Dominion Lending Primex Mortgage Broker in Lynn Valley
Dominion Lending Primex Mortgage Broker in Lynn Valley
2015 Sales
December 2015 Sales Recap
The market in Lynn Valley ended the year with unprecedented highest average sales prices ever for detached homes sales in December. Keep reading to find out more.
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November 2015 Sales Recap
The market in Lynn Valley remained strong with 13 sales in December. Keep reading to find out more.
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October 2015 Sales Recap
Interested in what sold in Lynn Valley during the month of October? Keep reading to find out:
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September 2015 Sales Recap
Curious what sold in Lynn Valley during the month of September? Keep reading …
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August 2015 Sales Recap
Summer is coming to an end and homes are still being sold. To find out how many homes sold in August keep reading!
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July 2015 Sales Recap
Hot, hot, hot and it’s not just the weather that’s simmering! Find out just how busy July was for Lynn Valley home sales below.
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June 2015 Sales Recap
It’s been a hot summer so far! Find out just how busy June was for Lynn Valley home sales below.
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May 2015 Sales Recap (details below)
Spring is in full swing, to find out just how busy May was for Lynn Valley home sales, keep reading!
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DETAILED ANALYSIS… May brought the fifth straight month of strong sales and price appreciation to our local real estate market in Lynn Valley. On average, houses continue to sell above asking, and are selling faster than they were a year ago. The strong seller’s market that we witnessed emerging in early 2015 has continued through the spring and is expected to persist this summer as new listings fail to satisfy the strong demand for housing.
To put the strength of the current housing market in perspective, Lynn Valley detached home owners whose houses were worth the average $958,800 in May 2014 have seen that value increase by an unprecedented 30% to $1,254,154 by May 2015. This equates to an increase in average sale price of $295,354 in only one calendar year, representing a return on invested capital that homeowners are unlikely to see matched with their other personal investments.
Not only were sale prices higher, but on average, detached homes in Lynn Valley sold for 2.9% above asking in May 2015, versus 0.83% below asking in May 2014. All signs point to historically strong housing demand and broad recognition of significant added value in our local real estate market.
On the attached homes side, they continue to experience strong price appreciation year over year, with the average sale price of $551,390 in May 2015, a solid 15.7% increase over May 2014’s average sale price of $476,650. Sales of attached homes in Lynn Valley sold for slightly more than asking by 0.6 % in May 2015.
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April 2015 Sales Recap
Spring has arrived, to find out just how busy April was for Lynn Valley home sales, keep reading!
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March 2015 Sales Recap
It was a busy month for Lynn Valley home sales with 56 sales in March. Keep reading to find out more details.
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February 2015 Sales Recap
There was a lot of action in Lynn Valley this month with 38 sales in February. Keep reading to find out more details.
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January 2015 Sales Recap
The market in Lynn Valley is off to a strong start with 26 sales in January. Keep reading to find out more details.
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If you’ve been around these parts for a while, you’ll know that we at LynnValleyLife love collecting stories of the good citizens in our midst, and drawing from amongst them to name the recipient of our annual Good Neighbour Award. (Have a look in the Notable Neighbours section of our Front Porch blog for past winners and nominees, and pop by our office for a look at the Good Neighbour award plaque!)
We’re delighted to announce that this year’s representative of all of Lynn Valley’s good neighbours is Cath Bates Dimmock of Hoskins Road. Cath was nominated by her daughter, Carly, for whom she is obviously a huge inspiration. Thanks, Cath, for all you do for the young ladies and lads in the Argyle gymnastics program, and thanks, Carly for letting us know about it! Your mom will receive her own Good Neighbour Award plaque and a $50 gift certificate, courtesy of the Black Bear Neighbourhood Pub!
Whatever “the Christmas spirit” is, it is decidedly not embodied by the horrible task of spending time and money searching out gifts you’re pretty sure the recipient doesn’t need and may not even want.
It’s a wonderful feeling to find something you know is just right for a friend or loved one. But when you’re stuck trying to find something for the “person who has everything,” why not consider gifting someone else in their name instead?
You’ve heard of buying goats, chickens, or school books for families in developing countries. But one close-to-home opportunity that warms the heart of giver and givee alike is offered by the seasonal Homeless Partners website.
The organization has collected stories and gift requests from residents of shelters in North Vancouver and other areas around metro Vancouver. Here’s a typical story, from Morris:
Morris is in his sixties. He was born in Courtenay, B.C., but has been in the Vancouver area since 1972 for work. Morris worked in sheet metal. His biggest challenge right now is maintaining personal security. It is his family that helps him feel most encouraged.
Morris’s request is for running shoes or jeans. A donor can pledge one or both of these gifts, and drop them off at the housing shelter with a card for Morris (drop-off instructions are provided). There are dozens of other stories on the site, with more added as the month progresses.
So, rather than struggling to find gifts for the “have it all” people in your lives, bring some peace and cheer to your shopping by pledging a gift that you know will be well-used, and much appreciated.
Here’s what one shelter resident said about the experience of receiving a gift through this initiative:
The most encouraging thing is knowing that people care. I find it really encouraging that total strangers could care so much about someone they don’t even know.
If that sounds like the kind of Christmas spirit you’d like to share, visit the Homeless Partners website soon!
The Christmas season is officially arriving at Lynn Valley in the days ahead, and we can’t wait! (And remember, a great way to celebrate the season is to let us know about the people who have made our community a better place in the last 12 months, in ways large or small. Nominate them for the LynnValleyLife Good Neighbour Award now!)
Do you have a Christmas event you’d like us to promote? Drop us a line at [email protected] and we’ll make sure it gets on our Events Calendar and/or Facebook page.
On Tuesday, Dec. 1, Mollie Nye House hosts its traditional Bright Christmas from 7 to 8:30 p.m., at the community’s heritage home at 940 Lynn Valley Rd. A lantern parade will gather at Karen Magnussen Rec Centre at 6:30 p.m. and process to Mollie Nye House, where everything from gingerbread and ornament making to science experiments to carol singing will accompany your hot chocolate and cider. Santa will count down to the grand light-up at 7 p.m. sharp! Sponsored by the Lynn Valley Services Society.
Lynn Valley Village will come alive with the lights of dozens of Christmas trees, with a special “Lynn Valley Christmas” light-up ceremony happening on Sunday, December 6 at 4:30 p.m. You can look forward to crafts, carols, face painting and balloons and a visit from a very special guest! This great community forest of twinkling trees is sponsored by the LV Community Association, the LV Lions (who provide the trees), the LV Legion and NV District. Attendees to the light-up event are encouraged to bring a gift for the LV Legion’s Toy Drive (speaking of which, read on….)
The Lynn Valley Legion members hold a Christmas gift drive to support the work of the Salvation Army every year, but this year they’re inviting everyone to join the fun!
Wednesday, December 9 is “Drive up ‘n Drop off” day from 7:30 – 11;30 am. You can “drive thru” with your gift and receive a complimentary muffin and coffee in return, or you’re warmly invited to park your car and come on in for a pancake breakfast!
This is great way to involve your kids in some Christmas giving – they probably know better than you do what gifts would be most appreciated under the tree! Gifts for newborns through young adults are very welcome. If you don’t have a resident expert to advise you, the Legion has published the following wish list:
Put your Christmas spending dollars to work in your community by supporting the Lynn Valley Lions’ annual Christmas Tree Sale.
The Lions will open their tree lot on Saturday, December 5, in Karen Magnusson Rec Centre’s upper parking lot. The lot is open every day until all the trees are gone – and no one knows exactly when that will be, so make sure you get yours early!
(Psst – Looking for boughs to decorate your home or office? Why not make a donation and haul off some of the branches that pile up over the course of a day at the tree lot?)
We love to help spread the word about special services and carol events – let us know, so people can go!
One wonderful concert is happening on Saturday, December 5 at 7 p.m. – it’s the annual One Voice concert at St. Clement’s Church. Under leadership of music director Lynley Lewis, youth as well as adult Ismaeli choirs will be performing alongside choirs from St. Clement’s Anglican and Lynn Valley United Church’s community choir, Bring Your Own Voice.
Part proceeds raised by ticket sales will go to support the Regional Ecumenical Sponsorship of Refugees (REST), a group representing North Vancouver Anglican and Lutheran churches who are awaiting two soon-to-arrive refugee groups.
St. Clement’s is located at 3400 Institute Road (the church with the anchor in the front yard). Tickets are $12 in advance; $15 at the door. Children under 3 are free. Ticket sales: [email protected]/778-882-5858.
From the desk of Peggy Trendell-Jensen, LVLife editor
It’s no accident that Lynn Valley has become one of the North Shore’s most family-friendly places to live – the fact is due in large part to the efforts of our neighbourhood groups, schools and other volunteer organizations who put community building at the top of their agenda.
So it was with great anticipation that LynnValleyLife helped convene a gathering of community representatives at a wine, cheese and visioning event that took place last Wednesday in the cosy wood-cabin lodge within the Laura Lynn townhouse development. The aim of the event’s steering committee (which also included Alecia Greenfield from St. Clement’s Anglican Church, and Shauna Grinke, Blair Odney and Sophia Ducey from Lynn Valley United) was to get in one room a cross-section of Lynn Valley people whose vocation – whether paid or voluntary – is to make this neighbourhood happier and healthier.
There’s some great Lynn Valley talent to be enjoyed in this holiday must-see for the whole family, coming to Presentation House from December 2 through 20. Lovers of Friday Night Live theatre improv will be delighted to know that Alan Marriott is one of the show’s creators and cast members, and musical director is FNL’s amazing Matt Grinke. Just a few other Lynn Valleyites taking part are sound director Tim Knight and Monica Sumulong, playing bass in the 10-piece North Pole Orchestra! Learn more about the show below, and get your tickets before they’re gone!
GTI Theatrical Productions Society, with the generous support of Famous Artists Limited, is proud to present the return engagement of Mrs. Claus’s Kitchen, a fresh holiday musical for the whole family.
Originally directed and choreographed by Jeff Hyslop, this year, the show enjoys additional direction and dramaturgy by Max Reimer. Mrs. Claus’s Kitchen was written by Bill Allman, Alan Marriott and Kevin O’Brien and this charming production wowed audiences with its Christmas spirit in December 2013. This year, Mrs. Claus’s Kitchen returns with even more elves, more songs and more family magic, and now features the fabulous 10-piece North Pole Orchestra led by Music Director Matt Grinke.
Mrs. Claus bakes Christmas spirit and it is the magic of her kitchen that binds the entire North Pole operation together. But after years of toiling in Santa’s generous shadow, she feels under-appreciated at the North Pole. Wanting some free time to reconnect with her famous hubby, Mrs. Claus enlists the aid of her trusted elves, the daffy Robin, and the prankster Ruprecht, and, convinced by Jonathan Brooks, the workaholic CEO of New York City’s Megabake Inc., she embarks on a quest to spread her baked goods worldwide.
Assuming the woman in his office is a kind-hearted delusional with a great recipe, Brooks ignores his own family when he sees an opportunity for gargantuan profits with the Mrs. Claus’s Kitchen brand and a revolutionary production practice set to a thumping disco song. With family traditions and holiday togetherness at the core of this heartwarming tale, Mrs. Claus discovers the “magical” recipe for drawing families together and helps to heal the Brooks family along the way.
Set on the cusp of the 1960s, when modern Christmas really came of age, the show takes the audience on a tuneful ride – with a lively variety of original songs – filled with charm and laughter, and provides a fresh look at the hustle, bustle and real worth of a family holiday. A delight for all ages, Mrs. Claus’s Kitchen gives the audience a chance to “taste the magic” by getting “hands-on” in the kitchen of the world’s most famous workshop!
Suitable for families with children aged 5 and up.
Don’t miss this new holiday classic! Tickets are on sale now!
Tickets can be purchased online at www.phtheatre.org, by phone at 604-990-3474 or in person at Presentation House Theatre.
Sylvie Michaud is a neighbourhood mom, craft artist, writer and, most recently, nursing student. Somehow, in the past two years, she found the time to team up with her mother, Monique Michaud, to produce three books for young ones, all featuring the Ringtail raccoon family. She sold them at Christmas craft markets, where the Ringtail clan received much fond feedback. The books are now available for free from Noisetrade publishers, and can be downloaded straight to your digital tablet for bedtime reading!
We caught up with Sylvie this week to ask her about the story behind the stories.
What inspired the Ringtail books?
Before my son was born my husband and I had very little experience with children and babies, so when my son came into this world shouting at the top of his lungs and refusing to be out of our arms, we were a bit panicked, to put it mildly. My pre-birth visions had been of a peacefully sleeping baby rocking in a bassinet, while I blissfully looked on. And while I felt more love for this little being than for anything in my life, I definitely needed to readjust my expectations of what motherhood was going to be like.The idea for the books came to me, seemingly, out of the blue about the time my son was six years old. I had not been actively thinking about writing a series of children’s books, but what had been percolating in the back of my mind for many years was the desire to create something that helped parents feel more connected to what it means to be a parent.
I headed to the library to scour books about what to do and got the overwhelming sense that I was “spoiling” Luke by picking him up when he cried and having a “family bed”, but after a couple “sleep therapy” sessions of letting him cry it out alone, I knew I had to do it my own way.
My son is an empathetic, kind, active, and social. He looks to his parents, not his peers, for support and guidance. He is not spoiled, dependent or a “mama’s boy” like the books warned.
It made me wonder how many other parents had listened to advice that didn’t feel right and not listened to their gut instincts. I wanted to help them by returning to some basics.
Tell us about collaborating on the books with your mother….
My mother is an amazing woman. She’s never been one to never let a little fact like she’s never done something before get in her way. She has also been an artist her whole life. When I had the idea for writing the stories I asked her if she would like to illustrate them and she jumped right on it. She was great to work with and kept me focused on getting it finished when I was distracted by other projects on the go. Which I have a habit of doing.
What kind of feedback have you received on the Ringtail books?
My mother and I originally were selling the books at Christmas craft fairs and I think that really gave me the sense that I was touching people deeply with the stories. I had several people cry at our booth after reading one of the stories because they felt so moved.
I couldn’t ask for better feedback than that because my purpose in writing the stories was to help parents and children connect on a deeper level about what I felt were the important aspects of parenting. I also had many grandparents buy the books for their own children to read to their children. I also remember one time I was reading to a group of preschoolers and they just kept wanting me to read them over and over. That was so sweet.
What has been the most satisfying aspect of the project? How about the most challenging?
The most satisfying aspect has been the feedback I’ve received from parents and grandparents about the books. It feels so good to know that I’ve perhaps helped a parent and child to connect at a deeper level. As well, when I look at the books, I remember how my mother and I worked together so it brings back good memories. It’s just such a neat thing to share.
The most challenging is getting the word out. While I love to write, that doesn’t necessarily make me comfortable with promoting myself. I definitely am not a self-promoter!
What other writing or artsy projects have you been working on?
I’m currently in nursing school, so my artistic endeavours have taken a back seat, but that being said, I always seem to find a way to sneak some creative stuff into my school projects. For example, I wrote a short screenplay acting out a medical procedure for a group presentation and I wrote an informational brochure about stroke during another presentation.
Where can people find your work?
To read the three Ringtail stories, people can take advantage of an instant download at Noisetrade, or visit my publisher, Crafty Canuck and use the promo code LVLRINGTAIL at the check out for free downloads. I also sell some random zines and activity books on Etsy.
Any future projects you can tell us about?
My life is pretty much taken up trying to get through nursing school at the moment, but I’m sure that I will be back at writing projects when I have more time.
Tell us about your life in Lynn Valley!
I love Lynn Valley. My family moved here about five years ago and we felt welcomed and settled from the beginning. I was involved in starting up a hot lunch recycling program at Lynn Valley Elementary, but now that my son just started high school, I’ll have to find new areas to help in around the neighbourhood. One project that is always in the back of my mind is organizing an invasive weed pulling day in Pierard Park. Snacks included!
Remembrance Day events are growing in size all over Canada, as memories of past losses combine with sombre reflection about current conflict realities, risks and sacrifices.
The Lynn Valley service of remembrance has outgrown its earlier incarnation as a quiet ceremony at the cenotaph at Mountain Highway and Lynn Valley Road, and will this year be held in the Lynn Valley Village plaza on November 11 at 10:30 a.m. (In North Vancouver, services will also be held at Victoria Park and Cates Park, also beginning at 10:30.)
The Lynn Valley branch of the Royal Canadian Legion has put out a call for volunteer “poppy taggers” – those people who give out poppies by donation throughout the neighbourhood. Legion members could really use your help covering the many shifts that need covering in the days leading up to Remembrance Day, so if you can lend a hand, please call the Legion at 604-987-2050 as soon as possible. (Click here to learn where the $2,500,000 collected in BC/Yukon went last year!)
The Legion also welcomes the public to an open house following the ceremony, and donations of goodies would really help, too. Please drop baked goods or finger food at the Legion (1630 Lynn Valley Rd.) on the morning of the 11th.
And here’s some more Lynn Valley Legion news from one member, Matina, who asked us to pass along the following – it’s membership renewal time, and she especially wants you to know that you don’t have to be a veteran, or related to a veteran, to join!
Only $5 a month includes:
The best reasons to be a member?
For some more interesting information about the BC/Yukon Legion, click here!
We were glad to see what became of some of those pumpkins we saw leave the Lynn Valley field “Pumpkin Patch”! Thank you to everyone who entered our neighbourhood carving contest.
We couldn’t help but award the grand prize of a $25 Browns gift card to Pat Symons, football coach of the Pipers’ Junior Varsity team, for his carved pumpkin-football – and his carved pineapple-jack o’ lantern!
As for the kids’ entries below, we know you’ll agree that they are all great, and we can’t award just one entry. (Click on the photos to see a larger version!) So expect a visit from our sponsoring realtors in the days ahead – they will visit with a sweet treat for all of you!
Special thanks to those entries from Ms. Bonner’s class at Lynn Valley Elementary School.
