I am the proud owner of a 1907 Edwardian style heritage home, in the Commercial Drive area.  I have just gone through the exciting, challenging and extremely rewarding process of restoring this old beauty. This is my second restoration project and once again was thrilled to be involved in this transformation. As with most heritage home owners, I love to share the story of my home's restoration process.  Many people are surprised to find out how with just a small amount of money (and lots of hard work!) an older home in disrepair can be restored to its original beauty. Give me the chance and I will convince you of the great joy in owning a character home!  I have a good eye as to what can be done with an older home and can let you know the important things to look for when purchasing a heritage house. I would be happy to share my insights and great team of tradespeople with you.

We are fortunate in Vancouver to have some great organizations focussed on the restoration and conservation of heritage buildings. Check out the links below for more information. And don't miss the Light Up the Lanes -A Fundraising Tour Inside Five Recently Completed Lane Houses:

Saturday, December 11, 2010
1 pm – 5 pm $50 + hst ($25 tax receipts issued upon request) Buy Tickets Now

Get inside 5 new lane houses in Vancouver. Lane houses have arrived. We see them popping up all over the city, and five of them are opening to the public December 11th. Get some ideas for building a lane house, or just come to see what the buzz is all about. The proceeds from the ticket sales go towards this conservation effort.

• 500 – 750 square feet of creative rental living space, 1 – 2 bedroom homes
• Both traditional and modern designs
• Project teams will be on site to discuss the projects
• All fluffed for the tour by ‘Fluff’
• Enjoy hot chocolate, cookies and Christmas lights

For more information and tickets - go to www.vancouverheritagefoundation.com

The award winning Heritage House Tour, now in its 6th year, is a one-day self-guided tour of 10 unique heritage homes in Vancouver. Each year, a different selection of private homes is opened. Ticket-holders use a 30 page guidebook to read about each home's history and architecture and to make their way through some of the city's most facincating neighbourhoods. 68 houses have opened to over 10,000 visitors in the last 5 years. The tour has raised over $250,000.00 to fund the VHF’s education and public awareness programs around Vancouver’s built heritage and has become a sold-out annual event that you won't want to miss!