Blog
Welcome to the wardesims.com blog.
Highlands Open House February 11th - Six Properties to View
Click here to view the schedule for the Open House this weekend.
Attention Condo Owners
Here is an article you might want to read regarding the new "Depreciation Reports" for stratas. app/webroot/uploads/Strata Depreciation Report.pdf
Success!!
The Golf Tournament was a great success. Beautiful day, lots of fun, prizes, auction items all to benefit our Shelter Foundation. Thanks to everyone and all their hard work. A huge thanks to all our clients, customers & friends who donated to the cause. Cheers.
Wow where did that summer go!
I hope you had a great summertime. Its amazing how the weather and light changes, getting us ready for cooler shorter days. Have fun getting ready for school, have fun getting ready for those Fall holidays. Just enjoy!
Thank you to AMJ Movers
I recommend AMJ Van Lines, they did a fantastic job and the Moving Guys were great, helpful and very careful. Their phone number is 250-474-2225 and ask for Darryl.
Updating Our Website
Here we are at Radar Hill once again creating a new updated website. Hope you like it. Any comments?
Real Estate Sales Soften, Prices Steady in April
May 2, 2011
The number of property sales throughout Greater Victoria softened in April while prices remained steady, showing increases for condominiums and townhomes and minor movement for single family homes. A total of 574 homes and other properties sold in April through the Victoria Real Estate Board's Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®), down from the 622 sales in March. There were 756 sales in April of last year.
Summer Newsletter
Just updated the new Newsletter, check out Articles.
"Kids Learn to Fish Day"
For The Love of Africa, Water Garden Tourn
This is a great event. Saturday July 9th, 2011 from 10:00 am to 4:00 p.m. Larry and I sponsor the Closing Reception at Cannor Nursery on Elk Lake Drive from 4:00 to 6:00. It will be fun.
Charity Golf Tournament
We are just get organized for our Royal LePage Shelter Golf Tournament. We have raised over $100,000 through the Golf Tournament and other Royal LePage Realtor Events. We are looking for participation, silent auction donations and/or just great gifts. Call us anytime regarding this great event. I am not great at Twitter or Facebooking this information.
Conference in Harrison Hot Springs
Great Conference at Harrision Hot Springs. We discussed Facebook, Twitter and other social media network areas - what Social Media do you use/
Have you ever gone on Meetup.com - its a resource for meeting up with like minded people or events to go to. One of the Realtors was explaining that he was in the airport looking for something to do, went ofn Meetup.com and located a few other airport wanderers and they got together for a glass of wine before everyone's flights -
Thank You for your Sponsorship!
Attached is the Thank you Letter.
Royal LePage Charity Golf Tournament today
I am off to set up. It is a fabulous day for a Golf Tournament. Lots of fun to be had. Hoping to make a lot of money at the Auction for the 4 Shelters we help fund. A couple of great Live Auction items but one in particular: Rich Harden sent us an authentic jersey to Auction off. It is his new No. 18 and signed. Thanks Rich.
September newsletter
The Newsletter has been posted to "Articles".
December Holidays
Just back from a couple of great days at Yellowpoint Lodge. Larry & I always go there to start up our Holiday Spirit. Shayla, our administrator, is busy wrapping for our Holiday Families and WOW what generosity. Feels good to see. We hope your Spriti is rising. All the best.
Royal LePage Grows!!
BROOKFIELD RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY SERVICES ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION OF PRUDENTIAL REAL ESTATE AND RELOCATION SERVICES
Acquisition creates global residential real estate and employee relocation services leader
(Toronto, ON) December 6, 2011 – Today Brookfield Residential Property Services (“Brookfield”), a Brookfield Asset Management Inc. affiliate, announced that it has purchased Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services (“PRERS”), a recognized leader in employee relocation and real estate franchising from Prudential Financial, Inc. Prudential Relocation Services operates as Pricoa Relocation in Asia and Europe.
The addition of PRERS to Brookfield’s existing residential real estate franchising and employee relocation services businesses establishes Brookfield as the world’s second largest employee relocation services provider and the third largest residential real estate franchising business.
Under a licensing agreement, Prudential Real Estate brokerage affiliates will be able to continue to use the Prudential brand based on the terms of their franchise agreements.
“This transaction creates a global employee relocation services and real estate franchising leader,” explained Graham Badun, CEO, Brookfield Residential Property Services. “We have now increased the breadth and depth of our service offering, keeping pace with the evolving needs of our clients around the world.”
A North American & Global Leader
Through its various brands, Brookfield’s residential real estate franchisees are now present in all 50 U.S. states, 10 Canadian provinces, Mexico and Portugal, with a network of approximately 80,000 real estate agents, 2,800 real estate brokerage locations and more than $150 billion in annual residential real estate transactions.
U.S.-based Brookfield Global Relocation Services moves nearly 85,000 families in and out of over 125 countries around the world each year. With the acquisition, more than one-third of Fortune 100 companies are its clients. In addition, Brookfield is now the largest provider of relocation services to government, with long term relationships with the U.S. and Canadian governments.
The acquisition greatly strengthens Brookfield’s existing U.S. business and results in the expansion of its operations in nine countries, with a rapidly growing presence in China, Brazil and India.
“Today, Prudential’s real estate and relocation services businesses join a global company with a track record of over 100 years of success,” said Earl Lee, President of Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services. “We’re excited to become part of a company that is focused on and deeply immersed in the real estate sector and is in the business for the long-term.”
Earl Lee will continue to lead the U.S. real estate business, and Rick Schwartz, President, Brookfield Global Relocation Services, will assume responsibility for the combined global relocation services business.
Brookfield’s parent company, Brookfield Asset Management, is a global asset manager with approximately $150 billion in assets under management. Brookfield is co-listed on the New York and Toronto Stock Exchanges under the symbol BAM and on NYSE Euronext under the symbol BAMA.
About Brookfield Residential Property Services
Brookfield Residential Property Services is a leading global provider of real estate and relocation services, analytics and knowledge. The company’s portfolio consists of leading brands, including Brookfield Global Relocation Services, the second largest provider of global relocation services, Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services, Brookfield Real Estate Services, Royal LePage, Real Living, Via Capitale and Centract. Through its real estate brands, it has nearly 80,000 real estate professionals in more than 2,800 locations, who transact over $150 billion annually. Its global footprint spans North America, the United Kingdom, France, China, Singapore, India, Brazil and Australia, and includes more than 2,500 employees worldwide. It is a division of Brookfield Asset Management, a global asset manager with approximately $150 billion of assets under management.
Food Bank Turkeys
The Times Colonist reported that they are still in need of Turkey donations. Our fellow Royal LePager's have donated towards the needed Turkeys. You can call the Food Bank directly and they will gladly take your Visa Numbers and donated towards the needed supply. It's good for the Sprit!
Happy New Year
I hope you had a great Holiday Season and New Year. Here were are back to reality. Had open houses over the week and they were very busy. Most of the customers had seen the Open Houses on the OpenHouseVictoria.com site, that's the new Victoria Real Estate Board Site for Open Houses. Very efficient and easy to find the open houses. We are looking forward to a healthy and vibrant Victoria Real Estate Market in 2012.
Happy New Year
Co-op Ownership
We have had a number of questions concerning Co-Op Ownerships (as we have a couple of the market right now).
When you buy into a co-op you are purchasing shares in the Company that owns to the Co-Op - that's you. The shares give you the right to occupy the suite. Co-op's are usually less money that Strata Titles because it is very difficult & almost impossible to obtain financing. If the co-op is a second home then you can obtain financing by registering on your personal residence. The co-op functions as a strata would. There are Rules & Regulations, By-Laws, Monthly maintenance fees and taxes (sometimes the Monthly Maintenance also includes the taxes but not necessarily) and a Board of Directors. In the end, pretty straight forward.
Greater Victoria Development Agency
We had a great seminar with Sasha from the Great Victoria Development Agency. Great Victoria information on the website www.gvda.ca