Nest Building Workshop

Find Your Inner Interior Designer during this two-day Nest Building workshop with author and consultant, Kate Bridger.

This workshop offers a combination of design psychology mixed in with a reassuring dose of pragmatism. It is the course to take at any stage during your home-making or renovation journey whether you intend to hire outside expertise or not.

The sessions will include exercises and discussions to help you discover why you hang on to certain objects and attitudes; why particular colours please or trouble you; how to work with and appreciate what you have; and how to bring harmony to your life and to the lives of those you live with.

The objectives of the two-day course are to reacquaint you with your personal designer history, fine-tune your aesthetic awareness and carve out a fulfilling path to help bring you home to a place that not only looks good, but feels right just for you.

This workshop will take place on April 21 & 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at 402 Baker Street (upstairs in the Kootenay Real Estate Board meeting room) in Nelson.

Register soon to take advantage of the 'early bird' rate. For more information, please visit: http://www.katebridger.ca/Pages/Workshops.html, or contact Kate directly at: kbridger@telus.net or 250-352-4653.

HST/PST Transition Rules

The Provincial Government today announced the HST/PST transition rules for housing during the return to the PST on April 1, 2013. Here is the government’s announcement:

Transition measures support new-home buyers, builders

New housing transition measures give certainty to an important economic sector and help to keep taxes equitable throughout the transition as the province returns to the PST, Finance Minister Kevin Falcon announced. 

B.C. will return to the PST on April 1, 2013, meeting the Province's commitment to return to the PST as quickly and responsibly as possible, while ensuring businesses can plan their training and systems switch-over effectively to apply the sales tax correctly. 

Government is announcing new relief measures that will benefit purchasers and builders of new homes. The B.C. new housing rebate threshold will be increased to $850,000, effective April 1, 2012, meaning more than 90 per cent of newly built homes will now be eligible for a provincial HST rebate of up to $42,500. It is important to note that the HST does not apply to resale housing.

In addition, to help support workers and communities in B.C. that depend on residential recreational development, purchasers of new secondary vacation or recreational homes outside the Greater Vancouver and Capital regional districts priced up to $850,000 will now be eligible to claim a provincial grant of up to $42,500 effective April 1, 2012. 

The housing transition rules help ensure when people buy a newly constructed home under the PST, whether built entirely under the HST, entirely under the PST, or partly under HST and partly under the PST, they will all pay a consistent and equitable amount of tax.

Specifically:

·         B.C.'s portion of the HST will continue to apply before April 1, 2013. Purchasers will be eligible for the new higher B.C. HST new housing rebate, of up to $42,500, and builders will continue to claim input tax credits.

·         B.C.'s portion of the HST will no longer apply to newly built homes where construction begins on or after April 1, 2013. Builders will once again pay seven per cent PST on their building materials. On average, about two per cent of the home's final price will again be embedded PST.

·         For newly built homes where construction begins before April 1, 2013, but ownership and possession occur after, purchasers will not pay the seven per cent provincial portion of the HST. Instead, purchasers will pay a temporary, transitional provincial tax of two per cent on the full house price. This ensures equitable treatment among purchasers and will help mitigate distortive market behaviour. Builders will receive temporary housing transition rebates to offset PST on materials to help prevent double-taxation on homebuyers.

The transition rules outlined today provide certainty for new-home construction and sales, particularly during the transition period. 

For goods and services that will be subject to PST, PST will generally apply where tax becomes payable on or after April 1, 2013. Detailed general transitional rules for goods and services will be available with the full PST legislation introduced in the legislature this spring. 

The provincial changes are subject to the approval of the legislature.

Quick Facts:

·         Raising the B.C. HST rebate threshold to $850,000 is expected to save purchasers about $60 million in 2012-13. The maximum value rises to $42,500 from $26,250, a 60 per cent increase.

·         More than 90 per cent of newly built homes sold in B.C. are below the new higher rebate threshold.

·         Average amount of embedded sales tax in newly built homes under PST: two per cent.

·         Tax paid by purchasers on an $850,000-newly built home after HST rebate: two per cent.

·         Tax rate on a newly built home during transition: two per cent.

·         The temporary housing transition measures will be in place for two years, until March 31, 2015. The tax only applies to homes where construction begins before the transition date and ownership and possession occur after.

·         The temporary housing transition tax and the temporary housing transition rebates will be administered by the Canada Revenue Agency on behalf of B.C. The Province is administering the grant for new secondary vacation and recreational homes.

Home Sales Rise Outside Lower Mainland

Vancouver, BC – February 15, 2012. The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that the dollar volume of homes sold through Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in BC dipped 7.6 per cent to $2.1 billion in January compared to the same month last year. A total of 3,976 homes traded hands on the MLS® over the same period, down 3.9 per cent. The average MLS® residential price was 3.8 per cent lower at $527,219 compared to January 2011.

"Increased market activity outside the Lower Mainland in January was offset by fewer sales in Vancouver and the Fraser Valley,” said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. MLS® Residential sales rose 7 per cent to 1,620 units outside the Lower Mainland, while declining 10 per cent to 2,356 units in Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.

"While provincial sales activity was down in January from year ago levels, consumer demand has posted modest improvement since last fall, driven by low mortgage interest rates and gradually improving economic conditions,” added Muir.

Copyright BCREA reprinted with permission

Canadian Housing Market to Remain Steady

Housing markets are expected to remain steady in 2012 and 2013, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) first quarter 2012 Housing Market Outlook, Canada Edition.

“With the Canadian economy set to expand at a moderate pace and mortgage rates expected to remain low, activity levels in 2012 in both new home construction and sales of existing homes will stay close to levels seen in 2011,” said Mathieu Laberge, Deputy Chief Economist for CMHC.

Housing starts will be in the range of 164,000 to 212,700 units in 2012, with a point forecast of 190,000 units. In 2013, housing starts will be in the range of 168,900 to 219,300 units, with a point forecast of 193,800 units.

Existing home sales will be in the range of 406,000 to 504,500 units in 2012, with a point forecast of 457,300 units. In 2013, MLS^®2 sales are expected to move up in the range of 417,600 to 517,400 units, with a point forecast of 468,200 units.

The average MLS^® price is forecast to be between $330,000 and $410,000 in 2012 and between $335,000 and $430,000 in 2013. CMHC’s point forecast for the average MLS^® price is $368,900 for 2012 and $379,000 for 2013. The moderate increases in the average MLS^® price are consistent with the balanced market conditions that occurred in 2011, and that are expected to continue in 2012 and 2013.

CMHC

The Importance of Bathroom and Kitchen Fans

Bathroom and kitchen fans are an important part of your home's ventilation system. They remove odours from your house, which improves indoor air quality. They also remove moisture, which decreases the level of humidity in your house. High humidity can damage building materials and can cause mold growth. Mold may affect your family's health.

Common Fan and Exhaust Systems

The two most common types of fans are impeller fans and blower fans.

Impeller fans move air with blades similar to airplane propellers.

Blower fans look like hamster wheels — they are often called squirrel cages — and generally do a better job of moving air than impeller fans.

Most exhaust systems consist of an exhaust fan, ducting and an exterior hood. Some houses have a central exhaust system, in which one fan draws moisture and odours from several rooms of the house using a network of ducts.

Kitchen exhaust systems usually have the fan and fan motor in the exhaust hood. Other systems use an in-line fan, which is in the exhaust duct, or a fan outside the house. In-line and outdoor exhaust fans are usually quieter than systems with the fan in the room.

A heat recovery ventilator (HRV) also exhausts moisture and odours. An HRV is a self-contained ventilation system that provides balanced air intake and exhaust. Like a central exhaust fan, it can be connected to several rooms by ducting.

How Good Is the Fan I Have Now?

CMHC's research shows that many houses have exhaust fans that:

• are too noisy
• move very little air
• are not energy efficient
• may cause backdrafting of combustion appliances
• use high-wattage lighting

Are There Better Fans?

Yes. There's a new generation of effective, quiet, energy-efficient exhaust fans and controls.

How Do I Choose the Best System?

First, choose the quietest, most energy-efficient fan in the size range required. Most fan labels have Home Ventilating Institute (HVI) ratings so you can compare noise and energy efficiency. Look for a fan with replaceable parts and permanent lubrication. A fan suitable for continuous use is preferable. Be prepared to pay more for a quality fan.

Second, select low-resistance (smooth) exhaust ducting. Seal the joints and insulate sections that run through unheated spaces.

Third, place the exhaust hood where it will not cause moisture damage on exterior surfaces.

Fourth, if you have heating appliances with chimneys, make sure that fans won't cause the appliances to backdraft.

Fifth, install the proper controls.

Bathroom Fans: What Should I Look For?

Fan exhaust capacity is rated in litres per second (L/s) or cubic feet per minute (cfm). A normal bathroom needs a good-quality fan that draws 25 L/s (50 cfm). A poor-quality fan won't exhaust enough air and will be too noisy for regular use. The best fans have sound ratings of 0.5 sones or less and consume about 20 watts. Older units typically run up to 4 sones and 80 watts.

Large bathrooms, or those with bigger fixtures, such as spas, need larger fans. Place the bathroom fan as close as possible to the source of moisture or odour. For in-line fans, as long as the intake grille is properly located, the fan itself does not have to be close to the bathroom. Some bathroom fans have lights or heating lamps. If you choose a fan with integrated lights, look for efficiency. Any fan installed in an insulated ceiling — for instance, if the attic is above the bathroom ceiling — must not leak air and must be rated for use under insulation.

Make sure that exhaust fans, lights and heaters in bath or shower enclosures are rated and approved for wet conditions. Newer units approved for wet conditions may include ground fault protection.

Noise

Noise determines whether people use a fan. Many people won’t use a noisy fan. Select the quietest fan in the size you need. Look for fans labelled “low noise” or “quiet,” and check for the HVI rating. If it is not rated, there is a good chance that it will be noisy. In-line fans, due to their potential remote mounting, can also be very quiet.

Fan Power Requirements and Airflows

There is more to energy efficiency than selecting an energy-efficient fan. Ducting can affect fan performance. Uninsulated, undersized, or droopy flex ducting, ineffective or dirty backdraft dampers and exhaust louvers can cut rated airflow by more than 50 per cent.

To find out if your exhaust fan is drawing air, hold a piece of toilet tissue up to the grille. The exhaust air should hold the tissue tightly to the grille. You could also check the outlet to make sure the air is leaving your house. CMHC has developed a simple test to measure flow and published it as an About Your House fact sheet titled CMHC Garbage Bag Airflow Test.

Controls

Bathroom fans connected to light switches start running when the light is turned on. Often, users turn the light off before all the moisture is exhausted after a bath or shower. An electronic timer, which is usually quieter than a mechanical timer, offers a wide range of settings. Make sure the time instructions are easy-to-understand and the timer is easy to use. You can use motion or humidity sensors, or a combination of both, to control the fan. Controls which allow you to specify operating times or maximum humidity levels are preferable to those where the operation is pre-set by the manufacturer. Use a delayed fan shut-off to keep the fan running for 15 minutes after you leave the room.

Cleaning

Fans create static electricity which attracts dirt like a magnet to the fan and its housing. The dirt can encourage mold growth and restrict air movement. Clean fans, housings, backdraft dampers and exterior flaps seasonally. A typical bathroom fan can be cleaned by pulling down the grille, and unplugging and removing the fan module. Fans in ducts and exterior fans may be difficult to clean.

Kitchen Range Hoods

A kitchen range hood must move more air than a bathroom fan — about 50 to 140 L/s (100 to 300 cfm). As a result, they are noisier, with the lowest sound rating of about 4.5 sones, although they can be relatively quiet on low speed.

The most useful units have a low noise rating, an energy-efficient fan, fluorescent lights, sound insulation, anti-vibration mounts and duct connections. For heavy duty use, select non-corrosive materials such as aluminum or stainless steel. High quality hoods may have heat sensors and a safety shut-off.

Kitchen exhaust systems should discharge outdoors. Recirculating range hoods rely on filters to capture some odours and grease. The filters are generally made of carbon which must be replaced frequently to be effective. Grease will coat carbon, making it ineffective. With recirculating fans, cooking moisture and odours will usually remain in the house.

Positioning

Range hoods are most effective when they extend out over the stove surface and are close to the stove top. Island units are less effective than wall units.

Cleaning

Range hoods usually have washable, aluminum-mesh grease filters. Better quality filters have a smaller diameter mesh over a larger surface area and can be cleaned in the dishwasher. Clean or replace grease traps and filters frequently. There are now range hoods available that allow you to remove the fan, but not the motor, for cleaning in a dishwasher.

Fire

There is always the possibility of a grease fire with a kitchen range hood exhaust. Smooth metal ducting, preferably galvanized steel, is safer in a fire than lighter assemblies.

Installation

Install fans and exhaust systems so they make the least possible noise, vibrate as little as possible and leak as little air as possible.

Anti-vibration pads or foam tape can isolate the fan housing from wood joists and drywall. You can wrap fan housings and some duct sections in rubber or vinyl noise barrier mats.

Ducts

Install exhaust systems according to the building code and manufacturer's recommendations. Straight, short duct runs, with few turns, will result in the highest fan flow.

For bathroom fans, use duct with a diameter of at least 100 mm (4 in.). For long runs, use larger, 150 mm (6 in.) diameter duct to improve airflow. It is usually best to avoid fans with 75 mm (3 in.) exhaust ports and ducts. Follow manufacturer's instructions for kitchen exhaust duct sizes.

Seal all duct joints and connections with aluminum duct tape or duct mastic (available at contractors' supply shops) to prevent air, moisture and noise leakage. Standard cloth duct tapes tend to dry out and fall off.

Seal and then insulate all ductwork running through unheated areas to avoid moisture problems. The best practice is to slant horizontal runs of duct down toward the exterior outlet to drain any condensation outside.

Exhaust air should not be released into the attic, into a wall or ceiling cavity, crawl space, basement or in the roof soffit. These locations can promote condensation damage and mold growth.

Weather Hoods, Grilles and Backdraft Dampers

Even when fans are off, stack effects and wind loads may cause outside air to enter or inside air to exhaust through fan ducting. Fans are equipped with backdraft dampers, usually in the fan box exhaust port. Check damper flaps from time to time to make sure they are clean and working. The exterior exhaust flap or louvers should be clean and in good repair to maintain unobstructed airflow and reduce air infiltration. Most exhaust ducts are fitted with a single flap exhaust hood or triple louver aluminum or plastic exhaust grille. Use weather hoods that lie flat on the wall in driveways and other places where hood-type units could be damaged.

Plastic hoods break down over time and need to be replaced. Clean exhaust hoods of lint and nesting materials seasonally to ensure that the flap or louvers are not blocked or stuck open.

Some Dangers

Chimney Connections

Some older bathrooms have static exhausts which look like upside down funnels on the ceiling. If these exhausts are hooked into the furnace chimney, disconnect them from the chimney, seal the hole in the chimney with hydraulic (expanding) cement, and install a new powered exhaust. If these static exhausts go directly outside, they can still be used, but a good fan will be more energy efficient and less drafty.

High Capacity Systems

High capacity, industrial or oversized exhaust fans, and range-top barbecue fans can cause chimney backdrafting. Backdrafting occurs when air is drawn down the chimneys, bringing dangerous combustion exhaust gases into the house. Avoid backdrafting by selecting sealed combustion heating appliances. If you have appliances with chimneys in your house, and you wish to install high capacity exhaust fans, you will need a matching supply air fan to balance house pressures.

Many ventilation contractors or salespeople are unaware of the effects of large exhaust fans on other house appliances. Make sure that your system is properly installed with supply air. At the very least, make sure that you have smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors to warn you if you have severe chimney backdrafting.

CMHC

Bank Sale - South Slocan $179,500

MLS# K205932
Bank Sale – priced 25,000 below appraised value the home needs some TLC but offers the right buyer a great opportunity to turn this home into a money maker. Central to Nelson and Castlegar this single family home currently has 3 separate living spaces and lots of potential to convert your efforts into equity.

$179,500

Robert Goertz

Valhalla Path Realty

250-354-8500

robert@kootenayconnector.com

Mortgage Rates

There are some great mortgage rates available right now.  Here are some that I received from a mortgage broker yesterday: 

3 year     2.89%
4 year     2.99%
5 year     3.19%

If you are thinking of buying this spring, make sure you get pre-appoved for your mortgage. 

Housing Market Update (January 2012)

Watch BCREA Chief Economist Cameron Muir discuss the December 2011 statistics and an in depth look at 2011 in review:

Home Sales Increase Last Year

The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that the dollar volume of homes sold through Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in BC climbed 14.3 per cent to $43.1 billion in 2011. A total of 76,817 homes were sold in BC in 2011, up 2.9 per cent from 2010. The average annual MLS® residential price climbed 11.1 per cent to $561,026 over the same period.

"Low mortgage interest rates and gradually improving economic conditions contributed to a moderate increase in consumer demand last year," said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. "BC home sales came in about on par with their 15-year average, but fell well below their ten-year average of over 88,000 units."

Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and the North experienced the largest percentage increase in unit sales last year, while consumer demand edged lower in Victoria and on Vancouver Island.

BC residential unit sales in December dipped 1.7 per cent to 4,186 units, while the average MLS® residential price was 2.8 per cent lower than in December 2010.

Copyright BCREA reprinted with permission

Five Tips for a Quick Home Sale

Spring is always a popular time of year for people to put their homes on the market. Perhaps it’s because they’ve had a long, cold winter to spend a lot of time indoors, and they’re anxious for new surroundings. Or maybe it’s because Spring offers a fresh start and represents opportunity for the months to come.

Regardless of why you decide to sell your home, there’s no doubt that you would like it to sell quickly and at the right price.

Following are five tips to help ensure smooth sailing when it comes time to sell your home.

1. Work with a pro. To ensure a quick sale, you have to be sure your buyers can afford to pay what they offer. Experienced real estate agents take precautions to make sure buyers are not overreaching their grasp. And based on our negotiating expertise, we can work with buyers and negotiate contracts that do not, as a rule, tend to fall through. We also bear all the costs of advertising your home. This can seem minor at first, but newspaper ads and signage can quickly add up. And, best of all, we work for you. It’s in our best interest to ensure your home sells fast and you’re pleased with the price you receive for your home.

2. Price accordingly. As your local real estate experts, we’re in the know when it comes to what’s selling in your marketplace. We have access to a database of statistics that enable us to help you set a price that will make your house attractive to buyers without undercutting your bottom line. After all, if your home stays on the market for an extended period of time, the process can become extremely hard on you and your family – especially if you have your eye on another home.

3. Set the stage. Aside from pricing your home accurately from the onset, the way your home is seen by potential buyers is the next most important aspect in ensuring a quick sale. Getting your house ready to sell can help you connect with buyers on an emotional level that enables them to picture themselves and their families living in your home. With the popularity of home decorating and renovation programs on TV, people are more accustomed to looking at houses with an eye for design. But this doesn’t have to cost you a fortune. The most important first step is getting rid of clutter and personal items so potential buyers can picture themselves easily moving in their belongings.

4. Go where the buyers are. If you want a quick sale at the best price, it only makes sense to compete on the biggest market – and there’s no question that the biggest market in Canada is the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Going it alone means relying on you and, while that may sound appealing to some, the numbers argue against it.

5. Create word of mouth. Finally, if you have a home that one of your friends or acquaintances has often admired, put the word out to your friends and ask them to spread the word. Doing so could help you avoid the stress of staging and hosting open houses, and get you the quick sale you’re seeking.

BCREA Housing Market Update (October 2011)

Nelson, Canada, in living color

Nelson, a picturesque mountain hamlet in British Columbia, was built on mining 125 years ago. Today it's known for its spectacular fall foliage, outdoor sports and relaxed, artistic vibe.

Summer may be Nelson, Canada's busiest season, but "fall is the most beautiful time," says Virginia Wassick, co-proprietor of Grand Lakefront Bed & Breakfast on nearby Kootenay Lake. Nelson is about 150 miles north of Spokane, Wash. (Graham Edwards)

By Christopher Reynolds Los Angeles Times staff writer

October 16, 2011

Reporting from Nelson, Canada ——

Up in the northwest forest where Washington, Idaho and British Columbia converge, there's a lazy little international border crossing called Nelway, about the size of a gas station.

"Where are you headed?" a Canadian border patrol agent asked when my family rolled up a few months ago, heading north from Washington.

"Nelson," I told him as he began his search of our car.

"It's OK," said the officer, unenthusiastically. "Kinda hippie-ish. Very laid-back."

Not a problem, sir. The town of Nelson, semi-Victorian, substantially bohemian, sportier and more artsy than your average hamlet of 9,700 souls, sits in the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia, about 30 miles north of the U.S. border. Picture a college town that has misplaced its university.

It has dramatic leaves in fall, skiing in winter, swimming and boating in summer, hiking and mountain biking much of the year. Thousands of American draft resisters and back-to-the-landers chose this area as a haven 40 years ago, and hundreds are said to remain, but it gets barely a trickle of U.S. tourists.

Just below the town lies the west arm of photogenic Kootenay Lake. Just above town rises Toad Mountain, where the discovery of silver prompted the founding of Nelson about 125 years ago. Nelson's stone and brick Victorians, once the province of off-duty miners and loggers, now house or neighbor eccentric shops, galleries and restaurants. The Sacred Ride (on Baker Street) peddles bikes. Downward Dog (Front Street) offers pet supplies. The Funky Monkey (Front Street) grills burgers. ROAM (Baker Street) promises gear for rivers, oceans and mountains.

Summer may be the busiest season, but "fall is the most beautiful time," said Virginia Wassick, who, with her husband, Duncan, runs the three-room Grand Lakefront Bed & Breakfast in a rambling old house near the lake's edge. In September and October, Wassick said, the guests "come and stay a week or two and sit on the deck, look at the colors and read books. I love the September-October people. They're so laid-back."

Nelson — about 150 miles north of Spokane, Wash., more than 400 miles east of Vancouver, Canada — is too little and isolated to stand as a major destination by itself. But you can fly into Spokane or Castlegar, British Columbia (about 25 miles south of Nelson), and spend a few days driving a 135-mile loop from Nelson past the mountains, lakes, rivers, meadows and towns of Kaslo, New Denver, Silverton and Slocan. Or follow the 280-mile International Selkirk Loop (www.selkirkloop.org), which includes handsome chunks of Idaho and Washington.

For us, Nelson was a three-day respite at the northernmost point of a 1,200-mile road trip that began in Seattle and ended in Portland, Ore. We window-shopped on Baker Street; bought many "Magic Treehouse" volumes in Otter Books for our 7-year-old daughter, Grace; paced the little pier that juts into the lake; took a skiff for a buzz around on the water; and drove across the big orange bridge — which locals call "BOB" because, remember, it's a Big Orange Bridge — toward the postcard views at Pulpit Rock overlook and Kokanee Creek Provincial Park.

With more time, we would have soaked at Ainsworth Hot Springs (about 30 miles northeast) and caught the free ferry at nearby Balfour (a 35-minute ride across the lake to Kootenay Bay). But we did ride an antique streetcar along the Waterfront Pathway to Lakeside Park, where you'll find an organic concession stand (summer only) and busy playground. Downtown, we shared a good but pricey brunch at BiBO, followed by a great (and pricier) dinner at the All Seasons Café, Nelson's top restaurant. Uptown, I took a ride on old BNSF railroad track that has been converted into a mountain-biking trail.

One day I drank hemp ale. Another, I ate a hemp cookie. But there were no purchases at the hemp boutique on Ward Street, so no hemp hat trick.

We stayed at the Prestige Resort, a pricey hotel at the water's edge that should be the greatest place in town, given its location. Instead, it felt like an opportunity squandered — a dull, dark building best suited to the housing of Dunder-Mifflin business travelers. Next time we'll look more closely at the New Grand Hotel (more character, lower rates) or a local B&B.

This being Canada, the town has a hockey team and a curling club, both busy from fall through late winter or early spring. The Whitewater Ski Resort, about 20 minutes outside Nelson, is a small operation (three chairlifts, 1,184 skiable acres, no lodgings) that gets big powder — an average of 40 feet of snow per winter. The resort's Fresh Tracks Café is a favorite among B.C. foodies, many of whom revere the "Whitewater Cooks" cookbook by former resort chef Shelley Adams.

"I just moved here to retire," Aza Samchuck told me one afternoon as he sat astride a bicycle and watched teenagers leap from a piling into the chilly water. He is 35, Samchuck said, but because he's done well in his profession, he can arrange a few lucrative days of out-of-town work per month, then hang loose in Nelson the rest of the time. Of course, I had to ask his profession.

"I tattoo people," he said.

For a less bohemian, more Victorian Nelson, head to Vernon and Ward streets, where you can nurse a drink inside the stone-faced Hume Hotel (1898) and gaze north to the old ivy-cloaked courthouse (1902) or east to the Touchstones Nelson Museum of Art and History (1902 again). Nearby on Victoria Street, there's the restored Capitol Theatre (1927) and the old jail, now Selkirk College's Kootenay School of the Arts. Near Latimer and Ward streets, there's the big, old red-brick fire hall (1913) and the old brewery (1899), now home to the new Nelson Brewing Co., which specializes in organic ales.

Uncommon heritage

As the buildings were going up, Nelson and environs were getting more than the usual influx of miners and woodsmen. A Pacific agrarian sect of Russian Christians known as Doukhobors also arrived, about 5,000 of them, and with them a militant fringe group, the Sons of Freedom, that staged hundreds of nude marches, arsons and anti-government bombings. Then during World War II, the Canadian government set up internment camps and imprisoned about 8,000 Japanese Canadian men, women and children.

As the Vietnam War stretched from the 1960s into the '70s, came the Americans — perhaps as many as 10,000 draft resisters (a.k.a. draft dodgers, a.k.a. conscientious objectors) by some estimates, along with others eager to start communes in the countryside. Most of the communes fell apart fast, and President Carter pardoned the draft resisters in 1977. But like many Doukhobors and Japanese Canadian families before them, many of these immigrants stayed, raised families and worked as farmers, artisans or entrepreneurs.

In the late '70s, Nelson boosters started tidying up the town's then-bedraggled old buildings. By the summer of 1986, the renewed downtown was fetching enough to attract Steve Martin, who arrived with a prosthetic nose and film crew to work on "Roxanne." The film, released the following year, features Martin as the big-nosed chief of a bumbling small-town fire department and Daryl Hannah as the bespectacled astronomer of his dreams.

Controversial statue

After learning all that, it was a letdown to meet no avowed draft resisters, Doukhobors, Japanese Canadians or movie stars. But I did hear plenty about the furor of 2004, when Isaac Romano of Nelson proposed a monument to the draft resisters, stirring scorn from many sides, prompting denunciations from local business leaders and inspiring a New York Times headline that dubbed Nelson "Resisterville."

The monument idea was quickly shelved, but in 2006 a reunion of resisters was staged (with Doukhobor help) in nearby Castlegar. Locals say a 3-foot-high bronze model of artist Naomi Lewis' proposed draft-resister memorial now resides at the Vallican Whole Community Centre in the nearby Slocan Valley, a favored haunt of countercultural folk.

Yet when author Ernest Hekkaman and his partner, Margrith Schraner, were looking to relocate from Vancouver 11 years ago, Hekkaman told me, they chose Nelson "because it's a small town with an active arts community and literary community.... I didn't realize there was such a large antiwar population here, so many draft dodgers from the '60s and '70s."

But since Hekkaman is a draft dodger himself — having moved from Seattle to Vancouver in 1969 — that was hardly a problem. He helped underwrite the 2006 reunion and briefly housed the model draft-resister sculpture at his home-gallery. When I reached him by phone after our visit, he estimated that perhaps 300 draft resisters remain in Nelson and surrounding areas. But good luck spotting them among the other free spirits.

On our last morning in town, we grabbed breakfast at the Kootenay Bakery Café (vegetarian), then watched as the real firefighters of Nelson — an entirely competent-looking bunch, noses unremarkable — fanned out from their truck, shut down Baker Street and sent a man skyward on the ladder. His task: to string up a banner for an upcoming event.

Half an hour later, amid nods of approval from a dozen sidewalk superintendents, they reopened the street. Through it all, traffic was unaffected, and you could nearly hear, on the surrounding slopes, a billion leaves fluttering in the Sunday morning breeze. Nelson was at peace, and we were due to head south again.

chris.reynolds@latimes.com

Copyright © 2011, Los Angeles Times

Nelson rental market remains tight

By Greg Nesteroff - Nelson Star

Renters in Nelson can expect to pay an average of $776 per month for a one-bedroom apartment, according to the latest market survey by the Nelson Committee on Homelessness.

The organization conducts a snapshot each spring and fall of rental prices in the city.

Recently-hired coordinator Katie Tabor says the new figures are “quite similar” to last year’s.

“If somebody’s living in a place, there are rent controls around how much it can go up if they continue to live there,” she says. “But once a place opens up, the landlord has discretion over what to charge.”

The average price for a two-bedroom suite was $1,038 and for three bedrooms, $1,320, the survey found.

Conducted over a week in early September, it relied on ads in the Nelson Star and Pennywise, websites including craigslist, kijiji, and discovernelson, plus Coldwell Banker’s rental list, and calls to apartment buildings.

Suites, apartments, and homes within city limits were included in the survey.

In total, they found three bachelor suites, ranging from $550 to $650 per month; 16 single-bedroom apartments going for $625 to $1,000; 19 two-bedroom apartments between $700 to $1,300, and 18 three-bedroom apartments for $950 to $1,650. Some prices included utilities, but most didn’t.

The figures are comparable to last spring’s survey, which pegged one-bedroom rents at an average $850, and two and three bedrooms at $1,000 and $1,500, respectively.

A Canadian Mortgage and Housing rental market survey of the southern interior conducted a year ago found slightly lower figures for Nelson — an average of $542 for a bachelor suite, $610 for one bedroom, $719 for two bedrooms, and $1,007 for three bedrooms.

However, it only looked at apartments in buildings of three or more units, and included prices for currently rented units, which Tabor says may reflect units held by the same tenants for a long time.

“In comparison, the numbers in the September snapshot from our office reflect the cost of rentals actually available on the market, and the prices are much higher,” she says.

Even so, the CMHC report found rentals in Nelson were the highest in West Kootenay. In Castlegar, the average one-bedroom rented for $565 per month and in Greater Trail (not counting Rossland), $512.

Only Revelstoke had even higher rents, with one bedrooms going for $690 per month and two bedrooms $902.

Nelson’s vacancy rate was also the lowest by far at 1.8 per cent in 2010, compared to 19.5 per cent in Revelstoke, 11.8 per cent in Rossland, and 5.4 per cent in Cranbrook.

Tailwinds point towards a soft landing

• Tailwinds include low mortgage rates, relatively low unemployment and strong immigration
• Headwinds include high prices, elevated household debt and slowing employment
• More buyers are turning to variable rate mortgages on expectations that rates could stay low for some time, or even decline.
• Average Canadian house prices were a record two-thirds more than average U.S. house prices

TORONTO, September 30, 2011 – After a decade of strong growth in the Canadian housing market, residential real estate is headed for a “soft landing” with prices moderating in the months ahead, according to a Special Report from BMO Economics.

Low interest rates have fuelled Canada’s housing market in the past decade, pushing prices to new highs in most regions. Sales are now close to their past-decade norm, and well below pre- and post-recession peaks, while residential mortgage demand has also moderated. However, a weaker economy and new mortgage rules have dimmed activity recently.

“Since the prudent and timely mortgage rule changes announced early this year by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, Canadian house prices have moderated,” said Sal Guatieri, Senior Economist and Vice President, BMO Capital Markets. “House price gains are slowing. Although average resale prices rose a brisk 7.7 per cent year-over-year in August, the rate of increase has slowed from nearly 9 per cent earlier this year.”

Mr. Guatieri noted in the report that housing activity should remain moderate in the year ahead, with tailwinds including low mortgage rates, relatively low unemployment and strong immigration. Furthermore, a weak global economy and Europe’s debt crisis will likely keep the Bank of Canada on the sidelines until early 2013, while further easing measures by the Federal Reserve should suppress long-term rates in both countries, thereby supporting affordability.

On the flip side, Mr Guatieri noted that the housing market also faces several challenges, including high prices, elevated household debt and slowing employment.

“Prices have risen twice as fast as incomes in the past decade, lifting the current ratio 16 per cent above its norm. Although the current overvaluation is below levels that triggered price corrections in Canada in 1989 and the U.S. in 2006, it will remain a thorn in the side of first-time buyers,” said Mr. Guatieri. He added that for bargain hunters, Canadian houses, on average, cost a record two-thirds more in local currency terms than properties in the U.S.

The upshot is that home sales are likely to remain steady in 2012 and prices should also stay put. However, the resource-rich provinces, notably Alberta and Saskatchewan, should outperform other regions since their economies are expected to grow the fastest. Because housing is moderately overpriced in most regions (and considerably so in Vancouver), it’s vulnerable to a correction.

“Regardless of the current low interest rates, it is still important for homeowners or potential buyers to be prudent and stress-test their mortgage against a higher interest rate to ensure they can afford what they signed up for. Total housing expenses should not consume more than one-third of total household income,” said Katie Archdekin, Head of Mortgage Products, BMO Bank of Montreal.

Ms. Archdekin added that Canadians need to be continually examining ways to reduce overall housing costs. “BMO has developed products, such as the low rate mortgage with a maximum 25-year amortization, that we believe are directly relevant to today’s environment and specifically designed to help Canadian consumers manage their debt. Furthermore, the lower amortization can significantly reduce the amount of interest paid over the life of the mortgage.”

Additional factors expected to affect the future of Canada’s housing market:

• The biggest threat stems from the perceived one-in-three chance of a recession, and the attendant loss of jobs.
• Another risk, though far smaller, is if interest rates spike higher next year. Even a moderate 2 percentage point increase in rates would severely impact affordability. Low rates are a threat too, since they could cause the market to heat up again, only to correct when rates eventually rise.
• Mortgage growth is expected to moderate as Canadians turn more cautious in managing their debt. Despite slower personal credit growth, household debt hit a record 1½ times disposable income in Q2, as residential mortgages continued to outrun income.
• Meanwhile, job and income growth should moderate next year, as the economy is expected to grow just 1.8 per cent versus about 2.2 per cent this year.
• More buyers are turning to variable rate mortgages on expectations that rates could stay low for some time, or even decline.