The ready-made solution: Think Sifton when you need a home fast
Job transfer. Health situation. Education opportunity. Family crisis. What if you got a call and needed to move to London or the surrounding area and find a home quickly for any of these reasons?
You don’t want to rent and pay someone else’s mortgage. Getting an apartment or townhome is an option, but with rising rental rates, it doesn’t seem like a great one. You know you’ll want your own home but don’t want to move twice.
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When faced with this situation, Doreen Springle chose one of Sifton’s model homes in a west London development called Whispering Pine. Her husband’s health mandated a quick move to London. The couple had been considering downsizing to a condo for a few years while still living in Erin, Ontario. With the volatile Ontario housing market, Doreen knew she wanted a new home without going through the new house construction steps.
Though she looked at several developments and homes built by other companies, Doreen chose Sifton. “I looked at others, but I liked what I saw with Sifton’s condos in Warbler Woods. My son and I came to look at this one (in which she presently lives), and we thought it was what I needed at the time.”
Whispering Pine offers two- and three-bedroom condominiums that range from 1,470 square feet to 1,741 square feet of living space. Many homebuyers opt to have the basement finished, which doubles the square footage, according to Barb Owens, Sales Associate for this development. Doreen chose a two-bedroom model that perfectly fits her needs.
Located in west London, she feels the area works very well for her. “It’s on the edge of town but there’s a grocery store within a four-minute drive and 10 minutes to the big malls.” She adds that it has great access to Highway 401 when driving to Toronto.
The retired teacher likes to stay active, so she appreciates the development’s pathways and wishes she had more time to spend walking the trails of Hickory Woods and Warbler Woods.
Senior Vice President of Development Phil Masschelein says that Sifton is strategic about the areas in which it chooses to develop and painstakingly assesses them for attributes that will appeal to buyers of different demographics. He says that what can be a year-long research phase begins by studying a municipality’s growth plan, followed by careful consideration of the area’s topography and location in relation to community amenities. Each area in which Sifton chooses to build goes through a series of stringent criteria before drawing up site plans and applying for permits. According to Phil, the research phase can stretch to be a decade-long process before shovels hit the ground. “When we consider whether to invest and add value to the community, we want to make sure it is within close proximity to schools, parks and trails, perhaps adjacent to a natural area, with shopping in close proximity.” He adds, “We look at larger properties, so we can build to meet the needs of the community in five to 10 years.”
Sifton’s mission to formulate vital communities by building a variety of homes – towns, condos and single-family dwellings – for buyers of different ages and stages is another thing that Doreen loves about living in Whispering Pine. “I like it very much because there are a variety of homes in the surrounding area – some houses, some condos – with a variety of people of different generations and cultures.”
However, Whispering Pine is only one option that people seeking a ready-made home should consider.
Model homes are available for sale in other Sifton developments, including some that are just outside London. Buyers, who want the pastoral peace of living in a rural community but desire to be near city amenities, will appreciate Rosewood and Clear Skies developments.
Rosewood, in Thorndale – to the east of London, has single-family home models available in single-family homes.
According to Phil, “Out of town, you can get a larger lot – wider or deeper or both. And sometimes you can get a larger home for the same cost to build a house as those in the city.”
Growing families are attracted to better schools and a more cohesive community feeling. They want to get to know their neighbours and feel comfortable letting the kids go outside to play.
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The same is true of the Clear Skies community, with the added benefit of having property taxes that are 25 per cent less than those paid by city dwellers, according to Phil.
Brittany Ready, Sales Associate for both developments, says that model homes can be ready for a 30-day closing, which customers who need to move quickly appreciate.
Beyond location, there are many important considerations that raise Sifton above other builders in the area. “Many look to Sifton because of longevity. We recently celebrated the company’s 100th anniversary; you don’t enjoy that much success without having a reputation as a quality builder, and being a leader in the southern Ontario real estate market,” says Toby Stolee, Vice President of Construction. He adds that Sifton has become part of the fabric of London by consistently using local trades, sub-contractors and suppliers. “We have strong local relationships. We’ve used the same framer for 25 years; we’ve worked with Cardinal Kitchens for 40 or 50 years.” Another long-standing local business – Copp’s Buildall supplies all the lumber for Sifton’s new construction.
“Brayl Copp and Mowbray Sifton were close friends. The two companies have been doing business since Sifton started building,” says Jake Draper, Vice President of Sales for Copp’s Buildall.
Toby adds, “One of the features of our homes that demonstrates our commitment to quality construction is that all of our homes are Energy Star rated.” He adds that this starts by doing “energy modelling, building a tight envelope, having higher levels of insulation and installing more efficient mechanical systems.
Doreen reports that she’s had few after-sales issues with her home. Sifton is one of the rare construction companies to have a dedicated warranty specialist. Scott White is the Client Services Manager, so he ensures that any issues that arise during the home’s ‘settling’ phase are quickly resolved.
“Scott did a walkabout with me when I moved in and spotted three small things to be fixed that I didn’t even see, and they were done,” explains Doreen, adding “When there is something, I email Scott and there is somebody here usually the next day.”
A model home is completely finished so the customer doesn’t have to choose any of the fixtures or finishes, and Doreen is thrilled with the decor in her home. “Because it was a model, there were many upgrades, and I’m very happy with the finishes.” Because she was stressed by the hurried move, “there were no decisions to be made and that was good for me at the time.”
House hunters want to find the right home quickly, so Sifton has partnered with James McGuire and Amanda McGuire of Thrive Realty to help buyers find great houses in London’s real estate market. “Model homes are resale homes, though they are new, so we have partnered with Sifton to give greater exposure to those homes on MLS and Realtor.ca,” says James, explaining a bit about Ontario housing sales.
The McGuires say that different types of clients will easily find a ready-made home to love in one of Sifton’s communities despite the challenges of London’s housing market.
Whispering Pine skews toward empty nesters and professional couples “A lot of buyers are selling larger homes in Hunt Club and Byron. They need and want to downsize but still want a quality home that they don’t have to wait for. And Sifton knows how to build a house,” says Amanda.
James says, “We are also seeing an increasing number of buyers who sold homes in the GTA for a lot (of money) and now want to live in smaller communities because they can work remotely and have a better quality of life.”
While some people buy a new home in a hurry for the reasons above or because they’ve sold and need to purchase a house before closing, others want someone else to have already made the many decisions that come with building a new home. “Not everyone has an eye for design or comfort with construction decisions. They don’t have to deal with all of that but still get a brand-new home,” adds Amanda.
Whether you’re moving to London or one of the smaller surrounding communities for a work transfer, family situation or need a quick move-in for some other reason, there is a model home right for you but that allows you to skip many of the steps in new home construction. Sifton welcomes you to contact a member of their sales team to find a ready-made solution for the home you need and love.
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Author: Jill Ellis-Worthington for Sifton Properties Limited