Oceola Landing 12075 Oceola Road Lake Country BC 61 three bedroom townhomes by Kofoed Group
Lake Country’s Oceola Landing a family affair
Michael Bernard
The Vancouver Sun
“We design stuff as if we are going to live in it ourselves,” says clan patriarch Merlin Kofoed from the site overlooking Wood Lake, one of several bodies of water that give the district its name.
“It’s got to be comfortable. It’s got to be functional,” said the builder, who lives just three minutes from the development. “We spend a lot of time on drawings. I’m from a large family and we get (drawings) out on the table and the family comes over and we get critiques. That’s how we go through it, and it’s kinda fun.”
He noted that for Oceola, walls were moved to ensure that certain bedrooms were large enough to take furnishings such as a king-size bed, and stairwells were made six inches wider than similar townhouse homes so that new owners could get their furniture upstairs.
Kofoed is especially proud of one feature that the family firm has introduced into each and every suite—a six-inch concrete wall that stops any sound transmission through the walls of each unit.
“When you talk to anyone about townhouses, the number one complaint is about noise. They can hear kids sneezing; they can hear music; they can hear anything above a whisper. But ours with the concrete wall pretty well eliminates it. It cost us a fair amount to do that, but we weren’t comfortable just building it to code with just gyprock between each side of the wall.”
The Oceola Landing site is configured in the shape of an open rectangle overlooking Wood Lake, with homes being built in eight phases down each side and nine premium units directly overlooking the lake, at about a 30-metre elevation about 100 metres from the shore.
The project is a convenient 17-minute drive equidistant from Vernon to the north and Kelowna to the south. It’s also 10-minute drive to Kelowna International Airport, a feature that has proved especially popular with Alberta buyers who work in the oil patch, said Kofoed.
Strata fees have been kept to a modest $175 average a home by foregoing local amenities. Instead, buyers are a five-minute walk to a local shopping centre that has a gymnasium, a grocery store, a walk-in medical clinic with four doctors, a yoga studio, a butcher shop, a Starbucks and two restaurants, and a hair salon. There are also schools nearby.
The homes are organized on three levels, with the premium suites having two decks on two levels with unobstructed views of Wood Lake. All homes have at least one deck, with units along the sides of the rectangle leading away from the lake having side views of the water. The family has landscaped the interior of the rectangle, at one end ensuring there is a buffer from the roadway.
There are high-quality finishes inside the homes, including quartz countertops throughout, premium laminate floors in the living and dining room areas, with carpeting in bedrooms, hallways and stairs. There are nine-foot ceilings, and all homes are built-in vacuum system ready.
In the kitchen, the family has used custom-made shaker style or contemporary flat-panel cabinets with soft closure hardware on doors and drawers. The island is nine feet long for entertaining, and attractive pendant lights illuminate the area. The appliances are Whirlpool stainless steel while the sink is a double stainless-steel model with Moen pull-out. Homes come with a pantry storage room.
The living room is an open concept floor plan for classic furniture layouts with a convenient flex workstation space. There are cable and power connections for the wall-mounted TV, and buyers can order an optional electric fireplace.
The master ensuite bathroom has a large one-piece shower and American Standard low-flush toilet. All homes come with a Whirlpool stacking washer and dryer with space for storage.
Kofoed says all homes are equipped with high-effiicency natural gas furnaces with central air-conditioning and an HRV system. They also have a natural gas BBQ connection. Exterior siding is a low maintenance cement board with accent shingles and brick.
So far, there had been a mix of buyers with both downsizers and young families showing an interest. To attract the latter, Kofoed says only a $10,000 deposit is required to hold a home.
Lake Country is not subject to the provincial speculation tax, he said. “That’s a real bonus for some people who are buying a vacation home. And they can rent it out during the winter months.”
Project: Oceola Landing
Project Address: 12075 Oceola Road, Lake Country, B.C.
Project Scale: A total of 61 three-bedroom townhomes, many with views overlooking Wood Lake, north of Kelowna and south of Vernon. Walking distance to schools, grocery shopping and restaurants, and a 10-minute drive to Kelowna International Airport.
Prices: Starting from $449,000 for floor plans, ranging from 1,544 sq. ft. to 2,645 sq. ft. Some of the larger homes can be expanded to four or five bedrooms.
Developer: Kofoed Group
Building design: HS Design, Kelowna, Charles M. McGuiggen Design and Kofoed Group
Interior Designer: Amy Kofoed/Kofoed Group
Sales Centre: 12075 Oceola Rd., Lake Country
Centre Hours: Tuesday through Saturday 12 noon to 4 p.m. (Closed Sunday, Monday)
Sales contact: Property specialist Rebekah Beaton
Sales phone: (250) – 609-0488
Website: www.oceolalanding.ca
Occupancy: Immediate for some units, up to six months for others.
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