The first time Vicky Seredick moved to Port Alberni it had nothing to do with real estate, but it is definitely one of the reasons she still calls it home more than 30 years later.

Vicky recently joined Sonja Sutton at Royal LePage in Port Alberni, filling the role of buyer’s representative and relocation specialist.

“My partnership with Sonja evolved as a result of several factors,” Vicky explains. “We share virtually the same ideals, principles, and ethical views regarding clients and the real estate industry.  Sonja was a mentor to me when I started in the business, and I have developed a deep admiration and respect for her conduct in business and am delighted to be working with her as an associate.”

Sonja says Vicky is a welcomed addition, and she looks forward to working with her and growing as a team.

“Vicky brings her enthusiastic drive in helping buyers find the perfect property,” Sonja explains. “ It’s a pleasure to have her working alongside me again.”

She adds that the addition of Vicky means that they will be expanding our services to the Ucluelet and Tofino area.

“It is an exciting time, and we look forward to offering our services to a broader group of clients on the West Coast of Vancouver Island,” she explains.

Vicky grew up in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. It was there that she first started her training as a nurse. She moved to Port Alberni two years into her training, and she completed the licenced practical nurse program through Vancouver Island University. When she completed her training, she began working for West Coast General Hospital, and that is where she remained for 27 years.

“I worked in a geriatric setting, where I developed a great love and respect for the elderly,” she explained. “I married here in the Valley, and I have two sons. Nicholas is an educator here in the Valley, and Michael is a city policeman in Edmonton.”

With her nursing career behind her and both her children grown and living on their own, Vicky decided to test the waters of the real estate industry.

“I think for me the driving factor in real estate is the relationship that we as Realtors establish with our clients,” she says. “Every day is different.”

She says, much like nursing, every client is unique. Those differences make it both challenging and rewarding. From first homeowners, growing families to retirees who just want a smaller place, it is exciting trying to find the perfect fit.

“It gives me so much pleasure, when working with buyers, to find that special home that works for them,” she says. “I wouldn't change that sense of accomplishment for anything.”

For Vicky, the changing real estate market is a welcomed challenge. She says that unpredictable nature of the business is what gets her up in the morning.

Although some may think the Alberni Valley is a tricky place to make it as a Realtor, Vicky loves it. She recently returned to Port Alberni after spending six months at Qualicum Royal LePage. She said beach life had its perks, but her heart and mind were constantly drifting over the Hump to the wonderful community she calls home.

She says while on the East Coast she often found she was fielding questions about Port Alberni, promoting it every step of the way.

“People would ask why I would leave a community that seemed to excite me so much, hence the old adage of ‘once an Alberni girl - always an Alberni girl,’ and here I am,” she says.  “This community has spirit, It has heart. It has excitement, and it has so much beauty, both in its inhabitants and the land itself. It is giving, and it is heartfelt to those less fortunate than ourselves.”

And so she returned because, simply put, “I love Port Alberni.”

Vicky is also a proud supporter of the Valley. She has been involved in Alberni Junior Baseball for the past 30 years. She is also an active member of the Alberni Athletic Association and a Alberni Valley Bulldogs fan and supporter.

When she’s not selling real estate or working to make her community even better, she enjoys going to the gym, trying her hand at water colour painting and hiking. Fishing has also been a great love of Vicky’s, especially jogging the Bamfield wall. Never afraid to add to her list, her latest hobby is stand up paddleboarding, and she hopes to add kayaking and canoeing in the coming months.