Just Listed! Bright, Beautiful Home in Broadmead, Victoria, BC

First OPEN HOUSE Sunday July 6, from 1-4 p.m.

Enjoy the tranquility of Broadmead in this luxurious West Coast style architectural 4/5 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms home. An open sunny Family Room, Kitchen, with 1 year old stainless steel appliances, and breakfast area, overlook the serene private back yard.

The Living Room with fireplace and Dining Room boast hardwood floors. A good sized Office (or 5th bedroom), bathroom, oversized double garage and laundry room round out the main floor.

The Master bedroom with ensuite, 3 more bedrooms and bathroom are spacious and light.

All levels of schools, shopping centre and bus route close by. The house is 2,388 sq. ft. with the Lot being 9000 sq. ft. The property backs onto great walking trails and rural land.

This dream home has it all, is in move-in condition and priced to sell!

Please view my website for more useful information and photos: www.david-stevens.ca

Happy Canada Day!

 HAPPY CANADA DAY! 141 YEARS OLD TODAY, JULY 1.

See the Canadian Heritage website

Quaint House in Victoria, BC - The Swallowed Anchor

I recently came across this photo on Benjamin Madison's Blog, Victoria Daily Photo. Take a look at his Blog with some really outstanding pictures:
 http://victoriadailyphoto.blogspot.com/

I've always liked this house, ever since my parents took me to see it as a young child. What a great piece of real estate! It is known as the Swallowed Anchor, and is located across the road from Westbay Marina.

The tiny house has an eccentric conglomeration of naval creations ranging from Peg Leg the Pirate and the Stork's nest on the roof, down to the lawn which has a large statue of King Neptune and a Mermaid, as well as the Porpoises. The house belonged to a mariner, long since gone, and obviously he retired there, hence the name. This home is actually lived in and is not part of the usual Victoria tourist attractions!

There are other interesting houses in this Esquimalt area, one of which is Captain Jacobsen's whimsical Queen Anne style house built in the 1880's. You can also take a walk around the marina and look at the interesting float homes.

Fun at the 6th Annual Afro-Caribbean Carnival in Victoria, BC June 21 - 22, 2008

Saturday, June 21st, 2008 - Sunday, June 22nd, 2008

Photo from Harbour Living

The African Heritage Association of Vancouver Island (AHAVI) are holding the sixth annual free cultural event featuring music, food and fashions from a variety of African and Caribbean countries.

Carnival Day is a Free Family Event with Live Music, Dancing, a Marketplace with clothes, jewellery, art and food vendors from various regions. There will also be lots of Children's activities.

This celebration is presented by the African Heritage Association of Vancouver Island.

** Living on an Island ...**

I came from an Island (Britain), and have lived on an Island (Vancouver Island, BC) since I was 9 years old, but the Island I like to visit is a tiny one here in British Columbia ... Portland Island. Access is only by boat or kayak and it's located between Salt Spring Island and Sidney on Vancouver Island. There are 10 kilometres of walking trails around Portland Island and it really is a wonderful place to visit.

Although now uninhabited it was the site of a First Nations' village, and Hawaiian immigrants who settled there in the 1880's. Consequently, there are  fruit trees, roses and garden plants and shell midden beaches throughout the island. I was even told that there was once a horse race track through the middle of the island.

In 1958 the island was given to Princess Margaret to commemorate her visit to BC. Princess Margaret returned the island to the people of British Columbia in 1967 and it became a park. There are two small coves for anchorage, called Princess Bay and Royal Cove. Today it is part of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve.

Photo Gulf Islands Guide

Freaky but Fascinating!

Two white ravens have been seen in Qualicum, BC, on Vancouver Island (98 miles/157 kilometers from Victoria BC), together with their three black siblings.  Bird expert and author Mike Yip of Nanoose Bay took this photo of the birds with the genetic defect.

The area they were seen is called Ravensong Pool!! The birds are not Albino because they have blue eyes rather than pink eyes. Another pair of young white ravens was spotted last year in the same area and it is believed that there's a good chance the four white ravens came from the same parents.

 
Photos by Mike Yip

One click away from The Best Place on Earth - Hello BC video

Victoria, BC Rental Vacancy Rate Lowest in Canada

According to the Victoria Times Colonist newspaper this morning, our city has the lowest rental vacancy rate in Canada. The report is according to the latest figures from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

So .... why not take a look at my newest listing, shown in detail on my website: www.david-stevens.ca. It's a great Revenue/Investment property.

This very private, well maintained 1992 house with 6 Bedrooms & 4 Bathrooms on a huge 11,865 sq.ft. lot boasts 2 separate entry In-Law Suites.

The Main level features 3 Beds, 2 Baths, soaker tub, Living Room with French Doors & fireplace, Dining room with balcony/deck, Kitchen with breakfast nook, Laundry room, and an extra 21x22 bonus attic Family Room.

Who is Moving To Victoria, BC?

 Victoria, BC the jewel of Vancouver Island

 and located on the southern tip, boasts the mildest climate in Canada, having pleasantly warm summers and mild winters. The Pacific Ocean is at your doorstep ... what better place to live? Selling Real Estate in Victoria has become my passion, and it is where I meet people from all over North America as well as those from Europe.

Most overseas clients come from the UK. While the rest of Canada sees a record influx of immigrants from Asia and the Middle East, Greater Victoria continues to attract its traditionally strong base of people from the USA and the UK. This is according to the Language and Immigration 2006 census data, which shows the percentage of foreign-born population in Richmond, Burnaby and Vancouver was 60%, 50% and 40% respectively, while that of Victoria was 20%.

The BC Government Stats website has some interesting figures with regard to the population in Victoria, for example:

GREATER VICTORIA CENSUS SNAPSHOT
Total population: 325,060 -
Total immigrant population: 61,980 or 19.1 %
New immigrants (2001-2006) 5,975

TOP FIVE SOURCES OF NEW IMMIGRANTS
United States 885 China 840
United Kingdom 620
Philippines 380
India 280

MOTHER TONGUE
English: 274,955
French: 5,580 Other:
43,830

Tall Ships in Victoria, BC June 26- 29, 2008

The City of Victoria has an exciting maritime history. Victoria's Inner Harbour, on Thursday, June 26, is the venue for the spectacular Parade of Sail, which kicks off the Victoria Tall Ships Festival. There will be at least 24 Tall Ships with their sails billowing and according to estimates from the festival director they are aiming to attract 40,000 paid visitors.

Ships that have been used in movies, the ' Bounty' (a 54-metre sailing vessel), the 'Nina' (a replica of the 15th century ship of Christopher Columbus) and 'Lady Washington' (112 ft. replica of the privateer sailed during the American Revolution, and used in the Pirates of the Caribbean) are three of the Tall Ships  seen on the big screen. The ships will be open for boarding at various times on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

For more information visit: www.tallshipsvictoria.ca