A GREAT PLACE TO CALL HOME

The Peterborough Lift Lock

 Thanks for taking the time to read my most recent blog.

For those of you who don’t know me, I am Rick Phillips, Director of Sales and Marketing at Parkview Homes. In 2008, I relocated from Southwest Florida to Peterborough, Ontario. Prior to moving here, I did extensive research before choosing Peterborough as my new hometown, and more specifically the College Park area located in the West End.

Before I conducted my research to find my new hometown, I determined a list of “wants/must haves” that my new hometown would ideally provide for my family and I:

• I wanted to live in an area with many convenient amenities close by.
• I wanted easy highway access to visit family in Toronto.
• I wanted to be close to many lakes and rivers and tourism located in the Kawartha’s.
• I wanted to be in an area with great schools.

After extensive research, I purchased my new home in Peterborough, more specifically the College Park area, and I must say it is a fantastic place to live. Not only did Peterborough and the College Park area meet all my “wants/must haves”, Peterborough offers so much more! In terms of entertainment, lifestyle, indoor and outdoor recreation, travel and tourism and overall quality of life, Peterborough is a fantastic place to live, work and play.

I currently have the pleasure of selling a brand new community just seconds from my front door; Lyon’s Gate III. I couldn’t be more excited about this new community, not only because I get to work in my neighbourhood, but also because I get to share the neighbourhood I have called home for the last five years with many new families. My hope is that they will have the home of their dreams and they will enjoy this spectacular neighbourhood as much as I do.

In terms of amenities Lyon’s Gate III and the College Park are in a premier location! These communities are located just minutes from:

• Peterborough Sport& Wellness Centre
• Mapleridge RecreationCentre
• Fleming College
• PRHC (PeterboroughRegional Health Centre)
• Lansdowne Street Shopping & Restaurants
• Highway 115

Not only does the College Park area provide you with the best location in the city, Peterborough as an entire city also offers so much to see and do! 

• Vibrant Downtown:
• Wide array of unique shops and restaurants
• Peterborough Musicfest 
• Taste of Downtown
• RibFest
• Hootenanny on Hunter
• Peterborough Folk Festival

• Markets
• Wednesday Downtown Farmers Market
• Saturday Farmers Market

• Parks and Splash Pads
• Riverview Park & Zoo 
• Rogers Cove
• Beavermead Campground

•  Trails
• Jackson Creek Park
• Trans Canada Trail
• Rotary Trail 

• Recreation
• Kawartha Golf & Country Club
• Peterborough Golf & Country Club
• Peterborough Curling Club

• Sports
• Peterborough Petes (OHL Hockey)
• Peterborough Lakers (MSL Lacrosse)

I am so happy with my decision to call Peterborough and the College Park area my hometown. After five years I couldn’t image a better place for my family and I to live!

Lets become neighbours! I would like to personally invite you to come and experience the amazing lifestyle in Peterborough’s College Park area. With the 407 joining onto Highway 115 in only a few more short years, now is an amazing time to invest in Peterborough, and experience the unbeatable lifestyle it provides.

I look forward to touring with you around the area, and having the opportunity to show you many of the fine amenities that Peterborough has to offer you and your family.

Lyon’s Gate III Sales Centre

1633 Lansdowne Street West, Peterborough

705.748.4663

I look forward to meeting you!

Rick Phillips

Director of Sales & Marketing

Office – 705.748.4663

Cell – 705.868.6441  

rphillips@parkviewhomes.ca

HOW TO BE HAPPIER IN YOUR HOME

Here at Parkview Homes we strive to bring you happiness in your brand new home. However, once you move in, you are in control of creating your own “inner home happiness” for your new home.

I came across a great article with some great tips on how to do just that: http://headedsomewhere.com/2012/10/12/10-things/ (Click through for the full article).

It contains some great tips, not just for your home but also for you in order to create a better world each and every day for yourself. When I came across the article I knew it was something I wanted to pass along.

Here is the basis of each of the points they share:

1. Make your bed – a three minute task that provides positive impact by improving the look of your bedroom.
2. Bring every room back to ready – clutter causes stress, and that's a fact! Simply take three minutes to bring each room back to ready before you depart it. (Does this apply to the kitchen? I don’t think three minutes will cut it!)
3. Display sentimental items around your home – make your home a gallery of positive memories.
4. Start a gratitude journal – before bed, write down one happy memory from that day. Reflection is a part of happiness.
5. If you can’t get out of it, get into it – rather than drudging through the mundane household tasks, crank the music, sing and dance while vacuuming, doing dishes, or making the beds. In other words, create your own fun!
6. Before you get up each morning set an intent for the day – this is not adding another "to do" item on the list. Your daily intent could be "hug my loved ones" or "be productive".
7. Do small favours for your housemates or family members, expecting nothing in return – not even a thank you! This will cultivate a strong healthy relationship.
8. Call at least one friend or family member today – texts and emails don’t count!
9. Spend money on things that cultivate experiences at home – save money for a new BBQ or a DVD for family night.
10. Spend a few minutes each day connecting with something greater than yourself.

I love this list, they all make sense to me and I plan to implement some of these items into my own home and life right away! I particularly like item #6, I enjoy the idea of having an intent each day. Some days I have a lot to do in terms of tasks, but would benefit from having a larger purpose to my day. Something positive to think about accomplishing as I move through the day.

I already make my bed each day (check), and I was happy to see that number one on the list was covered off. I enjoy the satisfaction of turning down the bed each night and tossing the big pillows on the floor. “Messy bed equals messy head” sticks in the back of my mind.

I hope this inspires you like it did for me and good luck creating your personal list!

- Susan

___________________________________

Susan Fenn
Design Studio Manager
Parkview Homes Design Studio
580 The Queensway, Peterborough ON
susanfenn@parkviewhomes.ca
705.741.4410

Working for YOU!

People often ask me what I enjoy most about working for a local award winning home builder, so I thought I would take a few minutes and share with you some of my experiences.

I have been a part of the Parkview Homes team now, in the capacity of Director of Sales and Marketing, for about eight years. There are many aspects of my job which I find enjoyable and rewarding. From a marketing and demographic perspective, it is always interesting to see how people find us, as they make their way into our Model Homes/Sales Centres.

With the worldwide web at everybody's fingertips, we now understand that most people walking into our Model Homes/Sales Centres have already been to our website, and have done some initial online shopping or research.

Also, over the last few years, many people walking into the Model Homes/Sales Centres and meeting me for the first time, have already been on our website and have watched some of our videos on YouTube. We film and share our videos to give our potential customers a sneak preview of many of the homes we offer. These videos are a great chance to have a look at the interior and exterior features, the layout and the unique design features of our home designs. We create these videos to be helpful, we are certainly not a professional filming company, but I really enjoy creating these videos. I like providing our online customers with the tools that will help enhance their online shopping experience.

Most people coming into the Model Homes/Sale Centres, have come in because of very specific needs or reasons. Examples of clients I work with on a weekly basis include:

• Relocation - New Employment or Job Transfer
• Size of Home  - Upsizing or Downsizing
• Practicality - They are tired of fixing and putting money into an older home
• New vs Re-sale - The beauty and convenience of a brand-new home versus a resale/used home
• Energy Savings - Efficiency of a brand-new home and the overall cost savings
• Design – Our new homes have very practical, functional and inspiring floor plans
• Customization - Parkview Homes customers have the ability to customize and personalize their floor plan and alter their living spaces to meet their specific living or lifestyle requirements.

From my perspective I thoroughly enjoy meeting new people, finding out what is not working well in their current home and quickly being able to offer many helpful new home solutions. I especially love sitting down with my clients and visually walking through the floor plan with them and pointing out many of the great design attributes and features.

It's amazing how much you can accomplish in as little as 30 minutes, in terms of listening to the customer, offering helpful solutions, and putting some initial thoughts and plans together. It is a very rewarding experience for me to meet individuals, couples or families for the first time and be able to work with them to identify a suitable home to match their budget and lifestyle needs.


I recently relocated my office to our brand-new luxury executive community of Lyons Gate III, located adjacent to the desirable College Park neighbourhood, in the West End of Peterborough. I am very excited about selling this new community, as well as continuing to sell homes in all of our other remarkable communities. 

A little more information about Lyons Gate III:

The final phase of Lyons Gate III is a new executive community located in the heart of the Kawartha’s, in one of Peterborough’s most prestigious and sought after neighbourhoods. This exclusive community is offering a carefully selected line-up of luxury executive bungalow, bungaloft and two storey home designs. Each home has been meticulously designed with you you in mind;

• All brick exteriors with premium stone accents
• Gourmet kitchens featuring granite countertops and maple cabinetry
• 9 ft. ceilings on the main floor
• Oak hardwood flooring in the great room
• Cabinet style gas fireplace
• Open concept floor plans

and so many more fine details which come together to give you the home and extravagant lifestyle that you deserve.*

If you are considering purchasing a brand-new single detached home, executive townhome or condominium suite, it would be my pleasure to spend some time with you and your family to point out many exciting options and find your next dream home.

I invite you to give me a call or drop by my Sales Centre at 1633 Lansdowne Street West, just west of Spillsbury Drive, and discover the many joys and benefits of owning a brand-new Parkview home. For your convenience, I am also available after hours by appointment.

I look forward to meeting you.

Warm Regards,
Rick Phillips
Parkview Homes • Director of Sales and Marketing
Sales Centre • 705.748.4663
Cell • 705.868.6441




*See Sales Representative for details. Please note that some features listed may not apply to all Parkview home designs.

Lyon's Gate III by Parkview Homes

Location, Location, Location!

Ask any real estate professional and they will tell you how important location is when making the biggest investment of your life, which of course is purchasing a new home.

At Parkview Homes we recently released the third and final phase of our executive Lyon's Gate community, which is located in the prestigious West End Peterborough.

The Balsam Executive

Our new Lyons Gate III Sales Centre is now open at 1633 Lansdowne Street West. We invite you to drop in and discuss with us how you can become a resident of this brand new and exclusive community. Featuring twenty-eight 40 & 50 ft. premium lots, Lyon's Gate III offers the new luxury executive home you are looking for. With a wide selection of bungalow, bungaloft and two story designs to choose from, we are sure to make your dream of a luxurious new home a reality.

The Charlesworth Executive

Our design team has meticulously designed each of the homes available in this new community to provide you with the features you should expect in a brand new luxury executive home. Including but not limited to:

• All brick exterior with premium stone accents
• Coloured exterior window sashes with coordinating grilles between the panes of glass
• Elegant front door entry with designer glass window and contemporary door hardware
• Soaring 9' ceilings on the main floor
• Gourmet kitchen with maple cabinetry, granite countertops, taller uppers, pot and pan drawers, upgraded Moen© faucet, undermount sink, under cabinet light valance and crown molding.
• Hardwood floor in the great room
• Oversized trim and door package featuring captivating 7'-8" extra height doors and archways on the main level
• Cabinet style gas fireplace
• High-efficiency gas furnace 

The Waddell Executive

If you're thinking of downsizing, up-sizing or upgrading and you are looking for the perfect location, then look no further! Within minutes of Lyon's Gate III you will find all the amenities you could ever need; easy access to Highway 115, Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC), Fleming College, Peterborough Sport and Wellness Center, Mapleridge Recreation Center, great elementary and secondary schools, retail shopping, a wide assortment of restaurants, golf courses and so much more!

We are quite excited about this new community and the opportunity it will provide us to meet many new individuals and families looking for their ideal place to live, play, relax and grow within one of the best neighborhoods in Peterborough.

The Chester Executive

 For your convenience our Lyon's Gate Sales Centre is open five days a week. For more information I invite you to kindly contact me at anytime to set up an appointment, to discuss how easy it is to own a brand new home in Lyons Gate III.

I look forward to working together to find you the perfect new home!

Sincerely,
Rick






Rick Phillips
Director of sales and marketing
705 748-4663 (Sales Centre)
705 868-6443 (Cell)
rphillips@parkviewhomes.ca

A great start to 2015 for Jackson Creek Meadows!

The 2015 building season has started with a bang in our Jackson Creek Meadows Community! Sales of single detached homes and townhomes have been brisk since the middle of January, despite the frigid temperatures. However, the perfect storm of historically low interest rates, limited inventory in the resale market and a desirable West End Peterborough location has made Jackson Creek Meadows the smart choice for many families, first time homeowners and retirees.

Surprisingly we still have a small handful of premium lots ranging from 40’ to 60’ in width, backing onto a heavily treed green belt, adjacent to the Trans Canada Trail. These lots probably won’t last through the spring market, so don’t hesitate and miss out on the opportunity to live in this family friendly conservation community!

We are also pleased to announce that we will be opening a brand new model home this spring! The exciting grand opening of The Charlesworth Executive Model Home is tentatively scheduled to open in the middle of May. A completely new creation from our design department, The Charlesworth Executive showcases an open concept eat in kitchen/great room across the back of the home, with soaring vaulted ceilings and a covered deck.  The plan also features a popular loft master bedroom, two main floor bedrooms, full double car garage and a well-appointed finished lower level.

The Charlesworth Executive

Our design team has also just put the finishing touches on a new fully furnished townhome model, The Berkley. The Berkley townhome boasts 1890 sq. ft. of living space featuring 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, open concept main floor with eat in kitchen, great room and separate living/dining room. The unspoiled lower level offers a full walkout and three piece plumbing rough-in, ready to go for a fourth bathroom.

Executive Townhome Collection

The Jackson Creek Meadows Model Home is temporarily located at 343 Florence Drive.

Model Home Hours:

• Monday - 2pm to 7pm
• Tuesday to Friday - 11am to 7pm
• Saturday & Sunday - 10am to 6pm

Our new Charlesworth Executive Model Home will be located at 105 Chandler Crescent. We invite you to come in and visit us and see our full selection of available lots and home designs.

We look forward to making your new home dream come true in Jackson Creek Meadows!

See you soon!
Paul


Paul Davidson
New Home Specialist
705.748.4665
pauldavidson@parkviewhomes.ca

First Time Home Buyer Blog: Pre-Delivery Inspection

Welcome back! If you have been following along you will know that I am very close to getting the keys to my new home! But just before I get the keys I wanted to share with you the excitement of my Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI)

If this is the first time you are checking in with me or want to re-read some of my previous entries, here are the links to the previous blogs:

·        First Time Home Buyer Blog

·        First Time Home Buyer Blog – Personalizing My Floor Plan!

·        First Time Home Buyer Blog – Design Studio – Part 1

·        First Time Home Buyer Blog – Design Studio – Part 2

·        First Time Home Buyer Blog – Visiting the Kitchen Designer

·        First Time Home Buyer Blog – Summer Building Progress

·        First Time Home Buyer Blog – Plan Review

·        First Time Home Buyer Blog – Pre-Drywall Walk-Through

·        First Time Home Buyer Blog – Appliance Selections

Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI):

I should warn you before you read this I am writing this on the morning of the day when I get my keys! I am very excited and nervous and might not be making the most sense! ;)

So just like any other new homebuyer, a couple of days before I get my keys, I was invited to complete a Pre-Delivery Inspection with our (Parkview Homes) Warranty Service Coordinator, Nithya. During the inspection Nithya showed me everything in my home, tested all the taps, windows and lights and gave me the chance to point out any minor deficiencies, so they could be corrected prior to me getting my keys and moving in.

We started the inspection in my unfinished lower level. She showed me the electrical panel, the furnace and where the filter is located and how to change it, the HRV system, the hot water tank and the three-piece bathroom rough-in. She was very thorough in describing what everything did and how it worked. Just in case I missed something, she also showed me where all the instruction manuals were located as well.

For the next part of the inspection we moved to the main level where we looked at my beautiful kitchen! It was fantastic to finally see it in person! It just sparkled! Literally! Between the sun shining in hitting the cabinetry handles and the tiny reflective flecks in the tile floor, the whole thing seemed to sparkle! I am so excited to get my appliances in there, so I can get cooking and baking!

Just off the kitchen, Nithya showed me the controls for my HRV system and my programmable thermostat and explained how they both worked.

Continuing my inspection on the main floor I got to see how all my Design Studio Selections came together. Not only was I overjoyed with how my kitchen came together, my powder room dazzled as well! I am so happy that I decided to go with a different countertop in my bathroom. It was definitely the right decision. As well, on my main level I got to see the fabulous trim and door package I selected! It to just blew me away!

Next, we moved up the stairs to the upper level. The carpet I selected for the stairs and the upper level looks awesome! The colour works fantastically with the current wall colour and the tile that I picked throughout my new home. Again, the trim and door package looked delightful!

Upstairs I also got my first chance to see my master bedroom with its huge walk-in closet, which will soon be filled with perfectly organized wardrobe and with so much space I just might have to buy more clothes to fill it! While in my master bedroom we also checked out my master ensuite which turned out amazing! Just like everything else in my new home ;). Again, I did awesome at my Design Studio Selections!! I am super pleased with how everything came together. I can’t wait to get the keys!

Overall there were just a few touch ups here and there but my new home looked fantastic! I am very excited to move in this weekend! I am already dreaming of how I will furnish each room! First I need to buy some furniture. But hey! Having zero furniture makes moving easy right?

Once I am in I will take some beautiful pictures to share with you all!

Talk to you soon,

Alyssa :)

PS. If you want to be my neighbour check out Jackson CreekMeadows!

2015 Trends in Design

Each year the Interior Design Show (IDS) in Toronto promises to surprise and amaze the thousands of participants who attend with their flashy displays of new and exciting products. As always, as a designer, I was anxious to see what’s hot and interesting in for 2015, in hopes that I may be able to bring some of those trends back to the purchasers of Parkview Homes via the Parkview Homes Design Studio. As you may or may not know at the Design Studio we pride ourselves in always trying to offer the best selection in design to our purchasers.

This year at the show there were a few new hot items I would like to share with you!

1)     Granite and Quartz Sinks:

Traditionally we have seen these materials used repeatedly in countertops and even in kitchen backsplashes. However, traditionally these popular and stunning products have not been used for sinks. Bathroom sinks are an unusual and interesting way to use of this material. This new application for granite and quartz make stunning vessel sinks, as well as molded stand-alone bathroom sinks with fabulous colours and patterns.

2)     Modern Farmhouse Décor:

We have seen rustic flooring and tables become increasingly popular in the past few years. Modern farmhouse is combining those items with a few modern touches. For example, in the kitchen pairing a rustic wooden kitchen table with modern leather white parsons chairs, a black rod iron chandelier and an old world white brick on the wall as an accent provides an eclectic but interesting mix of elements in a room.

This same look can be pulled off successfully in any room of the house and what’s really nice is that you can keep some of your old classic furniture pieces and purchase a few new modern pieces, without making too much of a dent in your wallet and you will still be keeping up with the trend.

3)     Kitchen Design:

This is one of the most important elements when building a new home. Deciding on what to do in the kitchen can be one of the most challenging but fun parts of the design process. The kitchen, as we all know, is the heart of the home and sets the tone for the overall look and feel in the home.

This year’s trend in kitchens is minimalist. The trend in cabinetry is flat or slab cabinets, showcasing clean lines. Clean line cabinetry is a stand-alone feature in new kitchens, as no hardware is growing in popularity. Doors and drawers open based on touch or integrated handles at bottom of doors. The European trend of open shelving can also work well to contain everyday plates, cups, etc. in place of uppers. High gloss and wood combinations take top spot in kitchen design.

I look forward to helping our purchasers integrate some of these new and fresh as well as their unique ideas into their new homes!

For more information about the Parkview Homes Design Studio and the many trends offered within, please contact:

Susan Fenn

Design Studio Manager

580 The Queensway, Peterborough ON

705-741-4410