A major trend in today’s housing market has seen many Canadian baby boomers downsize from their large, empty family homes to smaller abodes. They still have very active lifestyles and want to travel and relax, so who needs all those extra rooms once the kids have moved out?
But giving up space doesn’t mean letting go of comfort—boomers want the same quality of life with less of the hassle. That’s where lock-and-leave communities come in.
Created out of a demand for an easier way of living pre- and post-retirement, lock-and-leave dwellings are low maintenance, single level apartments or condos that make it easy to pack your bags and head out the door knowing that everything is taken care of.
“That is what they’re looking for. If they want to travel, if they want to go visit family, they can just pack up and go,” says Calgary realtor Krista Kehoe.
“They don’t have to worry about anybody having to take care of their house and their yard. And there’s the peace of mind with security, as well.”
Developers like Brookfield Residential kept all that in mind when creating their stacked townhomes in Cranston’s Riverstone. The single-level units are 1,400 to 1,660 square feet, with basements for storage and double attached garages. They’re surrounded by the natural beauty of Fish Creek with views of the Bow River, which means there’s outdoor space to enjoy, minus the yardwork.
“There would be really no exterior maintenance for any homeowner,” says Kelly Halliday, Brookfield’s business development manager. “What’s so great about that is they have more time—they’re not spending their time doing lawn maintenance.”
No cutting the grass, no shovelling snow, and if you have a green thumb there’s still space to garden on the 200 square foot balcony.
According to Halliday, even when downsizing, boomers are looking for “the same finishing that they may have in their current home, or better.” That’s why Brookfield’s homes come standard with hardwood floors, granite or quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances.
And since the townhomes are stopped at the drywall stage, you can personalize your space, keeping things minimal, or creating the luxury home of your dreams. And after a lifetime of hard work, why not dream big, says Halliday.
“You’re moving from this huge home where you had this space, and now you just want to live the good life in the lap of luxury where you don’t have to maintain anything”.
