Victoria Real Estate Blog - November, 2014

City of Victoria Wins a Few More Awards!

Victoria is winning a few awards by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler and those of the 2014 Best of the City awards. They won 3 awards from one publication and one award from another publication this year. The city of Victoria is being recognized for the quality it offers its residents living here.

They were recognized for the Best Free Fun, Best Place to Spot a Ghost and Best Place to Spot a Celebrity by the 2014 Best of the City awards, while being recognized #3 for the friendliest cities in the world. Here is a look at how Victoria was chosen and how it competes against other cities.

Condé Nast Traveler Award

Victoria was chosen as number 3 in the category of the world’s friendliest cities. Condé Nast Traveler readers were asked to rank…

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The Best Dining Found Throughout Victoria

Some of the restaurants in Victoria provide plenty of excellent choices for your dining pleasure. Whether you're searching for a new place or you need a place for excellent seafood, you can find it throughout the city. Here are some of the best choices in the city.

Best Seafood

Two restaurants come to mind when you're searching for excellent seafood in the city, Pescatores Seafood & Grill and Red Fish, Blue Fish. These are both excellent choices and provide plenty of delicious entrees.

Pescatores is located at 614 Humboldt Street and has been voted as the best seafood restaurant in the city for multiple years. With plenty of local fish, grilled meats and seafood entrees, you can find the right dish to pair with one of the many wines on their…

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Escape to the Outdoors with These Four Choices on the Saanich Peninsula

It's no secret that the Victoria area is full of great outdoor places to enjoy. From parks to lakes and everything in between, this area of Canada is known for the outdoors. The Saanich Peninsula is full of great outdoor escapes and here are four of the best choices.

Mount Work Regional Park

Found near the Gowlland Tod Provincial Park, this Regional Park provides one of the largest in the area. It features the Durrace, Pease and Fork fresh water lakes, which are perfect for fishing, boating and swimming. Along with the lakes, you can enjoy the many kilometers of trails, mountain bike areas and so much more.

John Dean Provincial Park

Some of the best views of the Saanich Peninsula are found from this park, along with views of the Cascade…

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Introduction to the Highlands

The Highlands is one of the most sought after rural districts with plenty of lakes and parklands. This area of Victoria is full of beautiful views and natural areas for all to enjoy. If you're relocating to Victoria or the Vancouver Island area, the Highlands should be at the top of your list.

As one of the West Shore municipalities, Highlands is in the same group as Colwood, Metchosin, View Royal and Langford. All of these areas are located to the west of Victoria and are known as Western Communities. Covering the area from Esquimalt Harbour to Rocky Point, these communities are found on the shoreline of the Juan de Fuca Strait.

About 2,100 people live in Highlands, which gives it a small town feel with Victoria just down the road. It's located…

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What can you do for the Holidays in Victoria?

Victoria will provide plenty of events and things to do throughout the holiday season. From parades to craft shows, there will be plenty of choices. Here's a look at just a few of the many choices for the holiday season in Victoria.

It's Christmas Dinner Theatre - November 28th

This event will provide a traditional holiday feast of turkey, eggnog cheesecake and more. After dinner, the show will begin with plenty of stories and songs. The event will be held at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel and will start at 6pm. The show will be held in the David Foster Theatre and admission is $89 per person.

Centennial Square Ferris Wheel - November 29th to December 21st

The DVBA Ferris wheel is one of the most popular things to do for the holidays. It will be in…

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Upcoming Event: Victoria Comic Book Expo

The Victoria Comic Book Expo will be held at the Comfort Inn & Suites in Victoria on November 23rd. This event will run from 11am to 4pm and will provide plenty of fun for comic book lovers. Admission is free and there will be free comics, while supplies last.

The Expo will provide the opportunity for appraisals, trading comic books, buying and selling comic books and more. This is one of the largest comic book events held in Victoria and will provide plenty of fun.

Local Artists

Many local artists will be found at the expo including:

• Ken Steacy - Ken Steacy Publishing
• Dan MacKinnon - Dan MacKinnon Art
• Klara Woldenga - Robot Comics
• Nelson Dewey - Nelson Dewey
• Nevin Arond - Nevs Art Blog
• Dale Adams - Vic Carper Graphic Novel
…

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What can you do to Run a Successful Open House?

If you're planning to sell your home, an open house will be necessary. There are several things you can do to ensure you have a great open house with plenty of success. Here are a few tips to help you run your next open house.

Preparation

When you start to prepare for your open house you want to make sure you discuss things with your realtor. They will be heavily involved, which they should be.

Tidy Up

Those selling a home need to tidy up the yard and the outdoor areas, along with the indoor areas. A freshly cut lawn can make a big difference and so can a few flowers around the entry way.

Remove Cars

If you have vehicles on the property that don't need to be there, remove them. You can park them own the street or at a friend's how…

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Where should you Go for a Beautiful Fall Walk in Victoria?

Fall is a beautiful time in the Victoria area and there are plenty of great places to take a fall walk. Whether you prefer a park or you want to see a little bit of art, too, there are places to go throughout Victoria. Here are some of the top choices for your fall walk.

Thetis Lake

Found about 15 minutes from the downtown Victoria area, this lake provides plenty of trails and a regional park. You can spend the entire afternoon enjoying the scenic lake, along with plenty more. If you want to make a weekend out of it, you can even enjoy the Thetis Lake Campground.

Sooke Potholes

Another good spot found a little further from the city is the Sooke Potholes. This area provides a very rare geological formation with rock pools full of clear, fresh…

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