1 Bedroom Condo in Complex with Pool, Sauna & More

Can Your Kitchen Pass the Food Safety Test? What comes to mind when you think of a clean kitchen? Shiny waxed floors? Gleaming stainless steel sinks? Spotless counters and neatly arranged cupboards? They can help, but a truly "clean" kitchen--that is, one that ensures safe food--relies on more than just looks. It also depends on safe food practices. In the home, food safety concerns revolve around three main functions: food storage, food handling, and cooking. To see how well you're doing in each, take this quiz, and then read on to learn how you can make the meals and snacks from your kitchen the safest possible. Quiz Choose the answer that best describes the practice in your household, whether or not you are the primary food handler. 1. The temperature of the refrigerator in my home is: a. 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) b. 41 F (5 C) c. I don't know; I've never measured it.   2. The last time we had leftover cooked stew or other food with meat, chicken or fish, the food was: a. cooled to room temperature, then put in the refrigerator b. put in the refrigerator immediately after the food was served c. left at room temperature overnight or longer   3. The last time the kitchen sink drain, disposal and connecting pipe in my home were sanitized was: a. last night b. several weeks ago c. can't remember   4. If a cutting board is used in my home to cut raw meat, poultry or fish and it is going to be used to chop another food, the board is: a. reused as is b. wiped with a damp cloth c. washed with soap and hot water d. washed with soap and hot water and then sanitized   5. The last time we had hamburgers in my home, I ate mine: a. rare b. medium c. well-done   6. The last time there was cookie dough in my home, the dough was: a. made with raw eggs, and I sampled some of it b. store-bought, and I sampled some of it c. not sampled until baked   7. I clean my kitchen counters and other surfaces that come in contact with food with: a. water b. hot water and soap c. hot water and soap, then bleach solution d. hot water and soap, then commercial sanitizing agent   8. When dishes are washed in my home, they are: a. cleaned by an automatic dishwasher and then air-dried b. left to soak in the sink for several hours and then washed with soap in the same water c. washed right away with hot water and soap in the sink and then air-dried d. washed right away with hot water and soap in the sink and immediately towel-dried   9. The last time I handled raw meat, poultry or fish, I cleaned my hands afterwards by: a. wiping them on a towel b. rinsing them under hot, cold or warm tap water c. washing with soap and warm water   10. Meat, poultry and fish products are defrosted in my home by: a. setting them on the counter b. placing them in the refrigerator c. microwaving   11. When I buy fresh seafood, I:  a. buy only fish that's refrigerated or well iced b. take it home immediately and put it in the refrigerator c. sometimes buy it straight out of a local fisher's creel   12. I realize people, including myself, should be especially careful about not eating raw seafood, if they have: a. diabetes b. HIV infection c. cancer d. liver disease -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Answers 1. Refrigerators should stay at 41 F (5 C) or less, so if you chose answer B, give yourself two points. If you didn't, you're not alone. Many people overlook the importance of maintaining an appropriate refrigerator temperature. The refrigerator temperature in many households is above 50 degrees (10 C). Measure the temperature with a thermometer and, if needed, adjust the refrigerator's temperature control dial. A temperature of 41 F (5 C) or less is important because it slows the growth of most bacteria. The temperature won't kill the bacteria, but it will keep them from multiplying, and the fewer there are, the less likely you are to get sick from them. Freezing at zero F (minus 18 C) or less stops bacterial growth (although it won't kill all bacteria already present). 2. Answer B is the best practice; give yourself two points if you picked it. Hot foods should be refrigerated as soon as possible within two hours after cooking. But don't keep the food if it's been standing out for more than two hours. Don't taste test it, either. Even a small amount of contaminated food can cause illness. Date leftovers so they can be used within a safe time. Generally, they remain safe when refrigerated for three to five days. If in doubt, throw it out. 3. If answer A best describes your household's practice, give yourself two points. Give yourself one point if you chose B. The kitchen sink drain, disposal and connecting pipe are often overlooked, but they should be sanitized periodically by pouring down the sink a solution of 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) of chlorine bleach in 1 quart (about 1 liter) of water or a solution of commercial kitchen cleaning agent made according to product directions. Food particles get trapped in the drain and disposal and, along with the moistness, create an ideal environment for bacterial growth. 4. If answer D best describes your household's practice, give yourself two points. If you picked A, you're violating an important food safety rule: Never allow raw meat, poultry and fish to come in contact with other foods. Answer B isn't good, either. Improper washing, such as with a damp cloth, will not remove bacteria. And washing only with soap and water may not do the job, either. 5. Give yourself two points if you picked answer C. If you don't have a meat thermometer, there are other ways to determine whether seafood is done: For fish, slip the point of a sharp knife into the flesh and pull aside. The edges should be opaque and the center slightly translucent with flakes beginning to separate. Let the fish stand three to four minutes to finish cooking. For shrimp, lobster and scallops, check color. Shrimp and lobster and scallops, red and the flesh becomes pearly opaque. Scallops turn milky white or opaque and firm. For clams, mussels and oysters, watch for the point at which their shells open. Boil three to five minutes longer. Throw out those that stay closed. When using the microwave, rotate the dish several times to ensure even cooking. Follow recommended standing times. After the standing time is completed, check the seafood in several spots with a meat thermometer to be sure the product has reached the proper temperature. 6. If you answered A, you may be putting yourself at risk for infection with Salmonella enteritidis, a bacterium that can be in shell eggs. Cooking the egg or egg-containing food product to an internal temperature of at least 145 F (63 C) kills the bacteria. So answer C--eating the baked product--will earn you two points. You'll get two points for answer B, also. Foods containing raw eggs, such as homemade ice cream, cake batter, mayonnaise, and eggnog, carry a Salmonella risk, but their commercial counterparts don't. Commercial products are made with pasteurized eggs; that is, eggs that have been heated sufficiently to kill bacteria, and also may contain an acidifying agent that kills the bacteria. Commercial preparations of cookie dough are not a food hazard. If you want to sample homemade dough or batter or eat other foods with raw-egg-containing products, consider substituting pasteurized eggs for raw eggs. Pasteurized eggs are usually sold in the grocer's refrigerated dairy case. Some other tips to ensure egg safety: Buy only refrigerated eggs, and keep them refrigerated until you are ready to cook and serve them. Cook eggs thoroughly until both the yolk and white are firm, not runny, and scramble until there is no visible liquid egg. Cook pasta dishes and stuffings that contain eggs thoroughly. 7. Answers C or D will earn you two points each; answer B, one point. According to FDA's Guzewich, bleach and commercial kitchen cleaning agents are the best sanitizers--provided they're diluted according to product directions. They're the most effective at getting rid of bacteria. Hot water and soap does a good job, too, but may not kill all strains of bacteria. Water may get rid of visible dirt, but not bacteria. Also, be sure to keep dishcloths and sponges clean because, when wet, these materials harbor bacteria and may promote their growth. 8. Answers A and C are worth two points each. There are potential problems with B and D. When you let dishes sit in water for a long time, it "creates a soup," FDA's Buchanan said. "The food left on the dish contributes nutrients for bacteria, so the bacteria will multiply." When washing dishes by hand, he said, it's best to wash them all within two hours. Also, it's best to air-dry them so you don't handle them while they're wet. 9. The only correct practice is answer C. Give yourself two points if you picked it. Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food, especially raw meat, poultry and fish. If you have an infection or cut on your hands, wear rubber or plastic gloves. Wash gloved hands just as often as bare hands because the gloves can pick up bacteria. (However, when washing gloved hands, you don't need to take off your gloves and wash your bare hands, too.) 10. Give yourself two points if you picked B or C. Food safety experts recommend thawing foods in the refrigerator or the microwave oven or putting the package in a water-tight plastic bag submerged in cold water and changing the water every 30 minutes. Gradual defrosting overnight is best because it helps maintain quality. When microwaving, follow package directions. Leave about 2 inches (about 5 centimeters) between the food and the inside surface of the microwave to allow heat to circulate. Smaller items will defrost more evenly than larger pieces of food. Foods defrosted in the microwave oven should be cooked immediately after thawing. Do not thaw meat, poultry and fish products on the counter or in the sink without cold water; bacteria can multiply rapidly at room temperature. Marinate food in the refrigerator, not on the counter. Discard the marinade after use because it contains raw juices, which may harbor bacteria. If you want to use the marinade as a dip or sauce, reserve a portion before adding raw food. 11. A and B are correct. Give yourself two points for either. When buying fresh seafood, buy only from reputable dealers who keep their products refrigerated or properly iced. Be wary, for example, of vendors selling fish out of their creel (canvas bag) or out of the back of their truck. Once you buy the seafood, immediately put it on ice, in the refrigerator or in the freezer. Some other tips for choosing safe seafood: Don't buy cooked seafood, such as shrimp, crabs or smoked fish, if displayed in the same case as raw fish. Cross-contamination can occur. Or, at least, make sure the raw fish is on a level lower than the cooked fish so that the raw fish juices don't flow onto the cooked items and contaminate them. Don't buy frozen seafood if the packages are open, torn or crushed on the edges. Avoid packages that are above the frost line in the store's freezer. If the package cover is transparent, look for signs of frost or ice crystals. This could mean that the fish has either been stored for a long time or thawed and refrozen. Recreational fishers who plan to eat their catch should follow local government advisories about fishing areas and eating fish from certain areas. As with meat and poultry, if seafood will be used within two days after purchase, store it in the coldest part of the refrigerator, usually under the freezer compartment or in a special "meat keeper." Avoid packing it in tightly with other items; allow air to circulate freely around the package. Otherwise, wrap the food tightly in moisture-proof freezer paper or foil to protect it from air leaks and store in the freezer. Discard shellfish, such as lobsters, crabs, oysters, clams and mussels, if they die during storage or if their shells crack or break. Live shellfish close up whe the shell is tapped. 12. If you are under treatment for any of these diseases, as well as several others, you should avoid raw seafood. Give yourself two points for knowing one or more of the risky conditions. People with certain diseases and conditions need to be especially careful because their diseases or the medicine they take may put them at risk for serious illness or death from contaminated seafood. These conditions include: liver disease, either from excessive alcohol use, viral hepatitis, or other causes hemochromatosis, an iron disorder diabetes stomach problems, including previous stomach surgery and low stomach acid (for example, from antacid use) cancer immune disorders, including HIV infection long-term steroid use, as for asthma and arthritis Older adults also may be at increased risk because they more often have these conditions. People with these diseases or conditions should never eat raw seafood -- only seafood that has been thoroughly cooked. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rating Your Home's Food Practices 24 points: Feel confident about the safety of foods served in your home. 12 to 23 points: Reexamine food safety practices in your home. Some key rules are being violated. 11 points or below: Take steps immediately to correct food handling, storage and cooking techniques used in your home. Current practices are putting you and other members of your household in danger of food-borne illness.

Just Listed and Priced to SELL Fast! Gain Full Access to all RECENT BankForeclosures & Distress Sales!

Subject: Just Listed and Priced to SELL Fast! Gain Full Access to all RECENT BankForeclosures & Distress Sales!

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	JUST LISTED!! & PRICED TO SELL FAST!!!!
	Hello Everyone In this email, I wanted to talk about what Island House Sellers promises and Guarantees when you are dealing with our team when it comes to listing your home. * We don't just list homes - that is what discount brokers do. *  We specialize in selling properties - not listing them and hoping they sell. *  We have hundreds of motivated buyers calling us each month, thousands in our database looking for a home now and a City Wide Buyer Agents Network exceeding 1000 real estate professionals. Roomy Townhome in Quiet, Central Location.                     $329,900 This Spacious 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom end unit offers elegant, open concept living with laminate flooring, Bay windows, cozy gas fireplace and a guest bedroom on the main. The kitchen has lots of cupboard space and opens onto the dining area. The roomy Master features a walk-in closet and cheater ensuite. Crawl space and upstairs walk-in closet provide plenty of storage. Newer roof and gutters, double garage and private patio. Well-maintained 'Fairway Oaks' complex has 2 acres of common land currently used for paid RV parking. Depreciation report available. Centrally located on a quiet street, this townhome is close to golfing, shopping, recreational facilities and all amenities. FREE ACCESS TO BANK FORECLOSURES AND DISTRESS SALES Distress Sales resulting from bank foreclosures often represent a great way to get a fantastic deal on a home. It's not easy for the average homeowner to find these deals, because you have to keep scouring the paper to see when one comes up. If you're the type of person who recognizes what a great deal some of these properties could represent, you will be interested to know about a new free computerized service which automatically searches out and downloads a current list of all such properties day in and day out. When you receive this free, no obligation service, you're automatically plugged in to the most current list of Foreclosure Properties on the market, in the price range and area that interests you. This FREE service every week will save you a lot of research and running around.
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Hello 

As fall officially starts this weekend, volatility remains … The US Federal Reserve did not follow through on its planned tapering of bond purchases this month. Markets had priced in the $40 Billion / month reduction and interest rates had risen on the expectation of tapering. We are now seeing bond yields fall. Yesterday’s drop was 0.15%!

Rising rates have leveled for now. If bond yields continue to fall, we expect to see long term interest rates start to fall again! As mentioned in my previous posts, the factors of middle east tensions, higher energy prices, and uncertainty around US debt ceiling talks next month have given the US Fed pause in tapering this month. If all goes well, we may see tapering start at the end October. If not, it will likely occur in early 2014. Why the US did not taper - http://bit.ly/1aLvlLF

With the recent surge of buyers jumping in to capitalize on 5 year mortgages at less than 3%, Minister Flaherty has threatened more tightening if house prices and debt levels continue to rise. The obvious concern is one of stability. Canada remains the only jurisdiction where the housing market did not collapse as part of the Global Financial Crisis. With elevated debt levels, the government remains concerned about debt being taken at record low rates. They fear the burden of payment shock will be too much for consumers when rates normalize -http://bit.ly/156wLRU

EDMONTON - If I’ve read one story about a possible U.S.-style housing bust in Canada, I’ve read a hundred.

Indeed, the Toronto-centric national media, whose world view apparently extends from the Don Valley Parkway to Highway 427, seem absolutely obsessed by the topic. Barely a week goes by without another breathless warning from some Toronto economist, columnist or TV news anchor about a looming price collapse.

It’s complete nonsense, in my opinion. For starters, there is no national housing market. Prices vary wildly from place to place, and always will. So while Toronto or Vancouver look pricey, many other cities — including Edmonton— simply don’t.

Of course, I’m just a newspaper scribbler. But when one of the world’s top economic forecasters says the gloom and doom crowd is out to lunch, well, that’s not as easy to dismiss.

Stefane Marion, chief economist and strategist at Montreal-based National Bank, was recently ranked among the top 20 forecasters in the world by U.S.-based Bloomberg Markets magazine. He’s the only Canadian to make that prestigious list.

In Marion’s view, those who insist that Canada’s house prices are “bubbly” — as Britian’s Economist magazine recently argued, and as The Globe and Mail dutifully reported — simply don’t understand what drives housing in the first place.

It’s simple demographics, he says. Canada’s population grew by 1.2 per cent in 2012, versus just 0.8 per cent in the U.S., and 0.2 per cent in the eurozone. Japan’s population, on the other hand, has shrunk for six straight years.

The big reason? Immigration. Newcomers accounted for fully 60 per cent of Canada’s population growth last year, he says, far more than the U.S. or Europe.

What’s more, 55 per cent of those newcomers are between the ages of 20 and 44, when many are launching careers, getting married, starting families, and yes, buying new homes.

Japan is at the opposite end of the spectrum. Its aging population, low birth rate and aversion to immigration curbs demand for housing. Yet the same Economist article that slammed Canada’s housing market as bubbly argues that Japan’s house prices are “undeservedly flat,” Marion says.

“If you don’t have household formation where are your home prices going to go? That’s the key right there. That’s where Canada really, really is different from other countries,” he says, notably in high-growth provinces like Alberta.

“It does explain why the new housing market or home resale market in Alberta seems to be so tight all the time. This is key. Household formation is just surging,” he says. “So it fascinates me that we have economists coming out and taking a shot at Canada and not taking that into account.”

That was one of several key insights Marion offered to local bank clients and advisers at a packed luncheon that was organized by Angus Watt, managing director, individual investor services at National Bank Financial.

Marion’s generally upbeat outlook for the Canadian and Alberta economies jives with the positive tone of Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz’s latest comments.

“We are now close to the tipping point from improving confidence into expanding capacity,” Poloz told a Vancouver Board of Trade audience on Wednesday.

Looking ahead, Marion says he expects those demographic trends to continue over the next five years. In the key 20-to-44-year age cohort, he expects India to lead all nations in population growth, at seven percent, followed by Canada, at four per cent. On the flip side, countries like Germany, France, Italy, Russia, China and Japan will show marked declines.

“Alberta would be just behind India, at six per cent. So that shows you how potent this growth is for Alberta. Alberta actually has the dynamics or properties you’d normally see in emerging economies.”

Turning to the oil markets, Marion says despite declining U.S. consumption, falling imports and soaring production — up an astounding 47 per cent in the U.S. since 2006 — Canada’s exports south of the border remain strong.

The biggest loser? OPEC, whose share of U.S. imports has declined from 55 per cent in 2008 to just 46 per cent last year, he says.

“By next year the U.S. will produce as much crude as it did in the 1980s, so we have to cope with this energy revolution in the U.S. . . . but Canada is shipping as much oil and petroleum products to the U.S. as all of OPEC put together. I never thought this would happen anytime soon, so that’s a big, big deal.”

As for TransCanada’s proposed $12 billion Energy East oil pipeline, which would carry Alberta bitumen to refineries in Quebec and New Brunswick, Marion says the potential economic upside for Canada is big, since it would displace higher-priced Brent crude imports from unstable countries like Algeria, Kazakhstan and Angola.

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Hi there

This is Eric from Client Development here at Island House Sellers with Remax Camosun.  I just wanted to share this article with you after receiving several requests about our BUY A HOME WITH LITTLE OR ZERO DOWN campaign. Many realtor's and mortgage brokers have probably told you that you need a hefty down payment to purchase a home; well I'm sharing this information with you on clients that have successfully purchased a home with NO MONEY DOWN!

You see, our team focuses on solutions and therefore we work with the best mortgage brokers in the industry. Our promise to you is to ensure you get the best deal that’s right for you!

How I Bought My First Home With No Money Down

As first time homebuyers my husband and I were a bit skeptical when we were told we could easily afford a new home with no money for a down payment. Our first thought was that we would suffer the consequences with a high interest rate or some other fine print nonsense that we wouldn't find out about until months after moving in. Despite our skepticism we comfortably bought a new house and seven months later are still finding the whole process to have been unbelievably simple and uncomplicated. There were just a few simple steps we took to ensure that we did the right thing before we signed ourselves away.

The first and most important step we took was deciding to find a good real estate broker that not only knew the facts about buying a home but was trustworthy. We got ours through a friend, but if you don't know anyone the best thing to do is shop around. The worst thing you could do is go to one real estate office and believe everything you are told, especially if they know you are a first time buyer and sense that you have no clue what you are talking about. Our first experience came about when our annual rent increase was about to occur and I spotted an advertisement in the local real estate book.

I had been dreaming for months of my new home, browsing through hundreds of ads in those little real estate magazines you pick up at the supermarket. Owning a home had seemed impossible since we couldn't seem to save enough money for a down payment. Yet I knew our high rent was equal to or even more than a mortgage payment. While looking through one of the magazines I stumbled across an ad that stated things like "absolutely no money down" and "anyone can own their own home". So I figured why not check it out? We called and scheduled an appointment with the organization for the following week.

Once we arrived the woman who greeted us was cheerful and happy to help us out. She had us fill out paperwork and ran our credit. She said our credit was great and we would have no problems buying a house. This was the first red flag for us. We were already well aware of our credit score having previously requested our credit reports from the three main credit agencies -  Equifax and Trans Union, so we knew she was lying. Asking her for the score and having it be 100 points higher than reality was another clue. Being aware of your credit but not letting on that you know your score is one good way to test the integrity of the agency you are dealing with. It also helps to empower you in the process and allows you to be aware of what to expect.

After we met another agent who was the friend of a friend, we knew we had our guy. He immediately acknowledged that although our credit wasn't great he was certain he could help us out. He was upfront and honest about the home buying process and explained many laws to us. When we told him about our first experience he told us that many agencies use a "beefed up" system to boost the confidence of potential buyers. What determined our success was choosing to buy house that wasn't going to put us above our predetermined set amount for a monthly mortgage. We gave him a monthly number and he gave us a price range of homes we could start looking at.

After we found the house we wanted to buy our agent set us up with a mortgage broker who came up with three different options that met our monthly allowance. Due to our not-so-great credit score we would have to "buy points" to lower our percentage rate or suffer with a higher rate. After all was said and done, the fees were adding up to almost $10,000. We barely had half that amount so we worked it out with the homeowners to include the fees in the cost, raising the purchase price by $10,000 and adding the fees into our monthly mortgage.

If you know you are not going to have the money for a down payment or the fees, the best thing to do is look for a home $10,000 less than what you can afford. This way your monthly mortgage will still still be what you originally planned for. In fact, the fees turned out to be a little less than what we figured and we actually got a check at the closing! Not only did we not have to put any money down, but we received money when we bought our home!

It is also important to get a fixed rate mortgage so that your rate never increases. We wanted a fixed rate but needed to work something out so that we could afford the plan. Our mortgage broker was honest and spent a few weeks finding just the right plan for us. The fact that he took the time actually made us trust him more, as opposed to if he had just told us, "no problem" up front. Be wary of anyone who dismisses all of your concerns since they may not be thinking about what you are saying and just giving you a standard pacifying answer. Any agent or broker who never says, "I'm not sure" or "I'll have to get back to you on that one" either knows everything or may be lying.

Knowing this purchase would be our first home and likely be resold in the future, we opted for a 10 year interest only plan which got us the fixed rate. With this plan we would pay interest only for 10 years, but the rate would stay at the low rate of 5.4%, which we paid a few thousand dollars to get. In the end it was worth adding into the cost of the home to ensure we'd have a low rate that would never change.

Overall, the most important two things we did were become knowledgeable about our own credit as well as find someone we trusted as both a real estate agent and mortgage broker. Trust your intuition shop around as much as possible until you find the right person. Learn about your credit history and the laws involving home buying. Scour the web and read articles like this one written by real homeowners. Ask friends and family to share with you what they think they did wrong in their own home buying process or what they would change if they could.

Most importantly, crunch your numbers and know exactly what you are able to afford before you set out in the process. Going over your monthly limit can not only cause stress and problems in your household, but may cause you to lose the house. Odds are if you are paying rent and don't have money to save for a down payment, then you can't afford a mortgage that is more than your current monthly rent. Be realistic and remember to have fun in the process. Buying your first home can be a little frightening but if you make the right choices it can also be a very rewarding experience.

I hope that this article helped you and I look forward to hearing from you!

please click here and fill out the form with your information and I will personally contact you and explain how this great program works!

 buyer and seller must agree on price and closing date**