The end of a very interesting year in Real Estate on Salt Spring

 COVID has resulted in many Buyers wanting to move out of the city to Salt Spring or just move in general to work from home or to get out of the city to some land, views, a slower pace of life, etc.

On Salt Spring that has meant a lot of off-island Buyers (Vancouver, Victoria and other provinces) coming to Salt Spring in search of an alternative life style and wanting to buy a home or property.  Unfortunately, the influx of Buyers has coincided with a shortage of Sellers as Sellers are reluctant to list with the threat of COVID and also because a Seller usually then becomes a Buyer and with the shortage of homes, buying can be stressful.

So, that's why you need a Realtor to advise you.  Perhaps when selling you want to have a subject condition in any counter-offer that says the sale is subject to you being able to find a home within so many weeks/months.

Or a Buyer can have a subject condition in an offer that says the offer is subject to the sale of the Buyer's home within so many weeks/month.

So what exactly is a "subject condition"?  Lawyers call then "conditions precedent" which means the condition(s) have to be satisfied or waived before the offer can go "unconditional".  Those subject conditions protect you as a Buyer and typical subject conditions involve financing, inspections, checking Title and looking into the cost of Insurance.

Real Estate buying or selling is tricky and Salt Spring can be one of the trickiest places with Islands Trust zoning and requirements, well water/lake water, building regulations, necessary tradespeople, etc.  I have been on Salt Spring for 16 years and a Realtor here for 14 years so I have a lot of experience and knowledge to assist you.

Anyhow, enough of Real Estate.  It's the Christmas and New Year's time so enjoy your family and friends at this  special time of year.

Seasons Greetings and all the best for the New Year!

Rob