Spacious living with room to choose

Sometimes a jolt of fresh energy is just what the housing market needs. That's how owners Jon Schwartz, chief executive officer, and Wade Grabeldinger, chief financial officer, felt when they founded Crimson Cove Homes last May.

They built a show home in Granville, a new development in west Edmonton just south of the Whitemud and west of Anthony Henday, and have been busy ever since.

It didn't take long for customers to become interested. Kate Cosentino was drawn in by the small-scale company and its modern show home. As a real estate agent for ReMax Elite, Kate knew the area well and was interested in buying her first house with her boyfriend, Cory Robinson.

"We bought our home when it was in the framing stage. The show home drew me in. I was impressed by the level of finishing. Other builders nickel and dime you on finishings, but at Crimson Cove it was already part of the package."

Kate and Cory's home was completed on June 24, and they are now enjoying home ownership and all that comes with it. Their 1,750square-foot, two-storey is done in what Crimson Cove terms the Atlantic style. Hardwood floors, ceramic tile, a tile fireplace and quartz countertops are some of the features of the Atlantic. The Pacific offers a lower price option with linoleum and carpet.

Kate was also impressed by Muriel Mckay, the area sales manager. "I know quite a few sales reps from being a realtor, and she (Muriel) stuck out as special. She wasn't only concerned about the sale. By getting to know us, she was able to help with our selections based on who we are and what we do. It seemed like it was a whole other level of service."

The Starling show home is a 2,006sq.-ft., two-storey with nine-foot-tall ceilings on both floors. Rectangular tiles cover the front entryway and flow to the mud-room. Hardwood floors extend into the main entertainment space. Bright quartz countertops waterfall over the cabinetry, giving the space a modern feel.

Jon describes the inception of Crimson Cove. "Wade and I had been working at a tract home builder, a big company. I'd been doing land development, and Wade started as a controller. We then became general managers. I'd been there a long time and saw that there were a lot of things I wanted to do differently."

One of those things was providing the opportunity for customers to customize their homes. Rather than being limited by a set scheme or design, buyers are invited to personalize their homes. "If customers are going to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars, our view is that they should be able to change more than the paint colour," says Jon.

There are several floor plans to choose from, ranging in size from 1,533 sq. ft. to 2,700 sq. ft. and from $375,000 to $650,000.

Crimson Cove has sold 22 homes, all in Granville, a neighbourhood next to The Grange Shopping Centre with banking, a Safeway store and restaurants, as well as easy access to Anthony Henday and the Whitemud.

Jon and Wade spent time measuring out spaces during the design process to make sure they functioned well. "When we built this house, we didn't have to make any changes during construction. We feel we really nailed it," says Jon.