Here we are in Victoria in the middle of our very own mini heat wave.  It's not supposed to last long but it's sure warm while it's here.  And it arrived just on time for the weekend of the Victoria Dragon Boat Festival.  90+ teams from as far away as Edmonton, AB and Portland, OR are here to participate in a weekend of fun and good racing.  Details at www.VictoriaDragonboat.com.  My team - Snogard Dragons - are easy to spot (pictures coming shortly) in our very bright, neon green shirts.  Coming up soon  (Labour Day Weekend) another event in the Inner Harbour - the Victoria Real Estate Board sponsored Classic Boat Festival.  Come on down and chat with some of the skippers on these beautiful old boats. 

Details on these and other activities at  http://www.tourismvictoria.com.

New listings continue to come on the market, with just over 4600 active listings on our MLS system in the middle of August.  It is a Buyers market after Sellers having the upper hand for the past couple of years.  What does this mean?? 

• Buyers have a better selection of properties to choose from and more time to make their choice.  
• Sellers have to price their homes carefully to sell within their time frame. 

Contrary to popular belief and interpretations of the news, the housing market isn't crashing, prices are not dropping substantially, and now is still a good time to buy.  In Victoria, according to statistics provided by the BC Real Estate Association, average prices are continuing to rise slightly.  Not the double-digit jumps we've seen over the past couple of years, but certainly not dropping.  Across the province, the average price has decreased by .5% which translates into $2,000.  Things are still good in real estate - and if it's your home and your time line is as it should be, real estate is always a good place to be.

To help you narrow your selection and determine if a purchase is right for you, working with a REALTOR® who takes the time to listen and understand your needs, and with whom you feel comfortable is essential. The same applies if you own real estate that you are thinking of selling.  With access to the MLS® to evaluate and list your property and working with cooperating agents, a REALTOR® can get you the best price possible.

Please browse my website for listings, reports and important local real estate information.

For immediate assistance please call me at (250) 477-7291 or toll free at 1-800-668-2272.

Carol Crabb