AFFORDABILITY, STYLE COMBINE
With prices in the $200,000s, Viridian condos are perfectly suited for the first-time buyer
When Carmin Moore measured the place she was renting against what she could afford to purchase at a new condo development in northwest Calgary, the decision was easy. She was ready to take her first step into home ownership.
Moore, who works as a co-ordinator for a non-profit agency in Calgary, bought a condo at Viridian in Sage Hill by Trico Communities.
“I had enough for a down payment and decided to go for it,” says Moore. She moved in to an 862-square-foot condo at the de- velopment last December.
She says the expenses are comparable.
“It’s basically the same price as when I was renting,” Moore says. “When I was renting (in the innercity), it was an older condo and only had one bathroom. This is brand new and I got to choose everything and own it.”
Prices at Viridian span from the low $200,000s to the $280,000s. That’s an attainable range for many buyers, including people making their first purchase, says Trico’s sales manager, Ryan Murray.
“Affordability for our customers was definitely a primary motivation when we worked to organize this project,” says Murray.
“For us, being able to create a win in someone’s life to be able to start building equity or creating ownership, where in the past, they haven’t been able to do that — it’s really important to us.”
Viridian is a six-building development that’s now 70 per cent sold. The final building is expected to open sales this fall.
“If I were to summarize what this project is all about — it’s an affordable home in an amenity-rich location.”
Sage Hill is a community masterplanned by United Communities. The established amenities are twofold, says Murray. There’s both green, open beauty and built-in convenience.
“We’ve got a beautiful natural ravine and vista behind the project and ... access and roadways to a number of centres in the northwest along with all of the new commercial amenities and shopping in surrounding areas,” Murray says.
Among the commercial developments located within close proximity to Viridian, are Beacon Hill Shopping Centre and Creekside Shopping Centre, along with hubs in Nolan Hill, Evanston and within Sage Hill itself.
Location was important to Moore, who likes spending her down time outdoors. She was impressed by the pathways in and near the community, where she can get out for a walk or jog.
Moore also liked the access to places to shop and eat, singling out breakfast and lunch restaurant Bro’Kin Yolk as a personal favourite. She’s also a fan of nearby Symons Valley Ranch Farmers’ Market.
“I love it. I’m there every weekend.”
When deciding on a layout, there was no shortage of selection. Viridian has 22 floor plans to pick from in one-bedroom, two-bedroom and two-bedroom-plus-den orientations.
They measure from 629 to 970 square feet. Floor plans on display at show suites at Viridian include the 869-square-foot A3 floor plan and the 852-square-foot B2.
Murray says the focus on all layouts at the development was “open concepts and really strong utilization of space.”
Moore liked what she saw from Viridian’s floor plan, dubbed Suite B.
It has two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a den. She has used the second bedroom for a roommate.
“One of the things that I really liked about this place is that it has a very open-concept kitchen and living room. It was the perfect place for me,” she says.
Moore also liked that she was able to finish the cooking space is a style that suited her tastes. In this case, that was white cabinets and counters.
Another key to Viridian is its contemporary finishings, says Murray. “We are really proud of what we have been able to organize. I think the people who have invested already are really happy.”
These condos have nine-foot ceilings, four-inch baseboards, one inch aluminum venetian blinds, Decora switches throughout, inslab heating and a programmable thermostat.
The kitchens have granite counters, stainless steel appliances, a double bowl stainless steel undermount sink and cabinets with wood grain textured melamine flat slab style cabinets with softclosing hardware.
Trico Communities is expected to open sales on a new townhome development called Verona in Sage Hill this fall.
To register for more information, visit tricohomes.com.