Ready for another year of tricks and treats in Victoria? Check out local kids activities, ghost tours, haunted houses, bonfires, festivals and other events taking place during the season of the pumpkin. Make sure to share your experiences using the hashtag #VictoriaBOO!
You've made the decision: your current home no longer meets your needs, and you're ready to let it go. You've spruced up your property, decided on a real estate agent, and have the perfect new home picked out.
So is it best to sell your home now, or later?
When it's time to move, it always feels like there's a million things to do and not enough time to keep track of them, much less get them done. But if you start the process early enough, keep yourself organized, and have a checklist of items to follow, the process becomes much less overwhelming.
Here is a list of important items to cover before and during a move, including links to change of address forms and tips on how to pack.
As one of the biggest investments one can make in a lifetime, homeowners want and expect their homes to last a long time. But not all buildings — or building materials — are made equal.
Homes of a certain age in BC are more prone to some issues than others. Condos built in the 1990s often have leaking issues, while those built in the 70s can have poor plumbing and elevators. Homes built from the 1960s all the way up until the early 90s can contain harmful asbestos. Buildings constructed prior to the 1950s, the start of official building codes, can have everything from poor foundations to faulty wiring.
Everything is fixable for a price, but many home buyers may not have the budget to replace or upgrade the core "bones" of a house. I'll be reviewing some of the warning signs to watch out for when touring a home, as well as what kind of systems and materials are preferred.
A couple of months ago I posted an entry addressing the benefits and complications of co-owning a home with a friend. While most of those tips also apply to family members entering co-ownership, they don't address the particular nuances of renting to family, especially when sharing the same home.
Renting to relatives can be a great way to help provide for them if you have the space and the funds. You know them personally and have an idea of how they'll take care of your property. But there are rules to be aware of when you take on the role of landlord, even if it's to your kids or a parent.
In a hot real estate market, emotions often run high and tough situations are common. And more often than not, you'll find a bidding war at the heart of those situations. Bidding wars can be high-stress for both the buyers and the seller, and contrary to popular belief, they aren't always the way to get the best price for your home.
With that in mind, there are ways to minimize the stress and increase your chances of getting the home you really want.
In today's competitive west coast real estate market, many solo young adults and students are having difficulty getting the funds for a down payment on a home, forcing them to rent or otherwise settle for less. Sometimes parents won't or can't assist their children with co-signs or payments. Sometimes those in casual relationships don't like the idea of sharing property value with someone they might not be together with in a few years.
Whatever the reason, more and more people are considering co-buying with good friends or family members. Unlike co-operatives, where buyers purchase shares in a corporation that owns the building, co-ownership lets buyers purchase a percentage of the property title and become "owners in common" of the same home.
As spring approaches, so does the ideal home selling season. The period right after the cold starts to wane and before the market starts to pick up is the perfect opportunity to prepare your home for staging, as well as add some value to your property.
Starting on the outside and moving in, I'll help you take a look at the top 8 ways to spruce up your home this spring.
Family Day is coming up quick, and it's time again to start planning those family activities! Organize a family outing and check out the wide variety of free and paid events taking place around Greater Victoria.
In 2016, the Victoria real estate market broke records across the board: over 10,000 transactions took place, the most ever since the Board began tracking the number in 1990. Real estate values for single family homes increased 20% overall, with increases ranging as high as 37% in the Victoria core.
The Canadian Housing Market Association (HMA) has warned of the problems arising from real estate price increases and overbuilding across the country, but predictions are hopeful that the market will slow and stabilize by 2018.
I'll be taking a detailed look at the real estate market forecast for Victoria in 2017, as predicted by a number of leaders in the industry.
