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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

This past Saturday saw the 2nd annual Sooke Spirit Festival which was a resounding success. What started as a small event in a snowstorm last year, grew into a well organized and well attended family affair this year.

I was driving the lead boat (the Coast Guard Auxiliary boat) in the sailpast, and managed to shoot a little bit of video to give you an idea what it looked like out there if you missed it. What a perfect night to be on the water. A little chilly, but the wind held off until after the sailpast, which was a big plus. There were lots of people on the boardwalk watching the dozen-plus decorated boats sparkle on the crystal-clear and calm evening on Sooke Harbour.

Check out the video I shot below. It’s mostly of the boats getting ready and of the beautiful harbour before sundown, as I was driving the boat during the actual sailpast. If anyone has any better video, shoot me an email and let me know and I’ll post it!

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

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Tagged: 2009 | auxiliary | BC | boats | CCGA | coast guard | festival | harbour | lights | parade | sailpast | Sooke | spirit | tim ayres

I’m pleased to announce that I will be teaching web marketing and social media training in Victoria, BC starting next month. Reachd.com has approached me to be their Victoria instructor. The 3-hour classes are taught in the afternoon, and are ideal for anyone in any small business who wants to learn how to capitalize on this growing trend. How can you effectively use social media and web marketing to grow your business? I can’t wait to show you how. The three courses that are happening next month are: Social Media Guided Tour ($149), Explode Your Growth With A Blog ($149), and Broadcast Your Message With Online Video ($249 – includes a video camera!). You can take all three courses for $399 – a savings of $149. Come out and learn something in December and be ahead of your competition in the new year!

The courses will also be offered in January, along with courses on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Google AdWords.

More information and registration at http://TimAyres.ca/reachd

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

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Tagged: courses | facebook | linkedin | reachd | Real Estate | seo | small business | social media | tim ayres | training | Twitter

I had a busy day at the convention today. I caught the last part of a session on social media, but I’m glad I missed most of it. It wasn’t a really good session – the presenters were unprepared, and didn’t really seem to understand social media. For example, when talking about blogging, they didn’t even mention platforms like WordPress or Blogger. There were much better social media sessions at the conference than this one. I also spent some more time on the trade show  floor and attended Tara Hunt’s presentation on Whuffie for Real Estate. Tara has some interesting ideas about social capital and how you can use it to grow your business. David Knox’s session on overcoming pricing objections was very entertaining and informative. I also met with the people from Obeo, a virtual tour and listing marketing company. They have an innovative and interesting product and you should check it out.

Check out the video below:

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

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Tagged: #nar09 | 2009 | conference | david knox | NAR | san diego | social media | tara hunt | tim ayres | trade show | whuffie

Today I went to several sessions in the morning and spent part of the afternoon wandering around the massive trade show at the National Association of REALTORS® Convention in San Diego. There was quite literally just about everything you can think of that might possibly be related to real estate on the floor. Virtual tour companies, brokerages, MLS systems, lockbox suppliers, even plumbers, house inspectors and other contractors. I am going to have to go back and visit again to take it all in, it was that large. There were lots of contests and games and giveaways – I didn’t bring near enough business cards to enter! William Shatner was at the NAR booth signing autographs – cool! Below is a short video I shot about the trade show, including a pretty famous blast-from-the-past automobile that was at the DotLoop booth:

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

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Tagged: #nar09 | convention | de lorean | exhibitors | NAR | san diego | tim ayres | trade show | Victoria Real Estate Board | Video | VREB

Day 1 of the NAR Convention in San Diego was very productive – I saw two sessions today and unfortunately was shut out of a third due to it being full. The Introduction to Social Media session was great. As a REALTOR® who puts himself out there online using social media like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc, I was very pleased with the session. It was facilitated by three practicing agents, just like me, and they nailed it. Ginger Wilcox, Kelley Koehler, and Mariana Wagner were excellent – it was refreshing seeing a social media presentation by three working real estate professionals who actually, as they put it, do this to feed their kids.

Check out my video update from Day 1:

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

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Tagged: #NAR2009 | 2009 | conference | NAR | Real Estate | san diego | social media | tim ayres | update | Victoria | VREB

We arrived today in San Diego for the NAR (National Association of REALTORS®) Conference 2009. There will be approximately 20,000 delegates from all over the world at the convention, which is bound to be exciting, fun, and informative.

I am here as part of the delegation from the Victoria Real Estate Board. I am a director on the board, and we are here to represent our board and to attend conference sessions and the trade show on behalf of the membership. When we return, we will be reporting on the sessions we attended and posting them to REALTORlink, and using what we’ve learned to plan the future direction of our board. Here is a quick video I shot this afternoon. I hope to shoot several videos each day and post the content nightly to the blog.

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

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Tagged: 2009 | conference | events | NAR | Real Estate | realtor | san diego | tim ayres | update | Victoria | Video | VREB

Are you in business in the Sooke region? The newly formed Sooke Biz Net business networking group is hosting its inaugural event tomorrow night, Thursday, June 25th.

The idea behind Sooke Biz Net is that it will be different from other business networking groups. Gone is the exclusivity and structured format. We’ve thrown the traditional out the window and have created a made-in-Sooke solution that’s based on monthly networking events, with featured speakers and presenters. You’ll learn something at the event that you can use immediately to help run your business or expand your reach. The focus is on fun, and you’ll need to expect the unexpected!

Tomorrow night’s event will be held at Sooke Ocean Resort, 6669 Horne Road, from 5:30 until 7:30. Tickets to the event are only $20 and that covers wine and fabulous food by Kari Osselton of Sushi on the Sea/Souki Sushi.

The theme for the evening is Communication This Moment! I will be the featured speaker for the evening, presenting Twitter in Ten Minutes, a short overview of one of the most powerful networking and communications tools since the advent of the Internet. The featured technology for the evening will be Skype, and Wendy Ashbee will speak about Send Out Cards.

There will also be prizes courtesy of Bombora Gifts and Sooke Fine Art Gallery, and the grand prize of a full-page colour ad for your business in the RV Times (a $2000 value).

Don’t miss this fun event. Come mix, mingle, network, learn and most of all, have fun!

Contact me at 250-885-012, fill in my contact form, or email tim@timayres.ca for tickets.

Follow Sooke Biz Net on Twitter!

I hope to see you there!

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

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Tagged: business | communication | kari osselton | networking | send out cards | skype | Sooke Biz Net | sooke ocean resort | tim ayres | training | Twitter

If you’re on Facebook, you’ve seen this one floating around the intertubes for a couple of weeks. I was actually beginning to think (worry?) it’d pass over me without getting tagged, but now I’ve been tagged thrice at least 5 times.

1. I was born in Vancouver General Hospital, and lived a pretty sheltered existence growing up in Tsawwassen – my Mom still lives in the house I grew up in.

2. I am a certified PADI scuba diving instructor; I’ve certified some 150-200 people how to take the plunge, mostly in the chilly (but beautiful) waters of British Columbia.

3. For three years, I worked on board cruise ships, teaching tourists how to snorkel and dive, and trying to teach them how to relax and enjoy their vacation instead of bitching and moaning about something.

4. Cruise ships made me hate people.

5. I’ve learned to like people again. Well, most people.

6. I used to swear one of my legs was significantly longer than the other, but never bothered to measure them to be sure.

7. I love running, which if you asked me about 5 years ago I’d have probably passed out just thinking about it

8. I plan to run my first 1/2 and full marathons this year.

9. I don’t get along well with bosses, never have, which is one of many reasons I know I’m in the right career.

10. I love dogs. I’d have a dozen if I could, but for now this one will do:

Kaia

11. I am a trivia nerd, and my dream is to be on Jeopardy! some day.

12. I love to write (hence this blog), and would love to write a book just as soon as I figure out how to write one and what to write it about.

13. I have a small but very close group of friends from high school that I still hang around with. They’re like brothers to me.

14. I thought I knew what real love was until I fell in love with my fiancee Marg. I’ve never felt so completely fulfilled and apparently, I’m completely unashamed to share it with the world.

15. I’ve always been an emotional person and I don’t know how I’m going to hold it together on my wedding day.

16. I’m fascinated by technology and social media.

17. I love to travel, and would love to see even more of the world than I did while working on cruise ships. Marg hasn’t been anywhere, and I love showing her new places!

18. I love beer! Fresh, tasty, craft-brewed beer. I have all the equipment to brew my own, too, which I really should do more of. The Great Canadian Beer Festival here in Victoria is one of my favourite events of the year.

19. I drink a lot of coffee in the morning.

20. I love to be near the ocean, which is one of the reasons I moved to the Island.

21. If I had a boat, I’d be fishing on it at least once a week.

22. I consider myself a social person, but I also value peace and quiet, which is another reason I love where I live.

23. At one time or another growing up, I wanted to be: a fireman (what kid didn’t?), police officer, astronaut, hockey player, chef, scientist (no specific -ologist, just a scientist), lawyer, artist.

24. I love movies with great dialogue. Examples: High Fidelity (or most John Cusack films for that matter); Clerks; Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels; Glengarry, Glen Ross.

25. I took way longer than I should have to write this.

Consider yourself tagged, if you’ve not already done this.

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

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Tagged: 25 things | about me | facebook | meme | random facts | tagged | tim ayres

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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Tagged: christmas | Christmas2008 | events | free | Royal LePage | Santa | Santa Skate | SEAPARC | skating | Sooke | tim ayres | xmas