Buying on Salt Spring Island
Buyer Beware Landmark court Ruling
The headlines were in the media about a month ago and this is something that keeps me up at night. Especially this CRA to recover from the buyers the capital gains tax. The other thing to note is this is just part of the trend of the federal goverment to bring in more taxes. They […]
Discover, Decide and Disclose
Caveat Emptor is a Latin phrase that translates to “let the buyer beware” but the sellers do not get off that easy in BC they still need to disclose Latent defects and the listing REALTOR® has to do pre-listing due diligence and make sure material latent defects are disclosed. Disclosure standards for the seller and the listing […]
Water Sustainability Act or new tax grab?
Staff from the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (FLNRO) was on Salt Spring 18 Jan 2017 explaining the new Water Sustainability Act (WSA). The WSA came into effect on the 29 Feb 2016. The big changes that effect people on Salt Spring is the new licencing of ground water (well water). The new licences […]
Do I need a building permit?
I get this question all the time. Do you need a building permit to do a small reno on your Salt Spring home? Yes. You will need a permit for basically any work on your home. From the CRD office here is the official line; You will need a building permit whey you; A building […]
The haunted house! Do you need Ghostbusters?
This is something that comes up more that one would think on Salt Spring. Over the last decade we have had more that few stigmatized homes come on the market. One murder/suicide home and more than a few haunted homes. This is a grey area of the law because how do you determine if […]
SALT SPRING NEWS
Candidate for Regional Director CREA
I’m running for the position of board member Regional Director for BC for the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). Below is my official platform after edits suggested by CREA lawyers. My name is Scott Simmons. I’m a REALTOR® on Salt Spring Island BC. If you go to the REALTOR.ca site and put in Salt Spring […]
CRD sewer and solid waste
The nuts and bolts of local goverment are really the non glamours basics of water, sewer and garbage (solid waste). The CRD is the local service provider for Salt Spring. On the night of 24 Nov 2016 Russ Smith Senior Manager, Environmental Resource Management for the CRD put on a waste presentation. Here is a […]
Incorporation – A Third Option: Self-governance with contracted services
This was just posted on the Salt Spring exchange in 4 parts. I have permission from John Gauld the author to publish this document on my Salt Spring web site; SSI is known as a community that questions conventional practices and is creative and innovative in its response to community challenges. Perhaps the up-coming […]
Salt Spring’s new SSIWPA PAC
If you live on Salt Spring you have to get used to all the acronyms. If you have not heard of SSIWPA it’s because it’s new. SSIWPA stands for Salt Spring Island WaterShed Protection Authority. Today was the first meeting of the SSIWPA PAC (Public Advisory Committee). The ideal behind SSIWPA is that it […]
Salt Spring local election news
Salt Spring will be having a local election on the 15 of November 2014. There will be 2 trustees for the island trust elected and one CRD director. If you would like to know the lay out of local government here is an excellent organization chart. Salt Spring Island Local Governance Basically the Island […]
Critical Salt Spring Buying Info
Does the home get sunlight?
If you’re planning to live on Salt Spring year-round, one of the most important things to consider when buying a property is SUNLIGHT. Do the neighbor’s trees or a mountain block the sun during the winter months? According to Salt Spring real estate mythology, “If they buy in August, they will list in November and […]
Aggregate Days on the Market
What are “aggregate days on the market”? On the Victoria Real Estate board an agent can “Re-List” a property for a mere $25 fee. An example would be if a home has been listed on the board for 180 days the listing can be taken off the market and then “Re-Listed” and appear to be […]
Property Price History
The price history of any Salt Spring home and or Salt Spring lot your are thinking of buying is critical information. It is be like flying blind not knowing the price history of a Salt Spring property. Here is an image of what a Real Estate agent see about a property. As you can see […]
Salt Spring Real Estate Market Report
If you are looking for Salt Spring Island Real Estate it would be well worth your time to check out my Salt Spring Market Report pages. These pages will provide you with a price history of the Salt Spring Island real estate market. The market report is broken down into 4 groups: over $900K, $500k-900K, sub $500K and Land.
To help you search for a Salt Spring home for sale I have two systems you can use. One is a map based mobile search system for tablets and/or phones. This system works really well if you are on Salt Spring, as it will automatically show you properties as you drive around the island.
The other system is a data base (Advanced MLS system or PCS) for laptops or desktops.
These two systems display information in real time, which allows you to view new listings within one second of them coming on the market. You will also find the “sold” prices of homes, as well as other useful information.
Scott Simmons’s Social Sites