current recommendations for their community. The first up is the Sapperton Resident, Editor of Tenth to the Fraser and recently declared...

Public art creates attachment to the place you call home. Unlike gallery shows, public art is free and accessible to everyone. There are no tickets, no lineups, no dress code and you don’t look weird if you view it alone or with a partner (phewf, right?). Cities that understand the numerous benefits of public art are often the ones that push for its development.

A prime example of a city who’s done an excellent job of this is New Westminster. The city has repeatedly commissioned artists to create contemporary public art projects, something that has been especially apparent over the last few years. In addition to adding a splash of new color to New West’s ever-changing...

We are excited to announce Music By The River beginning July 6, 2017.

Where: Westminster Pier Park (click here for map)

When: July 6, 13, 20, 27 (Thursday nights)

Time: 5:00pm - 8:00pm

What: An all ages, free experience including live musical performance, two DJ stages, busking performances, artisan vendors, live painting, ribbon dancing and more.

DID YOU SAY BEER? Yes! The entire park will be one massive site-licensed area allowing you to take your drink anywhere within the park! The 'Eats at the Pier' concession will be serving Steel and Oak Brewing Co along with Pacific Breeze wine. Make sure to bring your picnic dinner down to the park and enjoy a drink as you listen to great...

How to find the right Neighbourhood to move to

Whether you’re moving to the City, the suburbs or anywhere else, having a plan to find the right neighbourhood for your needs is crucial. Here are some tips to finding that perfect place for you.

Speak with an Expert.

The first two people you will want to consult when moving to a new city is your Mortgage broker and Realtor. They will be sitting down with you to help insure that you are able to find your dream home.

Your Realtor will help you find neighbourhoods that have the type of home and amenities that you are looking for.

The mortgage broker will assist your in financing your home purchase and letting you know what is affordable...

Listings are key for any real estate agent. It's a big part of our business. And as an agent, it's extremely hard to let go of a listing or cancel it, even for good reasons. This year in the Vancouver real estate market, it's been a market of change and adjustment. The government has come out with number of changes to slow down the market, but this last new change/program gave my seller and I reason to pause and think.

Let me explain.

My seller has a beautiful condo just steps from Coquitlam Centre. We priced it right, and for the last two months, have had numerous showings, and a number of great offers. Some of the offers fell through due to financing, while others didn't come together...

Finding a rental that works for your family can be a big challenge. Really, anything regarding finding a suitable home in Vancouver is over the top difficult. As a real estate agent, you might be surprised to hear that I don't push buying a home on to all of my friends and clients. Owning a home isn't for everyone, there are many good reasons that people stay out of the real estate purchase market. I have close friends who rent a home in East Vancouver for $850 a month! It's a whole house with a garage and yard. $850 a month! Why would you move, you couldn't get a home that cheap.

So if you are looking for a new rental, how can you keep ahead of the game, or give you a leg up? Here are...

When moving into a new neighbourhood, family heads can't help but wonder where they can find a community best suited for their family needs. Today, some communities set themselves apart but their new regulations set by the city council.

New Westminster can be considered ahead of the game; they know how important families are to a community and they want families to move in and stay in New West. How?

The city of New Westminster set a precident on making sure there are enough homes for families in the City. With detached homes rizing in purchase and rental prices, Jonathan Cote passed new regulations making it a must that all new buildings in the city, must contain a certain number...

Chances are, your dream of living in a house with a yard are hard to fulfill in this high real estate valued, and high rental priced market in Greater Vancouver. Some love the condo life, and some just have no choice. However, with some planning, you can successfully live in a condo, even if you have a family. 

Today, there are companies who focus their efforts in maximizing space for those living in tiny spaces. You can have success in Condo Living, even with a family! Look to the example of this family of four living in a 2 bedroom apartment in Boston: 

Boston Family of Four Transform Living Space

We just picked up our latest postcards from Jukebox Print and we love them! Nadine Hansen took this awesome photo of the much talked about Pattullo Brige, and we're giving them all away to those who would love one. These postcards can be mailed to friends or family, or you can just hold on to it. If you're like me, you might have a huge collection of postcards from over the years. 

These latest postcards are on the larger side, they measure 5.5'x8.5' in size. You'll find them throughout New Westminster at public spaces and local businesses. But if you can't find them, send me an email with your address, and I'll be sure to get one or more to you. alex@citytosuburb.ca

 ...

This past month we successfully sold a beautifully renovated townhouse in Coquitlam (http://www.citytosuburb.ca/mylistings.html/details-42520138).

This isn't a blog post bragging of that sale (In fact I find those posts to be annoying to be honest). However, what I did find interesting was the current buying habits of the buyers of this price range, and primarily the habits of the First Time Home Buyers. This townhouse was in the price range of $200,000 to $300,000.

This home did receive a offer in the first weekend, which was very very close to the asking price which did not come together based on other factors, besides the price obviously. Within a month, the property had an second...