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"These homes are more neighâ€" bourhoodâ€"orientâ€" ed," Wegler explained. "With the garages at the back, it changes the massing and proportions and the relationship of the house to the sidewalk. So we‘ve moved the house closer to the street and built front porches". With _ huge garage blocking off the view, peoâ€" River Oaks breaks ground with garageâ€"atâ€"back homes ®@H o m es has recognized a simple truth in the world of sales and marketing â€" if you give the cusâ€" tomers what they are asking for, they will buy your product in droves. That explains why the Design Renaissance Collection in River Oaks is selling so well. The collecâ€" tion of 80 homes on 50â€"foot lots opened up to the public in November, and already, the subdiâ€" vision is 70 per cent sold. The secret is that the homes have been designed with the garage in the back, in response to a longâ€"standing demand from homebuyers, and that has opened up the design, massâ€" ing and siting capabilities tremendously, according to River Oaks Homes presiâ€" dent Eric Wegler. ADVERTISING FEATURE by Don Wall ple can look up and down the street, he pointed out, enhancing the "neighbourhood" feel. In the larger back yard, River Oaks has created a sheltered 12â€"byâ€"20 courtyard adjacent to the twoâ€"car garages that perâ€" mits a variety of activities. "The kids can park their bikes, you can set up a basketball court, it opens up all sorts of possiâ€" bilities," Wegler said. "People who come to Oakville want a little more space. The price is reasonable, and they‘re getting what they want." 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 permits more winâ€" dows. "The centre hall plan permits more light inside," he points out. "You free up the house, there is more light, which makes the house feel larger. You don‘t need the same size." There is no longer a need for long hallways, Wegler says, so the architects were able to change the relationship of the rooms. â€" "Every room in is proporâ€" tion," he noted. How did River Oaks Homes do it? Wegler explains that they hired two architects, one a "suburban" expert and the other a "city" architect. The suburban architect focused on the need for (See next page)