(ps. They are as soft and cute as you think they are - I know because one kissed me while I was snorkeling in La Paz.)

Anyways, I digress. My laid back, easy to please clients, John and Barb Haggarty have just moved to Loreto from Cabo to take advantage of a more relaxed way of life and a projected increase in tourism now that FONATUR is coming in to start developing the area. The have opened Mision Loreto Properties with the intent of providing qualified real estate services to people in the Loreto area. They go as far North as Mulege and down South to La Paz.

They are members of AMPI Los Cabos so they have access to the excellent (best in Mexico IMO) MLS system and you can search for all the listings in the Los Cabos area right from their site, which if you know anything about searching for real estate in Mexico, is a rare treat!

The site is built on wordpress using the mls IDX feed for the listings and some amazing imagery supplied mainly by a local photographer. Beautiful place, great people (sharp sense of humour!) and a nice looking, well functioning website. Check it out!

SPRING 2011 Issue

About a year ago I started to question where I was headed and what I wanted to be when I grew up. I didn’t find the answers to that line of questioning but I found some direction and about 8 months ago started Mexi-Go! Properties Inc. with a couple of partners. Together we have been building a huge custom listings website, launching a 64 page glossy magazine and spending about 18 hrs a day starting our start-up!

It has been an amazing experience and while it’s far from over it is about to propel me in a new direction. This summer my family and I plan on packing up and moving to Mexico. Some of it is for the weather, some of it is for the freedom (from a mortgage, from bureaucracy, from the rain) and some of it is to facilitate the growth of this business.

Mexico is a land of great opportunity and I could talk your ear off why it’s a great place to be - but that’s for another time. Right now I just wanted to take a break from some of the work and let you see what I’ve been up to.

Check out Mexi-Go! Properties at www.mexi-goproperties.com on Facebook and at  Twitter  and be sure to check out the Mexi-Go! Magazine!! 

She’s great! Tons of fun - livens up any party. She is also one of the top commercial brokers in Victoria, BC and I recently finished a website for her. She moved back to the Island a few years ago and has made some serious headway in the market. She has great style, knows the business and treats her clients and their properties with the utmost professionalism. That’s partly why she asked me to do a personal website for her business - so she can ensure her clients (and potential clients) are receiving the most  current information in an easy to use system.

If you are looking for retail or commercial space in Victoria or on the island in general - call Anne. Or you can visit her new website here.

Revive your brand.  Renew your marketing program.
Retool your website.  Reacquaint yourself with your clients and your community.

It’s like the old adage of the grasshopper and the ant…
Fall is typically a slower time of year for home sales in the Lower Mainland and now is not the time to rest on your laurels. While some of us use this time wisely  - like the ant - many others are like the grasshopper. The predicted slow downs and increasing interest rates will make 2011 a challenging year for those of us that are more like the grasshopper than the ant. Prepare yourself now and reap the rewards. A successful real estate business is built on quality and consistency.

If you are looking for a polished new look, ongoing marketing assistance or an honest and insightful assessment of your business model along with creative out of the box solutions to build your business stronger than ever - then call me. I work with many of the top brokerages, brands and real estate agents across Canada providing business consulting, marketing direction and creative services.
Visit my website for more information: www.madelinemilne.com


Call me for a confidential consultation today.

Madeline
778.882.5635

With ten years experience in real estate marketing, strategy and design, we can build an effective modern plan around your business needs and work with you to ensure that you are realizing your full potential. From simple marketing systems to more complex, integrated media strategies, we can increase your presence in the market while updating your brand, and at the end of the day, help you to work smarter not harder.

Consulting  |  Marketing  |  Graphic Design

Cabo San LucasTo me it is a country of warm generous people, beautiful art and culture, great food, gorgeous natural landscapes and good value! And the nearly one million ex-pats living across the country?… They clearly they share my sentiments. I have been travelling to Mexico fairly regularily for the past 15 years (longer if you count a couple of trips when I was a kid) and each time I see, taste, try something new and I learn more about this beautiful place that keeps drawing me back.

Last week I went to Cabo to meet with some new clients who own a great B&B along with a couple of other investment condos. They’ve been in the real estate business since moving down there in 1999 but with the new market realities have decided to strategize their marketing, update their branding and come out strong for the upcomng winter season. I sat down with Craig and Lori Harrison { theCABOharrisons} over seven days and helped guide them towards a more professional, streamlined approach to running their business and the results so far have been beyond expectation.

Now don’t think I worked every minute of those seven days - because I didn’t! I took a little road trip to the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen (and I’ve seen a few) toured around the charming artists community of Todo Santos - best Lemon & Rosemary sorbet ever!- and spent the evening in a roof top pool overlooking the La Paz harbour watching a spectacular sunset.

Hacienda CerritosThere is so much to see and do when in Mexico. The possibilities are endless and I’m not the only one who feels this way. Ask my mother and her group of semi-retired friend and nearly everyone of them vacations each winter in Mexico. Some have even made a permenant move down south. The weather is always warmer than here, the people, the top notch healthcare, the value for your dollar and the ease of getting around make Mexico not only a great vacation destination but also a wise place to invest.

Over the next few months I will begin to roll out a comprehensive program around buying and selling investment properties in Mexico. There is a world of colourful, warm and delicious opportunity there and I need to share it with you!

Not my deck. Borrowed from lauratrevey at flickr.com

We are thinking of moving and nearly 92.6% of me wants to… or wanted to. I’ve made some decent equity and I have a secure interest rate for almost 1.5 points less than my current rate. Seems to make sense. But now… I feel overwhelmed with my options and with all the changes going on it’s even more unpredictable. What to do?

1. Move - take the equity and the lower mortgage, buy a cheaper property, have more $$ in the bank. Fresh start.

2. Stay - hold on for a few more years. Mortgage rates might go up - but we all said that in 2007 when I locked in at what was suppose to be a GREAT! rate… uuummhhmmm Not sure I believe the banks.

How do you make this decision? Because while the rational side sees the dollar signs, the rest (which is far more irrational - I’d say it’s a 40/60 split) says “what about your garden that is so cute?” “neighbours that watch your kid” “how great it is to have the school RIGHT THERE” or “how sunny is my back deck?” … sigh…

There in lies the problem with real estate. It is emotional and for most of us it is really challenging to see through the emotion to the reality. But that’s not to say they can’t be one and the same. Like these people who just paid $60k dollars over asking for a place in my neighbourhood. Rational?…

Marketing real estate is a fine mixture of both the practical and the emotional.  Don’t forget to share both pertinent market infomation and how great and sunny the deck is. Both buyers and sellers will appreciate your well rounded approach.

Now, mustn’t forget the sunscreen and where did I leave my book?

Regal Ridge - Sasquatch

I grew up just outside of Osoyoos; spending many sunny days on the lake, eating Tiger Tiger ice cream cones at the Windmill and slipping down the Waterslides. From the Husky at the top of town to the Dairy Queen at the bottom there doesn’t seem to be a huge influx of new amenities and I’m not sure how I feel about the changes made to the Windmill… I mean Rattlesnake Canyon… though I know an eight year old who would be all over it.

With temperatures easily reaching 40c in the summer it’s no surprise to see all the resort development along the waters edge. The new Watermark looks gorgeous and from my understanding it’s selling well and at a fair price. But what peaked my interest the most is the Regal Ridge development overlooking Osoyoos. I’ve driven past the animal sculptures a number of times but never bothered to stop - until now. The 8,000 acre master planned community is a huge undertaking but if the Sasquatch (with case of Kokanee under his(?) arm) that greets you is any indication - this development is something unique. My husband and I pulled into the Eagle entrance and drove the freshly paved roads - those lots have some of the most fantastic views. I could visualize myself, mojito in hand, lounging in the infinity pool looking towards the US side of Osoyoos Lake and the layers of blue mountains in the distance.

Each time I drive Hwy.3 I tell my husband, “this is the year we buy a place up here”, and you know what… this might actually be the year. Stay tuned.

Here’s the Regal Ridge website and Watermark site,in case you’re looking for something in town…

We all get busy, you’ve got multiple offers for multiple clients and you’re working eighteen hour days, so it’s understandable when a few of the steps get missed along the way. That’s where our expertise comes in. We will build a strategy to focus your business, increase exposure of your listings and keep you in touch with your clients. These three simple marketing channels will help you to work smarter, not harder.

Whether you are looking for some new ideas or a whole new approach, we provide comprehensive marketing strategy and design services for the real estate industry. Contact us for more information on how we can work together to help you to attain your goals.