Yard maintenance can mean different things to different home owners. I recall going to a home in central Nanaimo in which the home owner advised that his yard was “naturally and organically landscaped and maintained”. When I got to the house, I was amazed that weeds could actually grow to the height of an adult male and grass could still be yellow and dead when it is as high as your waist!! Needless to say, a gentle discussion did take place in which I had to tell the proud home owner that simply doing no maintenance to a yard did not constitute marketing comments that included “meticulously and sustainably landscaped yard with organic products add immense value to this home”!

Growing up, I used to idolize the “Leave it to Beaver” shows on the old black and white TV we had - with the picture-perfect family that I would close my eyes and imagine myself having. My mom was very ill when I was a child, and was constantly in the hospital undergoing surgery after surgery. My interaction with my mom was limited to those fleeting moments when she felt well enough to let me sit with her, before having to go back into the hospital. She did not live to see 34, and the child in me grieved for a long time the fact that I never really had much time with her. I would enjoy going over to my friends’ houses and watching their moms scold them, make a fresh batch of cookies, bandage a bloody knee, or tell us to get outside and play. I think that I was angry for a long time, since I felt “cheated” out these ordinary experiences with my own mom.

The island nation of Nauru boasts just under 10,000 citizens and is located near Papua New Guinea. At one time, this small island boasted the world's highest income per capita due to the massive exporting of phosphate. Naurans were so wealthy that some residents would have luxury cars such as Lamborghinis sent over to the island - with nowhere to drive them! As Naura's phosphate amounts rapidly declined, substantial amounts of phosphate income were invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. As a result of heavy spending from the trust funds, the government faces virtual bankruptcy.

There are times when you have had “one of those days” and really want to share with your friends the “true story” when they ask you how your work week is going. A few years ago, we assisted a retired lady with a small sassy dog that never left her owner’s side. She would cart him around in her purse and do grocery shopping, go the bathroom – you name it, her dog went with her. She also liked her booze a little too much, so you never knew what type of mood she would be in. Things seemed to be moving smoothly with the purchase of her new home until the day of completion. She decided that as soon as she signed the documents, she was entitled to the house – regardless of whether or not the buyers received their money yet. When I reminded her the date for possession, she decided to have a few drinks and take matters into her own hands. A few hours later, neighbors saw the rear end of the woman (who had already tossed her dog inside) sliding through a window and letting herself into the house!!! Needless to say, I gently but firmly informed the woman (and her dog since he seemed to be more coherent than his owner) that she would have to contact another realtor for her real estate needs in the future - AFTER I had ensured that she would not be arrested.

According to Gary Neuman, author of "In Good Times and Bad", he states "...the most important step in managing life's struggles as a couple is to decide that you will focus on the struggle as a team, not as two individuals ready to blame each other". It seems that this is where couples start heading in opposite directions. I have met countless couples (regardless of age or income) who, when considering purchasing a home, have 2 very different ideas when it comes to their dream home. One might want a newer executive home with a smaller yard to ensure a low maintenance lifestyle, while the other partner envisions a slightly older home that they can update to suit their tastes and a good-sized yard for resale. Often times, just being "on the same page" when considering a real estate purchase can ease the level of stress for a couple.

As a parent, I can relate all too well to the simple “truths” in life as viewed through the eyes of a child. It is always fascinating and inspiring to me that children really don’t see the world through the same eyes as adults, and sometimes it is refreshing and sometimes it can be cringe-worthy (if it is your child). A few weeks ago, a client of mine shared with me this great story about how her child had defined “being rich” and I wanted to pass this along. Her son had recently lost one of his baby teeth and had left it for the Tooth Fairy to reward him for his efforts in tugging it out with sheer finger strength (amid tears). The child had left a note with the first tooth asking the Tooth Fairy if he could keep his tooth (since it was his tooth after all). The Tooth Fairy came as promised and left 2 shiny toonies for him. The Tooth Fairy left a small note along with the tooth advising that the boy could keep the tooth and asking the child to brush his teeth twice daily. The child was so excited about becoming wealthy literally overnight!! He had only lost two other teeth and they had been gone for over a year, and the joy of the tooth fairy’s arrival was comparable to a visit by Santa Claus.

Well…Easter is almost here, and I thought that I would share with you some trivia about Easter and the current real estate market. When you think of Easter, you cannot help but think of festively colored eggs. Did you know that Faberge eggs are the most expensive jeweled eggs in the world? In 2002, the Faberge “1913 Winter Egg” sold at auction for $9.6 million! To put that into perspective, there are only 34 home estates listed on MLS listed for sale for $2,000,000 on Vancouver Island Real Estate Board (which does not include Victoria area). You could literally own your private island in Departure Bay (“Jessie Island” is listed for sale for only $3.9 million), a custom-built 5170 sq ft residence that was built in 2007 on Sproat Lake on a tranquil half-acre lot (listed for only $2.275 million) and still have enough money and even afford a condo in Yaletown! All for the price of a shiny jeweled egg.

With it being tax time, I thought that I would share a humorous story with you about write-offs as a real estate professional. I attended a sales seminar a few years back and was introduced to a Realtor who embodied the “work hard, party harder” mentality. At dinner, he announced to the group that he had been the subject of a Revenue Canada audit (which would not seem to be funny). He was questioned at length about 2 write-offs that were quite sizable and considered “red flags” by our esteemed government officials. The first one was concerning his yellow lab (which had not been written as a dependent, although I am certain that some lonely soul has tried before). The second write-off concerned his THOUSANDS of dollars spent on alcohol and bar tabs that he had offered as legitimate business expenses. A dog and beer as an expense for a Realtor? How could this be?

The rich are generally all those who are better off than you and I. But, to the average African, even the poorest Canadian is rich. In fact, I read a shocking article on CNN earlier this week that in Mauritania (a country in West Africa), human slavery was outlawed in 1981 and laws to prosecute slave owners were enacted in only 2007 (with only 2 prosecutions to date)! To the executive making $100,000 a year, the controlling shareholder is rich. To the late Paul Getty, no one was rich if they could count their money. Quite a different perspective on defining wealth, isn’t it?

It’s funny where you can learn lessons about yourself and your business, and sometimes it is in the most unlikeliest of places. Earlier this month, I caught one of Oprah Winfrey’s “Master Class” segments on tv and she was interviewing Joel Osteen, a prominent televangelist in the United States. With over 7 million viewers of his TV ministry each week, Lakewood Church is considered one of the most successful mega-churches in the world. What the heck did I learn from Joel Osteen? What I learned from watching the interview really was quite simple, but reinforced for me the direction that I have always chosen to take in my real estate career.