As a kid I’d always known Kanata as a big family area. Loads of single detached homes in mature communities. With how big the Kanata North Technology Park has gotten over the years I really shouldn’t be surprised that Kanata would draw developers with an idea of a “Smart Community”. What did surprise me was when it came to Kanata South.

At first I had no idea what a smart community meant. “Smart” was generally an adjective I’d seen on food wrappers in an attempt to make them seem healthy. So when the project started, originally SohoWest, later renamed Trailwest, I was curious.

The idea was to build townhomes with a focus on tech savvy young professionals. To draw in the crowd they wanted, Trailwest offered options not commonly seen outside of custom builders. Each home comes wired up with 2 Ethernet ports per room (except bathrooms. Sadly you’ll have to use wifi on the john), all wired up to a patch panel in the basement with a UPS. It also has fiber to the door, meaning you get some excellent options if you require above average Internet speeds. When the project was under development they also offered tech based upgrades including everything from built in speaker systems to controlling your window blinds on any iDevice.

What also drew the crowds was the price. Many of the homes start at  1200 square feet and go up from there, all with garages, and it’s in the range of first time home buyers. The area surrounding the neighborhood has started to develop like wildfire, and the more it grows the more we’re seeing a positive impact on home values. Being very close to the existing Superstore and Eagleson Plaza already helped, but the new Smart Center (noticing a trend here?) which features a Walmart Superstore, CIBC, and various smaller retailers has really begun to make the community desirable to those who want to be close to amenities. Pretty much the only thing we’re missing at this point is a pub. I still have my fingers crossed for one in phase 2 of the Smart Center.

So how did they do in their target demographics? Actually pretty well. As of October 2014 48% of population was between 20 and 44 years old, a majority of which are married. We also see that the neighborhood is primarily white collar jobs, with an average household income of $121,000/year.

The neighborhood is also quite popular with young families just starting out. This is primarily due to the price point, and easy access to schools including 3 K1-6 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and two high schools, covering needs like catholic education, french immersion and special education.

In 2014 home prices have been between $297,000 and $422,000 with an average home price of around $350,000 for homes with between 2-4 bedrooms and minimum 2 bathrooms (because lets face it, having more than 1 bathroom to a family is pretty much a necessity these days).

If townhomes, tech and amenities are what you’re looking for, Trailwest might be a good fit. If you’re looking for the big house, 2 car garage and massive lawn, stay tuned for some of my other spotlights.