Whistler's Deals and Real Estate News for December 30th

Dec 31, 2009 — Denise Brown, RE/MAX Sea to Sky Real Estate

It's a great day in Whistler!  Christmas came and went in a blur of energy and exuberance.  There was a temperature inversion so the top of Whistler/Blackcomb Mountains was warmer than the Valley... just like spring skiing!  Gorgeous sunny days, long runs, beautiful turns and great company.  Only 2 more days to the new year!  Do you have a resolution?  I have a promise to myself to bring in balance... "Friday ski day with me" is a good example.   

New Year's Eve day thoughts, from Salt Spring Island....

Dec 31, 2009 — Liane ("Li") Read, Sea to Sky Real Estate

December 31, 2009. New Year's Eve dinners at: Calvin's Bistro (early and late sittings), Rock Salt Cafe in Fulford. Also, Harry Manx's Fulford Hall New Year's Eve party...tickets required. Check out other venues.. Harbour House Hotel (New Year‘s Eve Winemaker‘s Dinner…5 courses, paired with Garry Oaks wines), Moby's (fancy dress party with Son de Cuba music…tickets needed), Fulford Inn (special dinner menu and dancing with Dale and Dave)....enjoy! Kudos to David Gullason, who has brought his Ice Pilots NWT to History Television...Wednesdays, 7 and 10 p.m. Islanders involved in helping bring this to fruition: Wayne Melvin, Leigh Badgley, and Al Flett. Such talent on this Island! Noticed in U.B.C.'s Chronicle that Salt Spring's rich visual history has been digitized, with the help of a grant to the Historical Society. Photos of local events, people and ceremonies, from Salt Spring, along with aerial photos from years past, will soon be available for viewing online. Salt Spring, along with Oak Bay in Victoria, is going to be a part of a pilot program encouraging homeowners to disclose their homes energy efficiency rating. Owners who participate in the voluntary program will allow their homes energy rating to be posted on the Victoria Board Multiple Listing Service, providing additional information to prospective buyers. The program aims at making homes more energy-efficient, thus helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Participants will benefit from rebates. "The internet is this vast sea of free content. What used to be the domain of magazines is already there" (quoted in a recent Globe and Mail newspaper article on the demise of magazines). It's true that print media is no longer the place to market listings or deliver information about an area. Specialty magazines, very niche oriented, that have a shelf life (perhaps like the annual Gulf Islander, for Salt Spring and the Gulf Islands), may survive, but the traditional magazine and print formats are disappearing quickly. This is one reason why I am happy to be a part of the Driftwood's web presence, for advertising, and am only using a small section of their monthly print format real estate supplement, now....all those endless pages of ads did not help a seller to sell, so the expense was wasted. This is not how buyers locate information today, and the search has to happen first, before the physicality on Island can take place. Thus, I am spending my hard earned marketing dollars in venues that "work", in delivering the mainly non-local buyer's interest to the seller's consideration. More info? Give me a call! I found the recent coverage of a B.C. Ferry comment, in a Victoria newspaper, interesting. The ferry person was stating that the reason fares were rising was because of the Islands Trust's cap on growth, which made it difficult for first time buyers to locate on the Island, and the retirement age group didn't use the ferries so often, thus there was a reduction in ridership (something along that line). This was picked up by our own Driftwood weekly paper, and the Trust was quoted, in response, as follows: "Trust policies have contributed to higher house prices....". Not sure that I've noticed, before, that the Trust recognized (in print) that their strict zoning bylaws, which control growth, and preserve the environmental beauties of the Islands, do have the outcome of creating an enclave area, with higher house prices. It's just simple economics: low supply plus high demand equals high price points. One does have to be able to afford to live on Salt Spring Island and on the Southern Gulf Islands, this is true. The Trust's mandate is to "preserve and protect", for the benefit of all B.C. residents, the environmental beauties of the Gulf Islands. With the advent of the internet, which erased time and geography, this entire Pacific Northwest Coast region has been "discovered", and the Gulf Islands will remain as specialty areas to reside in. What did that cow say in the film "Babe": "that's just the way things are"??? There is a moment in time, right now, though, to benefit from historically low interest rates, to enjoy substantial price reductions post market meltdowns, of late 2008, and with a higher selection of inventory available for a Buyer's consideration, than in most years. More info? Give me a call! Look forward to helping you to benefit from today's market conditions, so that you can enjoy ownership on one of these stellar Islands! It's buyers that set markets, remember, not sellers or realtors, and so these current conditions are not going to remain "forever". It's a cyclical industry. Right now, the buyer is in control of the process. 2009 has been a roller-coaster year, for many Islanders, and many others in our "global village". There is a feeling of optimism, however, even though there are still serious economic issues facing most countries, most communities, as we stand ready to enter the next decade. Some are calling the past decade the "awful oughts". On this night, where there is an ending of a year, and an entering of a New Year, perhaps remember the Scottish tradition: have a clean house, be festive, welcome family, friends and neighbours, have that dark haired man set up to be the "first foot" in the "new year", and welcome in the new possibilities with the "attitude of gratitude". We have much to be thankful for, on special Salt Spring Island! Enjoy....

LuxuryRealEstate.Com Introduces Our New Member PRAEMIUM Immobilier In Geneva, Switzerland!

Dec 31, 2009

By Jean-Yves Piton LuxuryRealEstate.com is proud to introduce our new member in Switzerland. As a leading luxury real estate company in Geneva, Switzerland, PRAEMIUM Immobilier specializes in brokerage (sales and rentals), property management and property renovations. PRAEMIUM Immobilier’s portfolio is constituted of residential and commercial properties, to include apartments, villas, hotels, buildings and plots.

Lead Management Systems

Dec 30, 2009 — Todd Jason Cutter, 2Costa Rica Real Estate

We are currently evaluating which lead management system to integrate, as we are truly lacking in this area. Our site is driven by a database management system, Point2Agent, but the tools for client management are too stringent for our needs. Anyone have any recommendations?

St. Regis Deer Crest Cuts Ribbon

Dec 30, 2009

Courtesy of: Summit Sotheby's International Realty By: Andrew Kirk, of the Park Record Management calls it one of the most 'grand' of the luxury brand One of the most anticipated moments of the winter occurred Friday morning when the ribbon was cut on the St. Regis Deer Crest hotel ushering in a new era in which Park City is expected to have a higher profile and greater exposure among the most wealthy vacationers from the Northeast.

Forecast: 2010 - Global Property Experts Offer Their Predictions for What is Sure to be a Tumultuous Year

Dec 30, 2009

Courtesy of International Property Journal We asked an array of industry leaders: What will be the big news in international property in 2010?  James Wyatt, partner, Barton Wyatt International I believe that Florida sales to U.K. buyers will increase dramatically as buyers continue to shun Euroland. However I can see Euro purchases on the increase late in 2010 as U.K. interest rates start to rise, leading to a weaker Euro. Looking further afield, destinations such as Brazil, Panama, Middle East and the Far East will be all but unsalable. 

One-of-A-Kind Property on Beautiful Intracoastal Waterway

Dec 30, 2009

By Sunday A. Barbaro of PGH Marketing. Wrightsville Beach, NC offers some of the most sought after waterfront property on the east coast. Sandy Overbeck has the perfect property for a buyer seeking the luxury of an architectural masterpiece. Nestled perfectly along the North Carolina Coast, the property includes ownership of an income producing marina and boat slips that provide easy entrance to the Atlantic Ocean. With 17 boat slips ranging in size from 25-60 feet, the marina guarantees to accommodate your special vessel.

New Year musings....

Dec 28, 2009 — Liane ("Li") Read, Sea to Sky Real Estate

December 28, 2009. As the year closes, it's good to remember all the very fine things that are in our lives, and to remember to practice what is often referred to as "the attitude of gratitude". In this economic downturn, there have been serious dislocations in many lives. For some, ill health has been in the picture. Life delivers gifts and blows, it seems, with equal abandon, and often both are totally unexpected. There are always things to be grateful for, even in the midst of trouble and strife. Without being a "pollyanna" about it, it's so important to focus on the strengths and the good things...to make sure that our thoughts are keeping to this sunnier focus. As we think, we receive...it seems to be a truth of the universe. It doesn't hurt, at this time of year, to write down all the good things we can think about, and to ponder on them. We write down our New Year resolutions, too, don't we? Gratitude, and a written note to ourselves about opportunities in the New Year...it's an invitation to our better and creative selves. And your list says?

Musings on time....

Dec 26, 2009 — Liane ("Li") Read, Sea to Sky Real Estate

Time is the most unique luxury item in our instantaneous world.    Time is the gift we give to those in our lives, whether family or friends or business connections.    The world is never off, now, with the internet's erasure of time and geography.   For those active in their careers, tied to the immediacy of a smart phone, it can be difficult to remember that we are in control of the "off" button.  

Holiday Golf on Maui

Dec 23, 2009 — Brad MacArthur, Hawaii Life Wailea

On a recent golf tournament I was fortunate to play next to Major League Baseball’s All-Star Shane Victorino  (See photo: That’s me in the green shirt  Shane Victorino teeing it up on the 1st hole).  We played at the Makena Golf Course which is a great course with amazing views and masterful design that takes advantage of the natural terrain.   I do prefer to play on Wailea’s 3 courses – The Blue, Gold and Emerald.  These award-winning courses are nestled within Wailea’s Resort properties and captivates and entertains golfers as they play these superb courses.
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