Thursday 30 October 2014

BCO Adventures Fall Flying

One of the biggest challenges the move to a new company has brought about has been how to address signage. With properties ranging from Victoria to Haida Gwaii, there is a lot of ground to cover to change signs! Add to that the onset of unpredictable, fall west coast weather and you have a good challenge.

This has meant that Ed and Shelley have to take opportunities when they are presented to get on a plane at a moment's notice. Ed was out last week and this week Shelley hopped a flight into Kyuquot. The first attempt was postponed but yesterday, despite the fog and some serious delays, they made it in and back out. And luckily for all of us Shelley had her camera while up in the air.









Another BCO office day - nothing ever typical about it!
 
It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Pass It On!

Thursday 23 October 2014

BCO Joins Royal LePage

On October 20 Ed, Shelley and the BC Oceanfront office relocated to the Royal LePage Advance Realty offices in Campbell River. This was a big move, a big decision, and an exciting time.

Royal LePage is a national real estate company, representing over 15,000 agents in 600 offices from coast to coast. As a franchise, Royal LePage Advance Realty in Campbell River is locally owned and dedicated to the community, but offers the support and strength of a national company. In turn this provides BC Oceanfront with a larger platform to network and market our unique coastal properties.



History:
A.E. LePage established his real estate company, ‘A.E. LePage – The Bungalow Specialist’ on July 2, 1913. He was a pioneer in the business of real estate, whose innovation and belief in customer service helped set the standard for the industry.

To see more milestones regarding Royal LePage, check out the 100 year time line on their website:
http://www.royallepage.ca/realestate/about-us/our-story/

The foundations of professionalism, principled conduct and the highest moral and ethical standards remain Royal LePage’s hallmarks today.

BC Oceanfront is excited to have joined with this national company as well as this Campbell River office, and looks forward to a prosperous relationship well into the future.
 
It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Pass It On!

The office when we were ready for business Monday morning. Still a few things to set up, but we hit the ground running!
 

Thursday 16 October 2014

BCO Coastal Gems: Sayward


 
Located on the east coast of north Vancouver Island, BC, the logging community of Sayward has a population of approximately 410 and is just 45 minutes away from Campbell River and all the facilities and shopping one would require. The small settlement community of Kelsey Bay is located 1 mile from Sayward and enjoys a resident population of approximately 120.

This picturesque area has an abundance of wildlife, fresh, & salt-water fishing. Outdoor recreation includes caving, kayaking, hiking, whale watching, wildlife viewing, and exhilarating river rafting on the Salmon River. Robson Bight Provincial Park - west of Sayward in Johnstone Strait, provides ocean adventurers with a sure thing when it comes to whale watching.



Travel time along the Island Highway 19 to Sayward is under one hour from Campbell River in the south, and about 2 hours from Port Hardy to the north. Logging is the primary industry in the area around Sayward and Kelsey Bay, but tourism continues to grow and gain in importance. 
 
It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Pass It On!

Thursday 9 October 2014

Archeological Sites

Archeological sites are a hot topic in the news these days. They can be controversial, but they are an essential part of developing property these days on the coast of BC so it is important to know what needs to be done.

Some properties have already had assessments done and have marked archeological sites on them. Understanding the implications of these sites is important, as an owner, or potential owner, needs to know what can and can't be done with the property.

If you wish to build on a property or make major alterations to a property, then an archeological assessment is generally required. You can first determine if there are any known sites on the property by contacting the provincial government through their Archaeology Branch. Most municipalities and regional districts will require an assessment during the permitting process.

From the Archaeology Branch's FAQ document, these are two things they see as important to property owners: "The current use of the property is seldom affected unless the use involves significant land alteration. A house on a fully developed lot is not affected by overlapping with an archaeological site. An active gravel pit is a concern, because this current use will damage or destroy a site.
New development, such as changing the building footprint, major landscaping, or installation of an in ground swimming pool, will be a concern, because the new activity may damage the archaeological site. When planning for land use change, ensure that a professional consulting archaeologist is part of the planning process. They can determine if the new development will have an effect on the archaeological site.
In many cases, the archaeological site is not within the development zone. As an example, sites on waterfront properties are usually close to the water and are often contained within zoning setbacks set up to protect other environmental values."


Owning property on the BC Coast is a dream for many, and it is important to have all the information on hand when making those dreams reality.

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Pass It On!

Thursday 2 October 2014

West Coast Wildlife

It's been quite a summer on Vancouver Island, which means Ed has had some good days out on the west coast of Vancouver Island. And spending time on the West Coast means seeing interesting wildlife! These are just a few of our favourites from this year.

Rissos Dolphin

Sea Otter

Sunfish

Deep sea Mussels

Orcas
 
 
What a magical place we live, work and play in.
 
It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Pass It On!