#214-545 Manchester Road, Victoria

Listed for sale at $235,000

This beautifully updated South East corner suite with quiet, in-town location, offers great value! Come see the spacious living area with gorgeous tiled gas fireplace and large South facing windows; newer commercial grade carpet & professionally painted in modern tones. Great layout! The stunning, bright kitchen which feels more like a home  features: custom milled & built wood cabinets & counters; back splash & eating bar; modern lighting; bright eating nook opening to a quiet South East balcony; double sink with updated faucet under east facing window; and newer Stainless Steel appliances.  There are also custom built solid wood shelving in closets; commercial grade bamboo floors in the kitchen, entranceway, main bathroom and laundry room; 2 full baths with new fixtures, subway tile  surround & dark gray slate tile floorsrs in ensuite; in-suite laundry; new hot water tank, in-suite storage & extra locker. The balcony is very private and overlooks green space and trees etc. Very pretty outlook.  Pets welcome! BBQ’s OK!

So much has been done to this suite. Note: The complex recently purchased a high end security door for the underground parking lot.

This suite is situated in a well run complex which is located near the end of a no through street. Just a short walk away to the Selkirk waterway, the galloping goose trail, bus routes,  and close to downtown and is convenient to all amenties.  The seller paid $264,900 for this condo in 2007, has put in a lot of work improving it, and is now selling for only $235,000.

A pro-active strata with a very healthy contingency fund! They have their own website at www.strata2720.com  All strata information is transparent and can be accessed by going online at http://www.strata2720.com/website/index.php/documents/

More info:  http://rosiesays.ca/mylistings.html/details-37944318

 #206 - 2747 Quadra Street, Hillside, Victoria

Listed for sale at $179,000

This spacious & updated 1 bedroom condo is perfect for a single person or a couple! Located on the quiet side of the building, this suite has so much to offer including: a great floor plan w/ large rooms, open kitchen w/ new countertops, new SS sink/faucet, back splash & crown molding; nice entrance into the suite; newer laminate flooring throughout w/ high end rubber underlay and high baseboards; lovely East facing living room w/ glass sliding door leading to a rebuilt balcony, (2010), with a peaceful backyard outlook; painted throughout in modern tones; new light fixtures; closets w/organizers; & more! Situated in a well-run bldg w/ underground parking, extra storage & pets welcome. Close to downtown bus routes & short walk to amenities!

More info: http://rosiesays.ca/mylistings.html/details-37880873

Victoria Real Estate Board

April 1, 2014

VICTORIA BC - The Victoria Real Estate Board today released its monthly report on real estate activity in the Victoria area for March 2014.

575 properties sold in the month of March 2014, compared to 483 in March 2013 - an increase of nearly 20% year over year. However, the average sales for the month of March over the past five years is 607 properties per month, so though 2014 is stronger than the year previous, sales have not yet returned to the longer term average.

Victoria Real Estate Board President Tim Ayres says, "This time last year sales weren't outstanding - the market was sluggish. Tightened mortgage amortization rules resulted in slower sales as buyers adjusted to the new requirements. Property values were stable, but inventory didn't move quickly. This year we see more sales than last March."

The Victoria Real Estate Board uses the MLS® Home Price Index (MLS® HPI) to report on property values. The MLS® HPI uses the concept of a benchmark home, a notional home with common attributes of typical homes in a defined area. Through the analysis of ten years of Victoria Real Estate Board MLS® sales data, the MLS® HPI defined benchmark homes for Victoria in each category (single family homes, townhouses, condos) and for each neighbourhood. The benchmark starting point was 2005, where each type of property and neighbourhood was assigned an index value of 100.

Current MLS® HPI composite (inclusive of all single family homes, condos and townhomes sales) for the Victoria Real Estate Board area is 139.3 - compared to 139.1 this time last year. While these overall numbers indicate little change in the last 12 months, some areas have changed more than others. Local REALTORS® can interpret what this means to specific neighbourhoods in the region.

President Tim Ayres explains what this means to the local market, "The stable property values year over year, along with the strong inventory of properties we see for sale shows that we have returned to balanced market conditions. There is no extreme upward or downward pressure on housing prices right now. This stability in value combined with the new lower interest rates we see from some lenders may move a lot more buyers into the Victoria and area housing market."

Victoria Real Estate Board President Tim Ayres is available for comment. More information on the March 2014 report and the MLS ® HPI is available from the Victoria Real Estate Board.

About VREB - The Victoria Real Estate Board was founded in 1921 and since that time has been a key player in the development of standards and innovative programs aimed at enhancing the professionalism and community standing of REALTORS®. Formation of the Board grew out of the realization in the early part of the last century that there was a need to establish basic standards for those working in the real estate industry.

More info:  http://www.vreb.org/mls_statistics/current_statistics.html

Seattle architect Elmer Ellsworth Green was born on January 8, 1861 in Janesville, Minnesota. Green moved to Canada and became superintendent of the Giant Powder Works at Telegraph Bay in Victoria, B.C. (1896-1903).  

In 1912 he published The Practical Plan Book which featured sixty‐eight distinct plans. In the foreword he stated:

 "The designing of an artistic and practical Bungalow or residence of any kind requires much skill and education, together with practical knowledge of building construction. When I started to fit myself for the Architectural profession I firmly believed that a man had no moral right to call himself an Architect until he was thoroughly familiar with all kinds of building construction...Before taking up the study of drawing I spent several years with the best and the most experienced buildings I could find, and learned thoroughly the mechanical end of building construction. After becoming an expert in that line I took up the study of drawing and design, and now with twenty-five years experience on high-class work, I believe that I am in a position to give the very best service that money can buy."

Green emphasized that his plans were designed for the northwest climate and topography; his houses had basements, unlike other popular plan book homes designed for California but adapted to other environments around the country. Green also allowed a homebuyer to customize a design by paying extra for a more detail on the interior and/or exterior. 

To date over 100 known designs have been identified in Seattle, which range from modest houses to apartment complexes most with a refined Arts & Crafts aesthetic.   Apartment projects include the A.S. White Apartment (1909); the Ben Lomond Apartment Hotel (1910); and the Bostonian Apartments (1913).   Known single family homes include the Benjamin & Bertha Gates House (1018 E Roanoke St., 1909); the Aaron Anderson House (816 E Shelby St, 1910); the Frazier & Mary Boutelle House (2540 34^th Ave S, 1912); the Lloyd & Anna Hillman House (2230 34^th Ave S., 1912); the Charles & Maud Betterton House 2601 Broadway, 1912) ; the Clifton A. Stuart House (3535 34^th Ave SW, 1913); the Roy & Mary Bloss House (4055 SW Holgate, 1915); and the William & Vina Felger House (1104 Federal Ave, 1915).

Was your home Arts and Crafts style home designed by Elmer E. Green? - I would love to hear from you!

For more info on Elmer E. Green:  http://www.dahp.wa.gov/learn-and-research/architect-biographies/elemer-e-green

Gorgeous 5 Bed (3 Beds on Main Floor), 3 Bath lovingly refurbished, renovated and restored 3 Bath Arts & Crafts Home.  Offered for sale at $529,000.

More info:  http://youtu.be/O-YmnCpYWEM

2502 Prior Street, Hillside, Victoria

Priced to sell at $529,000

1st OPEN HOUSE SAT MARCH 22ND 1-3PM.

This 1912 Arts & Craft home with 5 full bedrooms (3 on main floor) has been lovingly refurbished, renovated and restored inside and out to its original beauty and charm! A long list of recent improvements includes; gorgeous new gourmet kitchen; renovated bathrooms; beamed ceilings; new trim; fir floors; restored fireplace and hearth; french doors; new gas stove; new electrical and plumbing; new carpet upstairs; natural gas heating; new insulation; new thermo pane windows; restored river rock pillars, wall and cement work on the stately porch; new fence and gate; beautifully landscaped yards; and rebuilt gutters. Full basement, workshop potential. Close to amenities and just 20 minutes to walk downtown. See this beautiful family home!

More info:  http://rosiesays.ca/mylistings.html/details-37573443