James BayCity of Victoria, with James Bay on the right and Beacon Hill Park in the centreThe quiet residential neighbourhood and small business community of James Bay is the oldest neighbourhood in Victoria, located close to downtown Victoria and Victoria's Inner Harbour, which is actually James Bay. James Bay still boasts many pristine older residences that have retained their original Victorian splendour, many of which were owned by the original settlers of the Victoria area. The eastern end of James Bay was reclaimed in 1903 for the construction of the Empress Hotel. Heritage James Bay incorporates the area south of the Inner Harbour to Dallas Road, between downtown Victoria and the Juan de Fuca Strait, including the BC Legislative Buildings, Fisherman's Wharf, the Cruise Ship Termin... 03/22/2007

Fairfield "The neighbourhood of Fairfield is a delightfully peaceful and prosperous alcove of the beautiful city of Victoria. See her serene and stately streets stretch out for miles along the sparkling coast, and know that from wherever you are this is a home - and what a home!" -A verdant wilderness, a veritable cornucopia of ardent pleasure, calling out to you through the waves. Points Of Interest Government HouseAs the Ceremonial Home of all British Columbians, Government House continues the long-standing tradition of honouring the contributions of our fellow British Columbians at this beautiful historic site. The House contains the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, the representative of Her Majesty The Queen of Canada, and offices of the administrative staff who support the duties... 03/22/2007

Good Day,Please find below our current stats for Victoria BC, Please post your  real estate stats for your City or Town. The number of sales of homes and other properties throughout Greater Victoria jumped by 60 per cent in February. Prices, meantime, remained stable. There were 707 sales through the Victoria Real Estate Board's Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) last month, up significantly from the 442 sales in January. There were 658 sales in February of 2006. The number of properties available for sale on MLS® continues to increase. There were 2,919, properties listed for sale at the end of last month compared to 2,320 properties in the same month a year ago.Victoria Real Estate Board President, Bev McIvor, says the strong volume of sales and robust prices are good news for both buyer... 03/16/2007

Hi Everyone,Condo trends When it comes to condos, staying on the cutting edge of style and decor is key. The general perception of what's hot and what's not can change daily, so choosing trendy yet timeless decorating styles and furniture pieces is the true challenge for the condo dweller. Always keep resale value in mind when you paint or make upgrades. Chances are, you won't live in this condo forever and when you do sell, you want the place to be attractive to a wide demographic-rather than simply to those who share the same tastes you do.What's Hot: Clutter-Free LivingThe choice to live in a condo generally means one must commit to living clutter-free. Although most condos have a storage locker and at least one closet, the space for storage is quite limited compared to that of other... 02/25/2007

When I can accross this article in the Saanich Community newspaper I felt many would like to know and read this bit of local rail way history...Enjoy! By Dennis RobinsonSaanich NewsFeb 14 2007 Construction of the new Town & Country shopping centre due to begin this spring provides an opportunity at the site to remember a forgotten piece of history.  More than 100 years ago, the first railroad to run from Victoria to Sidney had a right of way that went through this now valuable piece of Saanich real estate. In 1892, the Victoria and Sidney Railway was incorporated and it remained in operation until 1919. The tracks came up the slope from the city heading north between what is now Blanshard and Oak streets, and proceeded northwest through the present Town & Country location. In 1913 B.C. ... 02/19/2007

The Victoria area real estate market got off to a strong start to the year last month both in terms of sales and prices. There were 442 property sales through the Victoria Real Estate Board's Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in January, up from 385 sales in December. There were 496 sales in January of last year.Victoria Real Estate Board President, Bev McIvor, noted that prices remained steady and the number of properties available for sale continues to increase. "There were 2,661 properties of all kinds available for sale at the end of last month - up 22 percent from the same month a year ago."McIvor noted that nearly a quarter of all single family homes sold last month for under $375,000 and 49 percent of condominiums last month sold for under $250,000. "We recognize that affordabilit... 02/18/2007

How would you like to make some extra cash without ever leaving your driveway? Hold a garage sale and liquidate those unwanted, outdated family treasures. Here are some pointers to get you going. Timing is everythingTraditionally, the garage-sale season is fall through spring, depending on where you live. Avoid holiday weekends, says Chris Heiska, host of Yardsalequeen.com. "You just don't get the people. They're going away or to family events." Share a saleIf your street or driveway can't accommodate the extra cars, you may want to join forces with a neighbor to offer more parking. Plus, you can split costs of newspaper ads and signs. A bonus: more people may stop by, drawn by the crowd. However, holding huge neighborhood sales can backfire. "There's too much competition," says Cathy P... 02/12/2007

The decision to buy or sell a home is one of the most important financial decisions most people make, yet many give little thought to finding the real estate agent best suited to their needs.Agents are often chosen solely on the recommendation of a friend or an ad in the newspaper. But choosing the right agent can save you time, effort and aggravation in finding the perfect home at a price you can afford or selling your home quickly for top dollar."Real estate has always been a mark of independence and freedom in this country," says Donald R. Brenner, professor emeritus at American University. "Owning property is very important, and when you deal with someone who is going to help you buy or sell a piece of property, you'd better find someone that knows what they're doing."If you pick up... 02/12/2007

"That's not necessarily a bad thing for homeowners, who have experienced a big increase in equity over the last several years," Cameron Muir said from Vancouver. Homes will hold their value, while buyers will not face such large month-over-month price increases and the feeling of being rushed to get into the market as in the past.Muir was scheduled as one of the keynote speakers at the Canadian Home Builders' Association's annual Crystal Ball Session last night. Meanwhile, Colliers International released its annual report on the region's office vacancy rate, stating that inventories remain so low that the Victoria office market has reached a "crisis."Predictions for the coming year give us a similar refrain to that of 2006, with the commercial and residential sectors dealing with high c... 02/12/2007

Despite the cyclical nature of the business, an analysis of 17 housingmarkets across the country found that price appreciation topped 240 per centin seven areas, including Barrie (372 per cent), St. Catharines(329 per cent), Hamilton-Burlington (325 per cent), Ottawa (297 per cent),Greater Toronto Area (290 per cent), Greater Vancouver Area andHalifax-Dartmouth (242 per cent increase). Victoria reported a 229 per centincrease, London experienced an upswing of 228 per cent, Calgary was up 227per cent, and Kelowna rounded out the top 10 at 211 per cent."The results are nothing short of remarkable, given the economicvolatility of the marketplace in the past 25-year period," says Elton Ash,Regional Executive Vice President, RE/MAX of Western Canada. "This isespecially true in recent years w... 02/12/2007

Anyone looking to buy the average-priced home in Langley Township ($530,000) is going to pay $8,600 in property transfer tax (PTT) to the province, up front. If that person is looking to buy a new home, the buyer will also pay $31,000 in GST to the federal government. "If you include hidden taxes like the $20,800 Development Cost Charges a developer has to pay on each lot (the cost of which is passed on to the buyer), a person pays $60,000 in taxes to buy a home priced at $530,000 in Langley," said FVREB vice-president of government relations Kelvin Neufeld. "All these taxes make it difficult for first time home buyers to get in the market." The FVREB applauds the federal government for reducing the GST from seven to six per cent, but hopes the provincial government will recognize its r... 02/12/2007