November 27, 2012

New HOME BUYERS GUIDE K A M L O O P S

THIS WEEK

Monthly N OVE MBE R / D E C E M B ER 2 0 1 2

Let My Expertise Put You in a Better Place!

The Mortgage Centre/ Dico Holdings 207-242 Victoria St. Kamloops, BC V2C 2A2

250-374-2222 Larry Brinkworth

www.mortgagesbc.ca

brinkworth.l@mortgagecentre.com

VOL . 8 N O. 1 1

Belmonté at Sun Rivers — your garden home

Artist rendering for illustrative purposes. Final product may not be exactly as shown. See story, page C3.

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C2 â?– November/December 2012

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November/December 2012 ❖ C3

www.kamloopsthisweek.com

NEW HOMES

Simplify life in a Belmonté townhome Artist rendering for illustrative purposes only

B

ELMONTÉ GARDEN HOMES — AFFORDABLE, PICTURESQUE AND ARCHITECTURALLY DETAILED BUILTGREEN HOMES — BOASTS PRIVATE COURTYARDS AND A NEIGHBOURHOOD GARDEN CONSISTING OF INDIVIDUAL GARDENING PLOTS. While it is known gardening is Canada’s No. 1 pastime, it was determined during a developer focus group it is also a relaxing, leisurely activity a large percentage of Kamloops residents take very seriously.

Garden plots are a rarity in a townhome environment.

Therefore, the empty-nester, career professional or firsttime homebuyer who is also a garden devotee is hindered with options for owning their own “lock and leave” home.

Thus, the “garden-home” concept came to be, making it the prime, unique characteristic for Belmonté, setting it apart from other townhome complexes.

Phase I of Belmonté in Sun Rivers includes 15 units and is under construction.

Two show units will be included in the first building.

Upon completion of the project, 89 units will be ready to be called home.

Phase 1 units range from 1,806 square feet to 2,128 square feet of finished living space, plus unfinished storage area.

There are two distinct finishing options available to home-owners, eliminating that overwhelming pressure of picking the perfect colour scheme for your home.

Sun Rivers has taken all the guesswork out of this exhausting experience, having experts implement and design the right blend of colours, wood, tile and all of the finer details one looks for in their new home.

However, this being said, Sun Rivers also understands the importance of customizing your home to create your own personal palette.

Each unit will be taken to various stages of completion, allowing the homeowner to choose one of the two colour palletes already created or the option to go with something completely different — which, of course, is all up to the owner’s budget.

Belmonté appeals to those seeking to simplify their lives, wishing to create their own agenda, creating the perfect balance between work and play.

X See LOCK-AND-LEAVE C4

Featuring the Pebble Creek Furniture C Co.

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C4 ❖ November/December 2012

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NEW HOMES

Lock-and-leave lifestyle appeals to empty-nesters X From C3

The lock-and-leave lifestyle provides an environment of stress-free landscape and exterior maintenance, which appeals to the young business professional who is career-minded but wants freedom in their spare time, to the empty-nester who wants the adaptability of extended vacations and the lifestyle of adventure.

The exterior of each home will feature a rich taste of Tuscan landscaping and architecture, including a stucco finish, a new tile-profile shingle, wood beams and iron accents.

Unique to each townhome are two single-car garages on most units; a majority of the units feature one garage up and one down, thus eliminating the common townhome conundrum of seeing a façade of garages that takes away from the beauty of the homes.

End units will boast large courtyards and showcase fair-sized patios designed to be larger than what a typical townhome would possess, allowing herb or veggie pots or garden planters to accommodate the overall concept of a garden townhome.

The intricate details and thought-provoking design that

Sun Rivers has included in its Belmonté project is obvious.

You just need to look at its other sought-after neighbourhoods to see that no detail is overlooked.

Golf Ridge (one unit remaining) and Irongate (currently selling), prove Sun Rivers creates each neighbourhood as if it is its own exclusive, private subdivision.

Sun Rivers is not simply a housing community, restaurant or a golf course — it is a lifestyle community where people will come to embrace the uniqueness it has to offer.

Your new home has a style all your own, distinctive exterior and interior design, an available garden plot and, just five kilometres from downtown Kamloops, there really isn’t room for anything else.

Sun Rivers has truly designed the complete package with its Belmonté homes priced at an average of $400,000.

Watch for details on showhome openings mid-February, when you can engage in the Belmonté experience for yourself.

Sun Rivers Sales Centre is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Belmonté floor plans, phase-one pricing and colour palettes are available for viewing.

November/December 2012 ❖ C5

www.kamloopsthisweek.com

Steve Bucher Mortgage Consultant Expert advice, excellent service, exceptional rates 250.682.6077 425 Tranquille Road steve.bucher@migroup.ca www.mortgagebuilder.ca

MORTGAGE INTELLIGENCE

Opportunities abound in a buyer’s market

W

HEN HOUSE PRICES FALL AND HOMEBUYERS ARE FEW, IT IS CALLED A “BUYER’S” MARKET. In this market, some people see only risk and ask the question: “What if the prices go lower?”

Other people see opportunity.

So, what are these people seeing that would make them want to buy?

• Investment: When stocks are losing money and bonds are only offering two or three per cent interest, some people look to real estate as part of their investment strategy.

A house is something you can improve with your own hands and, if the home is inexpensive enough, it can be flipped in a few years for a gain.

Trades like carpenters and contractors are often easier to connect with in a slow market and their prices can be more competitive than when the market is booming.

• Income: Rental income is a great way to supplement your employment income and get a stranger to pay your mortgage.

However, being a landlord is not for everyone, so be

sure you are ready to take this step.

• Appreciation: This is the question: “Will this house be worth more in the future when you go to sell?”

A person who buys for appreciation needs the financial resources to hold the property until that day — the day they can sell the home for a profit.

It could be one year, five years or even a decade.

• Personal use: Buy a better house.

In a market where house prices are low, take a hard look at how happy you are in your current home.

It may be a great time to get a great deal on a home that will better suit your family’s needs.

Just know the market you buy in is the market in which you sell.

If you get a great deal, the person who buys your home will probably get a great deal, as well.

Mortgage payments and advice are a crucial part of exploring if purchasing in a buyer’s market is right for you.

I’m happy to help.

Contact mortgage consultant Steve Bucher at Mortgage Intelligence, 250-682-6077 to learn more.

Are you ready to make your move?

• Convenient appointment, day or night, home or office • Competitive rates on a wide selection of mortgages • Flexible home financing solutions • Your contact for all mortgage needs For convenient mortgage service, contact: Bev Wassen-Hunter Mortgage Specialist Tel. : 250-828-8870 Cell : 250-572-6847

Sue Maitland Mortgage Specialist Tel. : 250-828-8841 Cell : 250-819-8811

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C6 ❖ November/December 2012

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November/December 2012 ❖ C7

www.kamloopsthisweek.com

NEW HOMES

Neat & Chic — resolving life’s chaos easily and effectively You have enough to deal with — the insurmountable day to day concerns have your to-do list looking like a 14th-century novel.

Your home is clean on the surface, but it isn’t organized.

The cupboards are about to burst at any minute with containers full of office and craft supplies.

There are piles of paper, bills, mail and books teetering over — one more piece of paper and the pile collapses.

“Have you seen the . . . ” “Can you help me find that ...”

“Where in the world did I put the . . . ” These are all things you will never have to say again once Felicia Madsen enters your home or business.

Felicia is your clutter coach.

She can personally and professionally assist you with that frightening junk closet or weekend cleanup project in the basement you started three months ago.

Felicia has been described as a perfectionist, a systematic organizer and a neat freak, virtues anyone in her profession should possess.

Neat & Chic proves lack of space is not the cause of clut-

The clutter coaches at Neat & Chic can give you your home and life back.

ter. It can turn any space into a beautiful, creative or relaxing area, whatever you envision it to be.

In addition to the much-desired services Neat & Chic provides, home staging is another stress-relieving talent it brings to clients.

Home staging prepares a

house for sale to sell faster and for more money by appealing to the broadest range of buyers.

Viewed from the buyers’ perspective, recommendations to enhance value are given after a thorough evaluation of a home is completed.

The purpose is to show your house to its fullest advantage

and put more money in your pocket.

Once Felicia and her team stage your home, you are surrounded by a vibrant sense of order — a classic and attractive restructuring of what was once chaos.

Neat & Chic complements their services with four vital

areas for their clients: • Coaching: It provides a friendly, supportive clutter coach who works with you to find solutions to your organizational challenges and trains you to utilize their strategies on your own.

• Creativity: It uses creative, adaptive organizing systems that respect who you are and who you want to be.

• Freedom: It restores order to your homes and lives by adding simplicity and style. Neat & Chic helps you clear your mind by clearing your clutter, allowing you more freedom.

• Guidance: Neat & Chic will guide you through life’s emotional waves with its supportive and passionate approach.

It is your home — take it back!

Let the Neat & Chic team give you the organizational tips and encouragement you need.

Give yourself more time for the little things that life has to offer this holiday season — and every day of the year!

Watch for more articles and tips from Neat & Chic in future issues of the New Home Buyer’s Guide.

Home Staging and Organizing AFTER AFTER

BEFORE

BEFORE

Coaching, Creativity, Freedom, Guidance

Felicia Madsen

ORGANIZING YOUR LIFE & HOME WITH STYLE. 100% LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED

&

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C8 â?– November/December 2012

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NEW HOMES

Stay warm this winter without breaking the bank Energy efficiency can be part of our daily lives.

Here are a few simple tips and tricks for responsible gestures that can be made in the home each and every day.

you to realize savings of up to eight per cent.

For a gas furnace, choose one with burners that light automatically without a pilot light — you will save up to 1,200 KWh a year.

To conserve heat during the night, close curtains and shutters, if you have them.

Install insulating windows (double-paned) and check the openings for air tightness.

This will give you three to five per cent savings.

For heating Lower the thermostat by a few degrees when the house is empty for a few hours.

The temperature can be increased to a comfortable level upon your return.

It is pointless to crank up the heating to the maximum, as the temperature won’t increase any faster.

Install a programmable thermostat for your heating system.

It will automatically lower the temperature during the night and increase it in the morning, which will allow you to cut back your heating bill by five to eight per cent.

Dusting radiators or grills of baseboard heaters once a year will increase room temperature and improve the quality of indoor air.

Signing a maintenance contract for an individual furnace in order to maintain its efficiency will also allow

For lighting Always switch off lights when you leave a room.

By regularly dusting shades and bulbs, you will recover 30 per cent of their luminosity.

It’s surprising to realize these small, simple gestures can quickly translate into savings and, more importantly, into a better management of our energy resources.

Just one gesture is praiseworthy but, if millions of people followed these practical tricks and tips, imagine the savings that would be realized on a countrywide scale.

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November/December 2012 ❖ C9

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NEW HOMES

Live a better life at Talasa

P

URCHASING A HOME IN THE AWARD-WINNING MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT OF TALASA COULD BE THE KEY TO UNLOCKING A MORE REWARDING LIFE. The benefits to downsizing are abundant.

Each year, more people are making the decision to purchase a property smaller than the one they currently own.

No matter your circumstance, Talasa condominium-style homes offer a rewarding and carefree alternative for sophisticated living.

With the right use of space and design, condo living delivers a desirable environment that will leave you feeling inspired, organized and comforted knowing you have more time to enjoy the resort lifestyle of Sun Rivers.

The Talasa master development is situated on a 12-acre parcel in the heart of the award-winning Sun Rivers Golf Resort Community and includes an interesting and vibrant mix of residential and commercial uses.

Once completed, the Talasa Development and Village Centre will contain up to 450 residential units and a mix of commercial space, which would include a coffee shop, green grocer, bakery, gift shop, resort commercial (hotel, spa-salon and pub), commercial office space (doctor, lawyer or realty

office) and the residents’ club, a 12,000square-foot facility, which will include a pool, gym and recreational-fitness programs.

One of the most-attractive benefits of downsizing to condominium-style living is the convenience of almost maintenance-free living.

In the summer, take advantage of no-fuss landscaping, pruning, mowing and weeding, as these responsibilities are overseen by the community administrator.

In the chill of winter, enjoy the elimination of shovelling snow from driveways and sidewalks.

Homes that have a smaller footprint often require less light, heat and air conditioning,

which means you will spend less on energy.

The sustainable heating and cooling system at Talasa is a huge draw for homebuyers looking to reduce their environmental footprints.

It adds up to savings that help the environment and keep some cash in your wallet.

Everything Organized president Kim Watt-Senner advises downsizing doesn’t need to be looked upon as a bad thing.

In fact, it’s quite the contrary.

She believes the process is all about research, choices and selection.

“Mature people are looking at retirement in a completely different light; they are looking for a lifestyle that suits their needs,

not just a cookie cutter approach,” WattSenner said.

When asked for tips on downsizing, Watt-Senner advised there are five key elements to downsizing success: • Select your new home (and have a firm possession date).

• Be realistic as to what you can take with you (volume).

• Set realistic time goals.

• Communicate with family, friends and/ or sub-contracted trades.

• Know when to ask for help.

Watt-Senner owns Canada’s largest professional organizing company and said up to 87 per cent of her business is seniorfocused.

“We have customized a process for mature people that remove the physical and mental stress of moving and relocating; we actually make it enjoyable.”

While downsizing can be a daunting task, utilizing the services of Everything Organized will help you to live a life of less debt, stress and anxiety.

In exchange, you will enjoy more time and energy for the things you most value and your greatest passions will again take their rightful place in your life.

To learn more about downsizing your home, attend a complimentary informational seminar at the Talasa Presentation Centre on Saturday, Dec. 8, at 11 a.m.

Space is limited, so reserve your seat early by contacting Lisa Villamo at 250572-7338 or by email to lisa@talasaliving. com.

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Kelly Pape Photography

This is not intended to be an offering or solitation for sale in any jurisdiction where the project is not registered in accordance with applicable law or where such offering or solicitation would otherwise be prohibited by law. Rendering and images depicted are for marketing purposes only and may differ from finished product. E.&O.E.

C10 ❖ November/December 2012

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NEW HOMES

The Cavaliere team is more than a group of realtors, they are proven experts and professionals in every facet of buying and selling. + Unsurpassed Client Relationship + Integrity + High Energy Results

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River City Realty: Leading the way

V

INCE AND KATRINA CAVALIERE have been in the real estate business for more than 20 years, bringing a unique approach to all facets of buying and selling, ensuring each transaction is a stress-free, enjoyable experience for all of Team Cavaliere’s clients.

Vince is passionate about his team and this approach.

Team Cavaliere at River City Realty provides its clients with the manpower of an entire office for the cost of one realtor.

Each member of the team is responsible for a specific role throughout the buying and selling process.

Real estate is a fast-paced, multi-faceted business. During each transaction, there are many responsibilities imperative to create the best and most-successful outcome for each client: Marketing, prospecting, client followup, administration, keeping up on technology trends, negotiating, ongoing education and customer service, to name a few.

Team Cavaliere employs a unique, diverse team of high-energy real-estate specialists who bring to the table an innovative and proven marketing program, creating a homeselling system complemented with optimum customer service.

“There is so much that goes on behind the scenes most people don’t realize,” said Scott Andruschak, a selling partner on Team Cavaliere.

“Working as a team means our customer service and attention to detail remains a priority when dealing with such a high level of responsibility.”

Vince and Kartina Cavaliere (right) and their River City Realty team are ready to help Kamloopsians with their real-estate needs.

Vince explains that to effectively service a client’s needs, a single agent will eventually run up against time, energy and money.

Juggling all of the tasks involved in a single transaction will prove to be too overwhelming.

“One component will eventually weaken and, unfortunately, it tends to be customer service,” said Vince.

Team Cavaliere has implemented a 21-Point Marketing Plan that gives its clients the confidence the team will be accountable

for every step of the process.

Vince encourages buyers and sellers to do their research when choosing a realtor and not necessarily choose based on commissions and office size, but rather the level of exposure and service they expect to receive.

“Determine what experience you are looking for and consider the credibility of the person you are hiring,” Vince said.

“For instance, a common myth in the real estate industry is that the buyer doesn’t pay commission. The reality is that the buyer indi-

rectly pays for half of the commission during their purchase.”

Hiring the right agent could save you thousands of dollars.

River City Realty puts considerable emphasis on maintaining the integrity of the real-estate industry.

With hundreds of realtors in Kamloops alone, there is plenty of competition, but the team approach and focus on customer service River City Realty takes pride in allows for continued success.

“For 20 years, we have remained consistent with our beliefs and branding, without compromising the integrity of the industry,” Vince said.

“We don’t sugar-coat anything. We speak the truth. We price homes based on current conditions and tell our clients what they need to hear, not what they want to hear— politely, of course!”

The real-estate world will continue to evolve. There are changes on the horizon that will affect realtors and the way real-estate firms conduct their business.

However, Vince and Katrina’s proven team approach will supersede any industry or economic loss of balance because of their boutique-style of business and list of satisfied clients.

These tools allow their team to be better equipped and adapt in the capricious industry of real estate.

An unsurpassed client relationship, integrity and high-energy results — just a small dose of the experience you will receive from Vince, Katrina and their team at River City Realty.

November/December 2012 ❖ C11

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NEW HOMES

Christmas decorating: a family tradition The festive season will soon be here and now is the time to decorate your home for Christmas.

Rather than feel like this is a chore to be done alone, why not involve your family and turn it into a fun activity for everyone?

The centrepiece of holiday decorations is, of course, the majestic Christmas tree adorned with beautiful ornaments.

Choose plastic rather than glass ornaments to remove any danger of younger children breaking them.

If your ornaments are looking a little worn, you can freshen them up with a coat of silver or gold paint or create new ones with different decorative objects, like pine cones.

You can also create your own unique Christmas ornaments.

Styrofoam balls and glue can be found in art-supply stores or in the arts and crafts section of any department store — and there are endless ways of decorating them.

Cover the balls with all

sorts of different materials: Papier-mâché, fabric, felt, silk paper, metallic sequins, pearls, coloured cardboard discs, etc.

Use several different colours and materials if you want to create a colourful effect for your Christmas tree, or simply limit yourself to one or two materials with similar colours for a more conservative style.

To hang the ornaments on

the tree, insert hooks from old ornaments into the styrofoam or use paper clips that have been cut in two.

Apart from the Christmas tree, other decorations can embellish your home, including an illuminated centrepiece trimmed with evergreens or paper snowflakes glued to the windows.

If you love home perfumes, create a decorative bowl of spiced citrus fruits.

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Whatever colour scheme or décor theme you choose this holiday season, make the decorating experience a memorable event for the entire family.

Grab some hot cocoa, put on some classic holiday music in the background and enjoy time spent with your loved ones.

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C12 ❖ November/December 2012

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