Siobhan Newton is marvelling at the sight of Beacon Avenue in Sidney.
鈥淚鈥檓 looking out the window of our showroom right now, and it鈥檚 just bustling out here on a Friday afternoon,鈥� she says. 鈥淪idney is a great town.鈥�
Newton is far from alone in her affection for Sidney. The , at the southern tip of 91原创 Island, has experienced unprecedented growth in recent years, thanks to scores of people from across Canada (and beyond) discovering it and setting down roots here.
While Sidney continues to retain the 鈥渧illage feel鈥� that has always defined it, Newton says the town is fast evolving into something much more cosmopolitan 鈥� both a reason for and a result of its increasing popularity. 鈥淚t鈥檚 changing in such positive ways, and you can tell that by the restaurants and the stores and coffee shops. It鈥檚 just got a real vibrancy to it.
鈥淎nd the demographic has become a lot more diverse. People are flocking to the West Coast now, and they like the feel of Sidney.鈥�
In her role as head of sales for Aura Residences and other recent condominium communities, Newton has long recognized the need for new homes in Sidney that reflect the desires of a diversifying population 鈥� often young, modern-minded, worldly and eager to live a sophisticated environment.
Aura Residences, says Newton, was designed to tick all these boxes and more.
The four-storey, 34-unit Aura Residences offers luxury living in one-, two- and three-bedroom condominiums where no detail has been spared. Each home boasts world-renowned Bosch kitchen appliances, engineered hardwood flooring, energy-efficient windows and doors, over-height nine-foot ceilings and much more. Aura is built by the award-winning Homewood Constructors Ltd. 鈥� a key factor that ensures peace of mind for everyone who makes their home here.
鈥淩eputation is everything, especially in a town this small,鈥� says Newton. Homewood has been based in Victoria since its founding almost 40 years ago. As a result, 鈥淭here鈥檚 a real sense of ownership and reputation on the part of the company that goes into a build like Aura. They know what people expect and they鈥檙e accountable.鈥�
Homewood鈥檚 long-term commitment to its community extends to the contractors with whom it does business. Look around any of the homes at Aura and you鈥檒l see the work of scores of people who live and work nearby.
鈥淗omewood uses a lot of local, family-owned trades 鈥� from our sleek modern blinds to our sophisticated cabinetry to our polished quartz countertops to our brushed wide plank floors. They are all from locally owned companies that have been based in Victoria for years,鈥� says Newton. These include , , , and
While Aura Residences boasts premium features and quality of construction that are the match of any luxury-living development, Newton points out that Aura鈥檚 relatively small size is a significant plus for those who want to live in surroundings that evoke big-city life while also forging the sort of close connections with neighbours that we tend to associate only with small towns like Sidney. 鈥淚t鈥檚 more a sense of community. You鈥檙e not living in a high-rise block with hundreds of people. Everyone gets to know each other.鈥�
Additional incentives include that pets are welcome with no size restrictions (maximum two pets per home), there is no age restriction for residents, and Aura owners may rent their home to tenants long-term. 鈥淭his makes it a lot more attractive to a younger demographic, as well as investors and people who are thinking about resale value,鈥� says Newton.
The icing on the cake is that Aura鈥檚 鈥� and Sidney鈥檚 鈥� convenient location makes it an ideal home base for all ages, including those who frequently commute. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 great about Sidney is you鈥檙e close enough to town, but you鈥檙e away from downtown. And you鈥檙e 15 minutes from the ferries,鈥� says Newton. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e of a certain age where you鈥檙e not driving your vehicle anymore, you can walk to the grocery store, there鈥檚 a movie theatre, there鈥檚 fishmongers and cheesemongers and artisan wine stores and great caf茅s and restaurants.
鈥淏ut also, those same things appeal to more food-driven, younger clientele that are looking for something a little more trendy. It offers everything to everyone, I think, and it really shows in the people we see here now.鈥�
To discover more about Aura Residences, visit .
