Here’s the full list: 

February 2018 median rental prices across Canada. (padmapper.com)

ANDREW A. DUFFY / TIMES COLONIST

OCTOBER 3, 2017 06:00 AM

After more than a year of high prices, multiple offers and would-be homebuyers having to move quickly lest they lose the chance at their next home, the pace of sales has slowed compared with last fall.

There were 640 properties sold last month, an 18 per cent drop from the 781 sold in September 2016. Year to date, there have been 7,147 sales worth $4.6 billion. At this time last year, there had been 8,817 sales worth $5 billion.

“We can certainly feel the difference in the current market when we compare to last year’s record-breaking numbers,” said Ara Balabanian, president of the VREB.

Balabanian said the market has seen overall price increases level out, which can indicate slightly less demand. At the same time, inventory levels have been increasing.

There were 1,976 active listings for sale at the end of September, an increase of 3.1 per cent compared with August. Since inventory levels bottomed out in December 2016 when they hit below 1,500, they have increased slightly or remained flat each month until now.

Prices, however, remain on the rise. According to the VREB, the benchmark value for a single-family home in the Victoria core last month was $823,100. Last September, it was $742,200.

“Simply because we’ve seen sales drop from last year is not dire or unexpected news for our local real estate market,” Balabanian said. “The 10-year average for sales in September is 573 properties — and the month exceeded that average by more than 10 per cent.”

It also remains a seller’s market. According to the VREB, the sales-to-listings ratio, which is basically a supply-demand ratio, is about 40 per cent. It peaked at 80 per cent in March of this year. Anything above 20 per cent suggests a seller’s market, in which demand outstrips supply.

© Copyright Times Colonist

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, or would like additional information.

Don’t forget to visit our “Stay Informed” pages which also have several publications with stats and information on the Victoria Real Estate market.  

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, or would like additional information.

Don’t forget to visit our “Stay Informed” pages which also have several publications with stats and information on the Victoria Real Estate market. 

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, or would like additional information.

Don’t forget to visit our “Stay Informed” pages which also have several publications with stats and information on the Victoria Real Estate market. 

The Canadian Press

A million-dollar mansion in Canada may be anything but that, according to a report released today by a Canadian real estate company.

Toronto's million-dollar market was a bit more accessible than Vancouver's, according to the report, with deals on two-storey starter homes in "up-and-coming neighbourhoods," especially outside the downtown core in regions like Ajax, Pickering, Milton, Mississauga and Brampton.

The report says Winnipeg delivers the best bang for the millionaire's buck, where it bought an average of four bedrooms and four bathrooms.

Saskatoon offered the largest lot size for $1 million, where it says homes for that price were virtually unheard of a decade ago.

The study examined two-storey homes in seven Canadian markets in January 2017.

"There are striking differences in the options available for those who are looking to purchase a $1 million two-storey home in Canada," Dianne Usher, senior vice president of Johnston and Daniel, a division of Royal LePage, said in a news release.

"However, significant value can still be found in the suburbs or city-centres like Saskatoon and Montreal, where homes are more affordable, landing you substantially more home with better features as a result."

Alberta's recent economic downturn is good for buyers — and bad for sellers — in Calgary. The report says purchasers looking for $1 million two-storey properties in that city get about the same value they did 10 years ago.

In January 2017, the average property selling for $1 million in Calgary had 3.3 bedrooms, 2.8 bathrooms, 2,477 sq. ft. of living area and a lot size of 7,004 sq. ft.

In Toronto 10 years ago, the report says buyers got a lot more for seven figure. Home searches in the $1 million price range in 2007 often produced larger, fully upgraded homes in prominent areas like Rosedale, Leaside and Lawrence Park.

It said Montreal's prices have been rising since 2007, but the city still offered a substantial amount of home for $1 million.

The profile of a $1 million buyer was also found to vary by region. Developers and first-time buyers dominated the $1 million two-storey property segment in Canada's largest metropolitan areas. Wealthy young to middle-aged professional couples with children acted as the predominant purchasers elsewhere.

© Copyright Times Colonist - See more at: http://www.timescolonist.com/news/national/royal-lepage-study-says-1-million-can-buy-a-mansion-or-a-fixer-upper-1.11015580#sthash.Wxb9tMDV.dpuf

The BC Children’s Hospital Foundation is hosting the annual Festival of Trees at the new location at The Bay Centre from November to January!

Every year, Victoria Festival of Trees creates a lush forest of beautifully decorated trees to raise funds for BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. Sponsors, local businesses, organizations and individuals come together and decorate trees in a sometimes wacky, often irreverent and always beautiful fashion. The festival invites visitors to browse through the holiday displays and donate to vote for their favourite trees. At the same time, the event offers sponsors an invaluable opportunity to demonstrate community leadership, show their creative talents and support child health.

For many years, The Fairmont Empress has generously opened its doors to the Festival of Trees. In 2015, due to pending renovations at The Fairmont Empress, Victoria’s favourite festival will relocate to another high-profile and historical Victoria venue – The Bay Centre. Festival of Trees will return to The Fairmont Empress in 2016.

In the meantime, we are excited to invite you to help us continue this longstanding community tradition at The Bay Centre!