issue 003 12/01/2016SORBARA NEWS

FALL & WINTER HOMEMAINTENANCE TIPS

HOW THE NEW MORTGAGE RULESCOULD EFFECT YOU

OUR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCEPHILOSOPHY

TENANT PROFILEAND MORE

IN THIS ISSUENEW COMMUNITIES COMING

TO FERGUS, MISSISSAUGA, OSHAWA, AURORA & NORTH WHITBY

Your Guide to Everything Sorbara

3700 STEELES AVENUE WEST - OFFICE TOWER

WHAT’S COMING? We’re pleased to be bringing truly amazing communities to some of Ontario’s

most beautiful locations in the near future.

REGISTER FOR UPDATES ON OTHER NEWCOMMUNITIES COMING SOON AT SORBARA.COM

STOUFFVILLE - PRAIRIEWOOD PHASE 2, OSHAWA - FAMILY HOMES, AURORA - ESTATE LOTS

YOUR NEXT GREAT STORY STARTS HEREWe are very excited to announce that the preparations for Storybrook in Fergus are right on schedule, and you’ll have the chance to start your next great story here in early 2017

Discover a wide selection of bungalow townhomes, as well as 40’ and 50’ detached home designs in an exceptional community setting. Homes feature brick, vinyl, stone and stucco designs that create picture perfect streetscapes. Inside, the traditional aesthetic is thoughtfully blended with contemporary open-concept floor plans that create spaces designed to fit in with your modern life. Commuters will love the close proximity to Guelph, just 20 minutes south!

Register today at mystorybrook.ca

COMING SOON / FERGUS

DOWNTOWNFERGUS

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A NEW RELEASE IN THE VILLAGEOF BROOKLIN Following the tremendous success of Phase 1 at Brooklin Corners, we’re excited to announce that an all new release of family sized townhome residences is coming soon

There's nothing quite like that first timeyou walk through your very own front door. At our new Mississauga urban townhome community, we're creating an exceptional collection of residences designed to give you that feeling every time you come home. Located in the popular Erin Mills neighbourhood, transit, shopping and restaurants are just a short trip away. Stay tuned for more details on this exciting new community.

Register today at sorbara.com

URBAN TOWNHOMES COMING SOON TO ERIN MILLS

Located in north Whitby, the Village of Brooklin offers the best of timeless Canadian town charm and convenient modern living. Enjoy easy access to shops, restaurants, the new Hwy. 407 extension and more. The townhomes of Brooklin Corners boast solid brick, stone and vinyl siding exteriors that cultivate a warm community atmosphere. Interiors are spacious and contemporary, with large kitchens and great rooms.

Register for Phase 2 at brooklincorners.ca

COMING SOON / ERIN MILLS

COMING SOON / NORTH WHITBY

Your life. Your home. Your way.

Consumers in today’s market consider the process of purchasing just as important as the product itself, making a positive customer experience critical. We’ve seen this in the wild success of companies such as Uber and Airbnb. These companies have taken an existing service (providing transportation and an overnight stay) and packaged it in a better experience. It is therefore imperative that we create positive experiences for our customers in addition to the quality product we are already known for.

At Sorbara, we are doing exactly that. We are committed to providing a holistic, customer centric experience in all our sectors, including land development, residential and industrial construction and property management. Unlike customer service, which usually starts at the end of

the purchase, customer experience starts at the beginning and continues through the entire process. We have reached a way of thinking that puts the customer at the forefront of all decision making. We achieve industry leadership in this area by consistently implementing our four pillars of success into our everyday interactions with our tenants, suppliers, prospects, homeowners, trades, business partners and stakeholders. Through effective communication, we are approachable, transparent and active listeners who strive to provide easily accessible information in a proactive manner. We also set reachable, reasonable and clear expectations and then strive to exceed them. Additionally, every

interaction we have, shows that we respect the recipient and we strive to create a culture of empathy and caring. Finally, we understand how important it is to develop trust and to build relationships so we strive to engage in the individual story of each of our contacts.

Of course, none of this is possible without the commitment of the entire Sorbara team, working together towards our common goal, to complement our growth over the coming years.

OUR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE PHILOSOPHY

By: Sue Drummond, Customer Experience Manager

It doesn’t take a real estate expert to notice that the markets in Canada’s large urban centres have been red hot for a long time now. With prices continuing to rise, and home ownership becoming a growing challenge for many middle-class families, new government regulations have come into place that are intended to cool this hot market. There are two major policies currently being implemented to cool the market. Here is an outline of what they are, and how they can effect you.

INCREASED DOWN PAYMENT REQUIREMENTS What are the Changes? Changes to down payment rules will have a major impact on buyers who have less than 20% available to put down on their home purchase. Under rules implemented in February 2016, homebuyers now must place a minimum of 10% on the portion of their home price that is over $500,000. You can still place a minimum of 5% on the

portion of the

price that is less than $500,000. This means if your desired house costs $700,000, you now have to put down $25,000 (5% of $500,000) plus an additional $20,000 (10% of $200,000) for a total down payment of $45,000. Homes that cost more than $1 million still require a 20% down payment.

This change will primarily effect first time buyers in the larger markets of Toronto and Vancouver where average home prices are well over $500,000. Existing homebuyers in these markets looking to size up to a larger home likely won’t be as affected since they’ve built up equity in those properties that they can use towards larger down payments.

STRESS TEST FOR ALL INSURED MORTGAGE APPLICATIONSWhat are the Changes? The most notable rule that was introduced in October 2016 is the extension of the mortgage stress test to all buyers. In the past, only buyers

who were purchasing homes with less than 20% down payments were forced to pass this test. Basically what this test means is that you will be able to get a smaller mortgage based on your personal situation. For example, according to Mortgagetree.ca, under the old rules, a buyer making $50,000 using a fixed rate of 2.44% would qualify for a purchase price of roughly $302,000. Under the new rules, this buyer would qualify for a purchase price of just $239,000.

CONCLUSION While it might make it more challenging for some individuals to purchase homes in the short term, with any luck these new changes will have a stabilizing effect on the market, helping to reduce debt loads and making home ownership dreams a reality for many Canadians down the road.

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NEW MORTGAGE RULES:WHAT YOUNEED TO KNOW

OUR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE PILLARS

WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW? Our current communities offer great choices for exceptional family homes

across Ontario. Find the one that’s right for you below.

COPPERWOOD BREAKS GROUND / KLEINBURG

Copperwood homeowners are one step closer to move in dayfollowing the well-attended groundbreaking event that took place on Sunday, October 16th. Homeowners gathered in Copperwood’s spectacular model home to enjoy drinksand appetizers as they mingled and introduced themselves to their future neighbours. Following thegroundbreaking ceremony, purchasers were able to visit their lots with the Sorbara team to get a photodoing their own groundbreaking ceremonies. A great time was had by all and we are very excited to moveto this next stage of the homebuilding process. Copperwood is a luxury community of 60’ and 69’ estate homes. Register at mycopperwood.ca for priority information on our Phase 2 release.

BEACON CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES / NORTH YORK

The Builder’s Final Release is your very last chance to own at Beacon Condos. Construction is now well underway, and Sorbara’s expert

crews are currently in the process of forming the ground floor level. In just a short while this space will take its final form as the lavish hotel-inspired lobby of this exclusive condominium residence. Interested homebuyers should contact our sales associate Tom at 416.226.5200 or beaconsales@sorbara.com.

CRAFTHOUSE NOW SOLD OUT / NORTH YORK

Thank you to everyone who helped to make Crafthouse at St. Andrews a stand out success in contemporary luxury residences this past year. It is our great pleasure to announce that this one-of-a-kind luxury home community located in the

York Mills area of Toronto is now sold out. Stay tuned for the next elite caliber home community from Sorbara in the near future.

SUMMERFIELDS CELEBRATES FALL / FERGUS

Summerfields celebrated autumn in Fergus with a Fall Harvest Event that featured fun for the whole family. There were crafts for children, as well as warm pie and cider

for all to enjoy. This beautiful Fergus location was the perfect background for this event as the leaves were changing colour in this picturesque town. Summerfields currently has a limited amount of bungalow townhomesand 32’ homes left for purchase. Visit us at mysummerfields.ca formore information.

TREETOPS SUMMER CELEBRATION WAS A SUCCESS / ALLISTON

At Sorbara, we deeply value our relationships with all ourhome purchasers, even after they’ve moved in to their homes. That’s why we were so pleased to be able to host a very special purchasers’ event this past August at Treetops in Alliston.

With a bouncy castle, face painting, cotton candy, popcorn and poutine, this event had the vibrant atmosphere of an authentic summer fair. There were also some wonderful activities for the kids, including Little Ray’s Reptile Show, balloon animals and games. At the event, Treetops also presented the “Good Neighbour Award” to Carlos Roldan for his initiative in organizing the July Block Party for all neighbours. Treetops is a community of stylish family townhomes, and 32’, 36’, 40’, 45’ and 49’ single detached homes. Visit mytreetops.ca for information on upcoming home releases.

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CLEAN OUT YOUR EAVESTROUGHS & DOWNSPOUTS Late fall is an excellent time to check your eavestroughs and downspouts to ensure they are clean and working properly. A clean trough and downspout will promote rapid removal of surface water from the rooftop and away from your home. Trough maintenance is extra important because damages resulting from a poorly maintained eavestrough and downspout system may not be covered by your Tarion Warranty.

CLOSE YOUR EXTERIOR HOSE BIBS FOR THE WINTER To avoid possible pipe damages, your exterior hose connections (bibs) should be properly winterized before the onset of the winter months. To do so, you should disconnect your current hoses, sprinklers, etc. from the bibs, then turn off the supply lines from inside your home and drain the supply lines outside your home.

CLEAN FURNACE & AIR HANDLER FILTERS It is a good idea to clean or change your furnace filter every three months to ensure your furnace/air conditioner does not have to work too hard. Your furnace filter is found between the large return air duct and furnace. If you replace the filter, ensure your replacement is the correct size and is oriented correctly. Filters come in many sizes, so refer to your existing filter when purchasing a new one.

AVOID USING DE-ICERS IF POSSIBLE It is not recommended that you use any de-icing products such as salt or calcium to melt ice or snow on concrete surfaces (such as your front porch, steps and patio slabs) as they can cause surface damage. If you choose to use these products, be sure to brush them off your steps and porch as soon as the ice has melted to minimize damage.

When the seasons start to get cooler, we all go through our own little routines. We pull our heavier sweaters out of the closet, maybe even go shopping for a new winter coat. However you like to prepare for the fall and winter seasons, we hope that you’ll take the time to perform some key home maintenance tasks. It’s an essential part of maintaining the value and quality of your home for many years to come. Make sure you follow all the tips outlined here to prevent unnecessary home damage, improve energy efficiency to ensure that you can save money and keep your home in exceptional condition for many years to come.

FALL & WINTER HOMEMAINTENANCE TIPS

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Follow these simple tips to keep your housein excellent shape this fall & winter

SORBARA GROUP OF COMPANIES3700 Steeles Avenue West, Suite 800, Vaughan, Ontario, L4L 8M9Tel: 905 850 6154 Tor/Tel: 416 798 7254 Fax: 905 850 6166 E-mail: info@sorbara.comsorbara.com

The Sorbara Group of Companies is a family-owned, integrated real estate, planning, development, construction, investment and management firm with a history of over 65 years of growth in Ontario. The Group’s investment portfolio includes high rise apartments,

high rise and low rise offices, industrial buildings and commercial developments. The Group is also involved in all aspects of the real estate industry, including residential, industrial and commercial land development, residential construction and property management.

SERVICE. QUALITY. EXCELLENCE.

AFFILIATE COMPANIESThe Sorbara Group of Companies embraces the same vision and commitment of excellence to lead in their respective industries.

Whether focusing on construction, insurance, property management, leasing or charitable giving, each organization upholds the same high standard of quality service and attention to detail that has helped make Sorbara one of the most trusted names in real estate.

John | Executive VP, Colliers International

Strong market knowledge coupled with honesty and integrity makes the job of an agent easier. It is these qualities which allow me to recommend any of our tenants/clients to lease space from the Sorbara Group of Companies. With a relationship of over 20 years and millions of square feet leased, I can truly say Sorbara is an industry leader as a developer/landlord that has created a special brand viaits great relationships.

At the Sorbara Group of Companies, we are committed to service, excellence and quality as a leader in our industries across the GTA

When our employees do a great job, people notice. We are constantly getting feedback from homeowners, tenants, stakeholders, and Sorbara management personnel, expressing their sincere satisfaction and appreciation of our employees.

FOUNDATIONS OF EXCELLENCE

At Sorbara, we believe that exceptional service and support are key elements to any successful property management project. We understand the importance of making our tenants happyand satisfied as the key principles of our property management business. It is our deep commitment to our tenants that has allowed us to build trusted relationships that span decades.One such example of this is Jim Mackenzie, President ofAlltemp Products. For over 53 years, this trusted supplier of quality HVAC motors has been renting space from us. Alltemp has moved its operations several times, but every time they’ve moved they’ve chosen a facility that is run and maintained by Sorbara. Jim is just one example of how we value our tenantsand how important relationships are to us.

SORBARA’SGREAT TENANT RELATIONSHIPS SPAN DECADES Jim Mackenzie of Alltemp Products has beena Sorbara Tenant for 53 Years