This cute character home on Dorchester avenue in the city’s downtown core sold last week for full asking price! There is a renewed energy in Charlottetown these days with the recent announcement of a new convention center scheduled for construction and new hotels in the works. PEI still offers the most amazing real estate prices of any seaside paradise in the U.S. or Canada. BC residents and others from Canada’s west continue to embrace the affordable and safe way of life on Canada’s Island Paradise. Call Hamish for your PEI real estate needs…902.218.0496.
The New York City based daytime talk show, ‘Live with Regis and Kelly’, arrived on PEI a few days ago to set up production and all of PEI is taking notice. The crowds are huge, as are the expectations for what this visit will do to increase PEI tourism and recognition for Canada’s smallest province in the U.S. "Many people simply do not know that PEI exists", said Robert Ghiz (PEI’s top politician) in a recent interview. The PEI government has been strongly critisized in recent weeks for shelling out about one million in tax payer’s funds to lure the highly rated U.S. morning program to do four shows on Canada’s Island Paradise, but PEI tourism officials stand by their decision to bring Regis Philbin and Kelly Rippa to the Birthplace of Confederation and hope the move will be a panacea for the Island’s sluggish performance as a tourist mecca in recent years.
Others question the wisdom and performance of PEI Tourism officials for maintaining ‘The Gentle Island’ advertising campaign that has been widely critisized as unimaginative and ineffective in recent years. There is little doubt that the ‘Regis and Kelly’ show will have a positive impact to some degree. Future statistics will show if the effects will be long lasting or simply ‘fly by night’, but thousands of people are embracing the excitement. Some may argue that it’s simply a ‘Hail Mary Pass’ late in the fourth quarter and not a more elaborate initiative designed to provide a well defined marketing strategy- time will tell.
Vancouver, BC now boasts an average house price of one million dollars and waterfront property in the millions. Prince Edward Island is one alternative offering affordable real estate and the dream of oceanfront ownership.
(I-Newswire) May 3, 2010 - A new trend is afoot thanks to an average housing price in Vancouver, BC of one millions dollars, which makes multi-million dollar waterfront and water view properties only possible for the ultra elite. It seems this new reality is fueling a growing exodus of honest hard working BC residents who now realize that home ownership, a comfortable retirement, shore front/view land, and a safe environment for family are likely far more possible on ‘Canada’s Island Paradise -a.k.a. Prince Edward Island.
PEI offers affordable land, homes, water front or water view possibilities, like a recently listed sea view home and cottage business with repeat clientele for under five hundred thousand in French River. A similar BC property with this type of home and renovated cottages would be worth well into the millions. A retiree can also expect to find a quaint three bedroom home in a fishing village with water views for under one-hundred thousand. In BC, you would pay at least several hundred thousand for such a home with water views.
Hamish Redpath of www.LivethePEIdream.com , a resource for anyone who loves PEI, offers his perspective, "PEI is a natural alternative for people seeking a safe haven to raise kids or retire. The island is amazing, affordable, fun, has great theatre and golf, and the winters are a lot shorter than rumoured- It’s paradise!"
Prince Edward Island real estate and the whole ‘Retire to PEI‘ topic was discussed on early CBC morning radio on Monday when I was interviewed about this website. It’s all about celebrating Canada’s most affordable and beautiful province- PEI. Nancy Russell, a CBC journalist and producer, is exploring the topic of ‘Selling PEI’ and how we can attract more people to live on what is known as ‘Canada’s Island Paradise’!
Take a moment to listen to the podcast at the website below. I am featured in part one along with Kerry and Murray Howarth of Priest’s Pond, PEI and part 2 examines recruitment of international students. It looks like Tourism PEI will be discussing its perspective on Thursday morning when they share more insight into their marketing strategy for PEI.
Title of ‘Canada’s Island Paradise’ Goes to Island Province of PEI!
The remarkable Title of Canada’s Island Paradise has been awarded to Prince Edward Island for a second straight year. The competition is as tough as ever with beautiful islands from coast to coast to coast all vying for the trophy, but somehow PEI continues to beat out popular west coast Islands, including Vancouver Island and Salt Spring Island, which have threatened to take the lead. Prince Edward Island seems to capture the title when all of its merits are weighed, including beyond par golf courses, warm waters thanks to the shallow Northumberland Strait, larger than average lobsters, world class theatre, and the most affordable seaside real estate in Canada or the U.S. It truly is a magical environment, and despite a strong effort from Baffin Island in the North, PEI came up aces again in 2010.
Congratulations to Prince Edward Island on its second win and good luck in 2011. The award is granted annually in a secret ceremony in early April at an undisclosed location somewhere on the winning Island. Premier Robert Ghiz was not available for comment, but a close associate was quoted as saying, "I’m honoured to hear about the award and believe we have a good shot to capture the title again in 2011", which will be an election year for the young PEI premier.
The woods can be thick with spruce trees on Prince Edward Island and they often grow tall and skinny, so what to do? Healthy wood lot management on PEI means you have to become friends with your chainsaw and thin out the forest, allowing certain trees an opportunity to meet a healthy maturity. It is an endless amount of work, but is probably the best physical workout you can ever experience, and once you invest in a chainsaw and safety gear, it’s free, unlike a monthly gym membership.
PEI pioneers did not have the luxury of a chainsaw and so many modern tools that help cut down on time and effort. How did early PEI settlers manage in this new world with just basic axes and simple tools? I can work for hours in my woods clearing an area and building my somewhat unique pioneer stockade, but no progress seems to have been made. How did the pioneers do it?
My ’stockade’ isn’t quite finished and I’ve only been working on it for about four years, mind you, I can go months in between a day of cutting down my thin spruce, which are nailed vertically into place. It’s quite the sight if you stumble upon it by chance in my woods. I imagine early settlers from the Isle of Skye in Scotland would have assembled similar structures upon their arrival in eastern PEI, on Selkirk’s ships, in August of 1803. Hopefully I have the time to finish it this year. It’s almost done, but it all depends on where it falls on my list of priorities. There’s always so much to do when you’re living the PEI dream.
PEI is rich in great musicians and a thriving music scene. There must be something in the well water. Sarah Sandford is one of the young ones who will definitely see a growing fan base as the years progress. The petite songstress has a big heart with lots of passion for her music and what she does best. Sarah writes most of her own music, which ranges from melodies about life’s tribulations, to belt it out rocker chick mayhem! A brilliant talent on five instruments, a jaw dropping voice, and she’s just getting started. Look out for this wild lass down the road. This much talent in one petite package comes with just enough attitude and is destined for great things. Check out the song above and feel free to contact this website to learn more about this PEI Talent.
I find it slightly amusing that the PEI driver in the above situation is not only a vet student at the Atlantic Veterinary College at UPEI in Charlottetown, but also a Vegetarian. The nerve of the cows! As a vegetarian, she insists on surviving on soy products and veg alone in order to protect the lives of these beasts that cause traffic mayhem on PEI roadways. Imagine how dangerous PEI roads would be if all PEI residents were vegetarians. The Trans Canada and all of PEI’s back roads, both dirt and paved, would be congested beyond reason, with everything from Herefords, to Black Angus, and maybe a Highland or two with those dangerous horns.
Consuming PEI beef is likely one of the most prudent and effective methods of maintaining safe Island roads, and blaming PEI vegetarians alone is hardly the answer. After all, some vegetarians, as in the case of this driver, believe their sacrifice of animal protein in their diet is one statement they can make to assist their cause. Call it the K.D. Lang syndrome, but the need to preserve bovine life is quite pervasive in some circles. It is also the responsibility of Prince Edward Island farmers to assure the public that their fencing is properly installed and maintained to limit cattle escape from pastures. That said, accidents do happen, and beef farmers are busy people, working long days for low beef prices, in a society that allows vegetarian free speech.
The debate will continue as well meaning vegetarians strive to save herd life in a world driven by hamburger sales. Hard working beef farmers will continue to toil in PEI barns, hoping for the day that fair prices for their animals once again return. In the meantime, stay vigilant at the wheel and be sure to get your protein, whether it comes from a Ribeye or a chickpea! And the cows in the photo should be very thankful that the Vet Student’s Toyota wasn’t factory flawed.
I met a guy from Britain last year who lives near London and spends some of his year in the Middle East working for a big firm. He discovered Prince Edward Island and its real estate deals just by chance on a visit through Nova Scotia. Popping over to PEI on the ferry was a simple after thought thanks to a gas station attendant in Cape Breton who put the idea into his head. "I wouldn’t have really heard of Prince Edward Island otherwise" shared the nice Brit. "PEI is just a place you never hear much about, certainly not in Britain, but even my American friends don’t really know it."
So much for PEI Advertising one would think?! But a lot of people on the Island like it that way. This nice British gent ended up purchasing a small house in a quaint fishing village east of Charlottetown and would actually prefer, as would many residents, if no marketing budget existed to promote this gentle island paradise. He spends part of each summer here, feasting on lobster, playing golf, and recharging his soul before venturing back to the hustle and bustle of London and points further east.
There is likely some worry that PEI’s unique recipe for its magical lifestyle will catch on a little too much at some point in time and others will discover the affordable real estate prices and special pace of life. We need to at least encourage a certain flow of people to support our tourist Industry, which provides jobs, and supports our local economy. The difficulty then is to balance our need for tourism with the need to protect PEI and this special way of life.
I think it’s safe to say that anyone willing to settle on PEI will do so because of that way of life and will join the collective efforts to make sure this island continues to develop in a responsible manner. PEI is worth protecting- and it’s certainly worth discovering!
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Sarah writes most of her own music, which ranges from melodies about life’s tribulations, to belt it out rocker chick mayhem! A brilliant talent on five instruments, a jaw dropping voice, and she’s just getting started. Look out for this wild lass down the road. This much talent in one petite package comes with just enough attitude and is destined for great things. Check out the song above and feel free to contact this website to learn more about this PEI Talent..jpg)
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