The housing market in British Columbia is heating up this spring, and there are four hubs where the action is hot. If you're selling or buying, here are the best places in the lower mainland to purchase real estate.

Vancouver & East Vancouver

The Vancouver market is always hot, but this spring it is going to get hotter. Vancouver's mild temperatures and high rating as one of the cleanest cities in the world is something that attracts buyers to the market. It is also one of the most stunning cities across the globe and is highly livable. There are countless activities to do in Vancouver: outdoor, cultural, and shopping. Vancouver also sports world-class education. It is no wonder that this diverse marketplace is heating up in spring.

East Vancouver is the hottest market in Vancouver. It is more affordable than Vancouver proper and its sports interesting real estate. Buying in this area is alluring due to these factors alone. Other reasons East Vancouver is so popular with those looking to buy is because of its stunning heritage buildings, which feature New York style lofts. East Vancouver has also been dubbed "foodie heaven" with incredible eats that range from less than casual to fine dining. Buying in East Vancouver is not only an investment but a lifestyle.

Surrey & South Surrey

Another area that is coming in hot this spring is Surrey, to the south-east of Vancouver. Surrey is a part of the Metro Vancouver regional district, and in good traffic, it can take around 45 minutes to get to downtown Vancouver - and around half an hour by transit. Surrey is a family-oriented city, and one reason it is so popular is that it has many new developments. By 2020 Surrey will likely be the most populated city in the Metro Vancouver area. Growth blooms opportunity, and Surrey is growing.

South Surrey, White Rock is also heating up. Within reasonable commuting distance from Vancouver, White Rock is right at the Canada/USA border and this makes it a very appealing place to live. White Rock is the closest city where Highway 99 connects to the Amerian Interstate 5. This means that those who like in White Rock have the shortest drive time when road tripping to the states, whether they are heading down to Seattle or just popping over for a day of shopping.

Richmond & East Richmond

Richmond, directly south of Vancouver, has a hot market in its eastmost district. East Richmond is closest to Highway 91. Richmond also features a total of 1,900 acres of beautiful public parkland, over 70 km of trails, and 60 km of road cycling paths. Richmond is also home to the Britannia Heritage Shipyard Park, which is an 8.14-acre national historic site. For anyone who enjoys outdoor recreation, Richmond is the perfect place to make their home.

Coquitlam

To the east of Vancouver is the city of Coquitlam. While it is may be a bit cooler than Vancouver, Surrey, and Richmond, this 140,000 person city is by no means cold. More out of the way than other areas near Vancouver, this city is surrounded by parks, including Eagle Mountain and Pinecone Burke Provincial Park, but those who live there do not suffer from any loss of modernity of style. It is also home to the Douglas College campus and hosts a massive trainyard that connects BC to the rest of Canada. It is a dynamic city. Coquitlam is also more affordable than some of its Metro Vancouver counterparts.

British Columbia is heating up this spring, and we at Gurdial Badh Group want to help you find the property - in the location - that suits you best.

You finally got your dream scenario; you have a job that you love, and you can now work from home! Working from home does have a lot of perks including no long commute across the city, you have a higher work-life balance, coffee whenever you want, and you can wear pajamas while you work (as long as you won’t be doing any video conferences)!

Setting up your personal home office space is also a big perk because you can design it however you want and you aren’t limited to a small cubicle. Sometimes, people design their home offices with things they like, but they aren’t aware that they will be a big distraction later on.  If you've purchased a home, or are looking to have a home evaluation to build you perfect office - here are six tips to keep in mind!

Design with Comfort in Mind

The two crucial parts of your home office that you need to be comfortable is your chair and desk. Having a fancy upholstered dining room chair may look awesome, but sitting on it for eight hours a day will be a pain. These chairs don’t give you proper back support and will make you feel very uncomfortable after a few days, which will affect your work output. The other part of your home office you should make comfortable is your desk. Make sure you find a desk that has a lot of space (including drawers) to keep your papers and work supplies in order.

If you will be painting your home office, try to avoid super bright colours. Staring at a bright colour after looking at your computer screen for a long time could get annoying and cause headaches throughout the day.

Lighting is key

When people design their home offices, they usually overlook how they will light their room and will end up relying on their overhead lights. Try to set up your home office where the sun is your main source of light. Open your blinds and let the sun shine in! On gloomy or dark days, use a desk lamp to create a nice glow for your work area.

Personalize your space

You have a whole room to decorate with whatever you want! Put up some posters of your favourite show/movie/sports team, put pictures of family and friends on your desk, print out comics that you find amusing and put them on the wall, and buy some plants to place around your office. Looking after the plants will give you something to do while you are on a break or if there is a lull in work.

Have fun with storage

Avoid the typical filing cabinet with a printer on top of it. They aren’t fun to use or look at. Get creative with how you store your papers and office supplies. Put your printer in a closet so you don’t have to look at it until you use it. It will also prompt you to get up and walk around to keep your blood flowing. To avoid filing cabinets, get some open concept shelves and colour coordinated binders to put your papers in.

Create a “break area”

Having a comfortable break area is almost as important as having a comfortable office space. Having a comfortable break area will help you recharge faster to tackle your work in the final hours of the day. If you can’t designate a separate room in your home as your break room, dedicate a space in your home office to have one. Get a mini fridge filled with snacks and drinks, add a bean bag chair to sit on, then just sit back and relax while you are on your break!

Have more office supplies than you need

When you work at a traditional office, there always seems to be an unlimited amount of pens, paper, and staples that you can use at any time. When you work from home you start to see that these office supplies run out over time and it becomes time consuming always running to the store to pick up what you need. When you are at the store, buy an overstock of everything you use to ensure you have the item(s) you need. For all of your home puchasing needs, contact our team here!