On the Island, the home you have been waiting for may only come up once in a while, especially in a smaller community like Kensington or along a particular stretch of the North Shore. When it does, being among the first to know can make all the difference. That is what listing alerts are for. Here is how to set them up on my website and how to tune them so they actually help.

What listing alerts do

When you sign up through my new listing alerts page, you can save the searches you care about and get email notifications when matching homes are listed. Alerts can also let you know about price changes and other updates on homes you are watching. Instead of checking every day, the right listings come to you.

Step one: start broad, then narrow

A common mistake is making a search so specific that nothing ever matches. I suggest starting a little wider than you think:

• Set your price range slightly above and below your target
• Pick an area rather than a single street
• Choose a minimum number of bedrooms instead of an exact number

Watch what comes in for a couple of weeks. Then tighten the search once you see what is realistic.

Step two: use more than one saved search

Your wish list probably has a few versions. For example:

• A three-bedroom home in town
• A country property with some acreage within a short drive
• A cottage near the water, if the numbers work

Separate saved searches keep your inbox organized and make it easy to compare options.

Step three: draw your area on the map

Community names don't always match how people think about an area. A home you'd call "near Kensington" might be listed under a nearby community name. Using a map search lets you draw the area you actually want, which can catch listings that a name search would miss.

Step four: think about features that really matter

Some details are worth filtering for, and some are better left open. Good filters to consider:

• Property type: house, cottage, duplex, land
• Lot size, if you want space
• Waterfront or water view
• Garage

Features like a finished basement or updated kitchen are better judged by looking at the photos, since listing details can vary.

Step five: act quickly, but wisely

When an alert lands and a home looks promising:

1. Look at the photos and the map location
2. Note any questions, like heating type or water source
3. Call or message me to book a showing

Being ready with a mortgage pre-approval means you can move with confidence if it turns out to be the one.

Adjust with the seasons

Listing activity on PEI tends to pick up in spring, and there are often fewer new listings in the depths of winter. Revisit your saved searches every month or two. If your budget, timing or must-haves change, update your searches so the alerts stay useful.

Don't forget: alerts are a starting point

An email can tell you a home exists. It can't tell you how the neighbourhood feels, whether the road is busy, or if the basement smells damp. That is where a local REALTOR® comes in. I can often tell you a little more about a property or an area than a listing can, and I am always happy to drive by a home before you make a trip.

Already registered?

If you have an account, take a minute to review your saved searches. Are they still pointing at the right price range and area? Small tweaks can make a big difference.

Tips for sellers watching the market

Alerts are not just for buyers. If you are thinking about listing, a saved search for homes similar to yours shows what is coming up, how they are priced, and how long they stay on the market. It is a low-key way to get a feel for your competition before we sit down to talk about pricing and timing.

Let's find the right fit

Set up your alerts today, and if you want help building the right searches, I'm glad to do it with you. Contact Jodi Bernard, CENTURY 21 Northumberland Realty, and let's make sure you never miss the right listing.

Every year a property tax bill lands in Island mailboxes, and every year I get a few calls from clients who want to know what the numbers mean. Some are new to the province. Others have owned the same house in Summerside or Kensington for decades and simply never had anyone walk them through it. If that sounds like you, this post is for you.

I am not an assessor or an accountant, so think of this as a friendly orientation. For your own account, the Province's Taxation and Property Records office is the final word.

Two numbers on one bill: market value and taxable value

The first thing that confuses people is that the bill can show two different assessment figures. The market value assessment is the Province's estimate of what the property is worth, based on things like recent sales activity in your area. The taxable value assessment is the figure your tax is actually calculated on.

For most property, those two numbers are the same. The difference shows up on owner-occupied homes, which brings us to the part most Islanders care about.

The owner-occupied cap, explained simply

PEI has an owner-occupied residential assessment program. If you own your home and live in it, the taxable value assessment can only rise each year by the change in the Consumer Price Index or 5 percent, whichever is lower. It also can never go above the market value assessment.

In practice, that means a long-time owner can have a taxable value well below what the house would fetch today. It is a real cushion in a market where values have climbed. Improvements you make, such as an addition, can still raise the taxable value, so a big renovation can show up on a later bill.

The rules on renting changed for the 2025 tax year. Under the current definition, an owner-occupied home must not be rented, in whole or in part, for stays of less than 30 days. A longer-term arrangement, like renting a spare room on a twelve-month lease while you still live there, can keep the property in the program as long as the other criteria are met. Short-term rentals are a different story, so check before you list a room online.

What happens to the cap when a home sells

This is the piece I make sure every buyer understands. The cap belongs to the owner's situation, not to the house forever. The seller's taxable value may look modest on the listing, but a new owner should budget based on the market value assessment and the current rates, not on the previous owner's bill. When we look at a home together, I like to pull the assessment details early so the monthly budget is realistic from day one.

The provincial rate and the resident tax credit

The Province levies tax per $100 of taxable value. The current provincial rate is $1.70 for non-commercial property and $1.50 for commercial property.

Eligible Island residents can then receive a provincial tax credit on non-commercial property. From January 1, 2026 onward, that credit is $0.70 per $100 of taxable value. To qualify, a sole owner must live in PEI for 183 consecutive days or more in the tax year. With co-owners, at least half of the owners must meet that residency test.

That credit is one reason someone relocating here should pay attention to timing and residency. It is also worth knowing if you are thinking about keeping an Island property while living elsewhere for part of the year.

Other charges that can appear on the same bill

PEI collects property taxes centrally, so your single bill may include more than the provincial portion. Depending on where the property sits, you can also see:

• Municipal property tax, if the home is inside a municipality
• A fire district charge, for many rural properties
• Island Waste Management Corporation charges for garbage, compost and recycling collection

Each municipality and fire district sets its own rate in March each year. That is why two similar homes, one in town and one a short drive out the road, can carry quite different bills.

Where to find your PID and assessment details

Your property tax statement shows your Property Identification number, usually called the PID. You will need it for almost any conversation with the Province about your property, including permit applications. If you can't find it, the Province's Property and Taxation Records line can help.

How this fits into buying a home

Property tax is one line in a bigger budget. When you are comparing houses across PEI, I suggest adding the expected tax to your mortgage estimate. Our mortgage calculator is a good place to start. At closing, your lawyer will also adjust the year's taxes between buyer and seller, which is covered in my guide to PEI closing costs.

A few questions worth asking before you write an offer:

• Is the home inside a municipality, a fire district, or both?
• What is the current market value assessment, separate from the seller's taxable value?
• Will you qualify for the resident tax credit in your first year?
• Are there any special charges tied to the street or community?

Have questions about a specific property?

If you are weighing a home in Prince County or along the North Shore and want help understanding what the yearly tax picture could look like, reach out. Contact Jodi Bernard, CENTURY 21 Northumberland Realty, and I will help you gather the details before you commit.

The first real storm of the season has a way of sorting out who planned ahead. In town, a plow passes and you shovel the end of the driveway. Out in the country, between Kensington and the North Shore or anywhere along a long laneway, winter asks a little more of you. After many winters on the Island, here is the practical approach I share with clients who have just bought a rural home.

Know who clears what

The road in front of your house and your driveway are two different jobs. Public roads are cleared by the province or the municipality, depending on where you live. Your driveway, and often a private lane shared with neighbours, is your responsibility.

If your property is on a private or shared lane, find out how snow clearing has been handled in the past. Sometimes neighbours split a contractor. Sometimes one person with a tractor does it all and appreciates a contribution. It is a good conversation to have before the first storm, not during it.

Line up a contractor early

Local snow removal operators tend to fill their routes in the fall. If you plan to hire someone, ask around in October or early November. Neighbours, the local general store and community social media groups are usually the best sources.

When you talk to a contractor, ask:

• Is it a seasonal contract or pay per visit?
• At what snow depth do they come out?
• Do they clear before a set time in the morning?
• Will they push back the banks later in the season so you have room for the next storm?
• Are they insured?

Mark your driveway before the ground freezes

This is the simplest tip and the one people forget most. Put driveway markers along both edges of your laneway, and around anything you don't want a plow blade to find: the septic cover, garden beds, a culvert, a well cap, decorative stones. Fibreglass stakes with a reflective top work well and are easy to find at hardware stores. Get them in while you can still push them into the ground.

Plan where the snow will go

On a windy, open lot, snow does not stay where it falls. It drifts. Watch where drifts form in the first few storms and plan around them. Pile snow on the downwind side so it doesn't blow back across the driveway, and keep piles away from the house so meltwater drains away from your foundation in spring.

Keep the essentials clear

Beyond the driveway, there are a few spots that should never stay buried:

• Fuel and heating access. If you heat with oil or propane, your delivery driver needs a clear path to the fill pipe or tank.
• Exhaust and air intake vents. High-efficiency furnaces and some heating appliances vent through the wall. Snow over those vents can be dangerous, so check them after every storm.
• Heat pump outdoor units. Keep snow and ice clear around the base and top so the unit can breathe and drain.
• The civic number sign. Emergency responders need to find you, and in a storm that sign at the end of the lane matters.
• Mailbox access. Your carrier will appreciate it.

Have a backup plan

Even with a contractor, there will be mornings when you are waiting. A good shovel, a roof rake if you have a low-pitched roof, a bag of traction grit and a charged phone go a long way. If you rely on a well, remember that a power outage also means no water, so keep some on hand.

If you are thinking about a snowblower, size it for your driveway. A short in-town drive and a 200-foot country lane are very different jobs.

What buyers should ask before they buy

When I show rural homes, especially in the off-season, I encourage buyers to ask how winter access works. My guide to buying a home on PEI in winter covers what to look for during a winter showing. For year-round living, a few extra questions help:

• How long is the driveway, and is it gravel or paved?
• Is the lane private or shared?
• Who did the seller use for snow clearing?
• Where does the driveway tend to drift?

Communities like Long River and the countryside around Kensington offer beautiful space, and a little winter planning makes that space easy to enjoy all year.

Thinking about country living?

If you are browsing homes across PEI and want to understand what living there is like in January as well as July, I would be glad to help. Contact Jodi Bernard, CENTURY 21 Northumberland Realty, and let's talk about the properties on your list.