Why save all the hearts and flowers for just one day? Tell whomever you love that you do--and often. Love is what makes a house a home, after all! But if you’re keen to celebrate this February 14th and recently buy a house in Vancouver, we’ve compiled a list for those of you new to the Mt. Pleasant neighbourhood where to splurge on your favourite person (and yourself!).

Vancouver Harbour Cruise for Two

Cruise the harbour for a three-hour dinner and dance. Featuring a live DJ, cash bar and complimentary glass of champagne, Spirit Cruises’ annual Vancouver Valentine’s Day Cruise is a memorable way to spend the most romantic day of the year, gliding along the water with the twinkling city lights as a backdrop. Ship off at 6:30 on Valentine’s, get your tickets here.

Indulge in Vancouver’s Annual Hot Chocolate Festival

Toast to the day of love and friendship with a steaming mug of cocoa, devised by some of Vancouver’s best chefs especially for the Hot Chocolate Festival. February 14th marks the last day of this annual event; a must-do on the list for new residents. Indulge at Mt. Pleasant institution French Made Baking, then download the free walking map to check out the rest of the best.

Valentine’s for One at the Last Crumb Bakery

Get cozy at the Last Crumb Bakery. Nostalgic baked goods and savoury treats await at this Mt. Pleasant cafe, and everything is made fresh and in small batches with no preservatives. So you can feel good about eating out for 1, because you are your best first love! Treat yourself well.

Romantic Dinner for Two at Burdock and Co. in Mt. Pleasant

Enjoy an elegant, candle-lit dinner for two at one of Mt. Pleasant’s most delicious restaurants. A celebration of what makes the Canadian Pacific Northwest so special, Burdock and Co. offers up an artisanal feast of natural West Coast flavours, craft beers and local wines.

Where’s your favourite local spot to celebrate Valentine’s? Share with us on Facebook!

As Vancouver residents deal with one of the snowiest winters in decades, we’ve collected our favourite tips to keep your East Vancouver real estate protected from the unexpected wintery onslaught.

Shovel Early and Often

This is your #1 best bet to keeping your walkways, driveway, drains and landscaping safe and skid-free. As snow compacts, you’ll be facing ice that needs taking care of as well as slushy times ahead.

Slow Down It’s Slippery Out There!

Beware of slush! Whether you’re walking or driving around Mt. Pleasant and beyond, it has the potential to freeze so keep your front walk area free of this hazardous winter by-product. Same goes for Black Ice; this invisible peril is the result of snow melting as temperatures rise, then rapidly drop especially in shaded areas and as the sun goes down. Be aware, and go slow!

Clearing Snow Will Save your Cement

While the City of Vancouver is doing it’s best to clear roads and walkways, doing your part to keep your corner of the neighbourhood relatively snow-free is beneficial to everyone. Not only will you avoid a possible fine, but keeping walkways in front of your home and driveways clear will save the cement they’re made from. Ice can get into fine cracks and as it expands and melts, create craters in the material which will have to be filled in the Spring. So grab a shovel and enjoy the fresh air!

Salt Vs. Sand

Rock Salt lowers the freezing point of water and is traditionally used to keep snow from turning into ice. This mineral form of table salt is a relatively inexpensive and easy-to-get option. However, the salt residue can be harmful to your grass and shrubbery that line the drive and walkways. It can also eat away at concrete and steel over time, which isn’t good news in the long run for your driveway.

Sand on the other hand provides traction at any temperature without physically melting the ice. So if it gets buried by more snow, you’ll have to reapply this option more frequently. Be mindful when shoveling as the sand can clog drains which will be a problem later in the spring rainy season. Sandbox sand is your best bet for size of grain and availability.

Icicles and Ice Dams

Icicles may look lovely, but these frozen daggers pose a serious threat of injury as well as harm to your home. As it gets warmer out, they’ll start to melt and potentially break off; puncturing anything beneath them. They can also create ice dams which could lead to meltwater getting inside your home if there are any air leaks or inadequate insulation.

Share your best snow and ice coping methods with us on Facebook and from your Vancouver real estate experts: Be safe out there!

The 2017 Metro Vancouver real estate market opened at 10.3% below the 10-year sales average for January.

“From a real estate perspective, it’s a lukewarm start to the year compared to 2016,” said Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver president Dan Morrison. “While we saw near record-breaking sales at this time last year, home buyers and sellers are more reluctant to engage so far in 2017.”

1,523 residential properties sold last month, a 39.5% decrease from the 2,519 sales in January 2016 and a 11.1% decrease from the 1,714 sold in December 2016.

Property type is proving to be a key factor as townhome and condominiums continue to be active markets while detached homes are declining in popularity by about 7% since their peak last July.

An in-depth look at January 2017 Sales:

The 2017 Metro Vancouver real estate market opened at 10.3% below the 10-year sales average for January.

“From a real estate perspective, it’s a lukewarm start to the year compared to 2016,” said Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver president Dan Morrison. “While we saw near record-breaking sales at this time last year, home buyers and sellers are more reluctant to engage so far in 2017.”

1,523 residential properties sold last month, a 39.5% decrease from the 2,519 sales in January 2016 and a 11.1% decrease from the 1,714 sold in December 2016.

Property type is proving to be a key factor as townhome and condominiums continue to be active markets while detached homes are declining in popularity by about 7% since their peak last July.

An in-depth look at January 2017 Sales:

New Listings (detached, attached, and apartment): 4,140
6.8% decrease from January 2016
215.5% increase from December 2016

Total Active listings on MLS®: 7,238
9.1% increase from January 2016
14.1% increase from December 2016

Sales-to-Active Listings Ratio: 21%

Benchmark price for all residential properties: $896,000
0.2% decrease from December 2016

Benchmark price for a detached property is $1,474,800
6.6% decline over the past 6 months
0.6% decrease from December 2016

Detached property sales totaled 444
57.6% decrease from January 2016

Benchmark price for an apartment property is $512,300
0.3% increase over the past 6 month
0.4% increase from December 2016

Apartment property sales totaled 825
24.7% decrease from January 2016

Benchmark price for an attached unit is $666,500
0.4% decrease over the past 6 months
0.7% increase from December 2016

Attached property sales totaled 254
32.4% decrease from January 2016

For a complete comparison, visitrebgv.org. Want to sell, buy, or require a consultation? Contact us today!

*REBGV Editor’s Note:  Areas covered by the 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, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, and South Delta.

Current as of February 02, 2017. All data from the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver. Report © 2016 ShowingTime. Percent changes are calculated using rounded figures.