Anya and I went and looked at the house at 3829 Cumberland Rd on July 24. It was a gorgeous house. It was a bit expensive, but the house was in a lovely Maplewood neighbourhood. Right across the street from Playfair Park. The front and side yard was beautiful! Sitting in the swing chairs felt like we were out in the woods camping.
I liked the house more than Anya did, but she liked it too. We gave an offer and they accepted our offer, so off we went to do the whole financing, home inspection, title insurance, etc. This week has definitely been one of the most stressful weeks in my life. Anya has been freaking out about our budget because even though we were approved for taking out a huge loan, our budget sheet showed us after all the predicted expenses, we’d end up with only $128 for entertainment. We wouldn’t be able to affort to have kids in a couple of years. We wouldn’t be going out to dine and shop like how we can now. It meant a whole lifestyle change to us. I wanted this house really badly. Part of the desire is that I’m eager to be in the real estate market. It is a buyers’ market right now, and the real estate will take off after 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. The market will have its downs, but in the long run, it’ll go up. Victoria is a beautiful place, and compared to other wonderful cities around the globe, Victoria’s real estate market is nowhere near its peak.
During this week, it was an emotional roller-coaster ride. Anya and I would be so happy to own a house one day and would then be completely depressed with how little our spending money would be. Even with the parents stepping in to help us with the 20% down payment, we would still be in the hole for at least five years, if not more. Then there are what-ifs! What if one of us loses our job? What if Anya’s pregnant and we’d have no money for our kid(s)? What if Speeper (our little Cabriolet) dies and we have to do major “surgeries” on it or get a new car? And what if Holly got hit by a flying object and we have to spend $2000 on a new set of teeth for that little mutt? Okay, maybe not that depressing, but hey, you never know.
Anya tried to contact Saanich and asked to confirm the easements on the property, but she got returned with “seek professional legal advice”. You think you pay all this tax to this city and one day, you hope maybe the city can be a little helpful on your decisions. Thanks a lot Saanich! In the end, we backed out from the offer, on the day all the conditions were supposed to be removed. Our lawyer, Isabel Weeks-Lambert, played a significant role of analyzing the easements and right of ways of the property for us. We were so lucky to have Isabel to give us the most honest and helpful advice.
So yes, the house hunt continues. 3829 Cumberland is the furthest we’ve gone in terms of purchasing a house. It has been a very educational process. I just hope one of these days we’ll eventually find our house. Where are you, our dream home?
Hi Will
I came across your site while researching 3829 Cumberland. I was going to go to the municipal hall and pull the plot plan, check easements and covenants etc etc
Sounds like that may be difficult. I am surprised that what should be public record is shrouded in secrecy. I am curious as to what was eventualy discovered, as I too am considering the house. Any info would be deeply appreciated.
Thank you
Richard
Hi Richard,
3829 Cumberland is a beautiful house. I still wish we got that house this day. The master bedroom with that huge walk-in closet is enough to sell the house alone, not mentioning the gorgeous backyard. Well, we all know nothing is perfect. The easement of the house is not looking too good. My wife and I wanted a vegetable garden on the side of that swing set, but all that land is covered by pipes underneath from the city. We also thought of putting in a swimming pool there, but with all the easement setup, that’s impossible. The city reserves its rights to access that land at any time without any notification. Therefore, even if we had a vegetable garden there, the city can come over and destroy the garden. It was more because of the easement of the house that we gave up on it. I still love the house itself. Love that garage too! Anyway, I hope my info will help you to make your decision and eventually land your family with a perfect home for yourselves.
Thanks for your message.
Will