BCO Coastal Gems: Stuart Island

Stuart Island is in the Discovery Islands, at the mouth of Bute Inlet. It is mostly known for being the home to many high-end resorts and private residences. Although the island is boat access, most residents and lodge guests arrive by float plane or helicopter.

The area around Stuart Island is known for excellent fishing and boating, as well as for the access to spectacular Bute Inlet.

Stuart Island has a public dock and a liquor store, as well as regular water taxi service in the summer. The boat trip from Campbell River is approximately one hour and 15 minutes.

Compared to some of the other outer islands in the Discovery Group, Stuart Island has a large number of private residents. This creates a sense of community on the island, as well as more boat traffic in the area.

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Pass It On!

A Typical BCO Day

At 8am Ed and Shelley meet at the dock in Campbell River. Ed has already stocked the boat with signs and the necessary equipment for banging them up. They have the folders they need for properties they are visiting, as well as the mapping to make sure they are at the right properties. Looking at a flat map and comparing it to a shoreline has become second nature to them.

Banging up the signs is generally Shelley's job, as Ed has to manoeuver the boat and then hold it off shore while Shelley is onshore. The signs are 4ft x 4ft, and need to be hefted over the rocks to the nearest tree. Positioning is carefully considered as the signs need to have maximum visibility.

Hanging signs is also the opportunity to take another set of photos of a property. This way we can provide photos from different seasons and different conditions to prospective buyers.

This day there were also property visits. Once Ed knows the property schedule for signage he can then make appointments with clients in the area. They also visit and photograph more extensively new listings, or check on other listings (in this case they visited a new private island listing and also checked on dock repairs at a Cortes listing). This is a nice break from clambering over the rocks.

Every time spent on the water is an adventure. This day Ed and Shelley were entertained by a lone orca and then later by a pod of dolphins.

The last sign was put up late in the afternoon, and by then Shelley had banged her hands more than a few times. These BCO boat days are long - they were finished and back at the Campbell River dock at 8pm, 12 hours after they started out.

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Pass It On!

After the Offer: Research

A few weeks ago we talked about inspections and actions that happen after an offer is made on a property. There is also a lot of paperwork to look at, and the BC Oceanfront Team at Royal LePage Advance Realty has the knowledge and contacts to make that process less stressful for you. Whether the property is a local Campbell River home or a remote island acreage, we know who to talk to and what to ask for when it comes to information regarding the property.


Here are just some of the offices to visit and documents that would need to be reviewed:

• Property Files. In a city these files are kept at City Hall, and in smaller communities a Municipal or Village Hall (i.e. Tahsis Village Office or Port Clements Village Office). These files can contain subdivision plans, building permits, service connections and locations, lot surveys, building plans, any correspondence between the city and the property owners, professional work, home warranty information, and city inspections. In more remote regions the Regional District may have documents on the property, although not as detailed regarding the buildings, as many of the more remote properties do not need building permits.

• Title and title documents. These can include easements, covenants, plans or building schemes registered on the title. These are usually provided by the listing agent's office, but as your agents Ed and Shelley will go through the documents and make sure their buyer understands all of the legal issues that may be on title.

• Septic documents. This step is for properties that are not on a city sewer system but instead have an independent septic system. If the system was permitted, then the local health authority will have a file on it.

• Home Owners Protection office and warranty. For homes under 10 years of age, HPO should have proof of home warranty insurance on file.

• Survey documents. These may come from the property owner, or from the original developer or from the company that did the original surveys.

• Archeology Branch lets us know if there are any known archeological sites on a property. This has become a hot topic these days, especially here on the coast.

As the BC Oceanfront team deals with all variety of properties in all regions of the coast, we know who to call and are persistent in searching out information. We know the questions to ask and the places to begin looking. Ed and Shelley are there to help their buyers every step of the way.

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Pass It On!