藝術家問你怕未!
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Maria Mak. Burnaby Real Estate Agent - Old dog, new trick
藝術家問你怕未!
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor - Women and Men
Saturday, September 6, 2014
Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor - The beauty of Poetry
The beauty of Poetry...
is in the power of illusive interpretation and the openness of both the communicators , the readers and the writers.
Drawing by Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor
www.mariamak.com
Friday, September 5, 2014
Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor - An honour from the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver that I am officially a member of Quarter Century Club.
An honour from the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver that I am officially a member of Quarter Century Club. THANK YOU.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor - Next round
Slippery by the curse of the Indian spirits.
Her stuffy heart,
The disturbed cobwebs,
The weedy paths,
Buzzing down her throat,
Is the beautiful queen bee,
awaited patiently to rise again in the next round.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Monday, September 1, 2014
Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor - Leaking Heart
Mari Mak. Burnaby Realtor - Serving her clients in Metro Vancouver and Burnaby for over 25 years
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor - Bondage of freedom
Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor - This empty seat
Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor - Peanut Butter Jam
Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor - Tears in my crapper
Tears in my crapper
Spurt of poor sadness!
Am I racing with the vampires ?
Ravens are hovering over my carcass,
Should I rock the world
Pretending I am not who i am?
Am I a jester?
Or a juggler?
Or just a humble mogul to be
Exploited,
Distorted,
At the mercy of your god thing ?
Photography and written by
Maria Mak BurnabyRealtor
www.mariamak.com
Friday, August 29, 2014
Maria Mak.Burnaby Realtor- 如果一個人在乎,一個人會再回來.
如果一個人在乎,一個人會再回來.
If one cares, one will come back.
Photography by Maria Mak BurnabyRealtor
www.mariamak.com
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Friday, August 22, 2014
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Maria Mak. Buranby Realtor - Three Canadian cities — Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary — have been named as some of the best places to live in the world, according to a report by The Economist.
Three Canadian cities — Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary — have been named as some of the best places to live in the world, according to a report by The Economist.
In the annual poll, the magazine’s Intelligence Unit ranked Vancouver as the third most livable city in the world; followed by Toronto at number four, and Calgary tied for fifth place with Adelaide, Australia.
Melbourne, Australia topped the list of 140 cities for the fourth year in a row, with Vienna, Austria coming in second overall.
The Economist ranks the cities on 30 factors across various categories, including stability, health care, culture, environment, education and infrastructure.
Rounding out the top 10 were Sydney, Australia, Helsinki, Finland, Perth, Australia, and Auckland, New Zealand.
The report noted the world’s most livable cities were often mid-sized cities in wealthier countries with low population density.
“This can foster a range of recreational activities without leading to high crime levels or overburdened infrastructure,” said the report. “Eight of the top 10 scoring cities are in Australia and Canada, with population densities of 2.88 and 3.40 people per square kilometres respectively.”
It also pointed out that although crime rates may be on the rise in some of the top-tier cities, it wasn’t in the case in all the top 10 cities. Vancouver was an example where crime has been steadily decreasing after the city hit a decade-long record for homicide rates in 2012.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, human rights violations and conflict were responsible for many of the reasons for the bottom 10 cities on the list.
Damascus, Syria was ranked the least livable city in the world, preceded by Dhaka, Bangladesh, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Lagos, Nigeria and Karachi, Pakistan.
“Conflict is responsible for many of the lowest scores. This is not only because stability indicators have the highest single scores, but also because factors defining stability spread to have an adverse effect on other categories,” said the report.
“For example, conflict will not just cause disruption in its own right, it will also damage infrastructure, overburden hospitals, and undermine the availability of goods,services and recreational activities.”
Top 10 Most Liveable Cities
1. Melbourne, Australia
2. Vienna, Austria
3. Vancouver, Canada
4. Toronto, Canada
5. Adelaide, Australia
6. Calgary, Canada
7. Sydney, Australia
8. Helsinki, Finland
9. Perth, Australia
10. Auckland, New Zealand
The Bottom 10
131. Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire
132. Tripoli, Libya
133. Douala, Cameroon
134. Harare, Zimbabwe
135. Algiers, Algeria
136. Karachi, Pakistan
137. Lagos, Nigeria
138. Port Moreby, Papua New Guinea
139. Dhaka, Bangladesh
140. Damascus, Syria
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Maria Mak.Burnaby Realtor - 50 ways to green your home
Location | Office | |||
Home improvement | Yard improvement | |||
Water | Green and clean | |||
Lighting | Living green | |||
Kitchen | Financing | |||
Bathroom | Resources |
Location |
1. Green neighbourhoods |
Buy a home in a neighbourhood close to work, transit, shopping, community centres and other services. |
2. Transit-oriented density |
New, compact, complete green neighbourhoods are being built with transit as their focus. Instead of owning a car, join a car share cooperative, take transit, cycle or walk. |
3. Score your location |
Walkable neighbourhoods offer health, environmental, financial and community benefits. Enter your address or the address of a home you want to buy at www.walkscore.com. This tool calculates a walkability score based on the home’s proximity to transit, grocery stores, schools and other amenities. |
4. Lower-cost luxury |
If it’s features such as a gym or pool you want, buy a strata unit with these amenities and share costs. |
Back to top |
Home improvement |
5. You choose, you save |
BC Hydro and FortisBC offer a variety of incentive and rebate programs for home upgrades and rebates. |
6. Install a high-efficiency heating system |
Make sure it’s ENERGY STAR rated. |
7. Weatherize your home |
From windows to doors to insulation and weather stripping. Don’t forget to seal your ducts. |
8. Insulate your pipes |
It will prevent costly heat loss. Here’s how. |
9. Insulate your hot water heater |
Buy a pre-cut jacket or blanket for $10–$20. You’ll save up to 10% on heating costs. Learn more. |
10. Install a programmable thermostat |
Set it lower at night and during the day when you’re away. Lower the temperature. Each degree below 20C saves you 3-5% on heating costs. |
11. Replace your furnace filter |
This optimizes performance, as clogged filters reduce airflow, forcing your furnace to work harder. |
12. Get the most from your fireplace |
Here's how to make it efficient. |
13. Use curtains |
In the daytime during summer, close to help cool your home. Learn more. |
14. Use an electric fan |
Skip the air conditioning. On hot summer days, place a bowl of ice in front of a fan to cool down. |
15. Install ceilings fans |
The energy it takes to run a fan is less than an air conditioner. In summer, make sure the fan’s blades are rotating anti-clockwise for a cooling effect. In winter, the fan should be running clockwise, pushing the warm air down. Learn more. |
Back to top |
Water |
16. Fix leaks, fix leaking taps |
One drop per second equals 7,000 litres of water wasted per year. Learn more. |
17. Install a filter |
Stop buying costly bottled water which adds to the landfill. |
Lighting |
18. Change your light bulbs |
Lighting accounts for 15% of your energy bill. Replace old bulbs with ENERGY STAR rated bulbs. |
19. Motion detector lights |
Turn lights off outside when not in use. |
20. Keep it dark |
Light pollution is an increasing problem. Turn off outdoor lights to save energy and encourage night life such as bats and frogs. A single bat can eat tens of thousands of mosquitoes nightly. If you have safety concerns, use motion detector lights – which come on, only as needed. |
21. Holiday lights |
Use LED lights. |
Kitchen |
22. Replace your fridge |
An old energy guzzling fridge costs you about $90 a year to operate. Replace it with an ENERGY STAR fridge. BC Hydro will also not only come and pick up your old fridge free of charge, they’ll give you $30. |
23. Replace your freezer |
Buy an ENERGY STAR freezer and save money with lower operating costs. |
Back to top |
Bathroom |
24. Low flow shower |
Hot water accounts for 25% of your energy costs. Showers can be the largest single contributor to overall hot water use in a home, accounting for 15% of total household energy use. Save with a low-flow showerhead. |
25. High efficiency of dual flush toilets |
These are now required in new homes because of water savings. |
Office |
26. Use smart strips |
Also known as power bars, this lets you power off all equipment at the same time. |
27. Buy energy smart electronics |
Buy energy smart electronics and save. |
28. Recycle your old electronics |
Here's how. |
Back to top |
Yard improvement |
29. Conserve water |
Fresh water comprises just 3% the world’s total water supply, so conserve. Get a rain barrel and harvest water you can use in your garden. Local governments such as Coquitlam and Richmond will subsidize the cost. |
30. Less lawn and low-maintenance lawns |
Lawns waste water. Instead, conserve and beautify using indigenous plants such as ferns, tiger lilies and hostas. Or try a low-maintenance lawn that is made up of a diverse mix of hardy, drought-tolerant, slow-growing turf grasses, that require less mowing, fertilizing and watering than conventional lawn species. |
31. Elbow grease |
Don’t power wash your driveway. Sweep it or use a scrub brush and pail. |
32. Drip irrigation |
It saves water compared to sprinklers. |
33. Grow your own |
How much more will you spend on food this year? Even a few miniature fruit trees and a small vegetable garden in a raised bed or in containers on your deck will help keep you healthy and save you dollars. Lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries and blueberries thrive in our climate. Learn more. |
34. Preserve your poduce |
Invest in home canning jars and equipment and a small freezer and enjoy your produce year round – at considerable savings. Here’s how. |
35. Bee friendly |
We need bees to pollinate, so plant a few bee-friendly annuals such as asters, marigolds, sunflowers, zinnias; or perennials such as clematis, foxgloves, hollyhocks, roses or shrubs such as Buddleia. Consider becoming an urban bee keeper, some municipalities like Vancouver allow bee keeping in your backyard. |
36. Go chemical-free |
“Get rid of weeds without using chemicals that harm us and our pets,” advises REALTOR® and Richmond City counselor, Derek Dang, who led the way to a bylaw banning cosmetic pesticides. His suggestion, “Use dish detergent or weed by hand.” |
37. Plant fruit trees |
They’ll give you shade and fruit. Growing guide. |
38. Compost |
It will make your garden grow and divert waste from the landfill. |
Back to top |
Green and clean |
39. Clean green |
Vinegar, baking soda and lemons clean as well as expensive, chemical-filled cleaning supplies for a fraction of the cost. |
40. Upgrade your washing machine |
Replace your old washing machine with an ENERGY STAR washer that gets clothes clean using cold water. Wait until you have a full load instead of washing clothes as you need them. Clean the lint trap of your dryer after every use. |
41. Green laundry detergent |
Use phosphate-free, biodegradable detergent. |
42. Install a clothesline |
Dryers use a large amount of energy. |
43. Get a rack |
If your neighbourhood or strata prohibits clotheslines, buy a small drying rack. |
Living Green |
44. Recycle |
Recycling keeps materials that can be recovered (paper, glass, metals, plastics, food etc) out of the landfills; and in the case of organics like paper, food, yard waste, it significantly reduces greenhouse gases from landfills. Learn more. |
45. Buy local |
Buy local, organic and fair trade food. Your food doesn’t travel long distances, you support local farmers and the local economy and you consume less pesticides. |
46. Don't use paper or plastic |
Use cloth bags when you shop or reuse your plastic bags |
47. Backyard chickens and bees |
Become involved in your own food production, raise chickens for their eggs or bees for their honey in your backyard. |
Back to top |
Financing |
48. Borrow green |
Most financial institutions offer “green” mortgages, including: • BMO Eco Smart Mortgage offers home buyers preferred interest rates on qualifying green properties. • RBC Energy Saver™ Mortgage gives home buyers a $300 rebate for a home energy audit and preferred interest rates. • Vancity offers a Bright Ideas Home Renovation Loan at prime +1% to home buyers and owners making green renovations. • CMHC offers a 10% Mortgage Loan Premium refund and possible extended amortization for buyers purchasing an energy-efficient mortgage or making energy saving renovations. |
49. Loan programs |
Pay-as-you-Save (PAYS) loan program will help home owners and businesses finance energy efficiency improvements through a loan from BC Hydro or FortisBC. Pilot programs starting in November 2012 in certain BC locations. |
Resources |
50. Green Tool Kit |
BC Real Estate Association’s Green Tool Kit provides information, references and links. It also provides comprehensive information on rebates and incentives. |
Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor - Home buyers continue to slightly outpace sellers, but not by much
The Greater Vancouver housing market continues to see slightly elevated demand from home buyers, steady levels of supply from home sellers and incremental gains in home values depending on the area and property type.
The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that residential property sales in Greater Vancouver reached 3,061 on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in July 2014. This represents a 3.9 per cent increase compared to the 2,946 sales recorded in July 2013, and a 10.1 per cent decline compared to the 3,406 sales in June 2014.
“This is the fourth consecutive month that the Greater Vancouver market has exceeded 3,000 sales,” Darcy McLeod, REBGV president-elect said. “Prior to this, our market had not surpassed the 3,000 sale mark since June of 2011.”
Last month’s sales were 3.8 per cent above the 10-year sales average for July of 2,948.
The MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver* is currently $628,600. This represents a 4.4 per cent increase compared to July 2013.
“Today’s activity continues to put Metro Vancouver in the upper reaches of a balanced real estate market,” McLeod said.
The sales-to-active-listings ratio currently sits at 19.6 per cent in Metro Vancouver. This ratio has ranged between 18 and 20 per cent over the last four months.
New listings for detached, attached and apartment properties in Metro Vancouver totalled 4,925 in July. This represents a 1.5 per cent increase compared to the 4,854 new listings in July 2013 and a 7.8 per cent decline from the 5,339 new listings in June.
The total number of properties currently listed for sale on the MLS® system in Metro Vancouver is 15,617, a six per cent decline compared to July 2013 and a 2.5 per cent decrease compared to June 2014.
Sales of detached properties in July 2014 reached 1,322, an increase of 5.8 per cent from the 1,249 detached sales recorded in July 2013, and a 68 per cent increase from the 787 units sold in July 2012. The benchmark price for detached properties increased 6.5 per cent from July 2013 to $980,500.
Sales of apartment properties reached 1,212 in July 2014, an increase of 0.2 per cent compared to the 1,210 sales in July 2013, and a 30.7 per cent increase compared to the 927 sales in July 2012. The benchmark price of an apartment property increased 2.2 per cent from July 2013 to $376,500.
Attached property sales in July 2014 totalled 527, an 8.2 per cent increase compared to the 487 sales in July 2013, and a 37.2 per cent increase over the 384 attached properties sold in July 2012. The benchmark price of an attached unit increased 3.4 per cent between July 2013 and 2014 to $472,400.
* Areas covered by Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver include: Whistler, Sunshine Coast, Squamish, West Vancouver, North Vancouver, Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, New Westminster, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, and South Delta.
The real estate industry is a key economic driver in British Columbia. In 2013, 28,524 homes changed ownership in the Board’s area, generating $1.84 billion in economic spin-off activity and 13,977 jobs. The total dollar value of residential sales transacted through the MLS® system in Greater Vancouver totalled $22 billion in 2013.
The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver is an association representing more than 11,000 REALTORS® and their companies. The Board provides a variety of member services, including the Multiple Listing Service®. For more information on real estate, statistics, and buying or selling a home, contact a local REALTOR® or visit www.rebgv.org.
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Saturday, August 16, 2014
Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor - a place of no return
Maria Mak – Burnaby Real Estate Agent - so long as you are thinking you are listening to music ...
“The real reason why human life can be so utterly exasperating and frustrating is not because there are facts called death, pain, fear, or hunger. The madness of the thing is that when such facts are present, we circle, buzz, writhe, and whirl, trying to get the “I” out of the experience.
We pretend that we are amoebas, and try to protect ourselves from life by splitting in two. Sanity, wholeness, and integration lie in the realization that we are not divided, that man and his present experience are one, and that no separate “I” or mind can be found.
To understand music, you must listen to it. But so long as you are thinking, “I am listening to this music,” you are not listening.”
- Alan Watts
Friday, August 15, 2014
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor - dancing on the bun
* Dancing on the bun *
Counting 3...2...1,
Stepping 1...2...3,
Swirling around the money bun,
Dancing on the yummy bun,
Bunny bun fun ,
Funny bun bun!!
Photography and written by Maria Mak
Sutton Centre Realty
www.mariamak.com
Monday, August 4, 2014
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor - how many seven seas
How many seven seas a man have sailed before he can claim himself a true sailor?
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor - don't talk small fluff...
Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor - 1/2 + 1/2 not = 1
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Maria Mak,Burnaby Realtor - maybe
Monday, July 28, 2014
Maria Mak. Burnaby Realtor - cost saving programs for home/property buyers and owners
Wise real estate decisions are made when you have a clear understanding of your personal financial circumstances. When assessing your situation, it is important to know there is a broad range of cost-saving programs available to help you.
Top Grants and Rebates (updated July 2014) - PDF
50 Ways to Green Your Home and Save $$$ (updated December 2013) - PDF
Updated: July 2014
Home Buyers’ Plan: Registered Retirement Savings for down payments | |
---|---|
Canada Revenue Agency’s Home Buyers' Plan lets qualifying home buyers use up to $25,000 of their Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) to buy a home. Couples can use up to $50,000. The home must be the principal residence, the home buyers must not have owned a home within the past five years and the loan must be repaid with 15 years. Disabled home buyers upgrading to a more accessible home also qualify as do relatives helping disabled home buyers. Home buyers who have already used the plan and have fully repaid their RRSP may be eligible to use the plan a second time. | Canada Revenue Agency
|
First-Time Home Buyers' Tax Credit | |
This federal non-refundable income tax credit is for qualifying buyers of detached, attached, apartment condominiums, mobile homes or shares in a cooperative housing corporation. It’s calculated by multiplying the lowest personal income tax rate for the year by $5,000. | Canada Revenue Agency |
GST Rebate on new homes | |
New home buyers can apply for a rebate of the 5% GST if the purchase price is $350,000 or less. The rebate is up to 36% of the GST to a maximum rebate of $6,300. There is a proportional GST rebate for new homes costing between $350,000 and $450,000. | Canada Revenue Agency |
BC Property Transfer Tax (PTT) | |
Home buyers in BC pay a provincial Property Transfer Tax (PPT) when they buy a home. The tax is charged at a rate of 1% on the first $200,000 of the purchase price and 2% on the remainder. First-time home buyers may be exempt from paying the PTT of 1% on the first $200,000 and 2% on the remainder of the purchase price of a home priced up to $475,000. There is a proportional exemption for between $475,000 and $500,000. At $500,000 and above the rebate is nil. | BC Ministry of Finance |
BC property tax deferment programs | |
Seniors Financial hardship Families with children | BC Ministry of Finance |
BC Home Owner Grant | |
Reduces property taxes for home owners with an assessed value of up to $1,100,000. The basic grant gives home owners: • a maximum reduction of $570 in property taxes on principal residences in the Capital, Greater Vancouver, and Fraser Valley regional districts | BC Ministry of Finance |
Home Adaptations for Independence (HAFI) | |
A program jointly funded by federal and provincial governments provides up to $20,000 to help eligible low-income seniors and disabled home owners and landlords to finance modifications to their homes to make them accessible and safer. | For information: |
Rain barrel subsidy programs | |
Many Metro Vancouver municipalities offer rain barrels for sale, often at a discount for their residents: Other municipalities have similar offers. | For information: |
Local Government water conservation incentives | |
Your municipality may provide grants and incentives to residents to help save water. For example, the City of Coquitlam offers residents a $100 rebate and the City of North Vancouver, District of North Vancouver, andDistrict of West Vancouver offer a $50 rebate when residents install a low-flush toilet. | For information: |
Local Government water meter programs | |
Your municipality may provide a program for voluntary water metering so that you pay only for the amount of water you use. Delta, Richmond and Surrey have programs and other municipalities may soon follow. | For information: |
BC Hydro rebates/savings for the home | |
Fridge buy-back: $30 to turn in spare fridges in working condition. Appliance rebate: save on selected ENERGY STAR clothes washers, refrigerators, and freezers from $25 to $75. Next rebate period is October 2014. Lighting: switch to ENERGY STAR LEDs, CFLs and lighting fixtures. Home electronics: televisions and other electronics identified with Power Smart messaging use significantly less energy than standard products. | For information: |
BC Hydro Power Smart Partner program for business | |
The Power Smart Partner program partners BC Hydro with BC’s largest commercial, government and institutional customers (who spend $200,000 or more/year on Hydro). Customers gain access to a wide range of energy management programs, tools and incentives. | For information: |
BC Hydro Power Smart Express (PSX) for business | |
Launched June 2, 2014, the PSX program partners BC Hydro with BC’s largest commercial, government and institutional customers (who spend $200,000 or more/year on Hydro). The program provides incentives for various technologies, including lighting, cooking and refridgeration appliances. | For information: |
FortisBC rebate program for homes | |
Rebates for home owners include: | For information: |
FortisBC rebate program for businesses | |
For commercial buildings, provides: | For information: |
Energy Conservaton and Assistance Program | |
BC Hydro and FortisBC offer free energy assessments and energy saving products to low-income customers. Qualified contractors will install upgrades ranging in value from $300 to $5,000 depending on the need of the home. | |
Energy Savings Kit Program | |
BC Hydro and FortisBC offer low-income customers a free energy saving kit containing products to help save energy and money. | |
Home Energy Rebate Offer | |
BC Hydro and FortisBC offer home owners rebates for various upgrades and improvements, including insulation, draftproofing, space heating systems, water heating systems and ventilation. These improvements can reduce the average residential customer’s energy bill by 30%. There is a bonus offer for completing three or more of certain upgrades. Total value of available rebates is almost $6,000 per household. | |
Financial institutions - energy-related savings | |
RBC's Energy Saver Mortgage RBC's Energy Saver Loan BMO Eco Smart Mortgage Vancity’s Bright Ideas home renovation loan CMHC Mortgage Loan Insurance Premium Refund |