Posted on May 24, 2019
Open House in Florence Lake
We invite everyone to visit our open house at 2422 Prospector Way on 25 May 2019, 02:00 PM
Posted on May 13, 2019
307 250 Douglas St in James Bay, Victoria is Sold!
in James Bay, Victoria The apartment at 307 250 Douglas St has been sold.
Updated on May 10, 2019
Best Places to Live – Victoria!
Victoria is the capital of British Columbia, nestled on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. The small city boasts a dense population of 85,792, which speaks to popular demand for this highly liveable region. Victoria’s temperate climate and laid-back pace attract a large proportion of retirees seeking a relaxed lifestyle. Dubbed “The Garden City,” Victoria has beauty and brains by equal measure, with a thriving technology sector – the city’s largest revenue generating private industry.
We know that Canadian’s truly celebrate the liveabililty factors of their neighbourhood – the qualities that give homeowners the true satisfaction of their home within the context of a neighbourhood. In fact a Leger survey conducted by RE/MAX revealed that 89% of Canadians recommend their neighbourhoods to others. Unlike your home, neighbourhoods cannot be changed, so it is important to assess what qualities are important to you before you purchase. Luckily, when it comes to Victoria, there is a lot of celebrate in terms of liveability.
A survey of RE/MAX Brokers revealed that the best places to live in Victoria are Victoria Core, Saanich and Westshore rank as the top three neighbourhoods in Victoria for access to green spaces and parks, walkability, retail and restaurants and the ease of getting around/public transit.
In the same Leger survey, six-in-10 Canadians put easy access to shopping, dining and green spaces at the top of their liveability criteria. Proximity to public transit (36 per cent), work (30 per cent) and to preferred schools (18 per cent), as well as cultural and community centres (18 per cent) fall out of the top five neighbourhood wants and expectations. So how does Victoria stack up?
If you are searching for the best place to live in Victoria, you should know that Estevan Village in Oak Bay ranks as the top hidden gem neighbourhood, while Langford, Colwood and Saanich are the top neighbourhoods for affordability and good supply of housing inventory.
Interested in seeing how Victoria compares to other cities across Canada? Explore the RE/MAX Liveability Report to learn more about the features Canadians value when it comes to the places they live.
Click on the link !
If you are looking for a home in Victoria give me a call or send an email. 250-744-0775 or BriarHillGroup@gmail.com
Posted on May 9, 2019
Open House in East Sooke, Victoria
We invite everyone to visit our open house at 5873 Leda Rd on 10 May 2019, 12:00 PM
Updated on May 6, 2019
Pack Your Memories Away
Items that remind us of special people, events, milestones and interests are an important part of what makes a house a home. Pictures on the fireplace mantle, for example, showcase family and friends that are important to us. You might also have trophies, certificates, greeting cards, and other mementos on display in key places.Of course, all of those things add warmth and meaning to your home. However, if you’re preparing your home for sale, it’s a good idea to pack those memories away – at least until you’ve sold your property and moved to your new home. Why? Those pleasant mementos that mean so much to you may actually turn off potential buyers.
You see, when buyers view your property, they want to be able to clearly picture themselves and their families living there. That’s difficult to do if they see reminders of your family everywhere they look!
So, to help sell your home quickly, make it look great, but not personalized. Think of the showroom displays you see set up in furniture stores. Those displays are most appealing when they enable you to easily picture yourself, with that furniture, in your home. You probably wouldn’t feel that way if it looked like the furniture belonged to someone else.
Of course, buyers will know you currently live in your home. But, helping them imagine themselves living there will help you sell your property faster – and possibly for a better price.
Need more tips on preparing your home for sale? Call today! 250-744-0775 or email BriarHillGroup@gmail.com
Check out this video with stager Melanie Henson. She uses your own furniture to stage your house! CLICK HERE!
Posted on May 6, 2019
Real Estate Market Statistics April 2019!
Posted on April 29, 2019
Should You Buy the “Less Than Perfect” Home?
When you’re shopping for a new home, you want to find a property that has all the features and characteristics you want. Perhaps you’re looking for a large deck surrounded by picturesque landscaping, a beautiful kitchen with gleaming quartz countertops, or a cozy living room with a fireplace.
You should be looking for the ideal home. You deserve it! But some home buyers become fixated on finding the “perfect” property, and pass too quickly on those homes that don’t quite measure up.
That can be a mistake, because some of those less-than-perfect properties have the potential to become your next dream home.
First, a home that is lacking some desirable features will probably cost less. Those savings may be more than enough to cover any needed upgrades or renovations.
Secondly, if you look at a home in terms of its potential, rather than the features it happens to have now, there will be more properties available on the market for you to consider.
If you’re determined to have a large wrap-around deck for entertaining, for example, don’t cross homes off your list that don’t have this feature. At least not yet. Instead, view these properties with an eye on potential. Is the backyard big enough to accommodate a large deck? How would that deck look if it were added to this particular property? How much would such a renovation cost?
There’s no doubt about it. You want to find a home that has the features and characteristics you want. If you work with me, there is a good chance you’ll find a property that has most, if not all of them.
But, keep an open mind. Sometimes a “diamond in the rough” can – with an upgrade or renovation – become a home you’ll treasure for years.
As a realtor I have seen thousand of homes and can use my expertise and knowledge to help you make the best decisions. Call or email me if you are looking for a new home 250-744-0775 or briarhillgroup@gmail.com
Updated on April 29, 2019
Market Statistics for April, 2019
Always interesting to view these statistics. These numbers won’t reflect the final numbers for April of this year, yet. However, the number of active listings is telling me very clearly, that we are having a build up of inventory. It’s now at 2,749 compared to 2002 last year, at this time. This is a significant increase in the number of listings year over year.
Price changes are also high, with 163 month to date when our numbers usually run around 70 or so.
Right now you have a 47% chance of selling your home in 2019 so far compared to 38% last year chance last year.
Lessons to be learned from these statistics are:
1. Price your home well, which means don’t over price.
2. lf you aren’t getting the viewings, then likely the price is too high – change your price accordingly.
If you would more information on the current market or would like a current market evaluation please call or email me 250-744-0775 or BriarHillGroup@gmail.com
Posted on April 11, 2019
Open House in Mill Hill, Langford
We invite everyone to visit our open house at 2745 Veterans Memorial Prky on 14 Apr 2019, 01:00 PM
Posted on April 11, 2019
Open House in Goldstream, Langford
We invite everyone to visit our open house at 2944 Robalee Pl on 14 Apr 2019, 02:00 PM