Your Guide to Downsizing
In Calgary, we’re fortunate to be able to have large homes with more than enough room for the whole family. But large homes come with lots of maintenance, cleaning, stairs, and much more that you may not want to worry about past a certain point in your life. Don’t forget – there are many other factors not to be left out when making these important decisions. That’s why we’ve created the ultimate guide to downsizing and have designed floor plans at Gateway specifically with you in mind. Here are a list of things you should consider when downsizing to a new place.
1. What is the building made of?
You’re likely used to living in a single family home and not having to worry about what your neighbours are doing. Once you move into multi-family home, such as a condo or townhome, what your neighbours do can have a direct impact on your quality of life. That’s why we recommend looking for a concrete construction building.
Compared to wood, concrete will last longer and requires less maintenance, which will lead to fewer repair costs to the building, making it the most cost-effective option in the long run. Architecturally, concrete construction is able to provide unique details such as floor to ceiling windows in conjunction with superior maintenance free exterior cladding materials not found on wood frame product.
Concrete also has longer clear spans within our floorplans so they are more open and expansive than any wood frame product. Concrete’s thermal mass makes it more energy efficient which will decrease your monthly utility costs, making it more environmentally friendly. It is also the most “neighbour-friendly” material, as noise and smells don’t travel in between units and floors as much as other materials.
These are just a few of the reasons why concrete buildings have a higher resale value when it comes time to sell your home. We are proud that Gateway at West District is concrete construction building.
2. Lock-it-and-leave-it lifestyle
If traveling often is important to you or if you have another property elsewhere where you spend part of your time, you’ll want to make sure your new home can enable you leave it feeling secure. You’ll first want to pick a neighbourhood that makes that possible.
Once you’ve found a great neighbourhood, you’ll need to make sure the building you choose is safe and secure. At Gateway, you will enjoy a secured and heated underground parkade, and an enter phone and security monitoring system in the lobby for security. Each suite also has built-in smoke/heat detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and in-suite water sprinkler system.
You’ll also want to choose a home that requires minimal maintenance. Gateway features maintenance free exteriors including private decks, patios, and professionally designed and irrigated grounds. You also won’t need to worry about shovelling or mowing your lawn, as these are included in your low monthly condo fees. At Gateway, you can leave your home with your mind at ease.
3. Minimal stairs
How great would it be to have over 1000sq ft on one single level? At Gateway, having to worry about going up and down stairs numerous times during the day can now be a thing of the past without having to compromise on space and design. Our 2G floor plan, for example, has over 1100 sq ft of indoor living space, all on one floor! We also give you the flexibility of having 2 or 3 bedrooms, depending on your lifestyle.
Gateway also has 2 elevators which make getting to and from your suite or parkade a breeze!
4. Space to entertain
This plays into our point above. Just because you’re living on a single level doesn’t mean you should have to compromise on entertaining family a friends. Suite 2G was truly designed with you in mind. Enjoy a large master bedroom big enough for your king bed, a huge walk in closet, and a spacious spa-like master bathroom with 2 sinks and a walk in shower. The 2nd bedroom is perfect for out of town guests or a family member and features its own bathroom.
Your kitchen features a large island big enough for 6 people to comfortably sit around, a spacious living area AND a dining area large enough for an 8 person dining table. If you prefer, you can also trade this dining space in for a den or a 3rd bedroom.
If that’s not enough, you can book the 950sq ft rooftop patio with beautiful SW views. Choose a home and a floor plan that you can be proud of. Gateway makes this easy.
5. Centrally located
Spend less time in your car, and more time enjoying life. Your new home should be located in a neighbourhood that not only offers close proximity to what’s important to you, but also offers walkability within the community.
At Gateway, you can enjoy the prestige of having a SW address. It’s a quick 15 minute drive to the downtown core, and only one traffic light away from the mountains. Talk about a work life balance! Not to mention, getting around your neighbourhood is effortless. West District has been thoughtfully designed to maximize mobility with pedestrian-friendly streets and pathways connecting you to all your daily needs. You can also take advantage of all of the established amenities of the neighbouring community.
