Oak Bay home listed for $128K but land not included
There is a two-bedroom, one-bathroom home in Oak Bay that could be yours for $128,000. The catch is that the land is not included.
"It’s not a piece of junk," said Jim Connelly, who is responsible for local sales and estimates for house movers Nickel Bros.
Connelly says they’ll move the home anywhere within the capital region.
The house, built in the 1940s, has good bones, a new roof and plenty of upgrades.
The question is: During a housing crisis that is seeing the price of building materials consistently rise, is this a cheaper way to get yourself into homeownership?
"For sure we've saved hundreds of thousands of dollars," said Mandelena Lewis, a homeowner in Sooke.
Lewis and her partner lost their Sooke home to a fire back in 2021. Instead of rebuilding, they moved a house that they once rented, and was destined for demolition, to their existing property.
“First and foremost, this is not a one-shoe-fits-all situation,” said Lewis.
She cautions it may be a cheaper option than building new but it is not for the faint of heart.
"It depends on the land too. Does it have septic? Is it already hooked up or do you have to do this from scratch?"
She says navigating permitting processes can also be overwhelming and often frustrating.
“So there’s a few things to keep in mind,” said Lewis.
The couple has now launched a consulting business to help others navigate the twists and turns of moving a home, called Renegade Builders.
“These buildings are being relocated to more affordable areas or more rural properties,” said Connelly.
According to BC Assessment, the land the Oak Bay home sits on is valued at more than $1 million.
A Sooke realtor tells CTV News a piece of property in Sooke that would allow for an older home to be relocated to would cost in the neighbourhood of $400,00.
“Not only do we have an affordable-housing crisis, we have a materials crisis,” said Connelly.
Nickel Bros. says it is seeing an increase in demand for this type of housing option throughout the Pacific Northwest.
It's an option that is not only more affordable in the long run, but also better for the environment.
“Anything that keeps these buildings out of the landfill is an appropriate way to go. It’s the way we should be going,” said Connelly.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.