Victoria BC Community Blog

What to Consider When Purchasing Real Estate with a Friend

Posted by Niels Madsen on May 20, 2021

Estimated Read Time: 4 minutes

In this day and age, owning property can feel like an impossible goal. On top of the down payment for your new home, you’ll have to consider the cost of the mortgage, maintenance, repairs, and more mundane things like decorating and finding the furniture you love.

When you ask the questions, the answers might lead you to consider making your real-estate purchase with a friend, relative, or someone else who’s in the same situation as you.

But how do you go about buying a property with someone else? As a co-owner, how do you protect your investment? What do you need to consider when drawing up a co-ownership arrangement?

Read on to learn the answers to these questions and why you may want to consider an arrangement like this.

Read More →

Buying a House Without Seeing it in Person

Posted by Niels Madsen on April 19, 2021

Estimated Read Time: 4 minutes

If you’ve begun looking for a house or even thought about it, you’ve probably been to websites that show listings in your area. You can see a few photos, check out the walking score for the neighborhood, and book a showing with the real estate agent on the listing.

But what if the house you’re looking for is too far away for you to take that step?

Is it possible to get enough information to purchase the home you want responsibly and without regret?

The answer is, with the right tools, a resounding “yes”!

Read More →

Which Municipality Is Right For You? Metchosin, Saanich, and Sidney

Posted by Niels Madsen on March 25, 2021

Estimated Read Time: 5 minutes

If you’re looking to find a new home, then the location is going to be one of the most important factors in your decision. But it can be so hard to get a good feel for an area before you move. 

You don’t just need to find a good area — you need to find the right area for you. That’s why we’ve been running a series of articles to give you the lowdown on each municipality and help you to pick the right one for you.

This is our third in our “Which Municipality Is Right For You” series.

Read More →

Renting Out A Suite: What You Need To Know

Posted by Niels Madsen on February 28, 2021

Estimated Read Time: 4 minutes

For many BC homeowners, renting out a suite is a valuable source of secondary income. If this is something you’re considering, then you not only need to consider exactly what that will entail, you will also need to be mindful of being in compliance with all the relevant rules and regulations.

With that in mind, here’s our primer to everything you need to know before renting out a suite.

Read More →

Which Municipality is Right for You? Victoria, Esquimalt and Oak Bay

Posted by Niels Madsen on January 25, 2021

Estimated Read Time: 7 minutes

When choosing a new home, location is of course hugely important. You don’t just need to find a good area — you need to find the right area for you. 

To help you do just that, we’re running the second in our “Which Municipality Is Right For You” series. If you haven’t read the first, just click here to find out about the Westshore.

Read More →

Christmas Events in Victoria December 2020

Posted by Niels Madsen on December 1, 2020

Estimated Read Time: 14 minutes

Victoria is a magical and beautiful place to spend the holidays, with plenty of lights and events throughout the city. It will definitely be a different kind of Christmas this year with restrictions, but they are for the benefit of everyone. So keep safe and enjoy however you can this year. Here are a few events happening around Victoria, from fun activities to do with the kids, music performances, and festive traditions.

Just note that events can still be cancelled or moved online, so please check the event website for the latest up to date information.

Read More →

Which Municipality Is Right For You? West Shore Edition

Posted by Niels Madsen on November 27, 2020

Estimated Read Time: 5 minutes

When looking for the perfect home, location is everything! You don’t just want to find a good place to live, you want to find the right place to live for you.

That means finding somewhere whose personality matches yours, and somewhere that provides you with the right context for achieving your goals. To help you, we’ve written this guide on choosing the right municipality of Greater Victoria for you, focusing on the West Shore area - Langford, Colwood, View Royal, and the Highlands.

Read More →

2020 Halloween Events in Victoria

Posted by Niels Madsen on October 2, 2020

Estimated Read Time: 9 minutes

Every year we have a community blog post with events and activities happening around Victoria for Halloween. COVID-19 has severely impacted these, however there are still a few events and activities that can be enjoyed this month during the season of the pumpkin. Share your spooky experiences with us! 

Read More →

A Guide To Your Property Taxes

Posted by Niels Madsen on September 22, 2020

Estimated Read Time: 4 minutes

Even in these uncertain times there remains, as the famous aphorism goes, only two certainties; death and taxes. Today, thankfully, we’re going to be looking at the latter!

Now that the dust has settled on your 2020 taxes, it’s somehow already time to start looking to 2021. We couldn’t possibly cover everything you need to know about taxes in one blog, but we are going to cover some of the things that can help make paying your taxes easier, as well as the various tax relief programs you could be eligible for.

Read More →

Tips For Moving Your Family To A New Neighbourhood

Posted by Niels Madsen on August 21, 2020

Estimated Read Time: 4 minutes

Moving into a new neighbourhood is never easy, even at the best of times, and for children, this is doubly true. With that in mind, it’s important for families to plan and prepare themselves, doing everything they can to make this move as stress-free and easy to handle as possible. 

The first step is often timing - no one wants to move in the middle of a school year, which means that many families are undoubtedly preparing for that big move right now.  

If that includes you, here are some of the most important things you need to keep in mind when moving before school begins. 

Read More →