Curb Appeal

January 20, 2017

 

Check out this educational video, part of RE/MAX Fit to Sell campaign

 

RSS

The internet series of TED talks is a fascinating diversion these days. The series consist of experts in various fields sharing leading edge ideas and discoveries. The other evening I was scrolling through the latest of the TED talks and came across Russell Foster speaking on the subject of sleep. Foster is a circadian neuroscientist who studies the sleep cycles of the human brain.

While listening to Russell Foster’s lecture, it occurred to me that having a successful real estate career can be greatly aided by paying attention to one’s sleep habits and improving on them. This may seem contrary to the image of a hard working agent who never rests, but research suggests that spending quality sleep time is actually time well spent.

Sleep is the single most important physiological activity of the human brain. In fact, a person living to the age of ninety will have spent 32 years asleep. Interestingly enough, the brain does not shut down during sleep, quite the contrary. There are some areas of the brain that are more active during sleep. Some genes are only turned on during memory consolidation periods of sleep. However, sleep remains complicated. Researchers have theories on what sleep really is, but they don’t really know why we sleep.

The need for sleep is not restricted to humans. Other mammals and birds share with humans the two broad types of sleep: rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (non-REM). However, the sleep process seems to have a greater impact on human brain activity in the areas of memory consolidation, and the creative areas of the brain. An adult reaches the REM stage of sleep every 90 minutes, but the function of REM is uncertain. What is certain is that without proper REM sleep the ability to learn and retain information is clearly impaired, according to scientific research into the subject.

Our society is sleep deprived. We live in an aura of artificial light that affects natural sleep cycles. As a result we keep strange hours. We suffer from jet lag, shift work, late night computer addictions, and any other of various factors that limit the time resting. Margaret Thatcher famously said, “Sleep is for wimps”. According to Foster and other neuroscientists, Thatcher couldn’t be more wrong.

So, what happens when we don’t get our 8 hours of proper sleep? Lack of sleep has a real nasty downside. For starters, things like mood change, stress, anger, impulsive actions, chemical dependence, lack of concentration, poor memory, and lack of creativity will result from sleep deprivation. Heart problems, obesity, and even mental health problems like bi-polar disorder, depression, and schizophrenia have been linked to lack of sleep. For a REALTOR® any one of these side-effects of the lack of sleep can really impair the ability to fulfill the job description.

On the other side of the coin, getting proper sleep will give you many of the attributes for a successful career. Sleep increases concentration, attention, decision making, creativity, social skills, maintaining a healthy weight, and overall cardiovascular health. A study conducted in 2007 by researchers Turner, Drummond and Brown showed that working memory was clearly reduced by 38% when one was sleep deprived. Another University of California psychiatry study of more than one million adults found that people who live the longest reported a regular sleep habit of 7 to 8 hours. Having good regular sleeping habits pay big dividends in health and effectiveness.

Some cultures have the accepted practice of taking an afternoon nap after lunch. Despite stereo types and social bias this is not a sign of laziness. In fact, studies have demonstrated that taking a short “power nap” actually helps in overall wellness. In fact, the “siesta” has been associated with a 37% reduction in heart disease.

The idea of the “power nap” is not new. Salvador Dali, the famous surrealist painter would often sleep in a chair while holding a spoon. When he went into the sleep phase, his hand would loosen, and the spoon would fall. The noise would awaken him, and he felt refreshed and ready to work again.

Recent studies have proven that short naps during the day can be as good for some types of memory tasks as a solid night of sleep. NASA has conducted numerous studies and research into the effects of sleep patterns as part of their interest in the effects of space travel. Their research has confirmed the importance of naps for memory, alertness, response time, and other cognitive skills. This is a far better outcome from a sleep deprived individual having his brain shut down into the phenomenon known as micro-sleep. Many industrial accidents and traffic tragedies have been caused by micro-sleep. We have all experienced the uncontrollable experience of micro-sleep during a boring lecture, an overly long sermon, or an early morning sales meeting. It’s that feeling when your eyes begin to close and your head slowly begins to drop despite your best efforts to engage your attention.

So, how do we create the atmosphere conducive to healthy sleep? Russell Foster suggests reducing exposure to light a good half an hour before sleep. Have a dark room with a slightly cool temperature, and don’t drink coffee after 3 pm.

Perhaps Brokerages should provide a quiet dark room for those that need a power nap in the mid-afternoon, and remove the stigma of short rest periods during office hours. It might provide as much benefit as an in-house gym, or café style office area. That being said, having a power nap during a quiet open house is not recommended practice!

The conclusion in all of this is; if you want to be your absolute best in the Real Estate business, and achieve greater success through capitalizing on your full potential, remember that quality sleep is a scientifically proven, valuable and important tool in achieving your goals. The plus side of developing and maintaining good sleep habits far out-weight the negative results of sleep deprivation, regardless of what our current social mores may be.

Writer and journalist, Tim Butcher once wrote, “Sleep is God. Go worship.”

Rest well!

Read

January 20, 2017


First-time buyers interest-free down payment program


The new BC Home Owner Mortgage and Equity (HOME) Partnership program helps eligible BC residents purchase a home.

The program offers first-time home buyers who have saved a down payment:

  • A down payment loan of up to 5% of a home’s purchase price to a maximum of $37,500, on a home with a maximum price of $750,000.
  • This loan matches the buyer’s down payment and is interest-free and payment-free for five years.
  • After five years, buyers can either repay their loan or enter into monthly payments at interest rates that are current five years from the date of the loan.
  • Loans through the program are due after 25 years – the same length as most mortgages.

To qualify for the program, home buyers with a registered interest on title must reside in the home and be a:

  • Canadian citizen or permanent resident for at least five years;
  • resident of BC for at least one year immediately preceding the date of application; and
 
  Click here for larger version of infographic
 
  • first-time buyer who has not owned an interest in a residence anywhere in the world at any time.

The home buyer must:

  • use the property as their principal residence for the first five years;
  • obtain a high-ratio insured first mortgage on the property for at least 80% of the purchase price; and
  • have a combined, gross household income of all individuals on title not exceeding $150,000.

Buyers can begin gathering the documents they’ll need to submit an online application. Buyers will need:

  • Proof of status in Canada and residency in British Columbia.
  • Secondary identification (must include your photo).
  • Proof of income and tax filings.
  • Insured first mortgage pre-approval.

 

• Information and application details
• Questions and answers 

  

RE/MAX Select Properties
Office: 604-737-8865
Beds (Min)
Any
1
2
3
4
5
Baths (Min)
Any
1
2
3
4
5
Priced between $ & $
Reciprocity Logo The data relating to real estate on this website comes in part from the MLS® Reciprocity program of either the Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (GVR), the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) or the Chilliwack and District Real Estate Board (CADREB). Real estate listings held by participating real estate firms are marked with the MLS® logo and detailed information about the listing includes the name of the listing agent. This representation is based in whole or part on data generated by either the GVR, the FVREB or the CADREB which assumes no responsibility for its accuracy. The materials contained on this page may not be reproduced without the express written consent of either the GVR, the FVREB or the CADREB.