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A QUICK LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF CLOVER POINT Tag: Real Estate

Clover Point is a 10.39 acre property that has served many functions. The following outlines a few of the highlights and developments over the years (extracted from“Beacon Hill Park History” by Janis Ringuette). When Hudson’s BayCompany Chief Factor, James Douglas, landed on the point in 1842, he named it for the acres of tall red clover growing there.

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THE MARKET INVENTORY Tag: Real Estate

There were 792 properties (including lots and acreage) active on the VREB’s MLS® database for the Greater Victoria area (i.e., excluding the Malahat, Up-Island and the Gulf Islands) on Oct 1, 2021, down -57.4% from the inventory level of 1,859 a year ago.

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THE RESTAURANT SCENE IN VICTORIA Tag: Real Estate

With the easing of Covid-19 related restrictions on restaurants, it is timely to look at the vibrant restaurant scene in Victoria. Following is a list of the current 20 top-rated restaurants in Victoria based on reviews posted on Trip Advisor. These range from those offering casual fare to those featuring a true epicurean experience. Check out the web sites for details.

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The Market Inventory Tag: Real Estate

There were 1,012 properties (including lots and acreage) active on the VREB’s MLS® database for the Greater Victoria area (i.e., excluding the Malahat, Up-Island and the Gulf Islands) on July 1, 2021, down -49.0% from 2,067 a year ago.

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The Victoria Market Tag: Real Estate

The real estate market in Victoria has been strong since the 3rd Qtr of 2020. With the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, sales plunged in the months of April and May, only to rebound sharply in the month of June. Since then, the Victoria real estate market has been on a record-setting pace. High demand coupled with a tight supply has placed extraordinary upward pressure on prices. However, there are signs that the frenzied pace that marked the past three Qtrs may be easing. (It should also be noted that the analysis in the following paragraphs, particularly the comparisons of sales figures between the 2nd Qtr of 2021 and the 2nd Qtr of 2020, should be viewed with a certain amount of circumspection given the unique situation in the beginning of the pandemic).

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OUTLOOK 2021: CONTINUED STRENGTH Tag: Real Estate

The real estate market was one of the few bright spots in the Canadian economy for 2020. The real estate market was soft in 2018 with year-over-year sales down nearly -5% and the average sale price of a residential property down -4.1%. The decline in housing prices, lower mortgage rates, continued population and economic growth, led many prospective buyers to return to the real estate market in the latter part of 2019 and early 2020. Some areas of the country experienced positive gains in prices and sales. After the initial shock
of the Covid-19 pandemic and associated restrictions and lock-downs in March and April, the real estate market found its footing and went on a record-setting pace for the remainder of 2020.

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ENJOY THE OUTDOORS Tag: Real Estate

Dr. Bonnie Henry, the Provincial Health Officer for BC, has encouraged people to get out and enjoy the outdoors. There are a number of places in the Greater Victoria area where one can escape the hustle and bustle of urban life and reconnect with nature.

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THE MARKET INVENTORY Tag: Real Estate

There were 1,859 properties (including lots and acreage) active on the VREB’s MLS® database for the Greater Victoria area (i.e., excluding the Malahat, Up-Island and the Gulf Islands) on Oct 1, 2020, down -13.7% from the inventory level of 2,155 a year ago.

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THE VICTORIA MARKET Tag: Real Estate

After two dismal months in March and April, the real estate market in Victoria continued a dramatic rebound in the 3rd Qtr of 2020. On the supply side, the number of listings was up from last year. However, even this increase did not meet the strong demand as sales activity reached levels well beyond last year.

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COVID-19 AND REAL ESTATE SERVICES - REDUCING THE RISK Tag: Real Estate

Real estate services were identified as essential services by the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General in March 2020. They were encouraged to remain open and to follow public health orders to reduce the spread of the virus. WorkSafeBC, in consultation with the real estate industry, subsequently formalized safety guidelines in the form of a six page set of protocols in May 2020. They were designed to mitigate the risk of contracting COVID-19 in the conduct of real estate services. The following is extracted from this document and outlines some of the key measures directed to Realtors®, which have direct implications to buyers and to sellers, The full document can be found at https://www.worksafebc.com.

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