Sales and Wales 2009

Things were looking a little quiet on the Pender Island real estate scene at the end of September so I made plans to go back to the UK and see how my 98 year old grandmother was doing as well as see the rest of my family in North Wales. The tickets were booked, plans were made, and then I made two quick sales. One was a bare lot and the other a waterfront home, with two other deals collapsing during negotiations in that same period. Thankfully, Dockside Realty is more of a family than most regular brokerages so I could rely on a colleague shepherding these deals through the last few subjects as I whisked off on vacation. Then it was a few nail-biting days abroad hoping these deals would go unconditional, which they eventually did. Having colleagues such as this that you can rely on is priceless in this industry and I'm very thankful that I not only work at Hope Bay, one of the most beautiful places on Pender, but also with some of the most honest and ethical colleagues one could wish for.

Some of you may remember that my wife, Theresa, and I went to Wales a couple of years ago and spent a week on a canal boat. This time I had to go alone as Theresa was busy starting a new job and looking after our new dog. Unfortunately our dalmatian, Pongo, reached his sixteenth year and had to be put down. Our new pound dog is called Koda and he is a Shiba Inu (see picture), He's a very striking animal as you can see, has a good temperament, and is already enjoying his new life on Pender.

Anyway, it was odd travelling on my own again but I found the whole process remarkably smooth, even with the extra airport security, and less than 9 hours after leaving Vancouver we were touching down in Manchester Airport. I flew Thomas Cook Airlines ( I had no idea they had their own fleet of planes) and it was a great deal at less than $860 for a return flight. Thanks itravel2000 dot com!

The most striking thing to me when I go back to the UK is always the manic craziness that occurs on the nation's roads, particularly the motorways. Maybe it's because I'm more used to Pender Island where there are no traffic lights and the maximum speed limit is 50km/h (approx.30 mph), but when someone overtakes me at over 120 miles per hour (giving me the finger at the same time) it's a little nerve wracking. It's a problem that seems to get worse every time I go back there. The drivers seem increasingly suicidal, angry and vicious, many are uninsured, and the police have a hard time keeping this under control. I felt that driving on the M6 to and from Birmingham was like entering a field of combat where those with the heaviest foot on the accelerator, the biggest repertoire  of obscene gestures and phrases, and the greatest disregard for their own and other's safety, were in control. It got to the point where I just stayed in the slow lane and didn't engage these idiots, particularly when on one five hour trip I could have been in a road rage situation with at least four drivers (each well dressed and driving a nice car, I hasten to add). Maybe it's the wars the British are fighting, the state of their economy, the upcoming General Election, the price of goods, the unemployment, the awful, mindless TV or the obsession with celebrities that seems to grip the nation (particularly a TV show called "Strictly Come Dancing" which is the usual generic judge and panel based reality show) that is putting the country on edge. It worries me about the future of Britain because it has so much to offer on so many levels that the dumbing down of the media, the constant surveillance of the population,  and the awful news that many British kids are completing their education unable to read and write is tragic. On the other hand, it was wonderful to see my family again, and I spent many wonderful hours in Wales enjoying the scenery, history and natural splendour of the area, as well as metal detecting on private land where there are existing Stone Age settlements scattered around. I stayed on the Isle of Anglesey, just off the North Coast of Wales, an island that was the centre for the Druids during the Roman Occupation of Britain. It never ceases to amaze me what you can find in that area; stone age settlements, burial chambers, stone circles, monoliths, it's truly amazing and well worth a visit. For those of you that like climbing or kayaking, my older brother, Oliver Sanders, runs his adventure tourism company, Rock and Sea Adventures, from Anglesey and he is highly recommended - see rockandseadventures.co.uk for more details (he now owes me a pint for that plug). And talking of pints, Britain still has some of the best ale in the world and also some of the best pubs. It's good to know some things never change.

After two weeks, however, I was ready to come home. I love my family and miss them terribly but my life here is so much more satisfying. Spending time away from Pender gives one a reminder of what we have here and it was good to step off the plane in Vancouver, get picked up by Theresa, go to the ferry and have a beautiful sailing back home.

Now it's back to the world of real estate. Vancouver and Victoria are presently very hot markets, with multiple offers on properties becoming quite common. Buyers are realising the opportunities available right now and most sellers understand that being reasonable and pricing their properties accordingly will result in a sale. Pender is also ticking along very nicely at present and our window here has many 'Sold' signs.

Theresa and I wish you all a Happy Halloween and hope to see you on Pender Island one day soon.