33 replies to this topic

[Ms. B. Havin]

There is also this gem in Saanich: clicky

BC Assessment describes it as "shed - better quality". And for an assessed value of $861,000, it ought to be better quality!

Note the LEED-certified solar heating equipment on the roof.

Assessed value is $861,000? ...Wow.

[Ginger Snap]

I've noticed quite a few abandoned or nearly abandoned homes in fairly nice residential neighbourhoods. They're either totally abandoned (and often have been for decades) or are in such a bad state of repair that anyone buying them would probably end up having to start over.

I dont understand why or how they get like this. Housing is so expensive here, if you move out or die, why the heck would you or who ever inherited your house let it sit abandoned for decades? If your health or finances have gotten so bad you can't afford the time or money for the most basic of upkeep and your house is now falling down, why not sell it?? The only reasons I can think are mental illness.

So many of these houses I pass and think "I'd love the privileged of owning that, fixing it up, and actually living in it or selling it to someone who does"

Here's one I pass quite often, and has been abandoned as long as I can remember. The odd thing is, it always has a perfectly mowed lawn.
http://maps.google.c...,112.46,,0,5.89

Funny, I knew exactly which house that was going to be before I opened up the picture. I have thought that for years... just sell me your little nearly-beachfront home and I will take good care of it!

And I think you hit the nail on the head re: mental illness.

[Baro]

The other day I passes that house and saw people mowing the lawn, looked like hired gardeners. I really wanted to ask them what's up with the property but didn't have time to stop and was too shy... Would love to solve the mystery.

I've created an image in my head of a nasty old lady who's been in a nursing home for decades, her kids just waiting for her to die and inherit the property, which she refuses to sell or pass down to her kids.

[Phil McAvity]

Where are your friends from, concorde?

Not to be rude or anything, but your friends have some high expectations of home owners if they are put off by the lack of professional landscaping or updates to mid-century houses. Not everybody wants or cares for the sorts of luxuries or needs to put on a display of opulence that some individuals in certain communities can't do without.

This isn't Beverly Hills or a gated community in some distant suburb of Phoenix. It's a city with a mix of housing, and for anyone who's traveled even across North America, Victoria as a region represents one of the nicest collections of housing stock on the continent.

But to each his own, I suppose.

His silence is interesting. For all we know, there never were any "friends", maybe concorde was stating his own opinion but just didn't want to take responsibility for it. I mean, I wouldn't really want to take responsibility for such a stupid idea.

While i'm certain mental illness is a factor in some of these dilapidated properties, i'm equally certain that some of these properties aren't maintained because some kids are simply estranged from their elderly parents otherwise the kids would probably fix up the properties and/or sell them.

[Sparky]

^ Yes....Ian's coffee shop is a prime example of what you just said.

[Bingo]

^ Yes....Ian's coffee shop is a prime example of what you just said.

I hope they preserve the curved neon sign that is hanging by a thread.

The pie shaped piece of property will be difficult to build on, as the setbacks will likely change for something new.

[aastra]

It would very probably kill me if the city were to enforce some massive new setback for that site. Everything that's unique and interesting about Victoria, they just seem to want to sweep it away.

[Baro]

The problem with a lot of our older buildings is that they didn't follow council's heritage guidelines. We could protect the city's historical integrity better if we were to just tear it all down and replace it with city approved heritage.

[mc9]

I would have to agree that there are a lot of run down houses. Many of which, when up for sale, are overpriced for such highly inefficient homes - but I guess if you like 'character'...

[Mike K.]

I would guess that its the land that commands the price and not so much the house if it is indeed run down.

[D.L.]

This house on the NW corner of Quadra and Queens now has boarded up windows and graffiti on it - http://maps.google.c...,322.04,,1,0.95

[G-Man]

It recently sold so I imagine that there is a plan to renovate it.

[D.L.]

Here's a boarded up house on Pandora - http://maps.google.c...,159.18,,0,-2.5

[D.L.]

This house just west of Hillside Mall is now boarded up - http://maps.google.c...,271.96,,1,-3.5