Building sites for dream homes

Big Mountain Ventures develops properties near Golden, B.C., making them ready for the builders

Barry and Shelly Palumbo of Big Mountain Ventures stand on their development property overlooking the Columbia Valley Wetlands. — Photo courtesy Barry Palumbo

Property developer Barry Palumbo of Golden, B.C., leads a busy life all year round. In early April, Palumbo arrived home after three full months of driving a logging truck in Alberta—in Rocky Mountain House and Fort McMurray. Then, as is their habit, he and his wife, Shelly, had a relaxing and restorative holiday—in Belize this year—before beginning work on their summer endeavour.

The next venture

Palumbo’s company, Big Mountain Ventures Ltd., is developing a two-unit parcel on his own home property, Twin Creeks Ranch, and he is hoping to have the lots ready for sale next summer. As yet, this project—which adjoins Palumbo Heights, his first-ever development—does not have a name.

Big Mountain Ventures completed the development of McMurdo Estates in 2012. The project is located 15 minutes south of Golden and overlooks the Columbia Valley Wetlands. Two of the McMurdo properties have been sold and Palumbo hopes to sell at least a couple of the remaining four this year. The economic slowdown a few years ago put quite a stall on Palumbo’s development projects, but he has managed to keep afloat.

“I never thought things would slow down to this extent,” Palumbo said, “but now the market is coming back around. I have a fair bit of land and I really enjoy developing it.”

Partners in all ways

Palumbo said that his wife is deeply involved in the business with him.

“Shelly looks after the books and records, and she turns her hand to whatever is needed,” he said. “Chopping brush and mowing and building fences and piling rocks around culverts—she jumps in and does whatever has to be done, while I’m building roads or clearing land.”

A step-by-step process

When Palumbo considers developing a piece of property, he first determines if it will be attractive to a prospective buyer; of first importance is choosing the best possible vista for the building site. He walks the property, deciding where it’s feasible to build a road and how many building sites he can make.

“When I’m ready to start, I go in with the excavator and clear some trees and rough in a road,” Palumbo said. “Then I start the very long process of paperwork and permits for roads and water and power. That’s the most challenging part of the development process. I know it’s necessary and I agree that it protects the buyer, which is good—but I can’t say I enjoy it.”

Seeing the finished product, though, makes the frustrations worthwhile and the work very satisfying.

“It’s especially gratifying when the buyers tell me that I’ve helped make their dreams come true,” Palumbo said.