East Coast flair in new South Surrey neighbourhood ›› p.5Equitas’ Coast 49 brings New England-style saltbox architecture to life in a secluded South Surrey community. Homebuyers love the look and the lifestyle these homes inspire; residents are close to the ocean and all local amenities, as well as the U.S. border.

April 22, 2010

B.C. housing starts up in first quarterHomes sales are moderating in the province, says BCREA

TRICIA LESLIE

New home construction in B.C. picked up in the first quarter of 2010 as builders responded to increased home ownership demand, reports Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

Foundations were poured for 5,337 new homes in the first three months of the year, compared to 2,522 housing

starts in the first quarter of 2009.

“In recent months, the new construction market has be-come considerably more attractive,” says CMHC B.C. regional economist Carol Frketich.

“Economic conditions are strengthening and a resurgent resale market will ensure that developers continue to build more homes this year than they did in 2009.”

Single-detached construction re-bounded with the most strength in ur-ban British Columbia (centres with more than 10,000 people) in the first quar-ter; 2,164 single-detached homes were started in that time this year, compared to just 628 homes a year earlier.

Multiple-family home starts were also strong in the first three months of the year, increasing by 68 per cent from a

MAGGIE CALLOWAY

It’s something we all hear: fashion and interior design are going retro.

What is interesting about reaching back 40, 50, or even 60 years ago is not the revisit-ing of the horrors of orange and green shag

carpet, but the staying power of post-Second World War design.

In today’s world, many people still seem to be in love with the clean, pared-down look of whites and creams and mushroom. Homeowners introduce texture and interest by adding natural materials such as wood and stone. When we go for bright colour, it is usually in items such as cushions and throws, maybe art. Bathrooms are clean and simple in style with luxury in materials such as

granite and marble.Mid-century modern houses are lusted

after, complete with furniture that is stripped down, with clean lines. Think Scandinavian teak, think moulded chairs, and think egg-shaped chairs swinging on a chain. Not very different from what many look for today, with the possible exception of the chair on the chain.

Everything old’s new again

Designer Sarah Gallop in the kitchen of one of her recent proj-ects. Each homeowner has different tastes, but keeping the main design factors timeless is important, she says. Rob Newell photo

Home design trends come and go; knowing your own taste is key

“Economic conditions are strengthening and a resurgent resale market will ensure that developers continue to build more homes this year than they did in 2009.”

CONTINUED ON P.2 CONTINUED ON P.2

2 • New Local Home | April 22, 2010

Publisher: Fiona Harris • 604-575-5822 • publisher@newlocalhome.comEditor: Tricia Leslie • 604-575-5346 • editor@newlocalhome.comReporter: Maggie Calloway • maggiec@blackpress.ca Advertising Sales: Black Press National Sales • Adrian Saunders • 604-575-5812 • adrians@blackpress.caOnline Advertising: 604-575-5822Designer: Brad Smith • bsmith@blackpress.ca

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year ago and totalling 3,173 new units started.

In urban B.C., housing starts dipped to 22,100 units in March, a decrease compared to last month’s 26,400 units.

Nationally, March starts edged down to 197,300 units from 200,400 units in February.

But seasonally adjusted annual rate estimates of housing start activity were revised up for January and February, resulting in month-over-month gains of 7.5 per cent in January and six per cent in February, and a slight decrease of 1.5 per cent in March, CMHC reports.

“The moderation in March hous-ing starts was due to a decrease in the volatile multiple starts segment,” says Bob Dugan, chief economist at CMHC’s Market Analysis Centre.

“Helping to offset this was an in-crease in single starts as well as more activity in rural areas.”

March’s seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts increased by 13.5

per cent in Que-bec and by 7.3 per cent in the Prairie region, but decreased by 16.3 per cent in British Columbia, by 15.5 per cent in Ontario and by eight per cent in Atlantic Canada, CMHC reports.

In B.C., home sales climbed by 43 per cent to 7,110 units in March compared to the same month last year, reports the B.C. Real Estates As-sociation.

On a season-ally adjusted basis, industry listings show that residential sales in the province

increased by six per cent compared to February 2010.

But homes sales in March were 20 per cent lower than December 2009, the BCREA notes, citing waning pent-up demand and eroding affordability as factors.

“Home sales have moderated since the beginning of the year,” says BCREA chief economist Cameron Muir.

“Despite an improving provincial economy, higher mortgage interest rates and tighter credit conditions for low-equity homebuyers and investors will squeeze some prospective buyers out of the market this spring.”

The B.C. residential sales dollar volume increased 95 per cent to $9.22 billion in the first quarter of 2010, compared to the same three months last year.

Residential unit sales rose 64 per cent to 18,284 units, while the average residential listing price climbed 19 per cent to $504,312 over the same period.

Housing starts increase in CanadaCONTINUED FROM P.1

“Despite an improving provincial economy, higher mortgage interest rates and tighter credit conditions for low-equity homebuyers and investors will squeeze some prospective buyers out of the market this spring.”

Sarah Gallop is a well-respected local inte-rior designer who has both residential clients and commercial clients for whom she designs showhomes for new developments.

Gallop doesn’t necessarily believe in re-visiting the past with gusto.

“I don’t like following trends. As a designer, it’s important to stay current and know what’s out there in new products, but I feel the de-signs I do should be classic,” she says.

“My designs are timeless and if clients want to be a little more current, I agree the touches should be in the accessories, things that can be changed out.”

Gallop points out the major pieces in a home, both in furniture and fittings, are expensive and cannot be changed as trends come and go. Spending money on these items makes sense and choosing classic designs cre-ates a backdrop against which homeowners can add or delete.

Colour is different, Gallop notes.“Paint is an area where you can

have a bit more fun and take more of a risk because paint is easy to change,” says Gallop.

“Paint has more impact on the overall space, so if you go a little bit safe on your base, you can punch up finishes with paint, or maybe accent tile or wallpaper. Wallpaper is huge these days and is making an impact on interiors.”

Some of the simpler, 1970s-style wallpa-per can look fantastic used for whole rooms, Gallop says, depending on the design of the wallpaper.

And, just like paint, wallpaper is easily removed if the homeowner gets tired of it or just wants a change, she says, noting that each client has different tastes.

“Each project is very individual.”Gallop is a big proponent of the trend to-

ward designed mud rooms and says the days of an empty room with a few coat hooks are gone. These days, the mud room is carefully

thought out and planned, with the needs of the family taken into consideration

to ensure the room is functional, she says.

“Some of the mud rooms also contain laundry facilities, but now laundry rooms are most often closer

to the bedrooms, because that is where most of the laundry is gener-

ated.” Home offices are another given in today’s

world, as more and more people are either starting home-based businesses and need a designated space away from family traffic, or are working for a corporation that encourages working from home at least part-time.

For others this room is a flex room, used for business, homework and family account-ing but also as a guest room when needed.

“Storage in this room is very critical, what-ever the use is at the moment, office or guest

room, purpose-built storage makes the room work.”

Where flooring is concerned, Gallop says clients are still enamoured with hardwood and like hard surfaces, especially in the main living areas of the home. Tile and carpet is most often used in bedrooms, she adds.

“The (flooring) colour choices are fairly neutral, very dark hardwood looks fantastic but needs a lot of upkeep as everything from dust to crumbs show up and if you have kids and/or pets it is a constant battle to maintain,” Gallop notes.

Lighting is an area where people are much more conscious of how it affects their space.

Gallop says it is important to have vari-ous levels that can be controlled for different functions and different moods throughout the home.

“You need very different lighting when preparing meals as opposed to entertaining at dinner or kids doing homework.”

Whether a homeowner’s taste hails back to the ’70s or is completely minimalistic, aiming for a timeless design is key. And mid-century modern? Seems it never actually disappeared.

“Wallpaper ishuge these days”Off the front: “Paint is an area where you can have a bit more fun.” – Sarah GallopCONTINUED FROM P.1

Wallpaper, seen in Red Boat and The Block showhomes (above), is currently in. So are the ’70s (right), at Paloma 2 and Prado.

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New Local Home | April 22, 2010 • 3

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New Local Home | April 22, 2010 • 5

East Coast flavour, West Coast homes

Many of us have likely sighed while watching movies based in New Eng-land, envious of the saltbox architec-ture with shiplap or shingle siding.

Plenty of homebuyers drool over the wooden shutters and window boxes bursting with colour against a pale background.

But most of all, homebuyers covet the lifestyle these homes represent; well-built homes in which to raise a family, dinners together around the dining table listening to each other tell tales of the day, and of course, the closeness to the ocean and the ability to stroll along the beach and let the ocean breezes wash away the stresses of the day.

If this is the life local homebuyers are picturing, they should look into Coast 49, a place to call home.

Located in South Surrey five min-utes from the White Rock Pier, this community of 64 single-family homes is set in a dream location.

Close enough to amenities such as shopping, the highway and the U.S. border to make travelling easy, it is also a peaceful enclave protected from the hurly burly of everyday life.

A variety of plans are available including traditional and great room layouts.

Home purchasers can choose from three different colour schemes to make each home personal.

Each design features open floor-plans with nine-foot ceilings on the main floor; the rest of the rooms are positioned perfectly and generously

Coast 49 homes feature clean lines and a fresh look with the saltbox architecture made famous in the New England states and throughout the East Coast of North America.Situated in a se-cluded South Surrey neighbourhood, the single-family homes are attracting homebuyers of all ages and families of all sizes. The com-munity is close to both the ocean and the U.S. border. Rob Newell photos

Coast 49: new homes, great setting

CONTINUED ON P.6

6 • New Local Home | April 22, 2010

A lifestyle you’ll love

proportioned. Flooring is a mix of hand-set tile, hardwood laminate and plush carpeting.

Coast 49 marketing manager Gary Marshall says the East Coast-style homes appeal to a wide range of homebuyers.

“For a young family with or without children, this is an ideal location steps away from a future elementary school and close to the ocean where they can go exploring,” Marshall says.

“For people who are downsizing and want to be able to just lock up and go with complete confidence their property will be safe – but with enough room to entertain in the style they are used to – this project is perfect.”

The open-plan kitchen has plenty of workspace with a granite island and breakfast bar. Classic shaker-style cabi-nets, in three colour choices, are finished with oil-rubbed bronze hardware. The double stainless sink complements the stainless steel appliances, including Ceran top range, oversized fridge, dish-washer, and combination microwave/hood fan.

The bathrooms include beautiful hand-set ceramic tile flooring, shaker-style, extra-large vanities, laminate

Rooms and living areas in Coast 49 homes are open and airy, giving a spacious feel to every home. Rob Newell photos

Amenities, beaches, shops nearbyCONTINUED FROM P.5

CONTINUED ON P.8

New Local Home | April 22, 2010 • 7

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8 • New Local Home | April 22, 2010

Great value at Coast 49

countertops and large, beveled-edged mirrors with fluted glass light fixtures and, to help the homeowners relax at the end of the day, an oversized soaker tub or separate glass shower.

Upstairs, there is a convenient, full-sized laundry room.

The heavy exterior construction of these homes includes R-20 insulation in the walls and R-40 in the ceilings to keep the family warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Argon-filled, double-glazed, sealed, low-e windows ensure a quiet, draft-free and energy-efficient interior. A high-efficiency furnace reduces heat-ing costs and a family sized, 80 US gallon electric hot water tank ensures there will always be hot water.

The price point, Marshall notes, is excellent for a South Surrey neigh-bourhood.

“The value of the homes at Coast 49 is very high. To live in this South Surrey area close to the ocean, with all the amenities, they are very afford-able,” he says.

Homes start from $499,900. Visit www.coast49.ca for more informa-tion.

Homes appeal to all ages, sizesCONTINUED FROM P.6

Master bedroom ensuite bathrooms feature tubs for soaking as well as shower stalls. Rob Newell photo

New Local Home | April 22, 2010 • 9

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Home Front: Sarah Daniels, born realtor

MAGGIE CALLOWAY

No wonder her Grade 12 classmates voted her most likely to host Saturday Night Live. Sarah Daniels, broadcaster and realtor, is funny, irreverent and cheeky.

Born into one of Vancouver’s prominent families, Sarah graduated from Crofton House and the University of British Co-lumbia (UBC), and then very briefly flirted with a career in the stock market.

Daniels’ friend Barry Forward, who was working for radio station AM 1040 at the time, felt she would be perfect for the job of community events reporter and per-suaded her to apply.

Broadcasting had not been on her radar at the time but she knew that being in an office all day was not in her future.

“The little itsy bitsy drives me bananas,” Daniels says.

After a stint at AM 1040, she moved to CKNW/CFMI and became the ‘eye-in-the-sky’ traffic reporter from 1989 to 1997.

Her luck held with her first anchor host, Rick Honey, who taught her a lot about talk radio.

“Rick was really generous about sharing

airtime and letting you shine,” Daniels says.

Next it was off to Global TV when producer Lisa Green approached her about

auditioning. She aced the audition and became the

traffic reporter on the morning news.Daniels worked as a traffic reporter

for Global until 2005 when, she says, “I needed to make a change, and soon, or I would have become the world’s oldest traf-fic reporter!”

Daniels had a secret vice that started when she was young: she pored over the real estate listings in the daily paper and her weekly fix was only satisfied when the real estate publications hit the doorstep.

Her timing to investigate a real estate career was spot on; the rules had recently changed to allow people with a license to work part-time at another job, a necessity for novice practitioners who faced months without commission income.

Cheque written and the real estate course exam passed, Daniels started work for a White Rock realtor – all while still getting up at the crack of dawn for her shift at Global TV.

Specializing in White Rock, South Surrey, Vancouver, North Shore, South Langley, Ladner and Tsawwassen, Daniels brings her irrepressible energy to her to her clients needs.

Not content to rest on her laurels, she has a successful book which is going into a second printing.

It is entitled Welcome Home: Insider Se-crets to Buying or Selling Your Property – A Canadian Guide.

Daniels also appears every Wednesday on Global’s Noon News with Randene Neil to talk all things real estate.

One gets the feeling there are more adventures in store for Daniels, so prepare for the hurricane and batten down the hatches.

Daniels makes the switch to real estate with ease and panache

Voted the most likely to host Saturday Night Live by her Grade 12 classmates, Sarah Daniels has made the transition from radio and TV to real estate in her witty, irreverent style.

10 • New Local Home | April 22 , 2010

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