Entry level rural property on Salt Spring Island! - 04/30/10 07:17 PM

Here's a terrific opportunity for a rural property holding, on special Salt Spring Island! Fenced veggie garden, fruit trees, meadow area, forest perimeter for privacy, pleasing A-frame style home, plus detached garage/workshop. On main level, home offers sunny porch, mudroom entry, country kitchen with laundry/storage off, large living room with sliders out to deck, dining area, full bath. Upper level (storey and a half design) offers 2 large bedrooms and half bath. Lots of options, here, to make this generous space "your own"! Sunny land, close to lake and to ocean beach accesses, a quiet area, and waiting for your … (0 comments)

Lots of live music on Salt Spring Island...enjoy! - 04/29/10 11:20 PM
April 29, 2010. Pick up this week's Driftwood, and enjoy their Springtime Home Improvements feature insert. Emphasis on growing our own veggies, too! (Remember: the newspaper is online, too). This Friday is the grand opening of Country Grocer, in its uptown location. So many new things -- if you're a seasonal resident, and just about to arrive for that delectable May to October timeframe (the very best months to be on the Pacific Northwest Coast, of course!), you will be amazed at the significant changes to this Upper Village plaza. If you're around on Friday, enjoy the on site broadcast from … (0 comments)

Almost May....a superlative time of year in the wonderful Pacific Northwest Coast! - 04/28/10 11:53 AM
Did you know that the Cowichan Valley folkfest group is having a songwriting contest? It's open to all Islanders -- Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island both. The idea is to create a song that sums up Island life...so, all you creative beings, get with it. The contest is open for entries until May 15th. And your song idea is????? A terrific line-up of events, for the month of May, at ArtSpring. Call for details on these offerings...theatre, dance, music, photography exhibitions, etc. We are so lucky on this Island, to be able to enjoy artistic endeavour of an inspiring quality. Remember … (0 comments)

Change, change, change.....still! - 04/27/10 05:18 PM
Such changes in real estate...the business itself, at an industry level, is dramatically shifting. The reason for all these changes is, of course, a result of the consumer-centric business model that is the outcome of our technological change. As Marshall McLuhan said, back in the 1960s/70s, "the medium is the message". Our technology has changed us, as people, and thus our culture has shifted, too. The other wise saying of McLuhan was: we now live in a "global village". The internet erased time, geography, gender, race, age. It is an information medium, and it is about intellect to intellect. The recent … (4 comments)

The Islands Trust preserves & protects the beauty of the Gulf Islands! - 04/25/10 07:34 PM
The Islands Trust is the form of government that "looks after" the Canadian Gulf Islands.    Created in 1974, by the B.C. Provincial Government, to "preserve & protect" the environmental beauties of the Gulf Islands, for the benefit of all B.C. residents, the Trust capped growth on all the Islands, via strict zoning/density bylaws.    As one drives around the Southern Gulf Islands (Salt Spring, Galiano, Mayne, Saturna, Penders), they are very close to what I call the "wall of no more", in the sense of having almost reached the end of their developable envelopes.   The photo below, with a vista of just … (0 comments)

Incredible views! Superlative home! Just move in and enjoy.... - 04/24/10 08:11 PM

Wow! Stellar home and exceptional viewscapes!
Sunny, private acreage, close to all amenities, yet wonderfully "itself".
Architect designed home, with a Dwell Magazine flair!
Two master bedrooms, with sitting areas, dressing area, beautiful bathrooms, both with gas fireplaces. Guest bedroom, separate bath. Lots of storage! Designer kitchen, dramatic living room, feature (gas) fireplace. Oceanview dining!
Amazing design ethic, here, and the wondrous ocean, islands and mountain views are truly breath-taking (270 degree sweep of views, with sunrises and sunsets).
Expansive decking for al fresco living pleasures, and lap pool off on master suite.
This is "the" best oceanview property on … (1 comments)

Salt Spring "happenings", late April/early May...enjoy! - 04/22/10 11:51 AM
April 22, 2010. Mark your calendars time: May 1st, at 8 p.m. and May 2nd at 2 p.m., at ArtSpring, it's Songs of Life, presented by the Salt Spring Singers. Director Mitch Howard and accompanist Jennifer Howard. Call ArtSpring ticket office for more info (250-537-2102). This Sunday, it's Gwynne Dyer, presenting Climate Wars, at ArtSpring, starting at 7:30 p.m. April 30th, Pegasus Gallery presents "As I See It", an exhibition of new works by Lady X, with opening reception that evening (5 to 8 p.m.). Did you know? Janthra is back! Gourmet Thai Meals, prepared and/or served at your home or … (0 comments)

Spring Flings! - 04/21/10 01:11 PM

It's amazing the difference in our natural world, between the beginning of April and the end of April. In my Pacific Northwest Coast area, one discovers anew the meaning of the word "green". So many shades, intensities of "green" out there, as foliage unfolds on the Maples, the Alders, the fruit trees....beauty everywhere! A good time to check out the areas on Salt Spring that we rarely visit, in our busy "local" lives. A trip to the top of Mount Maxwell, on a clear day. A picnic at Ruckle Park. A drive out to Musgrave Landing, with a stop at … (5 comments)

Great business for sale, on Salt Spring Island! - 04/20/10 11:59 AM

Looking for an opportunity to enjoy an almost turnkey business, on special Salt Spring Island?
Here is the busiest restaurant in Ganges Village -- Calvin's Bistro's owners are retiring.
They are willing to stay on for up to six months, if desired, to train a new owner. The locals and the tourists go here! A year round business, and the hours could certainly be expanded.
Currently, owners are only open for lunch and dinner.
Al fresco dining on their Harbour view deck, plus elegant dining space with terrific location...great walk by and drive by visibility.
Perfect for a husband and … (1 comments)

Pay attention to our natural world...it offers surcease and creativity. - 04/19/10 05:33 PM
We're all very busy being our proactive and customer oriented selves, always, as that's what we all do as real estate professionals.   
On top of that, we know the shift  has occurred, and those of us who've been in the business for some time are busy bringing our technology skills up to speed, and learning the language of the binary world.    Right...it's called social media marketing!
Do we remember, though, to look after ourselves with that same level of care?   
We do sit a lot:  in cars, in front of computer screens, at open houses....     We know we should be going … (3 comments)

A view to dream on...great Gulf Island holding property! - 04/18/10 11:19 AM

Interested in a terrific holding property? An investment on Salt Spring Island, over time, will appreciate. The Islands Trust, created by the provincial government, in 1974, capped growth on all Gulf Islands. Salt Spring is the island with all services/amenities, including a hospital, and thus enjoys the year round lifestyle. This dramatic lot offers a wide-angle panoramic vista of ocean, islands, and mountains. Arable land, some open space and with still a lot of forested areas, this sunny acreage (s/sw/w exposures) offers privacy, quietness, and great sunsets! Zoned for main home, separate guest cottage, separate studio. Driveway roughed in, plus … (2 comments)

Ah...so that erupting volcano proves we can't control everything? - 04/18/10 10:58 AM
That expression "and then it came right out of left field" has a meaning...it's always the unexpected, the thing no one figured on, that creates unforseen, and thus dramatic, change. Right now it's the old message: the power of Nature. Earthquakes here and there, but not in our area (yet!), tsunamis that make us shrink in horror, in our cosy living rooms, watching the t.v. news, are pocket reminders. The Iceland volcano eruption has a different impact. To date, the casual nature of air travel has been stopped, and all countries are affected. There is nothing that can be done, either. … (3 comments)

Superlative oceanview home & acreage, on Salt Spring Island! - 04/16/10 11:15 AM

Entertain with style! Exceptional outdoor kitchen, woodburning fireplace, expansive decking with dramatic oceanviews...sunsets! Hot tub, too! This dramatic home enjoys a private 5 + acres, and is zoned for separate guest cottage and studio, as well. A cook's dream kitchen, fine finishing choices, stone feature fireplace, easy access from principal rooms to sunny view decking, separate office, library/den, guest "wing", private master suite, amazing storage, superb bathrooms, wine storage options, exercise room...a home for a discerning owner! The plus? It's on special Salt Spring Island!
Enjoy....
www.liread.com/1477.htm
Call me for appointments to view...a Whistler experience on lovely Salt Spring!
 
… (4 comments)

Slow and upward action, appearing in secondary home marketplaces? - 04/15/10 05:21 PM
Slowly, very slowly, we are "upticking" in price point, and the buyer who traditionally looks at Salt Spring Island & the Southern Gulf Islands is back pondering us as a second and third home choice. The primary residence areas (city marketplaces) of Vancouver and Victoria saw an increase in high end action by end of 2009, but in our discretionary market, where no one "has to" live here, and where a decision to purchase is always based on choice, we had viewings but few sales. This has slowly begun to change, and the uptick is occurring right when our traditional grid … (0 comments)

Still more things to enjoy on Salt Spring Island, this weekend and into next! - 04/15/10 11:23 AM
April 15, 2010. Mark your calendars: April 20 and 21, ArtSpring, an exciting dance/theatre show about the night the Titanic went down. Show begins at 8 p.m. Pegasus Gallery presents "As I See It", an exhibition of new works by Lady X, Friday, April 30th. Opening reception 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Catch Blues Night with Soul Shakedown at Moby's, tonight, starting at 8 p.m. Saturday, catch Tal Bachman and The Imposters, at 8 p.m. Sunday, it's Jazz, with Randy and Karen, show beginning at 7 p.m. Don't forget Friday's "Music Without Borders", at Mahon Hall, starting at 8 p.m. Tree … (1 comments)

Spring has sprung..... - 04/14/10 03:50 PM

Maple leaves have unfurled from their tight buds, apple blossoms are fully frothed, now drifting to the ground, and the early flowering cherry blossoms are "over". Daffodils are waning and the tulips are out. That slow evolving from very early Spring into full bloom of almost summer is well on the way, in these microclimate Island gems. It always amazes me, this transference from tight winter to profligate summer, in about a 6 week period...beauty everywhere, Important, in the middle of our many daily duties, wrapped up in our heads, that we remember to stop and to look and to … (5 comments)

Having fun in radio land...yes, I play 70s music! - 04/13/10 06:18 PM
I'm having fun these days doing a live Monday morning radio show...not about real estate, but is about the Island, and interviews with the many interesting people who now call Salt Spring "home".
Check out the podcasts on my website (www.liread.com/radio.htm) for some of the interviews, and meet the Islanders who have agreed to turn up, at 8 a.m., and talk to me!
The show is live, so all "glitches" are out there, on the air.   
The first show, forgot to put on the mic, and so one hour went by with the worst thing in radio: dead air!
Celia Duthie-Hunt … (2 comments)

"Downtown Ganges" restaurant for sale, the busiest one in town! - 04/13/10 01:29 PM

It's often a dream to move to Salt Spring Island, or to another Southern Gulf Island.    To be here full-time, though, and not as a retreat property, what is it that one can "do"?    Some people are lucky to have internet based careers, and so it doesn't really matter, then, where one lives, as long as there's that great connection.
These are resort based islands, and while Salt Spring certainly has a year round lifestyle component, it also has a more seasonal "business life", just as is the case with all the Gulf Islands.
Tourist related businesses often prosper...galleries, many … (0 comments)

Change, change, change...sing the song of shift.... - 04/13/10 12:32 PM
Change continues...with both uncertainty and opportunity trailing in its wake. Change is like the universe: it's not personal. Its individual outcomes certainly affect everyone's personal sphere, but essentially it ignores "us". Its happening anyway, whether we like it or not. Best, then, to discover the core of the shift, and to readress how we do things. Really, there is no choice -- you're either in or out. Attitude, then, is a key component to a successful transference from one style to another. Let's focus, then, on the "change is opportunity" mantra. Real estate, as an industry, is far down the road … (1 comments)

Best buy oceanfront on Salt Spring Island! - 04/12/10 12:11 AM
What? A "west coast contemporary" design home, currently a main residence and attached (rented!) suite (easy to re-include in main home floor plan, if desired), plus a separate studio (also tenanted), with easy access to beach, and perhaps potential for a dock, and listed at only $998,000?
This is the proverbial deal!
In an area of fine homes (2 listed at 1.98 and 2.99, and a "sold" at 2 million). On community water. Close to all amenities, and yet wonderfully "apart" and private. Panoramic ocean, island, and mountain vistas! Sunny (s/sw/w exposures).
Truly, it's that "best buy" deal! (And, motivated vendor).
… (2 comments)

Japanese Memorial Garden, early Spring photos, on Mayne Island.... - 04/12/10 12:04 AM
Dinner Bay, on Mayne Island, has an appealing topographical "allure" to it. There is a wide meadow area, picnic tables and an outdoor barbecue space, plus children's playground, and a lovely west facing beach. Old growth trees dot the forested trail that leads from this destination play space to the walled/gated Japanese Memorial Garden. With all the elements of the traditional Japanese garden design ethic, this is a very tranquil space, indeed, and very beautiful. Easy to get to Mayne Island from Vancouver's Tsswassan ferry terminal and also from Victoria's Swartz Bay terminal. Also easy to get there from Salt Spring … (3 comments)

Events, mid-April, on Salt Spring Island...enjoy Spring! - 04/09/10 11:33 AM
April 9, 2010. Remember to mark your calendars....Earth Day is April 22nd, and lots of events on Island. On April 17th, it's the grand opening of Gallery 8 (formerly J. Mitchell Gallery), in Grace Point Square. On two levels, now, this totally reconfigured gallery is a stellar experience. Reception on the 17th, from 5 to 8 p.m., and the theme of the exhibition is "Symbolically 8". See you there! Tomorrow, at Fulford Hall, it's a fundraiser for Christopher Jason...tickets at Island Star Video or at the door. Silent auction, cash bar, door prizes, 50/50 draw. The Brent Shindell House Band with … (3 comments)

Japanese Memorial Garden, on Mayne Island....beauty! - 04/08/10 04:37 PM

Mayne Island was a stop-over during the Gold Rush era of the late 19th Century (Miner's Bay!), and was one of the first Gulf Islands to be settled. A vibrant Japanese community was also on Mayne Island. Recently, in commemoration of the families who lived and worked on Mayne, the Japanese Memorial Garden was created, at Dinner Bay, on Mayne Island. It is a very peaceful space...pleasing forest walk between giant cedar and fir stands arrives at the distinctive gate. Through the gate, pathways meander along a pond, over bridges with running water/small waterfall, with seating to ponder the viewscapes, … (5 comments)

Sit beside the seaside....summer is coming! - 04/07/10 03:27 PM

 
Summer dreams.....
Here's a bench, waiting for you.    The Garry Oak tree in the foreground is a protected species, in my area.   Not a native tree, it was planting in the 18th Century, when the Spanish ruled the Pacific Coast region.    They planted this fast growing variety of oak tree, so that they would have wood available to repair the hulls of their ships, if needed.
There are Spanish place names in this area...Juan de Fuca Strait, Madrona Drive, Galiano Island, etc.   
The history of this Coast is found in English place names, too...Captain Cook and Captain George Vancouver … (4 comments)

Second Sister Island, in Ganges Harbour, is for sale! - 04/07/10 01:21 PM

 
Second Sister Island, in the foreground of this photo, is for sale...dock in place, 3+ acres, zoned for main home, separate guest cottage, separate studio.    In Ganges Harbour, you're only 5 minutes by boat (maybe 15 by kayak!) to Ganges Village, and all amenities offered by Salt Spring Island's year round lifestyle.    Very appealing, then!
The larger island, in the background, is First Sisters, also known as Chocolate Island, and just around the farther point is a crushed shell beach, known as Chocolate Beach.    A popular kayak destination for those learning the way of the water, in this fashion, … (0 comments)

Industry change continues...... - 04/07/10 12:02 AM
So many changes in the real estate industry, globally, as a result of the true impact of the Internet Age: it's now a consumer centric business model, no matter the type of business involved. It was evident much earlier in the car industry, the travel industry, and in the stock market side of investment. These businesses were completely changed by the impact of the Internet. Real Estate, as an industry, was late to the table of change, then. In Canada, CREA (Canadian Real Estate Association) which manages the MLS system, has been involved in a law suit brought by an Ottawa … (6 comments)

Live/work opportunity in Ganges Village, on Salt Spring Island! - 04/05/10 01:04 PM

Here is a very best buy in the heart of Ganges seaside village...elegant two bed/two bath, dream kitchen, formal living, gas fireplace, dining, spacious pantry, sunny decking (Harbour and garden views), privacy and excellent all day sun exposure, on upper level (stair access and also elevator access).
Lower level offers large retail space, plus work area (full bath, here), plus outdoor fenced garden area (sell garden statuary? ponds? deck/patio furniture? decorative items?) with access from retail and from workshop area. Rear parking, and lots of storage! This gem has excellent driveby and walkby visibility, and is in the heart of … (3 comments)

A Spring greeting, from a "different" family..... - 04/04/10 12:53 PM

Happy Easter!
This family of deer were lying under a hot tub deck, when I came by to show the w.f. home.    The stag had three points to his antlers, the doe was very calmly watching me, and there were two younger deer with her, one a male with fuzzy small antlers just starting, and this fawn.    It was a family gathering, they were curled up, looking out over the ocean, it was early in the morning...a slight mist over the sea.   
How lucky we are, in this Gulf Island area, to be able to encounter nature, both the abundance … (4 comments)

Easter Weekend events, on Salt Spring Island...enjoy! - 04/03/10 10:53 AM
April 3, 2010. Mark your calendars for the Music and Munch at All Saints by the Sea, on Wednesday, April 7th. The free performance begins at 12:10 p.m., and it's followed by an optional light lunch ($5.50), put on by the Anglican caterers. It's a unique presentation by two very accomplished pianists: Simon Rook and his 98 year old mother, Doris. Doris, who recently arrived on SSI from England, will perform old favourites from musicals of the 30s and 40s; Simon will offer selections from the classics of Beethoven and Liszt. Don't miss this! Three Salt Spring authors are on the … (4 comments)

Salt Spring Island & Southern Gulf Islands "market report", at end of first quarter: - 04/02/10 06:44 PM
The first quarter of 2010 is now behind us. For our secondary home / discretionary marketplace, on Salt Spring Island and on the Southern Gulf Islands, this year opened with a continuation of the Fall, 2009 market trend. This is very typical, of course. Our "season" really runs from March Break to the Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend, in early October. The early stages in a year, then, always reflect the latter days of the previous year. Any trend, up or down, isn't really noted, for any particular year, until June -- have to let the sales take place from mid-March to end … (1 comments)

What do you mean, only so many places for tourists to stay? - 04/01/10 04:49 PM
That Islands Trust, the form of government for all the Canadian Gulf Islands, created specific zonings back in 1974, to cap growth.   There is a limited supply, then, of commercial options and so a limited number of places for a tourist to stay, when visiting.
The photo below is taken at one of the lakefront resorts on Salt Spring Island.    There are only nine resorts, ranging from two cottages to sixteen cottages.    They fill up fast!     There's only one hotel (28 rooms) and one motel (28 rooms), and "that's it", forever.
B & Bs are considered as "home occupations", but they … (4 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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