Victoria BC Community Blog

How To Make Your Home Appealing By Cleaning And Decluttering

Posted by Niels Madsen on May 24, 2019

When it comes to selling your home, having a clean and tidy space can really make all the difference. Selling is all about making a positive impression, and whether consciously or unconsciously, an untidy or cluttered property may influence buyers negatively. It doesn’t take much, often it’s just a few small things and a matter of being thorough with your cleaning, and you’ll have your home dressed to impress. Below we’ve offered our own handy guide to the steps you should be taking in order to clean and declutter your home.  

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4 Ways Gardening & Landscaping Can Improve Your Home

Posted by Niels Madsen on April 24, 2019

As spring comes into full bloom, and we start to look ahead to those glorious summer days of picnics and barbecues, there is no better time to get out into your garden and get in touch with nature than in your own backyard.

Gardening and landscaping aren’t just for the green-thumbed experts, it’s a great way for anyone to make their home a brighter, cleaner, and friendlier place. And to have some fun in the process!

We’re going to share 4 ways and reasons in which we believe gardening and landscaping can improve your home.

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Tips For First Time Home Sellers in BC

Posted by Niels Madsen on March 28, 2019

Homeowners typically don't think about being a first-time home seller until they decide to buy a new home. Whe the need to move arises because of work, a growing family, or other situations, most of the focus is usually on buying a new house.

But when you stop to think about it, as soon as you need to sell in order to buy a new home, you've become a first-time home seller. Plus, most first-time homeowners don't realize how different selling a home is from buying a home. The process can be daunting and complicated, especially if you don't have a real estate agent on board right from the start.

To help you get a better idea of what to expect, and as a partner to our first-time home buyers guide, we've collected a series of steps and tips that will hopefully make the process of selling your home a little easier.

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2019 Family Day Activities in Victoria BC

Posted by Niels Madsen on February 1, 2019

Family Day is coming up quick, so start planning those family activities!

Whether your children are teens or little ones, there's a wide variety of free and paid events around Greater Victoria for your family to take part in. Give a few a try!

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Walkability: How Does It Work?

Posted by Niels Madsen on January 17, 2019

If you're searching for a new home, odds are you've come across the term "walkability" when it comes to desireable property features. An important concept in sustainable urban design, walkability is measure of how walking-friendly an area is to a resident.

More and more studies are revealing the ways walkability results in important benefits to our health, the environment, the economy, and our communities. It makes sense — before cars and bicycles came around, walking was the only way to get from place to place over land without help from animals like horses or sled dogs. Humans have evolved to walk over thousands of years, and it's a natural activity.

But how do developers create walkability, and how is it scored? Let's take a look.

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2018 Christmas Events in Victoria

Posted by Niels Madsen on December 1, 2018

Victoria is a magical and beautiful place to spend Christmas, with plenty of lights and events throughout the city. Here are just some of the winter events taking place for Christmas and New Years on the island, including parades, carols, markets, concerts, movies, lights, tours, and brunches with Santa!

Don't forget to check out local coffee shops and restaurants as well for their Christmas specials.

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Indoor Victoria Attractions for Rainy Days

Posted by Niels Madsen on November 9, 2018

Late autumn in Victoria can look dreary and boring when you first glance out your window, even when it's not raining. Our mild climate means above-freezing temperatures and next to no snow, but that isn't always comforting when a day at the park is ruined by cold, grey drizzle.

Being a dad myself, I know what it's like to have antsy, grumpy kids cooped up inside with too much energy and nowhere to put it. Thankfully, Victoria has its own cure for rainy-day blues: As a city based on tourism, there are always plenty of activities available year round that can keep a family occupied no matter what the weather.

These are just some of our favourite rainy day activities in Victoria. Let us know what yours are down in the comments!

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2018 Halloween Events in Victoria

Posted by Niels Madsen on October 1, 2018

Ready for another year of tricks and treats in Victoria? Check out local kids activities, ghost tours, haunted houses, bonfires, theatre shows, quiz nights, and other events taking place during the season of the pumpkin. Make sure to share your experiences using the hashtag #VictoriaBOO!

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Tips For First Time Home Buyers in BC

Posted by Niels Madsen on September 12, 2018

Buying a home can be stressful even for seasoned property owners. Purchasing your first home can be downright anxiety-inducing when you don't know where to start. I've met plenty of first-time buyers who were full of questions: Who do I contact first? What do I need to have ready? Can I even do this?

Trust a couple of real estate agents when we say: You can do it. Buying a home is a big deal, but like any other large project, it can be broken down into manageable chunks. Even if it turns out you can't purchase just yet — maybe you need to save up a bit more than you thought, or pay off some debt — you can put yourself in a position to be ready to go as soon as you have what you need.

I've taken the most common advice and answers we've given to first time home buyers in Victoria, and put them together into this series of tips. Whether you just need an idea of how the home buying process works, or want to get started right away, this should be a good springboard to get you going. If you have more detailed questions, feel free to contact us, and David and I will be happy to answer them.

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Introducing Pets To Your (New) Home

Posted by Niels Madsen on August 29, 2018

Pets are an important part of many people's lives, offering unconditional love and acceptance. When moving, homeowners often wouldn't consider leaving their furry family members behind any more than they would their own kids.

But there's no escaping the fact that pets don't understand moving the way that humans do. Packing and travelling can be frightening and stressful to them, and telling them that it's “only for a few days” doesn't work very well.

Just like moving with kids, if you're moving house with pets you'll want to take special steps to make the process as comfortable as possible — for them and for yourself. So try out some of these tips, and share any pet travelling stories of your own in the comments!

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