Archive for April, 2009

Apr 29

BC Election: Sooke All Candidates Meeting – May 4th, 2009

I received an e-mail from BC Liberal candidate Jody Twa‘s campaign office informing me of an all candidate’s meeting here in Sooke. The meeting will take place at Edward Milne Community School on Monday, May 4th, at 7:00pm.

The panel will consist of Jody Twa of the BC Liberals, John Horgan (incumbent) of the BC NDP, and James Powell of the Green Party of BC. The moderator will be local Sooke lawyer Peter Faulkner.

Jody Twa, James Powell, and John Horgan

I’d encourage all Sooke residents to attend and hear what the candidates have in mind for our region. The Juan de Fuca riding is very diverse, stretching from the urban centres of Langford and Colwood all the way out to the sparsely populated areas of Port Renfrew and Jordan River (map). The needs of our residents are as diverse as their communities, and you should be asking the candidates what their plans and vision are locally if they are lucky enough to be elected, instead of giving too much thought to the spectacle that is the leaders’ campaign provincially.

In my view, the party vs party, leader vs leader portion of the campaign has thus far been an unmitigated disaster. It’s been a boring, childish, name-calling affair, with no real issues. Both major parties seem more content to sling mud and dig up dirt on each other’s candidates on Facebook and the Provincial Court Registry than talk about real issues. It’s painful and it doesn’t do us, the electorate, any good.

Hopefully, voters will get involved at the local level and give their candidates some issues to take to Victoria. This is the way our system is supposed to work – regional representatives actually representing their constituents instead of spewing party gibberish.

How do Juan De Fuca constituents feel about the campaign? Care to share who you’ll be supporting? Both Langford and Sooke mayors have endorsed Jody Twa – do you agree?

What about BC-STV? Do you think this is a solution to our voting system’s flaws?

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

Your comments are welcomed and encouraged!
Just use the form or link below this post.

You can bookmark this post using the button below,
or subscribe to this blog for free updates using the big buttons on the sidebar!

Apr 27

2 Comments

Strata Mondays #5 – Leaky Condos Part II

In my continuing series about strata property, Strata Mondays, I answer a different question about condos, townhouses and other strata property in Victoria, Sooke, and British Columbia. Make sure you subscribe via RSS or E-mail to get each new post.

A leaky condo undergoing repairs

Q. I’ve heard that most of the systemic problems that caused the leaky condo crisis in the 90′s have been fixed. What’s changed since 1999? Are there still leaky condos being built?

A. [Read Part I of this post here] Changes in building design and technology and the building code have come into effect since the end of the 1990′s. Instead of thinking of the building as one system that needs to be sealed up to prevent air loss and thus reduce energy costs, we now consider two separate systems: the exterior wall and the building envelope. The building envelope includes the roof and exterior cladding. Building codes now require an airspace between the exterior cladding (such as hardi-plank siding or stucco) and the exterior wall (covered by a water-tight membrane like building paper or Tyvek®). The idea is to allow airflow in behind the cladding to dry out any accumulated moisture, while at the same time creating a means by which any wind-driven rain can drain out via gravity. See below:

You may hear the term "Rainscreen" in new or remediated buildings.

It should be noted that you can’t blame the leaky condo crisis in BC entirely on the building code. It has been discovered in many court cases regarding leaky buildings that the exteriors of some buildings were not built to the code that was in place at the time. However, it certainly was a contributing factor.

Many of the leaky buildings built during the leaky condo era have been remediated at great expense to the owners. Typically they now employ some sort of rainscreen construction as detailed above. Most will be without problems, as long as a regular maintenance programme is put into place and followed. In fact, the warranty that comes along with a remediation is usually contingent upon a proper maintenance schedule.

When shopping with a REALTOR® for condos, especially those built in the 1990s, you should ask whether or not the building has undergone remediation, and inspect all documents that lead up to the work being done, including the engineer’s report. There are some buildings in Victoria and vicinity that have not been remediated, but instead opted for a “preventative maintenance” programme that will end up costing them more money in the end.

In British Columbia, anything built with a building permit filed after July 1, 1999 must come with a ten year new home warranty. Usually these come in a 2-5-10 or 2-10-10 format: 2 years materials and labour on the home – this would cover things like nail pops, cabinetry, and other deficiencies. 5 or 10 years on the building envelope system, the exterior cladding and weather barrier of the home, and 10 years on the major structural components of the home.

What about condos built these days? Do they still leak? Hard to say. I’d tend to reason that if there was still widespread and systemic premature building envelope failures happening in modern construction, we’d be hearing a lot more about it on the news. I’m sure there are probably a few recently built buildings where there has been water ingress issues, but nowhere near the magnitude experienced last decade.

Check back next Monday for Part III, when we’ll talk about another type of leaky condo you don’t always hear about!

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

Your comments are welcomed and encouraged!
Just use the form or link below this post.

You can bookmark this post using the button below,
or subscribe to this blog for free updates using the big buttons on the sidebar!

Apr 24

4 Comments

First Time Buyer Friday #6 – What Does My Money Get Me?

In my continuing series, First-Time-Buyer Fridays, I answer a common question from a first-time buyer. If you have a question to submit, first-time-buyer or experienced investor, put one in the comments below, or fire me an e-mail at Tim@TimAyres.ca.

Q. I want to spend about $400,000 on my first home – what can I buy for that kind of money?

A. Let’s break this down and see what $400,000 would cost first. To buy a $400,000 home, you’d need 5% down at a minimum, which is $20,000. The remaining $380,000 would need to be mortgaged. If you were to get a 5-year fixed rate at 4%, amortized over 35 years, your monthly payment would be about $1675. A two-income family should be able to afford that payment.

Keep in mind that you should think long-term. While interest rates today are at historic lows, you need to think about what happens in 5 years when it’s time to renew. No one knows where interest rates will be at that point, and you should build in a comfort zone by calculating the payment at a higher rate of interest. At 5%, the same mortgage estimated above would be $1905 – at 6%, $2150, and at 7%, $2401. The risks of this can be offset by choosing a shorter amortization period (25 or 30 years, instead of 35), which would allow you to pay off more of the principal before it’s time to renew, or you could make extra payments where your budget (and mortgage terms) allow.

So, now that we’ve established what $400,000 looks like on a monthly basis, let’s have a look at what that sum would buy you in today’s market.

In the Victoria core area (Victoria, Oak Bay, Saanich, View Royal and Esquimalt) there are 27 single family homes under $400,000 as of writing this post. Most are small, and old, but there are always a few gems in this price range. There are plenty of condos under $400,000 – 384 to be exact. In the higher end of the range, there are brand new suites at The Juliet, The Ovation, The Monaco, and other brand new high end developments in the core. At the lower end of the range, older buildings (which usually mean larger suites) offer stability and peace-of-mind for less than $250,000. There are 45 townhouses in Victoria and vicinity under $400,000 as of writing, with lots of variation in style, age and location.

Moving further out of the Victoria core area, you’ll get more bang for your buck. In Langford and Colwood as of this writing, there are 30 single family houses and 44 townhouses in Langford and Colwood for sale under $400,000 – including brand new homes in the Happy Valley area, and townhouses at the foot of Bear Mountain. $400,000 would get you nearly any condo, with 215 condos under $400,000 in Langford and Colwood to choose from. Only 21 are above $400,000, mostly on Bear Mountain, or in that new development on the waterfront in Colwood at Esquimalt Lagoon.

Further out west to Sooke is where many first-time buyers are choosing to go (here are 10 good reasons to move to Sooke.) The drive to Victoria is a little longer (but it’s nice!) and the town smaller, but that means that you get a lot more for your money. There are 49 houses for sale in Sooke under $400,000, including many brand new beautiful houses in new subdivisions. If you buy in Sooke, there is also the option of buying an older home to renovate to your liking. Older homes will most likely have a larger lot, too. There are not many condos or townhouses in Sooke, but more are being built all the time. Almost all of them are under $400,000, including the brand-new townhouses at The Pointe in Sun River Estates and waterfront condos along Kaltasin Road. As of writing, 29 condos and townhouses in Sooke under $400,000 are for sale.

I have found that first time buyers are often surprised by 1) How much they can afford, and 2) What that money will get them. There’s plenty of product out there, prices are declining, and with the Bank of Canada reporting that interest rates will remain low until at least the second half of 2010, there hasn’t been a better time to buy in a long time – if it’s right for your situation.

It may or may not make sense for you to buy right now. To get a clearer picture, or for more information about any of the homes mentioned in this post, give me a call at 250-885-0512, e-mail me at Tim@TimAyres.ca or fill in my contact form. Connect with me on Twitter at Twitter.com/TimAyres.

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

Your comments are welcomed and encouraged!
Just use the form or link below this post.

You can bookmark this post using the button below,
or subscribe to this blog for free updates using the big buttons on the sidebar!

Apr 21

1 Comment

Bank Of Canada Cuts Interest Rate to 0.25% At April 2009 Meeting

Snip!

To the surprise of many analysts, this morning at its April 21, 2009 meeting, the Bank of Canada cut its key overnight lending rate (the rate at which it lends funds to chartered banks) another half-percent to 0.25%, continuing the trend of historic low rates in an effort to stimulate the economy. Since December 2007, the Bank has trimmed 4.25% off its overnight lending rate, which has had the effect of lowering mortgage rates (especially variable rate mortgages).

Two of Canada’s chartered banks were quick to match the rate cut, trimming prime to 2.25% – a good sign that credit is available and our banks are ready to lend. This should translate into lower variable-rate mortgage products in the coming weeks. If you’re already on a variable-rate mortgage tied to the prime rate, then you’ll get a letter from your financial institution soon, advising you of the change. If you’re lucky enough to have a prime rate -0.85% mortgage, this means that with bank prime being at 2.25%, you’ll be paying a paltry 1.40% on your variable rate mortgage. That’s almost free.

The Bank predicts that fiscal and financial stimulus measures initiated by governments and central banks worldwide have been slower than expected to take hold, and will be holding the 0.25% rate until the end of the second quarter of 2010, barring unforeseen circumstances. All this means that recovery of our economy is going to take longer, starting late next year, with the economy reaching full capacity in 2011.

The full Bank of Canada news release can be found here.

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

Your comments are welcomed and encouraged!
Just use the form or link below this post.

You can bookmark this post using the button below,
or subscribe to this blog for free updates using the big buttons on the sidebar!

Apr 20

2 Comments

Strata Mondays #4 – Leaky Condos Part I

Leaky Condo being repaired

Q. I’ve heard the term “Leaky Condo” from my friends and family, and that I should avoid buying one. What is a leaky condo?
A. Put simply, a leaky condo is an attached strata unit (condominium or townhouse) that suffers grossly premature building envelope failure (water ingress/leaks) that causes major damage to the exterior and sometimes interior of the building. The end result is extremely costly repairs, some of which have yet to be carried out today, 10 years after the end of the”leaky condo era.”

The leaky condo crisis emerged in the late 1980s through the 1990s in coastal British Columbia as a result of two major factors. First, the design craze of the time was Californian style architecture. Second, new rules in the building code required builders to seal up exterior walls, in an attempt to increase energy efficiency.

In Coastal B.C. it rains a lot. California-style architecture is mostly stucco buildings with flat roofs, and little or no overhang from the top of the roof over the walls. If you look at most traditional buildings in Vancouver and Victoria, you’d find pitched roofs and/or good overhangs over the top of the exterior walls.

The new building code required builders to seal up the buildings to keep air out, to increase energy efficiency. The problem is that by doing this, water can still seep in. Without adequate ventilation to dry out the moisture, the wooden exterior wall starts to rot. Balconies were often worse – water would seep in and rot the support beams creating a safety hazard.

Rotten balcony supports

Often, the only real solution was complete building envelope replacement. This involved tearing off the entire face of the building, replacing most of the plywood sheathing, properly weather screening it, and replacing the exterior cladding with something more suitable to the design of the building and the climate in which it stands. This is extremely expensive, and it’s not unheard of to hear of owners having to shell out $30,000-$50,000 or even more in special assessments to get it right. Some stratas were able to successfully sue the developers and recover some of the money they paid, but many were on the hook for the repairs. But most of these buildings had warranties, right? Well, many did, but unfortunately the unraveling of the leaky condo crisis caused most of the home warranty outfits to disappear into bankruptcy, further leaving owners in the lurch.

Check back next Monday for Part II, when we’ll cover what’s changed since 1999.

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

Your comments are welcomed and encouraged!
Just use the form or link below this post.

You can bookmark this post using the button below,
or subscribe to this blog for free updates using the big buttons on the sidebar!

Apr 15

1 Comment

A Free Night At The Sooke Harbour House!

Sooke Harbour House

Have you ever been out for dinner at a really nice restaurant, and after finishing that glass of robust red wine thought “If only I didn’t have to drive home I could enjoy another glass or two of wine!”?

Well, now you can. The world-famous Sooke Harbour House has a promotion on right now where you can win a free night’s stay ($305 value) in one of their beautiful guest rooms when you treat yourself to a dinner for two in their fabulous ocean view dining room.

The rules are simple. Be the first to phone or e-mail the Harbour House after 8:00 am and book your dinner reservation, and you’ll get a free night’s stay at the inn the same night! What a romantic way to spend a gorgeous spring evening in Sooke on Vancouver Island. You can phone in to win at 250-642-3421 or 1-800-889-9688 or email info@sookeharbourhouse.com (note the Canadian spelling of ‘harbour’). You’ll need to quote the code “PEACEFUL-09.”

The restaurant at the Sooke Harbour House is world-famous for using fresh, only-locally-available ingredients with an

Gourmet Food

ever-changing daily prix fixe menu. Served by candlelight in the waterfront dining room, the cuisine is a favourite of locals and visitors alike that you simply must experience. Wine connoisseurs will have already heard of the renowned wine cellar at the Harbour House, with selections of the best vintages from over 25 years of expert and careful purchasing.

For such a world-class inn to put on a great promotion like this is rare, so I suggest you take advantage of it while it lasts! Read the full promotion on the Sooke Harbour House web site:

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

Your comments are welcomed and encouraged!
Just use the form or link below this post.

You can bookmark this post using the button below,
or subscribe to this blog for free updates using the big buttons on the sidebar!

Apr 14

5 Comments

Strata Mondays #3 – Maintenance Responsibilities

Spiderman Survives the Recession

Q. Who is responsible for the exterior maintenance of a strata complex (including washing windows)?

A. The easy answer here is it depends, but usually it’s the strata corporation who is in charge of the exterior maintenance of a strata complex like a condominium or townhouse.

When you own a condo or townhouse, you own the strata lot and a share of the common property of the strata corporation. Your strata lot is basically everything inside the walls of your unit and sometimes a parking space and/or storage locker. The common property is the strata building itself including the roof, windows, balconies, exterior walls, driveways, landscaping, hallways, elevators, and so on. Everyone pays strata fees, the amounts proportional to the size of their strata lot, which are used to insure, maintain and repair the common property.

The BC Strata Property Act, Part 2, Section 3 says:

Responsibilities of strata corporation

3 Except as otherwise provided in this Act, the strata corporation is responsible for managing and maintaining the common property and common assets of the strata corporation for the benefit of the owners.

Usually this means that the strata corporation would be responsible for paying to have the exterior of the building cleaned and the windows washed. Most responsible complexes have this done a couple of times a year. However, sometimes there are bylaws in place that place the duty to maintain the exterior of the strata buildings on the shoulders of the individual owners. A good example of this would be a detached townhouse complex where each owner would be responsible for replacing his or her own roof, since it only directly benefits that owner.

Part 5, Division 1, Section 72 of the BC Strata Property Act says: (emphasis mine)

Repair of property

72 (1) Subject to subsection (2), the strata corporation must repair and maintain common property and common assets.
(2) The strata corporation may, by bylaw, make an owner responsible for the repair and maintenance of

(a) limited common property that the owner has a right to use, or
(b) common property other than limited common property only if identified in the regulations and subject to prescribed restrictions.

(3) The strata corporation may, by bylaw, take responsibility for the repair and maintenance of specified portions of a strata lot.

The Strata Property Act Standard Bylaws say: (emphasis mine)

Repair and maintenance of property by owner

2 (1) An owner must repair and maintain the owner’s strata lot, except for repair and maintenance that is the responsibility of the strata corporation under these bylaws

(2) An owner who has the use of limited common property must repair and maintain it, except for repair and maintenance that is the responsibility of the strata corporation under these bylaws.

and;

Repair and maintenance of property by strata corporation

8 The strata corporation must repair and maintain all of the following:

(a) common assets of the strata corporation;
(b) common property that has not been designated as limited common property;
(c) limited common property, but the duty to repair and maintain it is restricted to

(i) repair and maintenance that in the ordinary course of events occurs less often than once a year, and
(ii) the following, no matter how often the repair or maintenance ordinarily occurs:

(A) the structure of a building;
(B) the exterior of a building;
(C) chimneys, stairs, balconies and other things attached to the exterior of a building;
(D) doors, windows and skylights on the exterior of a building or that front on the common property;
(E) fences, railings and similar structures that enclose patios, balconies and yards;

(d) a strata lot in a strata plan that is not a bare land strata plan, but the duty to repair and maintain it is restricted to

(i) the structure of a building,
(ii) the exterior of a building,
(iii) chimneys, stairs, balconies and other things attached to the exterior of a building,
(iv) doors, windows and skylights on the exterior of a building or that front on the common property,
(v) fences, railings and similar structures that enclose patios, balconies and yards.

So, while the standard bylaws and the Act say that it’s the strata corporation’s responsibility for exterior maintenance, it’s possible that your strata complex may have enacted a bylaw that requires the owners to wash their own windows, maintain their own landscaping, or perform other exterior maintenance. To be sure, you’ll have to read your strata corporation bylaws carefully.

If you have a question about strata property, or any other real estate matter, please e-mail me at Tim@TimAyres.ca or fill in my contact form. I can also be reached by phone at 250-885-0512

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

Your comments are welcomed and encouraged!
Just use the form or link below this post.

You can bookmark this post using the button below,
or subscribe to this blog for free updates using the big buttons on the sidebar!

Apr 10

2 Comments

First Time Buyer Friday #5 – Do I Need A REALTOR®?

The right agent can make all the difference.

Q. I can search the MLS® myself, go around to open houses myself, and call the number on the sign or ad of any home I want to look at, so why should I work with a REALTOR®?

A. While it’s true that you can do all of the above, it’s really worth your while to find a dedicated agent to work with. The role of an agent has changed drastically in the last few years. In the past, an agent would be the sole source of information on properties for sale, using a paper-based MLS catalogue. However, in today’s world, with property information available 24/7 on the Internet and in real estate publications, real estate agents are no longer the gatekeepers of all the information on real estate (although some would still like to believe that they are).

Before, all agents were assumed to be working for the seller; buyers were offered very little in the way of agency representation. Even the REALTOR® that would take you around in the back of his or her car and write offers on your behalf was technically working for the seller, with no direct legal responsibility to look after the buyer’s best interests. Today, there are agents that work only with buyers. An agent working with a buyer now works directly for that buyer and has the legal obligation to protect that buyer’s interests.

Working with an agent today is about convenience and care. If you see 4 or 5 houses you want to look at, rather than waiting around for 4 or 5 agents to call you back, you make one call to your dedicated agent who will organize the listings in a logical showing sequence and book all the appointments for you. All you need to do is show up and check out the homes.In most areas, including Victoria and Sooke, a REALTOR® can also set up a personalized client account which will send you the most current listings, and will notify you of price changes for the type of property you are looking to buy. The private client accounts have much more information than you can find on the consumer-oriented real estate search portals like REALTOR.ca.

An agent also looks at things objectively, pointing out practical things you might have missed while being distracted by the stainless steel appliances! Over time, an experienced agent gives a wealth of information about the city in which he or she works. He or she will know which condos are the best, which buildings have problems, where the best pubs and cafes are.

An agent looks after your best interests. He or she will ensure your rights, needs, and wants are reflected accurately in the purchase agreement, and that the contract is legally enforceable. A good agent will pull up recent comparable sales to ensure you’re paying a fair price. A REALTOR® will help you take care of the details of closing, and can refer you to other trusted professionals you’ll need along the way like a lawyer or notary for conveyancing, home inspector, tradespeople, and so 0n.

Also, by working with an agent, you’ll get to know him or her and develop a long-lasting working relationship that continues after the sale in the years to come. He or she will get to know you and anticipate your needs and wants, and won’t waste your time showing you properties that you won’t like.

Some people believe that by working directly with the listing agent they’ll be able to get a better deal, but generally, this is a misconception. While REALTORS® are legally able to work with both a buyer and a seller, if both consent, that agent already has a close working relationship with the seller and is unlikely to give you a better deal, because he or she is already looking after the seller’s best interests and has a legal duty to the seller to obtain the best deal possible.

Finally, working with a REALTOR® to find your first home costs you nothing. A buyer’s agent is paid by the seller of the property you buy. You’ll appreciate the guidance and support of an experienced REALTOR®, who has helped dozens or even hundreds of people just like you get into their very first home.

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

Your comments are welcomed and encouraged!
Just use the form or link below this post.

You can bookmark this post using the button below,
or subscribe to this blog for free updates using the big buttons on the sidebar!

Apr 7

Sooke Events: Shirley Valentine and Sooke Eco-Fest

The Sooke Eco-Fest Benefits The Muir Creek Protection Society

April 17th and 18th: Shirley Valentine comes to Sooke.

Shirley Valentine is a one-woman play about a bored, empty-nest English housewife who dreams of a land far away under the sun where she might let her once vivacious, passionate self shine through. One day, out of the blue, she’s offered the chance to take a two-week trip to the Greek Isles, where she re-discovers her old passionate, joyful self that had lay hidden behind the years gone by.

Vancouver Islander Grace Jordan plays the challenging role at Sooke’s Community Theatre (at Edward Milne Community School) for two nights only later this month. Sooke chef Zach Regan will be serving up delicious Greek tapas before the show, and Tugwell Creek Meadery will be pouring mead (honey wine – outstanding!). Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Edward Milne program office, Shopper’s Drug Mart in Sooke, or at the door. Tickets are $30 for tapas and the show, or just $18 for the show only. Mead is available for purchase by the glass (and shouldn’t be missed!) More information at ShirleyValentine.ca

April 25th: SOS Eco-Fest ’09 (Save our Salmon!)

The Sooke Eco-fest is an all-day and all-ages event being held at the Sooke Community Hall to raise awareness and funds for the Muir Creek Protection Society. Come to experience live music all day by local musicians, food, activities and ‘groovy booths.’ I’m not sure what that means exactly, but it sounds interesting. There are plenty of bands lined up to play, and the event runs from 3:30 until 1:00am. Tickets are $10-$20 (kids under 12 are free) and available at Salts Organic Boutique or The Stick In The Mud Cafe in Sooke, and Fiber Options (577 Johnson St., Victoria), or call Amanda @ 250-818-4633. More information, including musical lineup and booth information can be found on the event’s Facebook page.

This is what I love about writing a local blog. Both these events are being listed here because their organizers found the blog and sent me a message asking to be included. If you have an event in Sooke or nearby and would like some free publicity, please email Tim@642Blog.ca or connect on Twitter, and I’ll happily include your event.

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

Your comments are welcomed and encouraged!
Just use the form or link below this post.

You can bookmark this post using the button below,
or subscribe to this blog for free updates using the big buttons on the sidebar!

Apr 6

Strata Mondays #2 – Which floor is worth more?

A large patio is one reason ground level condos are more expensive

Q. I was looking at a new condominium project and I noticed that the same floor plan was available on all four floors, but the top and ground level were more expensive. Top floor I understand, but why would somebody pay more for a ground level suite?

A. This is very common – all other things equal, the top and ground floors of a condominium building will typically see higher sale prices per square foot. Most people can understand why somebody would pay more for a top-floor condo. A better view, and no noisy neighbours from above are a couple of reasons. Top-floor condos also often have extra-high ceilings or even lofts, skylights, and so on.

But when many people think of ground-level suites, the immediate concern is always security. Being ground level, an undesirable doesn’t have to break in the front door or scale the outside of the building to break in. Some ground level suites are also somewhat below grade, so lack of light can be a concern.

However, there are also significant advantages to a ground level suite. You may see the term garden-level suite, which as the name suggests, emphasizes one of theses advantages. Ground or garden-level suites often come with extra large patios and sometimes even a fenced courtyard. Lack of outdoor space is one of the biggest drawbacks to condo living. It’s possible to have a thriving, lush, beautiful garden with a large patio perfect for entertaining with a ground-level suite. This also enables you to walk up to your home and enter through the patio door if you desire.

Another advantage is that being on the ground level, you won’t have any neighbours below you to disturb, so you can probably install hard surface flooring such as wood or tile. It’s not uncommon for strata councils to have by-laws in place to prohibit units above the ground floor from having hard surface floors, since noise is more easily transmitted to the unit below.

So, it’s for all these reasons that ground-level suites are often more expensive than similar-sized ones on the between floors in low-rise buildings. High-rise buildings would be a different story – with prices increasing as you go higher in the building.

If you have a question about strata property, or any other real estate matter, please e-mail me at Tim@TimAyres.ca. I can also be reached by phone at 250-885-0512

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

Your comments are welcomed and encouraged!
Just use the form or link below this post.

You can bookmark this post using the button below,
or subscribe to this blog for free updates using the big buttons on the sidebar!

Sooke Real Estate, Living, and Community Blog by Tim Ayres

Archive for April, 2009

BC Election: Sooke All Candidates Meeting – May 4th, 2009

Strata Mondays #5 – Leaky Condos Part II

First Time Buyer Friday #6 – What Does My Money Get Me?

Bank Of Canada Cuts Interest Rate to 0.25% At April 2009 Meeting

Strata Mondays #4 – Leaky Condos Part I

A Free Night At The Sooke Harbour House!

Strata Mondays #3 – Maintenance Responsibilities

First Time Buyer Friday #5 – Do I Need A REALTOR®?

Sooke Events: Shirley Valentine and Sooke Eco-Fest

Strata Mondays #2 – Which floor is worth more?

Like, What The Sooke?!

Recent Articles

Articles by Month

Why, Hello There!

Pages

Where The Sooke?!

Search

Sooke Real Estate – Tim Ayres

Sooke Real Estate, Living, and Community Blog by Tim Ayres

Archive for April, 2009

Subscribe

Like, What The Sooke?!

Recent Articles

Articles by Month

Why, Hello There!

Pages

Where The Sooke?!

Search

Sooke Real Estate – Tim Ayres