The owner’s tour | The quiet side of city life

The pandemic and working from home have upset many plans, and sometimes for the better. In particular, they will have enabled Sylvain Talbot and Andrew Snyder to hasten their retirement project, suddenly transformed into a pre-retirement project: to settle permanently in a charming property in the Eastern Townships. The last stone to be laid in their plan remains the resale of their elegant townhouse, ideally located in the Angus sector, in Rosemont.

Sylvain Sarrazin
The Press

“We will definitely miss the neighborhood life and the proximity of services”, explains the couple, who acquired this terraced house almost four years ago. But the stars aligned unexpectedly for the owners: just before the outbreak of the pandemic, they also invested in a beautiful rural property in Granby, initially destined to become their nest for their retirement. Thanks to the long-term implementation of telecommuting, they were able to accelerate their rural exodus project and set sail earlier than planned for the Townships.

They therefore give up life in the city, even if they had been charmed by the surroundings of their Montreal property, particularly appreciating the advantages of urban proximity devoid of its usual disadvantages; the residence being located in a very peaceful crescent, formed by the Ouvrières park, the surroundings exude tranquility. “Everyone knows each other, neighborhood life is very dynamic and very family-oriented”, emphasizes Mr. Talbot.

A host of amenities are within walking distance: restaurants, bakeries, grocery stores, rue Masson and services around the Technopôle Angus, a revitalized and booming district. There is also everything you need in terms of clinics and health services, point out Sylvain and Andrew, experts in the field, since they both work in this professional sector.

Four season solarium

In addition to its attractive location, the house itself is also attractive, especially since the current occupants, art lovers, have particularly been able to highlight its potential.

One of the most radiant rooms, in which they admit to having spent whole days, is undoubtedly the solarium, whose entrance is open to the kitchen, allowing floods of light to pour into the rest of the residence.

Facing south, it can be occupied according to the four seasons. “It’s funny, we have a 65-inch TV in the living room, but we prefer to watch the 29-inch TV in the solarium! “, admit the owners. In addition, it overlooks the backyard, quite intimate, where an inground heated pool promises pleasant summers. All of the amenities in the yard, such as the wooden benches, fences and stone walls, have been recently renovated.

For a family with children

The layout of the rest of the house remains classic with, on the ground floor, the common living rooms (living room, dining room and open concept kitchen), three bedrooms having been fitted upstairs. “It would be perfect for a family with children,” says Andrew, who opens the doors to the master bedroom. Equipped with a large window directly overlooking the park, it offers an excellent compromise between openings and brightness. As the house is adjoining on only one side, windows have been fitted on the opposite facade – which is not the lot of all the houses in the district.

Even if the owners have not nested at this address for ages, that has not stopped them from embarking on major renovations, such as the complete redevelopment of the basement, which has made it possible to fit out a guest bedroom with adjacent bathroom. The energy side has also been reviewed and corrected thanks to the installation of a heat pump and heated floors in the kitchen and the solarium, making the latter all the more cozy. The oak floors and woodwork were kept because of their quality.

The couple will have to mourn the loss of city life, but their new principal residence located in Granby, a large Canadian with dream landscaping and a private tennis court, should make the pill pass without difficulty.