Testimonials

A word from satisfied clients

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  - 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.

Grant & France Corriveau Nanaimo, BC., 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.

David L. Enns Sharon L. BeamanColorado Springs, Co., 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!

George and Monique Cormier, Nanaimo, May 29, 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.