by Stephen Rolston, Owner Land Ark Homes, Founder Watercolour Westport.
Jonathan escaped the sea of brake lights in the GTA for Westport. You can listen to him in his own words on our Watercolour Westport Stories Podcast.
When I was 25 and looking to start homebuilding, building lots in Mississauga or Oakville were $100,000. I couldn’t qualify for the loan needed to start my company.
Then I read in the Toronto Star real estate section about Stittsville, a bedroom community outside Ottawa that had one of the highest per capita income levels in Canada. The community had high-tech and government workers with stable incomes, where new 50-foot home building lots were only $50,000.
So I “drove until I qualified”, moved to Ottawa and started Land Ark Homes. Since then, we’ve helped more than 400 families in over 10 different communities thrive and flourish.
Today, the cost of building lots is much higher than it was 30 years ago. Home prices have quadrupled, and housing scarcity is a national challenge.
Even single-family starter homes in the GTA’s outlying areas, such as Georgetown or Guelph, now exceed $1,000,000. These average-quality, modest homes often require costly repairs and replacements, as they are not constructed with longevity or sustainability in mind.
Searching for a great place to live doesn’t have to be hard, especially if you can work remotely. We like to say that at Watercolour Westport we offer people “a better place to call home.” Watercolour is a place where you can have your home and cottage in one with a better location three hours from Montreal and Toronto, 75 minutes from Ottawa, 45 minutes from Kingston, and 25 minutes from Perth. You can access to 5 airports, three of Canada’s largest cities and tranquility in your own back yard.
Today, remote and hybrid workers can do what I did and drive till they qualify, stopping in Westport. New homes here are $250,000 less than in Ottawa and $750,000 less than in Mississauga and Oakville. You can also enjoy the peace of mind of a Net Zero Ready home, EV ready garage and luxurious standard features!
People aren’t choosing Westport just because they can afford a beautiful home here. They’re choosing a better life. Westport is a complete, 15-minute walkable village where all your daily needs are nearby. The harbour, groceries, library, brewery and winery are all within a 15 minute walk. There are schools, sports and artistic pursuits. Remote workers can thrive here with only one car and save even more!
If you’re in the GTA, drive till you qualify and find the perfect place to live in Westport.
Come for a visit! You just may stay for a lifetime.
