Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Not on the same level as what is offered in the US, at least not from what I can find.

I can find nothing comparable in Canada to say the FHA loan the US has.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Yes - BC has had one for a while.
https://www.bchousing.org/housing-as...me-partnership


and help with the taxes on it..

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/t...me-home-buyers

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

The BC was just a down payment loan, still needed to qualify for a traditional mortgage.

I am talking about programs like FHA loans which I cannot find anything comparable in Canada.

https://www.zillow.com/mortgage-learning/fha-loan/

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

I catch quite a lot of dogfish which are small sharks. FYI, don't get drunk and think it'd be a good idea to see if one would give your mate a suprise nosh off. :lol:

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Fixer upper....lol

https://www.rew.ca/properties/R22934...e-vancouver-bc

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Oh I dunno. A hammer, a few nails and a lick of paint could work wonders. :rofl:

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

It really just needs some slight cosmetic upgrades. !!!!!

Wow..that is depressing. Almost $4 million for just the (p)lot.!!!! No location is really worth that as a starting point in my mind.

Not sure what the zoning permits but the whole streets looks like large SFR's so good luck trying to shoehorn more units in there. Google Street View imagery from May 2017 shows an intact house on the property. Quite mysterious.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

I dreamed last night that my friend back in Bristol had shot dead Elton John, just along from our old local pub. :blink:

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

And he wasn't even one of your picks in"Croakers".

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

I wouldn't stoop so low :lol:

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

The house burned down in December of last year.

Kits is a wealthy area of Vancouver so prices arw higher, this lot is also zoned for multiple dwellings which further inflates it.

Go to East Vancouver and 1 million gets you a house at least but still a fixer upper.

Can get a condo in East Van for around 600k.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Don't shoot me, I"m only the piano player.

Based on Elton's output in the last 35 + years, would anyone miss him musically these days.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Too Low For Zero was 35 years ago. That was pretty good. In parts.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

I missed that comment and I just looked myself as I'd been telling my MIL about those kind of prices.
Not only does it look in good condition May last year, some nice shrubs had appeared since previous images and it looks a very nice street too. Lots of nice houses, nicely landscaped.

The picture that Js posted...it looked like it may have been in a run down spot.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Why oh why do they put such small freezers in these condos, ours is so full the door barely closes, mostly full of dog food, since she eats raw and its all frozen, it would fit no issue in a standard size fridge/freezer but they for whatever reason put these small freezers and fridges which doesn't actually save space as a full size non-built in fridge/freezer would fit into the space, other than to advertise European appliances mot sure how small fridge/freezer was a positive selling point.


Going to sell my scooter, now that I am not working its collecting dust and costing money, and we need the money, so better to sell it, wife got a job starting in 2 weeks, so I wont be working for a while.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

0% down with the loans available via US federal programs. 30 year fixed at $780 per month.

That is what my sisters mortgage on her new house ended up being cost wise, and as the mortgage through the program they used is guaranteed by the federal gov't,. the banks are willing to take lower income home buyers and customers since the bank really has nothing to lose, but $780 a month is 60% savings for them vs rent, so even with taxes and maintenance of a house, they likely end up a head of the game.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Crazy day today.

What should have been a quick errand to Langley (25 there, 15 at the store, and 25 back) turned into a 5 hour ordeal....

Left Vancouver with enough gas to get to Langley and would get gas in Langley before coming back home.

Got to the store, used debit card no problem.

10 mins later at gas station tried debit card get cannot complete transaction, so thought maybe the pumps payment thinger wasn't working, went inside and tried, same deal.

Went to an ATM and tried to get cash same deal.

No cell phone, and pay phones are difficult to locate these days, so decided to start my way towards home, car should have enough gas.

Well it got low as I got into Coquitlam so I stopped at Ikea as they have a public phone, called bank. Then called home to let my wife know I would be running late as I had to stop a couple of times and low on gasoline.

Yes, it's a routine hold on your card for security purposes, you will need to go to a ATM and verify your card and pin has to be at a branch though, ATM's at gas stations and such wont work.

Closest branch is 4km away based on what bank person on phone tells me, get back in car, now by this point there are no bars left on the gas gauge which according to the manual means well little gas, contemplate walking the 4km but decide to risk it and drive to the bank, get to bank. Get the card sorted out.

Now to find a gas station, see one across the street, now the engine is running a bit rough, and I must be nearly empty, can't possibly go much longer, the light had to be one of the longest in existence, no traffic the opposite direction but our light was still red, several minutes pass, light finally goes green, have to wait for slow poke teens to cross the street so car in front can turn left, then I finally can go.

Made it to the gas station.

From what I put into the tank, I would say I had barely anything left in the gas tank, I doubt the car would have gone much further.

Lesson learned, always carry some cash, never know when debit or credit cards will have issues and you have no cash.

Would help if banks wouldn't do random holds on cards, Capital One did that once as well when we were in the US trying to check into a hotel at 4am.......

A bit of an adventure that was not planned.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Bloody inconvenient. Never heard of a routine/random hold like that.

Twice? Albeit one debit card and the other a credit card.

That's bad as when the banks advertise the convenience of using your card abroad and then suddenly introduce a policy of blocking use abroad unless you advise them of your travel plans....without actually informing you of this new policy and the need for you to advise them :frown:

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Oh yes, I had this when in Japan. Having been rejected trying to pay an hotel bill, 'phoned through to my bank who said that I had to go to a local branch...

I JUST TOLD YOU I'M IN BLOODY JAPAN YOU MORON!

:blink:

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

:rofl:

Once I discovered they wanted to know - and I was already living in Canada, just maintaining my UK account and using a UK address - I used to send them a secure message via the account saying I may want to use a bank machine in Moncton between "these dates" and they used to clear it, messaging me back "thank you for advising your travel plans" :lol:

Much easier and cheaper now with Transferwise

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Even when I have advised the bank of my travel plans, I have still had the card frozen. Lol

Yesterday was a first with a debit card though and I was not travelling and I have bought from that store before several times and it was not a large purchase.

Not sure what triggered the hold between buying at the store and a few minutes later when trying to get gas.

Would be nice if they could just do things over the phone and not make one go to a branch.


When I travel now, I mostly use cash to avoid the card being froze issue.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

I remember checking out of a hotel in Malaysia and it was a five-figure bill (GBP). My debit card got declined, and due to the time difference I couldn't get hold of my bank. Luckily I also had an Amex card which was accepted but I was furious with my bank, who later told me that the transaction was declined "for my own security". No - not for MY security... I had funds in my account to cover the bill - but for THEIR security, in case it was a scam. The bastards. If you're going to decline a transaction at least make it possible for it to be confirmed immediately. If I hadn't had an alternative card I could have missed my flight, and the next job offer, so could have been a hugely expensive decline.

These little things are sent to try us... Lesson: always have a fall back option

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

:goodpost:

What really made me shout as previously mentioned was that this was an hotel bill for our first 3 days in Japan, the first of 5 hotels booked for our 3 week stay. one never wants to look like a dipstick, anywhere... Luckily OH had her card with her, and that was accepted. She 'phoned her bank the next day to ensure that that would continue to be the case.

But, as you so rightly say, always have a fallback option, whether it be stonking credit cards on big trips, or a just few notes cash as per Jsmth321's recent experience.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Remember this?
https://www.theatlantic.com/business...jected/381623/

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Agreed. I keep trying to impress on my daughter to always have some cash with her. Not nice when a 3 year old throws a major tantrum because you don’t have cash to buy an ice cream, as promised, and the vendor won’t except plastic.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Yup, even the little things bite sometimes. :ohmy:

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

The Carpenters were/are my favorite pop group of all time, even more than Abba or Lind Ronstadt.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

A likely story. :sarcasm:

Goodbye To Love, though, a good song with fantastic guitar.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

I wish I had the ability to sell aquarium products not available currently in Canada, many good products simply are not available here since the few distributors we have decide to carry a small fraction of what is available worldwide in the trade, you can get nearly everything in Europe and the US, but elsewhere such as Canada it's a handful of products and not always the best.

Granted its not within the realm of possibility for a variety of reasons, but would be nice.......

Most well nearly all aquarium wholesale distributors won't sell to online only stores, and if one does not have a brick and mortar location, its near impossible to buy wholesale for a good chunk of products not necessarily a commercial store front, some will sell wholesale as long as you have the business license and opening hours available to the public which some folks who have a house have done, they run a business out of their house, have opening hours on weekends, and solved that problem.

Condo living that is not possible for several reasons, one its against strata rules and our lease.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

That's about the only offering that I remember from them? :confused:

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Never heard of it; their big hit was Close To You.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Have heard of that, yes, but the big one in the UK was Goodbye to love.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

What about Interplanetary thingummy?
I'll bet you recognise it instantly.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

:(Vaguely. :blink:

It - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callin...lanetary_Craft - must have been on my mum's radio, but as an apprentice rebel (aged around 15 or 16) it wasn't on my must do list, I was far too busy with Atomic Rooster, Uriah Heep and the like.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Pfft. Next you'll be claiming not to be familiar with Donny Osmond. Or Chicory Tip. Or Middle Of The Road.

Are you ready to tell me your PIN yet?

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

I have an old PIN if that helps?

Now, here's a thing... long running UK (Channel 4) afternoon show Countdown... remember that?

They have guests, each does a stint of 4-5 days, then they change over. Favourite guests come back fairly often, and a huge favourite is none other than Donny Osmond. He's come a long way since Crazy horses...

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Of course. And Blockbusters.

I bought that one. The Osmonds go heavy metal :lol:

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...p=FB_Post_News

Not sure if BC has the same sort of law, but man wish cops gave tickets more often for people driving too slow on highways.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Quebec autoroutes have a minimum speed of 60 km/h (max of 100 km/h) but I assume in heavy traffic or bad weather that isn't enforced. Going 60 km/h when everyone else is doing 100 km/h or more is very dangerous and if you can't drive more than 60 km/h you should have your flashers on.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Too bad patients can't charge doctors for cancelling appointments with little notice, 2nd time this week my appointment has been cancelled less than 2 hours before.


Amazon must have worked some sort of bulk program with Canada Post for returns, for years return label had an address in ON, but doing a return today and the label has a Richmond, BC address which is the Canada Post processing plant. Can only guess CP must now collect the returns and send them via bulk at once to Amazon somewhere.