Vanessa’s Gabriola Vacation
Gabriola vacation with Vanessa. Admittedly, I was at 6’s and 7’s when the time came. It was Friday, July 10th. “What does she like to do?” I asked my son, Matt. “Oh, Mom! Everything. And, she loves the beach.” Quick hop and a skip, hugs, with smiles and laughter all around and I, being her grandmother, scooped her up. The anticipation of my seven year-old grandchild for the weekend was something we’d been looking forward to and here we were, finally. A backpack hoisted, way too heavy for whatever a little girl needs for the weekend of all of 2½ days, and off we trundled to my...
Read MoreWomen in Hats
Summer on Gabriola … I love the beaches especially. There must be a dozen or more beaches, and who knows how many beach access paths to lookout points, secret spots for lovers, and book writers. If you asked me which is my favourite, it would be Drumbeg Park at the south end of Gabriola as my numero uno in beaches. Second would be Gabriola Sands, or locally called Twin Beaches because the road access is through an isthmus with two beaches either side. Cool, eh? Then, if you asked my third and fourth choices, they would be Descanso Bay and Sandwell Beach, with a fifth of Joyce...
Read MoreYes, We Have Water On Gabriola
Tell me truthfully. Would I move to a place that didn’t have water? Heavens, no! I’m asked this question many, many times, given that I live and work on Gabriola Island. I would expect that this is a very common concern for just about all of us, and especially for women. Hah! I thought that might get your attention. Why women you say, and not men or children, cats and ducks. The fact is that most of the time, in my career as a REALTOR®, it is women who make the decision to buy, where, when and how. With close scrutiny by the hairy eyeball, the question comes. “What’s this about the...
Read MoreSmall Town Retirement
If cost isn’t an issue, then there are plenty of beautiful places to spend your retirement: a penthouse in Saint-Tropez, perhaps a small winery in Tuscany, or a hideaway in the Bahamas. For most retirees, the issue of cost is a factor. So, when we start to think about retirement, the first question we ask is “Can I afford a home in that particular location?” The second question we often ask is, “Would I enjoy living there?” Looking to move to an affordable home in a community that offers a good quality of life is, for most retirees, a dream come true. Fitting all the necessary...
Read MoreSirens Blaring
I set off a house alarm this week. Not once but twice …. all within about 15 minutes. Two things the prospective buyers now know is that the alarm works and their realtor is technically challenged. It is quite intimidating to have those things go off and you wonder how long before the cops show up, or at least my clients did. Security did show up and they weren’t too worried when they saw the “for sale” sign, as realtors tend to set off alarms. These days many people have alarms on their houses. Here are some tips for when you put the house up for sale. It can save you money as...
Read MoreTreasure Hunt
It started out as a routine trip. I went to put up a sold sign on one of my listings and congratulate the seller once more. She invited me in and we sat down and started to chat. Knowing a move was coming up, she had begun the task of sorting and packing. For her, this is a downsize move, so she is being ruthless. Initially we chatted about some of the things she had found … some to discard and some to keep. Then she hands me a small stack of envelopes, all tied together. She tells me these are keepers. I glance down and see the blue-outlined envelope on top, something I haven’t seen in...
Read MoreA House Full of Memories
I sold a house that completes this coming week. What strikes me about this one is that the owners had the house built and lived there for 60 years. Yep that’s right 60 years … that’s longer than I’ve been on the planet. They moved in as a young couple with a baby. They had four more children and raised them all in this house with only 1.5 bathrooms. It was a happy home and holds a lifetime of memories for the owners, their children, grandchildren and friends. Although the owners have moved out already, it has been a big move with lots of emotion. Sorting through...
Read MoreAround the kitchen table
Today’s house interior designs look vastly different from those in past decades. This past year, I listed a house built in 1905. The seller was a widow and she had been in the house for 60 years. She and her husband had raised their family there. The kitchen was a large old-style country kitchen with a big table in the middle and built-in cupboards all around three walls. The room was so large that you could access the counters and cupboards even if the whole family was seated at the table. The table also served as extra working space to knead bread or cool fresh baked cookies. I sat...
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