Kamloops New Development: Phase One Of The West Highland Community in the Aberdeen Highlands Has Begun Construction

This article appeared in the Kamloops This Week “New Home Buyers Guide” on Friday, August 14, 2009.

DAVE EAGLES PHOTO:  Kamloops This Week

DAVE EAGLES PHOTO: Kamloops This Week

Building a community from scratch is a lot harder than it looks – it’s what the group behind a massive development in Aberdeen is in the process of finding out. The Aberdeen Highlands Development Corporation has started construction on the first phase of it’s West Highland community and the land developer has a real life Sim City on it’s hands.

Chris Bebek, general manager for Aberdeen Highlands, explained the company has built other subdivisions, but she compared this project to starting a whole community. “You’re having to think about a lot more things than we’ve had to in the past,” she told KTW.

The to-do list before the area can be sub-divided and sold to developers is lengthy. A roundabout at Aberdeen Drive and Pacific Way is now being built will be built this summer along with all the services to the individual lots – that includes sanitary, storm and water works.

Streetlights will also be installed and Aberdeen Drive will be given a multi-use pathway that will act as a walking trail and bike path. ” There’s a lot of things that are on the go right now to get us prepared to start that pre-marketing for when it’s completed in the fall,” Bebek said. She pegged the completion date of the first phase for September or October.

In the meantime, Highland Development is updating it’s website and getting ready for pre-sales.

The first phase of the development will include 34 single-family lots, two multi family sited, a new fire hall and a mixed-use commercial-residential site. It is expected that 90 to 110 units could be built in the first phase, housing several hundred people.

While the economy and the real estate market have taken a pounding in the last year, Bebek noted Aberdeen Highlands has received plenty of interest and compiled a list of perspective developers in Kamloops.

City council gave the massive development the go-ahead last winter. The Aberdeen Highlands area, located near the top of Pacific Way and the Aberdeen Hills Golf Course, spans roughly 150 acres. Once completely built out, the development is expected to consist of nearly 1,000 new homes, along with some areas of commercial and park space.

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Kamloops Building Permits and Property Sales Higher In July 2009

This article appeared in the Wednesday, August 12, 2009 edition of the Kamloops This Week and was written by Jeremy Deutsch.

Construciton - framing Kamloops HousingJust as the economy is starting to show signs of life, construction in Kamloops also appears to have been given a new ticker. For the second straight month, the number of issued building permits and their dollar values increased. In fact, the number of single-family permits issued for the month of July was more than the previous two months combined.

A total of 24 single-family residential permits were issued in Kamloops, making it a bigger month than July 2008, when 15 permits were handed out. Throw in another 88 multi-family units and the number of residential permits climbs to 112 – more than double the previous July. The value for all those permits added up to $17 million, which was more than in July 2008.

Though the commercial side – which had been strong throughout the year – did take a dip, the total value of construction permits for the year now sits at $72 million. That’s well short of the $122 million at this time last year, but on pace for the $120 million to $140 million projected for 2009.

The real estate market in the city was just as busy. According to the Kamloops and District Real Estate Association (KADREA), 264 residential units were sold in the city last month, marking a 14 per cent increase from July of the previous year. Of the units sold, 82 per cent were under $400,000. Craig McIntyre, president of KADREA, attributes the bump in sales to a number of different factors, including good selection on the market, reasonable pricing and low interest rates.

Though the market in the first half of 2008 was thought of as still being red hot, McIntyre pointed out sales were already trending downward before the global recession hit last fall. As for the future, McIntyre predicts sales to stay strong for the rest of the year, noting the peak months are in the spring and fall. While he suggested the market is on the cusp between a buyer’s market and a balanced market, McIntyre said it’s still a good time to buy. “Kamloops remains a good place to be.”

Link

Kamloops and District Real Estate Association Statistics For July 2009

The latest statistics for July were recently released by the Kamloops Real Estate Association. July definitely was a busy time in the Kamloops real estate market, as residential sales for July 2009 were far above July 2008.

Kamloops Real Estate Comparative Analysis By Property Type July 2009

Kamloops Real Estate Comparative Analysis By Property Type July 2009

Kamloops Real Estate MLS Activity July 2009

Kamloops Real Estate MLS Activity July 2009

Kamloops Real Estate Sales by Subarea July 2009

Kamloops Real Estate Sales by Subarea July 2009

How Renovations Affect The Value of Your Home When It Comes Time to Sell

Are you are planning to remodel your Kamloops home? Do you know what renovations will be most beneficial to you when you sell your home? Some renovations add more value to your home than others. This will be factored into the value of your home when it comes time to sell. Here is a guide to help you decide what to remodel:

Kitchen renovation Kamloops Real Estate Home ValuesKitchen: It is important to have a functional kitchen with an ample amount of work space and efficient storage space. There are never enough electrical outlets in a kitchen, so the more the better. Consider a dual sink instead of a single basin sink. Use good quality products that will withstand time, stone and wood products have always been considered the best way to go in a kitchen. Pick appliances that are of the same style, color and make, a mish mash of appliances will take away from a beautiful kitchen upgrade.

 

Bathroom Renovation Kamloops Real EstateBathroom: Bring in the light with glass blocks. Add more storage space with efficient cabinet systems and recessed medicine cabinets. Counter space is always important so plan the renovation effectively, if there is not enough space for dual sinks stick to one. Much like the kitchen, high quality products will always withstand time, ceramic tile or stone flooring as well as a deep bath tub and large sink all add to a high quality bathroom renovation.

 

Siding Renovation Kamloops Real EstateSiding: It is easy to fix the outside of a home to make your home more appealing from the street. Vinyl siding looks fresh and needs minimal upkeep while stucco can be re-painted to get a fresh new look.

 

 

Window renovationWindows:  New windows don’t only make your home more appealing from the street but they also save you money. The energy savings for monthly utility bills can be significant depending on the age and shape of your old windows.

 

 

According to the Appraisal Institute of Canada, your remodel investment dollars pay back at different rates when you sell your home depending on the type of remodel you choose. In an ideal situation you will regain the money you put into a remodel but some projects will return more than others.  Here is an example of the potential return you can receive from a renovation.

Remodel Project Job Cost Expected Return Average Payback
Minor Kitchen remodel       $3,000         $2,300-$3,000              75%-100%
Major Kitchen remodel     $25,000      $18,800-$25,000           75%-100%
Bathroom Remodel           $8,500         $6,400-$8,500               75%-100%
Basement Remodel            $7,000         $3,500-5,300                 50%-75%
Fireplace Addition              $3,000         $1,500-$2,300               50%-75%
Deck Addition                    $6,000        $3,000-$4,500               50%-75%
Repl. Heating System        $4,000        $2,000-$3,200               50%-80%
Window Replacement      $6,000          $3,000-$4,500               50%-75%
Major Landscaping          $10,000        $2,500-$5000                25%-50%
 

Always consider the following when considering a renovation: The location of your property in Kamloops and the condition of the surrounding properties. What homes are selling for in your specific area and how they are comparable to your property. The condition of your property overall inside and out. Avoid doing too many high end renovations to your home unless the area you live in can support that level of renovations. Many homeowners renovate their home too much in comparison to other neighbouring homes and are unable to recoup the renovation costs. Over the past few years many people have tried to “flip” homes and fix an older outdated home and modernize them. Amateur home flippers have made the mistake of buying the nicest home on the worst street, location is always very important, so keep this top of mind whether it is for your primary residence or an investment project.

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