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2003

Ranch on the Block

The Vancouver Province, October 6, 2003

Prince George- River Ranch, about 70 kilometers south of Vanderhoof, is up for sale.

The asking price is $2.5 million, said Rudy Nielsen, whose companies are marketing and selling the 16-square-kilometer ranch.

The property, according to court documents, was put up for sale under an order by the B.C. Supreme Court, as part of a settlement to pay off mortgages on the ranch to a number of different companies in excess of $1 million.

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New Old Towns

Janet Collins, Cottage Magazine – September – October  2003

A century ago, Trout Lake City was a boisterous mining town. Today, it’s a quiet backwater, frequented by cottagers and fisherman. Similarly, until 1950, the value of nearby Ferguson was beneath the ground. Now, its value is a lot easier to reach.

Trout Lake City and Ferguson are both found in the Lardeau district of the West Kootenay region of south-eastern BC.

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What’s Happening in B.C.

Western Investor, August  2003

‘Perfect storm’ spurs Gulf Island development

Developer Bill Grenier explains that a “perfect storm” of converging issues convinced him that this year is the time to proceed with a North Pender Island waterfront development on 200 acres he has owned for more than 20 years.

“We are now seeing the perfect storm,” he explained. “It is a historical moment in Canada’s housing market.

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360 Degrees of Waterfront

BC Business, Frank O’Brien, July  2003

One click on Battleship Island convinced Dr. Charles Hanson that the remote spot in northwest British Columbia could be his family’s sanctuary: “We were looking for a retreat but even a small lakefront lot around Minneapolis is $100,000 plus plus and that’s U.S. dollars.”

Instead, Hanson, a Minnesota neuro-science consultant who “was fortunate” during the high-tech boom, bought the 33-acre island in Stuart Lake that he discovered on the Internet.

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Gold from the Ghost Towns

Janet Collins, Western Investor, June 2003

Special Section: Recreational Real Estate: Investment Opportunities in Western Canada

There’s a new kind of gold being produced by abandoned mining towns around British Columbia. In an interesting twist, what’s above ground has become a more attractive commodity than what lies beneath.

Some enterprising individuals and companies have seen the potential of the sites, many of which come with services (power,

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The First Cut of Profit

Western Investor, Rudy Nielsen, June 2003

I have purchased hundreds of properties all over British Columbia, with various resources on them, such as timber, gravel, hay, or even peat moss. But I never buy raw land without first obtaining air photos of the property.

Air photos are the single most important source of information you could possibly have when purchasing a parcel of land. They are obtained through the BC government on BC Online.

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Empty Town Lives Again

Janet Collins, Business in Vancouver, May 27 – June 2,  2003

There’s a new kind of gold being produced by abandoned mining towns around British Columbia. Some enterprising individuals and companies have seen the potential of the sites, many of which come with services (power, water, etc.) installed and ready. There is often no need to go through the complicated process of rezoning or surveying and the lots are often inexpensive alternatives for recreational sites and a myriad other uses.

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