Viewing Category – Houses

Is the Victoria Real Estate Market heading towards a Sellers Market? – Victoria Real Estate Market Update – Fall 2014

Victoria Area Housing Market Update Fall 2014 – With a Sooke Footnote

November 26, 2014

It is no secret that the real estate market in the Victoria area has been much more active this year. Homes sales are exceeding last year numbers, and listing inventories have shrunk. These conditions have put us squarely in a Balanced Market territory with sales to active listings ratio in the range of 15 to 20 percent. In a Balanced Market, home prices remain relatively stable and there is a reasonably good supply of homes in the market for buyers to choose from (at least 5 months worth of supply). That being said, with economic, job and immigration forecasts improving for 2015 through 2016, it is reasonable to question whether the Balanced Market may move to a Seller’s Market in the near future.

At a recent Victoria housing conference, Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) analysts predicted that current economic forces will support a stable and improving housing market for Victoria, including Sooke and the Westshore. The BC economy is forecast to expand by approximately 3% in each of 2015 & 2016. US economic growth coupled with a lower value Canadian dollar will grow BC exports. Locally Victoria’s economy will also benefit from increased tourism driven by a lower Canadian dollar, higher consumer spending, and regional infrastructure projects. Moderate growth in homes sales, housing prices, and housing starts are expected through 2015 & 2016.

So are we entering a Seller’s Market? Seller’s Markets are categorized by limited inventory and upward pressure on home prices often experienced when sales to active listing ratio exceeds 20%. Increased MLS sales and reduced inventory this fall have had the Victoria market peaking into Seller’s Market conditions, and the expectation from this writer is that this trend may continue somewhat into the spring market of 2015.  This will be driven primarily by increased housing demand without an equal increase in housing supply in the short term.

With positive economic factors in sight, what might put the housing market in check?  The answer, as always, is affordability and ultimately mortgage rates. Each year we have been told by experts to expect mortgage rates to remain stable but be prepared for increases and this year’s message was no different. Mortgage rates are currently at historic lows, but the average of private sector forecasts predict that rates are expected to increase in the second half of 2015. This rate increase will have a dampening impact on housing demand and affordability. So while we may move into and remain in a Seller’s Market in the short term, mortgage rate increases will likely moderate prices and sales in the longer term leading us back to a Balanced Market.

The Sooke Experience Footnote

Like the rest of Victoria, Sooke has experienced the busiest fall for real estate sales since 2010. At Woodland Creek, we have sold out of our new home inventory and have been working with buyers on pre-sales for delivery in 2015.  Sooke continues to attract buyers that appreciate the lower home prices, but are also attracted by the small town feel on the west coast close to the amenities and shopping of Langford and Victoria.

Our recent experience is that savvy and more experienced buyers in the housing market are recognizing the advantage of ‘pre-purchasing’ a new home that they can move into in about 6 – 9 months. These buyers have taken the risk out of entering a 2015 Seller’s Market and instead of having to choose from what happens to be available in the market, they have locked into the certainty of a fixed price pre-sale. They have ordered exactly what they want in their home from the floor plan, lot location, interior and exterior finishing, and any special extras. In a sense, these buyers have greater control over their housing purchase and achieve a custom home experience without a custom home price.

We are also seeing an up tick in more mature buyers cashing out of condo’s or townhouses in town and moving into single family homes with ‘master on the main’ or one level accessible living.  Many of these buyers started their lives in smaller towns and again are attracted to Sooke as a nice friendly place to retire.

 

Blair Robertson – co-owner Totangi Properties and Realtor® DFH Real Estate www.VictoriaNewHomes.com

 

About Totangi Properties Ltd. and Woodland Creek

Celebrating their 45th year in business, Totangi Properties is a locally-owned and operated award-winning property development and land management company established in 1968. In 2014, Totangi was ranked #1 in Canada for Customer Satisfaction by Avid Ratings. Brothers Warren and Blair Robertson and their team work closely with the 2012 Built Green Builder of the Year, SC Smith Building Company, in the creation of Woodland Creek and are committed to creating affordable, high-quality residential properties with lasting homeowner value.

2012 Gold CARE Award winner for Best New Subdivision, Woodland Creek is a residential neighbourhood of new homes in the heart of Sooke, British Columbia – a waterfront community near Victoria BC. A planned residential community, Woodland Creek was designed with the objective of providing a wide range of new housing opportunities for the community; close to schools, parks and the Sooke shopping and service core with the fundamental commitments of quality construction, lasting value and the long term commitment of an established local developer.

For more information, visit www.totangi.ca .

Parkside and Mountain View Lots available now in New 26 Lot Phase at Woodland Creek, Sooke BC.

Well its been an exciting summer for us as hot on the heels of taking the top prize for new home customer service in Canada, and a buoyant real estate market, we are launching our offering of new homes and schemes in our latest phase of 26 homes in Woodland Creek. With a full offering of new lots, early buyers will be able to choose home locations with sunny south facing parkside lots or take advantage of upper road elevation with views of the mountains and valleys.  New homes start at $359,900 net GST included.

We are excited to launch this next phase homes with the completion of our popular Arbutus floor plan complete with new exterior and interior finishing schemes.    As a multiple award wining plan, the Arbutus continues to wow home buyers with its spacious master bedroom suite and den on the main floor plus an additional 3 good size rooms upstairs.

Video Tour of an earlier completed Arbutus Plan

A bright modern kitchen complete with stainless steel appliance package and upgraded quartz counter tops complements the living and dining area with a vaulted ceiling and sliding doors off to the patio and landscaped backyard.  The new Driftwood scheme from Nygaard Design  introduces classic white shaker cabinets to modern tile and quartz combinations. This home has achieved Built Green Gold and a Energuide Rating of 83 with a new mini split ductless heat pump system that quietly delivers heating and air conditioning and while saving homeowners hundred of dollars a year in energy costs. Frankly, it must be heard and seen to be believed.

Join us during our open house times to view our homes and explore the Woodland Creek neighbourhood.  Like many other satisfied buyers you might choose to make the exciting leap to work with our design team in creating your new home. Start now and you could be moving into your new home in only 6 months. Read about how Kyla and Derek’s  removed the mystery and uncertainty of house hunting  by ordering a new home in Woodland Creek.

 

Fall 2014 Open House Launch

The Driftwood Interior Scheme used in the new Arbutus Plan

REGISTER HERE TO STAY INFORMED ABOUT NEW OFFERINGS AND DEALS

 

About Totangi Properties Ltd. and Woodland Creek

Celebrating their 45th year in business,  Totangi Properties is a locally-owned and operated award winning property development and land management company established in 1968. In 2014 Totangi was ranked #1 in Canada for Customer Satisfaction by Avid Ratings.   Brothers Warren and Blair Robertson and their team work closely with the 2012 Built Green Builder of the Year, SC Smith Building Company, in the creation of Woodland Creek and are committed to creating affordable, high-quality residential properties with lasting homeowner value.

2012 Gold CARE Award winner for Best New Subdivision, Woodland Creek is a residential neighbourhood of new homes in the heart of Sooke, British Columbia – a waterfront community near Victoria BC.  A planned residential community, Woodland Creek was designed with the objective of providing a wide range of new housing opportunities for the community; close to schools, parks and the Sooke shopping and service core with the fundamental commitments of quality construction, lasting value and the long term commitment of an established local developer.

For more information, visit www.totangi.ca .

The Totally Awesome Home Buying Experience – or what it takes to create a happy homeowner.

It always makes our day when we hear back from our customers – in this case our new homeowners Kyla and Derek O’Rourke who built a semi-custom home with us.  Here is what they had to say:

“Words cannot express how happy we are with our home in Woodland Creek. You will not find better quality. The support we received before, during, and after construction was outstanding. They took the time to explain everything in detail and were more than willing to accommodate any and all of our requests. We felt the whole team wanted us to love our house and went the extra mile to make sure it happened.”

Our relationship with Kyla and Derek started when they visited our showhome and met our wonderful hostess Cecile.  Cecile introduced them to our homes, plans, amenities, and different finishing options.  Working together with our design team, Kyla and Derek created their new home complete with all the finishing details, paint colours, cabinets, flooring and room modifications they wanted.  Using our “Bedroom Plus” program they added an additional 4th bedroom to the 3 bedroom Fir plan .  From their initial design meeting with us to the occupancy of their new home, the entire process took about 6 months.

How does this ‘pre-sale’ / custom home process work?

In Kyla and Derek’s case, construction of their new home started about a month after the contract was signed.  The building plans are drafted to incorporate any customer modifications and the building permit application is made.  As construction progressed we stayed in touch with Kyla and Derek and often saw them visiting the site, excited to see their new home take shape.

Customer Experience — It’s important for us that the home buyer is part of the realization of the design and construction process.  We are not ones to take the deposit and say “see you 6 months when the house is complete”.   Once the framing is complete and all the doors and windows are installed (what’s call “lock up” in the industry), homebuyers are invited to conduct a walk through to confirm the location of electrical switches and media / internet connections and make any last minute changes.  Throughout the entire building process the buyer is connected through a cloud base construction management system that allows the buyer to stay up to date on progress with their own personal website portal that includes recent photos, change orders, and direct contact with the construction manager.

Prior to occupancy, in this case just 5 months after the start of construction, an inspection and familiarity tour of the new home is conducted.   We check in with the new homeowner shortly after occupancy as well, to ensure that everything in the home is functioning as it should.  Every new homeowner receives a binder with all relevant new home information and we have a Homeowner Web Portal that contains warranty, operation, and special deal information.  And we don’t stop there!

We believe in continual improvement and the importance of customer feedback so we subscribe to a 3rd party Customer Experience rating system called AVID Ratings. 30 days after occupancy, AVID ratings conducts an independent Customer Experience survey to get the homeowners feedback on everything from the sales process, to the new home features, and after occupancy service. They conduct this process once more at the 1 year mark. We also follow up before the 1 year mark to review any issue that are covered under the new home warranty and  we have a handy Service Request  form on our site should you have any issues in your new home that we are responsible for.

So as you can see, we believe there is a lot more to a new home purchase than just handing over the keys.   Customer Service  is the key to our success and we are honoured to be ranked #1 in Canada by Avid in 2014  for customer satisfaction in the Custom Build / Small Volume category in the residential building industry.

Thanks again to Kyla and Derek for their kinds words – you made our day!

Blair Robertson – co-owner Totangi Properties.

 

About Totangi Properties Ltd. and Woodland Creek

Celebrating their 45th year in business,  Totangi Properties is a locally-owned and operated award winning property development and land management company established in 1968. In 2014 Totangi was ranked #1 in Canada for Customer Satisfaction by Avid Ratings.   Brothers Warren and Blair Robertson and their team work closely with the 2012 Built Green Builder of the Year, SC Smith Building Company, in the creation of Woodland Creek and are committed to creating affordable, high-quality residential properties with lasting homeowner value.

2012 Gold CARE Award winner for Best New Subdivision, Woodland Creek is a residential neighbourhood of new homes in the heart of Sooke, British Columbia – a waterfront community near Victoria BC.  A planned residential community, Woodland Creek was designed with the objective of providing a wide range of new housing opportunities for the community; close to schools, parks and the Sooke shopping and service core with the fundamental commitments of quality construction, lasting value and the long term commitment of an established local developer.

For more information, visit www.totangi.ca .

 

 

 

The Juniper – simply a great family home – stylish, affordable, & energy efficient.

The Juniper might just be the best NEW home value for you on the market today – this completed home is offered for immediate occupancy at $359,900 net GST included.  Awarded the Built Green Gold label and achieving an Energuide rating of 83, it provides heating and air conditioning through a state of the art geo-exchange heat pump & forced air system (valued at $20,000).  This home is green, healthy, and easy on the pocket book with annual energy savings over a $1,000.  Three good sized bedrooms and  3 baths on 2 well thought out levels in 1,600 square feet.

Here’s one home you’ll find that really does have it all – A main level that gives you a great room with gleaming floors & featuring Breakfast bar in a modern kitchen, complete appliance package, adjacent dining & spacious living room with gas fireplace & slider to rear patio & private fenced and landscaped yard. It even has a natural gas BBQ box so you never run out.

A fabulous upstairs -3 bedrooms include a roomy master retreat with large walk-in closet and attractive 4 piece ensuite.  Good size 2nd & 3rd bedrooms with separate main 4 piece bathroom.  Step on up to Callumwood Lane in desireable Woodland Creek – 2012 Gold CARE Award Winner for Best New Subdivision and Built Green Builder of the Year.

View Floor Plan Here:  http://www.woodlandcreek.ca/pdf/floorplans/plan_Juniper.pdf

Contact: Blair Robertson at Sooke’s Home Team for more information: http://www.woodlandcreek.ca/contact

We look forward to seeing your during our Open House times  or by appointment with our sales team.

Click Here for Directions.

Open House Times:   Friday — Sunday Noon – 4pm.

About Totangi Properties Ltd. and Woodland Creek

Celebrating their 45th year in business,  Totangi Properties is a locally-owned and operated award winning property development and land management company established in 1968. Brothers Warren and Blair Robertson and their team work closely with the 2012 Built Green Builder of the Year, SC Smith Building Company, in the creation of Woodland Creek and are committed to creating affordable, high-quality residential properties with lasting homeowner value.

2012 Gold CARE Award winner for Best New Subdivision, Woodland Creek is a residential neighbourhood of new homes in the heart of Sooke, British Columbia – a waterfront community near Victoria BC.  A planned residential community, Woodland Creek was designed with the objective of providing a wide range of new housing opportunities for the community; close to schools, parks and the Sooke shopping and service core with the fundamental commitments of quality construction, lasting value and the long term commitment of an established local developer.

For more information, visit www.totangi.ca .

Introducing 2 New 3 Bedroom Plans – The Sombrio and the Tofino from $359,900

Sombrio and Tofino Plans at Woodland Creek

Sombrio and Tofino Plans at Woodland Creek

 

In planning for the launch of our new phase of 26 homes and in celebrating the 10th anniversary of Woodland Creek, we wanted to create a couple of new plans that delivered a traditional family friendly home with 3 bedrooms upstairs in an efficient, stylish, and affordable plan.  We are very pleased to introduce the Sombrio and Tofino plans.

These plans are similar in layout with a main floor offering a great room approach with a spacious living, dining, and kitchen area and powder room.  The Sombrio comes with a 2 car garage and the Tofino a 1 car garage.

Sombrio Main Floor Plan

The upstairs in both plans provide 3 bedrooms. A master bedroom with a walk in closet and full ensuite bathroom, 2 other bedrooms with a main bathroom and laundry.  The neat thing about these plans is that the upstairs is completely reversible so if you want your master bedroom at the front or the back of the home you can choose.Sombrio Upper Floor Plans

Combined these great plans with our 3 new interior schemes, great finishing features,  and our 10th Anniversary New Buyer Bonus worth up to $10,000  (until June 30th) including quartz countertops and an energy efficient heat pump and you will have to work hard to find a better place to create your new home than Woodland Creek. The Tofino plan is offered starting at $359,900 net GST and the Sombrio starts at $364,900 net GST.

 

Sombrio and Tofino Street View

Sombrio and Tofino Street View

 

We look forward to seeing your during our Open House times  or by appointment with our sales team.

Click Here for Directions.

Open House Times:   Every Saturday & Sunday 1pm – 4pm.

About Totangi Properties Ltd. and Woodland Creek

Celebrating their 45th year in business,  Totangi Properties is a locally-owned and operated award winning property development and land management company established in 1968. Brothers Warren and Blair Robertson and their team work closely with the 2012 Built Green Builder of the Year, SC Smith Building Company, in the creation of Woodland Creek and are committed to creating affordable, high-quality residential properties with lasting homeowner value.

2012 Gold CARE Award winner for Best New Subdivision, Woodland Creek is a residential neighbourhood of new homes in the heart of Sooke, British Columbia – a waterfront community near Victoria BC.  A planned residential community, Woodland Creek was designed with the objective of providing a wide range of new housing opportunities for the community; close to schools, parks and the Sooke shopping and service core with the fundamental commitments of quality construction, lasting value and the long term commitment of an established local developer.

For more information, visit www.totangi.ca .

2014 Woodland Creek Parade of Homes

Parade of Homes

It’s a new year and to start it off with a splash and whet your Open House appetite we have 3 new homes to view with prices starting at $354,900 net GST included. Open House Friday –  Sunday Noon -4.
Woodland Creek, the 2012 Gold Care Award winner of Best New Subdivision and Built Green Builder of the Year, is proud to present a selection of homes that are finished in both the more affordable Classic Scheme and our upscale Premium Schemes both loaded with features.
The Cedar  is our Gold CARE Award winning plan featured as one of the Times Colonist newspaper’s Hot Properties. The Cedar and the Juniper, offer 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom plans with the bedrooms upstairs and a great room and kitchen on the main. The Elm is a comfortable 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom rancher.
All homes are full of features including:
  • Energy saving geothermal heating and air conditioning valued at $20,000 that will save over $1,100 per year in energy costs;
  • Built Green Certified Gold and Energuide rated +83
  • Energy Star appliance package for the kitchen and energy star washer and dryer;
  • Natural gas fireplace with wood mantle and tile or rock surround plus gas BBQ service on the patio;
  • 9 foot ceiling on main floor with coffered or vaulted ceilings and crown molding;
  • Spacious master suite with walk-in closet and generous ensuite – premium scheme with heated tile floors and floor to ceiling tile;
  • Custom designed kitchens with open island for exceptional function and ease of entertaining;
  • Feature fir panel entrance door with glass windows;
  • Fully landscaped and fenced yards.

Prices for the 3 bedroom homes start at $374,900 net taxes included. And we have our very popular 2 bedroom + den, 2 bathroom rancher plan, the Elm  available from $354,900 net taxes included.

We look forward to seeing your during our Open House times  or by appointment with our sales team.

Click Here for Directions.

Open House Times:   Every Friday  –  Sunday Noon – 4pm.

 

About Totangi Properties Ltd. and Woodland Creek  

Celebrating 45 years in business,  Totangi Properties is a locally-owned and operated award winning property development and land management company established in 1968. Brothers Warren and Blair Robertson and their team work closely with the 2012 Built Green Builder of the Year, SC Smith Building Company, in the creation of Woodland Creek and are committed to creating affordable, high-quality residential properties with lasting homeowner value.

2012 Gold CARE Award winner for Best New Subdivision, Woodland Creek is a residential neighbourhood of new homes in the heart of Sooke, British Columbia – a waterfront community near Victoria BC.  A planned residential community, Woodland Creek was designed with the objective of providing a wide range of new housing opportunities for the community; close to schools, parks and the Sooke shopping and service core with the fundamental commitments of quality construction, lasting value and the long term commitment of an established local developer.

For more information, visit www.totangi.ca .

How to Have a New Woodland Creek home built in your Favourite Neighbourhood

We hope you have been able to experience firsthand the feeling of a Woodland Creek home: the results of combining the quality craftsmanship of the Built Green Builder of the Year with a professional home and interior design team and experienced developer.  You love the homes, and as great as our community in Sooke is, you have a preferred neighbourhood you want to stay in or live in.  Now you can have the best of both worlds – we can build you an award winning Woodland Creek style home in a neighbourhood of your choice virtually anywhere in Victoria.

With over 12 building plans from ranchers (ranch style) to 4 bedroom homes and several professionally interior design schemes from Nygaard Interior Design, we will likely have a plan that suits your needs and can build it on a lot of your choice.  We take the guess work and risk out of designing and building a home.

Here’s why you should consider this if you’re looking for a new home:

Here’s how it works:

1.  Contact us to discuss your housing needs and  your preferred locaton.  Choose a house plan and finishing level (classic, premium or custom), and we will provide a cost estimate.

2.  We will work with you and/or your realtor to locate a building lot in your preferred neighbourhood that will suit your selected plan. Or we can custom design a plan to fit your needs and a particular lot.

There are many building lots available in most neighbourhoods. Sometimes they are vacant and in many cases they may have an older existing home on it that must be removed before construction can proceed.

3. Once you have secured a building lot, we will develop a building contract with detailed drawings, cost estimates and construction schedule.

This is a great way to take the guess work out of building a new home.  By being able to see the finished homes completed at Woodland Creek, you can be assured of what the final home looks like and feels like when you walk through it. At the end of the day you will end up with a brand new home with a new home warranty, designed by a professional interior design team and built by the 2012 Built Green Builder of the Year.

So whether it’s in Langford, Gordon Head, Saanich, Victoria, Mill Bay or anywhere else in the area – a Woodland Creek home by Totangi will look great in your neighbourhood. Interested?  Contact us today.

 

About Totangi Properties Ltd. and Woodland Creek

Totangi Properties is a locally-owned and operated award winning property development, home building, and land management company established in 1968. Brothers Warren and Blair Robertson and their team work closely with the 2012 Built Green Builder of the Year, SC Smith Building Company, and are committed to creating affordable, high-quality residential properties and developments with lasting homeowner value.

2012 Gold CARE Award winner for Best New Subdivision, Woodland Creek is a residential neighbourhood of new homes in the heart of Sooke, British Columbia – a waterfront community near Victoria BC. A planned residential community, Woodland Creek was designed with the objective of providing a wide range of new housing opportunities for the community; close to schools, parks and the Sooke shopping and service core with the fundamental commitments of quality construction, lasting value and the long term commitment of an established local developer.

For more information, visit www.totangi.ca .

Woodland Creek ‘Cedar’ home earns Gold at annual CARE Awards

September 30, 2013 Victoria, BC -A week after being the Times Colonist newspaper’s “Hot Property”, the Cedar plan at Woodland Creek has been recognized for outstanding design and features with a Gold Award at the annual Victoria Home Builders Association’s Construction and Renovation Acheivement (CARE) event.

“We are thrilled to be recognized by our peers for this new home, ” said Blair Robertson of Totangi Properties Ltd. developer of the Woodland Creek community in Sooke, British Columbia. ” This home excelled in a category where there is no price limit on the homes we were competing with. We think this speaks volumes about a home that is priced about 20% below the average single family home price in Victoria.”

The elevated level of finishing in the homes on Callumwood Lane in Woodland Creek are showcased perfectly in The ‘Cedar’ where 1858 square feet of comfort & style combine in the 3 bedroom 3 bathroom + den Craftsmen style home built by co-winner Built Green Builder of the Year SC Smith Building Co.  Abundant windows and vaulted ceilings create a bright and spacious floor plan enhanced by a professionally designed West Coast themed interior by Nygaard Design throughout this 2 level home.  To top it off  a geothermal forced air heating and air conditioning provides comfort, better air quality and energy efficiency. The home boasts Built Green Gold certification and an Energuide rating of 84 plus many other leading edge features. “Our Woodland Creek development emphasizes that premium homes with innovative design and unique, Earth-friendly features don’t have to come with a sky-high price tag,” said Robertson.

Totangi Properties also took home Silver CARE Awards for:

“We are extremely proud of the recognition that Woodland Creek has earned from our peers, but ultimately the satisfaction of a happy homeowner is what we strive for,” Robertson concluded.

About Totangi Properties Ltd. and Woodland Creek

Totangi Properties is a locally-owned and operated award winning property development, home building, and land management company established in 1968. Brothers Warren and Blair Robertson and their team work closely with the 2012 Built Green Builder of the Year, SC Smith Building Company, and are committed to creating affordable, high-quality residential properties and developments with lasting homeowner value.

2012 Gold CARE Award winner for Best New Subdivision, Woodland Creek is a residential neighbourhood of new homes in the heart of Sooke, British Columbia – a waterfront community near Victoria BC.  A planned residential community, Woodland Creek was designed with the objective of providing a wide range of new housing opportunities for the community; close to schools, parks and the Sooke shopping and service core with the fundamental commitments of quality construction, lasting value and the long term commitment of an established local developer.

For more information, visit www.totangi.ca .

 

Fresh and Affordable – Woodland Creek is the Times Colonist’s Hot Property

Woodland Creek was featured in the Times Colonist  “Hot Properties”, a regular series in the Victoria, BC newspaper focusing on new residential developments in Greater Victoria. Thank you Pedro Arrais and Bruce Stotesbury for the great story.

September 7, 2013 – Times Colonist by Pedro Arrais.

Fresh and Affordable – Woodland Creek.

Owning a traditional single-family house is still the gold standard for most would-be homeowners, especially those with young families. But with a median price of about $500,000, those houses in Victoria are out of the reach of many buyers.

So when a developer advertises new homes starting at $369,900, people start to take notice.

“We priced it to appeal to the greatest number of buyers,” says Blair Robertson, co-owner of Totangi Properties, the developer of Woodland Creek, a planned community in Sooke. “The idea is to offer the highest quality at a relatively affordable price.”

The Craftsman-style houses sit on 4,000-square-foot lots. The houses in the current phase of the project, which started nine years ago, are modest in size. They range from a single-storey, 1,380-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-bath rancher with an office or den to a two-storey, 1,947-sq-ft., three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom home with a great room and office/den. There are 10 contemporary house plans to choose from, all named after different species of trees, such as Arbutus, Elm or Juniper.

The most unusual feature is that the current group of homes are all equipped with geothermal systems. This is a big attraction because geothermal operating costs are about a quarter to a third of the cost of electric baseboard heat. Because the system does not require exhaust venting, the number of penetrations in the building envelope is minimized, resulting in greater weather tightness.

“People can save an average of $1,100 per year in their heating bills,” Robertson said.

“The systems represent an additional $20,000 investment per home,” Robertson continued. “By equipping the homes with the more energy-efficient units, we help reduce another hurdle to home ownership.”

The systems work in conjunction with ground-source heat pumps. The pumps move heat to and from the earth by circulating a fluid through a vertical ground loop. During the winter, a geothermal system collects this low-grade thermal energy from the earth and concentrates it inside the house or building to provide space heating. In the summer, the process is reversed and the heat pump moves heat from the building and stores it back in the ground.

The geothermal-equipped houses have an EnerGuide rating of 80 or more (on a scale of zero to 100, with a higher number better) — a house built to regular building code standards can be as low as 65.

Homeowners can save more than just on their energy costs. Some lenders offer special cash-back financing incentives for people buying homes with an EnerGuide rating of over 77.

Robertson says that because of the filtration system, the air quality is much better than a house using just baseboard heaters.

All the homes are built to Built Green standards, which means houses built with a reduced environmental impact and lower energy and water costs over the life of the house. All the appliances are energy-efficient Energy Star rated.

Unlike some projects, the low price doesn’t get buyers bare-bones shells that require their new owners to finish and upgrade. These units all feature designer interior finishing schemes with coffered and vaulted ceilings in select homes.

The individual homes are equipped with master ensuites and walk-in closets, complete with cabinetry.

Buyers have the opportunity to choose between regular or premium fittings in their new homes. Upgrades include geothermal heaters for hot water, a greater choice of interior finishing schemes, more crown mouldings, engineered hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, granite raised bar, glass cabinet doors, designer glass tile, heated tile floors, window screens and a natural gas regulator on the patio.

The developer also carefully considered the mix between narrow and wide lots.

“The way we designed it creates more setbacks, giving the properties a sense of space so that people don’t feel like they are living on top of their neighbours.”

Even their peers have taken notice. Last year the project won Best New Subdivision honours at the local CARE (Construction Achievement and Renovation Excellence) Awards. One of the house plans, the Birch, took silver as the best single family speculation home under 2,000 square feet, while its larger brother, know as the Fir, also brought home silver in at the same awards in the category of best single- family speculation home under 2,500 square feet.

The project has so far attracted a cross-section of buyers, from young families to retired people who appreciate floor plans that locate the master bedroom on the main floor. This arrangement means elderly occupants don’t need to climb stairs every day, making aging in place easier.

The subdivision is centrally located in Sooke. It is a 10-minute walk to the central shopping area (in local parlance, “up Sooke”) or to Sooke harbour.

parrais@timescolonist.com

http://www.timescolonist.com/hot-properties-sooke-development-s-single-family-homes-start-at-369-900-1.615451

Important Notice regarding Ecole Poirier School Access during new Phase Construction

The construction of a new phase of lots and the extension of Arranwood Drive at Woodland Creek (Phase 3C) will continue through September and October this fall. Unfortunately due to some construction challenges, we were not able to complete all the required work during the 8 week summer holiday period. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause. The gravel road access to the school has been closed and decommissioned, but the trail access to the north of it will remain open during the construction period.

The new Woodland Creek phase will create 26 new homesites and result in the extension of Arranwood Drive and the sidewalk and park trail systems to the new driveway access that has been constructed at Ecole Poirier Elementary School (see drawing below). Callumwood Lane to the south will also be extended and will join Arranwood Drive.  We expect this work to be completed and open to the public in early in November.

New homes construction in this new phase has started and will continue to feature the award winning design and customer service that Totangi Properties’ Woodland Creek is recognized for with new 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath family homes starting at $359,900 net GST included. Some new plans will feature basements, legal suites, mountain views, and double garages. Join our mailing list if you wish to stay updated.

Thank you for your patience and please drive carefully through the Woodland Creek neighbourhood during drop off and pick up times.

Phase 3C New Homes

About Totangi Properties Ltd. and Woodland Creek

Totangi Properties is a locally-owned and operated award winning property development and land management company established in 1968. Brothers Warren and Blair Robertson and their team work closely with the 2012 Built Green Builder of the Year, SC Smith Building Company, and are committed to creating affordable, high-quality residential properties and developments with lasting homeowner value.

2012 Gold CARE Award winner for Best New SubdivisionWoodland Creek is a residential neighbourhood of new homes in the heart of Sooke, British Columbia – a waterfront community near Victoria BC.  A planned residential community, Woodland Creek was designed with the objective of providing a wide range of new housing opportunities for the community; close to schools, parks and the Sooke shopping and service core with the fundamental commitments of quality construction, lasting value and the long term commitment of an established local developer.

For more information, visit www.totangi.ca .