July 15, 2015

NEW HOME Volume 2, Issue 3, July 2015

NEW Developments in the South Okanagan

2

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Wednesday, July 15, 2015 Penticton Western News

Home sales continue at a ‘brisk pace’ Western News Staff

Home sales are continuing at a brisk pace according to the British Columbia Real Estate Association.

Provincially, residential sales in May were up 16.6 per cent from the same month last year.

“Home sales for the month were at an eight year high for the month of May,” said Cameron Muir, BCREA chief economist.

“Strong consumer demand is pushing home sales up in most of the large urban areas of the province.”

Muir said strong consumer confidence and rockbottom mortgage interest rates are expected to push housing demand this year to its highest level since 2007.

The stronger demand is forecast to push the average MLS residential sales price up in the province up 7.4 per cent. The BCREA lists the average South Okanagan MLS price listing to be at $315,000 up $6,506 from last year.

“A dwindling inventory of homes for sale in the face of strong demand is putting upward pressure on home prices in many regions, with the single detached market segment experiencing most

Home sales in British Columbia are continuing at a brisk pace with april the strongest month for sales in a decade.

Western News file photo

of the gains. We haven’t experienced inventories this low since prior to the financial crisis,” added Muir.

April was the strongest for home sales in a decade.

Housing starts in British Columbia’s urban areas were also trending upward.

They were at 29,352 units in June compared to 28,384 units in May, according

to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

The trend is a six-month moving average of the monthly seasonally adjusted annual rates of housing

starts.

“The trend level of housing starts edged higher in June as more town homes and apartments got underway compared to May,”

said Robyn Adamache, principal, market analysis.

“Single-detached starts have maintained a steady pace since the beginning of the year.”

CMHC uses the trend measure as a complement to the monthly seasonally adjusted annual rates of housing starts to account for considerable swings in monthly estimates and obtain a more complete picture of the state of the housing market. In some situations, analysing only that data can be misleading in some markets as they are largely driven by the multiples segment of the markets which can be quite variable from one month to the next.

The standalone monthly seasonally adjusted annual rates of housing for urban starts in British Columbia was 35,001 units in June, compared to 24,113 units in May. As Canada’s authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers objective housing research and information to Canadian governments, consumers and the housing industry.

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Okanagan lifestyle at Bighorn Mountain Western News Staff

Your Okanagan lifestyle made simple is what Bighorn Mountain Estates in Okanagan Falls is about.

“Bighorn Mountain Estates offers city chic in a rural setting, and is nestled snugly under the beautiful Peach Cliff Mountain. This lovely mountain absorbs all the sound and noise and throws back to us a palatable quiet and peacefulness that is truly extraordinary,” said Ron Dyck, project manager.

The development is 75 per cent sold and has attracted clientele from Alberta and the west coast, which has strengthened of late.

Properties have been sold with lot prices ranging from $112,000 to $200,000. Dyck said interest in buying has picked up.

“The market is definitely stronger than it has been,” he said, adding that there are 30 lots left to build.

Currently they are adding six homes that will be ready to move into. They range in price from $400,000 to $600,000 for a large home with a view of the valley and lake.

Dyck said buyers enjoy the customized aspects of the homes, helping bring the home of their dreams to reality.

“You name it, we can produce it.

They are all over the map,” Dyck said.

A large percentage of people buying into the development are traditional with the requests they

Bighorn Mountain EstatEs located in okanagan Falls offers “city chic” living in a rural setting and customized aspects of new homes.

submitted photo

have. However, more are asking for wooden floors, decorative ceilings and vaulted ceilings.

“They are doing more things with lighting. Definitely stepping up the outside patios sizes,” he said.

Standard features include painted shaker millwork and doors as well as oak flat panel shaker-style cabinets. The homes generally come with two bedrooms on the main floor with a four-piece en-

suite and four-piece main bath and a finished basement entry and laundry area. Most home plans can be adapted to allow for full-sized, inground basements, or walkout basements and all homes come with attached double garages.

In the Okanagan, you can always expect a good view too.

“We’ve got enormous views.

We’ve got lake views and we’ve got valley views. They have some with

Bighorn Mountain Estates

huge views of the lake,” said Dyck.

Every home has a patio and many have spectacular views.

He said the allure of the area is the feeling of being in the countryside while remaining not too far away from the amenities of places like Penticton.

“We’re on a mountainside outside of Okanagan Falls. It feels like we’re in the country. A lot of fresh air around us, we have big horned

sheep and deer around us.”

Monthly fees on the bare land strata development are around $350 annually which goes towards road maintenance, street lighting, water costs and a nearby children’s park.

Show homes are open every day from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., no appointment necessary. For more information call the office at 250497-7122 or visit www.bighornmountainestates.com.

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Wednesday, July 15, 2015 Penticton Western News

The relationship between paint and mood Submitted

Painting is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to transform the look of a space. The colours homeowners choose for their walls can give rooms their own unique feel and even affect the moods of the people within them.

Finding the right shade for a bedroom or kitchen involves more than just selecting the first colour that catches your eye. Design experts and psychologists alike say it may be worthwhile to choose a colour that helps you feel good rather than just following design trends. The paint color you pick may add energy to a space or create a tranquil retreat.

Blue

To create a spa-like environment and a more serene space, look to shades of blue in soft variations. Cool blues are soothing colours that can help lower stress levels and promote sleep. That’s why blue is a frequent fixture in bedrooms and bathrooms.

Just be advised that too much blue can make a room appear cold and stark, so balance out blue with some warmer accents.

Orange

Many people do not im-

mediately consider bright orange for their homes, but when used as an accent shade, orange can really brighten up a home. Orange is considered a shade that expands creativity and imparts a youthful appeal to a space. Consider an orange accent wall or a burst of colour with orange throw pillows. If pumpkin orange is a little too bold for you, tone it down by choosing a more pastel, peachy hue, which is equally warm and energizing.

Red

Red stimulates energy and appetite, which is why the shade is so popular in restaurants and home dining spaces. Red is a good choice for social gathering rooms but may not be the wisest choice for a bedroom, as the colour may prove overstimulating.

Green

Green can evoke composure and tranquility and works in any room of the house. Since green is the primary colour of nature, it also works well for those people who want to bring some of the outdoors inside and work with the fresh starts and new growth that green can inspire.

To make green feel less subdued and sleepy, work with its complementary opposite, red, by using a few bold red accents here and there to bal-

ance out the tranquility of green.

Purple

This dramatic colour can add a formal, regal aspect to a home depending on the hue. Purple also may help stimulate the creative side of the brain. In paler shades of lavender, purple can seem almost ethereal and spiritual. Some designers suggest avoiding purple in a bedroom because that is a place you want your brain to rest rather than be stimulated.

Yellow

Few colours are more vibrant than yellow, which can help stimulate conversation and make thoughts more focused. A luminous shade of yellow is an ideal way to make any space more welcoming and bright. Just use it sparingly, as too much yellow may not be a good thing. Yellow accents mixed with touches of purple can offer the balance needed to prevent yellow rooms from overwhelming residents and guests.

Home decorators should keep in mind that colors can be blended to create the desired environment. A color scheme based on complementary colors, or those opposite on the colour wheel, may fit.

ExpErts say the colours you use in your home can alter your mood.

submitted photo

Interior decorators redefine a space Submitted

Though it may seem like interior decorators are a luxury reserved exclusively for the rich and famous, interior decorators work with people of all budgets.

Homeowners sometimes wrestle with the practicality of hiring a decorator, wondering why they should spend the money when they can do the work themselves. But just like homeowners may hire professional electricians or landscapers, hiring a professional interior decorator can ensure the job is done right, within budget and completed within a reasonable amount of time.

Those who have already invested quite a bit of money into their homes but want to add some finishing touches would be wise to hire interior decorators or designers. Homeowners

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often have no idea where to begin when attempting to establish flow from room to room in their homes. Decorators can help homeowners tailor the interiors of their homes to the homes produce the desired vibe.

Hiring a designer can help a person avoid making potentially costly design errors. An aesthetically appealing house also can increase the home’s value, setting a property above others in terms of appeal. Even though the designer will charge a fee, the investment may be well worth the expense when the room is done right the first time.

Designers and decorators are trained to think differently and spatially to achieve concepts homeowners may never have envisioned for themselves. They can help tell stories through design and improve spaces.

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Hands-on training for trades Skaha Hills Avery Heights perfect for at new families Submitted

A unique job-shadow project is providing a group of students from Okanagan College’s Residential Construction program the chance to gain hands-on training as they build a high-end home in the South Okanagan.

The class of 11 students, under the guidance of instructor David Lovisa, is helping construct a home at the Skaha Hills development in Penticton. The project arose as a job shadow opportunity through Greyback Construction Ltd., the company overseeing the development of the resortresidential project overlooking Skaha Lake on the Penticton Indian Band reserve.

“They are working sideWestern News Staff by-side with experienced tradespeople and so their A hasnew work to bedevelopment just as prewhich has makcise as the been men in andthewomen ing for the last two years will beside them with many more be a picturesque place for years of experience,” saida new family to start their life Lovisa. in Penticton.

Shaun McCafferty, suAvery Heights 26 lots perintendent for is Greyback zoned for single-family Construction, said they are dwelling Rd. pleased toonbe2750 able Cedar to support with half of the lots featurthe program. “Job shadowing ing viewsopportuniof Skaha and gorgeous mentorship Lake, Okanagan Lake and ties like this provide students sometimes both. with opportunities for realThe training lots are developer world and we apbeproved with no set building lieve that is important.” scheme For allowing studentthe imagiKayla nation of potential buyers to

“Until you’ve done it, you don’t know how great it feels to actually build somebody’s home and see that come together.”

The 26-week Residential Construction program provides students with the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge to seek employment as apprentice carpenters in the construction industry. As Lovisa notes, the focus is on developing practical skills for the construction workplace.

“Having a chance to contribute to a project like this, and to learn by doing, is absolutely invaluable for students at this stage of their training,” explained Lovisa.

The home the class is run wild and create the cus- with whatever you want in a helping to build is expected tom home they have always home.” to be finished in early June. wanted, with homes starting The development will be Okanagan College is the as early as the end of the the perfect place for a new second largest trades trainsummer. family with Wiltse Elemening institution in the provAvery Heights is set to tary School only a stones ince. The college is currently be completed in three years, throw away, and all the ameembarking on a $33-million Kayla Blanchard, an Okanagan College ResidentialatConstruction student getting hands on experience at Skaha Hills. with lots going on the mar- nities of Penticton your renovation and expansion of Submitted photo ket in the next three weeks. disposal. its trades training complex Potential buyers can come to “It’s not too far away in Kelowna. The Bright HoBlanchard, the project has really proud of myself and tion in the Okanagan; he “If you’ve ever wanted view or buy a lot at the be- from Skaha Lake if you want rizons Building for Skills helped her to develop confiwhat I’ve accomplished.” acknowledged the value of to get into a trade, now is a ginning of August. to be at the lake, or at the Fundraising Campaign was dence on the job site, as well Blanchard credits her twohands-on training offered by great time,” said Blanchard.

Prices start at $189,000. beach, everything is only 10 launched in October of last as her carpentry skills. year-old son as her inspirathe project with Greyback.

“Go for it.

Believe in your“It’s going to be a great minutes away in Penticton,” year to raise an additional $7 “This opportunity to shadtion for going back to school self.

I’ve learned that there is “I’d like to thank Greyneighbourhood,” said Cory Parsons said. million for capital construcow with Greyback has been to pursue a new career as a nothing I can’t accomplish.” back for accepting Okanagan Parsons with Avery Estates For more information tion costs to supplement the amazing,” said Blanchard. carpenter.

She encourages Her classmate Drake SylCollege students on site and said. “Stunning views, very contact Cory Parsons at 250- Avery HeigHts is a new development in Penticton with stunning no set building B.C.views, government’s $28-mil“I’ve learned so much while vestre hopes to pursue a caother women to consider the allowing us to shadow them nice, build-able lots, the abil- 809-7921 or Rod Ferguson schemes and have a close proximity to Wiltse elementary school. lion investment. working on this project.

I’m reer in residential constructrades as a career path. and build a house,” he said. ity to build your dream home at 250-490-1119.

submitted photo

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Wednesday, July 15, 2015 Penticton Western News

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Penticton Western News Wednesday, July 15, 2015

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Avery Heights perfect for at new families Hands-on training for trades Skaha Hills Submitted

A unique job-shadow project is providing a group of students from Okanagan College’s Residential Construction program the chance to gain hands-on training as they build a high-end home in the South Okanagan.

The class of 11 students, under the guidance of instructor David Lovisa, is helping construct a home at the Skaha Hills development in Penticton. The project arose as a job shadow opportunity through Greyback Construction Ltd., the company overseeing the development of the resortresidential project overlooking Skaha Lake on the Penticton Indian Band reserve.

Western Staff side“They are News working by-side with experienced A new and development tradespeople so their which has to been work has be in justtheasmakpreing two years will cisefor as the thelast men and women be a picturesque for a beside them with place many more new to start their said life yearsfamily of experience,” in Penticton.

Lovisa.

Avery is 26 lots Shaun Heights McCafferty, suzoned for for single-family perintendent Greyback dwelling on 2750 Construction, saidCedar they Rd. are with halfto of featurpleased be the ablelots to support ing gorgeous “Job viewsshadowing of Skaha the program.

Lake, Okanagan opportuniLake and and mentorship sometimes ties like thisboth. provide students Theopportunities lots are developer apwith for realproved with no and set building world training we bescheme the imagilieve thatallowing is important.” nation to For of potential student buyers Kayla

“Until you’ve done it, you don’t know how great it feels to actually build somebody’s home and see that come together.”

The 26-week Residential Construction program provides students with the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge to seek employment as apprentice carpenters in the construction industry. As Lovisa notes, the focus is on developing practical skills for the construction workplace.

“Having a chance to contribute to a project like this, and to learn by doing, is absolutely invaluable for students at this stage of their training,” explained Lovisa. run wild and create the cus- with whatever you want in a The home the class is tom home they have always home.” helping to build is expected wanted, with homes starting The development will be to be finished in early June. as early as the end of the the perfect place for a new Okanagan College is the summer. family with Wiltse Elemensecond largest trades trainAvery Heights is set to tary School only a stones ing institution in the provbe completed in three years, throw away, and all the ameince. The college is currently with lots going on the mar- nities of Penticton at your embarking on a $33-million Kayla Blanchard, Okanagan College Residential Construction student getting hands on experience at Skaha Hills. ket in the next three an weeks. disposal. renovation and expansion of Submitted photo Potential buyers can come to “It’s not too far away its trades training complex view or buythe a lotproject at the beif you want Blanchard, has from reallySkaha proudLake of myself and “If you’ve ever wanted tion in the Okanagan; he in Kelowna. The Bright Hoginning of August. beI’ve at the lake, or at the to get into a trade, now is a acknowledged the value of rizons Building for Skills helped her to develop confi- to what accomplished.”

Prices at $189,000. everything is her onlytwo10 great time,” said Blanchard. hands-on training offered by Fundraising Campaign was dence on start the job site, as well beach, Blanchard credits “It’scarpentry going toskills. be a great minutes Penticton,” launched in October of last as her year-old away son asin her inspira- “Go for it. Believe in your- the project with Greyback. neighbourhood,” saidto shadCory Parsons said. back to school self. I’ve learned that there is “This opportunity tion for going “I’d like to thank Grey- year to raise an additional $7 Parsons Averyhas Estates ow with with Greyback been to For pursuemore a new information career as a nothing I can’t accomplish.” back for accepting Okanagan million for capital construcsaid.

“Stunning very contact CoryShe Parsons at 250- Avery tionviews, costs no to supplement amazing,” said views, Blanchard. carpenter. encourages Her HeigHts classmateisDrake College instudents on with site and a newSyldevelopment Penticton stunning set building the nice, thewhile abil- 809-7921 or to Rod Ferguson B.C. government’s $28-miland to have a close proximity to Wiltse “I’ve build-able learned solots, much vestre hopes pursue a caother women consider the schemes allowing us to elementary shadow themschool. ity to build 250-490-1119. submitted photo working onyour this dream project.home I’m at reer in residential construc- and build a house,” he said. lion investment. trades as a career path.

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