Move-in-ready townhome great for budget-minded buyers

To say the least, the phrase, “affordable starter home” has become an oxymoron, of late.

And it’s something many young families searching for such a dwelling know from first-hand experience, as many such prospective buyers have a limited budget of $350,000 or less.

Consequently, if a home is affordable — say the price tag is somewhere around $275,000-$300,000 — chances are it will come with a lengthy list of upgrades and renovations that need to be addressed.

Those projects can involve much more than cosmetic fixes, with costly repairs to foundations and roofs redlining already-stretched budgets. In many instances, young families find themselves living in homes they can’t afford to repair — a horrible fix to be in.

Headingley haven: Resplendent riverside residence offers custom-built comfort with a view

It’s something everyone dreams about at one time or another: possessing an unlimited budget with which to build your dream home.

That would entail several things. First, there’s the lot — and, of course, its location.

For most people, the lot would be large enough to provide good separation from potentially noisy neighbours.

It would also possess irrefutable beauty, surrounded by mature trees. If possible, water — whether it be a river, lake or pond — would also be present.

River Heights two-storey smartly melds contemporary and classic

Once upon a time, a one-and-a-half storey home was built in 1927 on a choice 50-by-120-foot lot at 1493 Wellington Cres.

Then, some 85 years later, in 2012, its owner decided to give the home a dramatic facelift both outside and in.

“Its unique Arts and Crafts-inspired design begins with a gorgeous wood and stone exterior that catches your attention the instant you see it — it doesn’t look like it’s 85 years old,” says Scott Moore of Century 21 Bachman & Associates (the Moore Group). “That’s just the start. When you step inside you can hardly believe what you see.”

What you see, it turns out, is a stunning entryway.

Solid affordability

Young families with a modest home-buying budget have never struggled so hard to find a solid, affordable starter house.

It’s easy to see why. These days, starter homes in the $250,000-$300,000 price range — whether they need work or not — tend to sell fast, with bidding wars the norm in sought-after neighbourhoods.

That being the case, it’s all too easy for young couples to experience multiple bidding battles without a sniff of success.

In many instances, missing out on a dwelling might turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Why?

Smartly updated bungalow condo modern and move-in ready

When a home is 25 years old, it’s neither old nor young in terms of its design and relative age.

That said, there’s a chance it could reflect the era in which it was built. Which is to say it could be, well, somewhat dated.

Val Miller of Royal LePage Dynamic Real Estate says her new listing — a 1,450-sq.-ft. bungalow condominium found in a tidy, well-designed complex at 12-123 Victor Lewis Dr. in Linden Woods — definitely does not fall into that category.

“Pride of ownership shines in this beautifully maintained unit,” she says. “Not only have the original owners kept it in wonderful condition, but they’ve also updated it tastefully over the years.”

Value-packed Sanford bungalow a refuge for empty-nesters

These days, affordability is a huge issue for empty-nest couples with budgets that fall short of the magical $400,000 mark.

Next to affordability, the two most important issues are condition and livability.

Which is to say a home should ideally be in move-in-ready condition, as absolutely no one — especially buyers on a modest budget — wants to sink another $20,000 to $30,000 into renovations just after purchasing a property.

Meanwhile, the home must also be functional, offering a user-friendly layout.

Century-old Wolseley home overhauled with young families in mind

Consider for a moment a home built over 100 years ago in Winnipeg.

In most instances, people tend to visualize the same thing: a quaint-looking home with an interior that falls short of living up to modern standards for one reason or another. One of those reasons may be that dwellings a century or more older can often be quite spartan in their overall design.

For some reason, home designers of the era showed an oft-shocking indifference to comfort, and hence, overall functionality. Consequently, such houses tended to lack flow and be somewhat dull inside, design-wise.

Individual spaces — from living rooms to kitchens, bedrooms to bathrooms — tended to be small in size. Moreover, storage space was in short supply. As a result, when families looking for a move-up home often cross older homes off their list due to an overall lack of space and versatility.

Lord Roberts infill duplex makes most of space, in style

When it comes to designing highly livable infill homes, it’s all about smartly utilizing available space while not scrimping on style.

In this instance, the builder spent considerable time pondering the design of the dwelling, following that up with high build quality from the ground up.

And the design and construction process wasn’t hurried to ensure everything was done right.

A stylish, five-year-old infill home found at 421 Rosedale Ave. in Lord Roberts benefits from this approach, says Roger Burns of Century 21 Bachman & Associates.

Spacious Armstrong’s Point dwelling bridges contemporary and classic

There are amazing neighbourhoods in our city that somehow manage to fly under the radar, and Armstrong’s Point is one of them.

A plausible explanation in this case is the fact the enclave is tucked away between Crescentwood and Wolseley, making it all too easy to overlook.

However, if you take the time to visit the history-laden enclave, you can’t help but be smitten by what you see: stands of ancient trees, large mature lots and a delightful collection of home styles that stands out for the sheer fact every dwelling is unique in its design.

And while many of the homes in the storied area are special, some are more special than others.

River Heights home resplendently remodelled with 1930s charm intact

One of the most challenging aspects of remodelling a classic 1930s home is to add modern functionality without compromising its timeless character.

Consequently, when the outgoing owners of 135 Ash St. decided to update their 2,910-sq.-ft. River Heights classic — which was likely a custom-built home when it was built in 1931 — they undertook the project with great care and respect.

To that end, they enlisted the help of Art Gross of Art Gross Builders Inc. and renowned architect Les Stecheson.

Val Miller of Royal LePage Dynamic Realty says no detail of the redesign of the stately home was overlooked.

Fully updated La Salle two-storey luxurious and livable

One of the drawbacks of homes with open-concept floor plans is — for better or worse — everything is right in front of you when you walk into the main living area.

And while flow between spaces is seamless, you can’t help but feel all the areas — family room, dining area and kitchen — aren’t as distinct as you’d like them to be.

Thankfully, some homes were designed to provide a happy medium between traditional (segmented) and modern (open-concept) design.

A sharp looking two-storey home located on an expansive lot at 27 McQueen Dr. in La Salle is one of those homes, says David Phillips of Century 21 Carrie Realty.

Tastefully updated River Park South bungalow ideal for a young family

These days, when growing families look to buy a move-up home, they have two options.

Option A is a brand-new detached two-storey home in one of the city’s newer neighbourhoods such as Prairie Pointe, Sage Creek or Summerlea (to name a few).

In most instances, the price tag for such a home — which would be anywhere from 1,350 to 1,500 sq. ft. in size — would range from $500,000 to $560,000 depending on chosen options.

As exciting as the prospect of moving into a brand-new home is, it isn’t a total cakewalk. Which is to say such homes can often be far from complete.

Stately Crescentwood two-and-a-half storey abode truly one-of-a-kind

A home just doesn’t happen — it’s created.

That’s exactly what the longtime owners did with a stately two-and-a-half storey home situated on a 108-by-135-foot lot at 134 Harrow St. in Crescentwood — create a quietly spectacular home, over the span of three decades.

Built in 1914, the sprawling home is a throwback to a time when craftsmanship was king with its commanding silhouette speaking to its one-of-a-kind, early 20th-century design.

That time period is underscored inside courtesy of high baseboards, hand-hewn red-oak hardwoods, ornate crown mouldings and a delightful collection of special spaces.

Light, airy and just like new: Make this luxury home your own

Thanks to U.S. tariffs and ever-rising construction material prices, it’s never been more costly to build a luxury home.

Mid-century modern marvel

Sometimes when you envision a home, it can come close to perfection. That’s what happened in 1964 when architect Roy Sellors designed a 1,996 sq. ft. bungalow for an oversized lot at 71 D’Arcy Drive in University Heights.