The Country Estate, Rethought.
By David Silverberg
Gas-fired lanterns. A pumpkin patch. A Christmas tree farm. A baseball diamond encircled by corn stalks à la Field of Dreams. These idyllic features complement the farmhouse-style homes that make up the Braestone estate community, two hours north of the GTA in Horseshoe Valley.
Developed by multi-faceted company Georgian International, the 229 homes sit on 556 acres in the Oro-Medonte township where these ingredients, known as “remarkables”, further entice prospective buyers.
Bringing a unique approach to Ontario real estate is a hallmark of the company’s mission. “What we’re doing is not what other developers are doing,” says Mike Parker, Vice President, Sales & Marketing for Georgian International’s Real Estate Division. “In the planning process, we came up with community features that will enhance people’s lives, which will be part of their active lifestyles.”
Besides successful sales, Braestone’s eye-catching offerings and impressive amenities are getting noticed by the industry. It was recognized as Best New Home Community of the Year in 2016 by the Canadian Home Builders Association, and its Discovery Centre (aka sales HQ) was named 2016 Best Low Rise Homes Sales Office in Canada by the CHBA.
But Braestone is not the only development Georgian International is known for in Ontario. Windfall is a 609-home project at the base of Blue Mountain, which attracts buyers who want “comfort, character, culture and community with a relaxed way of life,” says Parker.
He notes that, “it’s a place where nature and neighbourhood are in perfect balance… with community trails, Georgian Bay on one side, and the Niagara Escarpment on the other the beauty of the natural landscape is simply amazing.”
Plans are also underway to release the first units of the highly-anticipated Mountain House, adjacent to Windfall. The 230-unit Mountain House will be built in two-, three-, and four-story buildings. The terrace suites will boast a chalet-style and be complemented by a community building, a bike repair station, a sauna and relaxation room, hot and cold pools and an picturesque setting. “We will be releasing our initial units this year and, like all our projects, the standard features, such as full, glass-walled showers and exterior gas lanterns, go above and beyond expectations,” says Parker.
With Toronto home prices skyrocketing and other communities such as Hamilton seeing similar jumps, you can imagine why some Ontarians might look at living in pastoral communities such as Georgian Bay or Oro-Medonte. To be closer to nature, and farther from the concrete jungles of metro cities, can harken us back to a simpler time. And for a company like Georgian International, they want to give people that sense of a home ensconced among mountains, lakes, Christmas tree parks, skating ponds.
And if that isn’t being Canadian at its most grassroots, we don’t know what is.
