Cape Breton – Canso Realty

Picture Sherry. She’s casually clad in jeans, a rain slicker, sunglasses and knee-high rubber boots. When she departs on her day’s adventure, she does so squishing mud under the soles of her galoshes, with her trusty camera slung over her shoulder.

But Sherry’s no tourist. She’s not a travel journalist, a hiker or a biologist, either.

Rather, Sherry MacLeod is the owner and broker of Cape Breton-Canso Realty. And it just so happens that a rain suit and rubber boots are more of a uniform for this real estate agent than the proverbial power suit and pumps.

“You wouldn’t wear your Sunday best to knock on nature’s front door,” explains MacLeod. “As a realtor in Cape Breton, I start most mornings by walking onto an oceanfront property or farmland as I showcase this pristine land to clients.”

In fact, when it comes to Cape Breton-Canso Realty, forget everything you thought you knew about brokers and real estate agents.

Though there’s no such thing as a “typical day,” MacLeod says it’s not unusual to connect with a European client in the morning and an Albertan in the afternoon. A large share of her clientele comes from abroad. They’re people who’ve searched the world for the perfect property and landed in Cape Breton; people who recognize the understated value of the untouched, rural land Sherry and her colleagues showcase.

“We tend to have a better pulse on the international scene than what’s going on in our own backyard,” says MacLeod, who operates her business in two towns: St. Peter’s and Port Hawkesbury. “Our clients come from all over the world to purchase recreation properties, summer homes, or retirement estates here in our beautiful, affordable corner of the world.”

Right now, despite a less-than-ideal economy, MacLeod and her team continue to sell land and property to all walks of home buyers.

Many of these home buyers are middle-aged individuals moving back from Alberta and other employment-rich urbanities. Others are homesick Nova Scotians planning to reconnect with the life they once enjoyed or build a new family in a safe haven.

Sometimes buyers aren’t looking to move in immediately, but want to purchase prime property as an investment; other times, buyers will build in rural Cape Breton where luscious land is affordable, and commute to work in Nova Scotia’s urban centres.

A large portion of buyers live elsewhere throughout the province, the country and beyond but spend their weekends, summers or vacation time in cottages throughout Cape Breton.

Still, other buyers are Baby Boomers who want to settle down in a pure, relaxing atmosphere or retirees who want to spend their newly acquired time enjoying nature’s playground.

Whatever the real estate need, Cape Breton-Canso Realty has the experience and ambition to close the deal. Clients who wish to buy or sell a home, vacation cottage, commercial venture, farmland or even an island put their trust MacLeod and her team.

That’s because MacLeod and her colleagues at Cape Breton-Canso Realty are experts. She started selling real estate more than 18 years ago and works alongside agents that have 30 to 35 years of experience in the industry. But that’s not to say all Cape Breton-Canso Realty staff are veterans; MacLeod employs some newly-minted agents, too – all in the name of superior customer service.

“All clients are different. Some want seasoned advice and others are looking for a fresh perspective,” explains MacLeod. “At Cape Breton-Canso Realty, our employees are as diverse as our clients, so we have the perfect agent and the perfect solution for all potential home-buyers.”

For MacLeod and the Cape Breton-Canso Realty team, providing solid customer service in the real estate industry comes as second nature. When you love your job, it’s easy (and fun) to do it well.

And there’s no better spokesperson than Sherry MacLeod to represent the qualities of Cape Breton Island and Nova Scotia.

“I was born here. I love it here. I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else,” she says. “It’s a great place to bring up a family. And it’s a great place to work and live. The rest of the world is at our fingertips, but we can look at the ocean while we’re working or spend one-on-one time with the wilderness during our lunch break.”

MacLeod says the lifestyle in Cape Breton is unbeatable – easy and relaxed. “A city is a great place to visit on vacation; but it’s not reality to us Cape Bretoners. For me, personally, the advantages of a big city are not as important as the comforts of home – the nature, the landscape, the relaxation.

“Life in Nova Scotia is the best quality of life you can find,” she adds.

With a solid reputation and track record, a steady stream of clients, the lifestyle of her dreams, and a talented staff backing her up, it would seem that MacLeod has it all.

But she has her sights set even higher.

“I’m confident our business will only move forward. We’ll always try to expand – reach a larger group of potential homebuyers and further develop our client list,” says MacLeod. “But we’re also committed to maintaining relationships with our current and previous clients.”

After all, in this sparsely-populated area marked by wilderness and friendliness, each and every one of MacLeod’s clients is also her neighbour. So she’ll want to maintain a friendly relationship.

But that shouldn’t be hard.

Neighbours around those parts have a lot in common: an enviable lifestyle, miles of pristine land, and (of course) rubber boots.