Realestock Blog

Bringing back our monthly feature on the most viewed listings on Realestock, here are the top ten most popular listings on Realestock.

1. Mountain Spirit Resort and Spa, Kimberley, BC

Mountain Spirit Resort & Spa in Kimberley, BC is your four season Rocky Mountain playground. Combining a four season skiing mountain residence with the luxuries of a world-class spa and spectacular slope-side restaurant; Mountain Spirit allows easy access to Trickle Creek’s championship golf courses, 1800 acre natural park with over 100km of trails to explore, fly fishing, mountain biking, horseback riding and much more. The nearby Canadian Rockies International Airport makes travel to and from Salt Lake City, Calgary and Vancouver convenient and accessible.

Price Range: $ 382,900-$648,900

2. Whistler Real Estate

The Luxury homes and condominiums in Whistler encompass the best of everything. From location and views, to the finest craftsmanship and attention to detail, you can expect the best. The location, skiing, outdoor recreation and scenery, plus world class fine dining, shopping and culture are just a few of the reasons why people choose to call Whistler home.

3. 1235 East Lake Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL

This exquisite Fort Lauderdale estate features 20,753 square feet with 9 bedrooms, 9 full and 4 half bathrooms. A gated entry is monitored by a state-of-the-art security system with camera surveillance and infrared sensors to ensure you sleep well at night. Fabulous amenities include a state-of-the-art nightclub, putting green, gym, massage room and spa, wine cellar, infinity pool and 9-car garage. Limestone floors, a clay barrel title roof and Pecky Cypress balconies embellish the luxurious feel of this home.

Price: Previously listed at $ 14,999,000

4. Capella Residences Bahia Maroma, Riviera Maya, Mexico

Managed by Capella Hotels and Resorts, founded by legendary hotelier Horst Schulze, Capella Bahia Maroma will offer a new standard in heartfelt service, highly personalized lifestyle experiences and carefree living. Capella Bahia Maroma has the most exclusive golfing venue in all of Mexico; it is the only private golf course in the Yucatan. Each spa visit to the Capella Bahia Maroma’s Auriga Spa will be a personalized and sensory journey of aromas, textures and healing therapies. A perfect one-mile beach, within snorkeling distance of the Great Maya Reef, will beckon for long walks and splashing in the surf.

Price Range: $2.9 million

5. Cannery Lofts Condominium, Astoria, OR

Cannery Lofts Condominium has the best river view in Astoria! Walk along the beautiful river walk or watch the ships pass by while lounging on your deck; Astoria has been named the best town to retire to, with its scenic views, quaint shops, historic homes and amazing restaurants. The brand new unit offers: 10’ ceilings, loft design, granite counters, bamboo floors, gourmet kitchen, glass window wall and gas fireplace. The identical unit is currently under construction in Phase II.

Price: $ 295,900

6.Alysen Place, Penticton, BC

Rejuvenate your spirit and indulge in living well at Alysen Place - south Penticton’s new oasis for people with uncompromising taste. Close to beautiful Skaha Lake, away from the city’s bustle, and minutes to all the attractions you’ve come to love in the Okanagan, Alysen Place is a year-round paradise tucked into nature’s peace and splendour.

Picturesque vineyards, gentle mountains, fresh blue lakes, endless sunshine – Alysen Place is ideally located in peaceful south Penticton, so you can savour life any way you choose. Go swimming, picnicking, boating. Pick your own peaches or sample the fare at internationally acclaimed wineries and restaurants. Indulge at a spa, take in world-class entertainment. Virtually every shopping experience is within reach, and festivals are plentiful. The vibrant culture is yours to enjoy, whenever the mood strikes. Or curl up at home for a carefree escape. This is your oasis.

7. Dockside Green, Victoria, BC

Dockside Green is a name synonymous with environmental living and is a LEED® Platinum-targeted project.The development is an innovative community of one and two bedroom luxury condominiums, townhouses and penthouses all of which feature environmentally-friendly materials such as renewable bamboo floors, low-flow toilets and energy efficient appliances. The community features solar water heating, small-building wind turbines, a car share program, mini-transit system and a launch area for canoes and kayaks.

Price Range: $385,000-$ 1,233,900

8. Vista Lago at The Hammock, Kendall FL

An exquisite one bedroom condo with a swimming pool in a gated community contains fabulous amenities such as a state-of-the-art kitchen and air conditioning.

Price Range: $150,000

9.Highbury-Tower Residences at Fish Creek, Calgary, Alta.

Like all three towers, Highbury² gets its inspiration from classical modernism. Quality building materials blend with simple contemporary forms to convey a certain level of sophistication. Highbury² offers a wide range of one and two bedroom suites on its 12 floors, all with den/media room or home office. Highbury’s private amenities building features spa and fitness facilities, theatre with tiered seating, entertainment lounge, hobby and conference rooms, plus an in-building car wash.

Price: $ 400,000

10. 987 SE MacArthur Blvd.-Hutchinson Island, FL, Stuart, FL

Located on private Hutchinson Island, this fabulous, charming beach home boasts 75 feet directly on the ocean and 75 feet on the Indian River Intracoastal, with a boathouse and dock situated minutes from the Inlet! With three bedrooms, three bathrooms and 2,800 square feet, this home is private and sunrise to sunset; is the best of both worlds.

Price: Previously listed at $2,200,000

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The Canadian real estate market has continued to heat up, which has real estate agents, brokers and investments breathing a sigh of relief all across the country.

In February, new housing starts rose faster than expected and according to a new survey, 10% of Canadians expect to buy a home in the next two years.

Seasonally adjusted new housing starts landed at 196,700 in February, up from 185,400 in January and above analysts’ forecasts for a 190,000 gain; according to figures from the Canadian Mortgage Housing Corporation.

RBC’s 17^th annual home ownership study found that the number of Canadians who say they are very likely to buy a new home rose from 7% two years ago to 10%. The number of people who view their homes as a good investment rose to a 12-year high of 91%.

Some economists believe that the property market will cool in the second half as the Bank of Canada is expected to being raising interest rates and the demand and supply of available housing becomes more balanced.

According to statistics, urban multiple starts, or condos, increased by 19.1% to 89,900 units so far this year while single urban starts increased by 0.5% to 89,200 units.

Urban starts rose 28.6% in Ontario, 14.3% in Atlantic Canada, 10.8% in the Prairie region and 8% in British Columbia. In Quebec, however, urban starts dropped 14.1%.

Rural starts were estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 17,600 units in February.

According to the RBC poll, younger Canadians between the ages of 18 to 24 are most likely to lead the market. About 15% said they were likely to buy, almost double the number in 2009.

About 60% also believe housing prices will continue to rise this year, up from a mere 25% this time a year ago. They also expect mortgage rates to rise, with two-thirds expecting to have to pay more, the bank said.

That belief is being reflected in the choice of mortgage, with 16% opting for a variable rate loan compared with 20% last year.

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In honor of the Academy Awards ceremony on March 7, we decided to expand on our previous blog post, Inside the Homes of 2010’s Oscar Nominees; with a feature post on homes featured in Oscar-winning films.

Much of the focus of the Oscars is on the filmmakers, the stars and the film that will win Best Picture, but what about the homes that help create the landscape for these films? Have you ever wondered what it would like to step inside the home where Benjamin Button lived, or where Cher achieved her greatest success as a movie star on Moonstruck?

Well, this is your golden opportunity to take a glimpse into 6 homes that were featured in Oscar-winning films, spanning from the 1980s to today.

19 Cranberry St, Brooklyn Heights, NY

The movie that turned Cher into an Oscar-winning actress in 1987 featured a four-story, Federal style brownstone located on the corner of Willow and Cranberry Streets in Brooklyn Heights, NY. It was known to locals for years as the ‘Moonstruck’ house.It was built in 1829 with Victorian style detailing and it was sold in August 2008, by Edward Rullman who owned the property for nearly 50 years. How much did the ‘Moonstruck’ house sell for nearly 2 years ago? Almost $4 million US.

822 Lullwater Road (Druid Hills, Atlanta, GA)

The neighborhood of Druid Hills in Atlanta, Georgia has never been the same since this 1989 Oscar winning movie was filmed there. Jessica Tandy won an Oscar for her portrayal of the feisty Druid Hills widow who is the title character of Driving Miss Daisy. The house still stands today, located at 822 Lullwater Road.

Montacute House (South Somerset, Montacute, England)

The 1995 film, Sense and Sensibility that won that year’s Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay filmed several scenes at Montacute House. Owned by the National Trust, the Elizabethan mansion contains three floors and was built circa 1598. The ground floor featured the great hall, kitchens and pantries, while the upper floors contained the bedrooms and Lord Curzon’s secret bathroom concealed inside a wardrobe.

Wrotham Park, England

The winner of 2001’s Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, Gosford Park, filmed several exterior, interior staircase, dining room, library and living room scenes inside Wrotham Park. Wrotham Park, a Palladian Mansion set in the heart of a 2,500 acre estate was built by Admiral John Byng in 1754. His descendent Robert Byng currently lives in the home and has managed the estate since 1991.

Stokesay Court, England

This vast Victorian country estate, built in 1891 served as the backdrop for the first half of Antonement, winner of the Oscar for Best Original Score in 2007. Stokesay Court stands in for Tallis House in the film and is now open to the public for tours. With 90 rooms and an oak paneled central hallway, much of the Victorian architecture is still intact, in spite of the extensive renovations the current owner, Caroline Magnus had to endure, long before the filming started.

2707 Coliseum Street, NOLA’s Garden District, New Orleans

Winner of three Oscars in Art Direction, Makeup and Visual Effects, Benjamin Button certainly didn’t disappoint as a fantasy-drama film. The 7800 square foot Victorian Mansion in the heart of New Orleans’ Garden District that served as Benjamin’s home was put on the market in 2009 for $2.85 million. With six bedrooms, six bathrooms, a large yard, a library, a music room, and a reception hall along with incredible Victorian architecture, the house is a prime example of old New Orleans architecture: built for entertaining.

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