Steve Caswell
Broker
Realty Executives of Sudbury Ltd.
The Villas at Twelfth Avenue is a vacant land condominium development located on the north end of Lively, in Greater Sudbury, Ontario. Although this is a relatively new concept to the Sudbury area, VLC's have been successfully deployed throughout Canada, the U.S. and Internationally.
What is a Vacant Land Condominium Development?
Vacant Land Condominium developments have been around for a long time. This vision by the current owners took some time and required the right people to come up from Southern Ontario to help introduce and explain the concept to Greater Sudbury city officials. However, since then, the development has been moving forward with sales, homes are built and there are now only 12 lots remaining.
When most of us think “condo”, we picture high rise towers. In these condo towers, owners own their unit and share common expenses for maintenance of the tower and the grounds as a whole. Operating a “tower”, when you consider elevators, parking lots and structures, communal exteriors with bbq’s and gazebos, a flat roof replacement at 10 storeys or more, HVAC systems, fire alarms and pump systems, etc., can cause condo fees to fluctuate and escalate rather quickly.
With VLC’s, the lot itself is the condo and it’s only the street, utilities and common grounds maintenance that is shared by the owners which creates a very low-cost condo fee structure versus what you may see with other developments.
This concept has been very successful across Canada and internationally where the basic principle is it allows all owners to maintain some control over their neighbouhood to ensure that the future value of their home is protected which results in a very private and secure surrounding.
Why Villas at 12th Avenue?
As mentioned, you have a voice in how your private neighbourhood operates after you’ve invested in the home of your dreams. You have shared control over your lifelong vision.
However, the best part is your investment is situated in a beautiful setting surrounded by nature. Most of the lots are much larger than the “standard, sandwiched lots” that you see in other developments which provides you more privacy and quiet space.
When you’re working with your own builder, you can create views from your home of the “living paintings” overlooking the ponds and Northern Ontario forests. Watch the wildlife flourish and scurry about their daily lives while you enjoy that morning coffee on your deck in your robe without a neighbour staring right back at you. Later in the day, take advantage of the trails and go for a scenic walk through the area!
Amazingly, all of this is only a short walk to Main St. in Lively that has a ton of amenities or a short 5-min drive for anything you need without even leaving town.
Villas at 12th Avenue is where Country Living meets City convenience.
Do I Own My House & Lot?
Of course you do!
Not only do you own it, but you also get to choose your own builder and watch your dream come to fruition!
The biggest key is you know your investment is protected. Sure, there are some simple Rules and Regulations to follow (partially covered further down this page), but these are in place to benefit all owners by maintaining cohesion throughout the development so that your hard-earned dollars used to finally build that dream home are preserved.
Like any condo, you have the right to sell it and you retain the right to create that personalized interior space. However, different from a condo in a tower, you have the right to improve, expand your building, add in a pool, put up a fence and build a garage for the toys through approvals of the condo Board.
As long as you’re following the By-Laws and Rules & Regulations of the Condominium Corporation, along with any Municipal By-Laws and Building Codes, you have the same rights of ownership versus building on a Freehold lot (where you would still have to follow Municipal By-Laws and Building Codes regardless).
Who Makes the Decisions?
Being an owner of a Condominium Development carries the commitment of being part of the community. Each development has a set of By-Laws and Rules & Regulations that help maintain peace and neighbourhood unity to ensure all owners are treated equitably and are awarded the right to peaceful enjoyment of their property.
The Condominium Development is overseen by a Board of Directors which normally consists of owners within the development. These Board Members meet throughout the year to address any issues, requests and/or operational matters pertaining to the common areas. Examples of these might be a noise complaint by one neighbour regarding another, an owner’s request to put in a swimming pool with a slide or reviewing quotes to renew snow removal contracts for the street and sidewalks.
The Board of Directors will use the Condominium’s own By-Laws and Rules & Regulations to guide them through the decision processes while still following the Ontario Condominium Act.
As an owner, you get your voice heard by way of votes and Membership Meetings and you also have the opportunity to be on the Board itself to help guide the development in a positive direction while making sure Villas at 12th Avenue maintains it’s beautiful and peaceful stature.
What Are The Rules & Regulations?
It is important to remember that the Rules and Regulations are NOT intended to create unnecessary burdens toward ownership. They are simply designed to ensure everyone’s investment is protected and all owner’s have the right to peaceful enjoyment of their property. Consider it more of teamwork.
Having “Rules & Regulations” makes some people nervous about buying in a Condominium Development. However, ever since you woke up this morning, you have been following rules – you drove the speed limit to work, you only took your hour for lunch, you stopped for the school bus flashing lights, and you turned the pot handles in when making dinner so the little helper couldn’t reach them.
There is a line in a Seinfeld episode – “without rules, there’s chaos.”
The following pages are not a complete list of the Rules & Regulations; however, these relate to the most common questions from prospective owners. A complete list of the Rules & Regulations will be provided for a prospective buyer during their review period after an offer is accepted.
Reminder that the Rules & Regulations discussed herein are as of the moment of publication and subject to change. The Board of Directors and Owners will always retain the ability to add, modify or eliminate any Rules & Regulations as is voted upon.
Not all Rules & Regulations are included in their entirety on this page. The following are examples to general questions, however there may be further limitations, exclusions or requirements required.
Here's some of the most common items that are asked about:
Pets
Of course! Your domesticated dogs, cats, small birds, kids’ pets and fish are all welcome. There are certain dog breeds that are not allowed, and some limitations on the number of pets per household, but even if your pet isn’t on the list, you can always request approval from the Board. As with everywhere, Poop & Scoop is a must.
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There is no limitation to having these fun toys, however there are some restrictions to parking. All toys must be stored in the garage when not in use and must use only the roadways to enter and exit the development.
You are allowed to bring your RV or trailer into your driveway for a few days before and after your trip for loading/unloading, however it cannot stay there permanently unless it fits in the garage.
Guests
Villas at 12th Avenue is a sense of Community and that includes your friends and family. Your guests are certainly welcome as long as they adhere to the rules of the development for noise, parking, use of common areas and respect the peaceful enjoyment of other owners.
Once your house is complete and you’ve taken over occupancy, you are always welcome to request approval for additional structures to be built. There are a few restrictions (no above ground pools) and some limitations like wood fences may only be six feet and only encompass the backyard.
Remember, once approved, you would still be required to comply with Municipal By-Laws and Building Codes.
Building
There are minimum size requirements (1200 sq ft for a bungalow), and restrictions for exterior cladding (brick or stone) and driveway finishing, but these are to maintain everyone’s value. You will also be required to have your build completed within 12 months of your start date, which most quality builders would have no issues completing in 6-8 months.
Like any other home, the owner is responsible for keeping their property in a neat and tidy condition which includes being responsible for cutting their own grass, snow removal on their own driveway/walkways, and following the usual garbage/recycling pickups.
That all sounds great, but who's the Builder of these homes?
That's the best part - you pick your own builder! Obviously, "Uncle Joe" and his drinking buddies can't be an option and nor should you want that when the whole concept is trying to protect your investment, but any reputable builder is welcome to build your dream home for you. Some of the amazing local builders in Sudbury are (in no particular order)
Belmar Builders (have completed two builds on Villas at 12th Avenue)
Richard Greaves (has completed two builds on Villas at 12th Avenue)
Carniello Contracting
Cusinato Developments
Again, these are only examples and options for great builders in Sudbury. As a lot owner, you are free to bring any quality builder that is approved to build on your lot!
What Else Is There To Know?
When it comes to VLC's, there is a lot in terms of the paperwork that goes into the transfer of these. The
The most IMPORTANT thing to remember as a potential buyer is that, due to condominium laws, YOU WILL HAVE A 10-DAY COOLING OFF PERIOD TO REVIEW ALL DOCUMENTATION WITH YOUR LAWYER before fully committing to finalizing the agreement. After your $10,000 CAD deposit is received, the paperwork will drawn up specific to your unit and, if you are not fully satisfied or ready to proceed within the 10-day window, your deposit is fully refundable.
What's Next?
If you're interested in learning more, let's get on it! Here's how we do that:
If you're currently working with a Realtor® or plan on using a specific one for your purchase, please contact them to get the process started and I'm happy to work with them.
If you're NOT currently working with a Realtor®, you may contact me directly at caz@realtyexecutives.com for more information on how to proceed since the changes to the real estate industry in December of 2023.
Get out to the development and check out the lots! There are other Realtors® and builder designs on some of the lot signs and the lot arials are right on the signs to give you a better perspective. Just remember to please respect the privacy of the current owners who are going to be your new neighbours!
No matter how you decide to proceed, we're all going to work together to make your dream home a reality!
DISCLAIMERS:
This package is provided by the Listing Brokerage for general information only. The contracts, disclosures, rules & regulations and schedules that accompany any purchase of the lands are much more complex and will be provided only to prospective buyers for their review. It is recommended that all buyers complete their own due diligence and acquire professional advice and services to complete the transaction.
This package contains general information for the public and may be shared with clients and/or Self Represented Parties.
Buyer clients who are under contract and are not clients of the Listing Brokerage Designated Representative are requested to contact their Realtor® directly for more information.
Self-Represented Parties (SRP) are herein advised that the Listing Brokerage Designated Representative has complete loyalty and a fiduciary duty to the seller, therefore any information the SRP shares with the Listing Agent will be shared directly with the sellers. Further, SRP are advised to get legal assistance for anything moving forward including, but no limited to, contract completion, title searches, zoning, potential uses, etc.
Although this package contains some actual footage of the Villas at 12th Avenue, some photos are also stock footage and do not relate directly to the development, current owners, structures or surroundings. Any likeness, actual, perceived or otherwise, to any people, animals, structures, vehicles and/or landscapes is purely coincidental.
Any information herein is as of the date below, however subject to change. Please independently verify all information prior to proceeding.
© November 29, 2023
