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HOMEFINDER: Variety in Bear Mountain’s Cypress homes

Golf remains a big part of Ecoasis offerings, but the homes themselves and other features equal selling points
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Illustration shows an example of what the Cypress Mews townhomes will look like when they are completed later this year on Bear Mountain. The units are in the $665

Not everyone who lives on Bear Mountain is a golfer.

Plenty of residents who have purchased homes in the upscale Langford neighbourhood bought for the quality of home for the price, the terrific views and the recreation and amenities otherwise available in the area.

But for those who have already bought into the Cypress neighbourhood off Bear Mountain Parkway, or are thinking seriously about it, golf may well be the clincher.

The three sections under construction or planned for the group, including the 27 Cypress executive homes, 18 Cypress Gates Villas and 15 Cypress Mews resort townhomes, are nestled between holes on the Mountain Course at the Bear Mountain Golf Resort. As with all new homes connected to Bear Mountain owner/developer Ecoasis, purchasers have the opportunity to secure a golf membership for this exclusive championship-caliber club.

The popularity of the club has heightened that exclusivity, to the point where the remaining 400 to 500 golf memberships – worth approximately $40,000 – are being reserved for purchasers of Ecoasis properties on Bear Mountain.

“As a developer on a golf course … you would be a little bit irresponsible to not be offering memberships when you’re a golf-centric community,” says Ruthanne Doyle, director of real estate sales and marketing for Ecoasis.

Under a program called Golf Membership Eligible Address, or GMEA, purchasers of new properties on Bear Mountain can have their golf membership attached to their address, which can be a selling point for people who sell down the road.

But of course for those not interested in golf, there are plenty of other amenities nearby, such as tennis, biking trails and hiking paths.

The Mews three-storey townhomes, the first phase of which is underway, offer a variety of floor plans. “It’s of equal interest to an empty nester who may have children coming home … they can have their own space … to people with teenage children who think that whole floor is their own space,” Doyle says. “It really is flexible enough to be a great product for families, empty nesters, retired people.”

For those buying into the Mews, moving into their home – the first phase is targeted for completion between August and November of this year – will almost coincide with the completion of the Bear Mountain Parkway section down to Highway 1 at the junction of Leigh and McCallum roads.

The 27 executive home lots in the Cypress neighbourhood have been sold to seven different builders, who are part of the company’s Designated Builders program. That initiative allows Ecoasis to maintain design standards throughout the area, Doyle says.

“I send end users to them,” she says of connecting buyers with the people constructing the homes. “And the builders work with each other so they don’t undercut the value of each other’s homes.”

While the price point for the executive homes and the future Cypress Gates Villas can run close to double the selling price of the Mews townhomes, Doyle says the latter residents will enjoy the same quality build, design and finishes as those used on their neighbours’ homes.

For information on these projects, visit bearmountain.ca.

editor@goldstreamgazette.com

Q: WHEN DID ECOASIS GET INVOLVED WITH BEAR MOUNTAIN?

Ecoasis Developments took ownership of the 836-acre Bear Mountain lands in October of 2013 and cited the highly desirable location and climate as reasons for the expected success of the project.

“Ecoasis is a nice development company, and we are extremely selective about the properties included within our portfolio,” explained founder and managing partner Dan Matthews at the time of the acquisition.

“Our core focus is on premium locations close to nature and recreation – Bear Mountain is an excellent fit for us.

At the heart of the resort is 36 holes of Jack Nicklaus golf designs, but Ecoasis has diversified its recreation offerings, including mountain biking and tennis, with a large clay court facility set for construction later this spring.

Over the past three plus years, Ecoasis has expanded the real estate options and added amenities available for not only residents, but the many visitors who frequent the area.

GREATER VICTORIA MARKET UPDATE » MONTH TO DATE FEB. 14/17 COURTESY VICTORIA REAL ESTATE BOARD

» 285 / 772 -- NET UNCONDITIONAL SALES / TOTAL, FEBRUARY 2016

» 344 / 1,160 -- NEW LISTINGS / TOTAL, FEBRUARY 2016

» 1,498 / 2,562 -- ACTIVE RESIDENTIAL LISTINGS / TOTAL, FEBRUARY 2016