If you’re coming over from Alberta to check out luxury properties with a Kelowna realtor this spring. Be sure to pack your clubs so you can get in a few early-season rounds on the local links.
Photo credit: Gallagher’s Canyon Golf and Country Club

 

Out here in the Okanagan, spring is barely upon us and residents are already swapping their snow shovels for golf clubs. If you’re visiting from Alberta looking for your dream home, ask your Kelowna realtor to save some time after viewings to take in the warm, relaxing wonders of the valley.

 

5 Ways to Spend a Spring Day in Kelowna

 

1. Golf

With nearly 20 courses dotting the Kelowna and West Kelowna landscape—several of which are championship tracks—you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to working the kinks out of your swing after the long winter.

Even in early spring, the greens and fairways are in terrific early-season condition on many courses. Which is one of the many perks Kelowna residents enjoy this time of year. Your Kelowna realtor can recommend which courses will suit your skill level.

 

 2. Skiing

What could be more glorious than cruising down the slopes of Big White on a gorgeous spring day? With spring skiing lasting until mid-April, many Alberta families tack on a spring break ski trip while they’re in the valley searching for luxury Kelowna real estate.

Some hardcore outdoors enthusiasts will head up to Big White in the morning, then return to Kelowna to golf 18 holes on a championship course in the afternoon. The Okanagan really is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise.

 

3. Wineries

If there’s one thing the Okanagan has more of than golf courses, it’s wineries. From the quaint little boutique operations that offer a few special varieties to the larger, nationally recognized estate wineries, there’s something to please every palate.

Spring is a fascinating time of year to go on a winery tour. As this is when the vineyards really start to ramp up their operations. Besides, is there ever a bad time to sample a velvety smooth Merlot or refreshing Chardonnay?

 

4. Outdoor activities

With an abundance of scenic lakes, rivers and mountains right on Kelowna’s doorstep. There’s a smorgasbord of outdoor activities to satisfy every craving. From thrill seekers—ziplining, horseback riding and cross-country skiing—to more leisurely pursuits—birdwatching, guided tours and parks—the options are endless.

 

5.  Garden and orchard tours

Kelowna’s orchards come to life as early as April, and their blossoms are like a beacon declaring the start of spring. Apricots, peaches, cherries, pears and apples send forth their delicate pink and white petals in a visual display not soon forgotten.

To get a better understanding of what the market will be like this year, read our post: Kelowna Real Estate 2015: Predictions for Luxury Real Estate.

 

No matter what time of year it is, there’s many exciting ways to spend your time in the Okanagan. Ask your Kelowna realtor about spring activities while you’re searching for your dream retirement home.

Out here, when you wake up, all you want to see is the endless sapphire waters of Okanagan Lake. When the sun sets, though, what Kelowna homeowners want is a way to experience the warmth and natural setting of the valley with a fire. Fortunately, a lot of Kelowna real estate gives homeowners both spectacular lake views and stunning fireplaces in the same room.

In fact, more and more homeowners are opting to let fireplaces stand not just in lakefront living rooms, but in every room—from bathrooms and bedrooms to kitchens and decks. And a Kelowna realtor would be quick to point out that while enjoying the warmth and crackle of those embers, you can probably see the lake too.

Here, then, is a round-up of unique and beautiful fireplaces fit for every room in your home.

The Fireplace in the Bathroom

 

What could be more relaxing than soaking in a free-standing soaker tub while a few feet away flames flicker and heat the air? Bathroom fireplaces are becoming more common in Kelowna real estate as homeowners create the ensuite spa of their dreams. The glow of embers in a space that’s otherwise filled with “cold” materials such as stone and tile also gives a bathroom a layer of warmth and movement.

 

The fireplace in the kitchen

 

For centuries, humans cooked meals with the heat and by the light of fire, so it seems only natural to have a fireplace in the kitchen. In addition to adding a cozy, natural ambiance, it’s also incredibly practical: While we humans now cook with the fuel of gas and electricity, fireplace kitchens often offer the chance to incorporate a pizza oven to melt the tongues and hearts of your guests, and if you own Kelowna real estate, you’re going to be doing a lot of that.

 

The knock-your-Sorels-off fireplace in the living room

 

They’re conversation pieces. They’re constant reminders that you have built this home just for you with the finest materials and craftsmanship. They are ambassadors and greeters of your unique and luxurious home. Meet the stunning fireplace of your dreams.

This fireplace features a custom stone-carved mantel and over mantel all from cast stone surround.

 

 

The fireplace outside

 

If you at all enjoy sitting outside with your partner or a few friends and a glass of wine in the summer, the outdoor fireplace is a must in the Okanagan. Of course, it also means you can stay outside just that much later because you’ve got the heat and light of the fire on your side. Outdoor fireplaces also add an element of architecture to your outdoor space and incorporate fine masonry and local stone. This too is becoming an increasingly common feature in Kelowna real estate.

When you’re looking for the home and fireplace of your dreams in the Okanagan, be sure to have a Kelowna realtor on your side who understands your needs and knows the market. Contact our top-performing realtors at Quincy Vrecko & Associates if you’d like help finding a property with the perfect fireplace.

2014 Sales

The numbers are in: Kelowna real estate had a banner year in 2014, with Central Okanagan home sales the highest they’ve been in nearly seven years. In this interview with Global TV, Kelowna real estate agent Tracey Vrecko discusses the trend and explores what’s in store for 2015.

 

Video Transcript

Tracey Vrecko shows off one of her listings. It’s in the Upper Mission of Kelowna.

“This is what outdoor living is all about in the Okanagan,” says Vrecko. “Sitting out here and capturing the breathtaking views of this beautiful landscape.”

Vrecko’s part of a husband-wife team (Quincy Vrecko & Associates). They had a very busy 2014 with a 20 per cent increase in their sales over the previous year.

“We’re usually anticipating moderate increases and staying very conservative, ever since the recession, so to see a double-digit increase—a 20 per cent increase—is significant,” says Vrecko.

Even December, which is typically a quiet month in the world of real estate was anything but.

“We did see an unusual amount of activity,” says Vrecko. “Web traffic was up and sales were up. It was a very unusual December.”

Vrecko is not alone. Across the region, residential sales for 2014 were up 24 per cent from the year before, the strongest increase across the Okanagan Mainline Real Estate board in seven years, an area that spans from Revelstoke to the Shuswap to the Central Okanagan.

“This has been a long time coming,” says Tim Evans, member of the Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board. “There’s been quite a built-up demand. A lot of people have been sitting on the fence waiting to decide when was the right time to buy into the market.”

 

Kelowna Real Estate experienced more than a 20 per cent increase in home sales from 2013 to 2014.

 

“We’re now seeing that confidence return to the market,” says Evans. “Prices have stabilized and in some places they’re going up, so the buyers are coming back into the market, especially in the last six months with much improved confidence and assuredness that they’re not going to be buying something that could potentially depreciate in value.”

With inventory going down, the board expects busy times ahead, at least for the valley’s construction industry.

“The building industry is always what then spins through the rest of the economy, from the trades to the supplier to the people who sell trades and furniture and everything else. That benefits the entire Okanagan ecomony.”

It also benefits realtors like Vrecko, who is ready for what she hopes will be another busy year ahead.

“I think in 2015 that momentum is going to continue,” says Vrecko. “I think you’re going to see the first quarter a lot busier than we normally do.”

Read the article on CHBC – Global News Okanagan.

 

Are you looking for your dream home among Kelowna real estate listings right now? Read Quincy Vrecko & Associates‘ post New Year, New Home: Kelowna Luxury Homes for Sale.