Our perfect land (for us)

[S Robins]

We just bought 3 acres of semin-oceanfront on Galiano Island, one of the Gulf islands in British Columbia. For Americans looking for relatively inexpensive land, you should check it out. It's just one 50 minute ferry ride from Vancouver.

Our property is "semi- oceanfront" because a narrow strip of land between our property and the ocean is owned by the community. But for all practical purposes it looks and can be used like our own. This is the only way we could afford oceanfront, as its just a fraction of the cost of 'real' waterfront.  And its about 25% of the cost of comparable property on the San Juans ferry-access islands.

Our land, which borders hundreds of acreas of community forest, is well treed with diverse foliage, including madronas, birch, pine and  cedar. It comes with a well and pumphouse, a roughed in driveway, and a cleared building site.

Best of all the views are panoramic- and you can walk for miles on sandstone beaches.

Thanks for letting me share my excitement.

[Bouncer]

Congrats! I know the feeling.
Sounds like a lovely place.
Kevin

[glenn-k]

That really sounds nice.  Will you get to spend a lot of time there?

Here's a nice looking place there- 1894 Cabin - The Captains Quarters - now a rental vacation cabin.


and a link to info

http://www.galianoisland.com/cottage.php?sn=0000120568&uid=0200500010

[Amanda_931]

Sounds wonderful.

About the only thing I miss living here is the lack of an expansive water view.

And/or waves to watch.

[hnash53]

I saw that you said "for americans looking for land."

Can US citizens buy Canadian land and live there even though they are US citizens?

Thanks for a reply.

Hal

[Epiphany]

Pictures!  Pictures!

[jraabe]

Americans can certainly own land in Canada. Permanent residency (and immigration) is more complex and perhaps others know more about that. I do know several folks who own a second house in Canada. Some are planning to retire there but again, I don't know what is involved with that. Money and connections always help, of course.

[Jochen]

Hal,

Yes you can buy a house and live in Canada, but only for max. 6 month. Then you have to leave the country. To stay permanent in Canada you have to immigrate. And that is not so easy. I did it with my family some years ago. Working in the IT business and having four children had help at lot.

Be really careful when you might think you will just give it a try and stay there for an unlimited period. It could work for some time. But I have heard also some horror story of families which had to leave the country and everything the owned in Canada was sized by Immigrations Canada.

Jochen

[Amanda_931]

Back eons ago I knew some people who lived in Mexico.  For immigration reasons they had to go back to the U.S. every six months.  But I'm not at all sure how long they had to stay.  Mostly they had to get papers stamped as they came back over the border.

No idea if that's a) still true there or b) true with people wanting to live in Canada.