StreetSide Developments Edmonton Introduces New Downsizer Bungalow Product

Edmonton, AB – StreetSide Developments Edmonton has broken ground on a new bungalow product that is affordable for downsizers and gives them a home that perfectly suits their current life stage.

The project is a collaborative effort between StreetSide Developments Edmonton and Qualico Communities Edmonton to bring the right size, zoning, and block format of lots to the market to fit these unique homes, according to Nicholas Carels, Vice-President, StreetSide Developments Edmonton.

“The benefits for this product line are the same for both teams,” he said. “It provides another product option in these subdivisions that allows both of us to capture more sales and market share for this growing demographic.”

It also allows StreetSide Developments Edmonton to use land that would potentially otherwise be passed over, due to the high building costs and low returns that come with traditional 20-ft. two-storey row homes. 

The new bungalow product will be found in the Qualico Community of Summerwood, located in Sherwood Park. StreetSide Developments Edmonton is also working with Qualico Communities Edmonton to bring the product to a future phase of the Edgemont community in Edmonton.

Although downsizers who might be moving to the area from acreages and farms are the targeted demographic for this new product, others such as ‘snowbirds’, those looking at apartment living, and individuals with a single income will likely find the price point, low-maintenance design, and location appealing as well

The homes will be built with a slab on grade design with reduced square footage, and some of the features that will make this product ideal for downsizers include:

• 42-in. upper cabinets that will not only be for aesthetic purposes, but with the majority of clients likely downsizing into a smaller space, the larger volume of cabinets will allow for more storage
• Increased door widths where possible to accommodate clients that may need assistance (walker, wheelchair, etc.)
• Reduction of stairs in the home
• 10-ft.-high walls in the detached garage to give clients even more storage capacity
• High-quality luxury vinyl plank flooring instead of carpeting, which will help with air quality and will allow clients who have mobility issues to move around more easily and safely

Shawn Kosowan, Senior Project Manager, StreetSide Developments Edmonton, noted that the homes will also be energy-efficient to further keep costs down for homeowners.

“We’ve incorporated LED lighting, upgraded insulation, and a high-performance heating system that should deliver us a home that consumes less than 50 gigajoules per year in energy use,” he said, “or half that of a traditional townhome and one-third that of a traditional bungalow. We also incorporated an added roofline over the south-facing large window to help with cooling on warm summer days.

Additional features of the homes include a modern farmhouse exterior that includes a white façade with black accenting; 10-ft. walls; 8-ft. interior and exterior doors to complement the higher ceiling heights; 6-ft.-tall windows; included landscaping and fencing; optional blind offerings; combi boiler, which will supply on-demand hot water and heat; insulated concrete floor with hydronic in-slab heat; an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) for fresh air intake and exhaust; and a fully insulated foundation for comfort and quality.

Shawn noted that there are a number of benefits homeowners will see with the new bungalow product, including a desirable alternative to apartments, affordability, equity, and an opportunity to age in place.

“At the moment, if someone was looking for a home with one level of living space with features like our own in a comparable size, their only option would be an apartment,” he said.

From an affordability perspective, most comparable new single-family or attached bungalow products on the market are vastly more expensive than the downsizer bungalows, and the longer-term cost of ownership will also be significantly lower with this new product (for things like property taxes, utilities, and maintenance)

In addition, potential customers who will likely be moving out of larger and more expensive homes and who choose this product will be able to take the equity gained and reinvest it or save it, rather than put it into a new, traditionally constructed bungalow.

Lastly, the opportunity to age in place makes these bungalows very attractive to those looking to downsize, with the features and overall design of the homes allowing clients to stay in them for longer than a traditional bungalow. The product’s use in certain communities also allows buyers to be closer to their families.

Despite facing some unique challenges and considerations with the design of this new downsizer bungalow product – including grading, lot sizing, and zoning – work is moving ahead on the project and StreetSide Developments Edmonton will be releasing the homes for sale shortly, with homeowners expected to move in this fall