Sept. 13, 2017 | Andrea Cox

Bigger and better things

Trevor Gibbs and Melissa Wellingtan doubled their living space with a new Airdrie townhome

Trevor Gibbs and Melissa Wellingtan both love to whip up culinary gems in the kitchen – he loves to cook and she enjoys baking. But with a nine-year-old son, a 17-year-old cat, and the fact that Trevor works from home, space in their 800-square-foot, two-bedroom Airdrie condominium was at a premium. The small space made it hard to move around the home, let alone cook or entertain.

So, in December of last year, the couple started looking for a bigger space with room for the family to grow. They found everything they were looking for, including a state-of-the-art kitchen, at the Gates at Hillcrest in Airdrie, a townhome development by Mattamy Homes. CREB®Now: Can you talk a little bit about what attracted you to the home and the development?

Melissa Wellingtan: We like to host big family events – Thanksgiving, birthdays and Christmas. Trevor is the best cook on the planet and I do like to cook, but I always get kicked out of the kitchen, so I do all the baking. One of the things that we loved about this house was the kitchen. It's really great, especially for the price of the house – it has an L-shape with an island and an eating bar. I have my sparkly backsplash and Trevor has the baseboards he wanted. And, there is so much room – we have 1,600 square feet versus the 800 square feet in the condo. It is literally double the size, not counting the basement, which adds even more square footage.

"It's freehold – you have the freedom of a single-family home without the monthly fees. So, for me, if I can get this size of a home with a backyard for $150,000 less than a single-family home, it's the smarter thing to do." - Melissa Wellingtan

Trevor Gibbs: The double attached garage was a big draw. In the condo, we had an underground spot and an above-ground spot. Melissa parked above ground for the winter – she had a car starter, so it made the most sense. But coming into the winter this year, it is going to be so nice to both be able to park inside.

CREB®Now: Why did you choose a townhome even though your budget would have allowed for a larger, detached home?

Melissa Wellingtan: My favourite thing to do with money is look at it in the bank. With the Mattamy townhome, we still have a fenced front yard and backyard, a double attached garage, tons of living space, three bedrooms, an undeveloped basement and a corner lot – meaning only one attached wall and no homeowners' association fees. That's really the reason that we looked at the development. It's freehold – you have the freedom of a single-family home without the monthly fees. So, for me, if I can get this size of a home with a backyard for $150,000 less than a single-family home, it's the smarter thing to do.

Trevor Gibbs: Many of our friends have these big homes and are house poor. We like to spend our money on fun things, like travelling.

The other reason we chose a townhome was because of the builder, Mattamy Homes. They made a few structural changes for us to accommodate a wheelchair – Melissa's brother is in a wheelchair and we wanted him to feel comfortable when he came to visit – and they were so accommodating.

 

Tagged: Airdrie | Buyer Profile | Mattamy Homes | Surrounding Areas | The Gates at Hillcrest | townhome