James has become just the 2nd Canadian born pitcher in the history of Major League Baseball to throw a 'no-hitter'.

The Seattle Mariners southpaw from Ladner shutout the Toronto Blue Jays 5-0 last night in Toronto.  James needed 99 pitches, striking out 7 and walking 3. He got some terrific support behind him, including a diving stop by 3rd baseman Kyle Seager to rob Kevin Pillar of a hit in the 7th.

James's final pitch to Josh Donaldson was clocked at 99 mph. It was also the first complete game of his Major League career.

'The last inning was just fastballs. I was just out there throwing as hard as I could and guys were make every play behind me, James told Rogers Sportsnet.  He went on to say that it's very special being able to get it done in Canada, in front of Canadian fans.

The last time a Canadian threw a no-hitter was back in 1945, by Dick Fowler.

The Delta Secondary graduates previous start saw him record a career high 16 stikeouts against Oakland. 

Our boy is on a roll!

As the cost of living continues to rise in Metro Vancouver, finding ways to reduce energy and save on bills can make a difference to overall house expenses. Until June 15, if you replace your clothes washer with a high efficiency model you will not only lower your future energy costs, but you can get a $100 rebate.

Clothes washers are the second highest water consumers for most homes, just behind toilets. Not only will a high efficiency washer save you on electricity, it can save you up to 64,000 litres of water.

Through a joint initiative between many municipal governments and BC Hydro, those eligible for the rebate can purchase an approved clothes washer before June 15th. Qualifying appliances can be found at BC Hydro's website.

After you buy a new washer and send in a receipt, BC Hydro will issue the rebate cheque. Please dispose of your old washer properly, through municapal recycling depots.

Real Estate is not just about location, location, location. It's also about timing, timing, timing.

While sellers can do nothing to improve the location of their home, the same is not true for timing. Sellers can optimize their returns on housing sales by picking the most opportune time to sell.

And the best time to sell is May. As temperatures start to rise, enthusiasm and hope are also rising among real estate buyers and sellers. For those sitting on the fence wondering when to list, the time is now.

Weather and consumer sentiment have a lot to do with housing sales volumes. Cold and wet weather is correlated with slower housing sales. The presence of seasonality in real estate, with sales rising in summer months and falling in winter months is a well established fact.

While the housing market can be shaken up by rising mortgage rates, new mortgage rules and uncertainty, nasty weather and bad storms make matters worse.

After the slower winter months, the pent up demand for housing purchases is realized in early summer with help from houses showing better with leaves on the trees and manicured lawns.

Smart sellers must, therefore, add timing to the location mantra. Whereas sellers cannot pick a better location for their homes, they may pick a better time to sell.

According to a new survey, more than 7 in 10 Canadian first-time home buyers (71%) are afraid that they will be hit by unanticipated costs during the process, and over half of those respondents (56%) are afraid that they will forget to take a crucial step as they gain their foothold on the property ladder.

Many first-timers are not taking the steps needed to prepare for a home purchase, which should be taken as seriously as preparing for the birth of a first child. Just 39% of respondents reported that they are taking the steps to reduce their debt ahead of their home purchase, with only 28% are working to improve their credit score.

Owning your first home can be an exhilarating yet unfamiliar experience. Knowing and preparing for what to expect on the home buying journey is often half the battle, and can help reduce unexpected surprises.

Less than half of first time buyers have planned for additional costs beyond the purchase price and down payment, and many are not aware of appraisal fees (49%), mortgage default insurance (47%) and closing costs (41%).

Some steps to help buyers along the way include:

manage existing debt and get your financial house in order;

consider all homebuying costs including appraisals, title searches, fee and adjustments;

get the right mortgage for your needs and work with a mortgage broker/adviser;

don't overstretch yourself on monthly costs or underestimate other home related expenses, such as property taxes and maintenance, and;

of course work with a realtor who has your back.