It may seem like unnecessary hassle and expense to secure a permit for home improvements or renovations, but any number of homeowners can testify that the cost and consequences of ignoring the requirements are higher.

Aside from the plight of inferior workmanship that sometimes is the hallmark of a job performed by a contractor who neglects to secure a proper permit and call for needed inspections, there are possible legal and financial consequences. Obtaining necessary plan reviews in order to secure a permit can add time delays and additional cost to a planned renovation or building project, but they should be considered a necessary part of the job.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed West Saanich real estate

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Foundation damage is virtually inevitable for a home that's old enough, and even though it occurs over many years, it's still a surprise to many homeowners. Homes move and shift with the soil, which will put pressure on the sides and the base in such a way that can collapse the whole home if owners don't recognize the problem. For a better idea of what can be done to help prevent and correct foundation damage, keep the following facts in mind.

Early Sings

There are a few early signs that Saanich East homeowners can look for well before the home starts to bulge and sag past the point of no return. If the doors and windows aren't closing properly, then this could be a sign that the home has shifted in one direction or the other. In addition,

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After selling a home and buying a new home, it’s time to focus on moving. This is a big job that takes a lot of effort from everyone in the household in order to make sure everything is packed by the move date. In such hectic times, shortcuts and advice are always welcome, so here are some of the best tips homeowners should keep in mind while packing to move.

1. Start Packing Before the Home Is Sold

There’s no getting around it: packing is a huge job that requires a lot of time and effort. In order to prevent everything from happening during crunch time, homeowners should start preparing early. Before the old home is even on the market, the homeowner should be putting away extra things that won’t be needed in order to both cut down on clutter

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>Last month we saw a small normal seasonal increase in sales over to 598 sold over the 533 sold in September, but down 10% from the 664 sold in October last year. There were 15% fewer condos and single family homes sold in October compared to October of the previous year.

 

The supply of homes available for sale was up to 2,510 actively for sale at the end of October, that's 32% higher than at the end of October last year.

 

The simple overall math is that we now have a 4 month supply which suggests a "balanced market". A closer look shows significant differences in this "balance" in different areas, property types and price ranges. Some continue to be relatively under supplied with competing bids while others are seeing almost no activity and

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These days, many homeowners are doing whatever they can to ensure that their home is as environmentally friendly as possible. From installing smart technology that reduces energy consumption to composting food scraps, there are many ways to make a home greener, but one way many homeowners overlook is the types of flooring used in the home. While it may not seem like it, the floor a homeowner chooses to use can have a big impact on the environment through using renewable or recycled materials. This can make an impact on many buyers when selling your home. Here are some of the different eco-friendly flooring options for homes.

1. Wool Carpeting

While normal carpeting is often fairly eco-friendly, wool carpeting is even more so because it uses

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Buying a smaller home often means fewer expenses, less cleaning to do, less maintenance and lower property taxes. It's win in many ways. Still, moving from a bigger home to a smaller home does have a down side. Specifically, downsizing is time consuming and difficult. Many people must take months or even years to down size their home. These tips can help home buyers to downsize so they can fit into a smaller property before it becomes time to sell their home and move.

Let Go of Unused Stuff

The first thing a home buyer must do in order to down size is to go through all of their things and decide which belongings they no longer need. Many people will set a time limit. For example, the home buyer may say that anything that has not been used in

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Home sale paperwork has become progressively more complicated over the years, in an effort to stave off lawsuits and disputes from either party. The exact paperwork each Victoria home seller needs will depend on the province in which they live, but there are general best practices that sellers can use to prepare. The idea is for sellers to consider what the buyer needs to know as they're gathering up all the necessary documents.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

The Main Paperwork

Sellers are likely already familiar with the most important documents:

• Deed
• Survey data
• Property tax records
• Renovation information

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The downward trend for real estate sales in Greater Victoria continued with a total of just 533 sold in September 2018, 16% fewer than the 640 sold last September 2017 and 10% fewer sales than last month, August 2018. This is contrary to the typical seasonal increase in sales after summer. 

  At the same time the upward trend with our supply of listings available for sale continued with 2,646 for sale at the end of September 2018, 5% than the month before and 34% more than the 1,976 available at the end of September 2017.   This apparent balanced level of supply and demand means we now have a 5 month overall supply of listings available for sale. Of course as reported in previous…

Whether selling a Type A or Type B property, vacation home sales differ from those of their primary home counterparts. From taxes to appreciation to staging, there are a variety of factors to keep in mind. To get the most from the Malahat North home sale, keep the following financial and practical tips in mind.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

How Capital Gains Work

Capital gains apply to all sellers of secondary homes. This refers to any appreciation that occurred from the time the home was purchased to the time it was sold. So a property that was purchased for a net $75,000 and sold for a net $125,000 would be taxed at up to

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There are many different things that go into making up a real estate contract. One of those things is all of the "boilerplate" language that's standard in most all real estate contracts. This standard language includes different clauses that are used for both the buyers and the sellers. Every one of those clauses is generally important, but they might not all apply to every circumstance. Because of that, there are a number of different options for adjusting the clauses, taking them out, or adding in additional information that can be used for that particular transaction.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

Why Real Estate Clauses Matter

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