2 minute read
10 Minutes With Michael Sikich
ISLAND BOUND
A MORE LAID-BACK LIFESTYLE
by SUSAN M BOYCE
It’s a well-known truism: there’s an allure to island living. Somehow, life seems a bit calmer, more social when you’re “an islander.” And as the pandemic-driven shift toward larger, more flexible home design continues, Vancouver Island is attracting attention from a diverse range of buyers looking for this more laid-back lifestyle. In this issue, we chat with Michael Sikich, principal at The Agency real estate marketing group, about some of the additional benefits.
New Home + Condo Guide: Vancouver Island, especially the five municipalities that make up the Western Communities of Victoria, have seen a boom in development over the last few years. What’s the attraction?
Michael Sikich: Well, there’s the obvious: it’s more affordable than Vancouver, the outdoor recreation is amazing, and it’s more laid back — people here understand how to enjoy life.
But there are many other aspects people are just now discovering. The quality of post-secondary schooling, for example, is becoming a big draw. UVic has a great reputation and is expanding, Royal Rhodes University is attracting attention globally, plus Camosun College is also close by.
We’re now seeing people who want to invest in real estate looking at some of the projects we’re marketing in Langford because their children are talking about moving to the Island to go to school. There used to be a perception that Victoria was mainly retired people, but that’s changing and it’s never been the case in the Western Communities — they’ve always been very family-oriented.
NH+CG: Has the new emphasis on working from home impacted sales?
MS: Yes. Zoom and video conferencing are now so seamless and accepted that one of our consultants had moved there at the beginning of the pandemic and many clients only found out recently. So, you’ve got the benefit of being able to have more space at home at a better price point, yet when you step off the ferry, you really do feel like it’s a different world than the Lower Mainland.
NH+CG: What’s something you think would surprise most people about the Western Communities?
MS: How livable and vibrant they are. In fact, last year, Maclean’s magazine named Langford one of the most livable communities in Canada and BC’s number one community for people who work from home.
You’ve got all the urban amenities people want, there’s a thriving arts and cultural scene, and the vacancy rate is near zero — so you know you can live, work, and play right in the same neighbourhood.
