Welcome 2021

 How to know what 2021 will bring? At least through the winter and perhaps longer, Covid-19 will continue to be a force to reckon with in all aspects of life, including real estate and office work. We feel confident in our ability to serve our clients’ needs as a team whether in our main office or at our individual home offices.

The recreational and remote markets are doing well. The biggest issue is a shortage of inventory currently – properties are selling faster than the inventory can be replaced! So if you have been thinking about selling,  give us a call to discuss the market and your options.

Predicting the residential market is difficult with Covid, but trends and forecasts indicate that prices will continue to increase slightly and the market will remain strong.

In 2021 we expect to see a further increase in doing business online, something we have worked hard at becoming proficient at in the BCO office and continue to train on. From online searching to completing documentation and even virtual showings, real estate is thriving in the online world. When we do real estate in person, be assured that safety and proper health measures continue to be front of mind for everyone involved.

Real Estate, like every business, is always changing. The BC Oceanfront Real Estate Team continues to improve systems and procedures to both keep up with new requirements and regulations and also to provide top service to all of our clients.

We wish you all a safe, healthy and happy 2021 and look forward to working with you on your real estate needs.

 It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Live It!

What Is the Coastal Lifestyle?

This year more than ever the BC Oceanfront Real Estate Team has appreciated the amazing coastal region we call home. We talk a lot about the coastal lifestyle, and how that relates to both our work and our time outside of work.

Big Picture, this has meant Ed and Shelley finding a way to get some time away in the summer especially, but really all year round, for fishing/hunting/camping. This may mean one is out of town while the other is covering the office, or it may mean Ed is at his cabin in Quatsino fishing in the mornings and working remotely in the afternoons and evenings. This year there weren’t so many away trips, but there were still days out on the boats.

On a smaller scale, the coastal lifestyle means week-ends outdoors, and often evenings as well. It means stopping and looking out the windows at the office when someone thinks they spot whales, or an interesting boat is going through the passage between Quadra Island and Campbell River.  It means talk about fishing taking as much time as talk about properties during client meetings, and photo uploads of our week-end adventures to share on social media. It also means that when Shelley and Ed show clients a property they share in the delight a buyer feels upon seeing the wonder of the coast for the first time. After years of living and working on the coast, that feeling of awe and wonder hasn’t gone away.

The coastal lifestyle doesn’t mean you just live on the coast. It means every day you appreciate that coast and the lifestyle it allows you to enjoy. It means you relax a little more often than if you lived in the big city, and getting to spend time outside is a priority.

 We believe in it, we live it and we love to share it.

 

It’s a Coastal Lifestyle … Live It!

Homesteading History on Vancouver Island and Area

 The BC Coast is not just rich in First Nations history, it is also rich in homesteading history. Throughout the last two centuries as resource workers and other groups made their way to the coast small groups, individuals and families took up residence throughout the coast, including on the many islands between the mainland and Vancouver Island.

It is not uncommon to come across relics from homesteading in the middle of what looks like untouched forest or grassland. From broken fencelines to house foundations and even old tools, evidence is abundant when you start to look. In particular on the north end of Vancouver Island, it is easy to stumble across pieces of machinery and household items from the early 1900s. Apparently at one time 1000 people lived in an area where only a handful of people now live at the Cape Scott area of Vancouver Island.

Another visual reminder of this past history is the abundance of fruit trees scattered throughout the region, from old orchards that have been reclaimed by the surrounding wild. Going for walks in parks and along beach fronts it is not uncommon to find a gnarled old plum or apple tree, still producing fruit. Along with the fruit trees it is possible to also find overgrown domestic plants that survived long after the homestead itself has disappeared. Rhododendrons and holly bushes are common ones to come across.

People have come and gone for various reasons. A number of Scandinavian groups came in the early 1900s to places such as Cape Scott and Sointula on Malcolm Island, looking to establish a new type of community. Many of the homesteaders in the Discovery Islands were families of the local resource workers whose livelihoods depending on the fishing, mining and forestry industries. Then in the 60s there was another wave of homesteading as the hippy generation found the mild weather of the coast perfect for their communes and back-to-the-earth ideals.

As larger communities grew on the coast and on Vancouver Island especially, many of the homesteader families moved away from the more remote areas to the convenience and steady jobs that towns could offer. Now it seems the homesteading movement is gathering interest and attention, and so more people are coming to the coast to once again connect with those more remote areas.

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Live It!

Real Estate Language

 

It’s easy for those of us who work in real estate every day to forget that the general public, who maybe buy or sell only a handful of properties in a lifetime, aren’t always well versed in real estate terminology. There is a language that is specific to the world of real estate, from terms involved with listing properties to the language of a real estate contract. The more accessible we can make that language to our clients, the more comfortable and at ease they are going to be during the process.

 Here are some basic terms you may hear mentioned when talking about property sales:

Conditional: “It’s still conditional” – this means that there is an offer to purchase which has been accepted by the seller, and the buyers and/or sellers are now working through the items they placed as subject conditions on the offer to purchase; this is referred to as the due diligence period. There is a set date for these conditions to be removed and if they are the contract will then be considered unconditional. When a contract is in its conditional phase, there is a chance that the purchase may not go through, as the conditions may not be satisfied.

Subject-Free: This relates to the conditions set on a contract (or perhaps there are no conditions). When all subject conditions have been waived or removed and both parties are in agreement then a deal is considered ‘subject-free’ and buyer and seller are obligated to complete the deal as outlined in the contract.

Deposit: While the concept of the deposit is fairly obvious, clients don’t always understand that the deposit will form part of the agreed upon purchase price if the sale goes ahead and is not a separate, stand-alone amount of money.

Appraisal vs Assessment: An appraisal of a property is done by a professional third party accredited appraiser and provides the property’s value as set out in the scope of the appraisal (if it is for market value or lender value for example). An assessment is a property value provided by the BC Assessment Authority and is used by municipal authorities to apply property taxes.

Commission: The gross commission for a listed property is determined at the time of the listing. If there is one agent for the sellers and one agent for the buyers, they will share that gross commission in a pre-determined way (also set out in the listing contract for the property). The gross commission is paid by the seller upon the receipt of funds for the sale of the home, and both agents are then paid from that monies.

The best advice when it comes to dealing with real estate and the language is to ask lots of questions. Your real estate agent is there to assist you, and explaining things you don’t understand is part of the job.

 It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Live It!

 

Coastal Gems: Read Island

 

Read Island sits in the heart of the Discovery Islands, with Maurelle Island to the north, Quadra Island to the west and Cortes Island to the southeast. There is a large provincial park at the south end of the island.

The census has approximately 80 people as full-time residents of the island, and there are many other part-time residents with summer cabins and residences.

Read Island is home to Surge Narrows School, serving the outlying areas in the Discovery Islands for School District 72. Like most of the Discovery Islands, Read Island has a rich and varied history, having been home to loggers, farmers and homesteaders throughout the years.

There is a government dock on Read Island at Surge Narrows. Surge Narrows sits at the junction where Read Island, Quadra Island and Maurelle Island meet and merges into White Rock Pass; a picturesque and protected location with quick, easy access to services and amenities located at Heriot Bay on Quadra Island or the larger centre of Campbell River on Vancouver Island. 

From here one is also minutes away from the BC mainland and majestic inlets such as Toba and Bute.

Read Island has a network of internal logging roads, which provide access throughout most of the island and to the Government Dock as well as the community hall and elementary school. Rosen Lake and the 1550 acre Read Island Provincial Park are both located on the south end of the island.

It’s a Coastal Lifestyle … Live It! 

 

Preparing your Recreational Property for the Off-Season

Fall has begun and with it comes the promise of rain and wind and storms on the west coast. Just like you should clean your gutters, unhook your hoses and put away the patio furniture at your home, you should prepare your recreational and remote properties for the fall and winter seasons.

Water - if you are not going to be using your property over the winter your water supply should be properly shut down. There is nothing worse than burst pipes in the spring! Turn off at the source, drain the hot water tank, and leave both indoor and outdoor taps open. 

Exterior tidy up - make sure all the loose items from summer, such as chairs, tables, planters, tools, etc are put away in a secure place. Winter weather can wreck these items, and winter storms can send them flying. If you have to leave canoes/kayaks or boats outside, make sure they are turned upside down so they can’t fill with water and that they are secured to something so they can’t blow about.

Interior – Clean out the fridge, and make sure that food stuffs are either well packaged, stored somewhere else or thrown out. Mice love a winter meal! Putting linens, towels, dishcloths, etc somewhere extra dry will help keep mould from growing on damp fabrics. Consider a moisture absorber container (no damp, damp rid, dri-z-air), especially on the coast or near water where the damp is constant in the winter.

Lock up - make sure the property is closed up properly. Windows and doors should be latched so wind doesn't blow them open and so that critters can't get in. In wooded areas where debris and branches may come down, consider boarding up the windows.

Docks - make sure the surface is "gripped" or cleaned so that if someone needs to use the docks they won't slip on the slick surface from all the winter moisture. This will also deter mould build-upover the winter.

Trees, shrubs, etc - now is a good time to prune any dead branches or long/heavy branches that are getting too close to buildings. These can come down during winter storms and do a lot of damage with no one around to clean up. Better to deal with it now.

A small amount of time spent shutting down, cleaning up and locking up will save time and possibly money come spring. Time to get it done before the big storms come!

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Live It!

Be Prepared When Travelling Remote Areas

 Many of the properties we market are remote and we love them as do our clients. They are accessed via Forest Service Roads, private gravel roads, water, and long stretches of unserviced highway. There is often no cellular service, and certainly no wi-fi. So if you are going to travel in these regions remember the number one rule: Be Prepared.

gravel road

                                         

blown tire

Vehicle:
Have a spare tire! In addition, a shovel to dig out (from dirt or snow), a mat to lay down on when you look under the vehicle, and a vehicle that can withstand scrapes from overgrown shrubs and trees are all assets. Remember that having warmer temps in town does not mean there won't be snow on the ground in the more remote areas. For some areas, a saw to take apart small windfall that's across the road could be useful.

yup, that's broken

Communication:
Make sure people know where you are going and your approximate time of return. Letting people know your route ahead of time is also a good idea. We always ask people who want to just go look at a property on their own to tell us when they return. Have good maps with you so you can identify where you are, especially if you need to walk out to a more main road for assistance.

stuck in the snow

Supplies:
A first aid kit is important. Extra food and water as it may take longer than you'd expect. Good footwear. Warm clothes and a rain coat (even in the middle of summer) as the weather can change quickly on the coast! And for those of you who prefer the comforts of home, a spare roll of toilet paper is nice.

lots of water on hand

We love the coastal wilderness we are surrounded by, and if you are prepared then enjoying it and exploring it can be a great way to spend time.

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Live It!