We have had such a gorgeous summer here on Vancouver Island and some of the most fun activities before the cooler weather comes is making the most of being outdoors. Why not combine your summer outings with a chance to keep in shape with these very easy and fun ideas!

Summer has finally arrived on the West Coast and with kids on summer break and out of town family coming to visit, it's hard to decide what to do. Worry no more! This blog covers several events that will be fun for the whole family; and they're all happening right here in Nanaimo and throughout Vancouver Island during the summer months!

The benchmark price of a single-family home in the Vancouver Island Board area broke the $500,000 mark in May, rising to $507,700, a 17 per cent increase from one year ago. With Nanaimo above the $525,000 mark. Single-family homes are down 17 per cent from last year but posted a month-over-month increase of nine per cent. Last month, 520 single-family homes sold on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) System compared to 476 in April and 630 one year ago.

Finally it's the time of the year to bask in some warm weather and enjoy our West Coast cuisine in the great outdoors! The conditions are perfect to put your barbecue into action, so gather the family and friends and enjoy those long summer days. Whether you are at home or off camping, look here for a list of some West Coast signature recipes.

Summer is almost here and while we wait with excitement for long hot days, beach time, family vacations and endless outdoor activities, the reality is that it can be an extremely busy time. If your home is on the market or if you are thinking of selling, you might want to keep in mind the following tips:

As we enter the spring market we will see an increase in activity. We did see home sales drop slightly in March and April 2018, likely due to a combination of government policy changes, stricter mortgage qualification rules, and consumer uncertainty surrounding new provincial taxes. Last month, 399 single-family homes sold on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) compared to 316 in February and 482 one year ago in the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board.

Savoring produce at the peak of freshness, meeting the people who raise and grow your food, and admiring the wares of talented artisans and craftspeople; there are countless reasons for supporting our Island’s Farmers' Markets. Listen to live music while you shop for locally made coffee, baking, jams & jellies, honey, jewellery, pottery, textiles, plants, flowers, wine, meat, and exceptional produce! At the Farmers' Market, you’ll find an amazing array of fruits and vegetables that you don’t see in your average supermarket: red carrots, rainbows of heirloom tomatoes, purple cauliflower, green garlic, watermelon radishes, and more. Food as real as it gets—fresh from the farm, and an added bonus, these farmers, ranchers, butchers, fisherman and artisans are also passionate cooks; who better to give plenty of free advice about how to cook the foods they are selling.

Congratulations to Derek Gillette for being internationally recognized and awarded among 113,804 associates in over 100 countries around the globe, RE/MAX International Network wide!

Stronger than average market conditions continue. Last month, 316 single-family homes sold on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) system compared to 288 in January and 345 one year ago. There were 812 single-family homes for sale in February compared to 947 one year ago.

Spring Break is almost over but there's another long weekend left before going back to school that little and big kids get excited for, Easter weekend! If you don't have any plans and are looking for adventures to be had around the Island, read-on!