What makes a house a home? This is a question we ask ourselves a lot at Lancaster Homes, and we seek to design our homes with the answer in mind. What we have come to discover over the years is that people—families—make our homes special.

When Mirella and Mike were looking for their first home, they were looking for a family home, a place where they could settle and put down roots. We’re honoured to say they found that with Lancaster Homes, specifically at our Simcoe Landing community in Keswick, Ontario. Mirella and Mike loved their home so much, they even encouraged several of their family members to purchase with us!

We interviewed Mirella and Mike to learn more about their experience with us; not only of their first Lancaster home BUT their second one as well. Keep reading to see some of the reasons why homeowners from across Canada choose Lancaster Homes for their families, time and time again.

Lancaster Homes (LH): What drew you to Simcoe Landing?

Mirella & Mike (M&M): We were first time home buyers trying to get into the housing market. We were originally from Toronto and had decided to look north for something more affordable. We did many web searches with our specific criteria, and Simcoe Landing kept coming up. As a kid growing up, my dad’s family had a cottage in Keswick, just off the Queensway, so I was familiar with the area. I knew it wasn’t that far of a drive, so we decided to come up and check things out. After speaking to Sandy and Sue in the sales office, who answered all our many questions, we went for a drive to look at the neighbourhood. We had stopped to get out and look at the house we were thinking of purchasing when one of the Simcoe Landing residents walking his dog stopped to talk to us. As it turns out, he had the same model home and invited us to come in and see his house. We got a very good feeling from the neighbor and from Sandy and Sue, so we decided to purchase our first home.

 

LH: What made you want to refer your family to Lancaster?

M&M: My mother was just about to retire and wanted to sell her home in the city. We wanted her close by, and the price was right for the houses in Simcoe Landing. We had been driving up every weekend to see the progress on our house being built, and we would almost always stop in to see Sandy and Sue. They always made us feel welcome and took the time to explain away the many questions and concerns we had. We decided to bring my mother and stepdad up with us to not only look at our house in progress, but to come to the sales office to meet Sandy and Sue. I knew they would get the same feeling we did, and sure enough, they decided to purchase a house as well.

That was the first referral to Lancaster. We also referred my father in law and my brother as well, who both now own Lancaster homes. Our experiences with everyone at Lancaster Homes over the years has been extremely professional; the customer service was top notch and second to none.

We like the fact that Lancaster is a family run business and everyone who works with them or for them takes great pride in what they do. I will never forget what Sergio the Site Supervisor said to me one day. We had a problem at our first home and the workers had been back a few times to fix it. Sergio assured me that he takes pride in the houses he builds, and even if this problem happened 20 years later and he was still around, he would fix it—and he wasn’t just saying that. Not only did he fix the problem, but he also left us with a sense of relief and ensured we no longer had to stress out about the situation. The pride that everyone at Lancaster Homes takes in their work is the reason I recommend them to my family and friends.

 

LH: Tell us a little more about your second Lancaster home. What model did you purchase and why?

M&M: For our second home, we chose the Elmhurst. We chose this model because we liked the layout. Although we loved the model homes, we wanted to go with something a little bigger than the Willow, but something more affordable than the Simcoe.

LH: What are some of your favourite details from your home?

M&M: We went with Option B for the upper level. The bedrooms in this house are huge! When everyone sees the second bedroom with its own ensuite washroom, they assume it’s the master, and then when they see the master, they’re amazed at how big it is. The closet space in all four bedrooms is amazing—more than enough. We liked the fact that the laundry room is mid level between the main floor and the upper floor, this way you can’t hear the laundry being done in the bedrooms, but don’t have to walk all the way downstairs with your dirty clothes. The sunken mudroom is large with a huge walk in closet leaving the front door closet with more than enough room for all your guests’ winter jackets. The half wall separating the living room and dining room allows you wall space for your couch, without getting rid of the open concept. The large island in the kitchen really stands out and catches everyone’s eye when they walk in; great for entertaining.

 

LH: What do you value most about your experience working with the Lancaster team?

M&M: When working with the Lancaster team as much as we have, you understand that they truly care. They always have time for us and our concerns no matter how busy they are. They not only work to resolve any issues we might have, but they take the time to explain every situation thoroughly. They want to make sure that we’re truly satisfied with our purchase, and take the necessary steps needed to make us feel that way. With the amount of times we have asked questions, or needed something explained to us, you would think the Lancaster team would run the other way when they see us coming, however they do the exact opposite.  They make us feel welcome and treat us like a part of the family.

Caption: Pictured: The Simcoe. While some features are similar across our homes, make sure you check with your sales representative to see what is offered in your model of choice.

 

LH: Why is Lancaster Homes your builder of choice in Keswick? What would you say to convince anyone still on the fence about buying a Lancaster home?

M&M: Anyone who sees a Lancaster home can tell they are built of the highest quality. No shortcuts are taken. I have had several friends and family members in both of my Lancaster homes who work in the trades, and they all speak highly of the quality of work that is done by Lancaster Homes. They can’t believe a builder would take extra time or spend some extra money to make sure the job is done right. They are shocked every time they come to my home.

I have many stories I could share about my experiences that would help convince someone who might be on the fence about buying a Lancaster home. The main thing for me is the customer service from everyone I have dealt with at Lancaster Homes. From the sales team, to the engineers to the owners, to the labourers, everyone I have dealt with has treated us with the utmost respect and takes great pride in what they do. You can honestly see that they want to make you, the customer, happy and satisfied, and they will do whatever it takes to get that job done. Lancaster doesn’t build houses; they build you a home that you and your family can take pride in.

Thank you so much, Mirella and Mike, for your kind words and for letting us interview you! Stay tuned for more from Mirella and Mike—this isn’t the last time you’ll be hearing from them! Make sure you’re tuned into our Facebook and Instagram to stay updated with all things Lancaster Homes!