Profile

I was born and raised here, and, apart from 6 years after graduating from high school, I've lived here all my life.

I've been married, to my "first wife" Cindy (she refers to me as her "last husband" Eric), for the past 28 years, and we have had three children - Neacol, Jarrod and Taylor. Neacol (smarter and better looking than me) has recently joined me in real estate as my business partner.  We lost our first son, Jarrod, to cancer in 1990 (you may remember him as having been entered into the Guinness World Book of Records for the most Christmas cards ever received, 205,120). Taylor, now 20, has left home and is happily working in a garden supply shop in Victoria, but spending most of his weekends here.

I have been involved in both real estate sales, development and land use issues on Salt Spring for the past 20 years. Apart from being licensed as an Associate Broker, and acting as a Buyer's Agent for purchasers, I am also heavily involved in our diverse community of 10,000.

My activities include being one of the founding directors of the Salt Spring Island Monetary Foundation (SS IMF). The IMF is the force behind Salt Spring Dollars, one of the world's most successful alternative currencies. The bottom right side of the front of the bills bears my name.

At about the same time as we conceptualized Salt Spring Dollars we also organized a contest to design Salt Spring's official flag (the winning one shown above), which now adorns local flag poles, coffee mugs, and car windows.

Local automobile license plates bearing the banner "Sensational Salt Spring Island" are another one of our pet projects.

On the political scene, have been an elected representative of the Island Trust, the local land use planning authority on Salt Spring. My greatest goal during my term was to begin solving the community housing crisis we now face here (similar to Whistler's employee housing problem) as a result of rising real estate prices. While I managed to help get the ball rolling, we are far from the solution at this moment (2008).

When I have the time, I also like to participate in local theatre productions. I'm perhaps best know for my bi-annual role as Ebeneezer Scrooge in the local musical "Christmas With Scrooge," which ran for 25 years (I started out as "Young Scrooge". 

My interest in music led me to play bass guitar in, well.....a teenage rock band. While I may have been the age exception to the other three members, (actually my age was greater than their combined age) I enjoyed spending great quality time with my son, Taylor, the lead guitarist.

My hobbies include keeping healthy and trying to stay young in all aspects (on a sunny summer afternoon you may find me hacky-sacking with local teenagers in the park or roller blading around town).

As one of the longtime, local characters, you can likely hear a story of some sort about me (some good, and some bad, but, I like to think mostly good) from pretty much anyone who lives here. I don't hesitate in sharing my views with the community through our local newspaper, the Driftwood. On average, I contribute about one article or letter to the editor a month. Salt Spring politics being what they are, there is always at least two sides to every issue.

My goal in life, apart from enjoying my children and family (and hopefully grand and great grandchildren) is to blow out 100 candles on a birthday cake, surrounded by friends and family. I figure if not 100, then how many?

My mother, still in good health at 87, is fond of saying "any day above ground is a good day." I like to think any day above ground on Salt Spring is an exceptionally good day.

I hope your day today is a good one, and, if you would like to have "exceptionally good days," perhaps Neacol and I can help you find your home here. Please feel free to contact us. And, while we don't take ourselves too seriously, we pride ourselves in taking your business seriously, and, helping you make the right decisions, based on our combined 75+ years of Salt Spring Island life experience.

Cheers - Eric