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Victoria Market Watch
Victoria BC
Victoria Real Estate Consultant
Interests: Writing, reading, golf, pool, travel, meeting people, helping others with Real Estate, writing this Blog.
Recent Activity
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MAY 2012 REAL ESTATE MARKET IS PICKING UP IN GREATER VICTORIA June 1, 2012 The trend for the last several months has continued in May. After a slight drop in sales and prices we see the opposite. It is easy to draw a straight line through the middle of it... Continue reading
Posted Jun 2, 2012 at Victoria Market Watch
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Black has its place. Traditional photographic development labs, bat caves, and rooms suited to a sound sleep with melatonin abundant are examples that come to mind. As far back as my memory is retrievable and personal ownership of electronic gadgets was part of my life, black has been problematic. Recently,... Continue reading
Posted May 30, 2012 at Victoria Market Watch
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FLAT, BALANCED REAL ESTATE IN GREATER VICTORIA May 1, 2012 VICTORIA, BC - Pricing and sales numbers for most categories are essentially the same as in March 2012, spelling out a balanced real estate market for Greater Victoria. "That's good news for both buyers and sellers," says Carol Crabb, President... Continue reading
Posted May 5, 2012 at Victoria Market Watch
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February 2012 Victoria Real Estate Market Reflects Consumer Confidence March 1, 2012 VICTORIA, BC-The story continues from last month when the Victoria Real Estate Board reported a relatively stable market when compared to the same time in 2011, but REALTORS® report they are optimistic that new provincial HST transition rules... Continue reading
Posted Mar 3, 2012 at Victoria Market Watch
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Questions, as the title suggests, surround vermiculite. Is the sale dead if you discover vermiculite in the attic? When inspecting the attics of older homes, we often come across vermiculite insulation buried under more recently installed fibreglass or cellulose insulation. Some of this granular type of product was mined from... Continue reading
Posted Feb 15, 2012 at Victoria Market Watch
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Bill made buying our first home a wonderful experience. His caring attitude and realistic approach helped illustrate to us the true value of our purchase. We would happily recommend Bill to all our friends. --Andy Chen Continue reading
Posted Feb 15, 2012 at Victoria Market Watch
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February 1, 2012 VICTORIA, BC-While the average price for a single family home in Greater Victoria softened slightly (3.62%) in January 2012 when compared to January 2011, sales over the same period have increased by 9.4%. "These numbers definitely match what we have been hearing from our Members," says Carol... Continue reading
Posted Feb 2, 2012 at Victoria Market Watch
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Last Half of 2011 Sees Stabilized Real Estate Market January 3, 2012 While the real estate market started out sluggish in 2011, by mid-summer unit sales had stabilized. In December, annual sales for single family homes, townhomes and manufactured homes had increased, while condominium sales decreased by 15% compared to... Continue reading
Posted Jan 3, 2012 at Victoria Market Watch
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This year my wife Susan and I spent Christmas in Hawaii. There is nothing quite like the dichotomy of driving around sun-seeking in 85 degree weather with beaches and shoppers and surf, listening to the radio play “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas” followed by an ad suggesting... Continue reading
Posted Jan 3, 2012 at Victoria Market Watch
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The following suggestion will reduce recycling by 25 to 40 percent. It involves a process during manufacturing that would be simple to implement. It wouldn’t require companies to alter their mode of packaging and distribution, only a slight adjustment to the process would be needed. So, what is this undemanding,... Continue reading
Posted Jan 1, 2012 at Victoria Market Watch
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Stable in November December 1, 2011 Real estate sales activity remained steady throughout Greater Victoria last month with a total of 482 homes and other properties selling through the Victoria Real Estate Board’s Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®), virtually unchanged from 483 sales in October. There were 479 sales in November... Continue reading
Posted Dec 4, 2011 at Victoria Market Watch
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As a kid I can remember a plethora of comic books about flying machines. Machines that gave individuals the opportunity to just take flight like a bird and zip across town. There have been Utopian flying contraptions conceived regularly since the 19th century. Always highly theoretical but enticing nonetheless. For... Continue reading
Posted Nov 5, 2011 at Victoria Market Watch
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With all the doom in gloom in the papers regarding world economies, the local market appears stable with a slight increase in activity. A positive reading for the Victoria market. November 1, 2011 Real estate sales activity showed a modest increase throughout Greater Victoria last month with a total of... Continue reading
Posted Nov 3, 2011 at Victoria Market Watch
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Occasionally dramatic events change our lives, but most changes happen almost imperceptibly. Examples are everywhere we look and they never cease to amaze me. Couch potatoes. We all know some. They spend as much of their free time lying down watching TV as they can arrange. Some I know fall... Continue reading
Posted Oct 25, 2011 at Victoria Market Watch
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Real Estate Sales Ease in September Outlook for Balance of 2011 Remains Stable October 3, 2011 This month’s report follows the trend we have seen over the last several months. While prices bump up and down from month to month, overall stability remains the order of the day. Real estate... Continue reading
Posted Oct 3, 2011 at Victoria Market Watch
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Why Consider a Tankless Hot Water System? Water heating accounts for 20-25% of an average household's annual energy expenditures. The yearly operating costs for conventional gas or electric storage tank water heaters average $200 to $800, respectively. Most tankless models have a life expectancy as long as 15 to 20... Continue reading
Posted Oct 1, 2011 at Victoria Market Watch
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If there’s one thing that clearly demarcates the generations, it is standards. More specifically, what people often bemoan as the lack of them. One of my sons is currently a bank manager with TD. He says there is a line up for a good part of every Sunday, indicating there... Continue reading
Posted Sep 5, 2011 at Victoria Market Watch
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Real Estate Sales Strengthen in August Enhancing Market Stability September 1, 2011 A similar pattern has developed. July activity slower, August bounces back. This has been the story for the last six months suggesting our market is indeed very stable. Real estate sales activity picked up throughout Greater Victoria last... Continue reading
Posted Sep 4, 2011 at Victoria Market Watch
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High Inventory And Slow Sales Translate To Slight Price Reductions August 2, 2011 A total of 523 homes and other properties sold in July through the Victoria Real Estate Board’s Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®), down from 618 sales in June but very close to the 527 sales in July of... Continue reading
Posted Aug 3, 2011 at Victoria Market Watch
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Every found yourself saying to someone: “Third time lucky!” (?) Ever wonder why you might have said it? In our culture the number Three reigns supreme. We most often say: “One, two, Three, Go!” It would be possible to imagine an elementary sports day where the kids are lined up... Continue reading
Posted Jul 23, 2011 at Victoria Market Watch
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Real Estate Sales Rise in June July 4, 2011 A total of 618 homes and other properties sold in June through the Victoria Real Estate Board’s Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®), up from 572 sales in May and very close to the 625 sales in June of last year. Victoria Real... Continue reading
Posted Jul 10, 2011 at Victoria Market Watch
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Make Your Next House A Garbage House The trash you throw away today may just turn into your future home, if the concept behind the Bitublock takes off. Designed by engineer John Forth, of the University of Leeds in England, the blocks are produced with a mixture of waste materials,... Continue reading
Posted Jun 27, 2011 at Victoria Market Watch
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Unless you have been held hostage in a dank basement for the last six weeks you have succumbed to Canuck Fever or miraculously found a way to escape this deadly disease. The forty year drought has caused more meetings to be changed in the last week than my wife has... Continue reading
Posted Jun 12, 2011 at Victoria Market Watch
Victoria Market Watch is now following Victoriaholiday
Jun 5, 2011
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Real Estate Sales Steady in May June 1, 2011 Not a lot of change in Victoria. Lots of inventory for Buyers. Patience required for Sellers. The number of property sales throughout Greater Victoria in May showed little change compared to April while overall prices showed some softening. A total of... Continue reading
Posted Jun 2, 2011 at Victoria Market Watch