Media Release
Hot real estate market on southern Vancouver Island drives demand for “Relocation Vacations”
Note to editors: Photos and relocation vacation tour map (image) are available upon request. Victoria, BC, July 12, 2007 – There’s a new kind of tourist in town and their bags are bulging with condo brochures and mortgage brokers’ phone numbers. According to Melissa McLean of Tourism Victoria, more visitors than ever are flooding into the Capital Region, with many of them here for the sole purpose of getting in on Victoria’s hot real estate market. “We have been telling people for years that Victoria is a little piece of paradise on earth,” says McLean. “Our city has so much to offer people from all walks of life, including gorgeous seascapes, outdoor adventure activities and incredible culinary experiences. Victoria is so full of life that it's no surprise that visitors are finding they never want to leave!" To cater to this and meet the needs of these special visitors, tour expert Kathy McAree, in cooperation with prominent local developers, has launched the Victoria Relocation Vacation. Interested buyers can follow these leads for an independent self-guided tour or arrange for a personalized, guided tour. For a guided Victoria Relocation Vacation, contact Kathy McAree at www.travelwithtaste.com or 250-385-1527. With a hot real estate market and all its West Coast charms Victoria, BC is the perfect destination for a ‘relocation vacation’- visiting a city to check it out as a place to live. Below, seven of Victoria’s hottest properties have been paired with neighbourhood experiences to give visitors a real taste of the lifestyle the region has to offer. From a harbourfront green community paired with sustainable shopping secrets, to spacious, skyhigh residences surrounded by seaside parks, local artisans and farmer’s markets, to resort living nestled beside your favourite fairway, a day or two exploring Victoria and the West Shore may have you packing more than just your weekend travel bags. The Breakwater Start your exploration with a breezy stroll along Dallas Road and a visit to The Breakwater, a new oceanside luxury townhome development just steps from the famed Ogden Point breakwater. The 19 units feature a classic brick townhome look, with gourmet kitchens, private front patios and rear decks, many having ocean and harbour views. Living up to Victoria’s title of Garden City, corner units have private gardens. A show suite is just about to open and can be visited at 50 Dallas Road. www.thebreakwater.ca
From The Breakwater take a short walk to the Fisherman’s Wharf to feast on the catch of the day at Barb’s Fish & Chips. Another favourite is Finest At Sea, a boutique seafood shop specializing in local, sustainably caught fish. Dockside Green The next stop is Dockside Green, a world-leading sustainable community, just minutes from downtown. Featuring high-quality, environmentally friendly materials and innovative, sustainable design, the interiors promote healthy living while offering luxurious comfort and green amenities. Rooftop gardens, water features, native plant gardens, a regional biking trail, wharf access, an organic bakery and brewpub all make living green easy. Balance, the current phase, offers well-appointed one and two bedroom condominiums, townhomes and garden flats. The sales centre is open 11 am to 5 pm daily and is located at 1107 Wharf Street. www.docksidegreen.com A sustainable shopping pairing with Dockside Green is a trip to lower Johnson Street where organic boutiques and local designers such as Smoking Lily offer unique treasures. For a fresh bite to eat check out Rebar, or Green Cuisine, two vegetarian and vegan-friendly hot spots. The Oak Bay Beach Hotel and The Discovery Club The iconic water front hotel in the heart of historic Oak Bay is being redeveloped. As a response to a demand for equity ownership, 19 units will be offered for full ownership and The Discovery Club will offer a new twist to strata hotel ownership, along with 100 hotel suites. The new Oak Bay Beach Hotel is being rebuilt into a beautiful Tudor-style, five star boutique resort and spa. Amenities will include a 24-hour butler and room service, a full service spa, meeting and event space, a theatre, a pub, café and fine dining, seaside hot mineral pools, spectacular panoramic ocean and mountain views and beautifully manicured lawns and gardens. The hotel is currently in the early stages of redevelopment, but a show suite is open daily from 10am to 5pm at 1111 Wharf Street, just beside Dockside Green. If you are looking for a scenic drive after your visit to the presentation centre, follow Dallas Road to 1175 Beach Drive to visit the site. www.discoveryclub.ca Stop for homemade gelato at nearby Ottavio Italian Bakery and a stroll through Oak Bay Village, where boutiques and antiques abound. Aquattro From downtown head to out to the West Shore to discover one of the fastest growing regions on Vancouver Island. Aquattro is an exciting new condominium/townhome development weaving together luxury living with environmental stewardship to create an upscale residential neighbourhood that truly celebrates and conserves the natural beauty that surrounds it. This project has been designed specifically with an active, social lifestyle in mind. Suites are spacious with generous space for entertaining, art, books and antiques, along with storage space for outdoor gear. The sales centre is open noon to 5pm except Fridays and is located onsite at 170 Gold Finch Road, off of Lagoon Road. www.aquattroliving.com
While you’re there, take a walk along the Esquimalt Lagoon, which offers spectacular ocean views of Victoria on one side and the lagoon with Royal Roads University and Hatley Castle on the other. Bird watchers flock to the sanctuary here that is home to swans and many other species. Refuel with a quick stop at locally famous Royal Bay Bakery for one of their sublime sticky donuts. The Lookout Continuing along the shoreline of Colwood and then climbing up into the sky, The Lookout is an exclusive collection of 30 West Coast townhomes offering vistas through arbutus trees and then down over Race Rocks, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Olympic Mountains and Mt. Baker. Along with interiors featuring open plans with expansive windows that maximize views and flood interior spaces with natural light, over-height ceilings throughout emphasize the rooms’ airy spaciousness. The newly opened show suite is located onsite at 3650 Citadel Place, from noon to 5pm daily except Fridays. www.thelookout.ca The Lookout is just minutes from Metchosin, a rural community with rolling pastoral lands, seaside parks, local artisans and a Sunday farmer’s market. After picking up picnic fixings, spread a blanket at Witty’s Beach Park or Sitting Lady Falls. Robin Hopper’s Chosin’ Pottery studio is the perfect place to start or add to a West Coast art collection. Olympic View (CRC) Stop in at the park-like Olympic View Golf Course, 643 Latoria Road, to get a sense of the natural beauty that surrounds this prestigious, award-winning course. A master planned community is currently in the works, which will feature an extensive network of trails, community gardens, and access to the Clubhouse and restaurant, all in an offcourse setting. The community is being planned not just for avid golfers, but for residents who desire the finer things in life, while living close to nature. The show suite and sales centre will be opening this fall, but a visit to the golf course at 643 Latoria Road will give interested buyers a sense of the natural beauty that will surround them. Play a round of golf to take in the picturesque lakes and waterfalls and then have lunch and a celebratory drink at Forester’s Bistro and Bar while enjoying the panoramic view, or just stop in for a meal to get a feel for your future golf course community. Bear Mountain A real estate tour of the area would not be complete without a visit to Bear Mountain, the first and only master-planned resort community on Vancouver Island. Bear Mountain Resort provides a complete lifestyle experience, offering a variety of residential and vacation real estate opportunities. The Highlander is a 14-story, Scottish-influenced condominium residence is perched along the 18th fairway with panoramic views of Vancouver Island and the Straight of Juan de Fuca. Situated on 1,300 acres of mountainside property, the community features a 36-hole Nicklaus-designed course, the Santé Spa, fine and casual dining offerings and the Mountainside Athletic Club, all just a short drive from Victoria. The show suite and sales centre is open daily from 9am to 5pm at 2050 Country Club Way. www.bearmountain.ca
To pamper your well-walked feet Bear Mountain style and wind up your relocation vacation, indulge in “The Mulligan” at Santé Spa - a river rock foot soak, followed by a massage of the feet and lower legs all while enjoying a cold beverage. Dining options at Bear Mountain abound with Kuma Sushi, Jack’s Place, Masters Lounge, Copper Rock Grill and the elegant Panache, in or clustered around the Westin Bear Mountain. Addresses of non-real estate tour spots: Barb’s Fish & Chips, Fisherman's Wharf, Erie Street Finest At Sea, 27 Erie Street Smoking Lily, 569a Johnson Street Rebar, 50 Bastion Square Green Cuisine, #5 560 Johnson Ottavio Italian Bakery, 2272 Oak Bay Avenue Forester’s Bistro and Bar, 643 Latoria Road Robin Hopper’s Chosin’ Pottery studio, 4283 Metchosin Road Westin Bear Mountain Resort, 1999 Country Club Way Santé Spa, 1999 Country Club Way -30Media Contact: Deirdre Campbell, Tartan Public Relations T: 250-592-3838 C:250-882-9199 Deirdre@tartanpr.com Melinda Jolley, Tartan Public Relations T: 250-592-3838 C:250-881-6270 Melinda@tartanpr.com