The Affordable Appleby Town Home by Mattamy

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	The Appleby : Front Elevation Source: Mattamy

	[CLICK to enlarge] The Appleby : Floor Plan Source: Mattamy

Due to the recent housing boom that has propelled new home prices and Ottawa Real Estate sky-high, we have seen a return to a scenario last played-out in the 1970's. Back then it was mortgage rates, rather than home prices, that were extraordinarily high - about 20% higher than today. CMHC therefore devised several successful schemes so that Ottawa Home Builders could provide housing that was affordable.

They specified a minimum size of 1100 square feet as suitable for lower income home buyers, and home builders were invited to come up with the best designs which CMHC would subsidise. The new homes would sell at $34,000 and the high mortgage rates of the time would be on a sliding scale so that families could afford the lowest monthly payments in the first few years and hopefully pay more later on when they obtained salary increases. A challenge then ensued between Ottawa home builders to design the most successful new home that would enjoy the greatest demand...

Among local home builders who had designed new townhouses to meet CMHC's specifications were Minto and Assaly. Minto, as usual, were ahead of the game, rapidly bringing their design to market, and it soon became evident that they were being perceived as offering the best value in town with their 2-storey town homes. When their design was analysed, it became apparent that it was virtually identical to a design for a similar-sized home developed by Assaly years before, underlining the fact that it is very difficult to provide design innovation for a house of this size, in this market.

Now here we are, three decades later, after a housing boom that has once again placed new homes beyond the reach of many buyers. How then has Mattamy managed to meet a similar market need, while keeping their prices below every other Ottawa builder? We decided to find out.

First off, Mattamy has shifted the assumptions that were made in the 1970's, and their design is a direct response to today's very different market conditions.

Since land is now much more expensive, Mattamy has built on three levels instead of two, thus reducing the home's footprint, which includes a single car garage, rather than the outdoor parking made available in the 1970's. This enables Mattamy to build more homes on the same parcel of land, enabling them to charge less for each individual home.

Mattamy has also shifted their target market. Rather than assuming a small family requiring 3 bedrooms, as was a basic assumption of the 1970's, they have instead targeted young couples with, or anticipating, a small child, and have therefore provided only two bedrooms. They also provide 2 significant design features that would never have been considered before - a covered porch on the main level and an upstairs balcony. Each is approximately 85 Sq Ft in size.

The draw-back from the decision to offer a third floor, however, is that the (extra) third level staircase takes up some of the room in the finished area. But it can't be helped, because every design involves trade-offs. And the smaller the home the more compromises have to be made.

Mattamy's design of approximately 1100 square feet plus a garage possesses all the basic necessities for a young couple. Its foyer includes internal access from the garage, and a coat closet exactly where it should be - facing it and situated beside the front door. It features a handy laundry on the same level. The powder room is located upstairs no doubt because it takes less space away from the living room than the laundry would. The dining room is accessed directly through an open galley kitchen, which leads out onto the balcony - an important feature in such a small home where you sometimes feel you have to get outside.

On the top level, the master bedroom has a walk-in closet, and the bathroom is shared with the occupant of the second bedroom that can be used as a nursery or a computer room.

The smaller the home the more difficult it is to fit in all the necessities. But Mattamy have met the challenge of providing a small but liveable space and of restraining their price at a time when homes have become less affordable. Naturally it is full of compromises, but Mattamy can be complimented on their neat solutions. They have also designed an attractive composite façade for their rows of town homes. Certainly it is the best value in Ottawa for that size of home, and as such it justifies our 5-Star Award.

Since the Appleby is the lowest priced home in Mattamy's range of five "Village Homes," any buyer might be tempted to up-grade to one slightly larger and with more facilities. The next one up is The Berryhurst at about $12,000 more.

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The sole aim of the HomesExplorer™ 5-Star Design Awards Program is to reward excellence in the new homes industry by awarding five stars for the best design or innovation in a particular category. Our 5 Star Rating is awarded solely for excellence in design or innovation. Quality of construction and service are for buyers to ascertain themselves.