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SEAS6 RM - 252 - Meet Kelly Robertson: From the City to the Fraser Valley! Join us as Kelly takes us on a journey into sustainable living and eco-friendly practice
January 11, 2024 | Posted by: Michele Cummins
SEAS6 RM - 252 - Meet Kelly Robertson: From the City to the Fraser Valley! Kelly takes us on a journey into sustainable living and eco-friendly practiceWatch Segment One Here - Meet Kelly Robertson: From the City to the Fraser Valley!:
Watch Segment Two Here - Kelly takes us on a journey into sustainable living and eco-friendly practice:
For More Information:
Kelly Robertson Realtor®️
RE/MAX Magnolia
Phone: 604-970-1829
Email: klrobertson4@shaw.ca
Let's connect.
✅ Personal website: https://www.michelecummins.ca
✅ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelecumminsrealtor/
✅ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FraserValleyRealty/
✅ Twitter: https://twitter.com/CumminsRealtor
✅ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@michelecumminsrealtor
Michele Cummins
Cell: 778-885-4659
Email: mcummins@remax.net
HASHTAGS
#BuyingaHome #SellingaHome #luxuryRealEstate #FraserValleyRealEstate #RemaxRealtor #remax #remaxcanada #remaxmagnolia #FraserValley #AbbotsfordRealEstate #LangleyRealEstate #MissionRealEstate #FVREB #CumminsRealEstateShow #FraserValleyRealEstateTalk #Mission #Langley #Abbotsford #RealEstateInfo #RealEstateInformation #RealEstateInvestment #cumminsgrouprealestateshow #remax #dowhatittakes #abovethecrowd #realestateradio #design #beautifulhomes #transparency #betransparent #loyalty #fraservalley #listings #realestatestats #realestatemarket #MicheleCummins #mission #BC #RE/MAXMagnoliaShow #KellyRobertson #ecoliving
Curtis Pope 0:36
Well, here we are is Saturday morning. You know what that means? It's time for the REMAX Magnolia show normally with Michelle Cummings, but well Michelle, she's not here. So it's me I'm always go hosting but we have Kelly sitting here today from Remax magnolia. I forgot your last name though, Kelly, I shouldn't give you the full name.
Unknown Speaker 0:52
Robertson, Kelly
Curtis Pope 0:53
Robertson. There we go. So it's Kelly Roberts. I should have asked that before we went on air. You know, you think I'm a professional and then I go into something like that. So Kelly, it's good to have you here because you're the last REMAX Magnolia person to have on the air.
Unknown Speaker 1:06
Thank you. Nice to be here.
Curtis Pope 1:08
So you were doing your best to avoid this. I know it. Yes.
Speaker 1 1:11
I was hoping. Extended holidays and then you know, new year. Moving on
Curtis Pope 1:17
just doing what you could now I mean, this is this is easiest. This is not that if I can do it, anybody can do it. That's I always tell people, okay, and plus James has been here. He's been okay at it. So,
Unknown Speaker 1:27
if James can do it, I can do it. That's right. Here's
Curtis Pope 1:29
our weekly shot at James. Yeah, seems to happen a lot. So tell me Kelly, tell me a little bit about Kelly Robertson, and you know who you are and all that. So well. First off, you know, where are you from? Well,
Speaker 1 1:43
I was raised in Richmond, Richmond, DC.
Curtis Pope 1:48
No, yes. I'm a Richmond boy. Are you if you told me what Steve said, hi.
Unknown Speaker 1:53
I totally went to Steve Austin. Hi.
Curtis Pope 1:56
I'm a I'm a colt. You're a Richmond. I got I got Oh, no,
Unknown Speaker 2:01
we've got a rivalry. I
Curtis Pope 2:02
gotta leave. Actually. Here's the funny joke. My wife's name is Kelly. Yes. And she went to steeps in high you're joking. No. So my gosh. So the fact that we even get along? Yes. is amazing. So
Speaker 1 2:13
what about Hugh Boyd Burnett? Burnett.
Curtis Pope 2:17
I went to Boyd okay. That's my my wife went to Boyd too. So that's funny. Yeah. So we had rival middle schools. Yes. rival high schools. Now of course, all those. They're all high schools now. Yes. Yeah. So Richmond so obviously we grew up in West Richmond in the same area and stuff too. So whereabouts of Richmond. Did you grow up? Yeah,
Speaker 1 2:35
right near Steve Austin. Okay. Yeah, I lived in Richmond back and forth from Vancouver to Richmond up until just over 10 years ago.
Curtis Pope 2:46
Okay. Yeah, yeah, no, it's changed a lot since we were kids.
Speaker 1 2:50
Oh, my goodness. I say like Chilliwack reminds me a little bit of how Richmond used to be a little bit. Yeah, right. Like farmland and open spaces. The river. We had the Fraser in Richmond, right. And yeah, but now Chilliwack is also growing quite fast, too.
Curtis Pope 3:11
Yeah, absolutely. I know the similarities. Because I you take the mountains away and you you're surrounded by the Fraser River instead. And you've got pretty much what it used to be with all the farmland and everything else. Yeah. I mean, remember when Terra Nova was was farmland? 100%. Yeah, now it's high priced houses.
Speaker 1 3:28
Yeah, yeah, everywhere you look. Well, that's
Curtis Pope 3:32
that's awesome. That's hilarious that we we grew up in a similar area. That's too funny. So when what brought you to the Fraser Valley,
Speaker 1 3:40
baby number three. Ah, yeah, Richmond became a little small and, you know, expensive. So next thing you know, we've got three kids in tow looking for somewhere to go. Have more space and Chilliwack was the right place. Yeah,
Curtis Pope 3:57
absolutely. And Chilliwack is an area that's still for lack of a better word affordable. Yeah.
Speaker 1 4:04
Yes, it it sort of is depending on your perspective. But yes,
Curtis Pope 4:10
but once you're out in the valley here too, especially growing up and in the suburbs, you know, and things like that are in Vancouver. You'll learn that there's so much to do out here outdoors wise like you want to be on the lake you can be in the lake and a few minutes. You want to go for a hike while there's hiking trails around town in everywhere else as well. You don't just have to go to the nature park and do the same trail a million times right or walk around mineral Park. Yeah.
Speaker 1 4:30
The Nature Park blast from the past. Yes. I love that for the kids. The fact that when we moved out we moved to Yarrow. So we have the Vetter river right there, which was a five minute walk from where we were living. So it was easy to just take the kids and there's so much to do just even there and like you say Cultus is right there. And the mountains you can go hiking so it was the best decision ever. Yeah.
Curtis Pope 4:57
So what made you decide you want to get into real estate where How did that path you know find you?
Speaker 1 5:01
Well, um, to be honest, I started getting into real estate when I was really young. I bought a presale condo before I was 20. In Richmond way before, people were thinking Richmond was great. And so it was very affordable. And I asked my dad for some help, I got a mortgage. And so we're going, you know, like 25 years back to where I started. And then every couple of years I would buy and sell. And it was really working well. And, yeah, then at some point, I was, I was pregnant with the third child and realized that that would be a great job that had flexibility. So I took my test. And I passed
Curtis Pope 5:52
No, okay, so it was just kind of, uh, you know, you got into at a young age and developed a liking for
Speaker 1 5:57
it. Yeah, it was like a hobby that turned into a career. So
Curtis Pope 6:01
you pretty much that's that's all you've done in your adult life is real estate. Pretty much.
Speaker 1 6:04
No, I used to teach fitness. Okay. Yeah. And worked in hotels. Okay,
Curtis Pope 6:09
so were we doing for fitness, we are doing like, you know, spin clauses.
Speaker 1 6:13
Okay. Yes. Spinning yoga in the Richmond community centers. Okay. You
Curtis Pope 6:17
know, the, you know, that's one thing that I will give credit to Richmond. I know we keep talking about Richmond. Richmond has great community center.
Speaker 1 6:24
It was amazing. We had so much to offer such a vast population like we would do, you know, classes for kids, we would do classes for teenagers, prenatal seniors, they were so well taken care of the seniors in the community centers. So I really enjoyed that.
Curtis Pope 6:43
And the other thing is like, yes, we do have some great community centers here in the valley too, in Chilliwack and Abbotsford but there's like six or seven of them in Richmond where there's like, three out here. Yeah. Oh, no. It's
Speaker 1 6:55
it's like night and day difference. The what we offered in Richmond, for sure. The city of Richmond, I believe, like really did do well there.
Curtis Pope 7:05
Yeah, yeah. And has for a long time. That's one thing. I will give him props for that. I mean, my dad still lives there. Yeah, my mom still lives in Richmond. Yeah, my dad's living in the house. He bought 1974 on railway Avenue. For $43,000.
Speaker 1 7:19
Oh, yeah. I think my parents spent 17,000 on their double lot.
Curtis Pope 7:23
And, you know, it's like, what are you waiting for dad? Sell it move. What you doing, man? Yeah, give me a call at six. Come on how much? I have to come and help paint and you know, the lawn? He doesn't he's gonna ride on lawn. Oh, okay. But okay. Every year, it's as the younger son, I have to get up in the ladder and clean out the gutters and stuff like that. Oh, yeah, I get the fun jobs. You know, I'm not getting any younger either. Come on, why do I got to do it? Last year, I was doing it. And my son was holding the ladder and I went, why am I up here? There's a problem. But you know, that's just it right? But so now you're you've been in the belly for a number of years. And now you've found your way to working with Michelle Cummins and the crew at at REMAX magnolia. And how's the experience been there so far? Oh,
Speaker 1 8:09
it's so good. Yeah, it was it was an interesting transition because I left Chilliwack Real Estate Board to go to Fraser Valley. And it was right before Christmas. So you know, there's lots going on. And she was just under construction in the new office. So you know, lots of activity lots going on. But you know, we did it. I made it through the other side. And now I'm there and the office is amazing. It's aesthetically gorgeous. As well as like, everyone is so lovely. That works there. I'm really excited for this year, just to be starting, you know, with everything complete now. And yeah, it's just going to be a great year. I can sense it.
Curtis Pope 8:54
Yeah. And I know that we've had everybody from the brokerage on now, obviously, Michelle's here all the time. It's her show, but we've had everybody else now too. And it does seem like that Michelle has managed to piece together a pretty fine team of people with diverse backgrounds, diverse skill sets, that really must, you must make it easy to lean on one another for help in that office.
Speaker 1 9:17
Yeah, it's really, I'm learning so much already, just from meeting everybody and hearing what their, you know, experiences have been Michelle, of course, has got such extensive experience in the industry. And I'm so excited to learn so much from her because she's done so well with her career, and I just am so you know, happy to be just learning from that group.
Curtis Pope 9:41
Yeah, I mean, that's just it. I mean, you've got you've got Michelle, who has so much experience in the industry here in the valley, with everybody else has experienced and things like that. Yeah, it just must make must make for a real good kind of family feel there.
Speaker 1 9:55
Yeah, there is no discomfort in the office and we're A small group and you know, just the way it's set up in the office, you walk in, you get your coffee, and you hang out and you work. So I think it's, I always feel like, if you're having fun, you're more prone to success, I believe. And so I think that's going to be our key is that we're all hanging out having a good time. And then the success just follows. Well, there's
Curtis Pope 10:26
so many 1000s of real estate agents out there. I know some of them have maybe take one listing, some aren't really practicing and to have a license wherever else. But I guess there's so much competition, you really have to define your own niche and how you do it. 100%
Speaker 1 10:39
Yeah, and Michelle does what what the office what REMAX Magnolia is doing that I can see is there's so many details that most people wouldn't even consider that she has gone above and beyond to bring for us. So we stand out. So we are noticeably, you know, going that extra step for our clients. So I appreciate being a part of that because that is it is true. There's it's such a such a competitive market. And you really do you need to do the extra 510 20 steps in order to stand out. Absolutely.
Curtis Pope 11:18
What was that we should probably take a break here. Now. I'm going to put you on the spot here. Do you know the website address? Because I do if you don't, okay. Because what shall I always say? Where can people get information about listings and things like that, and she just rattled it off, but when I asked the rest of you guys are you like oh, what is it again? It's REMAX magnolia. realty.com
Speaker 1 11:38
Okay, yeah, I was gonna say real estate realty
Curtis Pope 11:41
or Google, or Google, just Google. Google is where everywhere exactly, it's not that hard. All right, we're gonna take a quick break we'll be right back with more right after this.
And we are back with segment two of the REMAX Magnolia show normally Michelle come with us here but she's away on a little trip. So I'm always here. My name is Curtis spoken with me. We have Kelly Robertson from Remax Magnolia, who we discovered we have a lot in common from our past growing up in the little hamlet, the little village of Richmond. Yes, the little Richmond a little small little place.
Speaker 1 13:08
Small little island of Richmond. Lulu Island. Yes.
Curtis Pope 13:11
Yeah. We'll give you a little history lesson on Richmond here. No, we're not going to do that. But one thing I was going to ask you is is, you know, I live in the Fraser Valley. I grew up in Richmond. You grew up in Richmond, you live in the Fraser Valley. And and we're not alone, I ran to a few people I went to high school with and things like that, that now live out here. And it seems to be that a lot of people have made that jump because it's just more affordable out this way. Yeah,
Speaker 1 13:34
definitely. I think it all obviously started in 2020. When people didn't have to go in and work in a office, they were able to do online work. And so they started branching out on where they wanted to move, or you know, where they could move to?
Curtis Pope 13:52
Yeah, that definitely seemed to be part of it. But even before it seemed like there was you know, I guess what the price is, when you compare what a home enrichment or delta or Ladner costs compared to what you can get here in Abbotsford mission or or Chilliwack. mean it's a pretty big difference.
Speaker 1 14:09
Yeah, that's what we did. It was way before COVID When we moved to Yarrow, and we were living in Richmond, so sold the house in Richmond took some time to look around. We didn't just choose Chilliwack we went and looked. We went to Squamish, we went to Vancouver Island, we went to Pemberton, we went Saltspring Island. We looked all over to see where it was a great place to raise a family because you know, as you grow your family, you want to have a lot of different things for to raise them, right, which is you want to have affordability, you want good schools, you want to have a good community The accessibility to all the, you know, like community centers, all that stuff. So we took our time and Chilliwack. Well, Yarrow was where we ended up. And it really did. It offered so much for a family for a young family. So that's where we ended up going. And I see why so many people are following along. Yeah,
Curtis Pope 15:24
it was a neat little spot to because it is a small little community out to itself. But then at the same time, it's a hop, skip and a jump to get to Abbotsford or Chilliwack or Cultus lake or, or whatever. It's this little gem kind of on the edge of the valley there.
Speaker 1 15:37
Yeah, even just to drive back to Vancouver from Yarrow, you're just that much closer. It's under an hour, really. And you're there. So it's unique that way. And yeah, 20 minutes to Cultus and into Chilliwack. And they have an elementary school there as well. So it's a small town with its own Elementary School, which is right near the Vetter River, which is amazing. They take the kids out, they get to explore.
Curtis Pope 16:04
Yeah, it's a great little spot. And I imagine that's, you know, in some of the things that people do look at, I mean, I know I've had a few friends obviously about to move out of Richmond because you get kind of get priced out and once you leave, you're probably not going back. I know it's the same with North Vancouver, Vancouver a lot of these places but, you know, once you do leave, you're probably not gonna be able to afford to go back but when you get out here you find that it's a pretty great lifestyle.
Speaker 1 16:25
Yeah, I think what I've noticed over the years of of selling houses out in the valley is you do get these people that go wow, I had no idea once they get out here and realize it's not just like a country, you know, we have everything you would want out here. And we also have access to all the outdoor you know, activities that you you know, right at your doorstep. So it's great it's a great value.
Curtis Pope 16:55
And even the other thing that we don't don't really talk about much because the dollar hasn't been great but yeah, you can cop across the border to you can be in Bellingham in no time if you live in the valley.
Speaker 1 17:04
Yeah. 100% The SU mas border crossing right. Right there and it's never
Curtis Pope 17:09
as busy as Peace Arch.
Unknown Speaker 17:11
Yeah. Yes. Don't need to go there. Yeah.
Curtis Pope 17:15
So I mean, there's that too. I mean, you've got it's a really great central place. You want to be in Vancouver, you can be in Vancouver, you want to be in the Okanagan Mike can be in the Okanagan. I mean, it's, it's a good spot, and I can see why people want to move out here. And again, the big key is affordability. Yeah,
Speaker 1 17:27
exactly. We also even have the airport in Abbotsford, too, right? Which you can fly out of there and go anywhere you want. So, yeah, I think that people are catching on and they're just slowly making their way out. You know, it started with Langley and you know, moving to Abbotsford and mission, and Chilliwack is is getting busy. The schools are full, they built a brand new school. It's an elementary and middle school right on the river to accommodate all these people coming out. And yeah, from what I've seen in people I've sold houses to that they're so thrilled with the with the change with the move out here. And
Curtis Pope 18:08
of course things are changing too when it comes to what you can get out your ex I know we were talking a bit Kelly about you have an eco village that you were telling me a bit about. So tell me more about that. Yeah.
Speaker 1 18:19
When we moved to Yarrow, I started meeting some of the families out there and a few of them were mentioning that they live at the Yarrow eco village. And I had never heard of this before. And when I started to get invited there, it's actually just over a 20 acre farm in the back. And 33 unit residential in the front. So you have like, it's not a townhouse, where some it's so many different configurations. Some of them are houses, some of them are a two bedroom unit. Some of them are what they call a quad, which is like a house with four different residences inside that share the kitchen for affordability. So essentially, you are a percentage owner inside of this house. So you are a home owner, but you don't have to buy the whole house, you just buy a percentage and share the kitchen. So they're trying to branch out and come up with ideas for affordable living. So that's one unique way that they've done it.
Curtis Pope 19:25
That's a pretty cool idea, actually. And you know, the fact that there's a farm attached to it too, is is kind of cool, I guess. Does that get through the ALR stuff like that to do it that way or? Yeah, so
Speaker 1 19:35
the farm is actually an option. You can lease an acre of farmland when you live there. And it is ALR and it's a certified organic farm. And yeah, you pay yearly it's really affordable and then you can use it for your own small business or for feeding your family. Some people have chickens there's apple trees, blueberries, some people grow nothing but blueberries and then sell them at the markets in the summer. Yeah, so it's kind of fun to have that. And then also, if you're a young family, it's really nice to have access to all of that with young kids because they get to grow up and experience that lifestyle, and learn just right from home without having to buy a farm. Right.
Curtis Pope 20:23
Now, for something like that. I mean, I don't know if you'd have any idea. But you might have a rough idea, we know is that a great way for people to kind of get into the housing market and something like that? I think
Speaker 1 20:35
so. When I've sold and represented sellers for that, the Euro eco village, what I noticed was we've got people coming from all over, it's not just one, you know, you're not just coming from Chilliwack, we've got people, a lot of people coming from the city looking to get more space for their families, but can't afford to buy a house. So they can come in at the price of a, you know, a condo and get access to all of the outdoor space, they also have a common house, which they host community dinners at. So you can participate in, like a community living where you share meals with your neighbors, and you don't have to do all the cooking yourself, which is appealing to young families and downsizers as well, people that are you know, kids have grown up and left home and you're alone. And then you get a place where you can kind of go meet your neighbors and actually, you know, help each other out.
Curtis Pope 21:36
Very cool. Okay. Now, you're also telling me, you know, off air that you've got a chunk of property right on the river, you've got a bit of a hike to get there, but it's really not that far from the Fraser Valley. Tell me a bit about that.
Speaker 1 21:47
Yeah, um, well, it's the hat latch river. So we ended up finding stumbling upon this estate sale, and they sold portions of land up on the river there. And so we decided, because we had sold our house in Euro, and we were renting that that would be a really great investment for our family. And for our friends. We have a large, extended family that loves nature. So we, yeah, we got this piece of land. And we're super thrilled about it. And it's great on the river. It's off grid, it's off the forest service roads. So our kids get to run around and go hiking and fishing and, you know, make fires and learn all about the edible plants and forage for food. So it's been really fun.
Curtis Pope 22:39
That's really cool. And that was just something you just kind of came across as an estate sale. So that's something that you keep an eye on for. So if you had a client going, I'm looking for a chunk of property, but I only have this as a budget. And you know what, there's a place up here or over there. Yeah,
Speaker 1 22:53
I find that people do come to me knowing that we have this for ourselves. I do attract a lot of people that are like, well, I want to get an off grid piece of land or I want to move. A lot of people come to me that are looking to get out of town. Like I recently sold people that were living in Port Moody, they wanted to get out of town and they bought up in Boston bar, they couldn't be happier. So yeah, now that people know that I'm familiar with that kind of a real estate transaction, they do come to me and I do enjoy helping them because I think it's a lot of fun. And it's great for people to get out and experience nature.
Curtis Pope 23:32
Well Kelly, it's been great having you on here as you fill in for Michelle today. And of course it's another one of the team members from Remax magnolia. And if people want to have a look at your listings, or what you guys have going on, I guess they can go to the website, they can
Speaker 1 23:45
100% or come visit us at the office because we're open admission and we'd love to have you
Curtis Pope 23:51
and you guys have a really kind of cool like, you know the stuff on the window for people to read all the listings don't yeah,
Speaker 1 23:57
they're backlit they're all They're all put up now. So Friday nights James will be singing Yes, Friday night every Friday night James not James will be singing but we do have James is
Curtis Pope 24:11
there sometimes James is there sometimes. Sometimes we let them sing sometimes we don't. Sometimes with a guitar sometimes knives, right. Sometimes he's jack of all other times. He's got a guitar sometimes Richard joins them. 100 So head on over you can find them right on third Ave and mission and yeah, you've got all the displays up there and people can see all your listings and everything else. Yeah, exactly. All right. Perfect. Well, thank you for coming in. Kelly. Thank you. And join us again next week when we will talk real estate in order to unlock your real estate potential on the show real estate is maximized. Thanks for listening