ADVERTISING FEATURE iver Oaks Homes‘ Design Renaissance Collection in River Oaks ®.offers homes with a traditional twist â€" they have been.designed with the garage in the back. The move was in response to longâ€"standâ€" ing demand from homebuyers, and that has openedupnunendmspossibilities,accadâ€" ing to River Oaks Homes president, Eric Wegler. With no huge garage blocking off the view, residents have a clear, unobstructed view up and down the street, he pointed out, which enhances the "neighborhood" feel. Both attached and detached rear garage designs are available. The detached rear garage allows for a larger backâ€" yard, elegant windows on all sides of the home allowing for more natural light, greater visual appeal all around the landscaped grounds, and a manorâ€"like street presence for The move was in response to longâ€"standâ€" ing demand from homebuyers, and that has opened up tremendous possibilities, accordâ€" ing to River Oaks Homes president, Eric ented," Wegler explained. "With the garages For the attached rear garage designs, River at the back, it changes the massing and proâ€" â€" Oaks has created a sheltered 12â€"byâ€"20 patio portions and the relationship of the house to _ adjacent to the twoâ€"car garages, permitting a the sidewalk. So we‘ve moved the house â€" variety of uses. closer to the street and built front porches." "‘The kids can park their bikes, you can set Rooms with an unobstructed view i 2(0)/] 4 A GOOD . TIME TO :i BUY A HOME. "These homes are more neighborhoodâ€"oriâ€" Builders continue to absorb the GST and are offering excellent opportunities ’ : 7¢‘\ for first time and †23 moveâ€"up buyers. Reason #2 The cost of land is expectied to increase dramatically in the near future. Ost a : , Home prices will incvitably rise since governments are increasingly turning to builders and developers for additional sources of revenue. Reason #1 Even with recent fluctuations, interest rates are the lowest in years. Reason #3 If you‘re in the market for a new or resale home, don‘t wait a moment longer. 1994 will offer home buyers unique â€"opportunities in all price ranges. YOU SHOULD UY HOME IN ‘94 Reason #4 Home Safety Checklist There‘s no place like home. And what better time to think of home safety than when moving into your new home. Is it safe for young chilâ€" dren, elderly people, pets and yourâ€" self? Here is a home safety checklist to help you assess the safety of your Q store knives out of sight; Dmovepothandlesmwardonfl)e stove; Q store breakable dishes and glasses out of young children‘s reach; UQ keep all plastic bags out of chilâ€" dren‘s reach; Q use a covered kitchen trash can so pets don‘t choke on garbage. BATHROOM Q have syrup of ipecac available in case of poisoning; upa.ba_sl.:eth’?llcant;itopensupallmof possibilities," Wegler said. "It opens up the home and makes it seem bigger. The private patio has solid walls on three sides and because we don‘t reverse the floa;iansonflxenextlxmseywwon’thave one patio facing another patio. " The shifting of the garage to the back has opened up the interior to new designs, Wegler noted, the most important of which is that it allows for more windows. ""The centre hall plan permits more light inside," he points out. "You free up the house, and there is more light, which makes the house feel larger. " There is no longer a need for long hallâ€" ways, Wegler says, so the architects were Q keep paper or plastic cups by the 'Dstmehmrdryers,curhnguons,etc Q put razors, scissors and other sharp objects in cabinets or drawers; Q use rubber mats in all bathtubs. LIVING ROOM O store fireplace lighters and matchâ€" es out of children‘s reach; Q secure the fireplace with glass Q place a child‘s bed away from any windows and be sure they are locked. Q keep a list of all emergency numâ€" Homes in the Design Renaissance Collection are being sold out of the River Oaks pavilion on Sixth Line, near the River able to change the relationship of the rooms. "Every room in is proportion," he noted. How did River Oaks Homes do it? Wegler hired two architects, one a "suburban" expert and the other a "city" architect. The suburban architect focused on the need for modern amenities such as large kitchens and family rooms, while the traditionalist, influenced by Toronto neighborhoods such as Forest Hill and Rosedale, worked on the proportioning of the rooms and the exterior esthetics. Oaks Recreation Centre â€" 844â€"2033. "We‘ve created the best of both worlds, the old and the new," Wegler says. bers by every phone; Q keep cleaning products, especially those under sinks, out of children‘s with plastic caps; Q check all cord (elecmcal phone, etc.) out of children‘s reach and safeâ€" ly draped behind furniture so no one trips over them; Q install safety latches on all doors and drawers and safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs in homes with toddlers and young children; Q set the water heater temperature to under 120°F; O use nonâ€"slip mats under area rugs; Q cover unused electrical outlets While these are very basic and general safety tips, they often go unnoticed until they have been the cause of an accident. _