St. Andrews New Brunswick Real Estate

A St. Andrews by-the-Sea Guide

2010-09-10T12:00:00.002-03:00

From Westjet's Up! Magazine
by Shelley Cameron-McCarron

Canada’s first seaside resort town, St. Andrews by-the-Sea, NB, has many claims to fame: it’s by the ocean; it blends historic with modern; there’s a lot to do, especially if you love the outdoors; and its grand dame hotel lets you slow down and enjoy life.

Don’t be like me. Don’t come to the sprawling, swank, gracious old Fairmont Algonquin without a firm spa reservation in hand.

Trust me—if ever there was a place for pampering, this is it. Towering over an an original Loyalist town 25 minutes from the Canada-US border, the grande dame hotel simply oozes grandeur.

You will gasp as you drive up to the turreted, Tudor-style castle, past lush gardens and colourful Adirondack chairs strategically positioned by fire pits, perfect for evening cocktails and complimentary marshmallow roasts.

You will exhale as you step across the wide, elegant verandah, greeting handsome, kilted young bellhops, en route to the lobby. You will want at hour in the Spa at the Fairmont Algonquin. For history’s sake, if nothing else.

When the Fairmont Algonquin opened in 1889, the hotel quickly became a haven for rejuvenation. One of the most popular features was the “cure-all” saltwater baths—drawn from nearby Passamaquoddy Bay.

Guests would take to the waters in specially equipped bathtubs with four taps—two for fresh water and two for saltwater. While the saltwater taps are long gone, the promise of rest and relaxation are very much in evidence.
And it's Family Friendly

Ideal as it is for a romantic rendezvous, the Algonquin also makes children feel like rock stars. Just ask my three.

Smudge, a former seeing-eye-dog-turned-uber-popular-lobby-dog is a magnet for young fry, who get their own special check-in (and gift). Staff practically gushed as my kids walked down the halls, offering high-five, hand-slapping love.

It must be something in the water. Even hotel guests in the elevators were giving cheery “bye-byes.”

For 121 years, the likes of Sir John A. and Lady Macdonald, as well as horror guru Stephen King (some say he based The Shining’s grand hotel after the Algonquin), have come to refresh and recharge.

Today’s amenities include a heated outdoor pool, the spa, several restaurants and a pub, mini-putt, supervised beach, the seaside Algonquin Golf Course and Academy, and perhaps the biggest crowd-pleaser of them all, Smudge.

While on duty, the canine ambassador (hey, she has her own business cards) is happy to tool hotel guests around the property. Just book a time with front desk staff.

As idyllic and beautiful as the Fairmont Algonquin is, the nearby spots of St. Andrews and surrounding areas are far too cool to skip. Here are my favourites:
Explore and Discover

Absolutely fascinating is the best way to describe nearby Ministers Island—even in the rain, the tidal island enchants. We drove across the ocean floor at low tide by taking the Bar Road to see the circular, quarried beach stone bathhouse and the rest of Covenhoven, the lavish 50-room “cottage” of railway legend Sir William Van Horne.

Van Horne's legacy rests here. This is the only place to tangibly gain insight into his genius, and decadence. Employing 40 people at the property's peak, his gardeners grew the largest peaches in the east, and his cows and creamery were award-winning.

But truly the key attraction is the beauty of the 500-acre island. Visitors can picnic, hike and bike 12 kms of trail and take guided estate tours. For the first time in 50 years, farm animals are back on the island. The island is also undertaking a racehorse rescue program.

Visiting Ministers Island costs $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and students, while children under seven are free.
Eat Local

Fiddlehead soup shooters, anyone? If you’re in the mood to treat yourself to creative, outstanding fare, you’d do well to reserve at the Rossmount Inn, a popular country inn.

The ever-changing menu is culled from fresh seasonal and local ingredients with pickings from the inn’s organic kitchen garden and wild harvested foods.
Unleash Your Inner Artist

Feel like dabbling in print-making or pottery? Sunbury Shores Arts and Nature Centre offers art and nature courses for children and adults using the awesome natural environment of the Passamaquoddy Bay region as inspiration.

After you’ve got the creative juices flowing, explore the stunning town murals. Artists of oceanfront Jarea Art Studio and Gallery have been painting the town bright.
Get Wet

Any visit to St. Andrews would be remiss without whale watching or sea kayaking. Experience the Bay of Fundy with operators such as Seascape Kayak Tours and Quoddy Link Marine.

Also worth a stop is the Huntsman Marine Science Centre, an aquarium that's been operating since 1972. This smaller, temporary aquarium is in place as work is completed on the 1858 sq.-metre Bay of Fundy Discovery Centre Aquarium that's set to open in 2011.
Stop to Smell the Flowers

Kids. What do they know? Mine did not want to go to Kinsgbrae Gardens. At all. But once they got there, they were so enchanted with the 27-acre site complete with ponds, birds, butterflies, trails, cedar maze and amazing selection of theme gardens, they did not want to leave.

Bonus feature? The Coffee in the Garden Café in a turn-of-the-century manor house designed by Edward Maxwell, who with brother William designed many of the town’s stately summer homes.

One final note—for the record? The Algonquin spa accommodated this Johnny-come-lately. Ah. Bliss.

How to Get Here

St. Andrews is about an hour and an half drive from the Saint John airport. Take Hwy 111 to Hwy 1 West.

Follow it through Saint John and down the coast to the St. Andrews exit. Take Hwy 127 into town.

Canada's Top Second Home Spots

2008-06-09T23:11:00.003-03:00

Luxury At A Lower Price
Other areas with a limited amount of luxury real estate (but a lot of buzz) include the west coast of Newfoundland and St. Andrews by the Sea, New Brunswick, which is seeing increasing traffic from the U.K. and Ireland, according to Christine Martysiewicz, a spokeswoman for Re/Max Promotions.

Although most homes in these areas don't reach $1 million in price, they're attracting attention from European investors who recognize the value. Most of the homes are right on the water, and job opportunities are growing--there is nearly $10 billion ($9.87 billion U.S.) in combined capital works projects pending for Newfoundland and Labrador's Avalon Peninsula.

Whether you're looking to invest in a property with potential or enjoy the spoils of an in-demand area, Martysiewicz says Canada's variety is endless.

"Canada, coast to coast, has an abundance of recreational property areas," she says. "There is a phenomenal uniqueness from province to province."

In Pictures: Canada's Top Second-Home Spots

Quoted from www.Forbes.com article as linked in title

Must-See Places To Visit Before You Die

2008-06-09T23:06:00.002-03:00

When the travel book 1,000 Places to See Before You Die hit bookstores in 2003, it quickly became a bestseller and an essential read for travelers and aspiring travelers everywhere. Now author Patricia Schultz continues the theme of must-visit destinations with the release of 1,000 Places to See in the USA and Canada Before You Die.

Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick

The Fundy Coastal Drive: The bay boasts the world's highest tides, rising as much as 48 feet in six hours, sculpting the area's pockmarked coastline with unique hiking opportunities.

St. Andrews-By-The-Sea: This charming village, just 30 miles from the Maine border, boasts a choice of aristocratic accommodations.

Stay At: Kingsbrae Arms Hotel www.kingsbrae.com.

Cost: $250 (off-peak) to $500 a night (peak season).

In Pictures: Top 15 Places To Visit In Canada Before You Die

Quoted from An Article on Forbes.com as Linked in the Title

Interesting Facts about Whale Watching in St. Andrews New Brunswick

2008-05-24T23:19:00.000-03:00

Sightings May Include: inback, Minke, and Humpback whales, seals, porpoise, dolphins, the occasional shark and bluefin tuna, to name a few.

(Quoted from Tourism New Brunswick)

Whale Facts

Do whales sleep? Not really. Whales have to be conscious to breathe so they never go into a “deep sleep” like humans do. Rather, they let one half of their brain sleep at a time and sleep about eight hours a day in this fashion.

How fast do whales swim? Typically, the bigger the whale, the slower they travel. One of the fastest whales in the Bay of Fundy is the Minke. It is known as the “cheetah of the whales” and has been clocked at speeds of up to 40 km (25 mi.) per hour!

Whale Words

Breaching
Leaping clear of the water. The whale uses its flukes under water to gain enough momentum to rocket its massive body into the air before crashing back down with an enormous splash.

Bubble Clouds
A feeding tactic. The whales swim under water, releasing clouds of bubbles that rise to the surface in a dense cloud. The bubble clouds likely confuse the fish and concentrate them in one area. The whale then swims through them, mouths wide open, and catch all the fish.

Lobtailing/Flipper Slapping
Bringing the tail out of the water and slapping it – loudly!

Logging
Lying still or near the surface.

Pods vs. Gams
A pod is used to describe a flock or school of birds, whales or other fish. A gam is often preferred to “pod” when referring to whales. The term “gam” is a Scandinavian word that means “a social visit” or “a school of whales”. When a group of whales are seen together, they are said to be “gamming” or congregating.

Run with the boat
Harbour porpoises and some of the smaller whales have been known to swim alongside the boat and jump in and out of the water as the boat travels.

Sailing
Often performed by the rare Right whale, “sailing” means hanging vertically upside-down in the water, 'standing' on its head, with its tail flukes in the air.

Spy-hopping
Raising the head slowly and vertically out of the water, then sinking below without a splash. Some scientists say this is evidence of the whale’s curiosity. They like to “spy” on their environment above the water.

About the Bay of Fundy New Brunswick Canada

2008-05-18T23:50:00.000-03:00

From Tourism New Brunswick www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca

St. Andrews by the Sea New Brunswick

2008-05-15T22:19:00.000-03:00

The community of St. Andrews By-The-Sea has attracted visitors and residents alike for many years. It has historically been the residence of choice for the wealthy and executive of both Canada and the United States. Today, St. Andrews is one of New Brunswick's most prestigious locations and is ranked as one of the top best towns to live in all of Canada.

Toward the end of the revolution in the colonies to our south British loyalists dismantled their homes and sailed them across the Bay of Fundy into Passamaquoddy Bay and settled in St. Andrews, a slender peninsula at the mouth of the St. Croix River. Soon there were a hundred square riggers in St. Andrews Harbor doing lively commerce with Britain and the Indies. By 1870 the square riggers were gone, but by this time St. Andrews was reinventing itself into the Newport of Canada.

With the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railroad and the impressive Algonquin Hotel the rich and famous were not far behind. Many of their “cottages,” survive today as does the Algonquin Hotel, “our castle on the hill.” The history of St. Andrews continues to ebb and flows like our tides, always changing but ever constant.

Today St. Andrews by the Sea is a charming, prosperous and visually stunning residential community. The downtown is filled with quaint shops providing unique and convenient services and many restaurants including one of “Canada’s 12 best.” Salmon tenders and lobster boats work from the town wharf and the harbor provides safe mooring for private boats and whale watching boats during the summer. Seven active churches in St Andrews and an abundance of community and cultural groups satisfy most every interest. There are day care facilities, excellent public schools, a community college, three dentists, a physiotherapist, a pharmacy, full grocery store, a library, museums, a hockey and curling facility, a Marine Biology Station and Aquarium. Three Canadian Mounted Police serve St. Andrews along with a fire department and ambulance service. The hospital in St. Stephen is a 20 minute drive and a border crossing into the United States is there as well. A one hour drive to St. John and you are at a major medical facility, a major airport or the ferry to Nova Scotia.

Our Algonquin Golf Club is a world class seaside golf course on the 45^th parallel….half way between the equator and the north pole. At the Algonquin you can play a challenging round of golf and share some of the areas most remarkable ocean views with deer, eagles and an occasional moose.

Enjoy Kingsbrae Gardens, crystal clear lakes, beautiful forests, the surrounding islands whales, seals, herring weirs, fog, glorious sunrises and breathtaking sunsets, the wonderful air and most of all the exceptionally friendly people. The air and the people are not easily explained……. so you will have to visit and experience them for yourself.

Cindy Kohler, Sales Representative

Cell: (506) 467-2263 Office: (506) 529-8777 Toll Free: 1-866-644-8777
Email: Mail@CindyKohler.com

Web: www.fundybayrealestate.com and www.cindykohler.com

Fundy Bay Real Estate Group

2008-05-15T22:16:00.000-03:00

Fundy Bay Real Estate Group Inc., your Real Estate Specialists in Southwest New Brunswick for the communities of St. Andrews, St. Stephen, St. George and surrounding areas including Deer Island, Grand Manan, and Blacks Harbour.

Our Mission:
"To provide all existing and future clients with the greatest standard of real estate services whilst upholding our reputation for developing long term customer relationships based on the cornerstones of "honesty", "integrity", and "professionalism".

We believe that for this firm to be successful, we must set out our philosophy of doing business clearly. These things, above all else, are important to us:

Integrity
No other single attribute of a person or of a business can have such an impact on success or failure. We believe that every action must be taken with truth and honesty, and if we must ask ourselves if it is all right to do something, it probably is not. There must be honesty in every action, truth in every word. We expect honesty from our employees and our sales staff.

Service
Our clients and customers have a right to expect outstanding service. We are paid not for our time, but for our service. If we expect to be well paid, we must provide the highest level of service available. We expect our employees and our sales staff to provide excellent service.

Hard Work
No organization can grow and prosper unless each member of the team puts forth the maximum effort. Often, we feel a tendency to “let down,” and to do less than our best. We expect hard work from our employees and our sales staff.

Professional Competence
We should never undertake an assignment for a client or customer unless we have the training and experience to do the job. We believe in continuing education, for only by learning better ways to provide service can we enhance our reputation. We expect our employees and sales staff to continue learning.

Cooperation
An organization can be great when all members are working together for a common purpose. It can be only mediocre when some are rowing in a different direction. Helping one another when possible will bring harmony and wealth to us all. We expect cooperation from our employees and sales staff.

Accountability
Our clients and customers must be happy with the transaction, or we shall not get repeat business. If we make a mistake, we must be accountable and make it right with the customer. We expect our sales staff to be accountable for mistakes if a client is damaged.

Professional Ethics
The Code of Ethics of the Canadian Real Estate Association of REALTORS^® is a guide for our daily business operations. The laws are clear as to our obligations to our clients and customers.

Cindy Kohler, Sales Representative

Cell: (506) 467-2263 Office: (506) 529-8777 Toll Free: 1-866-644-8777
Email: Mail@CindyKohler.com

Web: www.fundybayrealestate.com and www.cindykohler.com

About Me - Cindy Kohler

2008-05-15T22:09:00.000-03:00

A long time resident of St. Andrews with a young family, I enjoy sharing my enthusiasm about the area with others. I am active in the promotion of St. Andrews as a place to live and a place to visit.

I am currently Chair of the local BIA (Business Improvement Association), Waterfront St. Andrews; I am a member of the Indulge Festival marketing committee; as well I am a member of the St. Andrews web site re-design committee.

Having a diploma in office administration coupled with years of experience in web design, print media, and a love of photography, I am fully prepared to create and support all web-based and digital media strategies that will help to find and market your home. Whether you’re thinking about buying or selling, using new technology helps me to consistently provide you with the timely information and outstanding service you deserve.

As the Internet continues to simplify the way people research selling or buying their home, there are many good reasons to choose an agent who can harness the power of technology to provide you with exceptional service. As a web designer with advanced computer skills training, I am exceptionally web savvy and use my skills to market your home in a way that few Realtors can.

You can expect nothing less than honest, ethical, and professional behaviour with a sincere understanding and care about the people who ask for my real estate services. I have an easy going style that will put you at ease when faced with the stresses of buying or selling your home.

Cindy Kohler, Sales Representative

Cell: (506) 467-2263 Office: (506) 529-8777 Toll Free: 1-866-644-8777
Email: Mail@CindyKohler.com

Web: www.fundybayrealestate.com and www.cindykohler.com