The Sweet Smell!



Ahh, the sweet smells and sounds of spring!  Say farewell to gray skies and welcome the arrival of pink snow! Spring activities abound and there is so much to do here, from beach visits, to ocean and lake sports, hiking, biking, and most of all…….eating.  This is definitely a foodie town; a place where even the food trucks are a gourmet adventure. You can’t have a discussion about restaurants without mentioning your favourite truck stop! My secret indulgence is Taco Justice; what’s yours?

This year, I am celebrating 25 years of life in Victoria. The city has changed and developed since our first summer here. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?  Working in the real estate market has certainly presented different attitudes towards change. There are those who want to pull up the drawbridge now that they have arrived and those that embrace the changing landscape. Are you like me and fall in the middle somewhere?I am not fussy about high-rises; it could be because I don’t like elevators, or because as an ex-Vancouverite, I like to see the sun downtown. I do believe our neighbourhoods should be a mix of developments, from single to multi-family and an eclectic mix of cultures, incomes and ethnicity. One of the best features of Victoria are the villages that dot our communities.  They each have a flavour and a personality and every one is worth visiting and exploring. The beauty of being immersed in the real estate profession is that I get to indulge my curiosity about people, what brings them here, the homes they love and the places they favour.

When we first arrived here, I was blown away by the number of residents who had attended the same school as their children; Victorians through and through.  I was quite envious of that generational continuity! As my girls grew, they decided that Victoria was a colonial backwater and they hurried to leave town. I am happy to report that both have travelled the world and, in the end, recognized that we are blessed to live in a sweet spot on the planet! One of those lovely daughters is actually bi-country. I was visiting her in California earlier this year and loved the overall feeling of bright sun, blue sky and blue water; but nothing compares to flying into Sidney and viewing the incredible majesty of our green island with its lush landscape and rocky coast. Yes, I am continually in love with this special place!  Here’s to another 25 years!

If you are reading this newsletter and have any questions about the current market, give me a call, we’ll have coffee and a chat.  Nothing is ever black or white and this is definitely a very colourful market! Enjoy this wonderful season!