In the village of Chester three properties sold late in the summer at asking prices of $1,500,000 (Back Harbour), $1,975,000 (Peninsula) and $990,000 (Front Harbour). All three of these properties were on the market for over 2 years and the starting asking prices when they came to market a few years ago were $2,500,000, $2,200,000 and $1,300,000 respectively.
Parrsboro Doubling up on
By Martin van den Hemel
Staff Reporter
Sep 16 2006
The head of a local board game manufacturing business is bucking one trend and has become the buzz of a small town in Nova Scotia because of it.
Kerry Martens, chief executive officer of Headz Gamez International on Richmond’s Maycrest Way, recently announced plans to build a new multi-million dollar assembly plant in Parrsboro, a rural coastal community which has a population of only about 1,500 people.
ANNAPOLIS ROYAL: UN names Nova Scotia town world’s most livable
ANNAPOLIS ROYAL WEB CAM Note- On web cam page please scroll to bottom of web cam page for image
CTV.ca News Staff
It’s often called the cradle of Canada, where Samuel de Champlain settled four centuries ago. Now, the Nova Scotian town of Annapolis Royal is being recognized as the perfect little town.
(more…)
Buying a home in Nova Scotia from abroad by Carolyn Ekins http://www.acountrylife.com
A step by step guide to the house buying process in Canada and Nova Scotia.
Buying a home in Nova Scotia, either for investment, holidays or eventual permanent residency is a simple process even if you live abroad and are not Canadian….We did just that in 2004, mostly by e-mail from the UK and were pleasantly surprised just how easy the process was.
Coming to Nova Scotia – Small business in Nova Scotia .
www.ACountryLife.com & Carolyn Ekins
There are many ways to come to live and work in Nova Scotia. You can invest in business from abroad without coming to live in Nova Scotia or you can emigrate permanently by investing in an already established business or by bringing your ideas for a new business to the province.
Chester is a great town to explore on foot. Not only does it have some spectacular architecture, but you never know when you’re going to turn a corner and find an interesting place to have a bite to eat or do some spur-of-the-moment shopping.
There’s a new and different emporium in Chester — Juwil By The Sea. Owner Judith Rudderham not only sells her own lines of fine jewelry, but also has a number of merchants operating under her Pleasant Street roof.
Rear-Admiral “Debby” Piers, has died aged 92. He was a young Canadian officer in charge of a slow convoy to Britain which was severely mauled by U-boats; the episode led to the Royal Navy insisting that the Canadians withdraw from the North Atlantic for further training.
When the 42 ships of Convoy SC 107 set off in October 1942, Piers’s destroyer Restigouche was the only ship with high-frequency direction-finding (HF/DF) equipment, which he had scrounged from the US Navy at Londonderry.
…He took a keen interest in the welfare of his sailors and, in a hard-hitting report of his own, recommended better equipment, more home leave and regular mail, longer work-up periods, fewer short-term appointments and better individual training.
…As Senior Officer of Convoy Escort Groups in the North Atlantic, he has, by his vigorous leadership and aggressive attack, been an inspiration to those under his command.”
…Piers experienced his baptism of fire during the evacuation of France when Restigouche, under the command of Lieutenant-Commander Horatio Nelson Lay, was ordered to assist in evacuating the 51st Highland Division’s wounded from St Valery, near Dieppe.
…The following year, Piers was the newly-appointed captain of Restigouche when she struck an uncharted rock in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland, while escorting Prince of Wales, on which Churchill and Roosevelt held their Atlantic Charter meeting; when she had to put in for repairs, he returned to Halifax, where he married Janet Macneill.
In late 1943 Piers became training officer at Halifax, where he made inspirational speeches about the duty of officers in privileged positions toward their fellow men, while insisting upon very high standards in exercises.
…In 1952 he was Assistant Chief for Personnel and Administration to the Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic, then returned to sea as commanding officer of the cruiser Quebec and as commander of the First Canadian Escort Squadron.
…But in 1977 he was appointed Agent General of Nova Scotia in London, where he promoted the province’s use of tidal energy, publicised the first international gathering of the clans in the province and helped to organise industrial seminars around the country; the following year he was made a Freeman of the City of London.
…”Debby” Piers, who died on November 1, married Janet Macneill, the former wife of Peter Aitken, second son of Lord Beaverbrook, in 1941: he had been smitten since first seeing her on stage at Halifax when, aged six, she played a fairy in a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Rear-Admiral ‘Debby’ Piers
Rear-Admiral “Debby” Piers, who has died aged 92, was a young Canadian officer in charge of a slow convoy to Britain which was severely mauled by U-boats; the episode led to the Royal Navy insisting that the Canadians withdraw from the North Atlantic for further training.
When the 42 ships of Convoy SC 107 set off in October 1942, Piers’s destroyer Restigouche was the only ship with high-frequency direction-finding (HF/DF) equipment, which he had scrounged from the US Navy at Londonderry. Four other corvettes in the escort either had new captains or were fitted with unreliable radar and short-range ASDIC. When they were attacked west of Cape Race, Newfoundland, by an estimated 17 U-boats, Piers used his HF/DF to sweep aggressively around the convoy, driving off most of the shadowers.
But eight ships were sunk on the first night, and seven more in the next week. Piers fought fiercely, but when he limped into Liverpool, the Royal Navy’s criticism was harsh.
Senior officers claimed that the Royal Canadian Navy had expanded too rapidly, had taken on too many tasks and was poorly trained. Admiral Sir Max Horton’s report pointed out that 80 per cent of the convoy’s losses had occurred when it was under Canadian command in the western Atlantic. This ignored the difficulties under which the convoy had sailed, and singled out Piers’s youth and inexperience. Certainly Piers was young; he was earning less than his ship’s doctor. But he had been senior officer on convoys on at least seven occasions without losing a ship; and he had been in the North Atlantic for three years.
The Canadians stuck by Piers, and he left Restigouche in June 1943 with a reputation as a fine seaman and brilliant tactician. He took a keen interest in the welfare of his sailors and, in a hard-hitting report of his own, recommended better equipment, more home leave and regular mail, longer work-up periods, fewer short-term appointments and better individual training. The ensuing reforms greatly improved the RCN’s fighting performance.
The citation for his DSC in 1943 declared: “This officer has served continuously in His Majesty’s Canadian destroyers since the commencement of hostilities. As Senior Officer of Convoy Escort Groups in the North Atlantic, he has, by his vigorous leadership and aggressive attack, been an inspiration to those under his command.”
Desmond William Piers was born on June 12 1913 into one of the founding families of Halifax, Nova Scotia. His father called him Desy, which was transmuted into Debby when he was a baby. In 1932 Piers graduated from the Royal Military College, Kingston, to become the first cadet to join the Royal Canadian Navy. He trained at sea in the Royal Navy and returned to Canada in 1937 as first lieutenant of “Rusty Guts”, as Restigouche was known.
Piers experienced his baptism of fire during the evacuation of France when Restigouche, under the command of Lieutenant-Commander Horatio Nelson Lay, was ordered to assist in evacuating the 51st Highland Division’s wounded from St Valery, near Dieppe. Lay asked Piers to send someone ashore to get in touch with the Highlanders. Looking in his cabin mirror, Piers told himself: “Piers, you’re the one who’s going ashore,” and replied to himself: “Aye Aye, Sir.” After he had packed binoculars, a signal lamp, chocolate bars and a bottle of whisky in his golf bag, he was told by Lay: “Piers, you’re a bloody fool. But okay, find out what’s going on and signal it back.” Ashore, Piers found Major-General Victor Fortune, who was refusing to leave because he wanted to hold the perimeter defences to allow more men to get away, and Piers narrowly avoided accompanying him into captivity. The propeller of his boat was damaged, and he could make only a half knot out to where Lay waited for him inshore.
The following year, Piers was the newly-appointed captain of Restigouche when she struck an uncharted rock in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland, while escorting Prince of Wales, on which Churchill and Roosevelt held their Atlantic Charter meeting; when she had to put in for repairs, he returned to Halifax, where he married Janet Macneill.
In late 1943 Piers became training officer at Halifax, where he made inspirational speeches about the duty of officers in privileged positions toward their fellow men, while insisting upon very high standards in exercises. He also helped to thwart German prisoners of war who had escaped from Bowmanville, Ontario; he controlled the shore side of operations from the lighthouse at Pointe Maisonnette, New Brunswick, though U-536, which had come to pick them up, evaded the trap set.
At the Normandy invasion, Piers commanded the new destroyer Algonquin, which bombarded the shore in support of Canadian and American troops. He also served in Arctic convoys.
In February 1945 he took part in a mock winter Olympics in northern Russia, winning the 100 yards dash; his crew played ice hockey against the locals, which they lost 3-2.
With the return of peace, Piers was second-in-command of the Canadian aircraft carrier Magnificent, and obtained a pilot’s licence; but he also had to quell a protest by ratings exasperated by his maintenance of tough wartime discipline. He held influential appointments in headwaters during an intense period of the Cold War, and was at the centre of decisions concerning the RCN’s commitment in Korea as well as about Canada’s maritime commitment to Nato. In 1952 he was Assistant Chief for Personnel and Administration to the Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic, then returned to sea as commanding officer of the cruiser Quebec and as commander of the First Canadian Escort Squadron.
Piers returned to the Royal Military College as commandant, and in 1960-62 served as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Plans) at naval headquarters. He was chairman of the Canadian Joint Staff and commander of the Canadian Defence Liaison Staff in Washington.
Piers retired in 1967 to his house, the Quarter Deck, at Chester, Nova Scotia, where he took up community work. But in 1977 he was appointed Agent General of Nova Scotia in London, where he promoted the province’s use of tidal energy, publicised the first international gathering of the clans in the province and helped to organise industrial seminars around the country; the following year he was made a Freeman of the City of London.
While thoughtful and considerate of his people, Piers set high standards for himself, and expected the same of others.
At a dinner to commemorate the Battle of the Atlantic two years ago, he played a harmonica and delighted his friends by dancing to the tunes of his own shanties.
He gave 12 acres of land to the Nature Conservancy of Canada in order to ensure public access to one of the last wild headlands of Canada.
“Debby” Piers, who died on November 1, married Janet Macneill, the former wife of Peter Aitken, second son of Lord Beaverbrook, in 1941: he had been smitten since first seeing her on stage at Halifax when, aged six, she played a fairy in a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
• Out-of-province purchasers also helped bolster sales throughout 2005, explains Polzler. “Thirtyfive per cent of major Atlantic centres cited purchasers from other parts of Canada and the United States as a factor in their marketplace. Those centres included Summerside, Bridgetown, Annapolis Royal, Digby, Pictou County, Moncton, Saint John, and Miramichi.
• Oceanfront property remains coveted in most markets on the Atlantic seaboard, with
appreciation outpacing average price increases in many areas. The East Coast continues to be attractive to European and Middle-Eastern purchasers because of affordability. Prices in Atlantic Canada pale in comparison to neighbouring Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard.
Red-hot Atlantic Canada housing market
“Record performances still expected in 2005”
Mississauga, ON (Oct. 17, 2005) – Despite concerns over rising energy costs, most major
housing markets in Atlantic Canada are expected to post record performances in 2005, according
to RE/MAX.
The RE/MAX Atlantic Market Trends Report found that 41 per cent of markets surveyed in the
region had experienced some softening in sales activity in September, but most had rebounded by
month’s end. Leading in terms of percentage increase in unit sales is the Northern New
Brunswick region (including Miramichi), where year-to-date figures available* are up a
substantial 27 per cent over 2004 (341 vs. 268 units). Average price appreciation is greatest in
New Brunswick’s Edmundston where values have climbed 22 per cent from $90,000 to $110,000
year-to-date.
“Increases in energy costs may have served to deter some purchasers from entering the market in
September, but once the initial shock wore off, activity across the region recovered,” says
Michael Polzler, Executive Vice President and Regional Director, RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic
Canada. “Consumer confidence levels overall remained high in most of the markets surveyed.
Purchasers were buoyed by solid economic performance, lower unemployment levels, and
relatively stable interest rates. The recent rate hike may have even prompted some fence sitters to
enter the residential marketplace.”
The top five performing markets in the Atlantic Provinces year-to-date in terms of unit sales are as follows: Northern New Brunswick at 27.2 per cent (341 vs. 268 units), Bridgetown, Annapolis Royal, and Digby at 23 per cent (140 vs.114 sales), Grand Falls at 18 per cent (107 vs. 90 units), Saint John at 17.7 per cent (1,164 vs. 989 units), and Edmundston at 14 per cent (142 vs. 125 units). Price increases were greatest in Edmundston at 22 per cent, Middleton, Greenwood at 20 per cent ($130,000 vs. $109,000), Moncton at 8.6 per cent ($123,681 vs. $113,897), Bridgetown, Annapolis Royal, and Digby at 8.5 per cent ($93,500 vs. $86,200) and Grand Falls at eight per cent ($135,000 vs. $125,000).
Luxury home sales were a serious factor in 53 per cent of the markets, says Polzler.
Uncharacteristically strong activity was reported in nine of the 17 markets surveyed, including
Charlottetown, Summerside, Bridgetown, Annapolis Royal, Digby, Middleton, Greenwood,
Halifax-Dartmouth, Pictou County, Moncton, Bathurst, and St. John’s, Mt. Pearl, Conception
Bay.
“The significant increase in upper-end sales may have contributed to the double-digit appreciation
reported in some markets,” notes Polzler. “These sales would artificially inflate prices in areas
where smaller volumes were reported.”
First-time buyers continued to be the engine driving real estate activity in the Atlantic. Entrylevel purchasers fuelled demand for housing priced from $75,000 to $125,000 across the board. A shortage of this type of product was reported in 29 per cent of markets, including Summerside, Bridgewater, Pictou County, Grand Falls, and Fredericton. Low inventory levels overall were reported in 35 per cent of markets – Summerside, Middleton, Greenwood, Bridgewater, Truro, Pictou County, and Grand Falls. Conversely, 41 per cent of markets reported an increase in the number of homes listed for sale – Charlottetown, Bridgetown, Annapolis Royal, Digby, Halifax- Dartmouth, Saint John, Edmundston, Fredericton, and St. John’s.
Out-of-province purchasers also helped bolster sales throughout 2005, explains Polzler. “Thirtyfive per cent of major Atlantic centres cited purchasers from other parts of Canada and the United States as a factor in their marketplace. Those centres included Summerside, Bridgetown, Annapolis Royal, Digby, Pictou County, Moncton, Saint John, and Miramichi.
Highlights:
• Given the strength of the first-time buyer segment of the market, it comes as no surprise that
the popularity of condominium apartments has surged in Atlantic Canada, particularly
Halifax-Dartmouth, Truro and Fredericton.
• Bungalows, however, remain the product of choice by far, fuelled by first-time buyers,
boomers and retirees. (Unlike other areas of the country, single-family detached homes
remain an affordable entry-point for most first-time buyers in the Atlantic)
• Oceanfront property remains coveted in most markets on the Atlantic seaboard, with
appreciation outpacing average price increases in many areas. The East Coast continues to be attractive to European and Middle-Eastern purchasers because of affordability. Prices in Atlantic Canada pale in comparison to neighbouring Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard.
Christine Martysiewicz Eva Blay/Charlene McAdam
RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic Canada Point Blank Communications
905-542-2400 416-781-3911
* Year-to-date (January to August 2005)
Source: Canadian Real Estate Association, Local Real Estate Boards
edited by Tim Harris, Broker, Tradewinds Realty Inc.
Chester, N.S. Canada
www.seanovascotia.com
email: Tim Harris
When the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) television show, Singalong Jubilee popularized the lyrics of the old song Farewell to Nova Scotia, they didn’t think someday people might begin to take them literally.
3 articles
INMAN NEWS
Prices have increased
http://www.lendinguniverse.com/RealEstateNewsStory.asp?story_id=48197&url=999
HALIFAX LIVE
NDP still saying “save our shores”
http://www.halifaxlive.com/artman/publish/coast_290905_773.shtml
New York Times Article
The Allure of buying an island
http://www.luxuryrealestate.com/scripts/index.php?siteScript=siteNews&cat=MemberPress&ID=237
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