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| Toni & Gary tell you how fabulous Nanaimo is so you will want to move here too... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Tiffany and Steve, January - 2011
We had the pleasure of first working with Gary in October of 2010. We needed someone to help us find not only the right home for our family, but the right property to accommodate our two self-owned businesses, and in a very specific neighbourhood. Gary quickly identified homes that met all of our criteria and he further helped us to create a "short list" by bringing to our attention the various features AND drawbacks of each property we viewed. He was very cognizant of current and past property values in the area and was diligent in guiding us to select a property that was both a good fit to our current needs, and the right saleable investment should our needs change in the further. Once we had submitted an offer on this, our ideal property, we encountered numerous challenges in removing subjects on the very tight timeline the sellers had insisted on. Gary was vigilant in coordinating the efforts of various professionals to keep us on track to meet this tight timeline, and he went well above and beyond his responsibilities as a Realtor in supporting us through this stage of the purchase process. Gary's dedication to exceptional service was clear from the start of the house-hunting process to the very end, when he and his wife, Toni, showed up on our moving day, a stat holiday nonetheless, and promptly started moving boxes with us. This final act really sums up our experience of Gary: outstanding service and exceptional professionalism.
Robert and Julia, November - 10
Gary was strongly recommended to us by friends and he more than lived up to the recommendation. We were apprehensive about working with a Realtor however Gary quickly put us at ease and gained our conficence and trust. He was always professional and honest and never pushed or pressured us into making a decision - in fact he encouraged us to critically evaluate each home and see as many houses as possible so that we coud confidently make our decision. Gary's extensive knowledge of DIY was invaluable when looking around homes - he could explain what work was well done, what work needed to be done, approximate cost and how it could be done. This really helped us in making an informed decision. We were new to Nanaimo and didn't know the city well. Gary and Toni led us in our exploration and brought us to discover new areas, one of which is where we eventually bought our house! They helped us see the pros and cons of each area. They also provided useful information and websites about living in Nanaimo which definitely helped us to settle in. Gary went well over and beyond his duty as our Realtor and we would be delighted to strongly recommend him. We felt very fortunate to have worked with him and Toni and, along with now having a beautiful house to call our own, we have also made some friends.
R. and C. Windley, Nanaimo - November 09
Gary Bowen is a realtor with a professional and very human approach to marketing property. Gary and Toni have a wealth of experience in a number of fields. We were thrilled at how skillfully and effortlessly they elevated our property from ordinary to extraordinary, helping us to create an inviting and pleasing home environment. Gary hosted open houses, welcoming prospective buyers in, spending time with them, going over the features of the property in a weill-informed, professional manner. Gary knows how to accentuate the positive, both in terms of selling property and making the human connections that go a long way toward building community. We were impressed with Gary's honesty and integrity and work on our behalf. It's a real pleasure to recommend him to anyone contemplating buying or selling a home on Vancouver Island.
R. Monjo, Nanaimo - May 07
Thank you Gary and Toni for your dedication you've shown selling my property. I was truly impressed observing your efforts researching and preparing the listing to staging my property. There's no doubt that I would recommend you for your wonderful and friendly attitude as well as for your commitment to providing the best service. It certainly showed in how quickly my property sold. Thank you again.
D. Burns and R. Jansen, Ottawa, Ontario - October 07
When we decided to buy something in Nanaimo in advance of our retirement our main concern was finding a realtor who had experience working with out-of-province clients and who we would be able to trust to support us, from a distance, throughout the entire process. After an exhaustive search of the Internet we initially contacted Gary Bowen because we liked how sincerely he appeared to present himself on his website. Several emails and phone conversations later we felt comfortable that Gary with his quiet, understated manner was the realtor for us. A trip to Nanaimo to meet Gary and to look at property confirmed our initial impressions. He frequently adjusted his schedule to fit ours and his extensive knowledge of the real estate market in the Nanaimo area was very evident during the many enjoyable hours he spent driving us around and educating us about the various neighbourhoods of the city. Rather than feeling pressured and uncomfortable we felt he listened to us, and presented options that supported us to the end result that we eventually bought a property that met all our requirements. We would enthusiastically recommend Gary to anyone looking for a caring professional to collaborate with to ensure an enjoyable experience and positive outcome.
Mark and Pam, Cornwall, UK - May 07
You clearly have a 'people first' approach to your work and have shown a level of knowledge and professionalism that has been a breath of fresh air to us all. We would like to wish both you and Toni all the very best for the future and to say you will be welcome in our home anytime.
G. Corriveau, Montreal, Quebec - May 06
My wife and I recently moved to Nanaimo from Pointe Claire, Qc.. Buying real estate is never an easy task and it is certainly more difficult when moving to a far-away city one hardly knows. From the beginning of our association with realtor, Gary Bowen and his wife Toni, we knew we had found someone who was genuinely working for our best interests. Gary was always extremely generous with his time and attention as he helped us discover Nanaimo. He patiently worked with us to investigate our options - from living downtown to way out at Lantzville (north) or Cedar (south). He patiently drove us, explored with us, explained and helped us to make comparisons and even helped organize short-term accommodation for us when we needed to visit Nanaimo to see things first hand. Over the years I have worked with realtors in other cities. I can say that Gary was probably the best prepared, and most helpful of all. For example, each day when we would set out to look at homes, Gary had carefully planned the itinerary. He had printed out listings for us in the correct order of viewing, complete with spaces to make our observations for each property. This made it much easier at the end of the day to recall the details of what we'd seen. He even provided us with the clipboard and pen. When it came time to make an offer, or to examine strata minutes and arrange home inspections and take care of the legal details, we could always count on Gary for professional care and advice. He never pressured us to make decisions that we were not ready for, even when it meant potentially losing a sale. On the Coast Realty website, Gary says: "... my measure of success at the end of a transaction is how satisfied my clients are, not how large my bank balance is." http://listings.coastrealty.com/realtors-details.asp?id=30570 We can honestly attest that he means it and operates accordingly. We enthusiastically recommend Gary and Toni Bowen to anyone needing a realtor in Nanaimo.
D. Enns and S. Beaman, Colorado Springs, Colorado - July 2007
My wife Sharon and I decided in the fall of 2006 to retire from our jobs in Tucson, Arizona and relocate to Canada's paradise, Vancouver Island. We were fortunate enough to find Gary Bowen's name on our list of potential realtors, at which time we quickly learned we were lucky to have secured him as our agent. He worked with us tirelessly for months by telephone and email, providing us with detailed information, helpful hints, logical advice and lots of nice to know tips. He was patient, thorough, professional, thoughtful and genuinely friendly throughout fall 2006, and winter/spring 2007. We arrived in Nanaimo on May 3rd, 2007 at which time Gary and his wife Toni took us under their wing and made us feel welcome, at home, comfortable and connected even though we were both in entirely unfamiliar territory. Thanks to Gary's dedication, hard work and good common sense, we found a home we both liked, in a neighbourhood we liked, and within our price range. Gary took care of all the tedious details, and from the beginning of the real estate transaction all went better than anyone could have hoped. After all the work was done, Gary and Toni somehow determined that my wife and I were going to be celebrating our wedding anniversary on Vancouver Island. They were kind enough to suggest that we shouldn't have to spend our anniversary alone in a new city. They took us to a beautiful resort on the ocean for lunch, after which we walked along the beach and enjoyed friendly conversation. That anniversary is among our most memorable, and certainly the most unique. Gary was meant to be a real estate agent working with people. His pleasant low-key manner is comforting to people who often experience the stress of finding a suitable home. He always went above and beyond the call of duty, always conducted himself in a totally professional manner, and consistently demonstrated his very considerable real estate talents. We now like to think of Gary and Toni as our friends, and we shall never forget the great service and friendship they provided to us. Gary Bowen is truly a great asset to Coast Realty and to Nanaimo and Vancouver Island. Thank You Gary!
G. and M. Cormier, Ottawa, Ontario - May, 2007
Whether it be staging your home for visits and open houses or finding a new home that meets your criteria and expectations, selling or buying a home can be a stressful experience. Every once in a while, the most fortunate home buyers live an experience that remains impregnated in their minds for years - for example, retaining Gary Bowen as your real estate agent. A couple of years ago, we had to find a home in Nanaimo very quickly, so quickly that we couldn't travel there to view any homes. Gary and his wife Toni exceeded our expectations by going the extra distance of selecting homes that met our criteria, sending many photos via e-mail and eventually finalizing a transaction for us. That wasn't the end of it. Once we arrived at our new home, Gary showed up with his drywall tools and paint brush to give us a hand to customize our new home to our taste. We had been disappointed with the service we had received in our past dealings with real estate agents. Gary and Toni made us change our minds regarding some of the stereotypes we had developed for realtors. There are "good" and "not so good" people in every field of work. We would not hesitate to recommend Gary (and Toni) Bowen to anyone who needs the services of a real estate agent. P.S. Since then, we have purchased a second home using Gary's services.
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