COUPLE WITH BABY ON WAY DRAWN TO WALDEN AREA
Floor plan provided everything this growing family wanted
It’s shaping up to be an exciting summer for Greg and Jennifer Abbott.
They’ll be handed the keys to their first home, bought together, in late July, and welcome their first child in early August.
And there’s no question one milestone helped nudge the other. They were in an inner-city apartment-style condo Jennifer owned on 17th Avenue N.W., and sold it earlier this year.
“The condo was 500 square feet — for two people — then we got pregnant and were like, ‘OK, we need a bigger house,’” says Greg, originally from Brampton, Ont.
They were looking for a home that fit their budget, had the spaces and specifications they felt were important, and was in a familyfriendly community. Everything lined up across the city, in Walden.
They bought the Bruno floor plan, one of the semi-detached models sold by Homes by Avi.
But before making their decision, they put in the legwork.
“We looked around, constantly, at listings, and probably looked at 20 to 25 houses in-person while we were (deciding what to) purchase,” Greg says. “Everything in our price range wasn’t great — and the ones that were OK would need to be upgraded to a certain level to make them livable.”
Then they heard about the show homes in Walden, a southeast Calgary community by Genstar Development Co.
Along with Homes by Avi, semi- detached homes by Cardel Homes and Excel Homes, it also features multi-family development with Axis by Rockford Developments, Walden Place by Cardel Lifestyles, and Jackson at Walden by Avi Urban.
There are single-family homes by Excel, Homes by Avi, Cardel Homes, California Homes and Cedarglen in the community as well.
Homes by Avi’s Bruno was one of the models displayed, and made an impression on the Abbotts.
“That’s when we both fell in love with it and wouldn’t consider anything else,” Greg says.
“It’s easy to move into a new build when it’s exactly what you want rather than having to put $30,000 to $40,000 into a really old home to get it to where you want it.”
The Bruno measures 1,492 square feet, about 1,000 square feet more than what they had previously.
Everything in our price range wasn’t great — and the ones that were OK would need to be upgraded to a certain level.
“The first floor is very open, keeping it very bright,” Greg says.
And on the second level, all the necessities for a new family.
“We wanted a bedroom for the baby and then a spare room that we could have for when my parents come to visit us from Ontario, or when we have anyone else come and stay with us. It can also be a second child’s room in the future,” Greg says.
“Having that expandability was good. The laundry room is upstairs, too, which is a big feature,” he adds.
“We didn’t want to have to go all the way down to the basement every time.”
And when it came to their bedroom, as Greg jokes, this was an upgrade, too.
“We walked into the master bedroom and were, like, this is the size of our condo,” he says, laughing.
He singles out the impressive ensuite and large closet as highlights, as well.
Along with the Bruno, Homes by Avi has the Ivan on display as a show home in Walden.
The builder has eight semi-detached floor plans available in the community, ranging from 1,196 to 1,602 square feet.
They start from the $380,000s, including the tax.
“Our floor plans are truly designed for growing families, couples who want extra space, and couples looking to right-size from a singlefamily home,” says Sylvia Lee, area sales manager.
The ability for the buyer to make decisions based on fitting their tastes is part of the appeal, Lee says. This includes picking between a classic or contemporary elevation, and “combining main and upper floor layouts that best suit your lifestyle,” she adds.
“It’s up to what you need.” Buyers can have bedroom ori- entations including, dual master bedrooms, three bedrooms, or three bedrooms plus den, and further personalize by pointing out the right look from the builder’s selections board.
These homes are currently available in two phases within Walden, that feature north- and south-backing lots, near future school sites.
“Both phases have easy access to shopping and services, open spaces and a parkway system, (along with) quick access to transportation corridors,” Lee says.
When the Abbotts took their first drive through Walden, it was easy to see how it lined up with what they needed.
“It seemed like there were quite a few new families in that area,” Greg says. “A lot of parks. Almost every couple of blocks, there’s another park that we can go to. That was good.”
“It’s also close to areas where (Jennifer) trains for triathlons,” he adds.
Greg says Jennifer has competed in both half Ironman and full Ironman distance races.
“It’s close to areas where she can go for runs or ride her bike. Having a path in Walden that can connect to the Fish Creek area was a big deal.”
The regional pathway from Walden down to Chaparral Valley, past the Blue Devil Golf Course to the river pathway system reaches Fish Creek Provincial Park within about a 10-minute bike ride.
Walden is less than a 10-minute drive from Blue Devil. When asked if he’ll grab his clubs and venture over, he said, “Oh, I sure will.”
“I like golfing a lot,” he adds. “I’ve golfed Blue Devil a couple of times.”
Walden also gives its residents the convenience of being able to buy groceries, grab a coffee, do some banking, fill up the vehicle with gas, and provides other necessities, all within the community.
The Gates of Walden is a large commercial hub, anchored by a Save-on-Foods grocery store.
“It has almost everything you need in that area, and it’s not far from Seton, either,” Greg says.