Nanaimo, BC
Phone: 250-716-7001
Toll Free: 1-888-716-7001
E-mail:garyandtoni@retiretonanaimo.com

About Us

Coming Here

In the summer of 2003, we came to Nanaimo from Almonte, Ontario – a picturesque and interesting little town west of Ottawa. Both of us had ongoing health problems, and we had discovered that my health improved dramatically during a visit to the Victoria area in the summer of 2001. The decision to make the move was an easy one, but it was two years before we had our affairs in order (i.e. children away at university and college!) and were able to do some serious planning. By that time, Victoria was no longer affordable for us, so in January we visited Nanaimo. Sitting in the Buccaneer Inn looking out over Newcastle Channel, we both felt that we were home – that this was where we were supposed to be. (That feeling was reinforced when we called our daughter at the University of Guelph back in Ontario, and got a taped message telling us that, although the University was still open, it was recommended that students seek shelter on campus rather than attempt to drive home through the winter storm!).

Since arriving in Nanaimo, there isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t look around us in awe and think how lucky we are to be living here. Our two new favourite pastimes are hiking the area trails and Latin dancing, so that says something about how the move addressed our health issues!

Our Backgrounds

Over the years, between the two of us, we have bought, sold, renovated and redecorated countless homes, so that getting into real estate work here on the Island has been a natural extension of a life-long love of houses.

Gary originally trained and worked for many years as a paramedic. During that time, in addition to being on the road, he spent some time in management, he helped design equipment and he instructed courses, including some at the instructor level in various first aid and rescue techniques. Following a back injury, he returned to school, getting a degree in biology and retraining as a teacher. Keen interests in biology, astronomy, and Canadian history, especially military history, served him well in the classroom. Construction and building have, at various points in his life, provided Gary with a main source of income, a source of supplementary income, and/or a hobby.

I worked for twenty-five years as an elementary school teacher specializing in special education, until a run-in with arthritis (perhaps more of a head-on collision) necessitated some “lifestyle alterations”. Interests in working with and helping people and talents in organizing and designing and decorating have made this career change a particularly rewarding and exciting one for me.

And Now

Both of us come to real estate, Gary as a licensed REALTOR with me as his assistant, with many years’ experience working with people, often in demanding, stressful situations. We bring with us strong skill sets in the Three P’s – People, Problem Solving, and Paperwork – all of which are essential in this field! As former teachers, we want to educate our clients and provide them with the best information possible so that they can make the best choices for themselves in real estate. Our goal is to provide exceptional service to a limited number of clients. Our philosophy fits well with that of Coast Realty Group. People. Above all.