Why I Live Here: GEORGETOWN

Mike Holmes knows a thing or two about … well … homes. So when the 49-year-old contractor and star of television shows like Holmes on Homes, Holmes Inspection and, his latest, Holmes Makes It Right, inspected his current property near Georgetown, he knew it was the perfect place to settle down with girlfriend Anna, his “sweetheart of 12 years,” and their Labrado retriever, Charlie.

BY: LISA BENDALL

His own piece of paradise

“I was brought up in Toronto. Waking up with birds, crickets and frogs, rather than fire trucks and cop cars and the noise of people, is serenity itself. It was truly what I needed. I have a beautiful piece of property. A wonderful older German couple owned the house. He had it built about 31 years ago: cinderblock walls, very charming, full of trees on the property. She obviously was in love with flowers, and the gardens are phenomenal. What I love about Georgetown is there’s property around your house. It’s not a postage stamp that you’re living on.”

The handyman’s house

“I didn’t have to do too much in the house. It was lipstick and mascara – new floors, new countertops, new paint, new fireplace. I updated it, but wanted to keep the charm. The outside was a whole different thing. I put in a huge deck with a hot tub and cabana, and I put down a beautiful fireplace and waterfall. It’s pretty stunning. I turned the shop into my dream shop. Anyone who works with tools would drool if they walked in there, because it has every tool you can imagine.”

EXPERT

Ray Chesher is a top-selling Georgetown real estate broker with Your Home Today Realty, Inc. He told Zoomer why he’s devoted to the area.

“It’s a small-town community feel here. If I go to a restaurant and forget my credit card, people say, come back and pay tomorrow. It’s also a nice mix of demographics, with a lot of young families and retirees. There’s a lot to do here – hiking trails, community events. And everything is five minutes away because geographically it’s small and easy to get around.”

 

AT A GLANCE

Average home price

$465,973

Population

40,150

Health care

Georgetown Hospital. Provides primary and continuing care, diagnostic imaging and an emergency department.

Distance to