April 11 - 24

GTA LIVING

HOMES&CONDOS T O D AY ’ S

NEW HOME BUYER’S GUIDE SERVING TORONTO & YORK REGION APRIL 11 - 24

DISTRIBUTION: 337,500

Stouffville’s MASTER PLANNED RAVINE Community

~Est.

1977~

Finalist 2013 BILD Awards PLACES TO GROW COMMUNITY OF THE YEAR

~Est.

1977~

Today’s Homes Toronto • Thursday April 11 to Wednesday April 24 2013 • 2

GTA LIVING

World-Class living in the GTA T

his issue of Today’s Homes & Condominiums marks a milestone, as our distribution has now expanded beyond York Region to include several areas in the City of Toronto. This is an exciting development for all of us who work on the section. As residential destinations go, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) tops the lists of a growing number of people from Canada and around the world. In fact, more than 80 per cent of Ontario’s immigrants

settle in the GTA, which includes the City of Toronto (Toronto.ca) and the Regions of York (York.ca), Durham (Durham.ca), Halton (Halton.ca) and Peel (Peel.ca). The population of the GTA is 5.5 million, with 2.79 million living in the City of Toronto.

Sheer size is only part of the wonder of it all. The GTA is known around the globe for the high quality of life we enjoy here and the tapestry of cultures that make up our society.

Dorothea Helms Connects people and ideas, and can be reached at writer@wsws.ca

One of the world’s most diverse cities in the world, multi-award-winning Toronto is also rated one of its safest by Places Rated Almanac.

Whatever your pleasure, you’re sure to find it in this scintillating city where cultural, entertainment, educational, shopping, dining and recreational opportunities abound.

From the sarcophagi and tapestries of the Royal Ontario Museum to the wilds of the

Toronto Zoo and the breathtaking beauty of Lake Ontario’s shoreline, this city is teeming with interest and energy.

In Toronto, you can live in a high-rise condo right on the subway, a townhome close to amenities, or a detached home on a treelined street. If you prefer a more suburban lifestyle, Toronto is surrounded by 905 areas that have their own distinct appeal, with urban centres, towns, villages and hamlets catering to every lifestyle.

In March, MoneySense Magazine featured a “Best Places to Live” national survey looking at data that represents quality of life – and Toronto and municipalities in the GTA showed up on several lists. Among the Top 10 Places to Live in Canada, Burlington placed 3rd, Oakville was 5th, and Newmarket placed 10th. Toronto placed 7th in the Top 10 Large cities in the country, and Mississauga placed 8th. To access all the rankings, visit MoneySense Magazine online at http:// www.moneysense.ca/2013/03/20/canadasbest-places-to-live-2013/.

Let’s face it, folks – as GTA residents, we live in the BEST place in the world!

The Toronto skyline is one of the world’s most breathtaking. (Photo Credit: www.torontowide.com; Photographer Doug Brown; Photo courtesy of Tourism Toronto)

In Halton Region, Burlington’s beautiful Spencer Smith Park is located along Lake Ontario, steps away from downtown (Photo courtesy of the City of Burlington)

In addition to large urban centres such as Mississauga and Brampton, Peel Region offers the Town of Caledon among its many residential destinations (Photo courtesy of the Regional Municipality of Peel)

Residents and visitors alike enjoy the scenic paths along the Waterfront Trail in Durham Region’s Town of Ajax (Photo courtesy of the Regional Municipality of Durham)

In York Region, the Town of Newmarket is listed in MoneySense Magazine’s Top 10 Places to live in Canada!

(Photo courtesy of the Town of Newmarket)

n o r t h

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3 • Today’s Homes Toronto • Thursday April 11 to Wednesday April 24, 2013

B a t h u r s t ,

PHASE V is a huge success at Cardinal Point by award-winning Geranium Homes

W

hat an exciting spring this is for Geranium Homes! Last year’s Home Builder of the Year is a Finalist in 10 categories for the 2013 BILD Awards celebrating excellence in the new home building industry. One nomination is for Best Model Home, for “The 4210” – one of the two beautifully furnished model homes

by Bryon Patton & Associates at The Neighbourhoods of Cardinal Point.

This desirable new neighbourhood is popular with those looking to move up to spacious, energy-efficient homes on 38- and 42-foot lots in a family-friendly master-planned community adjacent to a natural ravine. Many of Geranium’s Phase V homes are now under construction in this established location close to the shops, dining, recreation and GO services along Stouff ville’s Main Street.

Helen Olidis is a very happy first-time homeowner at Cardinal Point. Commenting on her new neighbourhood she says, “I used to work in Stouff ville 20 years ago, and I am amazed at how beautifully the Town has developed. I can walk to a lot of amenities, and in a few minutes from home, I can be at the pool in the Lebovic Centre and hike the beautiful trails in the area. I appreciate all the benefits of this location.”

Helen moved into her 1,570 square-foot, three-bedroom home earlier this year, and says she is delighted with her choice. “The entire experience with Geranium Homes has

been fabulous, from the sales centre to the décor centre and moving in. The quality is excellent and the after-sale service is impeccable. I chose a plan that was one of the Model Homes, and I found it helpful to walk through and actually see the layout. I appreciate the open-concept main living area, and Geranium’s standard features are very nice. When friends and family come over, they are amazed at the high level of quality I got for the price. I recommend Geranium Homes to everyone!”

The models showcase these superb detached residences, which include a host of desirable finishes including 9-foot main floor ceilings; oak hardwood flooring, stairs and pickets; gas fireplace with plaster mantle and surround; and kitchens with granite countertop, extended-height uppers, decorative crown moulding and ceramic backsplash. All of the homes are built to ENERGY STAR® for New Homes program requirements, as well as the company’s stringent Geranium Green construction standards.

Cardinal Point features two parks, children’s playgrounds and stone entry gates. The location is minutes to Highways 404 and 407. Homes in Phase V range from 1,957 to 3,378 sq. ft. and are priced from $575,900, with occupancies available this year.

The Cardinal Point Sales Centre and Model Homes are on Millard Street, east off Highway 48 and north of Stouff ville Road. Hours are Monday to Thursday from 1 to 7 p.m.;

Friday closed; Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Call 905-640-9999 or visit GeraniumHomes.com.

First home opportunity Soon, Geranium will introduce a new style of urban architecture in Stouff ville. The UpTownes at Cardinal Point will offer unique freehold-condo back-to-back stacked urban towns. Register today to be first to learn more at GeraniumHomes.com.

Geranium’s Model Home in Stouffville.

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Prices, specifications and promotions are subject to change without notice. Renderings are artist’s concept and images are for mood and impression only. E.&O.E. April 2013. 20980.

T O D AY ’ S

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NEW HOME BUYER’S GUIDE SERVING TORONTO & YORK REGION

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Today’s Homes Toronto • Thursday April 11 to Wednesday April 24, 2013 • 4

COVER STORY

Members of B.I.L.D. BUILDING A GREATER GTA

Building Industry and Land Development Association

To advertise contact one of our Advertising/Marketing Sales Representatives All prices, square footages and special offers quoted in editorial articles are accurate at press time, and are subject to change withbout notice.

Publisher: Ian Proudfoot Director of Production: Jackie Smart

Shelley Thompson 905-853-8888 sthompson@yrmg.com

13-04-08 3:13 PM Editorial: Dorothea Helms Graphic Design: Michelle Al-Jbouri

John MacRae 905-294-2200 jmacrae@yrmg.com Toronto Line 416-798-7624

Monika Madden 905-853-8888 mmadden@yrmg.com

That INSPIRE

Finalist 2013 BILD Awards

BEST MODEL HOME

Model 4210 - Nominated Best Model Home - 2013 BILD Awards At Geranium Homes’ award winning quality and value come standard with every new home we build. In Stouffville’s Cardinal Point, our fabulous Bryon Patton inspired models showcase just how much more home your dollar buys when you make your move with BILD 2012’s Home Builder of the Year.

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5 • Today’s Homes Toronto • Thursday April 11 to Wednesday April 24, 2013

DESIGNS

Today’s Homes Toronto • Thursday April 11 to Wednesday April 24, 2013 • 6

NEWS FROM BILD

Talking about Toronto’s suburbs

T

he City of Toronto’s Chief Planner Jennifer Keesmaat invited me to join one of her roundtable discussions on key city-building issues so last week I was at the table on behalf of the Association’s 1,400 member companies and the thousands of new homebuyers that choose to call Toronto home every single year. With 10 other panellists who represented the city’s planning, engineering and transit divisions, the commercial development sector, the academic sector and more, our discussion focused on transforming the suburbs.

Of the close to 100,000 people that move to the GTA annually, many of them find a neighbourhood within the City of Toronto to call home. Demographics change over time and over the last four decades the suburbs have housed a large percentage of the population but the average income is declining.

When our industry plans, designs and builds complete communities, we have to consider the provincial planning regime that calls for more intensified land use. This has caused a shift and the majority of homes under construction today are high-density homes. We also have to consider the creation of 50,000 jobs close to where people live because that’s one of the best ways to keep the city and the region sustainable and economically viable.

Equally important is improving our region’s transit infrastructure. BILD is supportive of Metrolinx’s regional transportation plan, The Big Move, and we believe any investment must be targeted to support jobs and economic

Bryan Tuckey President of the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD)

development. The land development and home building industry is doing its part to support the development of essential public infrastructure. Last year alone, the industry and new home buyers in the GTA paid an estimated $1 billion for the construction of growth-related infrastructure through development charges paid to municipalities.

So during the roundtable discussion on transforming the city’s suburbs, I offered three additional areas where our industry can help.

First, we can help unlock underutilized sites and build complete communities. To do so in the suburbs, we need municipal tools to overcome financial and process-related barriers that are making development difficult.

Second, we are advocating for the allowance of six-storey woodframe construction under the Ontario Building Code.

This type of housing is safe, cost-effective and a liveable option for the suburbs that will bring mid-rise residential and mixeduse buildings to corridors, which are generally under-utilized lands, but well-served by transit and existing infrastructure.

Third, the existing stock of homes is ripe for renovation in the suburbs and the city has to update its parking and building permits and by-laws to be sensitive to the renovation market.

I applaud the City’s Chief Planner for hosting these roundtables and look forward to seeing the series of actions produced out of the discussion because stronger suburbs and a stronger city benefit all of us.

Bryan Tuckey is President and CEO of the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) and can be found on Twitter (twitter.com/bildgta), Facebook (facebook.com/ bildgta), Youtube (youtube.com/bildgta) and BILD’s official online blog (bildblogs.ca)

news from BILD

Housing market continues to face challenges

F

or the first time in many months, sales of new detached, semis and townhomes in the GTA outperformed those in the new condominiums in February, the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) announced in March.

According to RealNet Canada Inc., BILD’s official source for new home market intelligence, new home buyers purchased 2,030 new homes and condominiums in the GTA in February. The 1,078 low-rise sales add up to the second-lowest February

Feb '13

on record, despite outperforming the highrise market which tallied 952 sales.

“This February, we observed stronger sales in low-rise projects situated in desirable locations where there is pent-up demand for new ground-related housing,” said BILD President and CEO Bryan Tuckey. “However, the housing market is still performing below average.”

Consumer confidence has been affected by the stricter mortgage lending rules, Tuckey added. However, the 952 new highrise sales in the month of February say

Low Rise

that the condominium lifestyle is still an attractive and affordable option for new home buyers in the GTA. High-rise sales were only 7 per cent lower than February 2012.

The RealNet New Home Price Index showed a 13 per cent increase in new lowrise homes, bringing the current figure to $639,124. Pricing for new high-rise homes was up 1.3 per cent to $539 per square foot, while smaller unit sizes brought average price per unit down 1.3 per cent to $432,021.

High Rise

Total

Region

2011

2012

2013

2011

2012

2013

2011

2012

2013

Durham Halton Peel Toronto York GTA Jan-Feb

261 145 476 44 559 1,485 2,619

221

185 73 287 51 482 1,078 1,660

12 49 51 1,745 346 2,203 3,305

3

4 34 24 700 190 952 1,734

273 194 527 1,789 905 3,688 5,924

224

189 107 311 751 672 2,030 3,394

297 493 20 552 1,583 2,758

71 23 762 167 1,026 1,771

368 516 782 719 2,609 4,529

With more than 1,400 members, BILD, formed through the merger of the Greater Toronto Home Builders’ Association and Urban Development Institute/Ontario, is the voice of the land development, home building and professional renovation industry in the Greater Toronto Area. BILD is proudly affiliated with the Ontario and Canadian Home Builders’ Associations.

7 • Today’s Homes Toronto • Thursday April 11 to Wednesday April 24, 2013

lin g el

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Today’s Homes Toronto • Thursday April 11 to Wednesday April 24, 2013 • 8

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