Step inside and immediately feel the openness of the bright, airy layout, enhanced by unobstructed views, high ceilings, and recessed pot lighting that illuminates each level beautifully. The main floor’s open concept design seamlessly integrates living, dining, and kitchen spaces, making this home ideal for gatherings and everyday living alike. The oversized living room invites you to unwind with its elegant wainscoting details, premium flooring, and a modern electric fireplace that adds cozy ambiance year round. Just beyond, charming French doors open to a private balcony, offering the perfect outdoor escape for morning coffee or evening entertaining.

The luxurious eat-in kitchen is a showpiece of design and functionality, featuring quartz countertops, a large central island, walk-in pantry, and a dedicated coffee station. Premium stainless steel appliances, including a gas stove, elevate the cooking experience, while abundant cabinetry ensures ample storage. This beautifully planned kitchen is not just the heart of the home, it’s a space built for connection, creativity, and culinary excellence. Upstairs, the home’s three spacious bedrooms are designed with comfort in mind. The primary suite offers a serene retreat with a 4-piece ensuite bathroom, complete with a deep soaker tub, modern fixtures, and a large walk-in closet for all your wardrobe needs. Two additional bedrooms share a stylish full bathroom, while a dedicated laundry room adds convenience and efficiency to your daily routine. Every detail, from the premium window coverings to the new carpets installed in 2023, reflects pride of ownership and a commitment to quality.

The main street level floor offers remarkable versatility with a large bonus room adjacent to a full bathroom, an ideal setup for an in-law suite, guest room, or private home office flooded with natural light. With two main entrances, including direct access from the garage through the laundry area, this home is thoughtfully designed for flexibility and comfort. A basement with ample potential awaits your personal touch, providing endless opportunities for customization, whether as a gym, recreation room, or additional storage.

Modern upgrades complete the package, including quartz countertops throughout, custom wainscoting in key living areas and stairways, upgraded lighting, and a dedicated EV charger plug installed to code. Surrounded by beautiful parks and walking trails, this residence offers the perfect setting for nature lovers, families, and professionals alike. Combining timeless style, thoughtful upgrades, and a prime Oakville location, 483 Terrace Way stands out as a true gem in the freehold Oakville townhouse market. This is more than a home, it’s a lifestyle. Elegant, spacious, and ready to move in, it’s the ideal choice for anyone seeking refined living in one of Oakville’s most welcoming communities. Don’t miss your opportunity to make this exceptional property your own.

The Oak and Lake for sale community is organized with 18 lots surrounding a private cul-de-sac dedicated to the Oak & Lake residents. Trail access to Shorewood Promenade Trail will be done via an intimate access point at the end of the enclave. These eighteen properties will provide frontage of approximately 100 feet (~30.48 meters) which allows for an established and upscale atmosphere to form within the community. By having such large lots, the custom luxury Oakville homes here will have a scale that is suitable for many different lifestyles. The ability to customize your residence allows for a lot of creativity and individual design to reflect the values and architectural tastes of each resident. By combining a planned community approach with customization and large scale lots, Oak & Lake brings a modern living option in this traditional setting.

Residents at Oak and Lake Oakville have easy access to the GO Train network along with commuter routes via the QEW and connecting highways. This allows residents in this neighbourhood South of Lakeshore Rd W to maintain quick travel proximity to destinations such as Toronto, Downtown Burlington and the Greater Toronto Area. There are many walking trails including the Shorewood Promenade Trail and nearby Tannery Park. The Oak and Lake luxury estates provide a great living option for people seeking a custom home experience but within a planned and organized community. For those where 331 Sheddon, Edgemere Estates or the Randall Residences might not offer large enough floorplans, then Oak & Lake in South Oakville offers a great alternative option within the luxury market.

The Area

Here is what you’re looking at exactly. The purple polygon shape shown is the Platinum Belt. It is a combination of neighbourhoods along Lake Ontario that when assimilated, offer an expanse of luxury living. Roughly, without getting too technical on the intricate neighbourhood subdivisions, it is made up of the listed places. These all have their own inner detailed regions like “White Oaks of Jalna” within Lorne Park. Without complicating things, the whole purpose of the term Platinum Belt real estate is to define a collection of individual areas into one large locale. You may ask why? The reason is recognition and understanding, especially for foreign buyers. The beauty of the entire concept is the simplicity. If you observe the map, you’ll notice the entire section is defined by naturally appearing borders. Lake Ontario to the south, Rebecca/New Streets to the North (for most of the distance), Hurontario Street to the east and Brant St to the west.

Platinum Belt Neighbourhoods and Theory

Embarking on a lengthy drive years ago took me across all the neighbourhoods mentioned herein and there’s one communal feature; seamless transition. Realistically if you follow the Platinum Belt, you don’t notice the change in cities or neighbourhoods for the most part. Of course, there are identifying city signs and a slight industrial section at Lakeshore and Southdown but for the most part, it’s an endless gallery of multi-million dollar mansions and luxury homes. There is yet a place to be found that offers the sheer selection of land and homes at this distance.

Platinum Belt Boundaries

Visually seeing the boundaries of Platinum Belt real estate requires an explanation of why those landmarks were chosen. It’s simple. Consider Lakeshore Rd the main arterial passage with everything surrounding it included in the Platinum Belt. The only sections where this rule of thumb deviates is at Mississauga Road. The northern portion above the QEW was included due to the opulent nature and wealth of this region. Although it extends north, it is a crucial member of the Platinum Belt. The Doulton Estates located within are some of the most expensive homes in Canada. The eastern border is established at Hurontario Street. Although Mineola East is situated right after this boundary, it wasn’t included due to its developmental stage and also the ambiance differentiation. Mineola East is a fantastic luxury neighbourhood and prime location to build a custom home due to the availability of tear downs and land, but it doesn’t quite fit the character of the Platinum Belt. Along the north boundary stretching through Oakville to Burlington is Rebecca St which turns to New St in at the border. This was chosen as it is a simple, straight reference point and anything south of it is considered a prime real estate location. It must be noted that the closer you are to the lake, the more prestigious the homes tend to be.

Platinum Belt, what’s the point?

For locals who live within this region, it seems a bit unnecessary. We know the neighbourhoods and layouts quite well, especially if you’re in the real estate business, at least I would hope so. But we don’t realize the exclusivity of these addresses. Canada is the second largest country in the world and within it there are small, specific pockets of ultra luxury homes and communities. The Platinum Belt area however is the only one that extends for such a broad, uninterrupted distance. It really is completely unique. As a real estate professional, especially when getting inquiries from international clients there needs to be a way to define this stretch of habitable luxury land in a simple manner. People who don’t live here don’t understand the neighbourhood boundaries, nuances or specific names. It makes it much easier to present them with a visually defined area on a map to help them comprehend what you’re discussing. The next steps would be to explain the different parts of Platinum Belt real estate depending on client needs and specifications.

Why Platinum Belt?

Taking many influences from the Los Angeles real estate market. In Los Angeles there is a region known as the Platinum Triangle. This area, just like the Platinum Belt combines different neighbourhoods into one defined, connected area. The Platinum Triangle is composed of three areas; Bel Air, Holmby Hills and Beverly Hills, these three points being the reason behind the nomenclature. This term has become synonymous with luxury real estate in Los Angeles and is the “unofficial” title used by professionals to reference these areas when speaking to clients and the global audience.

Platinum Belt real estate status

The Platinum Belt also adds brand exclusivity. The Platinum Belt neighbourhoods are some of Canada’s finest places to live. Burlington and Oakville were the only cities within the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) to make the Top 10 List of best cities in Canada for 2014. Amazing architects and designers are also prominent in these areas such as Ferris Rafauli and David Small among others. It is a term which should become more prominent in our real estate vocabulary. Utilizing the Platinum Belt term when speaking with clients allows you to truly give this culmination of good luxury development planning a presentable title. Something that as Canada continues to grow in prestige on the world stage will become known.

Many individuals are already referring to Toronto as the next New York. Oakville is quite reminiscent of that “Beverly Hills lifestyle” and has the amazing estates included. The Platinum Belt is located in what is the most ideal place to live in Canada. It is between twenty to thirty minutes away from Toronto depending on which part of the belt you’re in. The nature, security, amenities and serenity is unmatched. Even Hollywood movies are being filmed in these regions now. Therefore it’s time we embrace our global appearance and define this luxurious region, welcome to the Platinum Belt.

Platinum Belt Media

Host 1:
Ever catch yourself scrolling through those, you know, like luxury real estate listings, the ones with infinity pools overlooking, like the entire coastline?

Host 2:
It’s easy to get lost in those daydreams.

Host 1:
It certainly is. Well, today we’re diving into a real estate concept that takes that whole dream home thing to a whole other level. We’re talking Canada’s Platinum Belt.

Host 2:
Okay.

Host 1:
And we’re dissecting this real estate blog, Platinum Belt Real Estate.

Host 2:
They’ve got some interesting takes on this very specific slice of the luxury market.

Host 1:
And it’s fascinating how this blog really hones in on a very particular clientele. This isn’t just about, you know, big houses. This is about cultivating an aura of, well, exclusivity.

Host 2:
Oh, absolutely. Like they’ve stumbled onto this hidden gem, and they’re giving us a little peek behind the curtain.

Host 1:
But before we get too far, let’s back up a bit. Geographically speaking, what are we even talking about when we say Platinum Belt?

Host 2:
Picture this: prime real estate, right on the shores of Lake Ontario in Southern Ontario—Mississauga, Oakville, Burlington—these are the core cities that, according to this blog, make up this Platinum Belt.

Host 1:
Okay.

Host 2:
And they really emphasize the seamless transition between these cities. It’s like one big, well, luxury corridor.

Host 1:
So less about distinct towns and more about this continuous flow of high-end living.

Host 2:
Exactly. You’ve got Lake Ontario naturally bordering the region to the south, and then major streets like Rebecca and New Street kind of defining that northern edge.

Host 1:
It’s like they’ve literally drawn a line on a map and said, boom, this is it, this is the Platinum Belt.

Host 2:
Pretty much.

Host 1:
I can already see the real estate ads: “Platinum Belt, where million-dollar views meet, uh, million-dollar homes.”

Host 2:
Right. But why even bother giving it this catchy name? Who are they trying to reach with this whole Platinum Belt idea?

Host 1:
That’s where the marketing savvy comes in. They’re addressing a real challenge that a lot of, especially international buyers, face. They might not be familiar with the local geography, the little nuances of each town.

Host 2:
Right. So instead of trying to explain every neighborhood, they’re packaging it all up into this, like, unified concept.

Host 1:
You got it. It’s about creating an identity, something aspirational.

Host 2:
It’s like how Silicon Valley immediately makes you think tech, or the Hamptons equals, like, beachfront mansions. They’re going for that same kind of instant recognition.

Host 1:
Precisely. They even draw a direct comparison to Los Angeles’s Platinum Triangle.

Host 2:
Ah, the land of Beverly Hills.

Host 1:
Mm-hmm.

Host 2:
So they’re aiming high then. They want to be mentioned alongside these global luxury destinations.

Host 1:
Yeah.

Host 2:
But what makes this Canadian Platinum Belt so special? Why even make that comparison?

Host 1:
Well, the blog points to a few factors. For one, having this continuous stretch of luxury properties right there on the lakefront, that’s pretty rare, even in Canada.

Host 2:
It’s like, you know, you’ve made it, but even then, there’s another tier.

Host 1:
Exactly.

Host 2:
And that exclusivity is, well, it’s got to be part of the appeal.

Host 1:
Absolutely.

Host 2:
And then there’s the lifestyle. Burlington, Oakville—they consistently rank really highly on all those best places to live lists.

Host 1:
The blog talks about how renowned architects and designers are everywhere there. So there’s a real sense of a particular aesthetic.

Host 2:
And they even go as far as to compare Oakville to having a Beverly Hills lifestyle.

Host 1:
Right.

Host 2:
Which, I mean, that’s a bold statement.

Host 1:
It is.

Host 2:
What does that even mean—a Beverly Hills lifestyle? Are we talking Lamborghinis in every driveway, or is it more, I don’t know, a little more understated than that?

Host 1:
I think it’s an interesting question because it really speaks to this idea that a certain lifestyle can, I don’t know, transcend just having a lot of expensive things.

Host 2:
Right.

Host 1:
It speaks to a certain level of affluence.

Host 2:
Sure.

Host 1:
But I think more than that, it’s an atmosphere, you know, a culture of exclusivity.

Host 2:
So it’s not just the mansions; it’s the vibe.

Host 1:
Exactly.

Host 2:
But I imagine location plays a huge role too, right?

Host 1:
Oh, absolutely. It’s interesting because while they’re really playing up this idea of secluded luxury, the Platinum Belt isn’t that far outside of Toronto. In fact, the blog actually highlights the proximity to a global hub like that.

Host 2:
But you still have that tranquility, you know, that exclusivity.

Host 1:
It’s like having your cake and eating it too, I guess. You can be in the city, you know, at the opera or whatever, and then zip back to your quiet waterfront.

Host 2:
Right. But let’s be real, calling it the Platinum Belt—that seems pretty intentional.

Host 1:
It does.

Host 2:
Like, they’re really trying to will this luxury brand into existence just by calling it that?

Host 1:
Yeah, and I think you’ve hit the nail on the head because the blog even acknowledges that Platinum Belt is as much about branding as it is about the actual location.

Host 2:
So they’re really trying to, by using this term, elevate the whole area’s, I guess, image for locals and international buyers alike.

Host 1:
It’s amazing what a name can do, you know?

Host 2:
It is.

Host 1:
Like, think about wine.

Host 2:
Yeah, yeah.

Host 1:
You could have a bottle with some fancy French name—

Host 2:
Right.

Host 1:
People think it’s the height of sophistication, even if you know it’s the same grapes as your neighbor’s backyard.

Host 2:
It’s all about perception, isn’t it?

Host 1:
Totally.

Host 2:
Especially with something like this—luxury real estate.

Host 1:
Yeah.

Host 2:
Because Platinum Belt evokes, you know—you think prestige, exclusivity, aspiration.

Host 1:
Right, right.

Host 2:
So they’re crafting a whole narrative around it before a single thing is even built.

Host 1:
It’s like this isn’t just a neighborhood—it’s a whole lifestyle.

Host 2:
Exactly.

Host 1:
And probably a very expensive one.

Host 2:
And a highly sought-after one.

Host 1:
Well, yeah. Because Canada, in general, it’s attracting a lot of attention these days.

Host 2:
I can imagine.

Host 1:
A lot of affluent individuals, families from all over. And I think the Platinum Belt is really trying to capitalize on that trend.

Host 2:
Right. But then doesn’t that kind of—I don’t know—when you hyper-focus on this very specific demographic, are there any consequences of that for everybody else?

Host 1:
Yeah, it’s a really good point. Does it help the surrounding areas, or does it cause more of a divide?

Host 2:
I think that’s an insightful question, and it’s something that there’s not a simple answer to. You could argue that if you have all this wealth and investment concentrated in one area, that can kind of boost everybody up, right? Like, a rising tide lifts all boats.

Host 1:
Yeah, that’s the idea, anyway.

Host 2:
But you could also argue that it just pushes everything else further out of reach, and I think that’s something that a lot of people are struggling with, you know?

Host 1:
Yeah, is it actually going to lift everyone up, or is it just going to create more inequality?

Host 2:
It’s almost like that little saying—location, location, location—but it takes on this whole other meaning when we’re talking about these really exclusive markets.

Host 1:
Yeah, it’s not just about finding a good spot for your dry cleaner anymore.

Host 2:
Exactly. This is next level. It really makes you think about, I don’t know, the impact these kinds of trends have on, well, on everybody.

Host 1:
Absolutely. It’s easy to get swept up in the luxury of it all, but there’s a lot more going on beneath the surface, you know?

Host 2:
Yeah. And I think that’s really important for us to remember. It’s not just about these multimillion-dollar homes. It’s about how these trends actually end up shaping the communities around them.

Host 1:
Yeah, and what that means for everybody who lives there, right?

Host 2:
Exactly. It’s not just about the people who can afford to buy into it.

Host 1:
Right, it’s about the whole ecosystem.

Host 2:
And it makes you wonder too, you know, as these trends continue, what are the long-term effects going to be?

Host 1:
That’s a good question. And I don’t know if we have the answer to that.

Host 2:
I don’t think so—not yet, anyway. But it’s definitely something to keep in mind.

Host 1:
Absolutely. And I think that’s really what we’re trying to do here, you know—get people thinking about these things.

Host 2:
Right. Peel back the layers a little bit.

Host 1:
Exactly.

Host 2:
Because it’s easy to just look at the surface.

Host 1:
It is.

Host 2:
But there’s always more to the story.

Host 1:
And I think that’s what makes these conversations so interesting.

Host 2:
Me too. It’s about looking beyond the obvious and asking those deeper questions.

Host 1:
Well said, well said. And on that note, I think we’ve covered a lot of ground today.

Host 2:
We have.

Host 1:
And given everyone listening, I think, plenty to think about.

Host 2:
I hope so.

Host 1:
Until next time.

Host 2:
Yeah.

Host 1:
Thanks for joining us for another Deep Dive.

Host 2:
It’s been a pleasure.

How To Buy a House

Everything In More Detail

Price Range [ 1 ]

Establishing Price Range allows for the creation of upper and lower limit lines which we then compare and contrast all the other variables against. Having the Price Range allows for evaluation of which Geographic Area to focus on. By contrasting Price Range against Geographic area, we can further compare against the Features you’d like in a home. This cascading list of comparison variables extends into the offer process when deciding how to approach offer conditions and ideal structuring of the package to secure your dream house in Lorne Park, Oakville, Port Credit, Clarkson and other Areas/Neighbourhoods. Let’s step back and look at each step of the process individually to better understand what to expect. We’ll explore these items chronologically.

Establishing price range will be primarily handled via a bank representative, or preferably a mortgage broker. The benefits of using a mortgage broker, as previously mentioned include their ability to browse multiple lenders. Whereas a bank representative works with the specific bank, an independent mortgage broker compares and contrasts the available mortgage packages from various lenders to find the best solution. Things that go into evaluating the price range when looking to buy a house in Clarkson, Etobicoke, Lorne Park, Port Credit or other areas include a few different items. If you currently own a property, the appraisal value and equity in the property will play a significant role. Income levels, debts, credit score and many other variables are all evaluated to present a final Price Range. Once we have this figure, we move on to the next step. Additionally, we can always recommend some mortgage brokers.

Explore Geographic Area [ 2 ]

Using a price range as the guiding principle for the Geographic Area selection is the most efficient way to approach the process. If you compare prices of South East Oakville and South West Oakville, there is significant difference, especially when you layer Home Features on top. Then you look at North Oakville and notice the price points are much lower there, but all three areas are within the same town. By establishing price range first, we use that to select specific sections of a city/neighbourhood that fall within the affordability range. Exploring geographic areas when looking to buy a house is where we look at the neighbourhood atmosphere.

Do you want proximity to the lake? Is public transit access such as the Hurontario LRT important? Many other common criteria points include distance to schools, commuter routes, workplace and lifestyle amenities. We also explore more intricate geographic variables like preference for mature trees, streets with/without sidewalks, architectural area styles and more.

As example of how price range and geographic area blend within Lorne Park is by comparing two areas within. White Oaks of Jalna is located just South West of Lorne Park Secondary School and offers a section where streets don’t have sidewalks, the properties contain beautiful, towering mature trees and lot sizes are generally larger with many custom built homes.

You can then contrast this area to Watercolours, a planned subdivision by Mattamy which sits South of Indian Rd and just West of Mississauga Rd. The Watercolours neighbourhood has younger tree vegetation and the entire streetscape is different. The area has a much more community oriented feeling to it and the homes share similar aesthetic themes.

Both areas provide excellent locations close to Port Credit and Clarkson Village as well as top quality schools in the Lorne Park neighbourhood. So when we have a price range outlined, we can filter which specific pockets in Lorne Park to focus on where we can attain the requirements and at a price which works!

Choose Home Features [ 3 ]

Selecting the features of a home is basically defining the DNA of the property. When looking to buy a house, selecting the criteria is a key component and is typically what most people do before Step 1 and 2. You can consider the home features simultaneously while we work through Steps 1 and 2, however it’s important to note that as the search progresses, different weights will need to be applied to each component of the requirements based on individual importance. Thinking about what home features you like extends beyond just number of bedrooms and bathrooms. Thinking about wanting lakefront access? You might need riparian rights for your property.

The type of backyard needed, whether you want to back onto a ravine or need a pool? Going inside, yes, number of bedrooms and bathrooms is key to consider, but also think about the kitchen/living space layout, number of parking spaces, ceiling height preference, architectural style. These detailed Home Features craft the property DNA and allow us to really focus on specific areas and in some cases, a specific street based on how fine tuned the home feature parameters are.

Start Looking At Homes [ 4 ]

Viewing homes and properties is an obviously important step when looking to buy a house. Whether it’s handled virtually through video chats and our professionals or we schedule times to view in-person, the same detail is always applied. Once a list of ideal homes for sale is crafted, we take care of coordinating the viewing appointments. When touring properties, we focus on experiencing the atmosphere and understanding the functional logic of the layout. Comparing the ceilings, paint colour selection, material finishes, appliance types, and all of the other home features we defined in the property DNA. Getting a sense of the surrounding area is also tied in to this stage of the process. This is the chance to experience the house and finalize a decision for the next step.

Offer, Conditional Period, Final Closing [ 5 + 6 ]

This part of the process when buying a house in Oakville, Lorne Park, Port Credit or other areas is very specific to each client and property. This part of the process to buy a home will be reviewed in detail with our professionals with each person to understand all of the intricate details. An offer is composed of many different Offer Settings such as offer price, deposit amount, conditions, offer clauses, closing date timeframe and more.

These different offer settings are dialed in to provide the best offer position for a successful buying result. The offer settings will vary greatly based on how the property is being sold (offer presentation, typical market negotiation, bank sale, and more), where and when it’s being sold and how each person’s individual situation dictates the best course of action. Because of the sheer amount of information and amount of different scenarios, we typically try to start the process with someone looking to buy a home by going through Steps 1 – 4 and simultaneously covering details related to Steps 5 and 6 as we approach the relevant part of the buying process.

One feature of this area is that there are North Oakville condos for sale within the different buildings forming. The area has a diverse mix of residential living options ranging from townhouses, stacked townhouses, detached homes, semi-detached houses and condominium units. The entire North Oakville area is structured in a clean and respective manner. Street designs are varied which gives a unique feel to each different community. One of the prominent Uptown Core condo communities is Oak & Co, a popular, 4 tower project being built by Cortel Group. Oak & Co brings a lot of character and urban appeal to the Oakville Uptown Core which furthers the characteristic aspirations of the area. Offering mid-rise condo towers, the density from Oak & Co will support the growth of local businesses and presents an opportunity for new ventures simply due to the larger local population base. A contemporary design theme and community oriented integration makes Oak & Co a defining project for North Oakville.

A key component of North Oakville’s expansion and establishment as a neighbourhood is the Oakvillage Community. Located on the North-East corner of Dundas St West and Trafalgar Rd, Oakvillage combines modern townhomes with contemporary condo units to provide residential options for many different lifestyles. Minto Oakvillage is one condo building within the community that offers functional units for sale with unit sizes from 610 Sqft (~56.6 Sqmt) up to 1066 Sqft (~99 Sqmt). The community driven design of Oakvillage includes an integrated storm water pond that acts as a functional lake with various parks and green spaces found among the residential structures.

A further development at Oakvillage are the Upper West Side condos by Branthaven. The Upper West Side condos for sale have a sophisticated, urban vibe and add a modern structure to North Oakville’s selection of residential living spaces. Located at 3121 Trafalgar Rd Oakville, the Upper West Side condos will include amenities such as a coworking space and gym which opens up the space to interesting work-life balance possibilities. A focus on distinct architecture creates a building that provides that urban atmosphere while maintaining a form and function. Upper West Side condo floorplans range in size from 515 Sqft (~47.8 Sqmt) to 1395 Sqft (~129.5 Sqmt) across layouts that have different objectives based on the most specific, key lifestyle needs.

Distrikt Trafalgar on Dundas Street East Oakville is another community located within the area that will offer higher density real estate. The existing communities in North Oakville consist of more traditional real estate types such as semi-detached, detached and townhouse variations. This exciting mix of modern and traditional real estate in a safe and well connected area is what makes North Oakville so desirable. Everything feels fresh and new and with a truly distinct urban feel that’s quite unique. The Uptown Core in North Oakville provides plenty of conveniences in the form of gas stations, grocery stores, health food options, parks, pet oriented lifestyles, and many more. For condo options in Oakville’s southern Downtown Oakville area and Kerr Village, there are the 67 Lakeshore West condos and Randall Residences projects.

Edgemere Estates

Gardens Of Edgemere

Edgemere Private Residences Insights

Due to the heritage of the entire site and Oakville’s constant efforts to preserve historically significant structures, the Edgemere Estates development took into account to incorporate the old existing structures into the layout of the entire project. Saving the boathouses and designating a portion of the waterfront space for public use are just some of the positive aspects associated with this development. Utilizing underground parking for the 30 luxury condo residences minimizes surface impact. The mature trees have remained untouched and the entire orientation of the buildings allows for a natural feel, incorporating stone, glass and wood to form quality organic architecture. As visible on the provided map, the total area of the Edgemere Private Residences is quite expansive. the buildings themselves are up to 4 storeys tall and the Garden/Terrace luxury condos offer private elevators for access. Prices range from $3,349,000 to over $5,799,000 depending on square footage, finishes and features. As previously mentioned the developer behind the Edgemere Estates is Niche Developments with NAK Designs handling landscaping and Architecture Alliance being the team behind the structure designs.

Edgemere Estates Floorplans

• What are the community rules?
• Am I allowed to bring my dog or cat with me? Or get a pet later on?
• Can I repaint the inside of my unit after I move in? What if I want to plant flowers or add other enhancements to my unit?
• Do I really own the balcony of my condo? Do I have to repair it when something breaks, or does the community actually maintain it?
• If I want to rent out my condo after I buy it, can I? What if I’m buying my condo as an investment? Can I immediately start leasing it out?
• What are the hours for the pool, fitness centre, rec rooms and party rooms? Are they subject to change? If so, who has the authority to change them, and what input do I have?
• What are the condo association fees and what do they cover?

The status certificate will answer all the questions you might have thought of, and many others that might never have occurred to you. Questions such as:

• What portion of the association fee goes to a repair fund as a reserve to pay for large repairs? Is it big enough to fund any large repairs that might be needed?
• I’m always up to date on paying my bills, but what if the other condo owners don’t pay their association fees? How does that impact me?
• What does the condo association’s insurance policy cover? If the roof leaks, are my personal belongings covered?

The status certificate document doesn’t make for compelling reading, but it does contain some compelling information: the condo community’s by-laws, budget, reserve fund, insurance, management contract, rules, minutes of the last general meeting, and notice of any lawsuit involving the corporation.
One of the main purposes of the status certificate is to inform the prospective buyer of the fees, any large increases on the horizon, any special assessment in the works, and any arrears or liens a particular condo unit might have.

Before making an offer, you want as much information about your unit, and about the fiscal and physical condition of the building. The status certificate is the most important document in a condo sale, and it can run as many as 100 pages. Most deals are conditional on the your lawyer being satisfied after reviewing all of the condominium documents, including the status certificate.
How do you get a status certificate? Your real estate agent or your solicitor generally requests it. The cost is typically around $100 and it takes about ten days after the request has been made and the fee paid to arrive. Or, in many cases, a condo status certificate can be requested online. Your real estate agent can request the condo status certificate online, make payment online using a major credit card, receive an email notification when the condo status certificate is ready. They can then download an electronic file containing the condo status certificate, and email it to your solicitor. This gets the status certificate to you much sooner than the traditional ten days.

You’re investing a great deal of time and money in choosing the condo that’s right for you. Close scrutiny of a status certificate is the very best way to ensure the condo is just that—the perfect new home for you.

Royal Oakville Club Insights

The interior design of the Royal Oakville Club was completed by Ania Maternicki of AVA Interior Design. Exterior stucco application was contracted through Tri-Stucco Contractors. All of the 62 Executive Luxury Townhomes at the Royal Oakville Club come standard with in-home elevators. Kitchen appointments include quartz and granite countertops with Sub-Zero fridges and Wolf appliances. Combining stunning hardwood flooring finishes and LEED certified energy efficiency, the Royal Oakville Club maintains exquisite luxury and modern efficiency. Creating these stunning luxury neighbourhoods around Oakville’s iconic downtown core is helping the community evolve into a defined, modern locale. With the beauty of Oakville’s rich history, traditional luxury real estate, local businesses and entertainment, this region is truly one of a kind. Exemplifying a proper, thought out extension to Oakville luxury real estate, the Royal Oakville Club will form a great niche neighbourhood for many people to enjoy for years to come.

Riparian Rights Vs Simply Waterfront?

Typically riparian rights applied to the shorelines of Mississauga, Oakville and Burlington allow the owners exclusive access in private form to Lake Ontario, access via boat and the ability to erect structures to house marine vehicles and simplify the overall water access process. Having riparian rights requires the property to actually sit against the shores of Lake Ontario. Although many of the luxury properties are considered “waterfront”, they do not actually abut the lake, therefore making the possibility of riparian right ownership impossible. This concept of having lake views from your property but not having direct private access to the lake is quite common among the Platinum Belt municipalities. This is due to the city/town governing bodies wanting to retain public space for all people to enjoy the nature offered in these locales. Therefore having actual riparian rights places you within a very exclusive selection of home owners and in turn increases the value of the property given the rare nature. As shown in the aerial image provided, the homes that have a white space between the body of water and the actual property have lake views but no riparian rights or even direct waterfront access. In this case there is a park between the home and water. This is a common setup, but as exemplified by this image, properties like this are nestled between properties with actual riparian rights (green properties on image). Many home owners along the lake have opted to construct docks or other methods of connecting their marine enjoyment with the convenience and privacy of their backyard.

The Numbers

Within Burlington there are about 157 properties on the lake, in Oakville there are approximately 433 waterfront properties. This number will fluctuate as certain lands are severed or combined. However, out of this number, not all have riparian rights. In the exclusive South East Oakville neighbourhood, there are only about 155 waterfront properties, with even a fewer number offering riparian rights. This means that having riparian rights is definitely a point of increased value, opportunity and overall positivity in land use. A tangent that is also affected is in regards to pools, which are quite common in the luxury home market. In accordance with by-laws, if your property does not directly form a boundary with water and adjacent private land, you need to close off access to your pool (typically via a fence). This is due to safety reasons. Therefore if you have a home that is directly on the water, it allows for the construction of a true infinity pool that seems to be a growing trend. This combined with riparian rights gives the owner complete control over both the use of the land and water within their segment along the lake and a higher sense of privacy. With all these combined outcomes of having riparian land, it is extremely important that you are aware of the presence of these rights when purchasing a lakeside property. This article should shed some basic light as to what riparian rights are, how they affect the Platinum Belt home market and essentially what it means.

Design

Starting from humble beginnings, David Small completed his design education and then jumped right into building homes. Over the years a great team has been formed and a collaboration of various design entities was implemented. Lets begin by looking at what is a perfect fusion of traditional and modern design. The image here shows my favourite David Small Designs home exterior. As you can tell it features stone façades and sloped roofs, but with character and a unique shape which flows naturally.

This David Small Designs home is located in a very exclusive part of the Platinum Belt in Oakville. Its exterior design blends perfectly into the surrounding vegetation and offers a serene setting. However beautiful the exterior is, the true beauty lies in the transition within the interior. This is the key to why I enjoy this firm’s work. Immediately upon setting foot within this spectacular estate the transformation takes place. No longer do you feel the traditional appointments from outside. Instead there is a clean utilization of zebra wood, stone and iterations of a pure contemporary layout. David Small Designs blends these values with certain traditional details, like the arched windows and colour hues that reflect the exterior tones. It really is a marvelous piece of work and I tip my hat to the designers and clients for having such an appealing vision. For the full image portfolio you can head here.

David Small Designs has recently moved into a slightly more contemporary style which echoes inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright. Over the years David Small Designs have really honed their craft and churned out purely original, tasteful results. I suppose it’s partly due to an overall change in taste among people who are in the market for such endeavors. An evolution of an architecture era, the great designers will adjust and follow suite whereas those who are not as fluid in their creative applications will simply be left behind. David Small Designs realized this and put out a project that sealed their membership in the contemporary community.

Process

A home builder of David Small Designs‘ stature needs a respectable abode to call their own residence. David does not disappoint. Fueled by the growing business and success he set out to build something for his family. What’s unique is the entire development was documented and then presented as a sort of “case study”. Usually there’s total privacy and an air of secrecy surrounding these luxury home builds, but David decided to provide full access to the story. People like me get excited about this. The home is very reminiscent of the Fallingwater design and is a prime example of organic architecture. The use of wood, stone and concrete is spectacular and creates something that is completely unique for Mississauga. These are the types of designs which need to become more prevalent in our neighbourhoods. The multi tiered flooring gives depth and accentuation to the whole layout. It provides flavour and emphasizes great lot use. Another sad trend which is becoming terribly common is an unbalanced home to lot size ratio. This David Small Designs home shows what a perfect home/lot ratio looks like.

As you can see from the pictures, the home is simply beautiful. It has sparked inspired clients who now have a visual, physical representation of what David Small Designshas to offer. Very smart move on their part by nailing several goals with a single build. For the full set of images and the design story, head over to the David Small Designs page. The image depicting the home under construction is located in the Platinum Belt and is selling for close to $7,000,000 just to give you an idea of the price ranges we’re looking at.

Transformative

Flipping back to a more traditional project which really shows a drastic difference in styles, we’ll observe a recently sold approximately $4,000,000 project in Lorne Park. The surrounding homes all have similar styles with one having been built by David Small Designs across the street. Therefore the exterior walls and overall atmosphere needed to be cohesive for the intersection. The interior is a whole different story! Just compare the kitchen shot to the outdoor view. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but the Copper House by David Small Designs has really shown that two drastically different design palettes can be successfully integrated.

To wrap things up I want to point out a giant estate which was finished recently for a client who wanted a “European inspired” home. The size is approximately 13,000 square feet. The location is up in the Burlington Bluffs, a hidden neighbourhood of exclusive, high-end luxury homes nestled upon Mt Nemo. It is David Small Designs‘ largest construction project and oozes of ostentatious luxury. For full details and David’s personal success story, go ahead and visit the David Small Designs website.