Sooke Community and Real Estate Blog 642Blog.ca

Suites are a necessary housing option

As part of their review of the issue of secondary suites in single-family homes (also known as basement suites, in-law suites, rental suites, etc.), The District of Sooke is forming a Secondary Suites Advisory Committee and needs volunteers from various neighbourhoods in Sooke to come forward to share their views and make recommendations to town council to help them craft any future legislation regarding suites.

Secondary suites are a necessary housing option, especially in a town like Sooke where there are very few purpose built apartments. They also make the dream of home ownership more attainable for the average family. However, regulations need to be in place for health and safety, nuisance, and taxation purposes.

Council is seeking to form a “community-based committee to evaluate and make recommendations to Council by November 30th, 2010 on the issue of secondary and small suites, including the legalization of illegal suites.”

If you’re interested, you’ll need to volunteer by Friday to be a part of the committee. Representatives from all areas of Sooke are needed, so go ahead and have your voice heard! Click here to visit the relevant page on the Council website.

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

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Tagged: basement | BC | committee | council | illegal | legal | secondary | Sooke | suites | volunteer

Mariner's Village, Sooke, Master Concept

Sooke is quickly becoming one of the province’s fastest growing communities. New neighbourhoods are under construction, new parks and trails being established, and new commercial developments are being undertaken. Perhaps the most exciting of these developments is the Mariner’s Village project. Mariner’s Village is a mixed-use, multi-phase waterfront development which will include condominiums and townhouses, a new marina, restaurants, shops, offices and more.

Much more than just a subdivision, Mariner’s Village is the first step in the re-imagining of downtown Sooke. The town’s official community plan calls for enhanced development south of Sooke Road (Hwy 14) to improve public access and sight lines of our spectacular waterfront of the Sooke Harbour and Basin.

For a few years, there has been talk about a new medical centre being built in Sooke – more comprehensive and modern than the town’s existing small clinics, scattered about the community. In the plan for Mariner’s Village is the “Sooke Professional Wellnes Centre,” a large (perhaps up to 10,000 sqft) facility complete with doctors’ offices, Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) space, lab space, x-ray clinic, and other medical and wellness facilities.

A more comprehensive medical facility is essential for our town’s growth, especially considering that the nearest hospital is 25-35 minutes’ drive away in View Royal. And for the communities further west of Sooke like Shirley, Port Renfrew and Jordan River, it will be even more critical.

The project is just getting started, with its sales office for the first residential phase having just opened a couple of weeks ago. While it will take some time for this facility to be built, it will be worth the wait. If you want more information about Mariner’s Village or any other developments or neighbourhoods in Sooke, please call me at 250-885-0512, email Tim@TimAyres.ca or fill in my contact form.

Want to know why Sooke is the place to be? Contact me!

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

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Tagged: BC | centre | clinic | condos | Development | doctor | investment | mariners village | medical | new | project | services | Sooke | Townhouse | waterfront

The Clover Point Drifters will perform at the Sooke River Bluegrass Festival

Sooke River Bluegrass Festival and Tall Tree Music Festival

Back once again, the ever popular Sooke River Bluegrass festival goes this coming weekend, June 18-20 for three full days of music, camping, and hopefully, sunshine.

Held every 3rd weekend in June, the Sooke River Bluegrass Festival is well known for being a family-friendly affair, and the setting couldn’t be better – at the Sooke River Campground, along the banks of the river. As music festivals go, it’s tremendously affordable, with a weekend pass going for only $35, and single day passes also available. There is on-site camping for both tents and RVs, and a huge lineup of players, including The Spinney Brothers and Four Chords of Wood.

With the summer weather having finally arrived, I can’t think of a better way to take in some great music!

Tall Tree Music Festival

New (as far as I know) this year is the Tall Tree Music Festival on June 25 and 26th, being held on the edge of the earth in beautiful and rustic Port Renfrew, about an hour’s drive west along the highway from Sooke.

A 2 day festival featuring bands such as Aidan Knight, Current Swell and, uh, Donkey Dong (yeah, you probably don’t want to Google that), you’ll be listening and camping on the site of the old Rec Retreat on Baird Road just past the general store in Port Renfrew. This site is soon to become Wild Coast Cottages (post on this to come soon). The festival is being held in support of “Avatar Grove,” the stand of old-growth trees recently “discovered” in the area. A group called Ancient Forest Alliance wants to protect this special place for all to enjoy for posterity.

Anything happening in Renfrew is a great idea in my opinion. The tiny village of about 200 is well known for great fishing, and as a jumping off point to hike the West Coast Trail or the Juan De Fuca Trail. I predict that it will grow in popularity in the coming years, much like Tofino has.

If you go:

• NO DRINKING DRIVING – and there will be roadblocks (pretty easy when there’s only one road).
• Uneven ground & coastal weather - bring good footwear & clothes
• If you plan to camp on site you must buy a camping pass separately
• There is no gas in Renfrew so GAS UP IN SOOKE  (or Lake Cowichan if you’re coming that way)!
• No cash available on site - BRING CASH
• No vehicles on site – caravans can stay in the parking lot
• Carpool – let’s save the planet & avoid congestion. Free parking for carpools of 3 or more.
• 19+ event – there will be a Salt Spring Ales beer garden
• No campfires, no pets, no bad attitudes.

Have an event in the Sooke Region this summer? Send me the details and I’ll post about it here!

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

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Tagged: 2010 | bluegrass | camping | festival | info | music festival | Port Renfrew | sooke river | summer

On May 15, 2010, in support of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, Royal LePage REALTORS® across Canada will be holding massive garage sales in their communities. Building on the success of last year’s event, Royal LePage Coast Capital Realty will be holding what we believe is the largest garage sale in Victoria history!

With the generous support of our clients, friends, and AMJ Campbell Van Lines, we’ve been able to amass more than 8 storage containers of household items, furniture, knick-knacks and more garage sale treasures. The response from the community has been overwhelming and you’re definitely not going to want to miss this sale. There will be deals galore, and all for a great cause.

The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation is our national charity, which supports local women’s and children’s shelters and national violence prevention programs. The best thing about the Shelter Foundation is that because its administration costs are covered by Royal Lepage, 100% of every dollar donated goes towards women and children in need.

The sale will run from 9:00 to 3:00 and is being held at AMJ Campbell’s warehouse in Langford at the corner of Jacklin and West Shore Parkway [map]. Enter off West Shore Parkway and look for our REALTOR® volunteers and signs.

Check out this short video (click through if you can’t see it on your email or feed reader) showing the sheer volume of stuff we have to sell. Last year, lots of great stuff went for a quarter, so you’re sure to get some great deals!

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

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Tagged: 2010 | BC | deals | furniture | garage sale | household | realtors | Royal LePage | sale | Shelter Foundation | used | Victoria

This Thursday, April 29th, 2010, Vancouver-based entrepreneur Stephen Jagger and professional sales trainer Shane Gibson will be at the Downtown Victoria Chapters store to launch their new book, Sociable! How Social Media is Turning Sales and Marketing Upside-Down.

The event starts at 5:30 with a networking opportunity for social-media-curious businesspeople, and then a presentation from Steve and Shane about social media and the unique way they wrote the book. Q&A will follow, and Shane and Stephen will sign your copy of the book.

If you’re interested in learning how social media can help your business, I’d highly recommend you attend this event and pick up a copy of the book. Many of the ideas and methods they teach I have used to build my business, and in today’s business world, it’s not acceptable to answer “What’s your social media strategy?” with a blank stare.

The event is free, and you can confirm your attendance here. Invite your friends and business associates – after all, social media is all about “the more, the merrier!”

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

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Tagged: BC | book | chapters | how-to | launch | marketing | sales | shane gibson | sociable | social media | stephen jagger | Victoria

A Basement Suite (complete with The Sopranos on TV)

The District of Sooke is currently investigating the secondary suites issue, and is looking for feedback from residents about suites. At issue is the potential for legalizing secondary suites (also known as basement suites or apartments) in more zones in the District. Currently, suites are only allowed in dwellings on lots with a certain zoning applied to them.

Despite this fact, many property owners in Sooke have created secondary suites to rent out to help with the mortgage, or generate revenue. As the District isn’t in the business of evicting tenants, they’ve for the most part let it slide. It only makes sense for them to regulate and control all suites in the district, allowing them to ensure first that they are properly constructed and safe for habitation, and to collect extra revenue to recoup the additional strain on municipal resources such as sewage, fire, and police services.

Secondary suites are essentially the main type of rental housing in Sooke. There are very few purpose-built rental apartments, and many of the privately-owned condos are subject to rental restrictions. This has become the case in many municipalities in the greater Victoria region, as financial incentive for a developer to build rental apartments has been virtually non-existant since the 70s – instead, they opt to build and sell condos.

Visit the District Of Sooke’s web site to take the survey on secondary suites, and ensure your voice is heard.

Got an opinion on secondary suites? Post a comment and start the discussion!

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

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Tagged: affordable | are suites legal | basement | bylaw | council | district | housing | illegal | legal | rental | suites | Victoria

Springtime in Sooke – Cherry blossoms, daffodils, tulips. A season of renewal is upon us as the days get longer and the weather gets warmer. For the last 20 years, another sign of spring in Sooke has been the Sooke Rotary Club‘s annual auction and spring fair.

This year’s fair, the 20th anniversary of this important fund raising event for the Rotary Club, will be held Saturday, May 1, 2010 from 10:00am to 10:00 pm. As usual, the entire SEAPARC leisure complex on Phillips Road will be taken over with exhibits from local businesses, fabulous food, and dozens of items up for sale in silent and live auctions.

This year will be a little different in that the Rotarians are hosting a community party with the theme “Sooke – A Great Place To Be!”

Don’t miss:

•   Business Expo
• Children’s Play Area
• Art Show and Sale
• Community Dinner
• Silent and Live Auctions
• Sooke’s O-Zone Display (from the Olympics)
• Used Bike Sale
• Country Market and Plant Sale
• Raffle, door prizes, and giveaways

Everyone is invited, from new residents to long-time Sooke-ites to those that don’t yet live here. Mark your calendars and come on down on the first to enjoy the bargains, the sights, sounds, and smells of the Sooke Rotary Auction and Spring Fair.

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

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Tagged: 2010 | auction | fair | rotary | SEAPARC | Sooke | spring

Image Credit - The Land Conservancy of BC

Since the Capital Regional District and The Land Conservancy bought up some formerly private land around the Sooke Potholes a few years back (they recently bought some more), lots has been done up there. Expanded parking, trail work, Galloping Goose Trail upgrades, and the Sooke Potholes Campsite.

Unfortunately, due to CRD water main construction, the campsite was closed for the entire 2009 season. I’m pleased to report that the campsite will be open from May 21 to September 6, 2010. The Sooke Potholes Campsite, operated by The Land Conservancy of BC, features 65 campsites (55 tenting sites and 10 RV/trailer sites), including 5 that are along the Galloping Goose Trail and are designated as bike-in only. Reservations are taken for most of the sites, but some are held for first-come, first-served park visitors.

Activities at Sooke Potholes Park include hiking, cycling, mountain biking, fishing, and of course, swimming in the crystal-clear waters of the Sooke River, in the naturally-formed “potholes” that give the area its name.You can even hike or bike up to Leechtown, a real-life ghost town and relic of a short-lived gold rush on the Leech River in 1864.

Camping is just $21 per night, plus a $7 reservation fee. Firewood is available for purchase (as long as no fire bans are in place – typically in the hottest summer months) for $6.

Find out more information on the Sooke Potholes Campground website, including frequently asked questions and fact sheet. Online reservations for camping at Sooke Potholes will be available mid-April, 2010.

I also noticed that they are hiring support staff for the campground.

What’s your favourite campsite in the south-Island region? Why?

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

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Tagged: BC | biking | campground | camping | campsite | galloping goose | hiking. | leechtown | open | Sooke Potholes | sooke river | trail

Photo credit: sometimes_anna on Flickr

The Capital Regional District (CRD), along with non-profit The Land Conservancy (TLC) has agreed to buy up more than 2300 hectares (nearly 5700 acres) of land that was slated to go up for sale today. The land, belonging to Western Forest Products (WFP) has been the subject of much controversy in our area since the provincial government allowed WFP to remove its private lands from a tree-farm license (TFL) in 2007.

The lands being purchased include Sandcut Beach, the Jordan River surfing beach and townsite, and lands surrounding the Sooke River near Sooke Potholes Park.

While some of the land on the interior side of the highway may be sold off to help finance this purchase, most of it will be dedicated as park. One exciting feature of this deal is that the land acquired near the Potholes completes the Sea-to-Sea Green-Blue Belt, which, besides having the distinction of being the most awkwardly-named park reserve/network on the Island, will now stretch all the way from the Sooke Basin to Saanich Inlet.

The land deal is worth nearly $19 million, most of which is coming from the CRD’s parkland acquisition fund, and will be paid over 3 years. The rest of the money will come from TLC, and hopefully, the provincial government, who have been under fire since the land was released from the TFL three years ago. Many see it as an opportunity for the province to right a wrong that caused great controversy.

And speaking of the parkland acquisition fund… this is part of your yearly property taxes. Since it was established in 2000, it has been $10 per household per year, which has been well used in my opinion, protecting  nearly 3000 hectares of land at a value of nearly $31 million. Your contribution to the fund will be going up this year by $2, and will eventually rise to $20 per year, allowing the CRD to purchase lands such as the Jordan River WFP parcels for everyone’s use and enjoyment, forever. I’d happily pay $50 or even $100 per year to pad this fund and enable the special areas in our region to be protected. It’s a great example of taxpayer money going into something we all benefit from.

The deal is still tentative, but is slated to close in August. I’m looking forward to the CRD’s plan and longterm vision for these newly acquired lands.

What’s your take on this announcement? Good, bad, otherwise? State your opinion, but be nice to one another!

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

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Tagged: capital regional district | crd | Ender Ilkay | Jordan River | park | purchase | sandcut beach | Sooke | Sooke Potholes | TFL | TLC | WFP

A beautiful home at Sunriver Estates in Sooke, BC

…And answers to other frequently asked questions about Sunriver Estates in Sooke – one of the most popular new neighbourhoods in the greater Victoria, BC area.

Because I write a lot about Sooke, I get plenty of questions about living here, working here, and of course, about the neighbourhoods. Sunriver Estates is a huge master-planned community on the banks of the Sooke River, sloping up the Sooke Hills with various creeks and other natural features. It’s a very nice looking development, so it’s no surprise that it’s very popular. Also, the lots are larger than most other new developments in our area, so you can have a real back yard instead of a postage stamp. People move out here for the natural beauty, recreational options, quiet lifestyle, and of course the value. It amazes people when they visit Sooke what you get for your money, and how much more a similar house would cost (usually on a tiny lot) in Victoria, or even Langford, just 20-25 minutes’ drive away. Below are some answers to some frequently-asked questions about Sunriver Estates in Sooke.

Q. Is Sunriver Estates a strata development?

A. No, all homes in Sunriver are freehold, fee simple titles (except for the townhouses). Read details in this post.

Q. How many homes have been built at Sunriver?

A. There have been 371 houses built at Sunriver since it broke ground in 2004.

Q. How many homes are planned?

A. There will be 715 houses at Sunriver when construction is completed.

Q. How many more years will construction be taking place at Sunriver until it’s built-out?

A. At the current pace of construction, all homes will be sold and construction complete in approximately 5 years.

Q. What about the building scheme? I’ve heard that boats and RVs, etc are not allowed? Who enforces it?

A. The building scheme at Sunriver allows boats and RVs, etc, but stipulates that they must be behind a fence, lattice, or other sort of screening so that they don’t clutter up the character of the neighbourhood. The developer has sent out letters to offending properties asking them to comply. To date no one has been fined or needed action beyond the letter.

Q. Are any condominiums planned for Sunriver?

A. No, condos are not being built at Sunriver Estates. There are some very nice townhouses at The Pointe, and there may be a few more built.

Q. Will there be any commercial space built at Sunriver? Neighbourhood shops, cafes, etc?

A. When construction is completed, the sales centre will be sold off as commercial space. It will be up to the buyer (and Sooke zoning and business bylaws) what goes in there. Anything is possible – cafe, restaurant, pub? Who knows!

If you have any more questions about Sunriver Estates or other areas in Sooke or would like information about homes for sale in Sunriver Estates and Sooke, give me a call at 250-885-0512, email Tim@TimAyres.ca or fill in my contact form!

Do you live in Sunriver? What’s your favourite thing about living there?

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

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Tagged: condos | Development | estates | FAQ | homes | how many homes | new | Sooke | Sun river | Sunriver | tim ayres | townhouses | Victoria