Sid's Blog

Sustainability In The World Around Us

2008-06-12T15:15:00.000-07:00

Vancouver, BC
Saturday June 7, 2008 - 8:15am

We have now reached the awareness tipping point of “sustainability” in the world around us. In the boardrooms, on TV, in locker rooms, and in café’s across our country, people are talking about the use of energy & water, carbon footprint, the price of oil, and the cost of food. And, the conversation has just begun. For those that don’t realize it yet, the decisions that you make today must seriously consider the issue of “sustainability”. If you are not taking this into consideration today, it will certainly cost you tomorrow.

Take for example the decision to purchase a car. Last year at this time the price of gas was escalating and the early signs of increased transportation costs were everywhere. Those that bought fuel inefficient cars 1 year ago are hurting today. If they leased the car for 3 to 5 years, the pain has just begun. Today, car dealers struggle to sell any car with a V8 motor.

This is the new world that we live in and it is incumbent upon all of us to ask the questions of how we will make adjustments today and in the years ahead. At S&P we ask ourselves and challenge our development partners every day to consider the use of energy and the types of materials that make up the real estate that we represent. In the coming months I will write more about those tangible steps we are making to continue to reduce our footprint in the world today and into the future.

Sid

The World of S&P

2008-04-18T08:31:00.000-07:00

Vancouver, BC
Thursday March 3rd – 1:15pm

Everyday I am amazed at the intersection of people in the World of S&P (WOSP).

Who makes up the World of S&P? It is a combination of Customers (our buyers), Clients (the Developers), Coop Brokers (realtors), and our Team. This is a diverse and passionate group focused on the creation and enjoyment of resort and luxury real estate worldwide. Early in the development of the company, we embraced an important value - "transparency". Guided by this value, S&P will only ever make promises or statements that can be heard by everyone in our world. This provides a very clear guide to ensure everyone in the company has purity of purpose.

The most fundamental promise that we make to the World of S&P is "Better Real Estate, Better Experiences". No matter if you are a Customer, Client, Coop Broker, or Team Member our focus every day is to create better real estate to own, use or represent and during that process, have the very best experience possible. Count on everyone at S&P to be very passionate about delivering on this promise on a person by person, day by day basis.

Sid

Enjoying Spring Break with my Family in Whistler BC

2008-03-31T15:35:00.001-07:00

Whistler, BC
Friday March 28, 2008 – 4:15pm

Just finishing a Spring Break ski vacation with my family in Whistler, BC. It’s great to spend time experiencing what our S&P customers experience with their families. So many of our new family traditions are being established in resort and second home locations, and in the winter, there is no better place than a four season mountain resort. What my wife and I value most in our four season mountain real estate is the ease of access to the mountain. Whether it’s ski-in ski-out or direct access real estate, both make your time away that much more enjoyable. Of course our kids loved the pool and hot tub but they also thought skiing right to our condo was pretty cool.

Next year is Steamboat, CO for some of the country's most fabulous skiing and a fun western town. We have two projects in Steamboat worth checking out. The first is Edgemont with its slopeside AAA location and panoramic views (www.edgemontliving.com) and Trailhead Lodge with direct access to the base and a fabulous pool area all set in an intimate village setting (www.wildhorsemeadows.com). Our Design and Offering team lead by Donal O’Callaghan worked very closely with each developer to ensure that these projects matched what our customers are asking for in a mountain resort home.

Sid

Blogging the Ritz Carlton Kapalua Selection Event

2008-03-28T12:47:00.000-07:00

Kapalua, Maui
March 16th, 2008 - 8:16am

It's the morning after a phenomenal selection event for the Residential Suites at The Ritz Carlton, Kapalua. Yesterday the S&P team sold 93 units totaling $176M in real estate. In the next few days the reporters and everyone in the industry will be asking how did that happen? With all the gloom and doom in the real estate markets how do you create the largest sales success in the US in the past 18 months? It's never a simple answer but what we know is that well designed and well positioned luxury real estate sells in all market conditions.

Today the real estate market is broken into two major categories. The first is the commoditized, over supplied residential markets which have been garnering all the media headlines and virtually all the foreclosure and price depreciation. The second category is the specialty real estate market. This market is characterized by real estate that is non-commoditized (unique/distinct), resort and/or 2nd home, experiential, and higher end. S&P focuses on the second category of real estate and thankfully we continue to find customers who are keenly interesting in owning this real estate.

This is my first journal/blog entry and I look forward to providing you with insights into the world of S&P. If you are passionate about real estate, this blog will provide you with a glimpse behind the scenes of a company leading the way in the resort and luxury real estate business.

Sid