Canadian homes with a certain je ne sais quoi!

by Charlotte Ashton Canada

 

July marks the 400th anniversary of the establishment of Quebec City
 
Canada is an evergreen and ever-popular nation with would-be British expatriates and it is becoming an increasingly popular choice with those in search of the ultimate lifestyle property too.  Because of the vast size of the nation, Canada generally offers a buyer far more real estate for their property pound or dollar, and because the country is a first world, leading tourism centre offering world-class amenities and facilities as well as being home to some of the world’s most striking natural scenery, Canada really can be said to have it all.
 
The only problem with such a popular and vast nation for those seeking a lifestyle second home or a property investment of maximum interest to potential tourism tenant demand is that it can be hard to know where to start looking if you want to find a Canadian home with a certain ‘je ne sais quoi!’  However, those who know the nation such as John Prior, Principal of Undiscovered Properties, know full well that: “Quebec province is rapidly becoming the lifestyle home seekers’ choice because of its inimitable blend of history, heritage, tourism appeal and unique mix of Canadian and French culture and style.”
 
According to Prior: “2008 is a very significant year for Quebec too, it is the 400th anniversary of the establishment of Quebec City, and all year many major events and celebrations have been organised throughout the province to mark this historic milestone.  These events have been used by the province as a way of further marketing the appeal of Quebec to the wider world, and on the 3rd of July, which is the anniversary date of the establishment of Quebec City, the ‘Happy Birthday Quebec’ festival will begin.
 
This major event is expected to draw record numbers of international visitors to the city, and it will be a great time for celebrating and also showcasing the wider province.  Quebec is described as ‘a four season outdoor playground’ because of its mountains and lakes, its ski runs and protected wilderness areas, and as a result it is already hugely popular with North American visitors who love the great outdoors and who embrace the unique cultural flavour of this fabulous province.”
 
Many of those who have visited the province have also realised that it is one of the most affordable in Canada for real estate, and this has led to Quebec becoming home to a certain number of high-end, exclusive communities where real estate is prized.  It is in these communities where there has been an intensification of international property interest as well; locations such as Mont Tremblant – North America’s number one ski resort – have become particularly desirable as they offer the ultimate blend of high-end real estate with luxury lifestyle.
 
Mont Tremblant lies north of Montreal, it is a stunning resort surrounded by acres of maple, cherry and pine forest, and the town has spectacular views of mountains, springs and streams.  The location offers a relaxed pace of life with fantastic shopping and fabulous restaurants, or for the more adventurous the area is famous for its skiing as well as its rock-climbing, water sports, hiking, horse riding and 7 championship golf courses.  
 
Five minutes from the resort and situated in the best elevated position in the entire community is the elite La Grande Forêt development of exclusive estate sized homes.  Featuring 72 homes on plots averaging 3 acres, La Grande Forêt is certainly a community of Canadian homes offering that certain ‘je ne sais qua!’  Each property features open fireplaces, two-storey Great Rooms, vaulted ceilings and state of the art, luxury fixtures, fittings and appliances.  What’s more, the resort style development includes a range of five star amenities such as the Grand Clubhouse and swimming pool.
 
These rustic log and custom timber homes which use expert Quebec craftsmanship and the finest natural materials of stone, wood and granite are remarkably affordable and make fantastic lifestyle or pure investment choices.  They start from £403,000/€527,000 for log homes and £442,000/€578,000 for timber properties, for more information contact Undiscovered Properties on 0870 7347968 or visit www.undiscoveredproperties.com.
 

Following in the Footsteps of the Molson Family, Another Prosperous Project is Brewing in Canada

by Charlotte Ashton Canada

Canada’s oldest and arguably most well known and successful brewery was founded by a British emigrant and entrepreneur called John Molson back in 1786; Molson moved to Canada from Lincolnshire at the tender age of 18, fell in love with the Canadian province of Quebec, established Molson’s Brewery on the banks of St. Lawrence River in Montreal, made a family home on Mont-Tremblant and became one of the most highly respected citizens of Canada thanks to his philanthropic benevolence.

 
Not satisfied with simply starting and running one of the most successful breweries in North America, John Molson and subsequent generations of his family have been responsible for bringing the first railway into Canada, for introducing steam power into industry in Montreal, for building theatres, sports stadia and for being influential politicians across the nation.  And to this day, John Molson’s family are still proud to be at the helm of Molson’s Brewery, and John Molson himself was honoured recently for his contribution to Canadian life when his image was selected to be used on a postage stamp by the Canadian government.
 
The Molson family home on Mont-Tremblant, which is one of the tallest peaks in the Laurentian mountains in Quebec and which literally translates to mean ‘trembling mountain’, consists of a 265 acre prime and fabulous mountainside property.  Since the Molson family made it their home, the beauty and majesty of Mont-Tremblant with its forests, lakes and Alpine feel has been ‘discovered’; a pedestrian village and year round resort of the same name has been established at the base of the mountain, and now the name Mont-Tremblant is synonymous with one of the leading year round vacation and lifestyle resorts in the whole of North America – in fact, Mont-Tremblant has even been named the number 1 ski resort in Eastern North America by Ski Magazine eight consecutive times.
 
The Mont-Tremblant pedestrian village at the base of the mountain is unique among ski and summertime resorts in Canada because you don’t need any transportation for the duration of your stay, because the pedestrian-only streets are home to some of the most exquisite shopping, varied and high-end night life, fabulous après ski and excellent restaurants and bars in the vicinity, and because the whole village resembles a French Alpine community.
 
The village is at the heart of a greater community, a community where you can ski and snowboard in the winter, where you can hike, swim, fish, golf and enjoy the great outdoors in the spring and summer, and where in the autumn-time the entire wooded mountainside is transformed into a burning intensity of vibrant colour as the leaves turn golden and red and slowly fade and fall giving way to the winter snow once again.
 
Established well before the fame and fortunes of the resort and pedestrian village at Mont-Tremblant, the Molson family home naturally sits in prime position on the mountainside, and the acreage it covers was long coveted by the growing numbers of affluent residents and second homeowners in the region.  Many offers have been made for the purchase of the estate over the years, but it was only recently that the Molsons decided to sell.  Today, as a result of the sale, an incredibly well appointed and stunningly luxurious property development called La Grand Forêt is under construction on the former Molson estate.
The La Grand Forêt project will witness the creation of just 72 estate-sized homes set within 265 acres of virgin hardwood forest.  Each impressive and imposing property will sit on at least 3 private acres of land, be afforded spectacular and uninterrupted views because of their elevation, and benefit from world-class amenities and facilities within a gated community style, private residential community.
 
Within La Grand Forêt grounds there will be the Grande Clubhouse and swimming pool, a well equipped gymnasium, 20-acre park and trail system, basketball and tennis courts, children’s play area, volleyball area and putting green.  And within reach of the exclusive community, residents will have access to acres of untouched maple, cherry and pine forest, springs and lakes and streams, rock-climbing and water sports adventures, skiing, hiking and horseback riding.  There are also 7 championship golf courses locally as well as over 40 restaurants and shops in Mont-Tremblant village – all this less than an hour and a half from Montreal and its international airport.
 
Each of the individual properties at La Grand Forêt will be constructed with expert Quebec craftsmanship and using the finest natural materials such as local stone, wood and granite.  Every deluxe home will feature a fireplace, a two-storey great room with a vaulted ceiling and state-of-the-art appliances, and if you want to purchase one of the most sought after properties in one of the most coveted positions in one of the most popular and affluent areas of North America, you can choose to invest in a 3, 4 or 5 bedroom property at La Grand Forêt, with log homes starting from £403,000/€527,000 and timber homes starting from £442,000/€578,000.
 
For more information contact Undiscovered Properties on 0870 7347968, email contact@undiscoveredproperties.com or visit www.undiscoveredproperties.com.

“I don´t even know what street Canada is on”- Al Capone

by Charlotte Ashton Canada

Al Capone may have had trouble locating the world’s second largest country but according to recent statistics Canada has over 250,000 new immigrants discovering and arriving in the country each year.  Until recently, home ownership has proven difficult for new Canadians but with 20% of the population now being foreign born the government and banks have taken steps to make it easier for people to move swiftly into their very own homes.

“Mortgage insurers all over Canada are now offering products that will allow new immigrants to buy their homes with as little as 3% down,” states Glen Ward, a regional Invis business leader.

In a recent report published on the Canadian website migrationexpert.com which looks into the various aspects of migrating to Canada it states: “Immigrants are more likely than Canadian-born residents to spend more than 30% of their incomes on housing as they tend to live in large, expensive cities and usually have larger families.”
With a world screaming credit crunch but the ongoing desires of people that want to buy abroad still very fervent these facts are an encouragement to all those wanting to take the plunge and buy in the glorious country of Canada.
Ward concludes: “Compared to three years ago, there’s a lot more product in the marketplace that can be tailored to the needs of immigrants, allowing them to get into housing in Canada quicker and easier.”
John Prior, Director of property agent Undiscovered Properties, is frequently asked about the mortgage availability in Canada, he states: “Buying in Canada is similar to the UK. Payments are staged and all transactions are in Canadian dollars. Typically Canadian banks will lend up to 65% of the base property cost to overseas residents and preferential rates are available to clients at all of our available properties.”
For more information on properties available in Canada call Undiscovered properties on 0870 734 7968 or visit www.undiscoveredproperties.com.