Document

Enjoy a new home surrounded by stunning scenery at Brighton, in Portrait Homes’ Silver Ridge community ›› p.3

July 29, 2010

TRICIA LESLIE

Facebook. Twitter. LinkedIn. Blogger. Friendster. In today’s online, digitally fo-cused world, it is easier to connect to people and businesses than ever before.

With the advent of iPhones, SmartPhones and personal digital assistants (PDAs), most

people can Tweet or blog or post recent news and tid bits within seconds of seeing or hear-ing it, thanks to the myriad WiFi (wireless) Internet connections now available. And that’s not even touching on e-mails or the power of texting.

While social networking sites often hog the headlines, there are signs the digital, on-line world is gradually taking over: paperless and textbook-free schools, for example, and paperless businesses and business solutions.

But there are some things that the best lap-

top or iPad or PDA simply, cannot replace.Such as purchasing a new home.Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver

president Jake Moldowan notes that today’s online regime offers several helpful tools for Metro Vancouver homebuyers.

A variety of websites offer extensive photo galleries that showcase the interiors and exteriors of homes for sale, while virtual tours allow homebuyers to visit the home in

Homes: humans vs. onlineComputers help, but we still rely on in-person professionals

TRICIA LESLIE

The Bank of Canada increased the target for its overnight lending rate July 20, raising it by a quarter of a percentage point.

The latest increase follows on the heels of an equal interest rate increase in June, when it was raised for the first time since 2007; the Bank rate now stands at one per cent.

But the most recent hike is not neces-sarily a bad thing, according to Vancou-ver-based mortgage broker Peter Kinch, with Dominion Lending Centres.

“This will be a great window of oppor-tunity for new homebuyers,” the best-selling author says.

Kinch backs up a bit to explain.This past spring was one of the stron-

gest spring housing mar-kets for the real estate industry, especially in Metro Vancouver, he says.

The reasons for that ‘perfect storm’ of a market are several, but Kinch notes that in B.C., people were exiting a re-

cession with strong economic fundamen-tals, consumer confidence was strong, interest rates were (and are) still at record lows, and Vancouverites, in particular, were feeling proud of their country and city following the Olympics.

Spring markets, by definition, are tradi-tionally stronger than summer or winter real estate markets, Kinch says, and to add to that, the impending HST likely spurred some homebuying movement

Rate hike means opportunity for buyers

CONTINUED ON P.2 CONTINUED ON P.2

Peter Kinch

Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver president Jake Moldowan, outside a Metro Vancouver showhome, says purchasing a home is an experience where the expertise of industry professionals is definitely needed. Martin Knowles photo

peop

le pow

er

2 • New Local Home | July 29, 2010

Publisher: Fiona Harris • 604-575-5822 • [email protected]: Tricia Leslie • 604-575-5346 • [email protected]: Maggie Calloway • [email protected] Advertising Sales: Black Press National Sales • Adrian Saunders • 604-575-5812 • [email protected] Advertising: 604-575-5822Designer: Brad Smith • [email protected]

New Local Home is published once a week by Black Press Group Ltd. (Suite 309 - 5460 152 Street, Surrey, B.C. V3S 5J9) 350,000 copies are distributed free across Metro Vancouver. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited.

a 360-degree experience on their laptops or cellphones.

“It’s a far cry from how we did it 15 years ago,” Moldowan says.

“One thing we’ve learned is that the con-sumer expects the technology, they expect to see photos ... we get calls if we haven’t posted enough photos for a project.”

While such online tools can aid the homebuyer in the purchasing experience, Moldowan says a realtor can provide an ethi-cal, professional homebuying experience.

Realtors provide public protection and assurances through a regulatory framework, he says, and notes that proper realtors have a dispute resolution process and a professional framework, including business practice ethics.

The REBGV – affiliated with the Canadian Real Estate Association – was the entity that copyrighted ‘Realtor’ as a trademark decades ago; the MLS, or Multiple Listing Service, is also trademarked.

The MLS is more than just a listing service – it offers market sta-tistics, information and data that is constantly used by banks and other industry groups for reports and appraisals, among other things, Moldowan notes.

Plus, realtors will know a lot of infor-mation that is not necessarily easily accessible online, he adds.

“You can go online and get all sorts of data, but computers don’t have eyes,” he says.

“You need the input of a realtor. You want to know if there might be a casino proposal down at the end of the street. Realtors know all that ... they know what right-of-ways are

on the property, they know where the schools are, they know the rankings of the school and if it’s French Immersion.”

REBGV members are constantly fundrais-ing for worthy causes in the communities they serve, yet rarely pat themselves on the back, Moldowan notes, and the association is also actively involved in industry initiatives such as lobbying the provincial government to change the HST threshold to $525,000 from the $400,000 it initially proposed.

Sutton Group Express Realty’s Cliff Arm-strong, who is currently selling new homes at

Marcon’s Cornerstone in Langley, agrees that industry professionals add a per-

sonal touch.“Virtual tours and photos can be a

really good first step in the home-buying process. They help (potential homebuyers) decide which develop-

ments to pursue further,” Armstrong says.Real estate industry professionals on-

site can provide guidance as well as informa-tion that might not be available online, he adds.

“Professionals have the benefit of years of experience – they know the neighbourhood, where the parks and shops and schools are ... even things specific to certain units, like which ones get the morning sunshine – you

can’t get that on a virtual tour.”At Fifth Avenue Marketing, vice-president

BJ Turner concurs that virtual tours and pho-tos serve as helpful, but still not the same as an in-person homebuying experience.

“No matter what, our end goal is always, to get people to meet with a sales person to experience the end product ... to see, touch and feel it,” Turner says.

“(The sales staff ’s) job is to lay out all the facts and to give (homebuyers) a better un-derstanding of the project – past, present and future – and their options.”

At ParkLane Homes, marketing manager Yosh Kasahara says homebuyers are online-savvy these days, and most of the time, they’ve done their homework and come armed before even visiting the showhome or presentation centre.

But, when it comes to making a purchase, “personal contact is essential.”

“Buying a home is not only a significant decision, it’s an emotional decision,” Kasahara says.

“It’s really about trust and having a relation-ship with the person you’re buying a home from. At ParkLane, we understand the impor-tance of that relationship – it’s irreplaceable.”

Many ParkLane homeowners have pur-chased homes from the company more than once; two homeowners in ParkLane’s The Block, a Vancouver development, were former ParkLane homeowners in Port Moody, Kasa-hara notes.

By the time potential homeowners visit the sales centre, staff know they’ve already researched ParkLane and the home develop-ments they’re interested in – local competition included.

The bottom line, Kasahara says, is building that key relationship and trust.

“There always comes a point when buying a home where you want to meet the people who are standing behind that product, the people who are building it,” he says.

“It’s up to us to build that relationship and build that trust to hopefully get (the home-buyers) exactly what they want.”

earlier this year.Kinch notes the HST only applies to

new homes – and only those that sell for a price of $525,000 or higher will see the impact – and says contractors and developers will likely start offering creative measures to help offset any HST-related costs.

“There were three reasons the spring market was so strong: fear of rising rates, fear of impending HST and the fact it was a spring market,” Kinch says.

“The inference is that rising rates and HST will cause the markets to slow down and come to a grinding halt.”

That may not be the actual reality, but that is the inference from all the fears, Kinch says.

And, with all the headlines in the media about rising interest rates, “you (can’t) blame the average consumer for thinking that interest rates are about to

skyrocket,” he says.Of course inter-

est rates will go up, but they’re not exactly going to skyrocket, Kinch says.

The reason the Bank of Canada is raising rates is to keep a lid on inflation, and while Canada has a strong and vibrant domestic economy, global pressures will likely stunt Canada’s economic growth, he notes.

“Just as we saw in 2008/2009, Canada is not

immune to what goes on beyond our borders,” he says.

“Rates will rise, but the fears of sky-rocketing rates will not be realized.”

Kinch predicts there will be a soften-ing of home prices in Metro Vancou-ver, and that prices will drop by any-where from two per cent to upwards of six per cent, meaning there will likely be better home prices for homebuyers to peruse.

“If I’m looking to get into the mar-ket, what a fantastic time to do it ... it’s the first time a slight rise in interest rates is exciting news for the home-buyer,” he says.

Home prices should settle over the course of the winter, only to rebound in spring 2011, once people realize the HST is here to stay and they have adjusted to the new reality.

Fear and confusion will be replaced with knowledge and acceptance, and people will realize that interest rates have not skyrocketed as they feared, he says.

Next spring’s market will recapture any losses from the spring and fall markets, but in the meantime, it will behoove new homebuyers to take advantage of fears and confusion about the housing market, Kinch says.

If people are planning to purchase a home this fall in Metro Vancouver, they can take advantage of a lot of selection in the market and lowered prices, he notes.

Increase ‘exciting news’ for homebuyersCONTINUED FROM P.1

“You can’t blame the average consumer for thinking that interest rates are about to skyrocket ... Rates will rise, but the fears of skyrocketing rates will not be realized.”

“Computersdon’t have eyes”Off the front: “It’s up to us to build that relationship and build that trust.” – Yosh KasaharaCONTINUED FROM P.1

RealtoR PoweR

A Paloma II sales centre shows buyers ideas for furnishing their new Richmond home.

Re/Max sales and marketing representative Gerry Cahill

points out interesting pieces of information for a prospec-tive buyer at the Luxor sales

centre in Sunshine Hills.Martin Knowles photo

New Local Home | July 29, 2010 • 3

TWO PERFECT REASONS TO BUY!Duet off ers you an exciting opportunity to own an impeccably designed home that is ideal. From the gourmet kitchens, complete with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, to the bold crown mouldings throughout, luxurious fi replaces and individual garages, these forward thinking townhomes are an open invitation to live the life you want to live.

N

604-453-4962 www.duetliving.ca

Display SuitesOpen Noon - 5 pm (except Fridays)

Located at 22977, 116th Avenue,Maple Ridge.

3 BEDROOM TOWNHOMESPRICED FROM

GST/HST Included $349,000

THE FINEST IN TOWNHOME LIVING

The perfect blend of quality and style.

8 HOMES JUST SOLD!

N

Display Suites

PRICED FROM GST HST Included

THE FINEST IN TOWNHOME LIVING

8 MORE HOMES JUST SOLD!

DUET Homes May.indd 1 5/5/10 1:34:31 PM

It is an expanding city that exudes urban sophistication while still retain-ing a sense of rural charm.

Set on the shores of the ancient and mighty Fraser River, tucked against B.C.’s breathtaking coast mountains, Maple Ridge is known for its beautiful countryside and spectacular scenery.

A mecca for outdoor enthusiasts, there is no end to the trees, parks, hik-ing and biking trails, lakes, waterways and green spaces that community residents enjoy.

Recreation and arts facilities are plentiful, as well as city amenities and shopping, dining and entertainment opportunities, creating a culturally vi-brant and diverse city that is constantly active.

And, according to recent reports from the Real Estate Investment Network, Maple Ridge is the fifth-best place in Canada and the second-best place in B.C. to invest in the residential real estate market.

No wonder Metro Vancouver homebuyers are descending on Portrait Homes’ Brighton, a collection of two- and three-bedroom townhomes located in the award-winning, master-planned community of Silver Ridge.

Spectacular scenery at Brighton

Located in Portrait Homes’ award-winning, master-planned community of Silver Ridge, Brighton is attracting many buyers. Martin Knowles photoCONTINUED ON P.4

Townhomes offer more in Maple Ridge


Nature beckons outside your door

“People who have bought homes here and people who are interested are coming from Vancouver right through Chilliwack,” says Troy Steine, Portrait Homes sales and marketing manager.

“It’s great. We’ve had some wonder-ful comments from people. Many are calling it one of the nicest communities they’ve ever seen.”

With three phases underway, the first is sold out and phases two and three are now selling; Brighton homeowners start moving in this week.

Steine says interested Brighton homebuyers from Metro Vancouver areas including North Vancouver and Port Moody are attracted to the com-munity’s natural aspects, with tower-ing trees and outdoor scenery making them feel right at home.

“It’s the same beautiful setting, but more quiet ... and the price range is totally different,” Steine says.

“People are amazed to come into a natural setting like this and find new townhomes for $269,900 (two bed-rooms) and $289,900 (three bed-rooms).”

Along with the incredible location and great pricing, Brighton offers exceptional townhome design and construction, as well as high-quality finishings, Steine notes.

The homes are just minutes away from all the amenities Maple Ridge has to offer, yet are surrounded by the area’s natural beauty, which includes plentiful walking trails, he adds.

Exteriors feature, rich, warm colours, custom stone detailing and natural-stained wood beams. Front and rear yards are professionally landscaped; each townhome comes with parking

Window seats at Brighton offer a space to relax; gourmet kitchens come with contemporary cabinetry.

New homes, great prices at BrightonCONTINUED FROM P.3

CONTINUED ON P.6

Portrait Homes’ latest project, Brighton, offers new two- and three-bedroom townhouses in the developer’s award-winning com-munity of Silver Ridge. Buyers interested in purchasing homes at Brighton are coming from all over Metro Vancouver, says Portrait sales and marketing manager Troy Steine.“People ... are coming from Vancouver right through Chilliwack,” Steine says.“Many are calling it one of the nicest communi-ties they’ve ever seen.”Brighton homes feature overheight, nine-foot ceilings throughout the main level as well as spacious patios and decks. Martin Knowles photos


This image is an artists’ representation only. This is not an offering for sale. Any such offering can only be made with a disclosure statement. E.& O.E.

gas cooktops

granite countertops

Amazing ocean views

stainless steelBosch appliances

spacious open concept layout

wood veneer cabinetry

R E G I S T E R N O W 6 0 4 . 5 3 1 . 9 0 3 0 W W W. AV R A L I V I N G . C O M

Can value & luxury coexist? With 60 quality highrise residences under $399,000.

Add ocean views & open spaces. Of course it can.

AV R A . A F F O R D A B L E & L U X U R I O U S .


Live the Silver Ridge lifestyle

for two vehicles. Depending on the floorplan, Brighton homes feature either a patio area or a spacious outdoor deck for year-round enjoyment.

Inside, nine-foot ceilings throughout the main level add to the roomy feeling, and baseboard trim is already in place throughout the entire home.

Gourmet kitchens feature granite countertops and hand-set ceramic tile backsplashes, while master suites come with spacious closets and ensuites that have large, separate shower stalls and low-flush water closets.

Visit www.portraithomes.ca for more information.

CONTINUED FROM P.4

Spacious homes in a natural setting

Every Brighton town-home comes with park-ing for two vehicles, while front and back yards are profession-ally landscaped. Inside, gourmet kitchens have granite countertops and hand-set ceramic tile backsplashes; master suites also come with spacious closets.“People are amazed to come into a natural set-ting like this and find new townhomes for $269,900 (two bed-rooms) and $289,900 (three bedrooms),” says Potrait Homes’ Troy Steine. Martin Knowles photos


99

1

99

99A

1

1

7

7B

7A

7

1

99

7

7

99A

99A

99

91

99

1010

10

1A

1A1

1315

99

10

17

91

1

5

56th Ave

96th Ave

72nd Ave

80th Ave

88th Ave

168t

h S

t.

176t

h S

t.

184t

h S

t.

272

St.

16th Ave

Peardonville

Rd.

Fraser Hwy.

264

St.

TRANS CANADA HWY.

Go

lden

Ears Way

56th Ave

56th Ave

Taylor Rd

Harris Rd

Downes Rd

Langley Bypass

Tow

nlin

e R

d

24th Ave.

192n

d S

t.

200t

h S

t.

216t

h S

t.

232n

d S

t.

248t

h S

t.

208t

h S

t.

Wix Ave

32nd Ave

Lougheed Hwy.

96th Ave

132nd Ave

88th Ave

Har

ris

Rd

203t

h S

t

Nea

ves

Rd

Glove

r Rd

224t

h S

t

Dewdney Trunk Rd

256t

h S

t25

6th

St

240t

h S

t

272

Nd

St

232n

d S

t

140t

h S

t.

128t

h S

t.

Marine Dr.

Mt. Seymour Pkwy

Dollarton Hwy

Tayl

or

Way

Lon

sdal

e A

ve.

Lynn Valley Rd.

Will

ing

do

n

Bo

un

dar

y R

d.

Hastings

Dun

bar

St.

10th 12th Ave.

1st Ave.4th Ave.

Nw Marine Dr.

Alm

a St

.

Arb

utu

s

Kin

gh

t St

.C

om

mer

cial

Cam

bie

St.

Broadway

Oak

St.

Gra

nvi

lle S

t.

41 Ave.

49 Ave.

Bridgeport Rd.

Steveston Hwy.

No

. 1 R

d.

Gilb

ert

Rd

.

No

. 3 R

d.

Westminster Hwy.

Richmond Fwy.

48th Ave.Westham Is. Rd.

Ladner Trunk Rd.

46a

St.

72n

d S

t.

River Rd.

28th Ave.

152n

d S

t.

64th Ave.

80th Ave.

112t

h S

t.

104t

h S

t.

Sco

tt R

d.

132n

d S

t.

Kin

g G

eorg

e H

wy.

152n

d S

t.

144t

h S

t.

96th Ave.

24th Ave.

16th Ave.

40th Ave.

104th Ave.

Fraser Hwy.

8th Ave

64th Ave.

58th Ave.

Marine Dr.

Stay

te R

d.

Ioco Rd.

Como Lake

Guildford Way

Loug

heed

David Ave.

St. Johns

Barnett Hwy.

Austin Rd.

116th Ave.

Co

ast

Mer

idia

n R

d.

Prairie Rd.

Dominion

Clark

e Rd.

Blue

Mou

ntai

n

Lougheed Hwy.

Canada Way

10th A

ve.

Royal

12th St.

Nor

th R

d.Co

lum

bia

Ave

.

Gaglardi

Sw Marine Dr.

Marine Dr.

Golden Ears Way

North Vancouver

West Vancouver

Burnaby

New Westminster

Squamish

Richmond

South Delta

Coquitlam

Port Moody

Port Coquitlam

Vancouver

Surrey

North Delta

LangleyCloverdale

Fort Langley

Pitt Meadows

Maple Ridge

South SurreyWhite Rock

➜

SquamishSkye-Soleil-Aqua

Presentation Centre, Unit 3, 1233 Main St.,Squamish. 604-616-1215

Furry Creek-Ocean Crest415- Furry Creek Dr. 604-787-1456

North Vancouver Wedgewood

768 Orwell St. 604-980-2508The Kimpton

210 W. 13th St. 604-988-3020

Vancouver The Mark

1035 Seymour St. 604-687-4353Pacific Spirit

UBC Westbrook Village. 604-221-8878 604-264-6477

James289 W. 2nd Avenue. 604-275-1000

Spice on RobsonNicola and Robson streets. 604-683-5555

BurnabyJewel II

6130 Wilson Avenue at Beresford. 604-456-0688Motif at Citi

4400 Buchanon St. 604-298-8800Adera - Green

7438 Byrnepark Walk. 604-439-8858Perspectives

4710 Lougheed Hwy. 604-294-4995

CoquitlamLevo

Pinetree Way & Northern Ave. 604-464-5856The Foothills

Burke Mountain, 3381 David Ave. 604-944-3188

Tatton1240 Holtby, Coquitlam. 604-552-2220

Larkin House (East)1456 Avondale St. 604-461-7113

Belmont1456 Avondale St. 604-461-7113

Sterling3412 Wilkie Ave.

Larkin House1131 Pipeline Road. 604-552-1113

Port CoquitlamPearl

2343 Atkins Ave. 604-308-0227The Shaughnessy (on Lions Park)

2950 Glen Dr. 604-461-2750

RichmondRiver Green

5111 Hollybridge Way. 604-233-2633Mezzo

7373 Turnill St. 604-725-1250Emerald

7180 No. 3 Rd. 604-244-8333Hamilton Station

22788 Westminster Hwy. 604-279-8866Wishing Tree

Alexander Gardens. 604-871-4296Cambridge Park

9191 Odlin Rd. 778-297-7511Saffron

180-8360 Granville Ave. 604-270-2482

South Surrey-White RockHighland Park

160th & 24 Ave. 604-542-8995Glenmore at Morgan Heights

161A St. & 24 Ave. 604-542-8863Wills Creek

160th & 32 Ave. 604-542-6200Kaleden

2729-158 Street. 604-541-4246

Morgan Heights26th Ave & 164th St. 604-531-1111, 604-420-4200

Cathedral Grove2738-158th Street. 604-541-7383

SouthPort3677-143 St. 604-292-0871

High Street402-2950 King George Hwy. 604-536-9333

Summerfield109-172A St. 604-536-1155

Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows

Brighton at Silver Ridge13851 232 St. 604-270-1889

Duet22977 116 Ave. 604-453-4962

Main Stone Creek10116-241 St. 604-463-5000

New WestminsterVictoria Hill

McBride Ave. 604-523-0733Inter-Urban

Begbie and /columbia St. 604-523-0081Port Royal

Holy Ave. and Salter St. 604-520-9890

DeltaTrend

7445 Scott Road. 604-590-5483South Pointe (at Sunstone)

10527 Modesto Place. 604-584-2908Atria

120 St. and 75A Ave. 604-453-6666

LangleyBedford Landing

23015 Billy Brown Road. 604-888-2176Seasons & Prelude at Milner Heights

208th St & 72nd Ave. 604-539-9484Time at Walnut Grove

9525-204 Street. 604-694-1819

Cornerstone5655 210A Street. 604-534-6000

High Point Equestrian Estates20048 2nd Ave. 604-531-1111

SurreyAugusta Walk / Woods at Provinceton

18199 70th Ave, 778-571-1088Hazelwood Estates

7881 164A Street. 604-657-5220Knoll

7348 192A Street, Surrey. 604-574-0001Quattro

114-10768 Whalley Blvd. 604-581-8000Ultra

105-13339 102 Ave. 604-588-6999Taylor

1-8767162 St. 604-584-1114

On Tour

Citimark offers a collection of brand-new townhomes at Enclave, located in South Surrey’s Morgan Heights neighbourhood.


Copyright 2010 © | Higherground Project Marketing Inc. Brokerage and Sales by Multiple Reality Ltd. Prices are subject to change without prior notice.

A mere 90-minute drive from downtown Vancouver brings you to The Cottages. It feels like a world apart. Steps from peaceful and pristine Cultus Lake, surrounded by breathtaking mountains and lush green forests, with the great outdoors right at your doorstep. But this isn’t your grandfather’s rustic idea of a cottage – these luxurious family cottages are styled your way, with all the features and finishes you could hope for and large private porches and decks providing plenty of space for family and friends to gather and enjoy BC living at its best. And as if that wasn’t enough, the 10,000 sq. ft. clubhouse with pools offering all the amenities of a first-class resort.

1.877.888.4950CultusLakeCottages.com

Discovery Centre & Display CottagesOpen daily from 12 noon to 5pm except Wednesday1777 Columbia Valley Rd. Lindell Beach, BC

Single Family Cottages $399,900from

Phase 1 and 2 SOLD OUT!Phase 3 now selling.

I think cottage life agrees with her.

Over 150 Cottages Sold!

MOVE IN NOW AND ENJOY THIS SUMMER!

Documents

Document