Spring up date it has been busy busy on the island.

Salt Spring has been busy at least for me but when you are the One Percent person it is busy. So busy in fact I have a new agent working with me. She is a real keener and will make your move here easier. She is very knowledgeable about Salt Spring. She was born on Salt Spring and therefore can really call herself a local. 

If you are not born here and have lived here for less than 60 years you can not call yourself a local. I have been here 7 years and some people still say "O you are the guy who bought the Browns house, you just moved here from Calgary". Well in 53 years I will be a local. I can hardly wait.

Check out Alicia's Bio here 

It is nice having someone to work with. This is the team approach to real estate we are working together. I think it only makes since other words I could never get a day off.

Cheers

Scott 

Salt Spring island real estate home for sale artist or potter only please.

Actually anyone with at cool 649k can buy this south end home but it would really suite an artist or potter. The thing is if you are moving to salt spring you need and image and I'm not talking Hugo Boss I'm talking Fulford image. What is a Fulford image? It is like the 60 hippy retro look done with wool and natural fibers. That is the look and this place has the gusto and image to pull it off. You don't move to Salt Spring to live in suburbia you move here to be none conforming none suburbanite.

This is truly a one of a kind place. If the New York times calls you up and said they wanted to come and interview you at your new Salt Spring home this should be your home (think ready made eclectic image). They will think you have this most fantastic, off the wall, eclectic place on the planet.  

Cheers
Scott 

PS The owner is away in Baku, Azerbaijan and I would like to sell this house before he gets home.
Hi Shai, it will sell, how it the weather in Baku?

Check it out at Salt Spring Island real estate. 

What is the Salt Spring Island real estate market doing?

The Salt Spring island real estate market is in a state of "price compression".

Price compression is when the bottom end houses do not go down in price (they are in the 400k range and they are selling fast) but the top end houses over 2 million are dropping asking prices and are still not selling.

This real estate price compression goes all the way through the market and makes all the houses, over that bottom price, drop in price.

The market is like a slinky that is fixed at the bottom and stretched. At the top end the slinky is very stretched out but at the bottom end the links are very close. This is what happens when the market takes off; the high end soars and the bottom end is fixed in place or rises a little. When the market turns into a buyers market and there are lots of listings, the slinky retracts and the high end starts to snap back.

I have seen BC real estate listed at 4 + million and not sell, drop to 3 million and not sell, drop to 2 million and not sell, dropped to 1.5 + million and sell............ What is the house that was listed for at 1.5 million worth when a supposed 4 + million dollar house is listed at 1.5 million? Way less.

Sellers need to be the value leader in their price range to sell. The buyers are looking for deals. If sellers are really not into dropping their prices to reflect the current market conditions they should take it off the market. It would make it easier for the buyers to sort through the listings if the houses with unrealistic prices were off the market.

It is just basic supply and demand. Right now  (December 2007) there is very little demand for high end homes.

Pender Island real estate news "check out my new daily stats blog"

There is nothing like keeping up with the market. Every day I write my stats blog that goes into the details about Pender island real estate. The stats blog actually helps me out by making me read over every new listing, expired listing (which I usually call and try to find out why it did not sell), new sales ( I like to see how close to asking price they sold for and check them to see if they where re listed) and closed sales.

I cover all the gulf island I try and leverage the Internet to the maximum and have two system for customers who want to stay up on the gulf island real estate market:

1. you can RSS my statistical blog http://www.escapetosaltspring.com/blogs/scott_simmons/default.aspx 
2. log into my PCS system which will give you access to live market watch feed. I have an immediate sign up on my site. If you put in your email address the log in instructions come to you in seconds. check it out at http://www.escapetosaltspring.com

If you are thinking of Pender Island start to watch the market and study it. If you have any question about any listings you can email me and I will find out.

cheers
Scott

Artist, Potters, painters, musicians your castle awaits you.

Salt Spring at it's best. Just bring your gum boots and brushes. Close to the famous Salt Spring cheese shop, on the tourist route. Studio and B&B home for sale. This it the ideal Salt Spring get away, you can set up a funky studio and run a very trendy B&B. I actually have two B&B for sale in the same area at the same price. $649k

It is a real plausible dream to move here and run a B&B and just work 6 month on and then travel for 6 months. Perfect for the high energy boomer who does not want to just sit around in retirement.

Both places have an ideal studio that can be used as a pottery shop, metal shop, glass shop just bring your creative ideal and have fun.

Salt Spring real estate news "new market watch system"

Yes it is very exciting I have a new Gulf Island real estate market watch system on my web site. Which will give you real time market updates. Instant sign up no obligation and free.

Check it out here http://www.escapetosaltspring.com/PCS_Sign_Up/page_1846491.html

It is very cool this is the system that Realtors use to keep up with the market. This is the first time I have had a immediate sign up on my site. Before you would have to send me an email and then I would log you in later. Now it is instant. Very slick.

I hope someone tries it tonight before I go to bed. It is like a stock market ticker.

Cheers
Scott

 PS I should mention my new listing very cool Funky Fulford home is how I'm calling it. Very trendy and eclectic. You can see a virtual tour at http://www.escapetosaltspring.com

This place is ideal for salt spring island potter or salt spring island artist. Offered at 649k.

History made this week on Salt Spring

I don't know for sure but in resent memory of all I asked it was a historic moment for Salt Spring Island home building this week. A new salt spring island home was built and put up in a day. Really just one day and it was 95% done. It was built in a factory and trucked in two parts and craned into place. This is so cool modular construction have finally made it to Salt Spring Island BC.

The cool thing about this type of construction is that you can get a firm price up front and it is cheep. Well it comes in at about $150 per sq ft. Which is low for here where you can pay up to $250 per sq ft for standard salt spring island construction. Watch all the video clips here http://youtube.com/user/escapetosaltspring.

Salt Spring Island home for sale sweet rancher

Salt Spring Island home for sale sweet rancher. Very well price house that is new to the market. This house is priced to sell fast. I'm hoping for an offer this week. If you are looking at Salt Spring Island real estate market for a less than 500k this house is the value leader. I have seen them all and this is the nicest of the lot.

for a virtual tour visit http://www.escapetosaltspring.com

Priced at $449,000 is a deal. I have seen junk priced higher. Real hardwood floors. Very sweet home, I could live here and enjoy the one acre lot. Don't miss out call me or email if you are in the market for a sweet gem.

Salt Spring Island real estate news - new listing coming on Monday

Very hot new listing commercial / rental property. I think this is a great deal and should sell fast. If you are on my A list for rental I will tell you about this in the next few days.

It could be rented out or turned into a condo. It is nice to have hot new properties coming on the market. It should be signed sealed and up on the market by 4 pm Monday the 10 Dec 07.

If you would like to know more send me a email and I will fill you in on this rental property which will be in the 500k range. It makes a good income and almost cash flows at the 1% range. Which is rare for Salt Spring.

I would like to tell you more but this is just a little pre listing info to wet your appetite.

Cheers
Scott

Gulf Island statistical blog is coming along well

Gulf Island real estate statistical blog is coming along well. I have started my daily Statistical blog and it is off to a great start. It has made me very conscious of the day to day listings on all the Gulf islands.

When you have to look at each listing and write about them you really have to actually think about them and where they are and who owns them and who would buy it.

If you have not checked out my new daily stats blog drop by and add a comment on it.

Hopefully you are getting ready for xmas which is fast approaching this year.

Cheers
Scott

here is the link to the new blog http://www.escapetosaltspring.com/blogs/scott_simmons/default.aspx