Sunshine Coast Real Estate and Travel Information including Reefpoint Cottages along Long Beach and Island View Lanes Townhomes Property

Reefpoint Cottages along Long Beach Real Estate

The Reefpoint Ucluelet Cottages along the BC Long Beach waterfront coast provide revenue cottages for sale. Non waterfront cottages start from $199,000 with $18,000 income to the home owner while waterfront Reefpoint Cottages in Ucluelet real estate start from $319,000 and you can expect to gain $27,000 in revenue income per year as an owner. Full ownership with six onth’s owner use. Established management and marketing program by Cliff at 1.866.726.2268 or visit www.westcoastrealestate.ca.

Island View Lanes Townhomes Sunshine Coast Real Estate

Fabulous ocean, island and mountain views in this exclusive Sunshine Coast Gibsons townhome development at the Island View Lanes townhomes now being offered. With only nineteen distinct pre-sale townhome residences available at the Sunshine Coast Island View Lanes, this four-plex and three-plex stand along and live-work units include both two and three bedroom pre-construction townhome style condominium units available. The size range of the Gibsons Island View Lanes townhomes in the Sunshine Coast real estate market include between 1500 and 1600 square feet per unit. A combination of Hardy siding, sloping roofs, covered porches and ceilings, stainless steel appliance package and five minutes from Sunshine Coast beaches and marina, golf and BC Ferries, the Island View Lanes Sunshine Coast Gibsons real estate development is your unique opportunity to purchase a home to live in or a resort recreational property in one of the hottest areas of BC property. The pricing for these pre-sale Sunshine Coast Island View Gibsons townhomes is between $349,000 and $369,000. Other features of these Gibsons townhouses include low E windows that are double glazed, the developer warranty and will feature also 10 single family units at the Island View Lanes development. No restrictions in the bylaws at this time. For more information, you can contact Rob at www.realtorrob.ca for additional information about the sales for Sunshine Coast real estate and Island View Lanes in Gibsons BC.

Pender Harbour Community

North of Halfmoon Bay, Sunshine Coast, three communities surround the Harbour: Madeira Park (the business and population centre of Pender Harbour), Garden Bay (about a quarter of Pender Harbour’s population), and Irvine’s Landing. Scuba dive in any season in the protected waters: the Pender Harbour Sunshine Coast is known to be one of the world’s best sites for underwater exploration. Coined the “Venice of the North” because of its complex maze of waterways and lakes, water taxis are the preferred mode of transportation in and around the area of Pender Harbour Sunshine Coast. Tour the Chatterbox Falls, a waterfall at the head of Princess Louisa Inlet or take in the newer parks, Millennium Park and wooded Francis Point Marine Park. Watch for the new luxury condo development, the Painted Boat: Sunshine Coast Resort Homes coming soon. When complete, the resort will feature a Solarice Wellness Spa plus a 60 slip marina.

Sechelt

Taking its name from one of the Coast Salish Indian bands, “Sechelt” means land between two waters. Suitably labelled given that this Sunshine Coast community sits on a sandbar; one one side of Sechelt is the Straight of Georgia and on the other side, Porpoise Bay. If it weren’t for this small neck of land les than a kilometre wide, a large portion of the peninsula north of Sechelt would be an island, cut off from the mainland. Sechelt is the Sunshine Coast’s Lower Coast largest town where retirees make up approximately 30 per cent of the population. Don’t miss the Festival of the Written Arts in August, held annually at the Rockwood Lodge. The natural seaside beach creates an ideal summer desintation for families where camping, water activities, and golfing make for lasting memories. Check out the activity underway at Seaview Villa Estates, an exclusive Sunshine Coast Sechelt community in West Sechelt featuring townhomes/garden apartments on three ocean view acres.

Halfmoon Bay

A sweeping scalloped bay protected from the open sea by South Thormanby Island, this sleepy village at Halfmoon Bay, Sunshine Coast of permanent homes, summer cabins, and five regional parks is a visual feast: check out Halfmoon Bay Lookout for a panoramic view of Welcome Pass, the Thormanby Islands, and Malaspina Strait. From the Heritage General Store of Susnhine Coast Halfmoon Bay, a gathering place located on the waterfront, access to Redroofs Trail provides a historical and interpretative stroll along a gently pitched, forested walkway. If you visit in July, join in the Halfmoon Bay Country Fair, a traditional community event in the Sunshine Coast of BC. Visit the Sargeant Bay Provincial Park, excellent for bird watching, or explore the Smuggler Cover Provincial Marine Park and hike into the wilderness.

Roberts Creek

Funky and eclectic best describes this unconventional community coined the gumboot capital of the world; Robers Creek is part throwback to the ‘60s where hippies add a colourful splash to the offbeat and creative landscape – part progressive community. Locals at Roberts Creek Sunshine Coast affectionaley known as “Creekers” are a diverse lot; they don’t all hold identical beliefs, but several passionate consistencies emerge as a common thread; they are keen to maintain the rural character of the community of Roberts Creek in the Sunshine Coast, they’re avid supporters of tree and water conservation, they encourage home based businesses and low speed, tree lined roadways, they hold belief in community gatherings, and they choose to preserve a centralized commercial area in keeping with a unique Roberts Creek character. Harvest fresh mussels or oysters at Sunshine Coast Roberts Creek Picnic grounds, and then reel in a coho or Chinook at nearby Chapman Creek, the only stream on the Sechelt Peninsula where anglers can keep these favoured salmon. Close by, you can tee-up at one of BC’s golfing jewels, the 18 hole public Sunshine Coast Golf and Country Club.

Earls Cove Sunshine Coast

At the north end of the peninsula, the ferry to Powell River docks at Earl’s Cove, also near Skookumchuck Narrows Provincial Park, where the Skookumchuk, the world’s fastest flowing tidal marine rapids, pass the tidal flow from Sechelt Inlet. Earls Cove and Egmont are gateway communities for canoeing or kayaking to Sakinaw Lake, which opens to the salt water of the Agamemnon Channel. The 50 minute BC Ferries trip across Jervis Inlet and up Agamemnon Channel, which travels past Nelson Island to Saltery Bay, is where Highway 101 conteinues to the Upper Sunshine Coast and Powell River.

Powell River BC

The regional district of Powell River with a population of 19,599 stretches along the lengthy shoreline from Saltery Bay to Lund. It is renowned for scuba diving with over 100 dive sites int eh immediate vicinity, also considered as one of the best salt and freshwater fishing destinations in Canada. Jacques Coustea claimed Powell River’s emerald waters were “second only to the Red Sea,” and a dive in these parts quickly reveals why. The Powell River may be the second shortest river in the world at just 500 metres long, but it connects with a string of Lakes: Powell, Goat and Windsor, which characterizes much of the inland region. Laying claim to one the mildest climates in the country, year-round temperatures averages 10 degrees and summer varies from 18 to 30 degrees. The safety and security of a small town such as Powell River with the infrastructure of a major city make it an ideal location to work, live or vacation. The Powell River Sunshine Coast history as a prosperous foresty community is honoured each year at the Powell River Loggers’ Sports Competition with events such as chainsaw carving, axe throwing and tree climbing.

Gibsons

As of 2006, with a climbing tally of 4.182 residents, Gibson’s population digits are expected to double in the next twenty five years. The area is made up of mostly families with young children with a higher percentage of single parent homes and fewer people of retirement age. Just a few minutes west of the Langdale ferry dock, past the small communities of Hopkins and Grantham Landing, Gibsons is considered the main marine getaway to the Sunshine Coast and is experiencing rapid growth and real estate development. Gibsons is tucked into the sheltered shoreline on Howe Sound to the east, surrounded by Mount Elphinstone to the north, and the Strait of Georgia on the southwest. Take the Heritage Walk Gibsons to explore the bustling working harbour, stroll along the public wharf and the boardwalk to the vista gazebo, a great place for Fido to stretch his legs. Buffy’s See Spot Run Pet Services offers pet owners peace of mind on the Sunshine Coast should you need to leave home and your four legged companions behind. Beyond the harbour’s marine activity, alive with kayakers, sailboats and yachts stop by Molly’s Reach, the site of the 1971 to 1990 Beachcombers CBC series, once a TV soundstage now popular hangout for locals and visitors.

Saltery Bay

On the north shore of Jervis Inlet, the Upper Sunshine Coast area is well documented as having some of the best mountain biking trails in the province, most of which are clearly marked with a white mountain bike symbol There is a challenging ascent at the beginning of your ride on Elephant bay loop at Saltery Bay, a 48 kilometre (30 miles) easy ride that will keep you peddling most of the day. Some of the best ocean fishing is found in the Lang Creek Estruary at Saltery Bay, approximately 22 kilometres west of the bay ont eh west side of Highway 101. Beach casting is popular here for spring salmon from mid-September through late October. A mermaid sighting off shore from Saltrey Bay Provincial Park is imminent: a 3 metre bronzed Emerald Princess is anchored in 18 metres of water, the first underwater statue in Canada.

Lund

The Pan American highway (the world’s longest, also named Highway 101 in parts of the US and Canada) begins in Castra on Chile’s south caost and stretches 14,973 kilometres to the public boat ramp beside the feted Lund Hotel in the Sunshine Coast – the end of the road for BC’s Highway 101 on the Sunshine Coast. Twenty minutes north of Powell River, Lund offers salmon sport fishing right off the breakwater, as well as a boardwalk, craft shops, cafes and restaurants overlooking the Lund Harbour. Founding Swedes Fred and Charles Thulin named the village Lund after the university town in Sweden and built the first licensed hotel north of Vancouver in 1889; today it remains the heart of the hamlet and the gateway to Desolation Sound. Take a water taxi to sAvery Island and don’t miss kayaking the Copeland Islands Marine Park, a few miles north of Lund in the Sunshine Coast. Locally known as the Ragged Islands, this cluster of islands is an oasis of fertile marine gardens with a diverse range of wildlife. The Raggeds are excellent for day trips, overnighters or as a stopover enroute to Desolation Sound or Cortes Island.

Desolation Sound

Beyond the end of Highway 101, Desololation Sound Marine Park is BC’s largest marine park, with more than 60 kilometres of shoreline and several small islands, bays and coves. The Desolation Sound of Sunshine Coast exceeds 28 degres claiming the warmets waters in North America north of the Gulf of Mexico, perfect to swim and scuba dive, while the forested upland offers trails and hidden lakes. Okeover Inlet is quickly becoming oneo f the premier destinations in Desolation Sound; visit the Laughing Oyster for a dynamite dish of gunpowder prawns and take the secret ingredient home with a pack of Garden Gate gourmet herb and spices by chef Dave Bowes. The Sunshine Coast is only accessible from the Lower Mainald by water or air. Served by BC Ferries from Horseshow Bay in West Vancouver, journey 40 minutes to Langdale on the Sechelt Peninsula where Highway 101 links Langddale with Garden Bay. For more information, please visit Sunshin Coast Tourism (www.sunshinecoastcanada.com), Tourism Powell River (www.discoverpowellriver.com) and Sechelt and District Visitor Info Centre (www.secheltvisitorinfo.com).

While most people look to escape to tropical resorts or fantasize about residing anywhere else but their day-to-day digs, some pack their passports and possessions and head for their annual retreat they call a holiday. However, residents on the Sunshine Coast are exactly wehre they want to be – living life in a destination that possesses all the sun drenched attributes and high lights of a year round vacation – a daily retreat they call home. A great article by Tracey R for the BC Homes and Resort magazine.

Within the 180 kilometre sculpted shoreline stretching from the ink blue waters of Howe Sound to the deep cerulean recesses of Desolation Sound lays a widely refreshing tonic of West Coast fusion. Seprated by the Jervis Inlet, the Lower Sunshine Coast features winds its way from Port Mellon to Egmont with the livesly communities of Gibsons, Sechelt and Pender Harbour just to name a few, while the Upper Sunshine Coast features Saltry Bay, Powell River and Lund. The two regions are a scenic overload of exceptional wilderness (Saltry Bay is a trailhead for the 180 kilometre Sunshine Coast Trail, with sections of sub-alpine vegetation and old growth temperate rainforest) and waterways that beckon the avid and novice boater alike. Ask any seafarer worth his weight in sea salt to name a favourite anchaorage and Desolation Sound Provincial Marine Park will top the list (BC’s largest at 8,256 hectares). This eclectic verdant Coast seizes the myriad offerings of marine recreation, extreme and soft adventures, intimate spas, sporting activities the likes of golf, cycling and hiking and for those with a cultural beent, a lively First Nations history, galleries, artisan studios, and a vibrant and contemporary arts community that is second to none.

Positioned as a year round destination, these pursuits are enjoyed by over 27,759 lcoals according to the 2006 census an increase of 8.4 per cent from 25,599 residents in 2001. The influx of people relocating to the Sunshine Coast is no surprise: a particular draw is the pleasant 2,400 hours of annual sunshine (an average of six hours per day), a desirable environment for those who are inclined to seek warmer climes without taking on snowbird status. According to the 2007 MLS Housing Price Index for single family homes on the Sunshine Coast, the past year has seen very strong home prices for the region. The Vancouver Real Estate Board reveals that “for the last two years, the sales to listing ratio have maintained a healthy level, between 0.5 and 1.0 one a three month moving average. The ratio of sales to listings for the Sunshine Coast real estate shows a cyclical pattern, rising in the winter months as new listings drop.”

Commuting by Floatplane – Housing Update
As usual, Pieta W for the Georgia Straight: Dave M lives on the 15th floor of a beachfront condo with a view of the Strait of Georgia, and has a traffic-free, 25 minute commute to his job in Vancouver’s financial district. He pays $1,200 per month toward his mortgage of the beachfront condominium. What is this insanely convenient, affordable location? Well, Nanaimo. Dave, the CEO of a Vancouver based investment firm, walks a block to the floatplane dock, spends 20 minutes and $67 on a flight, and arrives in Coal Harbour, two blocks from his downtown office. No gridlock, no Coal Harbour real estate condo price tag. “I’m at home on the Island and sitting at my place by the time other people are just starting to leave downtown,” Dave told the Georgia Straight. “But the problem is, it’s such a good value and so convenient and so efficient, it’s greatly oversubscribed. Just try to get a flight!” Dave is one of a thousand or so people who commute regularly from Nanaimo to Vancouver for work. That’s an old number collected by the City of Nanaimo from the 2001 Canadian census. Nanaimo’s acting economic development officer, Amrit told the Straight she’s not sure how many people are commuting these days, but numbers have probably increased. Add those who commute on the scheduled flights offered by Harbour Air and West Coast Air from Sechelt, the Gulf Islands, and Victoria, and that’s even more people. According to the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board, during the 12 month period ending in August, the average price of a home in Nanaimo real estate listed on the Multiple Listing Service was $372,669. In contrast, the average price of a home in Greater Vancouver from January to August was $606,088, according to the B.C. Real Estate Association. Given the huge price difference, living on Vancouver Island is a deal. “With technology, it’s really possible to be anywhere,” Manhas said, “so why wouldn’t you choose to do that?” Indeed, the size of the floatplane facilities at Coal Harbour will likely expand by one third if a plan is approved at Vancouver’s development permit board meeting on Monday September 22nd. Architectural group Musson Cattell Mackay Partnership has applied to build a new permanent facility adjacent to the new Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre expansion project. On September 16th, city council decided to hold the public hearing about the rezoning set for October 14th.

For folks like Mannix, more floatplanes would mean it would be easier to catch a flight. But for some residents of the neighbourhood, the prospect stinks- literally. Debbie, is the Coal Harbour Residents Association’s floatplane representative. In a single day two weeks ago, she said, a resident counted 202 flights coming and going from the current temporary marina, sending fumes and noise into the adjacent children’s park and neighbourhood. McKeen said that although the CHRA has tried to work with the proponents of the project, and isn’t suggesting the floatplanes shoulnd’t be in the harbour at all, she thinks the new facility could have ben planned to better accommodate people. McKeen plans to speak at the development permit board meeting and the public hearing. One problem, though, is that the city doesn’t regulate most of the annoyances associated with the floatplanes, according to Vancouver city planner Michelle. The city’s role is limited to rezoning and approving the development permit for the marina, she said. Planes are regulated by Transport Canada. Harbour Air didn’t return the Straight’s calls by deadline. West Coast Air spokesperson Vera told the Straight she didn’t want to comment on this story. The continuing saga of the floatplanes hasn’t made a dent in the desireability to Dexter Associates Realty agent Joy. “We put quite a few people in the area, and they seem to find it quite fascinating,” she told the Straight. “But to be honest with you, where they were before, people were just starting to move into the condos.” For Mannix, more flights would be a relief. “You’ve got more people in their 40s and 50s who are relocating to the Island for the lifestyle and commuting, or they’re home based consultants,” he said, noting that the price of real estate is making it difficult to recruit skilled staff. “Just try to get a flight on a Monday morning, or the 4pm rush out of Vancouver. They’re booked.”