We are very excited about this article from the wonderful folks at the Burnaby News Leader. The local newspaper had heard about our building, and our unique marketing approach / video blogging. They thought it was very unique approach in the Burnaby marketplace, and thought they should come take a look at the project themselves.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

Click on www.bellaliving.ca and you’ll find more than the usual descriptions of a new residential development underway.

A visit to the video blogs will actually allow prospective buyers to witness parts of the construction itself.

Between the third and fourth floors in the 33-unit, four-storey building, an additional one-and-a-half-inch-thick layer of concrete was poured to improve soundproofing between the levels (the second floor already sits on a concrete slab).

“The public can see it because we actually filmed us doing it,” said Gerald Kelly of Bella’s sales team, noting many people have found themselves disappointed on moving day when they’ve bought a condo on spec.

The video blog shows “we’re doing exactly what we say we are.” …

You can read the full article here on the Burnaby NewsLeader website.

Located just down the street from BELLA at 7557 Edmonds Street, the Oliver Twist sports lounge and liquor store offers local residents a reprieve at the end of a long day. Sit back and enjoy a cold one or a glass of wine on their outdoor patio, or engage in the pub atmosphere inside where you can keep up to date on multiple sporting events at the same time. Choose from one of 13 beers on tap, or if you are in a rush to get home, the liquor store offers you the ability to enjoy your spirits at home.

The food at the Oliver Twist is really what sets this lounge apart. Not only to they offer traditional pub favorites like Shepard’s pie and fish and chips, but they also offer food for the health conscious patron as they have a large selection of wraps and salads. If you are just looking for something to nibble on the appetizer section fits the bill with bruschetta, crab cakes, yam fries, mini burgers and the list goes on!

The Oliver Twist is a favorite with sports fans because of their large selection of TV’s so you can enjoy good company as well as sneak a few peeks at your favorite team. For UFC fans, they also feature the monthly Pay-Per-View events free of charge.

Progress, progress, progress. Things are moving along quickly now at BELLA.  Drywall has now been completed in most of the building, and the finishing process is starting to begin. It is beginning to look like beautiful homes! People touring the site are really starting to see how dramatic the 13′ ceilings and the oversize floorplans really are.

In this video, Gary talks about the first set of kitchens that are being installed, and a bit more about the overall progress of the building. On the exterior, the Hardiboard siding is being installed along the rear of the building, and we are preparing for the brickwork to begin on the front.

As we mentioned before, our presentation center is now open weekends from 12 noon to 5:00pm. Come on by and say hello!

As the sales team is gearing up for the open house this weekend, we thought it would be a great time to run some numbers and see exactly where BELLA sits when compared to other condominiums currently on the market in the area. We were shocked at what we found – with the low interest rates holding, and a huge increase in sales over the last few months, inventory has been decreasing and prices seem to be rising. 

Take a look at what we found on the MLS & other website September 10, 2009…

- a typical 2-4 year old condo in the Highgate area ranges from $436 – $485 per sqft (list)

- new buildings in the area are currently asking prices in the $475 – $500 per sqft range

At Bella, the extras are always standard, and brand new homes are priced at an average of $375 per square foot. Take a look for yourself – the combination of size & features are truly hard to beat. The numbers speak for themselves, and confirm what we have felt all along. Bella’s unique floorplans, quality and beauty truly make it Burnaby’s Best Value. 

Come take a look and see what we have to offer – the presentation centre is now open every Saturday & Sunday from 12 noon to 5pm.

Exciting times at BELLA over the last few weeks. As we enter the last few months of construction, there has been an increasing amount of attention being directed towards the project. When we were contacted by Kendall Harris of Shaw TV to see if she could come by and talk about the project, we thought it would be a great idea! The video clip talks briefly about the BELLA project, and how the development and sales team has decided to market the project. Kendall was very interested in the ongoing video blogging on the “Building BELLA” blog, and thought it was great that the developer has been so active in the community. Our answer? It is a fantastic community, and one that we are proud to be a part of.  Thanks again to the folks at Shaw for coming out to see our project!

Please contact us at 604.724.6335 or check out our updated website to learn more about our beautiful homes. You are also welcome to join us on a hard hat tour “behind the scenes” and take a first hand look at what makes BELLA stand out from the competition.

For more information on the optional Control4 system seen in the clip above, please take a look at our upgrades page, or visit our friends at Digital Smart Homes in Vancouver.

From Edmonds & Canada Way, have yourselves a BELLA day!

We just got word that the TV spot we filmed this week will air this Friday, September 4th as part of the half hour newsmagazine show on SHAW called The Express. The Express airs on Friday at 3 pm, 6 pm, 8 pm (if no hockey) and 10 pm. It will also re-air on Saturday at 10 am.

A special thanks goes out to Kendall Harris for taking an interest in our project, and taking the time to come out to the site for a tour. Once the segment has aired, we will be posting a youtube version for anyone that missed the original.

Have a Bella day!

Big congrats go out to Peter Kefalas & his wife as they welcomed their new baby boy into the world this week. Standing in for Peter this week is local real estate agent & video blogger extraordinaire Kye Grace. Kye has been watching the Bella living project over the last year and will be chiming in with his thoughts on the Burnaby condo market, and the Bella project, and marketing condos to a new generation of first-time home buyers.

For more of Kye’s video commentary, opinions and information, visit him online at www.kyegrace.com