Sonia's Real Estate Blog

This past Saturday marked the second annual Strathcona County SAFFRON (Sexual Assault) Centre Walk and Fun Run, which I was very honoured to sponsor and participate in along with my family. This Sherwood Park event was a chance for our community to come together to raise money for an excellent local organization, with all of the funding going directly to support victims of sexual assault, abuse and sexual violence, as well as their families.

This is an important cause in our community and one that I’m very proud to support. We were very thankful for the amazing weather we had on Saturday and for all the great people in our community who came out and walked and ran. They would have come out rain or shine, but it was nice to have a beautiful spring day!

Thank you to the SAFFRON Centre for hosting this event and for all the work they do for Strathcona County residents. Let’s hope that together we can help stop this horrific thing from happening to anyone!

Warm regards,

Sonia

As many of you know, along with being a REALTOR® I have been a licensed Mortgage Broker for almost nine years which has been a huge benefit to my clients. I love that I can work both sides of the equation which helps save people time, stress and money. However, rules are always changing in the mortgage industry and since I love helping people buy and sell homes so much, I have decided to make some exciting changes!

I am very pleased to announce that I am partnering up with Gerri Vaughan from Invis, whom I have known and trusted for many years. My partnership with Gerri means going forward, she will be there to help my clients obtain financing for their homes. This relationship is definitely a win-win for my fabulous friends and clients. It allows me to focus on what I love doing most and it allows Gerri to let her expertise shine and offer her excellent services to my clients!

We’re so excited to strengthen our team and bring the best of both real estate and mortgages to our clients in Sherwood Park, Strathcona County and Edmonton. We have access to some of the best financing options in the marketplace and we are looking forward to finding you a home and getting you the financing that works for your situation.

Gerri and I can’t wait to work with you!

Warmest regards,

Sonia

If you ever need a reminder of how special Strathcona County or how inspirational its people, all you need to do is attend the Great Canadian Trade Fair and Sale, which was held last weekend at Millennium Place.

Walking through the Trade Fair, I got a sense of all of the incredible things that people are doing in Strathcona County. There are so many passionate people in this community doing what they love and all of that positive energy is invigorating.

This was my sixth year as an exhibitor at the Trade Fair and it’s a date I always circle on my calendar. One of the best things about the event is seeing all of the familiar faces, from clients who I have bought or sold houses for, to all the members of this tight-knit community that I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know over the years.

It’s also an excellent opportunity to meet knew people and I had a blast making new friends over the weekend, and talking about why they call me Sherwood Park’s Real Estate Tiger. I also enjoyed connecting with my fellow Chamber of Commerce members and with the members of Strathcona County Council.

I’d like to extend a huge thank you to the Chamber and all of its volunteers who once again did a fabulous job organizing the show. Also, thank you to the great restaurants, which brought their tastiest dishes to Taste of Strathcona and to the more than 300 exhibitors. I’m already looking forward to next year’s event!

Warmest regards,

Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite days of the year because it exemplifies love, friendship and passion. In my opinion, this is the real meaning of life. I am passionate about my relationships, my business, and above all my family. My family is my world!

There are several stories about who Saint Valentines was: one dates to Roman times, another from the 17th century. In both cases the tradition can be traced to a priest who married young couples in secret. Whatever the true story may be, love is a global phenomenon and Valentine’s Day is celebrated around the world in fascinating and different ways.

Here is how a few countries celebrate Valentine’s Day:

Italy
Of course in Italy, the “Day of Love” is celebrated in classic style with a spring Festival! On Valentine’s day couples get together to enjoy music, poetry and exchange gifts like the “baci perugina,” a box of small hazelnut-filled chocolate “kisses” (baci means “kiss” in Italian). This box will be accompanied with a romantic quote printed in four languages. Also, according to old tradition, the first man a girl sees that day will become her husband and they would be married within a year.

France
Paris, “The city of love” is practically the world capital of Valentine’s Day, as couples from around the globe flock here for the special day. On Valentine’s Day, lovers in France exchange letters and cards, a world-wide tradition that claims its origins in France! History says that the Duke of Orleans, Charles, wrote the first Valentine’s card, because he signed his poem as “Your Valentine”.

China
In China the equivalent of Valentine’s Day is the “Qixi Festival”, which means “The Night of Seven”, and is celebrated usually in early August, on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. This tradition recalls an old ancestral story that has been passed from generation to generation for centuries.

Tiawan
If flowers are romantic, then Taiwan, which is world famous for its flowers, boasts the most romantic celebration in the world! And they celebrate it twice a year: February 14th and also on July 7th. Here the men are expected to give bouquets of flowers to their beloved one. According to Taiwanese tradition, the color and number of flowers will represent an important message…. red roses will represent “an only love”, ninety-nine roses will express “love forever”, and 108 roses signifies popping “The question”…”Will you marry me?”

Brazil
If you are looking for a huge party, Brazil’s Carnival is often running during all of February or March each year, coinciding with Valentine’s Day. The local equivalent to Valentine’s Day is “Dia dos enamorados” or “Lovers day” and is on June 12th. Brazilians love to exchange chocolates, flowers, cards etc… but in addition, musical performances are held throughout cities and towns, bringing together couples and families from all elements of society. Brazilians also celebrate “Saint Anthony’s Day,” which commemorates the patron saint of marriage.

Chile
Chile is known as “the land of poets”, and it is true that Chileans are really romantic too. The “Dia de San Valentin” is anticipated greatly by lovers. Chileans love to celebrate and Valentine’s Day is a special occasion for couples, who celebrate with true excitement. It’s typical to walk around the city and see decorations all around as shops, malls and streets are beautifully decorated with flowers, balloons, and heart garlands.

No matter where we live – bring Valentine’s Day into your home! Have fun with a new decorative wreath on your front door or stylish heart pillows on your sofa. Take your sweetheart out for dinner to one of our many great local restaurants. How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? I would love to hear from you!

November is here and we all know what that means: Christmas is just over a month away! Which also means it’s time to start thinking about Christmas shopping, so break out the eggnog, grab your kids’ wish lists, and let’s get started!

Some people dread Christmas shopping – the crowds, the chaos, the stress of finding that perfect something for the hard­-to-­buy-­for person on your list, the endless looping Christmas music – but if you plan it right and get started early, Christmas shopping can be a ton of fun. Getting started early means you avoid the crazy crowds at big shopping malls, and – bonus – you aren’t yet tired of Christmas carols so they leave you feeling extra festive!

Additionally, if you start your shopping early, you have plenty of time for research, browsing for stocking­-stuffers, and exploring what great gifts you can find locally, right here in Sherwood Park and surrounding area. In a day and age where we can do our Christmas shopping in our PJs in bed with a laptop, it’s important to also remember that Sherwood Park has a wealth of awesome stores, boutiques, one­-of-­a-­kind shops, and Christmas craft fairs where you can find unique gifts you just won’t see anywhere else.

Local Christmas Craft Fairs and Handmade Markets

More than any other time of year, Christmas is when local entrepreneurs, craftspeople, and extremely talented local artists have a chance to show off their goods and really shine. There is a huge amount of talent in the wider Edmonton area, and at many of these sales you’ll find hundreds of local “makers” who love their community and create awesome products. From unique jewelry and clothing to lovingly hand-­built toys and seriously delicious food items, these are great places to find gifts you’ll never see online. Seriously, you can find the BEST stocking stuffers at these events!

Here are some great upcoming craft shows and sales in the area you won’t want to miss:

• Silver Bells Winter Market
  November 29, 10am – 5pm
  The Agora, Sherwood Park Community Centre, 401 Festival Lane, Sherwood Park
• Festival of Trees
  November 14 – 16
  The Agora, Sherwood Park Community Centre, 401 Festival Lane, Sherwood Park
• Sherwood Park Farmers’ Market
  Every Wednesday, 5pm – 8pm
  Sherwood Park Community Centre, 401 Festival Lane, Sherwood Park
• Butterdome Craft Sale
  December 4 – 7
  Butterdome, University of Alberta, Edmonton
• Make It: Handmade Revolution
  November 20 – 23
  The Enjoy Centre, 101 Riel Drive, St. Albert

Local Shops, Boutiques & Events in Sherwood Park

Sherwood Park has a lot of awesome, unique stores and boutiques you won’t find in any mall, all owned and operated by locals who live right here in Sherwood Park. Shopping local means you contribute to our local economy and keep it thriving, and the success of existing businesses make our city an attractive place for more cool people to create more great things!

And remember: Buying someone a gift doesn’t mean you have to get them a “thing”. You can also get them a great experience, like a gift card or certificate to a cool local restaurant, tickets to an upcoming concert or comedy show at Festival Place, or a pass to their favourite local recreational facility.

Also, think about trying out one of our great local bakeries if you’re tasked with bringing a dessert or dish to an upcoming party rather than hitting up a generic grocery store. You’ll be helping a local business grow, and you’ll be the talk of the party for bring something extra­-special!

Below are some curated lists of unique­-to-­us places to get you started.

• Shops & Boutiques
• Gifts & Collectibles
• Unique Restaurants
• Bakeries & Specialty Foods
• Festival Place Events
• Chamber of Commerce Business Directory

Local One-Stop Shopping

Living as close as we do to “the mall” in Edmonton (you know the one) it can be tempting to do a “one­-stop” there, steel yourself against the crowds, and get it done in one go. But why drive all the way to the west side of Edmonton to get stressed out by crowds?

You don’t need WEM to one-­stop your Christmas shopping, not when we’ve got two great local shopping centres right here in Sherwood Park. There are lots of great stores (pretty much everything you’ll find in WEM between the two), you don’t have to drive as far, and you won’t have to wade through all those people. Even closer to Christmas when the stores get busier, our local malls don’t get anywhere near as crazy.

Also, if you need more convincing, remember how long it took you to find parking at WEM last time you went on the last Saturday before Christmas? Stay in Sherwood Park: there’s lots of parking here!

• Sherwood Park Mall
  Over 60 stores and services
  2020 Sherwood Drive, Sherwood Park
• Emerald Hills Centre
  Over 40 stores and services
  5000 Emerald Drive, Sherwood Park

Once again the days are getting shorter, the temperature is coming down, and autumn has definitely hit Sherwood Park. It’s time to pack away summer clothes, bring out our cozy sweaters, and get ready for the coming winter.

But don’t let those “winter blues” get you down! We are lucky to live in a place like Sherwood Park with such a wide range of recreational facilities, activities, and fabulous seasonal events that make winter a ton of fun for your family. There’s so much to do in Sherwood Park over the winter months that you’d have to try really hard to get bored!

It’s easy when winter comes to go into “hibernation-­mode” and seal ourselves in our homes until spring comes. But if you want to beat the winter blues, it’s important to stay active and stay involved in your community. If you meet winter with the same enthusiasm as we always greet the summer months, you may even find you get excited for winter! And remember, the more fun you have when the snow flies, the shorter the cold months feel. The best way to make spring come faster is to enjoy yourself all winter long.

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August has arrived, and while we’re all still basking in the warm, wonderful summer, if you’re like my family the coming of August is also one month closer to September and the start of school. As a mom with 3 kids, August is “Back-­to-­School” season: Not only are schools starting to send out supply lists, but all those fun activities and camps your kids have been registered in over the summer are coming to an end as well. That means it’s time to start planning fall and winter activities for the family!

It’s a good idea to start thinking about the lessons, clubs, and after-­school activities your children want to join in August, since registration always seems to kick of earlier every year. And there’s so much for kids to choose from here in Sherwood Park! It’s just one of many reasons Sherwood Park and Strathcona County is a great place for families to call home, and why your family will love it here. There are so many great activities to choose from, including sports, music, art, horseback-­riding, and leadership clubs: The hardest part for your kids will be picking just 2 or 3!

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If you’re looking for a real estate expert in Sherwood Park, you’ve come to the right place! As a long-­time resident and REALTOR®, I’ve driven and walked along pretty much every street in this amazing community. One of the best things about Sherwood Park is it’s big enough to provide every amenity and world-­class facility you need, but small enough that you get to know the entire area, rather than just a pocket or quadrant of it.

Of course, I do have my favourite areas of Sherwood Park, and today I’m shining a special “Sonia Spotlight” on my three top communities: Summerwood, Foxhaven, and Foxboro. I’ve had the pleasure of helping many families purchase and sell homes in these wonderful communities, and if you drive down the streets of any of these three lovely neighbourhoods, you’re likely to notice even more “Sonia Sells” signs on front lawns, and a few more leopard­-printed benches dotting the streets. And, of course, keep an eye out for the new Sonia­-Mobile driving by on the way to a showing or client meeting!

I have in-­depth expertise in every area of Sherwood Park, but when it comes to Summerwood, Foxhaven, and Foxboro my knowledge runs that much deeper. I work in these areas all the time, and I know them like the back of my hand. All three have a reputation for being great family-­centric communities, with attractive, modern housing, convenient locations with access to top amenities, and beautiful parks.

So don’t be surprised if the next time you’re walking through one of these neighbourhoods you “Spot Sonia” there too!

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There are so many things I love about living in Sherwood Park! One of those is that whether you are a weekend warrior, part of an active family or a serious athlete, Strathcona County has just the recreational opportunity you are looking for!

Trails

The County has an extensive trail system throughout Sherwood Park and parts of the rural areas. These trails often link up and it is possible to go from one side of Sherwood Park to another, enjoying the park like setting.

The trail system continues to grow and Strathcona County is a member of the River Valley Alliance, an organization with a vision to create a continuous integrated river valley park system that will run through Devon, Parkland County, Leduc, Edmonton, Sturgeon and Strathcona County.

When complete, the 88 km river valley trail will be the longest metropolitan park in North America, encompassing 18,000 acres. Imagine what a beautiful bike ride or walk the trail will be!

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Top New Years Resolutions For Sherwood Park Homeowners

Can you believe we’re already in the year 2014?

This year has flown by so quickly! And I am very excited to start another year of helping residents buy or sell their Sherwood Park homes. Speaking of which, the start of a New Year means new beginnings and for many Sherwood Park homeowners— a list of New Years Resolutions. I’ve made a list of what I think are the Top 10 most popular resolutions among Sherwood Park residents:

• – Get out of debt
• – Manage stress
• – Get fit
• – Lose weight
• – Quit smoking
• – Take a trip/vacation
• – Volunteer
• – Quit drinking or drink less
• – Change jobs or Get a promotion
• – Buy or sell their Sherwood Park homes

That’s right! Many Edmonton or Sherwood Park residents say to themselves, “2014 will be the year my family and I will finally own a Sherwood Park home!” Whether it’s to become a first time homeowner, or to sell their current property and downsize— this golden dream is very common!  (more…)