Thinking of Moving to BC? Which City Matches Your Personality?

Marci • May 12, 2015

Have you made the life-altering decision to move to British Columbia?

Are you considering relocating to Vancouver and becoming part of the great expat community? The Northwest will not let you down. It really has something to offer everyone, set against a constant backdrop of natural beauty.

Which British Columbian city is the one for you? Here we match up personality types with cities! Enjoy!

The Athlete

Do you enjoy riding the natural endorphin high? For a sports enthusiast, the Whistler area is your best match. This Olympic co-host provides state-of-the-art skiing and snowboarding opportunities with over 200 marked trails leading you down the mountain. Blackcomb Peak, another top-notch skiing mountain, can also be found in the area.
Don’t feel the need to be at the top of the mountain at 9:00? Sleep in and take a relaxed snowshoe stroll or cozy up to the family in a horse-drawn carriage. Thus, Whistler fulfills the needs for snow athletes and their families!

The Outdoorsy Type

Surf’s up, dudes. Head to the western side of Vancouver Island if you need some time with the waves. Tofino is quite the place, it even has a taco shack. This is also an ideal area for kayakers, hikers, and cyclists alike. For energetic nature lovers, this is a must-experience or even a must-live in region.

The Golfer/ Wannabe Painter

If laidback sports are your thing, Kamloops offers great golfing prospects. Golf courses abound. There are also many opportunities to hike, mountain bike and camp if you’re up for a more challenging pastime. Furthermore, if you do decide to take on some water sports, lakes and rivers provide excellent opportunities for fishing, canoeing, kayaking, tubing, and rafting.
Kamloops also hosts many music and theatre festivals, to satisfy its large arts community.

The Student

In Victoria and Kelowna, a significant part of the population consists of students. If you are hitting the books, you’ll feel at home, and you’ll be able to find others who feel your pain when it comes to exam time. For those considering Victoria, you will enjoy the aesthetic perks of living in a historic waterfront capital with artsy areas, cosmopolitan architecture, and plenty of shopping opportunities. Those calling Kelowna home, however, may just become wine experts, being surrounded by wineries.

The Explorer of Cultures

If you dig the multicultural vibe, try Richmond, with 60% of its population being of Asian descent. Shopping and dining in the Golden Village provide some of the most authentic experiences that you will come across outside of Asia. This city is only 25 minutes from downtown Vancouver and has further international connections through Vancouver International Airport, located in Richmond.

The Tranquility-Seeker

Craving a quaint living environment with the perks of a large city? Steveston is the place for you. This seaside fishing village provides a peaceful atmosphere, historic buildings, and all the fresh seafood dining you could ever dream of.

The Beach Babe

The 180-km long Sunshine Coast provides an island-like atmosphere. With the scenery combining forests with beaches, and mountains with ocean, you could not ask more of nature. Bohemian culture is prevalent along the coast and options for outdoor activities are limitless. If you’re up for some adventure, paddle out to one of the nearby islands.

The Big Guns

As a city of over 603,000 people, living among natural beauty, Vancouver has a lot to offer. Vancouverites have the luxury of hitting the slopes in the morning and warming up on the beach in the afternoon. The environment offers many routes of escape from life, such as skiing and whale watching.

Vancouver rivals its fellow Canadian cities, Montreal and Toronto, for the honorary title of Canada’s culinary capital. It has the biggest Asian dining scene and an amazing variety of fresh seafood, including wild salmon and spot prawns.

Multiculturalism is a way of life in Vancouver. Presently, almost half of the population is bilingual. Neighborhoods at the height of the multicultural scene include Chinatown, Punjabi Market, and Little Italy. Few major cities can compete with the quality of life in Vancouver. Ranked fifth in the 2012 Mercer Quality of Living Survey, the city comfortably remained in the top ten for more than a decade. However, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Cost of Living Survey 2013, Vancouver was ranked 21st on an international scale and was named the most expensive city in North America to live in. Thus, the career type may suit this city best.

With so many possibilities and places to live, it will not take long to adapt to the Canadian way of life.

This was previously published on the site Oct. 7th 2014, but it was too good to stay buried in the archives, so we brought it out to play! Also, this post was originally sourced here with some of our own additions!

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Let’s Talk About Getting Top Dollar for Your Property

By Marci Deane • July 8, 2026

When it comes to selling your home, most people think the first call should be to a real estate agent. But the smartest first step often isn’t with your agent—it’s with an independent mortgage professional. Why? Because your mortgage plays a bigger role in your bottom line than most people realize. Planning to Buy After You Sell If selling means you’ll also be purchasing another property, you’ll want to know exactly where you stand financially before listing. Mortgage rules change regularly, and qualifying once doesn’t guarantee you’ll qualify again. Getting a pre-approval in place ensures you know what you can afford and eliminates surprises later. On top of that, reviewing the terms of your existing mortgage could uncover options you may not have considered. For example, porting your mortgage instead of arranging a brand-new one could save you thousands. Selling Without Buying Even if you aren’t planning to buy right away, there’s still an important step: understanding the cost of breaking your mortgage. Unless your mortgage is open, penalties apply—and they can be significant. By reviewing the numbers with a mortgage professional, you might find that simply adjusting your timeline could reduce or even avoid costly fees. Navigating Life Changes In situations like a marital breakdown, it can feel like selling the family home is the only path forward. But that’s not always the case. With the right guidance and a legal separation agreement, one spouse may be able to buy out the other, keeping the home and providing stability for everyone involved. The Bottom Line Selling your property is more than just putting a sign on the lawn—it’s about creating a financial plan that protects your equity and positions you for the best possible outcome. Before you take the leap, let’s sit down and review your options. 📞 If you’re ready to talk strategy and make sure you get top dollar for your property, I’d be happy to connect anytime.

Don’t Let Collections Derail Your Mortgage Application

By Marci Deane • July 1, 2026

Can You Get a Mortgage If You Have Collections on Your Credit Report? Short answer? Not easily. Long answer? It depends—and it’s more common (and fixable) than you might think. When it comes to applying for a mortgage, your credit report tells lenders a story. Collections—debts that have been passed to a collection agency because they weren’t paid on time—are big red flags in that story. Regardless of how or why they got there, open collections are going to hurt your chances of getting approved. Let’s break this down. What Exactly Is a Collection? A collection appears on your credit report when a bill goes unpaid for long enough that the lender decides to stop chasing you—and hires a collection agency to do it instead. It doesn’t matter whether it was an unpaid phone bill, a forgotten credit card, or a disputed fine: to a lender, it signals risk. And lenders don’t like risk. Why It Matters to Mortgage Lenders? Lenders use your credit report to gauge how trustworthy you are with borrowed money. If they see you haven’t paid a past debt, especially recently, it suggests you might do the same with a new mortgage—and that’s enough to get your application denied. Even small collections can cause problems. A $32 unpaid utility bill might seem insignificant to you, but to a lender, it’s a red flag waving loudly. But What If I Didn’t Know About the Collection? It happens all the time. You move provinces and miss a final utility charge. Your cell provider sends a bill to an old address. Or maybe the collection is showing in error—credit reports aren’t perfect, and mistakes do happen. Regardless of the reason, the responsibility to resolve it still falls on you. Even if it’s an honest oversight or an error, lenders will expect you to clear it up or prove it’s been paid. And What If I Chose Not to Pay It? Some people intentionally leave certain collections unpaid—maybe they disagree with a charge, or feel a fine is unfair. Here are a few common “moral stand” collections: Disputed phone bills COVID-related fines Traffic tickets Unpaid spousal or child support While you might feel justified, lenders don’t take sides. They’re not interested in why a collection exists—only that it hasn’t been dealt with. And if it’s still active, that could be enough to derail your mortgage application. How Can You Find Out What’s On Your Report? Easy. You can check it yourself through services like Equifax or TransUnion, or you can work with a mortgage advisor to go through a full pre-approval. A pre-approval will quickly uncover any credit issues, including collections—giving you a chance to fix them before you apply for a mortgage. What To Do If You Have Collections Verify: Make sure the collection is accurate. Pay or Dispute: Settle the debt or begin a dispute process if it’s an error. Get Proof: Even if your credit report hasn’t updated yet, documentation showing the debt is paid can be enough for some lenders. Work With a Pro: A mortgage advisor can help you build a strategy and connect you with lenders who offer flexible solutions. Collections are common, but they can absolutely block your path to mortgage financing. Whether you knew about them or not, the best approach is to take action early. If you’d like to find out where you stand—or need help navigating your credit report—I’d be happy to help. Let’s make sure your next mortgage application has the best possible chance of approval.

Best Mortgage Options for Canadian Homebuyers

By Marci Deane • June 24, 2026

Thinking of Calling Your Bank for a Mortgage? Read This First. If you're buying a home or renewing your mortgage, your first instinct might be to call your bank. It's familiar. It's easy. But it might also cost you more than you realize—in money, flexibility, and long-term satisfaction. Before you sign anything, here are four things your bank won’t tell you—and four reasons why working with an independent mortgage professional is the smarter move. 1. Your Bank Offers Limited Mortgage Options Banks can only offer what they sell. So if your financial situation doesn’t fit neatly into their guidelines—or if you’re looking for competitive terms—you might be out of luck. Working with a mortgage broker? You get access to mortgage products from hundreds of lenders : major banks, credit unions, monoline lenders, alternative lenders, B lenders, and even private funds. That means more options, more flexibility, and a much better chance of finding a mortgage that fits you. 2. Bank Reps Are Salespeople—Not Mortgage Strategists Let’s be honest: most bank mortgage reps are trained to sell their employer’s products—not to analyze your financial goals or tailor a long-term mortgage plan. Their job is to generate revenue for the bank. Independent mortgage professionals are different. We’re not tied to one lender—we’re tied to you. Our job is to shop around, negotiate on your behalf, and recommend the mortgage that offers the best balance of rate, terms, and flexibility. And yes, we get paid by the lender—but only after we find you a mortgage that works for your situation. That creates a win-win-win: you get the best deal, we earn our fee, and the lender earns your business. 3. Banks Don’t Lead with Their Best Rate It’s true. Banks often reserve their best rates for those who ask for them—or threaten to walk. And guess what? Most people don’t. Over 50% of Canadians accept the first renewal offer they get by mail. No questions asked. That’s exactly what the banks count on. Mortgage professionals don’t play that game. We start by finding lenders offering competitive rates upfront, and we handle the negotiations for you. There’s no guesswork, no pressure, and no settling for less than you deserve. 4. Bank Mortgages Are Often More Restrictive Than You Think Not all mortgages are created equal. Some come with hidden traps—especially around penalties. Ever heard of a sky-high prepayment charge when someone breaks their mortgage early? That’s often due to something called an Interest Rate Differential (IRD) —and big banks are notorious for using the harshest IRD calculations. When we help you choose a mortgage, we don’t just focus on the interest rate. We look at the whole picture, including: Prepayment privileges Penalty calculations Portability Future flexibility That way, if your life changes, your mortgage won’t become a financial anchor. A Quick Recap What your bank typically offers: Only their own limited mortgage products Sales-focused representatives, not mortgage strategists Default rates that aren’t usually their best Restrictive contracts with high penalties What an independent mortgage professional delivers: Access to over 200 lenders and customized mortgage solutions Personalized advice and long-term financial strategy Competitive rates and terms upfront Transparent, flexible mortgage options designed around your needs Let’s Talk Before You Sign Your mortgage is likely the biggest financial commitment you’ll ever make. So why settle for a one-size-fits-all solution? If you're buying, refinancing, or renewing, I’d love to help you explore your options, explain the fine print, and find a mortgage that truly works for you. Let’s start with a conversation—no pressure, just good advice.