At of the beginning of January, there were a few changes in real estate that came into effect.  Buyers now have a 3-day right of rescission period and the 2-year ban on foreign buyers has commenced. 

Also, my Brokerage previously known as Duttons has undergone a re-branding, we are now "Clover Residential". If you click the link below, it will outline the reasons for the change. It's a fascinating new chapter for the company.  Not only do we have a new name, but we also have a new and improved exterior of our landmark office in Fairfield which looks truly incredible; be sure to drive by and take a look!  Our rebrand is an opportunity to reflect on who we are at our core and commit ourselves anew to what we do best. We are real estate experts with a passion for our local communities and a commitment to delivering exceptional service to our clients. You will also notice that my email has changed to reflect the new name.  The new brand will continue to unveil itself in the weeks to come, so stay tuned!

See the links below:

If you have any real estate related goals for the year I'd be happy to hop on a call with you to discuss them.

-Ainsley

Hey, just a quick video that I shot about the amount of snow we had last night.

We had an unusually large amount of snow last night here in Victoria!

So I'm going to take you on a winter wonderland tour of my neighbourhood - Rockland as well as provide you with a brief real estate market update including my predictions for our spring market.

Thanks - Ainsley Gower

Another year is almost over, the snow has started, Christmas is just around the corner, and its time for some cozy family time and not to mention way too much food and egg nog!

Below you will find some information (links) about some new real estate regulations that are coming in the New Year. 

The one about foriegn buyers is quite important.

I wish you all a great Christmas and an even better new year!   

Happy Holidays,

-Ainsley

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The Canada wide foreign buyer ban is about to happen in January, currently it is only planned for a 2 year period, read all the detail in the link.

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The BC government has made some changes to strata rental regulations, the aim is to free up more strata properties to everybody.  Read all the details below.

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A new regulation to help buyers, the “Home Buyer Rescission Period” gives buyers the right to withdraw from a purchase agreement within a specified period, which is currently set to 3 days. 

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 Latest market stats from the Vicoria Real Estate Board

This past year, the real estate market has jumped from one extreme to the next. Leaving home buyers to wonder if buying a house will get any easier in 2023 or the years ahead?

In the near future it may be easier to buy a home, as there are more homes on the market than the previouse few years, and fewer buyers to compete against. 

But it may be more difficult to purchase in the near future for other reasons like higher interest rates, inflation, lack of housing supply and an increase in construction cost.

So in the below video are some things to consider when contemplating the real estate market and your home search.

There are a number of factors that will keep housing supply options limited both now and in the future, including inflation and rising interest rates, supply-chain issues, and an increase construction costs.

So, let’s chat about 5 important things buyers should keep in mind when contemplating the real estate market and their home search next year and the years to come.

Please check out my YouTube video below.

Thanks - Ainsley Gower

If you’re wondering if now is a good time to buy a house, you’re certainly not alone.

After a record increase in house prices throughout the pandemic, people are now more uncertain about buying a house, more than ever. Data shows 47 per cent of Canadians are expecting to delay a real estate transaction or major purchase in the next 12 months. However, we are finally in a market where home prices have declined, price reductions are more common, and there’s practically no competition. So is now a good time for you to buy a house?

I am a real estate agent, but in my YouTube video I am not to just try to convince you to buy a house right now because prices are down at the moment.

Let’s chat about what is actually happening in the market today and figure out if it’s the right time to buy a house, I just want to explain things through my experience as both a real estate agent and as a buyer and seller, and then you can decide whether or not it makes sense for you to buy in the market were in.

I’m going to talk about the pros and cons of buying in yesterdays, todays and tomorrows markets. Because there are things we’ve all seen before, there are things we are experiencing now and  things we’re going to experience again.

The housing market is ever changing, it’s is in a constant state of flux, depending on overall economic conditions, interest rates, the cost of building materials, and more. 

Please check out my video for all the info.

Thanks - Ainsley Gower 

In this video we are going to be checking out East Saanich, as I think this is one of the most exciting, diverse and family friendly areas that Victoria has to offer.

We’re going to break down some of the distinct neighbourhoods that offer a range of real estate options, so that by the end of thr video you’ll have a better understanding of what neighbourhood in East Saanich you might just want to move to.

East Saanich is home to Mount Doug Park, Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary, Gyro Park, Arbutus Cove, Matticks Farm as well as the University of Victoria, which is one of the dominant feature of the eastern part of this community.

It has very distinct neighbourhoods and offers a large range of real estate, from multi million dollar waterfront homes & luxury condos in some of the more prestigious areas to more modest homes, and simple condo buildings and townhomes.

The district of Saanich East, corresponds to the eastern half of the municipal District of Saanich and is sub-divided into 19 neighbourhoods, some of which are amongst the most desirable to live in like Cordova Bay, Broadmead, Mt Doug, Gordon Head, Arbutus, Cadboro Bay, and Ten Mile Point.

The western boundry of east Saanich runs along Patrichia Bay, and the East side boasts an expansive stretch of coastline, with views of the Haro Strait and San Juan Islands.

In East Saanich you will find family friendly neighbourhoods throughout, with a mix of architectural styles.

Check out the video below for all the details about East Saanich.

Thanks - Ainsley Gower

In the below video I am diving in, to take a look at what it's like to live Downtown in Victoria BC, as well as some of the surrounding areas like Vic West, Songhees and the Harris Green District.

If you're considering purchasing real estate here in Victoria BC, we'll be checking out some of my favorite condo buildings including one of the penthouse residences at the new luxury Customs House.

I'll give you a glimpse into Escher, Yates on Yates, Ironworks, Legato, Era, The Union, Janion etc, some of which allow for air bnb.

We'll also be checking out the West side of Downtown where you’ll find Old Town, this includes 3 areas of distinct character: The old commercial district with it’s collection of commercial heritage buildings, Canada’s oldest surviving Chinatown and the warehouse buildings and hotels along the waterfront area.

We will also head over to check out real estate in Vic West/Songhees where you'll find new condo towers like Encore, Promontory, Bayview and the Dockside Green development with it's newer towers by renowned Bosa Development.

Hopefully all this information helps you decide on whether downtown living here would be a suitable option for you. If you're considering moving to Victoria BC, I'd love to hear from you and I'd love to help you.

Please check out the video below on my YouTube chanel.

Thanks - Ainsley Gower