While Fall is already upon us and Thanksgiving is just around the corner, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite decorating ideas. Whether you’ll be celebrating the holiday in your new home, or staging it for potential Vancouver home buyers, we’ve got some simple yet stunning ways to add fall flair, courtesy of the experts.

Pumpkin Power

Cluster small pumpkins and gourds of various colour for impact: in the kitchen, on the front hall table or as Thanksgiving table centerpiece spilling out of a traditional cornucopia. For a twist, slice off the top and hollow out flat-bottomed, small pumpkins as vases. Place a block of wet floral foam in the bottom, then arrange fall blooms and berries into it. You can even add a battery-operated votive to the center for an illuminated touch. Another option is to cluster candleholders of varying heights and place small pumpkins or gourds on top in lieu of candles, perfect for your:

Harvest Mantel

If you’re in the selling phase, replacing those family pictures with a gorgeous fall display will easily take the ‘home out of your house’ and inspire a stylish welcome. Add vintage blackboards with inspirational Thanksgiving quotes among an arrangement of pumpkins and bouquets of dried wheat. “We’re thankful for this fabulous house…”

Go Seasonal

Layer corn kernels, nuts, green dried hops, and brown oak leaves in glass vases or clear candle holders. These ingredients are indicative of the season, and add a pop of colour to an arrangement of the traditional orange, gold and brown. Top off the layers with a rust or berry-coloured candle, and you’ve got a warm

Corn Husks

Who knew these veggie cast-off could be so pretty? Fashion rustic floral napkin rings by first cutting a spiral out of a soaked corn husk so that it has at least four rings. Roll it up, outside first, then let dry to form the rose shape. Secure with gel glue, then glue an additional circle to the base. This will attach to the ‘ring’: cut a rectangle out of another soaked corn husk and hot glue the ends together. Voila! Alternatively, for a tutorial on corn husk votive holders, see MarthaStewart.com.

Vintage Appeal

Repurposing the old is one way to be thankful for everything we have. Turn unused china into display trays by layering plates of descending size onto overturned tea cups. Wooden bowls make amazing centerpieces when filled with seasonal bounty such as pumpkins, pinecones, and flowering branches.

Feeling inspired? Pinterest.com is always a good place to start when searching out inventive new ideas to spruce up the home.

A few evenings ago, a good client of mine indicated that her search to buy a Vancouver home was (on advice of her friends and family) going to be put on hold until Spring 2017. She wants to wait until prices soften and then will buy in the Spring when prices bottom out! I chuckled to myself when i heard this reasoning and also of where the so called expert advice came from. I guess her friends and family know something I and the experts don't know.

I told her that no one knows which way the market is going to trend moving forward. That so-called crystal ball is something we all wish we had but instead we have to make decisions based on what our intuition tells us to do. We always say, “Buy and sell when it's right for you based on your personal circumstances. Forget trying to time the market. If you’re buying you should have a minimum 5-year horizon so short term swings in the market should not matter."

Since the recent market stats came out this week showing August sales off from July I have been inundated with calls from homeowners and potential buyers wanting my advice on what to do. I will start by a very simple analysis of general economic conditions here in the lower mainland stated in Layman terms. Nothing too complicated.

General Economic Conditions In The Lower Mainland

The overall economy here in BC and the lower mainland remains robust. We have low unemployment, and general business conditions are in great shape. You go downtown on most evenings and restaurants are busy. People are spending money. Interest rates are rock bottom and will likely stay down for quite some time. This is not 2008 when businesses were closing, banks were not lending and the economy came to a stand still.

Our real estate market has cooled and I think it has been caused by so much negative news media stating the market was either going to crash or cool down. When enough people hear this negative news the negativity feeds on itself and eventually changes the sentiment. The clincher that really cooled the market was the 15% tax to foreigners. This scared the entire market taking buyers off the streets and also causing many sellers to de-list their properties.

Here is what I am telling everyone and its just my opinion: 

If You're A Home Buyer In The Lower Mainland

If you are a Buyer and looking to step into the market this is a great time to buy. Buy now! This is the first time in maybe two years where you may not end up in a bidding war forced to make a subject free offer! This is finally a sane time to buy. Why would you wait on advice of your friends and parents to buy in the Spring! By Spring 2017 we may see market conditions swing again in the direction of a Seller’s market. When the market is out of favour its time to buy. Be a contrarian. With interest rates at record lows this is a real opportunity.

If You're A Home Seller In The Lower Mainland

If you are a Seller, I am advising those homeowners that have to sell to list in mid September. The rest should wait until the market stabilizes and market sentiment becomes more positive. It does not make sense to list your home when buyers are negative. A seller should stay on the sidelines until possibly late October or maybe even early 2017. Now, if you’re selling and then buying in the same market and location then its probably fine to go ahead and move forward sooner rather than later.

If you consider the big picture in Vancouver you like so many will feel that long term prices should stay at or near current levels. Vancouver is consistently regarded as of the most desirable cities to live in globally. Vancouver has one of the easiest climates to live in. Never too hot or too cold. Vancouver has limited land so we cannot have urban sprawl. The city is so called, landlocked. As more people migrate here the population increase will continue to put upward pressure on price. This new 15% tax to foreigners will cause some to buy elsewhere but for the super wealthy and there are many, this added cost will simply be the price to pay if you want to live in a great city. Safe, clean and far removed from the chaos of what is going on in so many other regions of the globe.

Just my opinion so we’ll see how this all plays out.