SOUTHWEST ATTRACTION
Interest builds in estate homes
Large lots and a connection to important amenities and city arteries continue to drive interest from estate home buyers in the city’s southwest side.
Lindsay McGregor says its been a bounce-back year for her company in Aspen Woods Estates. She’s sales manager and vice-president of business development for Crystal Creek Homes.
“While we have seen a rebound in sales in all of our markets, the increase in sales in Aspen Woods has been the strongest in 2016,” says McGregor. “It has been our strongest community so far this year, both from a traffic and sales perspective.”
Crystal Creek is one of four build- ers in the community, including Truman Homes, WestView Builders and Homes by Us.
“We have been really strong in Aspen Woods over the last few months,” McGregor says. “The area tends to attract a lot of downtown Calgary employees with, of course, a strong oil and gas sector. While last year was slow for us in Aspen Woods Estates, we are seeing renewed and very strong interest in the area now, which is far more typical of that area.”
Crystal Creek’s show home in the community, dubbed the Kingsley II, picked up honours at this year’s Calgary Region SAM (Sales and Marketing) Awards. It won in the category for Best New Home $550,000-$619,999.
“I think there are a number of fac- tors that are contributing to the interest (in Aspen Woods Estates) this year,” says McGregor. She points to the recent stabilization of oil prices and the community’s ease of access to the city’s downtown by either driving or the LRT, and increased consumer confidence with flexible builder programs, as influences.
Lot sizes and quick access to valuable amenities have played an important role in estate home interest as well, she adds.
Simon Lau agrees. He’s the area manager for Calbridge Homes in Mystic Ridge, which is another upscale southwest community.
“We’re still getting good traffic out there,” says Lau.
Calbridge’s show home is the 3,451-square-foot Berkeley, which is the bestselling model in the community. It’s open noon to 5 p.m. on weekends, by appointment only on weekdays.
Lau says the community feels secluded, surrounded in lush greenery, but is only a short drive to the essentials.
“It has more of an acreage feel. Like you’re living outside the city — but you’re not,” says Lau.
Mystic Ridge is currently selling into its second phase of development. The third phase is expected to come on stream later this year.