Robbie Johal's Real Estate Blog - Robbie Johal

Construction of Salish High School in Clayton Commences

Lack of High Schools in Clayton

For a while now, the fast-growing Clayton and its surrounding areas in Surrey have had to make do with just a couple of high schools. This has proven to be a major communal issue because the Clayton Heights and Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary schools have been operating with students beyond their housing capacities.

Overcrowding has been a major concern for the existing schools as they have had to introduce the system of a flex schedule where different grades start and finish with different timings to accommodate the overflow of students. 

Lord Tweedsmuir has also had to arrange 13 make-shift portable classrooms, while Clayton Heights has 10.

These issues have been pressing for a solution over the past couple of…

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Clayton: One of the Hottest Spots for Homebuyers in Surrey

Clayton: A Desirable Destination

If you were to compile a list of the most favorable places to live in Surrey, Clayton would probably rank pretty high up on it. Clayton is an area in the historic center of Cloverdale, situated around Clayton Heights Secondary School, around which many single-family homes, townhouses, and condos have been built.

The Clayton housing market continues to flourish due to the availability of parks and schools in the neighborhood, along with convenient access to amenities and shopping. The neighborhood is a desirable destination for young families and retirees wishing to live in a tight-knit community.

Real Estate in Surrey

The Surrey real estate market has reflected the growth of the city directly with record…

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Surrey: The Suburban Metropolis Flourishes

Surrey remains a popular destination for first-time homebuyers and families. According to Anita Huberman, CEO of Surrey Board of Trade, nearly 1,200 people move to Surrey every month.

This city in the province of British Columbia has always been a city of families. People look to Surrey as alternative housing markets.

In their official community plan, Surrey has actually focused on greenery, livability, bike access routes, festivals, community events, parks and recreation centers.

The Rising House Prices Doesn’t Scare Off Buyers

According to the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board, the benchmark price for a single-family detached home in Surrey equaled $981,700 in June 2016, an increase of 40% compared to $689,700 in June 2015, while for a…

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6 Tips for Getting Your First Mortgage

Whether you are looking for a new home in Clayton, Surrey or anywhere in Canada, the rules for getting the best mortgage possible is the same. A mortgage is often the largest and longest financial arrangement most families make, so you deserve to find the best mortgage for you and your family. There is a lot that you can do to get you there, so here are six tips that will help getting the right mortgage easier.

1. Budget: Get a Solid Plan.

In order for you to know what you can afford, you need to know where your money is going. Once you know that, you can figure out what you can save and how much money you have for repayments. There are tons of great mortgage calculators out there, but you can also have a conversation with a mortgage professional…

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Clayton Heights Homes: How Can I Help?

Clayton Heights is a great place to raise a family. The abundance of parks and schools in the neighbourhood, along with easy access to amenities and shopping make these homes very desirable.

But despite the number of homes available throughout the Clayton neighbourhood, there are a couple of reasons why a family wanting a Clayton Heights home would want to have a conversation with me.

Familiarity with the community.

Sometimes, you just can’t beat learning from the locals! I have served this community for my entire career, bringing families into Clayton homes they can be proud of. Thinking locally means more than just selling a nice home. It’s looking at commuter times, transit availability, arterial road access, church locations, property value…

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Moving to Clayton? 6 Tips to Keep You and Your Belongings Safe

Moving… It’s one of the most dreaded activities of life, but it’s something that we all do at some point. Whether you’re moving to Clayton Hill, or you’re on your way out of BC altogether, there are a few things that can spring up to make your move bumpier than you might want. Here is a quick list of those top 6 things people talk about when a move jumps off track.

1. “I wish I had more time to prepare.”

Every move is hectic, but the difference between a light headache and serious catastrophe often comes down to poor planning. If you decide to take things on yourself, get advice on what works from your friends of from people like me (there’s a reason why I help so many people move successfully each year). And leave yourself enough time to plan out…

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4 Tips to Save Energy for Your Clayton Home

For some people, it might seem strange to talk about energy saving ideas in the middle of summer. When most people think about how to save energy, they’re thinking about things to hold the heat in.

But this is a great time to be checking your home and making changes. Whether you’re in the heart of Clayton Heights or even if you’re on the outskirts of Surrey, our summer temperatures are perfect for working on your home. Here are 5 tips to get you on the energy train to savings:

Start with Your Budget

Before you head anywhere or buy anything, it’s best to look at your budget now. Determine how much money you have to spend, and then use the information from your audit (below) to see where those resources can best be used to yield the best savings.…

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Clayton Homes: Tips to Pay Off Your Mortgage Faster

The purchase of a Clayton home is one of the most important investments you will make. Once you’ve purchased your first home and settled comfortably in it, you may begin to wonder how you can pay your mortgage off faster.

I’ve compiled some quick tips to help you pay off your mortgage quickly and efficiently:

1) Increase Your Payment Frequency. There are several financial institutions with a wide range of payment options for first-time homebuyers. Whatever the plan you select, you can save interest by making more frequent payments on top of your regularly scheduled payments.

2) Increase The Amount Of Your Mortgage Payments. Putting any funds from an increased cash flow towards your mortgage payments can shorten the term of your mortgage.

3)…

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Clayton Community Garage Sale 2016

About Robbie Johal’s Annual Community Garage Sale 2016!

Every summer, Clayton home owners prep their garages and gather their used items to host a garage sale or yard sale and make some extra cash! Now, most homeowners who have ever hosted a Garage Sale will tell you the hardest part is getting exposure. You may have some great items for sale, but if your home doesn’t get enough traffic it won’t sell (sounds a bit like the real estate industry). Well, that’s where the Robbie Johal Annual Community Garage Sale comes in! It’s a massive garage sale in Clayton Heights hosted by homeowners looking to clear out some of their belongings.

Homes that want to participate RSVP to me and I create maps with the locations of homes and their full address. I take…

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About The Robbie Johal Entrepreneur Scholarship Award

Entrepreneurship Is About More Than Having Good Grades

Since the beginning of my real estate career, I’ve  had the Philosophy that a successful business is established on giving without expecting anything in return. The same applies to the communities in which we live in. I love living and raising my children in Clayton, attending community events, and even adopting a street. So helping families move here or sell their Clayton homes to another family bring me great joy. I hardly see it as work, but more as something I’m happy doing and as a way to give back to my community.

Four years ago I started the Robbie Johal Entrepreneur Scholarship Award. It’s a $1,000 scholarship in partnership with Clayton Heights Secondary School awarded to a Grade 12…

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