Did you know that Victoria is the second oldest city in Western Canada? It was first home to three groups of First Nations known as the Songhees. The Songhees had named the area ‘Comosack’, which means ‘Rush of Water’. Captain James Cook arrived at Comosack in 1778 as the first non-aboriginal man.

In March of 1843 the area was founded by Hudson’s Bay Company as a trading post and fort, they renamed the area Fort Albert. Shortly after that, in June of the same year, the name was changed to Fort Victoria after the queen. Fort Victoria was laid out as a town site in 1852 and the name was changed to Victoria. Victoria became the colonial capital of British Columbia and Vancouver Island, later becoming the Provincial capital when British Columbia joined the Canada Confederation in 1871.

Victoria was the main port of entry to BC in 1858 due to the Fraser Valley Gold Rush and for the majority of the 19^th century Victoria was the largest city in British Columbia. Eventually the Trans Continental Railway was constructed and Vancouver became a terminus making it the major west coast port.

 In the twentieth century Victoria became Canada’s western naval base and home to a major fishing fleet.  Information Technology was the largest industry in the city including marine, forestry and agricultural research centre. Today there are many heritage attractions to explore.

Check out our board to explore them and much more.

Explore Vancouver Island and the outlying islands by sail. Vancouver Island is ideal for sailing year round, but especially in the spring and fall months.  All levels will feel comfortable sailing here with the sheltered inland waterways of the east coast to the rough waters of the open ocean. Explore the partially hidden inlets, wild life (whales/seal/porpoises) and numerous islands. 

Sailing is a great way to meet your community, with a handful of fantastic sailing races and a few associations that offer many sailing courses. Also, there are multiple public docks and full service marinas to choose from. Many marinas offer facilities such as showers, laundry, stores and pubs. Check out the Harbour Authority Association of BC for an extensive list. 

      Keep your property looking neat throughout the winter months. A couple useful things to have to achieve this are a leaf blower and hedge trimmers. Clip back your dying plants to give the property a neat and maintained feel. Use your leaf blower to blow away debris especially from those winter windstorms.  Leaf blowers are also handy for getting those pesky needles and leaves out of your gravel driveway. Even though your property may not be green and flourishing it can still look attractive and keep those buyer’s interested. Also, don’t forget to clean your gutters! It may not be the most thrilling task, but you will certainly thank yourself later. Finally, make sure your roof is free of leaks or gaps. This is not just a chore to make your home aesthetically pleasing, but also to maintain the value of your property. Once the snow settles on your roof, you are looking at damp problems and/or rotting timbers.

We have many fantastic trade connections that can assist you with your maintenance. Feel free to contact us and we would be more than happy to refer you to someone. 

Upgrades That Hold Their Value

Do you have a renovation project in mind – and wonder how much value it will add to your home? Remodeling Magazine recently did a study of renovation projects, comparing costs to added value. Here are some of the results:

Replacing a main entry door has a return on investment of over 95%. After all, the entrance to a home is one of the first things a prospective buyer notices.

Adding a new deck also adds a lot of value. Depending on the materials used, you can expect to get back three-quarters of the money invested.

Another high-payback project is the garage door. This once again demonstrates the importance of a home’s “curb appeal.”

If you’re tackling a big project, such as a basement renovation, you’ll be glad to know that, according to the study, a project like this adds a lot of value.

Finally, minor improvements to bathrooms and kitchens – such as adding new countertops or cupboards, can also be good investments that mostly pay back when you sell your home.

Of course, these figures are averages and can vary widely depending on location, type of property, and other factors.

Need help determining how a particular home improvement might impact the selling price? Call us today and we will help you. 

Can you feel summer in the air? May is upon us and such a great time to visit the open houses. The Dodd team will be at Rattanwood Townhouses Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 4. Stop by to see these new developments.

Monday April 14th, 2014

                                                  MTD                            April

                                                 2014                           2013

Net Unconditional Sales:               278                           615

New Listings:                               695                          1,408

Active Listings:                           4,170                         4,585

Please Note

• Left Column: stats so far this month
• Right Column: stats for the entire month from last year 

Here are the market stats for the end of March 2014.

                                                      Mar. 2014                Mar. 2013

Net Unconditional Sales:                 575                           483

New Listings:                                  1,286                       1,231

Active Listings:                              4,050                        4,333

Please note: 

• Left Column: stats for the entire month from this year
• Right Column: stats for the entire month from last year
• This information comes from the latest 'Monthly Comparative Activity By Property Type' Report

To the men and women who fought tirelessly, to the families torn apart, to the people who lost their lives, their husbands, their wives. To the great human love stories that span continents and time. We remember you. Lest we forget.

When it comes to home security, most homeowners think about door locks
and alarms. These are, of course, very important. However, there is also a
lot you can do around your property to prevent the possibility of a break-in.
One important part of home security is outdoor lighting. Your home doesn't
need to be lit up like a baseball diamond at night, but your exterior lighting
should illuminate your yard enough to be a deterrent to burglars.
Some burglars hide around the property and wait for someone to arrive and
open the door so they can use that opportunity to force their way into your
home.
Security experts suggest that you walk around your property and look for
areas where someone could hide, such as behind tall shrubbery like a cedar
hedge or behind a tool shed. Make sure these areas are well lit.
Pay particular attention to lighting around exterior doors, especially the back
door.
Home security experts also recommend that exterior lighting be installed
with a timed dimmer. The lights can then be set to cast a bright light in the
early evening, and then a dimmer light throughout the rest of the night.
Lights installed with motion detectors can also be effective in certain areas.
The sensors will cause the light to turn on or brighten when someone comes
onto that part of your property. Generally, thieves will flee as soon as they
see a light turn on.
Do you hide a spare key under the front door mat or in a flower pot? No
matter how clever you think you are, experienced thieves know all the
common hiding places. So, if you need to have a spare key available, put it
in a small combination lock box and hide the box. That way, if a burglar
finds the box, he still won't be able to open it and access the key.