For a couple who once swore they鈥檇 never live in a condo, Jacqueline and Wayne are surprised and amused at how much they love their new home in Travino Landing.
Their journey from large family home to condo was circuitous and surprising. The first step, once their spacious nest was empty of all but themselves, was to a townhouse. They enjoyed the smaller space, and gave it up only when somebody else was more eager to buy it than they were to keep it.
In the space of three weeks, they鈥檇 sold their townhouse, signed a deal to purchase a condo and rented a coach-house apartment while waiting for the condo to be ready. They learned from the rental experience that less than 800 square feet was way too small for the two of them, Jacqueline said.
They had been thinking of another townhouse, and looked at the Travino Development in Royal Oak more out of curiosity than with any intention of purchasing a place.
That first visit was in the company of an engineer friend who, without meaning to, changed Wayne and Jacqueline鈥檚 ideas. Travino Square was under construction at that time, and their friend was able to get a close look at the work in progress.
He raved so enthusiastically about the quality of the construction that Wayne was inspired to rethink his views on condos.
The show suite set up in the presentation centre impressed the couple, and they found some suites would be large enough for them. Their corner unit on the top floor, with two bedrooms plus a den, covers about 1,300 square feet.
Jacqueline says she prefers to buy a completed suite rather than buy into a yet-to-be-built development, largely because she says she鈥檚 not very good at visualizing what it will look like. But Wayne says he has no trouble visualizing reality from a floor plan, and was confident the suite would look terrific.
There are other reasons to be cautious about buying a condo before it has been completed, but in this case caution was unnecessary.
Wayne and Jacqueline had bought a home from Mike Geric Construction in the past and were pleased with it. And their engineer friend and experiences of people who bought into the earlier phases of the complex assured the couple that they鈥檇 get what they鈥檇 been promised.
Buying before work has started has another advantage: the couple were able to make minor alterations to their floor plan. They chose a shower stall rather than a bath tub with shower for the guest room ensuite, and the positioning of that ensuite convinced them they could sacrifice a powder room to get a larger den.
Jacqueline also moved a hall closet to get a larger storage area beside the laundry facilities.
While Wayne can visualize from a floor plan, 鈥渋t turned out to be so much better than I鈥檇 expected,鈥� he said.
The couple didn鈥檛 have to do a lot of shopping for the new condo as much of the furniture from the townhouse could come with them. They opted for a new bedroom suite but their living room furniture and dining set fitted nicely into the condo.
The couple are happy with their decision to downsize to a condo -- too many people put off downsizing too long, Wayne said. He thinks it鈥檚 foolish to cling to a large house that demands a lot of maintenance when one is past the stage of requiring a large house for a family. He notes that once one person makes the move, they seem to inspire friends to do likewise. He says he has met several couples and individuals who downsized from homes at Arbutus Ridge.
Wayne and Jacqueline are enjoying the amenities condo living offers them. They feel secure, knowing that nobody can even reach their hallway by elevator or stairway without a fob that lets them get onto that floor. That means they feel secure locking the door and jetting off to Mexico or Europe for weeks at a time.
Not everyone will need all the amenities offered: There鈥檚 a dog-walking area, an indoor dog washing station, an electric car charing station. But most people appreciate the underground parking and the storage spaces. When the final phase, Travino Gardens, is complete, there鈥檒l also be an allotment garden where residents can grow flowers or vegetables. Garden plots don鈥檛 cost anything and will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.
Wayne and Jacqueline love the location of their new home. Wayne is fully retired but Jacqueline still works downtown at the court house and notes she can commute to her office in 20 minutes in rush hour, and Wayne said they made it home from town one evening in about 12 minutes. It鈥檚 a short drive to reach the airport or the ferry, and they are in walking distance of shops, services and good restaurants.
The complex includes a fitness centre, which will be expanded to include a yoga room when the presentation centre is deconstructed after the last suite in Travino Gardens is sold. And there are walking trails, such as the one through Rithet鈥檚 Bog, all close at hand.
A condo lifestyle isn鈥檛 what Jacqueline and Wayne had in mind a couple of years ago, but now that they鈥檙e living it, they鈥檙e loving it.
