Vancouver Offers Many Gated Communities

Gated communities and home developments have become very popular in recent years and for good reasons, however there are some things that should be considered prior to making that big move. These communities can be found in numerous Vancouver Neighborhoods.

• Gated home communities such as Steamboat Landing offer advantages that traditional neighborhoods can’t offer like security, little or no through traffic problems, safer environment for children to play, and lower crime rates where the gates are actually guarded. In the cases where the gates do not have guards on duty, one car can simply follow another car through the gates when they open with no problem.

• On the down side, every time you have to call for a needed service like appliance repair, or cable outage, TV repair, you will have to let in the service truck and that can be annoying. The same is true when you order anything delivered to your home.

Property values hold up better and there seems to be more pride in ownership in gated communities however. Many gated communities have homeowner associations and additional fees to be paid, and certain restriction may apply. Many things to look into before making a decision on buying a home in any gated community

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What is more improtant? The House or the Vancouver Neighborhood

Sometimes when we decide that we are going to relocate,we look and look at a diverse selection of homes, in many different neighborhoods such as  Edgewood Park and find out that there are many choices, and narrowing down the choices can get complicated by the fact that many nice homes are available today in the Vancouver area.

There are many modern and updated older homes available in older neighborhoods, most of them somewhat smaller than the newer and more recently built homes in the newer neighborhoods or developments. The older homes tend to be larger and have all of the modern amenities, and some are sitting on much larger lots. The newer homes are much smaller in size, modern and sitting on much smaller pieces of land.

Making a decision on which type of property to purchase can be difficult and you must consider several things.

• If you are purchasing a home just for the resale value and the home you are interested in is in an older neighborhood with upper end values and you can get that home at a great price then it may be a great buy.
• Are the other homes in the same neighborhood similar and updated as the one you are interested in?
• Overall, is the neighborhood on the upswing or on the decline?
• Have you spent time in the neighborhood?
• Walked the sidewalks at evening and during the night hours to see what it like?
• Are there traffic problems and a lot of noise or party noise? What about crime rates?
• Are there children in the neighborhood?
• How are the lawns and yards maintained?
• Does the city maintain the streets well and keep it clean?
• Spend some time in the neighborhood and even talk to the people living there and ask questions and you will soon find out if you want to live there or not.

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“Green” Home Insulation Products

Nowhere is it as important to have good insulation as in cold winter ares such as in the Vancouver Neighborhoods. There are many factors to consider when purchasing insulation products for your home. Anything that saves energy gets high marks for environmental friendliness, right? To be sure, in an industry whose products have been both praised and litigated, the earth-friendliness of house insulation depends to some degree on whether you’re assessing what it’s made of or simply how it performs.

Some insulation products contain a high percentage of recycled material; others come in new formulations that remove or replace ingredients known to be environmentally harmful. There are natural products, like cotton, that get major points because they pose no risk to people with allergies or chemical sensitivities. The good news is there’s likely to be a product that meets your needs and budget.

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Wet or Soggy Basement=Possible Mold Problem

Something that should be  a major concern for both Home buyers or home sellers is Household Mold.  This is particularly true in areas that have a high volume of rain such as in the Vancouver Washington Neighborhoods. The American Society of Home Inspectors estimates that 60 % of U.S. homes that have basements, have wet basements and 38% of those homes run the risk of severe basement mold. Most often, the water comes from rainfall or melting snow.

A 1500 square foot roof sheds 1000 gallons of water for every inch of falling rain! There also could be rising groundwater which may be fed by an underground spring. Once the water starts accumulates around the foundation, it will start working its way inside through cracks, joints, and porous materials. Condensation can also add to the problem. It’s also possible that your gutters are not carrying water far enough away from the walls of the house. Whatever is causing the problem, and whether you call in a professional or try to solve it yourself, it needs to be taken care of as soon as possible. Obviously water and moisture can cause damage to the house and its contents and can cause a serious mold problem which can be a real health threat for your family.

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Central Park Homes: Basement Water Problems

Sometimes finding water or moisture in the basement can be traced to small cracks and splits in your driveway.  This is particularly true in older neighborhoods such as Vancouver’s  Central Park.

A seal-coat protects the driveway from the sun’s ultraviolet rays and helps prevent water from seeping through cracks, where it can contribute to freezing/thawing damage or undermining of the driveway, and keep the water and moisture from traveling down into your basement. The appearance of fine cracks in the driveway is a clue that it is time to apply a seal coat. The graying of a driveway’s surface is another indication the asphalt is drying out. Adding a protective coating to the driveway usually is only required about every 3 years or so. It is good insurance for helping to keep your basement dryer.

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