Consumers are showing confidence in the Greater Victoria real estate market, evidenced by a spike of 71 residential sales in May 2012 over the previous month. “During the last two or three months, we’ve seen many potential buyers out looking,” says Carol Crabb, President of the Victoria Real Estate Board. “During May, they made their decisions. This shows there is good selection on the market, as well as good value.”

The average price for single family homes sold in Greater Victoria last month was $622,387, a jump over April’s average of $609,376. Excluding previous months’ sales of over $4 million, the median has returned to $534,250.

“Last month we told you that homebuyers were researching their purchases by working with home inspectors, mortgage professionals and REALTORS®,” Crabb says. “Now they are moving forward, which is often reflected in a spring market, even though it’s not feeling very spring-like.”

Total MLS® sales for May 2012 were 659, with 636 of those residential, compared to 572 and 544 respectively for the same period in 2011, and 586 and 565 last month. We ended May 2012 with 5,015 active listings.

STATS QUICK REFERENCE

Total waterfront Single Family Dwellings sold: 15, down 3 sales over May 2011

Total non-waterfront Single Family Dwellings sold: 373, up 38 sales over May 2011
Single Family Dwellings sold over $1 million: 24 (3 over $2 million)

Summary Report and Graphs

Monthly Sales Summary
Average Selling Price Graphs
Active Listings, New Listings and Sales Graphs

Finally we had some summer-like weather recently and driving home through the country roads and through the Village of Brentwood Bay I saw the “Welcome to Butchart Gardens” sign on West Saanich Road. I instantly knew we had to kick start our annual tradition!

Each year, on a warm and sunny evening, Bo and I pack a quick and simple picnic with fresh ingredients picked up at our local favourites, Red Barn Market and Breadstuffs Bakery including house-made deli salami, fresh baguettes, Natural Pasture’s Comox Brie, fresh fruit from local farms and Rita’s famous Breadstuff’s Carrot Cake with fondant icing or local berry pies – okay those are my favourites! And of course, some dog treats and water for Roxy, our Chihuahua, who loves any type of road-trip!

As we drive down the tree lined Benvenuto Drive (The Butcharts planted the blossom trees for the Queen’s visit decades ago), and pull up to the meticulously kept entry gates we almost feel like the many tourists that visit year after year to these amazing grounds and gardens. For me, it brings back happy memories of my teen years as my first job was on the nightly buffet served in the Butchart’s own home Dining Room with a view of the Rose Gardens, expansive lawns and water features of the Italian Gardens. Dinner for us though if ‘al fresco’, served up on a blanket on the luscious greens of the concert stage lawns with the warmth of the setting Brentwood Inlet sun at our backs. Somehow, food always tastes better outside and when you feel like you are a world away – but really only 5 minutes from home!

Living so close to such a world-class attraction is lucky for us but the real bonus is our Annual Pass that we can purchase to come back again and again throughout the year. Taking a walk through the Sunken Gardens with a stop at the Ross Fountain refreshes the mind, body and soul and for those really warm summer days, hanging out in a shaded pagoda in the Japanese Gardens is the best form of air-conditioning! These lovingly tended gardens make us appreciate the splendor of the flora without having to weed or tend it! Living in a condo, our regular trips to Butchart Gardens feel like stepping into our big back yard and just another reason we love living on the Saanich Peninsula.

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 of the Victoria Real Estate Board. “The one category with increased sales is condominiums with 19% increase. New developments came on-stream in View Royal and Langford, resulting in a higher sales volume.”

The average price for single family homes sold in Greater Victoria last month was $609,376, down from $640,553 in March which was slightly elevated by two sales over $4 million. The median price, however, rose to $560,000.

“Homebuyers have time to research their purchases without pressure by working with home inspectors, mortgage professionals and REALTORS®,” Crabb says.

Total MLS® sales for April 2012 were 586, with 565 of those residential, compared to 574 and 540 respectively for the same period in 2011. Overall, current sales are on trend with the average 10-15 year cycle. Active listings were 4,638 for April 2012.

Cameron Muir, Chief Economist of the British Columbia Real Estate Association, expects modest growth in the economy, combined with a strong Canadian dollar will keep the Bank of Canada from raising its trend-setting interest rate until 2013.

Total waterfront Single Family Dwellings sold: 13, down 1 sale over April 2011 Total non-waterfront Single Family Dwellings sold: 316, down 9 sales over April 2011 Single Family Dwellings sold over $1 million: 18 (3 over $2 million)

Welcome to the award-winning Selkirk Waterfront Community. Located near Downtown Victoria, British Columbia along the beautiful coastal waters of the Upper Harbour, the Selkirk Waterfront Community offers you the best of all worlds. It is here where you’ll discover how the convenience of city living, natural beauty, and thoughtful planning combine to bring you the community of tomorrow.

The waters of the Upper Harbour have been put to good use for centuries. The Songhees people would fish and race their canoes here. Sawmilling, which began in the 1840’s, was followed later by many other related industries. People from all walks of life lived and worked here, built their homes, went swimming, and had picnics. By the second half of the 20th century industrial activity started to subside, and in 1989 the sawmill and plywood plant was closed. The buildings were demolished and a major excavation and environmental clean up was done.

Jawl Holdings Ltd. purchased the site in 1991, and DeHoog D’Ambrosio & Rowe Architecture was hired to begin designing a mixed-use urban community. Planning started with the creation of an Urban Design Manual that would guide the transition from an industrial site to a space where retail, commercial, residential and public interests could not only work together, but also thrive and enhance one another.

For this to happen the Selkirk Waterfront Community needed to incorporate some design ideas that had never been tried before in Victoria. As the public domain was to be considered paramount, everything had to be kept on a human scale. That meant linking green spaces and public and private places, and turning roads into public spaces, as well.

Inspiration came from Europe where buildings and trees are used to form outdoor spaces, and where much is done with little space. Conservation in all forms is a priority at Selkirk Waterfront. Inspiration came also from the history of the site itself. An uncovered concrete foundation was transformed into a performance stage. Pieces of old machinery became pieces of art; piles from the original railway tracks now support the boardwalk. An industrial loading structure is now seating around a giant outdoor chessboard. Underneath the chessboard are 70 time capsules, prepared by local children, so one day their history, too, can be rediscovered. The use of galvanized metal, timber, stone, steel and concrete as construction materials is both an appealing aesthetic and a tribute to the site’s industrial heritage. By combining the past with today’s human values, Selkirk Waterfront is an emerging contemporary mixed-use community that truly delivers the best of all worlds.

To become a part of the Selkirk Waterfront Community give The Masters Group a call and…..Live, Work & Play here!

Earth Hour 2012 will be held on Saturday March 31st 2012 between 8:30-9:30pm wherever you are in the world. It is an event where individuals and businesses can turn out their lights for one hour to take a stand against climate change. Earth Hour began in 2007 in Sidney, Australia and was the brain child of WWF-Australia. 2.2 million individuals turned off their lights for one hour to raise awareness for climate change. Each year since, Earth Hour has grown and cities throughout the globe are participating in this inspiring event. Last year saw millions of participants from over 5200 cities in 135 countries switch off their lights for one hour. Earth Hour 2011 was the first event to go beyond the hour and ask supporters to consider what else they can do to make a difference – beyondthehour.org is the website that was launched in support of this action.
With the help of social media, Earth Hour 2012 is set to be the biggest and most successful yet – are you coming?

Way back in 1992, on the first Tuesday in April, 30 women gathered ‘round the starter’s stand, were warmly greeted by Doug Grove and teed off into history. 20 years later Doug Grove is still starting people off the first tee with a warm greeting and those 30 ladies have grown into the 250 strong Cordova Bay Ladies’ Club – by far the most active Ladies’ Club in Canada.

An anniversary like this is good reason to celebrate , so on Saturday May 12, 2012 Cordova Bay is proud to present a day solely for women. They are kicking the males out and inviting equipment suppliers, spas, shoe companies and many other manufacturers and local businesses of interest to women. They’re calling it the “Cordova Bay Women’s Golf Exposition” … a much better moniker than our original title “Golf Without Balls”.

In Cordova Bay’s short history they have hosted several prestigious women’s events. In 1994 Cordova Bay hosted the BC Junior Girl’s Championship won by future LPGA tour player A.J. Eathorne of Penticton. The Canadian Women’s Professional Tour stopped here in 2005 and our own Leila Chartrand came out on top winning the first place cheque, defeating, among others, former LPGA Tour players Gail Graham and Jennifer Wyatt. In 2007 the BC Senior Women held their championship on our fairways. The winner was Holly Horwood of Shaughnessy who defeated local legend Penny Baziuk by 2 shots. This year will mark their second time as host course to the Canadian University and College Championships, presented by Golf Canada. This event showcases the best male and female student golfers in Canada

The course is not only celebrating Cordova Bay’s Ladies. Victoria itself has a rich history of women’s golf. In 1905, the Ladies’ BC Championship took place at the Victoria Golf Club. Mr Flumerfelt, a member of the club, donated the first cup to the Ladies’ Championship. For the following ten years, the Championship was held at the same club. The first winner, Violet Pooley, a Victoria Golf Club member, returned to win the Championship another 8 times throughout her career.

We invite all women who golf to bring their sisters, mothers and daughters (golfers and non-golfers alike) to come walk amid the natural beauty of Cordova Bay Golf Course, a Certified Audubon Sanctuary. There will be three shotgun starts: 7:30, 12:00 and 4:30. Food, drink and merriment will be had by all. The Masters Group is a proud supporting sponsor of this 1st Annual Event and we look forward to seeing all of the “Chicks with Sticks” out on Saturday, May 12th !

The person who was to become St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born in Wales about AD 385. His given name was Maewyn, and he almost didn’t get the job of bishop of Ireland because he lacked the required scholarship.  Far from being a saint, until he was 16, he considered himself a pagan. At that age, he was sold into slavery by a group of Irish marauders that raided his village. During his captivity, he became closer to God. He escaped from slavery after six years and went to Gaul where he studied in the monastery under St. Germain, bishop of Auxerre for a period of twelve years. During his training he became aware that his calling was to convert the pagans to Christianity.

His wishes were to return to Ireland, to convert the pagans that had overrun the country. But his superiors instead appointed St. Palladius. But two years later, Palladius transferred to Scotland. Patrick, having adopted that Christian name earlier, was then appointed as second bishop to Ireland. Patrick was quite successful at winning converts. And this fact upset the Celtic Druids. Patrick was arrested several times, but escaped each time. He traveled throughout Ireland, establishing monasteries across the country. He also set up schools and churches which would aid him in his conversion of the Irish country to Christianity.

His mission in Ireland lasted for thirty years.

After that time, Patrick retired to County Down. He died on March 17 in AD 461. That day has been commemorated as St. Patrick’s Day ever since. Much Irish folklore surrounds St. Patrick’s Day. Not much of it is actually substantiated. Some of this lore includes the belief that Patrick raised people from the dead. He also is said to have given a sermon from a hilltop that drove all the snakes from Ireland. Though originally a Catholic holy day, St. Patrick’s Day has evolved into more of a secular holiday.

One traditional icon of the day is the shamrock. And this stems from a more bona fide Irish tale that tells how Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity. He used it in his sermons to represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on his feast day. The St. Patrick’s Day custom came to America in 1737. That was the first year St. Patrick’s Day was publicly celebrated in North America; in Boston.

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in Victoria is best in the traditional way at the Irish Times Pub . Located Downtown Victoria at 1200 Government Street in the historic Bastion Square. Their concept goes far beyond mere architecture though. The Irish Times opened with everything it takes to make a pub successfully Irish, including authentic Live Music 7 nights a week. The tradition of Ireland has also been extended to their menu, which has been developed on a philosophy of creating traditional Irish food and drink that is both contemporary and unique, showcasing Irish Pub Food as you would see in Ireland today. Maybe you will be lucky and find a 4 leaf clover on your way to the pub! HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY from The Masters Group!

Having spent almost all of my life growing up in Saanich and now living on the Peninsula for over 17 years, I thought I would blog about what I love and know best about life on the Peninsula. As newlyweds, Bohdan and I purchased our first home in 1989 and spent the next 5 years renovating and learning all about homeownership and what we discovered was hanging wallpaper almost caused our divorce! Our hard work and commitment to each other and to our first home paid off as it allowed us to use our equity to purchase a much larger home in Brentwood Bay.

Here on a dead end street, backing onto Brentwood Elementary, our only daugther Tasha grew up playing hide-n-seek in the school yard, riding bikes through the quiet streets and putting on outdoor plays for the neighbours and parents! Childhood memories and now life-long friends started with living in and being part of an amazing neighbourhood like Brentwood Bay.

For the past 6 years, we have enjoyed the switch to condominium living and wake  up every day enjoying the freedom from home repairs and the flexible lifestyle offered at Brentwood Lane. We don’t have to worry about fighting over wall paper or home renovations anymore but rather planning our next RV adventure, local winery tour or which restaurant to walk to for sunset and ocean view dining!

Here on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victorians enjoy a beautiful city, a magnificent setting and a climate that is the envy of the rest of Canada. It’s not surprising that so many people have come here to settle and make Victoria their home and those who discover the natural beauty and unique setting of Cordova Bay are the happiest of all.

If you’re thinking about moving to Sayward Hill, or if you’re already here and are thinking of moving up, we hope the information in this site will aid your decision-making process. Our goal is to make your move to Sayward Hill a rewarding and happy experience. Whether you are planning a move in the next few months or looking now for retirement options down the road, we’re here to help you find the information you need.