Tweed Curtain Rent Asunder!
Hardly, but what is important is that Oak Bay's secondary suite committee will host its next public consultation meeting today (April 16) at 7 p.m. at Emmanuel Baptist Church, 2121 Cedar Hill X Road.

The committee is studying whether rental suites should be allowed in single-family homes in Oak Bay. Residents will have a chance to ask questions and say their piece at the meeting. Expect lots of fireworks.

Further information can be had by calling Oak Bay municipal hall at 250-598-3311.

Goldstream development shifts focus

No Furnaces but Heat Aplenty in ‘Passive Houses’ - Germany leads the way

Germany the land of alternative energy sources in the form of windmills and acres of solar panels are showing us the way once more with energy efficient houses. Read all about it in the article above in the Dec. 27, 2008 edition of the New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/27/world/europe/27house.html?em=&pagewanted=all

The article talks about Heat Exchangers. These were popularized in B.C.  in around 2000 but haven't caught on in a big way. They were and are a great idea that perhaps builders and their clients will look at again as one way to enhance energy conservation.

If you listened to all of the doom and gloom experts it would seem so. The evening news brings fresh stories of Vancouver developers (Condos and a Hotel/condo development) being brought to a halt. Holes in the ground. Victoria has its fair share of holes in the ground too. But, and there's always a but, there are bargains to be had in the condo market. Right now there are some very good buys in Langford. One of the cheapest condos in all of Langford is a 2bed and 2 bath, with very nice amenities and granite countertops, in an upscale development which is going at a substantial discount. So, if anyone does read this and your'e interested just give me a call.

Gordon Campbell gave it a good go in his speech last night to say to people - We can't do a lot as a Provincial Government to affect any significant change on the world's crisis we can at least do something on a local level to give people a boost of confidence. It is, at the very least trying to foster a climate of hope and a reason to think that things can and will be better. It is after all a crisis of confidence on a world scale. It is our shared belief that the banks have enough money to supply us all that is at the heart of our banking system. A simple and delicate thing. It only takes a few to become fearful and rumors to start feeding on themselves  to reach the tipping point when enough people become fearful enough, to line up outside the bank and cause the run that everybody was afraid of. We are suffering, as one financial expert said the other day, exceptional irrational behaviour on a grand scale. 

Warren Buffet, arguably one of the most brilliant and patient investors of all time is investing his personal fortune in the past two weeks to make what he considers are great buys. Cheap stocks. Prime Minister Harper wasn't necessarily giving you bad advice to look carefully and go out and buy stocks as well. With 20/20 hindsight I am sure you and I  will be looking back in 5 years or less and saying, "Gee, why didn't I see that" and buy it, "it was so cheap".  Just so in Real Estate. The world hasn't come to an end here in Victoria. If anything, the recent economic forecast I recently sat through with an economist from the British Columbia Real Estate Association, gave a positive outlook for Real Estate sales here in B.C. and Victoria. That was before this recent "meltdown" but there is still an argument to be made that Victoria is in a good state to weather the storm. Mortgage rates according to our TD mortgage man are still great. A variable open 5 year term can be had for 5% - and variable is still the way to go.

We are the "Maui" of Canada and this little pocket on this island is a very desirable spot and always will be. People will still come here from all over  the world and the rest of Canada because it is such a wonderful place to live. You only had to be walking along the Dallas waterfront these past two days to be sure of that.  So, if the sun is shining today, take the time to go for a walk along the waterfront and remember - don't walk to close to the edge!

Headlines in the financial papers talk about the Central Banks stepping in to alleviate the cash crunch in financial markets. Foreclosures in the American Sub-prime mortgage markets are creating a spin off effect in general credit and in stock markets around the world. The Canadian dollar fell to US94.65cents down nearly a cent from yesterday. So, while the central banks in Europe and North America are stepping in to ease the traders fears, not everyone is buying it. In Canada it remains a closely watched, wait and see, approach to see how things unfold or is that unravel? We shall see soon enough!