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'X' still MARKS the SPOT
Boy! do these words ever take on a different meaning as I write this now in March 2009 - as opposed to some time in ’05 when I first wrote them. Fascinating times indeed. Not even Paradise has escaped the splash rings of the global economic turmoil. Property prices have slipped (inevitable really after a crazy few years), a number of projects have faltered, and one or two - at least for now - might even have failed. Our buyers, for the most part, have disappeared. Or are patiently waiting in the wings to see where this is all going. So, the atmosphere and general sentiment here, as in many parts of the world, couldn’t be more different than it was during those heady days (daze!) of the last few years, when nothing seemed impossible and there was no end in sight for a raging bull market. So things have changed, at least for now. And yet, when I look around me at this achingly beautiful place I call home, I am reminded afresh of why the frenzy of the past few years happened in the first place. My goodness! this is a special little corner of the universe, and I’m absolutely convinced that pretty soon people will start remembering this again and it’ll be business as usual here in the ’Moose. Which of course means devoting as much time as possible to not doing business! But seriously, this time ’round there might be a few little deals out there. No steals mind you, those days are well and truly over, but with prices moderating and more selection out there, we are definitely in more of a buyers' market than we have been for some time. And wow! are those lending rates ever low. So, herewith a simple reminder in the form of my original text, of why you might want to get me to help you buy something in Sicamous...
And I’m convinced the way our area is going to evolve should (cue the original text), "with sensible and sensitive local stakeholder management, be to the advantage and satisfaction of most, in particular in a lifestyle and aesthetic sense. I believe the town can only benefit from the kinds of upgrades to communal facilities and infrastructure that typically accompanies such progress, whilst still maintaining its small town charm, identity and the sort of qualities my family were looking for when we moved here: strong community values, safety, good schooling (I have two young boys), outdoor lifestyle opportunities and last, but by no means least for a family more accustomed to living in the sub-tropics, climate! And here’s the thing …. we found it all in Sicamous - the ‘House Boat Capital of Canada’. Small enough to be homely and intimate, but busy enough in the tourist seasons to have a real ‘vibe’. The summers sizzle, the autumns glow, the winters are kind and the spring’s are, well, simply amazing. Sports men and women are substantially catered for, with world-class facilities in abundance. Throw into this enticing mix an energetic and productive arts and crafts community, and it’s plain to see why we, along with a growing number of converts, chose to live and recreate here".
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