Alex Frazer-Harrison, Calgary Herald July 16, 2006
You don’t have to be a reclusive billionaire hiding away in a tropical paradise to own an island anymore.
It’s possible to find actual islands for sale in Ontario and off the coast of British Columbia, just waiting for the right owner to come along.
“There’s something magical about owning an islands by yourself,” says Victoria-based Peter Nash, realtor and founder of Newport Realty,
Alex Frazer-Harrison, Calgary Herald July 16, 2006
From Canmore condos to idyllic islands, the recreation property industry in Western Canada continues to boom.
And Albertans are chomping at the bit to get their hands on that second home.
Depending on your budget, there really is no limit to the options available. You can choose to fully purchase a property or, if the option is available, you can take fractional ownership,
up! Magazine (West Jet) July 2006
Going one-on-one with Rudy Nielsen, the godfather of Western Canadian recreational real estate
There are real estate agents, and then there’s Rudy Nielsen. Fit, trim and appearing far younger than his 65 years of age (probably something to do with having more recreational properties than you have pens), he’s a 40-year real estate veteran who says he’s never seen a hotter recreational property market.
Rudy Nielsen, Cottage Magazine, July/August, 2006
For many years I’ve said that one of the key things to consider when purchasing recreational land is the driving distance from your house. Prior to the boom in the Albertan oil fields, this was based on the drive from Vancouver and the Lower Mainland to the recreational properties.
I found that several circles were formed due to this driving time.
When calculating these circles,
National Post June 16, 2006
British Columbia has become a field of dreams for homebuilders and homeowners alike. Remember the catch line from the movie? It was, “If you build it, they will come.”
That memorable phrase applies to almost anything with four walls and a rood on Canada’s West Coast. A booming economy, a surge in immigration and a shortage of land in the Lower Mainland means the demand is at gold rush levels and prices are soaring.
Drew Harris, Vancouver Island Real Estate Board, Business Examiner- North, June 9, 2006
NANAIMO – Ten per cent of Vancouver Island real estate buyers come from Alberta, says the president of the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board.
Darrell Paysen says more than 1,600 buyers were surveyed for VIREB’s annual Buyer’s Profile publication.
“From this we determined the growing percentage of Alberta buyers,” he said, quoting the VIREB Buyer’s Profile published last fall.
Susan Boyce ,Western Investor, June 2006
Known in the Haida Language as Haida Gwaii,…the Queen Charlotte Islands is comprised of two large land masses- Graham Island and Moresby Island- plus more than 150 smaller, surrounding islands. It boasts a surprisingly temperate climate, world-class sport fishing, miles of pristine sandy beaches and a rich cultural heritage. Some 5,000 people scattered throughout several communities call this natural wonderland home.
According to Rudy Nielsen,
Frank O’Brien ,Western Investor, June 2006
There are now apparently two truisms in Western Canadian real estate: Waterfront prices are too high. They will be higher next year.
“Waterfront is, and always will be, the very best real estate investment,” said uber Vancouver realtor Bob Rennie, president of Rennie Marketing Systems, who has been swamped with buyers trying to get into the Waterstone Pier condo development he is selling on the Fraser River near Richmond.
Peter Mitham ,Western Investor, June 2006
By the time you read this, the 29 lakefront lots LandQuest Realty Corp. was marketing this spring east of Big Lake will probably have sold.
Small wonder too: More than half the lots boast 200 feet of south-facing waterfront, as well as plenty of land- three to 20 acres apiece. Nine lots on the 284 acre tract sold even before the properties officially hit the market.
Derrick Penner , The Vancouver Sun, June 1, 2006
British Columbians dreaming of owning a waterfront cabin should prepare to go rustic, or be willing to pay $1 million.
Royal LePage’s 2006 recreational property report says the average lakefront property in B.C. is touching $996,000, the highest in Canada. The next highest is in Alberta, where lakefront property will set buyers back an average of $900,000. The national average is $380,507.