If you are looking into getting a mortgage loan, you will have many choices to make regarding the terms of the loan. If you have never gone through the process before, it can be very hard to know if you are getting the best possible deal. The good news is that professional mortgage help is available and it's almost always free.

u Townhomes n Detached Homes l Condos -- l 1 #101-7330 Salisbury Ave

Solid homebuyer demand will keep new home construction in the Vancouver CMA (census metropolitan area) robust into 2008, with housing starts close to decade and a half highs, according to a recent report from CMHC.

l 1 #311 1420 E 7TH AVE -- $$265,000

There are a number of professionals who can help you find the right condominium. Real estate agents, lawyers, developers and financial advisors all play an important role.

The art of buying and selling a condo before it is even built - otherwise known as 'flipping' or assignments - has rocketed in recent years, particularly in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.

Q I am considering getting a sisal rug for my family room, but wonder about how to keep it clean.

Q How do I clean a slate hearth on the front of a fireplace?

We are in a new strata that the first owners moved into in July 2007. Our council has been working very hard to create a management plan, but we get no co-operation from either the developer or our property manager, who was hired by the developer. We have no access to our building records and are unclear on who we go to when we have a building problem. Since our first AGM in November, we have had two pipe breaks and a roof leak. Both were easily repaired once they were discovered, but now our insurance is increasing substantially and we still don't know what we need to do. The members of our council are all volunteers and don't know what to do next.

One of the basic principles of gardening is that all soil should be covered, especially in summer when the heat can literally suck the moisture away from the plants that need it. Of course, mulches can be used to help preserve that all-important moisture, but there are alternatives. You can choose to use a "living mulch" instead. Living mulches would include things like spreading evergreens or deciduous ground covers.

Q I am looking for suitable plants to create colour and interest in outdoor pots, planters and hanging baskets during the fall and winter. So far, on my forays through garden centres, the plants that have struck me as most attractive are the Heucheras. Would they be appropriate for this purpose?

Dear Condo Smarts: Our strata corporation is a small, three-unit townhouse complex. We are very informal about how we agree to pay for repairs and bylaw enforcement; we deal with situations as they arise.