Current Entries January 31, 2010. Here we are, at the close of the first month of the year. The days are definitely getting longer and this strange "warmer than the norm" weather pattern is making the daffodil, snowdrop, crocus bulbs appear a good four to six weeks early! Last year, we were afflicted with "colder than normal" temperatures, plus a lot of snow...some people, in higher elevations, were totally stuck at home for two to four weeks (no snow plows, here, as we don't usually get "real winter"). Complete opposite, this year! There may be a cold snap, in February, that would have more snow on the Lower Mainland mountains, in time for the Winter Olympics. The organizers of the Games, though, say that the venues are all in good shape, and I'm sure that anyone visiting, to take part in the Games in person, will be enthralled by the temperate climate on this thin ribbon of the Pacific Northwest Coast! Here, on the idyllic Gulf Islands, with their microclimate (known as "cool Mediterranean" on the Southern Gulf Islands, including on Salt Spring Island), we are definitely experiencing early Spring. So nice! Makes people restless, though, this emerging from the cocoon of Winter-into-Spring, and that might explain why the busyness in real estate showings, so early in the year. Normally, our season runs from March Break to the Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend (early October), but the traditional responses no longer seem to be in play. The activity continues in the entry level price category, just as it did throughout 2009, but this seems to be creeping upwards in pricing. Under 420,000 in Feb. to April, 2009, then slowly climbing up to the 500,000 mark by August, 2009, and touching the boundaries of the high 600s by late 2009. Now, we're testing the low 700s. Although some of the sales, this month, may have really taken place at close of 2009/showing a completion date in January of this year, for tax reasons, it is busy and much earlier than expected. A sign of unrest about all the printing of monies, around the world? Continuing low mortgage rates, with a concern that rates must push higher, to curb inflation? A worry that all that printing of cash is debasing currencies? Better to get out of cash, and into protected hard asset investments (there's that Islands Trust, with its cap on growth, in the Gulf Islands area), just to preserve capital? Wish I knew where that crystal ball had rolled to! Meantime, there's things to do/places to see/people to meet. Let's all remember, too, as we float into early Spring, to spare a thought for those less fortunate. After the initial shock of the earthquake in Haiti, this country still needs our thoughts/our help. Locally, the food bank needs our largesse. Our friends and neighbours in business need our support...shop locally, when you can. Volunteer, if you have the time...look for ways to benefit the community. There is no "them"...there's only "us", and we all need to remember that individual commitment can change the world. Speaking of that, give Raffi a call, and volunteer at the newly opened Centre for Child Honouring, on Salt Spring Island. Looking for real estate information? Drop by my office, and pick up the weekly list of "what's for sale" and "what has sold". Be informed! All available listings, free maps, knowledge of both inventory and of market trend...how may I help you to buy your special Salt Spring Island or Southern Gulf Island property? Look forward to your call! liread33@gmail.com January 30, 2010. Here's a terrific opportunity to own sunny and private waterfront, in an area of very fine homes, for a "best buy" price. Tax assessed value is $990,000. The property is listed at $799,000. There is an upgraded cedar cottage, open plan living/dining, with galley kitchen, bedroom off, full bathroom, plus "loft" sleeping area. Expansive decking for summer living pleasures, and a hot tub with a view. Oceanside deck, too! The plus? There's a foreshore licence in place -- build your dock and keep your boat at home. Sunny (s/sw/w exposures -- sunsets, here!), easy care landscaping, property in "natural state", and easy to expand the cottage, or, use as summer/weekender for now, and build your dream home later! Don't delay on this opportunity to enjoy excellent oceanfront on the premier Southern Gulf Island! January 29, 2010. Mark your calendars for some special offerings at ArtSpring! On Feb. 1st, ArtSpring presents Tokyo String Quartet, with the concert beginning at 8 p.m. The concert is preceded by a Garry Oaks Winery tasting, at 7 p.m. There's a special Friday performance of Shirley Valentine, on Feb. 5th, at 7:30 p.m. -- this is a fundraiser for Haiti. On Feb. 6th, in the ArtSpring Gallery, Theatre Alive! presents Baba Brinkman: with a Masters in Medieval and Renaissance English Literature, Baba has toured his award-winning hip-hop theatre show since 1004. Enjoy! On Feb. 7th, at 2:30 p.m., Vancouver's Historical Performance Ensemble is presenting accurately reproduced Baroque and Renaissance performances of dance, music, and costuming. Called: Ladies' Aires and Dances. Something completely different, for your pleasure! On Feb. 14th, at 3 p.m., also enjoy Don McKay and George Sipos and their poetry reading. At 7:30 p.m. on the 14th, it's A Very Special Valentine's Evening with Jean Beaupre -- one of Canada's fastest rising singer/songwriters. Her special guest that evening will be Gemma G. Lots to do and to enjoy in February, on special Salt Spring Island! Interested in historical B.C. art? For sale, by appointment -- contact Mona Fertig at 250-537-4155. View the images on her website at: www.mothertonguepublishing.com (check this out!). Don't forget the great lineup on Feb. 8th, with the Salt Spring Folk Club's presentation of Tom Taylor, Shari Ulrich, and Barney Bentall! Tickets at Acoustic Planet, Salt Spring Books, and at Stuff and Nonsense. Show starts at 7 p.m., at Fulford Hall. Bach on the Rock orchestra, on Feb. 7th at 7:30 p.m., at All Saints by the Sea. Tickets available at ArtSpring (250-537-2102). Saturday (Jan. 30th) at Moby's it's Donny Brook & the Haymakers, music from 8 to 11 p.m., and Sunday (Jan. 31st) it's Jazz with Billie Woods, from 7 to 10 p.m. Don't miss the very fine work of Jose Bustillo, at the Salt Spring Gallery of Fine Art, on McPhillips Avenue. Opening reception between 1 & 3 p.m., on Saturday, January 30th, and the show runs for two weeks at the Gallery. Enjoy! Feeling like a day off Island? Choose a Saturday, and take in the dinner & theatre in Chemainus...the ferry schedule works out for this. A nice treat, and a little different. More ideas for this February frame? No longer winter and not quite spring? Lots to see and to do, and yes, there's the Olympics, too (opening ceremony on February 12th). January 28, 2010. "Birthdays, anniversaries, memorials, festivals Measure our progress on the path." (Deng Ming-Dao: "Tao...Daily Meditations") January 27, 2010. The countdown is on, to the Olympics. The opening ceremony is on February 12th. The Olympic Torch, which has been in relays around Canada, is back in B.C., and heading to Vancouver/Whistler, for the opening ceremony. We've been experiencing a "January Thaw" weather pattern -- seems more like very early Spring, on the Pacific Northwest Coast! -- but may cool up nicely in February. Communities on Vancouver Island and on the Sunshine Coast are presenting their areas in Vancouver, just ahead of the Olympics, to key people in tourism, from around the world. The Gulf Islands, the majority of which are close to several Vancouver Island communities. are always mentioned in "nearby places to enjoy". I do think that there will be spinoff from the Olympics discovery moment, although it may not be visible to us until 3 to 5 months later, and into a good two years after that. Yes, there will be people physically attending the games, perhaps connected with the athletes, and certainly the press of the various nations are represented, too. How many will be watching on t.v. or over the internet? Over a billion? When they look past the events, and see the beauty of both Vancouver and Whistler, they will be stunned. We are such an underacknowledged area, on this thin strip of land between the sea and the mountains. We who live here are so lucky, although we may not always remember this, when in the "midst" of our own lives / personal experiences. Whether it's a Gulf Island, or a Vancouver Island venue, or a Sunshine Coast address, or a city locale (Vancouver or Victoria), we all enjoy that microclimate weather pattern, to some degree, and the extravagant natural beauty that is everywhere. Georgia Strait (the historic "Salish Sea") enjoys the best protected boating waters in the world, according to many mariners. Beauty everywhere...and the entire world is about to discover it. Topographically, though, there is a limited supply of land for development (those mountains! that sea!), and in many cases there are zoning bylaws (for the Gulf Islands, it's that Islands Trust) that prohibit growth...another kind of "lid" on development. As B.C. residents, we should all be proud of the Olympics moment. As Canadians, the same. We enjoy an incredibly rich lifestyle, compared to many areas of the world, and we also enjoy pristine natural beauty. If you haven't taken a floatplane trip to Vancouver recently, from the Gulf Islands or from Vancouver Island, try to do this. It's very evident just how lovely our area is, and also how limited the supply. It is a "thin ribbon" of coastline, that supports human endeavour, in our region. Lucky us, to be here already! More information about Salt Spring Island and the Southern Gulf Islands? Call me! How may I help you to discover and to buy your special Island paradise? liread33@gmail.com January 26, 2010. Here's a stellar oceanfront opportunity on special Salt Spring Island, awaiting your enjoyment! Level entry home offers a casually elegant lifestyle. Main level offers oceanview living, formal dining, entertainment solarium, master/ensuite, library/den, galley style kitchen with breakfast area, plus separate laundry and office off, formal entry/foyer. Dramatic oceanside decking off all principal rooms expands your summer living pleasure! Hot tub off master -- your own private space, with that great view. Lower garden level offers two further bedrooms/bath, plus workshop (home occupation?) and a terrific games room (billiards table may stay, if desired). Sunny decking off! The plus? Self-contained guest suite, with private entry. Nanny suite? Guest/inlaw accomodation? B and B opportunity? You decide! Exceptional dock in place -- keep your boat at home! Beach here (beachcombing pleasures), too. Beachside "cabin" for extra summer fun. This is a special family home, or would suit a professional couple working from home, or could be that luxury B and B opportunity. Lots of options here! Sunny (s/sw/w exposures -- sunsets here), private and quiet area of fine homes (one of Salt Spring's most preferred addresses). Close to all amenities, yet serenely apart. Easy care landscaping -- a Mediterranean ambiance on the beautiful Pacific Northwest Coast! This is a very best buy for one of Salt Spring's superb oceanfronts. Enjoy! January 25, 2009. It's Robbie Burns Day! For all those of Scots heritage, or those who would like to claim so, it's time for the salute to the haggis, and some Scottish Country dancing! No matter where you live, there will be a Burns supper, pipers, dancing, and general Celtic flair! We're all familiar with Auld Lang Syne, at New Year's, which is one of Burns' poems. Another one is A Man's A Man For A That. He is famous for his writings about the value of the common man, and at a time when this was not the "flavour of the month", in the society of his time. Do an internet search, and find out more. Enjoy a Burns Supper.... My radio show today will be featuring an interview with islander Murray Shoolbraid, a Scott, who now makes his home on Salt Spring. A musician, Murray has written Scottish songs and airs and jigs....catch the show, and hear more (www.cfsi-fm.com between 7 and 9 a.m., PST). Tonight, I will be enjoying a pipe band! January 24, 2010. Here is a sweetheart of a property, with a stellar cottage/home, awaiting your pleasure....and, it's on special Salt Spring Island! Very private and sunny property, with distant views of the Vancouver Island mountains. One enjoys all day sun, here...east, south, west exposures. One deck for your morning coffee, and another for the barbecue and the sunsets! Originally designed and built by a well known Canadian artist, in 1989, the current owner (a craftsman contractor) did substantial renovations in 2008: including new roof (metal with 10 year warranty), chimney faced in river rock, exterior primer and paint on entire house, all interior paint of house, sanded and clear coated all beams and painted ceiling downstairs, decks on front and rear of house, complete staircase with permit (received final inspection on house), window trim and baseboards, roman blinds, all electrical switches and plugs and baseboard heaters, and all lighting fixtures and ceiling fan, washer, dryer, fridge, propane oven with cook top, custom dishwasher, hood fan, complete kitchen cupboards, counter top, sink and faucet, counter top lighting, custom shower, vanity with sink and faucet, toilet, fir plank flooring up and down, 3 custom fir windows, shed with metal roof and loft storage, propane hook-up for BBQ, hot water tank (Dec. 2009 -- 6 year warranty). The charm of this home is immediately evident and enfolding...a very romantic ambiance. Ready to enjoy, right now, as the perfect summer/weekender retreat, or a special retirement opportunity for a single or a couple. Also, easy to add onto, and to expand this beautiful living space. Quiet, close to lake and to ocean beaches, to tennis and to theatre, to indoor pool, and to all of Ganges Village's many services/amenities, and yet in its own serene world. On community water system, and in an area of fine homes. This is a stellar investment opportunity on Salt Spring Island, and it's waiting for you. January 23, 2010. "The actual Is only actual In one place And one time." (Deng Ming-Dao: "Tao...Daily Meditations") January 22, 2010. Am off today, to Vancouver, to attend the annual investment conference presented by Michael Campbell, of Money Talks fame. This is the equity side of investment choices, and it's always interesting to learn their "projections" for the coming year. I attended last January's conference, too, and was surprised at the speakers (and they were from many different locales, both national and international) general ebullience about the market. Their projections did indeed come about, too, with a huge resurgence in the market, a far cry from the media "doomers" reporting of October, 2008. It's always important to get out of one's own channel (in my case, real estate sales/connections, in a secondary home/discretionary marketplace), and to listen carefully to the processes of a complimentary though very different investment marketplace. We are all living through a time of enormous shift. (I prefer the word "shift" to "change", as it implies a gearing up, on the highway of life, and so carries with it, for me, a connotation of forward momentum and positive energy). There is no aspect of life unaltered by the internet world, and this definitely includes all business models. I think real estate, as an industry, managed to hold onto the old ways a little longer than the car industry, or the stock side of investment, or....you name it, real estate was late to the table of change/shift. (it's interesting that the owner of a large real estate franchise in the U.S., which is quickly gaining market share over some very well known brand names, has written an important book for realtors to read, and has called it "Shift"). It can be unnerving at times, when shift is painted onto our lives, with broad strokes...nothing escapes it. It's a bit like the world that Charles Dickens wrote about. The passing away of the Agrarian world, and the birth of the Industrial Revolution...depending upon which side of the shift you were on, it was either painful or challenging/profitable. We seem to be in this same moment, as we pass completely from the Industrial to the Information Age. Our attitude to shift is very important. Some insecurity is good for us; it makes our creative juices flow. Otherwise, we'd be asleep! Good to remember, too, that in change lies opportunity. Especially today, with the level playing field that the internet has created. Your thoughts? Always welcome! January 21, 2010. Paula Kiffner and Friends concert on January 24, at ArtSpring, at 2:30 p.m. Call the ArtSpring Ticket Centre (250-537-2101) for more information. Some of the very finest soloists in our region have gathered to present a terrific concert of the music of Bach and Brahms. Enjoy! Did you know that Treehouse in Ganges Village (all cosy and warm, with their great new enclosure, for the "winter season") is still presenting great live music for your pleasure? Every Friday and Saturday, from 5 to 8 p.m. The 22 and 23rd, it's Island Girls Showcase and on the 29th, it's Phil Vernon, with Peter Prince on Jan. 30th. A Burns Night person? Friday, January 29th, at the Royal Canadian Legion Meaden Hall, enjoy the traditional feast, and entertainment (Legion Pipe and Drums, and members of the Scottish Country Dancers). Call 250-537-1676 for ticket information. A limited number of tickets are available at the Legion Bar, too. Mark your calendars for February 8ths offering from the Salt Spring Folk Club. Tom Taylor, Shari Ulrich, & Barney Bentall will perform, with opening act Corbin Keep. Soups, Suppers & Sweets catering by Fiddlehead Catering. Tickets available at Acoustic Planet, Salt Spring Books, and Stuff and Nonsense. Not to be missed evening! Catch the great shows on the Salt Spring community radio via the web ( www.cfsi-fm.com) or on the fm dial (107.9). My live show is Monday morning, 7 to 9 a.m., Pacific Time. Hope you'll tune in...interviews with Islanders, plus music and musings....not about real estate, this time! January 30th, at All Saints By The Sea, at 5 p.m., Salt Springers can enjoy the very talented Jelena Milojevic and her presentation of classical accordion music. Tickets at Salt Spring Books, or at the door. A treat is in store for you! We are so lucky on this Island, with the dramatic arts, the galleries of talented painters and potters, the fabric artists presentations, the music concerts and live venues, at Harbour House Hotel, at Moby's, at Treehouse, at Fulford Pub. It's the "shoulder season", the supposedly less busy time on the Island, but there's lots to see and to do, and it's world-class calibre. Lucky us! No excuse to mope about winter...a full plate of great activities is there for our enjoyment. January 20, 2010. Here's an exceptional holding property opportunity, on special Salt Spring Island! In Phase 6, of prestigious Channel Ridge, and on community water and sewer, this topographically interesting building lot offers panoramic ocean, island, and mountain viewscapes! Paved road to your property, too. Sunny (s/sw/w exposures), with dramatic sunsets for your enjoyment. This area of fine homes is a popular choice on Salt Spring. Channel Ridge offers large park reserve parcels between phases (the development plan was laid out, in the mid 70s, by H. Schubart, an architect who moved to Salt Spring from California, in the 1960s, and who studied with Frank Lloyd Wright). Lots of hiking/walking trails to explore, here! The off island owners of this beautiful lot had planned to develop it, and now their plans have changed. Their loss is your gain! One of the very best choices in this particular phase, and with good privacy potential, from neighbouring properties. Bring your architect, and check this one out, soon. A gem! January 19, 2009. The Centre for Child Honouring is now officially open, at 291 Long Harbour Road, on Salt Spring Island. Raffi is the guiding presence behind this concept, and it's nothing less than a societal shift. Iona Campagnola gave the opening address (she is the patron of Raffi's Centre). The 22 acre w.f. farm offers a home with a view to rest the soul. This space was a custom designed home, and has a "living roof". In the Spring, it will be full of colour. A year round creek, ponds, a barn, studio, cottage, plus the main home....lots of space for offices and for seminars. A dramatic and beautiful property for a dramatic and life changing idea. For more information, check out Raffi's website: www.raffinews.com Volunteers are welcome! January 18, 2010. Here's a very special oceanfront property, a mini-point of land, with an extravagant panoramic ocean, islands, mountain vista. In a prestigious area of fine homes, this "west coast contemporary" 3 bed/2 bath home, was designed by well known architect H. Schubart (originally from California, Schubart studied with Frank Lloyd Wright). The home also offers a self-contained oceanside guest suite, plus an oceanview office/studio. Hot tub with a view! Sunny, s/sw/w exposures (sunsets!), private, "natural" easy care landscaping. The plus? Foreshore licence in place -- build your dock, and keep your boat at home! One of the very best waterfront opportunities, on special Salt Spring Island! January 17, 2010. If you're on Island, today, drop by 291 Long Harbour Road, between 2 and 4 p.m., for the grand opening of Raffi's Child Honouring Centre. Beluga Grads especially welcome! Raffi's desire to create a way for society to be renewed, by focusing on the well-being of the very young, has evolved into this Centre, a teaching facility to help to implement his idea. More info? Check Raffi's website: www.raffinews.com Don't forget to listen to my live Monday morning radio show (7 to 9 a.m., Pacific time) -- guests tomorrow will include Steve Coopman, talking about Scotch, and Murray Shoolbraid, with Robert Burns lore (it's Robbie Burns Day on the 23rd). Music and musings, every Monday morning...streaming audio at website: www.cfsi-fm.com (or 107.9 fm, if you can receive the signal). Email, if you have music choices you'd like to hear, or if you have a suggestion about someone you'd like to hear interviewed...thank you! Unbelievably, the Olympics are less than a month away -- opening ceremony is February 12th. As the world discovers the beauty of this coastal region, either through t.v./web coverage, or with personal attendance at the Games, they are bound to return, to experience this alluring Pacific Northwest Coast treasure more deeply. We are still very underacknowledged, globally, in this pristine area. We who live anywhere on the thin ribbon of the Coast are lucky, indeed! January 16, 2010. Here's a private and sunny oceanfront point of land, with sole exclusive use of an adjacent 2 acre fenced pasture (keep a horse, or sheep!), plus a 1/9th share in a 35 acre pastoral acreage..."West Coast Contemporary" style 3 bed/3 bath home, with open plan living/dining, country kitchen, den/office, and expansive view decking/with a hot tub with a view! A tranquil locale at Salt Spring's special "south end". Heirloom orchard, fenced veggie garden, appealing mid-90s architect designed custom home...subtle tlc will make this property "sing" once more...panoramic ocean, islands, mountain vistas! Motivated sellers; this is a true "best buy" opportunity! Call me! liread33@gmail.com January 15, 2010. What an interesting little microcosm Salt Spring Island is! Our own flag (one end green for the forest, one end blue for the sea, white in the middle with the same red maple leaf that graces the Canadian flag), plus our own currency (designed by local artists, backed by Canadian Dollars in the vault of the local Credit Union, and legal tender on Island), plus our own airline (floatplane company, Salt Spring Air), plus our own (weekly) newspaper (Driftwood), plus our own community radio station (www.cfsi-fm.com), plus our own community bus, our own island taxi, 3 ferries that service the Island (and all of them "sleep" on the Island): to Vancouver, to Victoria, to Vancouver Island.... we are seemingly self-sufficient. A "foodies" paradise...organic gardens, orchards, cheese makers, vineyards, burgeoning olive groves...wow! Plus, the Islands Trust, a provincial government mandate for all Gulf Islands, since 1974: "to preserve and protect", the environmental beauties of the Gulf Islands, for the benefit of all B.C. residents...growth on the Islands is capped, as a result. I often feel that Salt Spring is like the castle, and the moat is the ocean that rings the island, and the drawbridge is the ferry system.... We're not isolated...just "apart". More information? Call me! Successfully connecting buyers and sellers, since 1989, I offer my expertise, my knowledge (of both inventory and of market trends), and my sincere desire that you do well in an investment on Salt Spring Island...how may I help you to discover your Island treasure? Call me! liread33@gmail.com January 14, 2010. The earthquake in Haiti could have happened here. We are also close to a major fault line. In one way, it doesn't matter. Where it happens...it happens to us all. Remember John Donne, that 17th Century poet: he reminded us that "no man is an island", and at the close of his sonnet he further reminded us "do not send to ask for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee". We are firmly in the opening days of Marshall McLuhan's "global village". The "butterfly wing" concept is here. No matter where we are, where we find ourselves, we need to step forward -- our brethern need us. Doctors Without Borders, Red Cross, Red Crescent, Salvation Army, whatever your conduit is...you are needed! January 13, 2010. BBC news reports : China's central bank moves to curb overheating economy Federal Reserve makes record $52.1bn profit US trade gap widens sharply as imports grow House price rises slowed in December MRSA 'spread by patients moving between hospitals' Solar cells made through oil and water 'self-assembly' Nasa check for 'unlikely' survival of Mars lander Baidu hacked by Iranian cyber army' Melbourne suffers hottest night as Australia swelters Powerful 7.3 quake rocks Haiti Egypt tombs suggest free men built pyramids Iran Bahais begin spying trails Gunmen seize Brions in Nigeria January 12, 2010. "Without too much trouble, One can keep to the main road. But people love to be distracted, And perspective is difficult." (Deng Ming-Dao: "Tao...Daily Meditations") January 11, 2010. We're fast approaching the Winter Olympics, held this season in Vancouver/Whistler (February date). I'm the Managing Broker of the Sea to Sky Premier Properties (Salt Spring) branch office, and my affiliation with the parent company, Sea to Sky Premier Properties, based in Whistler, allows me a venue of exposure for my listing clientele, in the international arena. Real estate as an industry has changed profoundly, and it's the outcome of the internet's influence on our entire communications system that has created this mammoth shift. The car industry, the stock market side of investment, etc., all changed dramatically with the advent of the internet. Suddenly, the consumer was in control of the entire marketing and sales process. This is profound, and the outcomes are still being felt in the real estate investment side of things. Franchises, where sales people follow a script put forth by the franchise, do not deliver the way they used to. Referrals, pre-internet, were company driven, and a consumer would ask an office in Toronto, say, for the name of a realtor in Victoria, for example. Thus, an affiliation with a national brand might have helped. Not today! The customer does their own search, and they also discover things about the community on their own, plus about the listing inventory. A realtor has no idea whether anyone is viewing their website or their company's site or even the mls system. The consumer can passively search until they are ready...there is no way for a seller or a realtor to "prime the pump" of action. Suddenly, in a secondary home/discretionary marketplace, time lags become a part of the sales equation, too, as the buyer profile becomes international/national, and not "local" Nothing wrong with change...it is what it is. In almost every sphere, it seems, we are creating the 21st Century, and it is all driven by the "consumer is in control of the process" model. In change lies opportunity. For real estate, this means partnerships, between like minded real estate agents, on a global basis, may take the place of the franchise model. It's important to be connected both locally and globally -- it's a "global village" now, remember! -- and to be easily "found" in an internet search. That much, agents have control over. After that, it's up to the buyer...depending upon the market trend in play, at any given moment, buyers may wish to act or not. With my connection to the Whistler based Sea to Sky Premier Properties, which offers an affiliation with Christies Great Estates (a global/international opportunity), plus partnerships with national and international companies (including Luxury Real Estate), I do bring this global attention to my sellers. With my knowledge of Salt Spring Island and the Southern Gulf Islands (successfully connecting sellers and buyers, here, since 1989), I also offer that essential "local presence". Call me for details about the partnership aspect to the business, now, and find out what I can offer you...it's all about connections, today, and I look forward to sharing with you the things that make me different, and which produce results. Right now, though, my listings are front and centre in the Whistler environment, and are there to catch the attention of any potential buyers for our beautiful area! The world is visiting Vancouver and Whistler, this February...the countdown is on! More details? Call me! liread33@gmail.com January 10, 2009. Raffi's dream is a reality! If you're on Salt Spring on Sunday, January 17th, drop by the new home of the Centre for Child Honouring. Located at 291 Long Harbour Road, the public is welcome to celebrate the opening and to tour the site between 2 and 4 p.m. The owners of this 22 acre oceanfront farm have gifted Raffi's Centre with useage of this inspiring property...a location that matches the vision. The Centre for Child Honouring is Raffi's legacy work now, after a more than 30 year career as a children's entertainer, with a global audience. Visit the Centre's website (www.childhonouring.org) for more information on the Centre's programs and mission statement. Beluga Grads...be there! January 9, 2010. Always wanted to be an actor? Here's your chance...auditions are being held again on January 13th, starting at 7 p.m., at the portable behind the Parks and Rec office at Portlock Park, for the upcoming Salt Spring Community Theatre production "Who's Under Where?". Call Steve at 250-653-0004 for more information. Into Tango? Tomorrow, you have the opportunity of attending a dance lesson with a noted Buenas Aires teacher. Call Karen, at 250-653-4589 for more info (4:30 to approx. 7 p.m., third floor, at Core Inn). Tomorrow evening, at Moby's, it's Jazz/Folk, with Hugh Fraser, from 7 to 10 p.m. A Little Night Music, a new course in classical music appreciation and history, by George Erhing, from 7 to 10 p.m., starting on January 18th, at ArtSpring...runs through to March 8th. The literary year starts this evening, at the Sailing Club, with a Nautical Night: 3 authors (Anthony Dalton, Derek Lundy, and Kevin Patterson) will share their works, starting at 7:30 p.m. Truth, Trials and Tar Sands event is scheduled for Saturday, January 16th, at ArtSpring...starting at 7 p.m. Admission is $20 ($10 for students and seniors). Proceeds will help the Raven Trust continue its work. Yes, it's quieter on the Island, in the month of January. A lot of Islanders, especially those in business, take their holiday in January. It's a slow month, as the customer for many businesses is also away in the first three weeks of January...Hawaii, or Palm Desert, or Scottsdale, or San Diego, or Cabo San Lucas, or...you get the drift! Even though we're on the "wet coast", and so not afflicted with the deep freeze winter weather experienced by much of Canada, the "locals" still seek the sun! By last week in January, people filter back home, and the engine of early Spring starts up. Not going away this year? Give yourself a treat, and do a daytrip to Victoria, just a 30 minute ferry trip away...check out the Victoria Art Gallery, and some of the very appealing individual galleries dotting the city. How about those great bookstores, like Munro's. The B.C. Museum, and the IMAX presentations. Tea at the Fairmont Empress. It's all fun, and a change is as good as a rest, they say! Evening classes are coming up for the winter season, plus the fitness opportunities/gyms, and the aquafit classes at the pool....start that daily half hour walking regimen, breathe and observe the fallow beauty of the winter season...you'll be ready for Spring when it erupts! January 8, 2009. Very unique and very beautiful -- a 10 acre oceanfront point of land in delectable Maple Bay, a prime waterfront gem on Southern Vancouver Island! Old growth forest, trails created in the 1920s, easy access oceanfront, beaches/bays,,,swim, kayak, sail, dive...enjoy the wildlife: seals, eagles, deer.... This property has been in the same family since 1900! Very "softly" developed -- it was their family "summer place". 1912 character cottage on site, plus 40s-era boathouse with "suite" above, plus dock. Sunny (e/s/w exposures), very private, expansive views, very beautiful land. Drilled well developed; generator for power. It is possible to connect to power via cable, or explore 21st century style "off the grid" living. Be self-sufficient, here! Close to all amenities, yet serenely apart. Road access or arrive by boat or floatplane -- the choice is yours, Enjoy! January 7, 2010. The new community radio station is well on its way! Island businesses are advertising, and programs are filling in the daily schedule -- lots of variety! Check out the programming choices on the website (www.cfsi-fm.com), and tune in to listen: 107.9 fm or via streaming audio on the website. If you're around on Monday mornings, please listen to my weekly show (7 to 9 a.m., Pacific Time) -- music and musings, plus interviews with interesting Islanders! In my 20 years on Island, I've been lucky to meet so many talented and interesting people, many of them first encountered during their property search, of course, and I'm very lucky to have met them all and to have learned about the interesting things they've done and still continue to do. This is what I try to share with listeners of my program. That, and I get to play the kind of music I like to listen to -- seems like I'm in a 70s time warp! More about that, later.... January 6, 2009. Today is Twelfth Night, also called the Epiphany, and the 12th day of the Twelve Days of Christmas, in the English tradition. (English Christmas begins on Christmas Eve, when the tree goes up, and it comes down on January 6th). The Magi, the Wise Men, are celebrated on Twelfth Night. A special cake with a coin inside is a traditional dessert -- the one who gets the coin gets the luck for the coming year. Traditions are links to our past and markers to our future. For those who celebrate Twelfth Night, enjoy! January 5, 2010. Looking for a great holding property? Here's a gem, on special Salt Spring Island! Very private, sunny, close to an old growth park reserve and to an ocean bay, where one can moor a boat. Arbutus (Madrona) and Garry Oak groves, coastal forest mix (Fir, Cedar, Hemlock, Maple, Alder), natural meadow areas, rocky/mossy knolls -- a very Gulf Island" ambiance! Driveway into property, from main road, plus drilled well developed. Ocean and mountain viewscapes, plus sunsets! Camp out in summer season, and create your dream when you're ready -- close to all amenities, yet in its own magical world. An off the grid opportunity! January 4, 2010. In change lies opportunity. Heraclitus, a philosopher in Ancient Greece, thousands of years ago, reminded us that change is the only constant. The concept was picked up by Thales, who alerted us that we never step in the same river twice...the water has flowed on. Good images to carry into 2010.... So, no roadmap. Old signposts no longer point in significant directions. The things that used to work no longer do. New answers are required, reflecting new situations. What does that mean? Well, it might mean that we need to learn the gentle art of "free floating". We definitely need to keep practicing our peripheral vision exercises, and not to collapse into prepared channels of information. No tunnel vision! Our editing function needs to be relearned. We have minds, we are creative beings, and all of us can bring ourselves to the discovery of what makes the 21st Century tick....now, there's opportunity! The current media allow us all, no matter where we live, to communicate with anyone/anywhere in the "global village" we now inhabit, and to write the script of the present-into-the-future. I find it very interesting that CNN newscasters speak to the camera, as if they are the interpreters of the news, then turn to their laptop, and read twitter replies or facebook comments, giving these audience remarks the same weighting as the talking head comments. Demonstrators in Iran send phone video shots and twitter their news to the world, bypassing their country's closed borders, to make sure that their cause is known. The "average person" is just as valid as the "expert". This egalitarian aspect to new media is another profound change. There are changes in the real estate industry, too, which are mirrored in all business models. Franchises, mls databases, magazine advertising, newspaper classifieds, are all 20th Century items that are no longer valid in the 21st. It's a consumer driven model, now, coupled with new media that puts the consumer in charge of the process. This is profound, and totally affects the elements that allow a realtor to connect a seller with a buyer. It's not biz as usual! More information? Call me, and find out what I can do for you. Meantime, follow me on Twitter (LiRead). Thank you! January 3, 2010. Looking for a stellar view, a panoramic vista that wraps from Vancouver Island, across the Gulf Islands, sweeping past the Lower Mainland Coast Range, catching Mt. Baker's majesty, plus the San Juan Islands and all the way to Mt. Rainier, on a clear day? Ocean, islands, mountains...it's a treasure! The spectacular architect designed and custom built home offers two master sitting "wings", with ensuite/separate laundry for each "wing". A guest bed/bath, too. Zoned for guest cottage plus separate studio. Dramatic design, wonderful living, custom kitchen, oceanview dining, with expansive decking for sunrises and sunsets! Lap pool! Close to all amenities, yet it's own serene world....this is, without a doubt, the best oceanview opportunity on special Salt Spring Island. Check out the virtual tour! January 2, 2010. "Why were the saints saints? Because they were cheerful when it was difficult to be cheerful, patient when it was difficult to be patient, and because they pushed on when they wanted to stand still, and kept silent when they wanted to talk, and were agreeable when they wanted to be disagreeable. That was all. It was quite simple and always will be." (Anonymous) January 1, 2010. Happy New Year!

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