WHAT DO BUYERS WANT IN A NEW CONDO?
Good light, good views, and quality soundproofing a plus
The condo lifestyle is catching on in North America, especially for people who want to stay central and enjoy all the perks of big-city living. The catchphrase these days is “build up, not out,” as big cities work to strike a balance between densification and quality of life.
Condo developers are also expanding the way they do business and listening to the wish lists of a wider buying public. No longer are condos the sole purview of the single, childless professional. Projects are popping up that cater to families with young children, empty-nesters and active retirees.
To check out what’s available, take advantage of the second and final weekend of the Open House Weekends — a showcase for the latest model condo units and stylish condo sales offices.
Included in the 80 projects participating in the Open House Weekends are the finalists in the 2015 Habitat Design Awards. Award categories include best model unit, which is open to public vote, and best sales office, voted on by a panel of industry experts, including awards spokesman and fashion designer Jean-Claude Poitras.
Winners for the Habitat Design Awards are announced in May. The delay is weather-related. One of the awards categories is landscape design. Warm weather is needed for the designers to prepare their landscaping for inspection by the judges.
Everybody has their personalized wish list when heading out to see what the market is offering, but there is also such a thing as a universal expectation — like excellent soundproofing. Happily, the quality of soundproofing has improved over the years with the efficient use of concrete and glazed windows.
Buyers also want to simplify life. So some new builds not only include a pool, gym and reception room but also ultra-convenient grocery shopping.
The Beaumont NDG is a case in point. Its sales office is in the Monkland Village, just west of Girouard Ave. in Notre-Damede-Grâce. (Developer DevMcGill is nominated for a best sales office Habitat Design Award.)
DevMcGill president Stéphane Côté spoke with the Montreal Gazette
about how the particular nature of a neighbourhood can play an important role in the shaping of a project.
The 124-unit Beaumont NDG is being built on Côte-St-Luc Rd., slightly west of Clanranald Ave. The first two storeys will be an IGA grocery store. Two towers, one nine floors and the other 11 floors, will be joined by glassed-in corridors. The residential portion of the build will begin on the third floor, also the location of a roof garden.
“Because the condos begin on the third floor, they are higher than almost all the buildings around
them, which allows for great light,” Côté said. “Beautiful light is important to today’s buyers. So are good views.
“Different types of buyers want different things depending on where they are in the cycle of life. If you’re starting out on your own, you want a smaller, affordable unit that’s close to work and close to the action. Empty-nesters want to downsize, but still want room to move, so they choose larger units.” Unit prices range from $220,000 to $1.5 million.
Côté said he sees signs that North America is reacting more favourably to the European model, where families are raised in condo apartments, but the shift is slow.
“We’re coming around, but most families with kids still want the house with the backyard,” he said.
A particular “look” is also taking hold of the local condo industry – contemporary, with a New-York flair is all the rage. Think openconcept kitchen, dining room, living room with generous windows and sleek-lined, high-end finishes in the kitchen and bathroom. Exposed concrete is also popular.
“Typically, in N.D.G., the cottages are older, with small windows. It can be a bit dark,” Côté said. “Emptynesters looking to downsize want to break with what is familiar. They want light and bright and open. When these buyers leave for Florida in the winter, they just want to lock the door and go.”
The four-building, 196-unit Platopolis condo project in the Plateau district off Mont-Royal Ave., between Fullum and Messier streets, is one project that reflects the European-style family-condo lifestyle.
The project is entering its final building phase, offering units with up to four bedrooms. The condos are built behind a Metro grocery store that fronts Mont-Royal Ave. (Montreal Design Zone is a finalist for the best model unit Habitat Design Award for its collaboration with Platopolis.)
“Most of our clients are young couples with children,” Platopolis spokesman Anna Horecki said. “But the project is also popular with the newly-retired.”
Each condo has access to green spaces and has a private terrace. The grounds are landscaped to give a bit of a feeling of life in the country. Its location is ideal for people who want to walk or bicycle everywhere. Secure bicycle parking is available and there is an underground garage for cars.
“Buyers want to personalize the
look of their unit,” Horecki said. “They want luminosity, open format and they want to be in touch with the outdoors.”
Platopolis’ quartz kitchen counters, European-style, sleek and contemporary kitchen cabinets, exposed concrete pillars or ceiling, generous windows are all on trend, but Horecki said the choice to live on the Plateau goes beyond the quality of the materials used for the build. Three- and four-bedroom units list for $350,000 to $500,000.
“People choose to live here because they want the urban life with the small-town feel,” she said. “The Plateau is a neighbourhood with soul. Parents can walk to do their shopping, walk their children to daycare. It feels like you’re living in a small town because everything is so easily accessible on foot.”
For a complete list of open houses, visit www.monhabitationneuve.com.
For information about Platopolis, visit www.platopolis.ca.
For information about Beaumont NDG, visit www.devmcgill.com/lebeaumont.