Search This Blog

Friday 29 September 2017

Big changes ahead

After an eight day house sit in Duncan we made the desision to move to Vancouver Island. But the big issue is where on Vancouver Island. We are both a blend of urban and suburban people. Shelagh has lived in downtown Montréal, I have lived in downtown Toronto and Vancouver. Bust most of our lives have been lived in the suburbs. The suburbs provide you with a larger living space while unban living gives you a more vibrant community. Confusing eh? So what is it to be? An urban lifestyle with everything you need within walking distance or breathing room and a hot tub in the back yard... Time will tell... But first, a little more about our Duncan House sit.


This is Casey, a Cairn Terrier cross, 13 years old and full of life and joy. We had the best time with him staying at his small cottage like home just off the main drag through town. Close to the Cowichan river where we took him for two walks daily to meet his many human and canine friends. He could stay home alone for about four hours at a time... After that he gets bored and might eat the furniture.

While we were with Casey we toured many local towns and little beaches including a day trip to Victoria where he was very much admired by locals and tourists alike. We also met a dear friend and collegue from a previous employer, who met with us in Duncan for lunch. It was great to catch up again and we will definitely reconnect in the months to come. Lorna and her husband Paul now live in beautiful Chemainus...

When we returnd home to Langley we listed our house and it sold within two weeks for slightly above the list price. The hunt for our new home begins now as we start purging the house of all that stuff one accumulates over a couple of decades. Thankfully we are good at purging our stuff, and we do it regularly bringing boxes of slightly, gently used things to the local "Hospice Society" thrift shop. So even if at times it seems a bit overwhelming, the task at hand is not a huge one. We are now in the process of putting together a moving sale which will take place next weekend on Saturday and Sunday.


Our home for the last 20 years was amazing. Shelagh's decorating sense made it look so nice and peaceful. But as the Lower Mainland swells with new arrivals, so do the roads and traffic is so congested and noisy it drives me out of my mind. Hopefully Vancouver Island will be a bit more tranquil. We will leave for Victoria on Monday for a four day stay and tour the town with a realtor who has spent his entire life there and knows the city like no other. It will be very exciting. If Victoria does not produce a house or condo to our liking, we will continue to the Cowichan Valley and look for a nice bungalow style house...

We will keep you posted...

15 comments:

  1. Congratulations on such a quick sale. Your home is beautiful. Good luck with the hunt for a new one. You will have fun decorating it and making it your own. Keep us posted.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Actually the house was listed on the 6th, we had two viewings on the 8th plus the first open houses and had two offers that evening. First offer was at full ask but we accepted the higher offer but their chain fell apart at the last minute. The other offer was again over but they were the backup offer so that is why it seemed to take two weeks to get it sold. We had so much interest in the place and others wanted to be the backup to the backup offer. Living on a ravine with a sunny backyard seems very desirable and our complex is low density. Been here 20 years time to cash in. Thanks for the comment on our home.

    ReplyDelete
  3. So exciting for you guys!! We look forward to following along on the next chapter of your life!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Now the excitement begins. new places, new faces. Enjoy your new exciting locations wherever you find the perfect home.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Congratulations you will love the Island..good idea about down sizing I know all about that..take care best wishes les

    ReplyDelete
  6. You are more than welcome to spend a few days with us if you want to check out things up here in and near Campbell River.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We would enjoy having you and we have lots of room!

      Delete
  7. You might even consider somewhere like Parksville which is 15 minutes to Nanaimo which has everything you likely would want in terms of city living. Victoria is expensive, not like Langley but still expensive and traffic is mad in the summer time with the tourists. September through April not quite as bad. Glad to hear things are moving forward for you, you will love living on the island, so many places to explore here

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We love Parksville for the beach, but it lacks a village centre, Qualicum is a bit better, but not by much. Nanaimo turns me right off somehow, it's strange, but I get a "no" feeling there... But Courtenay and Comox are cool as is Campbell River, but do we really want to live that far up Island? Choices galore, we will see. Off to Victoria on Monday for a three day house hunt!

      Delete
  8. Congratulations on sale of your home! It is wonderful that it sold so fast and I can see why, it is absolutely gorgeous. I hope you can find something as beautiful on Vancouver Island that will be in a much quieter location with a little less traffic.

    www.travelwithkevinandruth.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Ruth, the next few days will be exciting...

      Delete
  9. Congratulations! All things come in time. We're not quite there yet. Can't wait to see what follows!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Chris, news will come within a few days...

      Delete