High Street: City living in South Surrey, with everything just outside the front door ›› p.4
June 10, 2010
Buyers’ market in Metro Vancouver TRICIA LESLIE
G. Wilson Construction president Gordon Wilson, left, and son Blair Wilson, project manager, at the custom home they built for a client on Vancouver’s West Side. Building a brand-new custom home means homeowners gets exactly the house they want. Rob Newell photo
Custom: new and stunning Hire a custom builder and get the brand-new home you want MAGGIE CALLOWAY After years of tearing pages out of magazines, watching endless installments of home and garden television, and innumerable family discussions, you are ready to start the adventure of a lifetime ... building a family home from scratch. So: where to start? The two most important decisions any homeowner must make, which may take as
long as a year while doing intensive research, will be choosing both an architect and a builder. If either of these decisions are wrong from the start, the project may be fraught with problems and could potentially turn the dream into a nightmare. A good place to start is the twice-a-year Open House: A Showcase of New Homes, which is put on by the Greater Vancouver Home Builders’ Association every spring and fall. The event showcases several new home projects throughout Metro Vancouver – all built by local, reputable developers – and gives people a chance to see what’s new and
cutting-edge in condos, apartment, townhomes, single-family homes and even estate homes. Potential homebuyers can walk through homes and get a real sense of the quality of both the design and the build. In many of the Open House homes, the builder is present to answer visitors’ questions, which allows the potential homeowner to get a sense of whether there is a compatibility of vision. Even if a family is not at the final design stage of their new home project, this is a CONTINUED ON P.2
British Columbia’s housing market is good news for those planning to purchase a home right now. Although residential sales are expected to ease back by three per cent – from 85,028 units in 2009 to 82,350 this year – they will increase by four per cent in 2011, to 85,900, reports the B.C. Real Estate Association. In its second-quarter forecast, the BCREA says eroding affordability will trim sales by three per cent this year despite improving economic conditions and related employment growth. But the push and pull of economic growth versus rising mortgage interest rates is expected to keep B.C. home sales near their 10-year average this year and next, says BCREA chief economist Cameron Muir. Sales have been moderating in Metro Vancouver since the beginning of the year, after “record-pace sales” in 2009, so the market moved from a strong seller’s market to a strong buyer’s market, says Muir. “It’s really good news for buyers,” he says. Homebuyers have more time to look through all the selection in the market, more time to decide what Cameron Muir they want, and there’s less chance there will be others bidding on the same home, he notes. “Sellers have to be a little more cognizant of their competition ... of what’s going on in their neighbourhood.” The average B.C. listing price is forecast to climb six per cent to $494,600 this year and increase by another one per cent, to $499,700, in 2011. “Strong consumer demand in Vancouver, Victoria and the Fraser Valley was largely responsible for driving the average home price in the province higher over the past three quarters,” Muir says. “However, demand has moderated in those markets and a larger inventory of homes for sale has pulled market conditions into balanced territory, providing less upward pressure on home prices.”
2 • New Local Home | June 10, 2010
Before
AFTER A UBC-area house on the GVHBA’s Parade of Renovated Homes went from a tired Tudor to a new, stunning West Coast look.
Check out GHVBA Parade of Renovated Homes The homes look brand-new and inviting. Stunning and welcoming, it is tempting to knock on every door to see if the interiors are as pleasing to the eye as the exteriors. During the Greater Vancouver Home Builders’ Association 17th annual Parade of Renovated Homes, Metro Vancouverites will be able to tour some of the region’s best examples of home renovations done right. The GVHBA Renovation Council invites the public to come and see for themselves at 17 professionally renovated homes in Burnaby, New Westminster, North Vancouver, Surrey, Tsawwassen, “Professional Vancouver, West renovators, Vancouver and many of them White Rock on award-winners, June 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. will be on site GVHBA CEO to offer expert Peter Simpson notes that Metro advice and Vancouver hodiscuss their meowners will craftsmanship.” spend $3.5 billion sprucing up their homes this year, and this popular, one-day event offers exceptional sample renovations. “Professional renovators, many of them award-winners, will be on site to offer expert advice and discuss their craftsmanship,” Simpson says. “Project values range from $50,000 to more than $1.8 million, offering people an abundance of ideas they can possibly incorporate into their own renovations.” Examples on the parade include the relocation and restoration of a 1902 heritage-designated Colonial bungalow, the creation of an ultra-contemporary family home/showroom, and extreme transformations of homes built from the early 1900s to the early 2000s. Admission to the tour is by passport, available at each home for $10 per person; children 17 and under can visit the parade for free. Partial proceeds from passport sales will help support a carpentry training program offered by Guildford Park and Frank Hurt secondary schools in Surrey. The event is limited to six hours; visit www.gvhba.org to review the selection of homes and plan your route.
“Everyone has a
wish book”
Sleek and modern, this West Side custom home was built to suit the homeowners’ tastes and lifestyle. Shannon Mendes photos
Off the front: “You
feel like you are a part of today when you are in the home.”
– Gord Wilson, custom builder CONTINUED FROM P.1
great way to soak up ideas you may want to incorporate into your new home. Equally important is the relationship between the designer/architect and the builder; a push-pull fractured relationship with the homeowner in the middle makes for a more than unpleasant experience. Often the architect will recommend a builder he has worked with before, and the same with a builder who will recommend an architect or designer. The architects at Hotson Bakker Boniface Haden made a brilliant move at the start of the build of a new West Side Vancouver home: they had a party for everyone involved in the project, from the main builder – Gord Wilson of G. Wilson Construction – to every subtrade contractor and supplier. This get-together was a vehicle, not just to introduce everyone, but to impart to all involved in the vision they, and the homeowners, had for this project. With a family company that has more than 30 years of experience in the industry, and with son Blair joining his father, G. Wilson Construction will likely remain a trusted family company for at least another 30 years. Like many builders, Wilson started out by doing renovations, gaining the sort of problem-solving experience that is almost im-
possible to get elsewhere. In fact, the company still takes on major renovations to this day, while still building new custom homes. Most people these days – if they are looking at building their own home and are not young couples – want the convenience of an apartment or townhome with the privacy of a home, Wilson says. “What they want is to build a house and be able to walk out the door whenever they want,” says Wilson. “They want a home built to a level that is minimum maintenance, and with someone to take care of the garden.” The West Side homeowners, like many
CUSTOM Craving
people, were comfortable in their neighbourhood and wanted to stay, but as empty nesters, wanted a home that would suit their needs going forward. They bought a new corner property, 80x120 feet, with great south-facing views, a mature garden and old tear-down house – a perfect spot for a brand-new, custom-built home. The homeowners hired a fantastic architectural firm with some young staff who had a clear vision of what they wanted, says Wilson. “They had great enthusiasm, which came through to all involved in the project,” he says. “Everyone was infused with a desire to do CONTINUED ON P.3
Publisher: Fiona Harris • 604-575-5822 • publisher@newlocalhome.com Editor: Tricia Leslie • 604-575-5346 • editor@newlocalhome.com Reporter: Maggie Calloway • maggiec@blackpress.ca Advertising Sales: Black Press National Sales • Adrian Saunders • 604-575-5812 • adrians@blackpress.ca Online Advertising: 604-575-5822 Designer: Brad Smith • bsmith@blackpress.ca 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.
New Local Home | June 10, 2010 • 3
Go custom and get your dream home CONTINUED FROM P.1
their very best work, to make their vision a reality. The clients were wonderful – they had worked for a long time with the architects. We were hired early ... at the preliminary design stage, which is when we like to be hired, to work with the architects and the client.” “Everyone has a wish book,” Wilson notes, but says all parties involved were able to work together at each stage and help establish a budget and cost for the entire project, so the client could move forward. “In my 30 years of doing this, I’ve found if the clients work directly with an architect – without the builder involved – there could be a nasty surprise when the dream home, priced out by the builder, comes in way beyond the budget,” Wilson notes. The interior of the custom West Side home is open-plan and modern, with glass, concrete, steel, and a floating staircase, but all has been completed in a warm, inviting way that feels like a home. “You feel like you are part of today when you are in the home,” says Wilson. “It brings in lots of light and has everything to do with modern living ... the other thing I thought was interesting was the old house on the property had a gable-shaped roof – a barn roof – and the new house speaks to that as well.” This home was a complete change of focus for the retired couple who commissioned the new dwelling.
This West Side Vancouver home was built brand-new, from scratch. Shannon Mendes photos
It was built for the next stage of their lives together, and everything had been carefully considered to fit their needs now and in the future.
4 • New Local Home | June 10, 2010
Sophisticated urban style
High Street: a chic, dynamic lifestyle A High Street is a focal point for businesses, shops and retailers in city centres throughout the world; in North America, it is sometimes called a Main Street, while other areas prefer Front Street or Market Street. In South Surrey, a new High Street is emerging. Designed to capture the essence of city living, High Street at South Point – brand-new condo homes in the South Point Exchange neighbourhood – brings sophisticated urban style and modern convenience to the area. Surrounded by shops, cafés, restaurants, grocers and essential services, the limited collection of 88 contemporary flats and city homes offer homebuyers the chance at a new home in a community where everything is just outside the front door. “What we’ve created is an authentic High Street. Everything you need for daily or weekly shopping is just steps away,” says Grosvenor senior development manager Michael Mortensen. “There’s a full complement of shops and services at your doorstep, but you’re living above it all, in a residential enclave.” From fresh produce to fine wines, from dry cleaning to financial facilities, from hair stylists to the local neighbourhood pub, it’s all nearby. Shops include Starbucks, Everyday Gourmet, Clancy’s Gourmet Meats, 7 Seas Fish Market, Save-On Foods, Liberty Wines, Kin’s Farm Market, Cactus Club, Milestones and Tim Hortons, among others. CONTINUED ON P.2
Everything you need is just outside the front door at Grosvenor’s High Street in South Surrey. Photo courtesy of Grosvenor
New Local Home | June 10, 2010 • 5
‘Everything is just steps away’
New homes in a great location CONTINUED FROM P.4
Although many of High Street’s new homes have already sold, Mortensen says there is still a wide range of selection and size available for homebuyers, from onebedroom homes up to three bedrooms. There’s a good mix of High Street homeowners, he notes, from the empty nesters and downsizers who prefer a lock-it-andleave-it lifestyle, to the first-time home purchasers and couples looking for a lowmaintenance home. The location is extremely accessible – close to Highway 99, Highway 91, transit routes and the U.S. border – making it easy to get to any destination. “It’s certainly the kind of location where people can shed a vehicle,” Mortensen says, referring to the convenience of living at High Street. Besides the shops and services at South Point Exchange – also built by Grosvenor, which has 300 years of residential building experience in London, England and more than 50 years of experience building in Metro Vancouver – there are also the beaches of White Rock and Crescent Beach, recreational opportunities at South Surrey Athletic Park and several other local parks and trails. Plenty of locals can often be seen kayaking in the ocean or in the waters of the Nickomekl River, especially when the CONTINUED ON P.6
High Street’s interiors offer the airy spaciousness of free-flowing floorplans in a warm, contemporary style. Photo courtesy of Grosvenor
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. Single Family Cottages from
$399,900 Phase 1 and 2 SOLD OUT! PRIORITY REGISTER NOW FOR PHASE 3.
1.877.888.4950
CultusLakeCottages.com
By the time they ask “Are we there yet?” … you will be.
Discovery Centre & Display Cottages
Open daily from 12 noon to 5pm except Wednesday 1777 Columbia Valley Rd. Lindell Beach, BC Copyright 2010 © | Higherground Project Marketing Inc. Brokerage and Sales by Multiple Reality Ltd. Prices are subject to change without prior notice.
6 • New Local Home | June 10, 2010
City living in South Surrey
Modern convenience meets quality CONTINUED FROM P.5
weather’s warmer, and local golf courses welcome a steady stream of golfers aiming to improve their game. Outside, High Street’s classic yet timeless architecture was created by the award-winning firm of Rositch Hemphill & Associates, and features brick and HardiePlank siding alongside sophisticated details such as rich wood trim and moulded cornices. Many floorplans feature large terraces and patios, and covered balconies. Inside, interiors are designed with warmth and contemporary elegance; no detail is overlooked. Gourmet kitchens are welcoming and functional, with a six-piece professional appliance package, rich wood cabinetry, enduring stone countertops and hand-laid ceramic tile backsplashes. Spa-like bath and powder rooms invite relaxation and calm with timeless marble countertops, polished porcelain tile floors, designer tubs and frameless glass showers. The attention put into the details at High Street stand apart, Mortensen says. “I’d say they’re the highest-quality finishes in the market.” Move-in ready homes at High Street start from $279,900, and HST incentives are still being offered. Visit www.southpointlife.com for more information.
Kitchens at High Street are inviting and functional, while covered balconies allow year-round outdoor living. Photo courtesy of Grosvenor
New Local Home | June 10, 2010 • 7
On Tour
A Burke Mountain Heights 3398 Don Moore Drive, Coquitlam. 778-285-6299 B Sterling 3412 Wilkie Avenue, Coquitlam. C Larkin House 1131 Pipeline Road Coquitlam. 604-552-1113
Squamish < Skye-Soleil-Aqua Presentation Centre, Unit 3, 1233 Main St., Squamish. 604-616-1215 = Furry Creek-Ocean Crest 415- Furry Creek Dr. 604-787-1456
Port Coquitlam < Pearl 2343 Atkins Ave. 604-308-0227
Richmond < Alexandra Gate Cambie-Garden City. 604-279-8866 = Centro 7180 No.3 Road-Bennett. 604-270-8305 > Remy 106- 9780 Cambie Rd. 604-274-7326 ? Hamilton Station 22788 Westminster Hwy. 604-279-8866 @ Wishing Tree Alexander Gardens. 604-871-4296 A Cambridge Park 9191 Odlin Rd. 778-297-7511 C Saffron 180-8360 Granville Ave. 604-270-2482
South Surrey-White Rock < Highland Park 160th & 24th Ave. 604-542-8995 = Glenmore at Morgan Heights 161A St. & 24th Ave. 604-542-8863 > Wills Creek 160th & 32nd Ave. 604-542-6200 ? Kaleden 2729-158th Street. 604-541-4246 @ Morgan Heights 26th Ave & 164th Street. 604-531-1111, 604-420-4200 A Cathedral Grove 2738-158th Street. 604-541-7383 B Southport 3677-143 Street. 604-292-0871 Rd
< Victoria Hill McBride Ave. 604-523-0733 = Q at Westminster Quay Renaissance Square off Quayside Drive. 604-515-9112 > Port Royal Holy Ave. and Salter St. 604-520-9890
7348 192A Street, Surrey. 604-574-0001
@
7
Lo
Port Coquitlam 7B
ug
he
ed
Hw
y.
Pitt Meadows
th
ay
St
116th Ave.
= 132nd Ave
.
>
Ro
< ?
152nd St.
< 7
< 88th Ave
56th Ave 1
= @ 72nd
Ave
Langley Bypass
Cloverdale
10
99
Fort Langley
96th Ave
80th Ave
.
56th Ave
TR
10
Langley ?
AN
SC
AN
AD
AH
56th Ave
WY
.
15
13
40th Ave.
99A
South Surrey
White Rock
M a r in e D r .
232nd St.
Fras
24th Ave. 16th Ave
16th Ave.
8th Ave
5
Wix Ave
216th St.
? 32nd Ave > < 24th Ave. @
208th St.
99
1A
200th St.
28th Ave.
192nd St.
A
South Delta
1
184th St.
17
wy
176th St.
.
Ladner Trunk Rd.
128th St.
Rd
10 58th Ave.
140th St.
10
48th Ave. Is.
rH
=
152nd St.
104th St.
am
se
64th Ave.
99A
72nd St.
sth
46a St.
We
Fra
>
64th Ave. 91
1A
Surrey
Scott Rd.
Riv
Steveston Hwy.
. e r Rd
<
d ol
e n E a rs W a y
88th Ave
168th St.
99
80th Ave.
144th St.
Richmond
132nd St.
North Delta
G
King George Hwy.
Westminster Hwy.
>
96th Ave
ov
96th Ave.
104th Ave.
Stayte Rd.
Richmond Fwy.
112th St.
No. 3 Rd.
Gilbert Rd.
91
1
Maple Ridge
Gl
New Westminster
Bridgeport Rd.
< > = ? @ A
Dewdney Trunk Rd
272 Nd St
<
Dominion
<
er H
wy.
272 St.
Kinght St.
Austin Rd.
Prairie Rd. 7
Way
< > = yal
W
12
>
h
.
>
n Ears
da
Marine Dr.
t 10
e Av
A B Coquitlam =
264 St.
dH y w .
?
C
St. Johns Como Lake
in
ee
99A
49 Ave.
A Knoll
256th St
. Rd ke
di
Burnaby
David Ave.
.
Guildford Way
Bl u e Mo u nt a
gh
ar
Rd
7A
North Rd. Cl ar
Lou
gl
na
Cambie St.
Ga
< = 1
41 Ave. Oak St.
Barnett Hwy.
Columbia Ave.
1st Ave.
Commercial
Arbutus
r.
6058 - 163 Street, Surrey. 778-571-1389
Port Moody
Ca
Granville St.
eD
? Vista’s West
Golde
rin
99
16327 60th Ave. 778-574-1380
< Bedford Landing 23015 Billy Brown Road. 604-888-2176
I o co
Willingdon
Boundary Rd.
Alma St. Dunbar St.
Ma
No. 1 Rd.
Sw
>
> The Estates at Vistas West
Langley
Mt. Seymour Pkwy ar to n Hw y
Vancouver
4th Ave. Broadway 10th 12th Ave.
7881 164A Street. 604-657-5220
North Vancouver
Hastings
< =
= Hazelwood Estates
.
<
r.
18199 70th Ave, 778-571-1088
< Trend 7445 Scott Road. 604-590-5483
1
M a r i ne D
< Augusta Walk / Woods at Provinceton
Delta
Doll
Nw
5655 210A Street. 604-534-6000
256th St
99
nn
ey
? Cornerstone
240th St
Ly
ll Va
Surrey
9525-204 Street. 604-694-1819
232nd St
West Vancouver
New Westminster
> Time at Walnut Grove
Rd
1
208th St & 72nd Ave. 604-539-9484
er
Ma rine Dr .
Taylor Way
➜
< Squamish =
Lonsdale Ave.
< Levo 1170 Pinetree Way & Northern Ave. 604-464-5856 99 = The Foothills Burke Mountain, 3381 David Ave. 604-944-3188 > Tatton 1240 Holtby, Coquitlam. 604-552-2220 ? Whitetail Lane 1357 Purcell Drive. 604-552-3003 @ Belmont 1456 Avondale Street. 604-461-7113
< Falcon Hill 23719 Kanaka Way. 604-466-5723 = Stoneleigh at Silver Ridge 13851 232 Street. 604-466-9278 > Solo 11749 223rd Street. 604-467-0800
248th St.
Coquitlam
= Seasons & Prelude at Milner Heights
224th St
< Jewel 6130 WilsonAvenue at Beresford. 604-456-0688 = Brentwood Gate-The Varley 1960 Beta Ave. 604-205-7228 > Adera - Green 7438 Byrnepark Walk. 604-439-8858
Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows
Neaves Rd
Burnaby
Waterfront Capital Partners’ The Kimpton offers new, lowrise condo homes to potential homebuyers in North Vancouver.
203th St
< Sage 5898 Gray Ave., (UBC/Wesbrook) 604-822-0809 = Pacific Spirit UBC Westbrook Village. 604-221-8878 604-264-6477 ! District: South Main 299 East 7th Ave., Vancouver. 604-879-2010
Harris Rd
Vancouver
Coast Meridian Rd.
< Wedgewood 768 Orwell St. 604-980-2508
Lougheed
North Vancouver
8 • New Local Home | June 10, 2010
GRAND OPENING THREE DISPLAY SUITES IN MOTIF! MOVE IN TODAY. PURCHASE BEFORE JULY 1, 2010 & AVOID THE HST Now that Motif is ready for occupancy, we’ve moved our saless office into the building and have 3 fully furnished show suites open for viewing. If you’re looking ooking for a larger-than-average suite with stunning views, now’s the time to make your move – before the HST comes into effect. Imagine the money you’ll save, and how great it will be to live in the heart of Burnaby’s vibrant Brentwood community, an elevator ride away from shops, ps, restaurants and a private fitness spa. Just 15 minutes from downtown by Skytrain.
PRICES STARTING AT $424,300. HURRY ONLY 19 9 HOMES LEFT!
SALES CENTRE NTRE hanan Street 4400 Buchanan C V5C 6R4 Burnaby BC Open Dailyy Noon to 5PM iday) (Except Friday) www.motifatciti.com atciti.com 8800 604.298.8800