Thoughts about avatars...reality...on a rainy November day.... - 11/30/09 11:51 AM
Hmmm...just watched a show on robots. The illusion of reality seems to be on "body language", which is a strange concept, asap! Even though the "face" of this robot is a mask a la Darth Vadar, it has a personality. What does that mean? If an object mimics the human condition, and one has empathy for the object, as one might have for the "live" version, what does that mean? What is it, then, to be human? What are the responses of the observer? I love the constant unexpectedness of the 21st Century, which is just being created now, now that … (4 comments)

The holiday season is upon us...enjoy the lights! - 11/29/09 12:09 PM
November 29, 2009. Today is the first Sunday in Advent...don't forget to light the first of the four candles of the Advent Season: the candle of Love. So important to bring light into this darker time of year, as we drift towards the shortest day of the year, and the beginning of "real Winter"...officially, it starts on December 20th. Did you miss Santa's arrival, yesterday, via floatplane (Salt Spring Air)??? You get a second opportunity to greet Santa and his elves, when they visit by boat, closer to Christmas. The boat comes from Bellingham, with stops in the San Juans and … (5 comments)

Oceanview acreage for sale, on Salt Spring Island! Sunsets! - 11/28/09 11:00 AM
Here's an opportunity to enjoy an oceanview acreage, close to town, zoned for main home,
separate guest cottage, and separate studio!
If desired, sellers will pass along their proposed house plans.
Sunny, quiet, sunset view of ocean. Pond on property.
Landscaping would create great privacy on this 3+ acre parcel.
It's a "best buy" on special Salt Spring Island, awaiting your pleasure.
Great holding property. Motivated seller.
Bring your architect, and let's walk this gem soon!
www.liread.com/1640.htm
… (0 comments)

Oceanfront cottage, with dock, on Salt Spring Island... - 11/27/09 12:03 PM
Here's a terrific opportunity for a waterfront buyer on special Salt Spring Island! This great dock awaits your boat... Currently, a panabode cottage is on site, tucked into one side of the property, two bed/one bath, plus an adjacent double garage (also panabode construction). This winterized cottage/home is tenanted, so 24 hr. notice to view same. The huge plus of this property is that it is very private, enjoys s/sw/w exposures, has a dramatic panoramic ocean, islands, mountain viewscape, and the best building site for a new home is waiting your development ideas. Enjoy the cottage dwelling for now, keep your … (1 comments)

The Nylons play Salt Spring, Tuesday...Santa arrives on Saturday... - 11/23/09 02:20 PM
November 23, 2009. Here's a treat...the Nylons perform at ArtSpring tomorrow evening, November 24th (call the ticket office for details!), with their terrific Christmas concert! Yes, it's gloomy/stormy on the outside, but it's definitely full of flair and fun on the interior. Be there! Don't forget to enjoy Mona Fertig's show at Mahon Hall...this is also the venue for the book launch of the second in her series on B.C. artists. Mona, of the famed Mothertongue Press, will be on hand. We are so lucky, here on Salt Spring, to have such talent in our midst. Light Up is the 27th, … (2 comments)

Santa comes twice to Salt Spring Island... - 11/21/09 11:01 AM
November 21, 2009. Mark your calendars! Santa has a busy schedule, on Salt Spring Island, on November 29th. He arrives, via floatplane (Salt Spring Air), at 1 p.m. Children are welcome to greet him at the floatplane dock! At 1:10 p.m., Santa travels aboard a Salt Spring Fire Dept Truck, and heads to Mahon Hall. From 1:15 to 3 p.m., free photos of the kids with Santa, at Mahon Hall. (Will also be Arts & Crafts activities, Cookie Decorating, big screen Holiday Videos (courtesy of Island Star Video), hot cocoa & goodies). Enjoy! (A non-perishable item or a donation to the … (3 comments)

Wintercraft opens on Dec. 4th, on Salt Spring Island... - 11/20/09 10:57 AM
November 20, 2009. Mark your calendars, and take part in the opening of Wintercraft, at Mahon Hall, on December 4th. Lots happening, with craft sales / artists offerings...gifts for your special ones. The following was emailed to me, from the organizer of Wintercraft (the alternate to ArtCraft, in the summer season): "Wintercraft, along with two other traditional Salt Spring Island craft faires at Fulford and Beaver Point Halls, will open concurrently during the weekend of December 4, 5, 6. This festive, weekend-long, island-wide, market of merriment offers an impressive selection of the the finest handmade arts and crafts from the Southern … (2 comments)

An idea for gift-giving... - 11/17/09 12:12 PM
Gift giving...it's a pleasure to choose something "special" for those on our list.    Family, friends, significant others...holiday celebrations carry such meaning, and the annual quality of same allows for a mix of memory and actuality.   
As we get beyond the small children/grandchildren timeframe, though, with its expectation level of surprises under the tree, perhaps we could think about a different kind of gifting?   
What about helping with the organizers of turkey dinners for the disadvantaged, those alone on small incomes, those who do not easily "fit" into society's norms?     What about helping at food banks?    How about hampers and gift … (2 comments)

"Pineapple Express" rain...and more rain...and still more rain.... - 11/16/09 01:10 PM
Wow!   We're in the middle of a "pineapple express" storm, here.   
It's almost noon, and everyone has their lights on, driving...so glad I put up my fibre optic tree and a string of Xmas lights, at the office...helps cheer up the glooming grey.   
A pineapple express is our term for the storm, straight from Hawaii, across the Pacific and into the Pacific Northwest Coast region.    High winds can also accompany this, it's very mild, but it's the rain....comes in sideways, very "thick", and flooding can be a problem.   
Can't see the top of the hills surrounding the Village...lost in fog/low cloud.    … (2 comments)

Feathers, not paws...a pet, just the same! - 11/15/09 12:00 PM
New friends....no, not the two footed kind (although those are always welcome!).  
For several years, now, I've been the caregiver for a handicapped relative.    They have finally had to leave assisted living, where they were able to be in their own space, and go into a care facility.    Big changes, and difficult to digest consistently, though good that 24 hour care is available.   
My discovery?    The relative had a bird, a yellow and gold parakeet.   
I'm an animal lover, though it's always been cats and dogs, never birds, and have rescued a lot of animals.   
The bird and I looked at … (8 comments)

Mid-November events, on Salt Spring Island.... - 11/15/09 11:24 AM
November 15, 2009. On Salt Spring today? Check out Fulford Hall for the great gift ideas...artists are there, with their giftcreations. Candles, Skincare products, Kitchenware, Luxurious body lotions, Kids' toys, Chic baby boutique...and more! 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. -- Shop Locally is the tag line (and support islanders and their home-based businesses). See you there! Don't forget it's Jazz night at Moby's (7 to 10 p.m.). Today, at 2 p.m., is also the last show of the Having Hope at Home play offering (at Mahon Hall). Enjoy this Community Theatre production. Bach on the Rock is also today, at 2 … (0 comments)

Getting ready for the holiday season...lights are important! - 11/14/09 02:32 PM
Holiday decorations and lighting are starting to show up in my area.   
No shopping malls where I live, so it's up to the individual retail merchants to do the decorating.   
At this darker time of year (on the shortest day of the year, which isn't that far off, it's dark here by 4:30 in the afternoon), it's a pleasure to see the lights showing up.   
We would have to invent a celebration for this season, if it wasn't already in place...to spill light into the darkness is a message of hope to all who pass by.   
Our local weekly newspaper usually … (7 comments)

Transition times...a little of this/a little of that... - 11/13/09 06:58 PM
In a transition time, there is "everything" occurring.   
Difficult to sort out the trend, then, when there's a whirling cloud that spits rain, sometimes, and other times parts to let in some rays of sunshine.    
I read in media reports on real estate, in my larger region, that it's the best it's been in several years, that sales are flying and multiple offers are the "norm".    Then, it turns out that all the activity is in the first time buyer category, or investor buyers, looking for good rentals.    There's a price ceiling, then.   
I also learn, by digging a little deeper, … (3 comments)

9 + oceanview acres await your pleasure, on Salt Spring Island! - 11/12/09 10:41 AM

Here's an exceptional holding property, for your investment protection.
Close to Ganges and to Fulford Villages, and to lake and ocean beach accesses, and to park hiking/walking trails, this 9+ acre gem enjoys a wonderful serenity, and excellent all day/year round sun exposure.
Sunsets from here, too!
Ocean, islands and mountain viewscapes at your doorstep.
Private!
Drilled well developed, driveway roughed in...this is definitely a "best buy" opportunity on beautiful Salt Spring Island!
Bring your architect, and let's walk this one soon. Zoned for main home, separate guest cottage, and separate studio.
In an area of fine homes...enjoy!
www.liread.com/1491.htm
… (3 comments)

Thoughts, as year draws to a close.... - 11/10/09 05:12 PM
There's something about the shortening days, with light disappearing by 4:30 p.m., in just a couple of weeks time, as we march to the shortest day of the year, that makes one ponder the recent past.
So many changes were thrust on everyone, it seems, in a span of about 15 months.
Bank failures, job losses, disappearance of venues that one would have expected to go on "forever", bailouts that make currencies appear valueless, wars that erupt throughout the world, collapse of housing markets with subsequent losses of homes...stability is a word that appears to have evaporated on the winds of … (6 comments)

Visit Li Read at her Salt Spring Island office...Li has the info for the Southern Gulf Islands! - 11/10/09 11:50 AM
If you find yourself in "downtown Ganges", on special Salt Spring Island, please drop by my "seaside village" office and say hello! Full real estate information package awaits you...real estate supplement, maps, detail sheets of all listings, from all companies, and weekly updates on what's for sale / what has sold. My office is located at the corner of Lower Ganges Road (the main street) and Rainbow Road, and there is parking behind, off Rainbow. I have a great view of the Harbour, and the Boardwalk, and Ganges Marina. With access to all listings, from all companies, I look forward to … (0 comments)

Mayne Island oceanfront point, 64+ acres...totally unique! - 11/09/09 11:44 AM

Here's an exceptional offering...perfect as an extended family retreat, or as a corporate retreat!
Subdivision may be possible, on this oceanfront point of land. Current owners do not wish to subdivide, however, and are offering a splendid 64+ acres, as they have enjoyed it since the early 1950s.
Cedar, fir, hemlock old growth forest on this parcel, plus arbutus and garry oak groves.
Predominantly lowbank oceanfront, 1000s of feet of same, with wide sandy bays, smaller coves, and exceptional land. Walk your own trails!
Very softly developed...current owners have camped here, and preserved the essential natural allure of the land.
… (5 comments)

November 11th...Remembrance Day, in Canada... - 11/08/09 12:56 PM
November 8, 2009. This coming Wednesday is the November 11th recognition of those who have served their country, in the military, who went to war when it was required, and in many cases, did not return. Those who survived gather to remember, and civilians do the same. No soldier seeks war. I've often felt that we are "prisoners of our time". The First World War, referred to at the time as The Great War, was meant to be the war that would end all wars. It did sever a way of life, completely, and the ensuing despair did bring forth a … (3 comments)

Things happpening on Salt Spring Island, early November... - 11/07/09 06:06 PM
November 7, 2009. Tonight, at Fulford Hall, a fun evening of hot Cuban rhythm and dance with the Jose Sanchez Cuban Party, part of the fund-raiser for Terralingua, awaits your pleasure! Traditional Mexican food plus a silent auction of 50 items supplied by local businesses. Call 250-538-0939 for more information! Sunday, November 15th, shop locally and support islanders and their home-based businesses -- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Fulford Hall. The perfect gifts, for family and friends, await your browsing pleasure. All Saints by the Sea is showcasing the talented Chris Jarrett, in a concert that begins at 7:30 p.m., … (0 comments)

Slow return to seller's market conditions? Depends on low inventory levels/fear of cash becoming the next bubble? - 11/05/09 11:09 AM
November 5, 2009. It remains oddly busy, for the time of year! July and August were very "flat", and tourism involved mainly daytrippers out of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, according to the Chamber's tourist count. Although Vancouver reported bidding wars, and diminished inventory, this did not happen in Victoria or on the Gulf Islands or on Vancouver Island or on the Sunshine Coast. This vibrant action was mainly in the lower end residential options, and involved first time buyers, attracted by lower prices and low interest rates, and by investors looking for good rental properties, perhaps seeking "passive income" opportunities. … (2 comments)

Salt Spring Island "best buy" oceanfront! - 11/04/09 11:02 AM

Here's a great opportunity to own a premier waterfront property on special Salt Spring Island!
A "west coast contemporary" design, which offers a main home, currently divided into two sections, with owner occupier in main space, and a tenant in the guest/inlaw "suite", adjacent.   Asking: $998,000 (Can. $$).
Vaulted ceiling, spacious oceanside decking, feature fireplace, upgraded kitchen and bathrroom, open plan lifestyle with expansive views from all prinicipal rooms.
Attached double garage. Sunny (s/sw/w exposures), panoramic ocean and island vistas, easy access to beach, private property, and in a quiet area of fine homes, close to all amenities.
The plus? … (0 comments)

Deflation? Inflation? Who has the crystal ball? - 11/03/09 12:26 PM
Throughout Canada's main cities, there has been an upsurge in sales action, year to date, in what I would term "low end residential" -- in other words, property that would be in the realm of a first time buyer, attracted by low interest rates, and also by an investor (looking for viable rental options, for passive income opportunity). Undeveloped land, commercial items, and higher end/luxury properties did not easily find action. In rural areas, predominantly secondary home/discretionary regions, this action also did not take place. Such places can be put "on hold" during insecure market moments. Yes, there is a lot … (0 comments)

Private Island, close to Victoria, awaits your pleasure...a true estate! - 11/02/09 02:27 PM

Here's a treasure of a private island, on the doorstep of Victoria, B.C.
Close to all amenities, and yet in its own serenely private world, this beauty offers a wonderful main home, with two ensuite bed sitting rooms, a library, games room, country kitchen with oceanside breakfast area, plus formal dining, entertainment size living, indoor pool, nanny suite, formal entry, marble floors.... There are four separate guest cottages, three of them arranged around a small lake, with the fourth enjoying ocean and island vistas. A caretaker's residence, dock, tennis court, plus outbuildings (workshop, generator storage, etc.). A lovely blend of … (6 comments)

November market thoughts...for Salt Spring Island & Southern Gulf Islands.... - 11/01/09 12:36 PM
November, 2009. Although the calendar says that Winter officially begins on December 20th, most of us would agree that it's "here", already! In the last weeks of the year, one tends to look both back and also forward. The meltdowns that characterized most of 2008, unleashing economic duress and fear, folded into 2009. Perhaps, looking back, one could decide that the worst / most fearful months were September 2008 to February 2009. Locally, on Salt Spring Island, we saw an upsurge in real estate sales around mid-February, but only in the "low end residential" category. There was no interest in higher … (2 comments)

 
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Li Read

Salt Spring Island, BC

More about me…

Sea to Sky Premier Properties (Salt Spring)

Address: # 4 - 105 Rainbow Road, Salt Spring Island, BC, V8K 2V5

Office Phone: (250) 537-8763

Cell Phone: (250) 537-7647

Email Me

real estate, b.c. real estate, salt spring island real estate, Canadian real estate, luxury real estate, waterfront specialist, private islands specialist, estate style properties, secondary home marketplace, active rain, Li at Sea to Sky Premier Properties, Mayne Island, Galiano Island, Pender Islands, Saturna Island, Salt Spring Island, southern Vancouver Island.


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