I just sold this House at 586 Michael Place, Victoria, Highlands, BC .

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I just finished uploading this Condominium for sale, A-507 389 Tyee Rd, Victoria West, BC

DOCKSIDE GREEN - SYNERGY is the name of the building! Targeting the LEED Platinum Certification, award-winning Busby Perkins + Will Architects and the entire team at Windmill Developments have researched the latest innovations in green building technology.  Interior Finishing Upgrade. Granite Kitchen and bathroom coutertops, wood cabinetry, bamboo flooring, porcelain tile back splash...Plan C. One bedroom plus TECH NOOK. TOP Floor (of 5 floors - the smaller building of the two) Views towards the Gorge Waterway from the balcony. An open elegant design. Harbour front living and only minutes from downtown. 'Residents only' gym! Launch your kayak and paddle around...bike along the magnificent Galloping Goose Trail.

I just finished uploading this House for sale, 2385 Zela Rd, Oak Bay, BC

A rare find in South Oak Bay! Beautiful character home with 9 ft. ceilings, built in 2005 and situated on a terrific level lot. Well designed two storey family home PLUS ARXX basement construction (insulated concrete) w/8 ft. ceiling height . Hardwood floors, oak & mahogany blinds, Open kitchen concept with a granite island countertop, gas fireplace in the family room which leads to the Southwest facing fenced, private rear yard, garage. Walk to Windsor Park, Schools & Oak Bay Marina.

The City of Victoria's Committee of the Whole is being advised by planning staff to consider reducing the maximum size of a single family home in R1-B zones from 420 sq.m to 300 sq. m (or from 4,521 sq.ft. to 3,229 sq.ft.)

A bylaw amendment providing for this will now advance directly to public hearing, probably in early to mid-September.

According to the staff report written on July 4, "The R1-B Zone is the most common low density zone in the City.  While its area is mainly builtout, many of the existing homes have not maximized their size potential."

The last major review of the R1-B Zone occurred two decades ago.

The current consideration of an amendment to maximum building size results partially from the new changes that allow secondary suites in the zone and fears from neighbours that the change will encourage "teardowns" to make way for monster homes.

The current proposal on maximum size also arises, because, according to the staff report, "New house construction (or major additions) may have a high impact on immediate neighbours because most properties are under-developed in terms of allowable floor area under the R1-B Zone.  As land prices increase, larger construction projects may become more common."

(this is not a complete or official record)

I just sold this House at 967 Wilmer Street, Fairfield, Victoria, BC .

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Canadians feel the top priorities when purchasing a luxury home are:

Kitchens - A Commercial style kitchen with all the upgrades and luxurious finishes is very desirable.  Top-of-the-line appliances, such as high-heat ranges and cook-tops, large-capacity refrigerators and freezers, multiple sinks, deep fryers and even wood-fired pizza ovens are coveted.

Wiring - Increasingly common in high-end homes, smart wiring provides the correct outlets to install a home theatre and highly functional home office.  Driven by the digital age, consumers want their homes to be modern, convenient, and entertaining.

Floors - As marble, stone and tile floors can get cold very quickly on a Canadian winter day, heated floors are gaining new found popularity.  Buyers are drawn to this comfort advantage, expecting floors to feel warm and snugly in the morning.

Theatres - The in-home luxury theatre can come in many different shapes and sizes, but all are consistent in featuring large screens, big comfy chairs, stadium seating large enough to seat 10 comfortably, floor lights, soundproofed walls, sub woofers, front projection, and wet bars.

Gyms - Healthy living is more than a trend;  it's a lifestyle.  In between taking children to activities, cooking and grocery shopping, many find it more convenient to work out at home.  In-home fitness centres can include Stair-masters, free weights, as well as basketball courts and yoga studios.

Pools - I'm not too sure about this topic for Victoria...but apparently, pools are becoming important for luxury homeowners and putting an emphasis on style.  With the addition of a beautiful grotto-like background, it is easy to understand why the remarkable design of an infinity pool has become a norm in million-dollar-plus homes.

We are proud to announce that this Saturday, August 4, 2007, 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM we will be hosting an Open House at 967 Wilmer Street in Victoria BC Fairfield, Victoria. This is an opportunity to visit this excellent House for sale in beautiful Victoria BC Fairfield.
Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this Victoria BC Fairfield House for sale.
As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 250.744.4556 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.
Brenda Russell
Royal Lepage Coast Capital Realty Oak Bay

Caveat:  Adding Children to Title of Property as Joint Tenants

Clients wishing either to avoid probate filing fees or disinherit an errant child will often ask whether or not they can add another adult child to the title of their home as joint tenants.  Upon the death of the parent such real estate will by right of survivor ship automatically transfer into the name of the surviving adult child.  It was generally accepted that the law of presumption of advancement applied to such a transfer.  In other words, the transfer by the parent of a one-half interest in the parent's home to an adult child was deemed to be a gift to the child and accordingly did not form part of the deceased parent's estate.  Hence no probate filing fees nor challenges pursuant to the Wills Variation Act.  Two recent Supreme Court of Canada decisions have now impacted the foregoing.  In May 2007 the SCC released the Pecore and the Madsen Estate decisions.  In these decisions, the SCC reviewed the common law concepts of presumption of advancement and resulting trusts.  When a parent either places his or her assets in a joint tenancy account with his or her child or add his or her child to the title of the parent's home as a joint tenant, the question is whether the parent intended to make a gift of the beneficial interest in the accounts or the real estate upon the parent's death to the child or whether the child holds the beneficial interest in the accounts or real estate in trust for the parent, either during the parent's lifetime or when the parent dies, for the parent's estate upon a resulting trust. 

The space allotted for this article does not permit an exhaustive review of the SCC cases however in my opinion persons advising parents who are considering placing assets in joint tenancy with their children must now ask:

• is the intent of the parent to gift the property to the child or does the child take the interest in the property in a resulting trust?;
• if a gift, is the intent of the adult child to take the beneficial interest immediately or only at the parent's death?; and
• if a resulting trust, what are the terms of the trust, both during the parent's lifetime and upon the death of the parent.

In a nutshell, the simple act of a parent adding their child to the title of their home as joint tenant is no longer so simple.  The parent's intention must be determined and it is important that appropriate documentation is prepared in order to reflect the parent's intention.  Such documentation would include either a deed of gift or a trust agreement, both acknowledged by the child.

By Frank B. Carson, B. Comm., LL.B Cox Taylor

I just sold this House at 165 Beach Drive in the South Oak Bay Area of Victoria, BC .

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I just sold this two storey home at 1909 Beach Drive located in the Oak Bay area of Victoria, BC .

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We are proud to announce that this Saturday, July 7, 2007, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM we will be hosting an Open House at 967 Wilmer Street in Vi Fairfield, Victoria. This is an opportunity to visit this excellent Split Level for sale in beautiful Vi Fairfield.
Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this Vi Fairfield Split Level for sale.
As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 250.744.4556 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.
Brenda Russell
Royal Lepage Coast Capital Realty Oak Bay

I just sold this House at 6648 Rhodonite Drive, Sooke, BC .

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