Okotoks has a wonderful sense of community; we pride ourselves on a small-town feel even as we continue to grow. Ranchers’ Rise homeowners are more than just customers; they are our friends and neighbours. That’s why we are so pleased to feature stories about our new homeowners – we would like you to get to know Alex, President of SWAY Marketing, and Evan, a heavy-duty mechanic; a happy young couple who have recently moved to Ranchers’ Rise, loving life in their new home.
Meet Alex and Evan Zabel
Alex’s parents built a home in Air Ranch in 2005 so she was familiar with the area, but the couple actually weren’t seriously looking for a new home until they visited Ranchers’ Rise. “We were considering a new house but it was not a huge priority until we visited Ranchers’. We loved the community SO much. It’s beautiful, calm, and quiet but there’s still life to it. It feels like home when you drive down the street. It’s exactly what I wanted my community to be. We visited about five more communities after seeing Ranchers’ and nothing even came close.”
Then everything just started to fall into place for the couple. “I’ve known about Ranchers’ for a long time but I hadn’t really revisited it until that day. I fell in love! Like, we knew it existed but didn’t really have a reason to go there, but once I did there was no going back” Alex added. They purchased a Baywest spec home because it hit every mark on their homeowner checklist: a space to grow into; a garage big enough for Evan to tinker around; a yard with privacy for their sweet dog, Ella; an office for Alex to work from home; separate living and entertaining spaces; and a functional basement. “We needed a basement that made sense – our last one was stupidly laid out” the couple joked.
Working with their representative made for a positive experience with lasting impact. “They did everything; got us the house we wanted, were so easy to work with, didn’t put a lot of pressure on us. It was really different from a regular home buying experience. It was super easy to work with Amanda, she was able to really gave us the house with the space we wanted on our timeline.”
The couple has settled in comfortably and feels so at home in their new place. “We were looking for a place with good neighbours; neighbours who care about their homes, their properties and the community they live in. We also wanted a pretty community. Yes, Ranchers’ definitely met these! It’s mature-feeling, quiet community, and safe – you can walk around and feel comfortable.” Not only do they rave about the neighbourhood, but they also gush about their new home: “It’s decreased my commute to everywhere by at least 10 minutes. I have a space at home where I can work and a way nicer house. I love it so much. I just feel so good coming home.”
When they’re not working, the couple is busy building their lives in Ranchers’; they’ve been spending time in the community, deepening their Okotoks roots and getting to know their neighbours. “We’ve been invited to neighbourhood parties, and met all our neighbours which didn’t happen at our last place.”
Ranchers’ Rise couldn’t be a better fit for Alex and Evan and the life they’re building in Okotoks. And the feeling is definitely mutual!