So, here comes February. A short month, with hearts and flowers (yes, it’s romantic Valentine’s Day), and also the annual Family Day Holiday Weekend.

It’s also introducing the Asian Lunar New Year (begins on the 17th), and is the beginning of the Year of the Fire Horse. Are we all ready to gallop into new adventures?

It is daily getting lighter as we are on the path to June and the longest day of the year. Meteorological Spring starts on March 1st.

Weather & Market Outlook

February might continue January’s Pineapple Express weather with mild temperatures and early flowering…or it may say “not so fast” and throw real Winter our way. In either case, it’s a short and sweet month, and after the practice run of almost daily changes in 2025, we are probably now able to digest any further disrupting shifts.

Real estate in our secondary home/recreational area continues to be characterized by low inventory and relatively stable pricing. Potential buyers inquire, may turn up to view (no local market here), but offer outcomes still are full of hesitations. This scenario has been in place for almost five years. Will 2026 be the improvement year? Many forecasters think so.

The Two-Step Dance

It’s always a two step dance in any buyer decisions: step one is to decide which Gulf Island to buy on. Then one decides what property to choose in that locale.

It all takes time for a buyer decision and most sellers understand it can take one to two years to sell their property. Days on market may be important in a primary residence/city market, but are meaningless in a secondary home/rural region, with no local buyer pool.

Definitely low inventory! The desire to buy is still accompanied by caution, hesitancy, concern.

An Epochal Time of Change

The impact of tariffs, the geopolitical concerns, the individual wars and rumours of larger wars, the polarization of political issues…add in AI and crypto currency…by the time we arrive at the end of 2026, we may not recognize the earlier days of the year.

It’s ever more important to practice our peripheral vision. Tunnel vision, prepared for us to fall into, no longer works. We seem to be in an epochal time of change. We don’t get to choose our time, but we do get to choose our response. This may be our Gutenberg moment. Important to remember that in change lies opportunity.

Ownership Considerations

Already own on Salt Spring or a Gulf Island? A good idea to retain. Trying to buy? Perhaps shared ownership would be a key to positive results? Allow one to build equity and move on?

It’s important to consider options and not assume there’s only one way to accomplish our dream.

We are all lucky to be on this thin strip of coastal beauty known as the Pacific Northwest Coast.

It’s February…enjoy!