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Wednesday, February 8, 2012 • COMOX VALLEY RECORD
www.comoxvalleyrecord.com
Assessing assessments Anna Jorgensen
the charts, just how much more would you be willing to pay for it? Let’s face it, if that Assessors are supnumber is higher than posed to base evaluwhat any buyer in the ations on comparable market is willing to sales from the prior pay — you’re essenyear. tially buying your own The reality is they house back by not sellcan’t get around to ing it for less! every house, they usuComparable sales ally don’t go inside any are another area to house, and there aren’t consider but they usually enough are really secondcomparable sales It’s always a good ary to listings. in the immediate Buyers can’t buy neighbourhood at idea to put your ‘Buyer the ones that have that specific time Hat’ on when looking at sold. required. If you’re fairly As far as mar- what’s available. If you priced according ket value goes, it were the buyer, be honest to your competidoesn’t matter. with yourself; which one tion but the only Properties have similar homes sold $100,000+ would you pick? have sold for sigover the assessed nificantly less, value and the same townhouse? If there are several the market could be amount under. Looking at various homes that are simi- stagnant in that upper blocks of time for resi- lar to yours, it’s much range you’re in. And a lot of sellers dential sales in 2011 easier to determine here are the statistics where your home fits. are surprised at how from the Vancouver You want to be ahead much (or more accuIsland Real Estate of your top three com- rately how much less) their neighbour down petition. Board: It’s always a good the street actually sold April: 91 sales – 67 per cent sold above the idea to put your ‘Buyer for. For more about BC Hat’ on when looking BC Assessment. visit August: 55 sales – 62 at what’s available. If Assessments, per cent sold above the you were the buyer, be www.bcassessments. honest with yourself; ca. BC Assessment. Anna Jorgensen is December: 38 sales – which one would you with Royal LePage in 54 per cent sold above pick? Even if yours tops the Comox Valley. the BC Assessment. There was no obvi- STORES FLYERS DEALS COUPONS BROCHURES ous correlation between CATALOGUES CONTESTS PRODUCTS STORES FLYERS area, style or price DEALS COUPONS BROCHURES CATALOGUES CONTESTS PRODUC DUCTS TS STORES STO RES FLYERS FLY ERS DEALS DEALS COUPO COUPONS NS range though a higher PRO BROCHURES CATALOGUES CONTESTS PRODUCTS number of newer (three STORES FLYERS DEALS COUPONS BROCHURES years or less) homes CATALOGUES CONTESTS PRODUCTS STORES FLYERS sold during the times DEALS COUPONS STORES FLYERS DEALS COUPONS when there were a BROCHURES CATALOGUES CONTESTS PRODUCTS STORES STO RES FLYERS FLY ERS DEALS DEALS COUPO COUPONS NS BROCHU BRO CHURES RES higher number of sales CAT Make the resolution CATALO ALOGUE ALO GUES GUE S CONT CONT ONTEST ESTS EST S PR PRODU ODUCTS ODU CTS ST STORE ORES ORE S FLY FLYERS ERS over BC Assessment DEALS DEA LS COU COUPON PONS PON S BROC BROC ROCHUR HURES HUR ES CAT CATALO ALOGU ALO GU to save time and money and most of those were newer. Take out those newer homes and the percentages are very close year round. Clear as mud? In other words, time of year doesn’t affect list to sell ratios in terms of how close to the assessed value the STORES TORES s FLYERS F YERS s DEAL FL DEALS house will sell for. COUPONS s BROCHURES s CATALOGUES What affects market CONTESTS s PRODUCTS values? From a realtor’s perspective, market value is the amount a house Save time, save money. will sell for given an arm’s-length transacVisit our other Black Press sites tion between what a seller will sell for and a buyer will pay. The market determines a home’s value — supply and demand. If there is a ready, willing, able buyer in the market place and they are looking at your home, what are their other options? This doesn’t just mean what other homes are out there that are like yours. It means, might they consider building a new home; renovating an older home; going into a patio home instead of
Special to the Record
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THERE WERE MANY offerings at the second annual Comox Valley Whiskey Fest Saturday night at the Westerly Hotel, including a variety of samples from the Macallan portfolio of whiskeys. PHOTOS BY ERIN HALUSCHAK
Whiskey fest bigger and better More than $14,000 to Wheels for Wellness and hospital Renée Andor Record Staff
Even bigger and better, the Comox Valley Whiskey Fest was a huge success for the second time. Co-organizer and Comox Rotarian Suzanne Judge said she’s delighted the festival sold out and over $14,000 will go to Wheels for Wellness and the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation. “I’m really impressed with the Comox Valley public; I’m so impressed with their support for this; people are just wonderful,” said Judge. Hosted by the Rotary Club of Comox and the Westerly Hotel, the second annual Whiskey Fest had 200 tickets, most of which sold in the first few weeks. Things kicked off on Friday evening with Dinner with the Johnnies, a six-course
AFTER THE SAMPLE, the bottle was worth a second look. meal with five Johnnie Walker whiskey pairings. Five seminars, ranging from whiskey for beginners to a master class, gave a chance for everyone from the uninitiated up to the connoisseur to learn more about whiskey. The grand tasting of over 50 different whiskeys and interesting food items was on Saturday night. Comox
Valley resident Heini Von Schilling has been drinking whiskey since he was 15 years old, and time has not changed his love for the drink. “I think they should do this more often,” said Von Schilling with a grin, adding that he missed the previous year’s festival only because he was out of town. Ten distributors
were set up at tables around a large room at the Westerly Hotel offering a wide array of Scottish whiskeys, but also some from Ireland, and Canada, and even Japan and India. Wheels for Wellness and Comox Valley Dodge provided complimentary rides at the end of the night to ensure festival-goers arrived safely home after sipping away the evening. And the Westerly Hotel offered discounted room rates for out-of-towners. Judge said the hotel was instrumental in making the festival a success. “This hotel, the staff, the management, have been amazing,” said Judge, adding that the hotel’s discounted rates on things like food helped more money go to the two recipient organizations. Judge said the festival will happen again next year “without a doubt” and she believes it will for many years after, too. “I can’t wait ‘til we’re doing the 20th annual, I really can’t,” she said with a smile. writer@comoxvalleyrecord.com
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