Jan 30
Is this the year you stop paying rent and start paying yourself? If you’re considering buying your first home in 2012, you should make sure that you join me on February 15th (Langford) or February 16th (Sooke) for a free and informative interactive seminar – Buying Your First Home. Read more
Mar 22
House for Sale in Sooke
Ah… springtime… when a young person’s thoughts turn to… buying a home, of course! The spring market is here, and many first-time buyers are taking advantage of record low interest rates and making the jump into their own homes.
How much do you need and how can you save for a down payment? What’s the best type of mortgage for you? What homes are available and what sorts of programs are out there to help a first-time buyer?
How will the upcoming mortgage rule changes affect my affordability? Will the HST spoil my dream of home ownership?
All these questions and more will be answered at a fun, free, interactive seminar I’m putting on next month with two other professionals.
A Certified Financial Planner will talk about how to save for that ever-important down payment, and government programs to assist home buyers. Find out the details of how to borrow from your RRSP tax-free to help you buy a house, and other tricks of the trade.
Robert Boyd, Mortgage Expert with Dominion Lending will present on the various types of mortgages that are available, how to apply, and how to get the best rate possible to save you money. Learn about mortgages and rates, amortization and prepayment and take the mystery out of mortgages
Tim Ayres (that’s me!), REALTOR® with Royal LePage Coast Capital Realty will walk you through the home-buying process – how we search for a home together, showings, offers, negotiation and finally, getting the keys to your new home. Find out what to look for, how to ensure you get what you need, and how having an experienced REALTOR® on your side can help.
When: Tuesday, March 30th, 2010, 7PM.
Where: Investors Group Westshore office, 201 – 630 Goldstream [map] – [street view]
The seminar is free, but we have limited space, so please phone me at 250-885-0512, fill in the form below or visit TimAyres.ca/seminars for more information.
-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional
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Image Credit: Jeffery Simpson on Flickr (Click for profile)
I was one of those people before. I had no interest in taking the ferry to Vancouver and braving the crowds, lines and security to hang out downtown. What’s the big deal?
I was wrong. I returned from Vancouver yesterday totally energized and excited about the Games. The city is simply buzzing with activity 24 hours a day. Yes it’s busy, yes it’s crowded, but that’s half the fun. If you’re complaining that the Olympics are a 2-week party for the rich, you’re dead wrong. I didn’t have a ticket to any events, nor a plan or a list of attractions I wanted to see. I spent next to nothing, but felt like I took in everything.
And it couldn’t be easier for us in the greater Victoria area. BC Ferries has added an early morning (6:00am) and late evening (midnight) sailing for your convenience. Bus to or park at Swartz Bay terminal, walk on the ferry. Take one of the many buses outside the Tsawwassen terminal and get on the Canada Line downtown. Quick and easy. There might be a lineup, but with trains coming every 3 minutes or so, you won’t be waiting long. I never had to wait for more than one train before being able to get on. Wander around, explore. Take in some of the free entertainment at the various pavilions. See the Olympic flame burning outside the convention centre. Feel the vibe and enjoy the spirit!
Watch the events unfold from numerous outdoor high-definition screens. There really is nothing like it – standing on the street, cheering on our athletes with 1000 of your closest friends. Everyone is smiling, waving flags and having a great time.
The Richmond O-Zone is great too. Just steps from the Richmond-Brighouse Canada Line station, this 60-acre site includes a large mainstage with free concerts all Games long, beer gardens, restaurants, arts and culture displays, the ever-popular Holland Heineken House, and BC Street, where you’ll find displays from all over our glorious province, enticing the world to come and visit. Sooke’s booth has really stolen the show, people absolutely love it.
Try out the Olympic line – an electric streetcar (with comfy leather seats!) on loan from Brussels, Belgium – and you thought sprouts were the attraction from Brussels. It runs from Olympic Village Canada Line station to Granville Island, where you can take in even more Olympic fun, including House of Switzerland, and Atlantic Canada House.
I had an awesome, exciting weekend and didn’t spend a lot of money. Transit is cheap and reliable, and with so much free stuff to do, you’d be remiss not to take it all in.
-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional
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House for Sale in Sooke
Is 2010 the year you decide to stop paying rent and invest in your future in the form of your very own home? How much do you need and how can you save for a down payment? What’s the best type of mortgage for you? What homes are available and what sorts of programs are out there to help a first-time buyer?
All these questions and more will be answered at a fun, free, interactive seminar I’m putting on next month with two other professionals.
A Certified Financial Planner will talk about how to save for that ever-important down payment, and government programs to assist home buyers. Find out the details of how to borrow from your RRSP tax-free to help you buy a house, and other tricks of the trade.
Robert Boyd, Mortgage Expert with Dominion Lending will present on the various types of mortgages that are available, how to apply, and how to get the best rate possible to save you money. Learn about mortgages and rates, amortization and prepayment and take the mystery out of mortgages
Tim Ayres (that’s me!), REALTOR® with Royal LePage Coast Capital Realty will walk you through the home-buying process – how we search for a home together, showings, offers, negotiation and finally, getting the keys to your new home. Find out what to look for, how to ensure you get what you need, and how having an experienced REALTOR® on your side can help.
When: February 9th, 2010, 7PM.
Where: Investors Group Westshore office, 201 – 630 Goldstream [map] – [street view]
The seminar is free, but we have limited space, so please phone me at 250-885-0512, fill in the form below or visit TimAyres.ca/seminars for more information.
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-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional
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Sooke Santa Skate
The annual Sooke Santa Skate, put on by our team at Royal LePage Coast Capital Realty and SEAPARC, will be held this Sunday, December 20th, 2009 at the SEAPARC Arena. Join us from 1:30 until 3:00 for a fun, family event. Admission is by donation of non-perishable food items, new, unwrapped toys, or cash to support Sooke families in need this Christmas.
Your local REALTORS® from the Royal LePage Coast Capital office will be on hand passing out free and tasty hot chocolate and hot dogs and collecting your generous donations. Skate rentals are also included if you do not have your own. Bring your camera and get a memorable picture with Skating Santa Claus!
Last year’s event was a success, despite having been postponed due to adverse road conditions brought on by the wild winter weather we had last December. Hopefully we’ll have a typically mild day, making it easy for everyone to safely get to the arena.
I hope to see you there!
-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional
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My good friend Jason of DiscoverSooke.com is running a contest. You can win two nights accommodation at the fabulous Sooke Harbour Resort and Marina right here in Sooke. Watch Jason’s video below for the details (the links he refers to are below the video on this post).
The link Jason talks about in the video is here: http://www.sookeharbourresort.ca/specials.html
There are two grand prizes and two ways to win, so pass on this blog post or the video to everyone you know, and increase your chances of winning! Be sure to read all the contest rules on the entry page, which you’ll get to when you follow the instructions in the video.
Good luck!
-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional
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Ed Macgregor Park
Some people would think that a tiny town like Sooke – with a population of around 10,000 – wouldn’t have much of an arts and culture scene. Those people would be very, very wrong! Since moving to Sooke four years ago, I’ve come to appreciate and take pride in our thriving arts community – from photographers and painters, to potters and glassworkers, Sooke’s art and culture scene is really first-rate.
One of the true gems of our small Island town is the Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra. That’s right, a symphony, in Sooke. This wonderful group of performers was formed in 1997 and, led by Norman Nelson, now performs 12 concerts per year in the region, plus their ever-popular summer Fling concert, held every July in Ed Macgregor Park.
This year’s event, the eighth annual, will be held on July 19th at the park, beginning at 2:30. The gates will be open at 1:00 to allow concertgoers to arrive early to stake out a good spot on the lawn at the park.
I attended for the first time last year and was really moved. You definitely don’t want to miss this fantastic free family event. It’s a pops concert, so there will be something for everyone and you will probably recognize most of the music, even if you’re not a huge classical music fan.
See my post about last year’s event here, including some video of the event.
More information about the Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra can be found on their website (which doesn’t appear to have been updated in some time).
Parking can be a bit of an issue, so try and walk or carpool. A reminder that you can walk from downtown Sooke to Ed Macgregor Park along the Sooke Marine Boardwalk, which has an easy ramp from the water up to the park, so you may choose to park at the opposite end and walk there (about 10-15 minutes walk). My office (Royal LePage Coast Capital Realty) will also offer up our parking lot for concertgoers.
Here is a map showing the concert, parking, and boardwalk:
View Larger Map
-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional
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Apr 15
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
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Dec 15
Much to my surprise, I arrived at the SEAPARC arena yesterday to set up for the Sooke Santa Skate and no one else from the office was there. Apparently, the arena had trouble getting staff there because of the snow on Saturday night and Santa had difficulty getting there too. So, the skate is now scheduled for this Sunday, December 21st, 2008 at the same time, 2:00 – 3:00. More information can be found on my previous post about the event.
-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional
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Dec 8
The Sooke Branch of Royal LePage Coast Capital Realty and SEAPARC are proud to once again be hosting the Sooke Santa Skate, which takes place this Sunday, December 14th, 21st (changed date), 2008 from 2:00-3:30 at the SEAPARC Leisure Complex. The event is free by donation of a non-perishible food item, toy, or cash to support needy local families this Christmas.
Included are skate rentals, hot dogs, hot chocolate, activities with the awesome and super-fun SEAPARC staff, and of course, the chance to skate with the big man in red himself, Santa Claus!
Special thanks to Village Foods and Western Foods for their generous support of this fun family event.
I hope to see you all there!
-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional
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