When did you move in? We moved into our home in November 2009.
Was this the first time you built your own home? Yes
Who built your home? Eden Brae Homes
What home type did you choose? (Name, size m2) We built the Trenton 21 (single storey)
Any design features of this home? We extended the size of our living area which had the double effect of increasing the size of our alfresco. We also added a third garage space to increase storage room. Other design features include 9ft ceilings, timber bifold doors onto the alfresco, spa bath and wide front entry door.
What are the best features in the home?
Being a three bedroom home, we found that our design is one of the smaller size houses available to build. Adding the 9ft ceilings has given the home a great sense of space and light. We love the alfresco area, and the ease of entertaining with the open plan kitchen and living areas flowing onto the alfresco. The overall layout of our home gives a great balance of privacy and togetherness, making it feel warm and welcoming but still providing opportunities for each of us to have our “own space”.
What are some positive things about living in your community?
The Ponds has a lovely community atmosphere. We have easily become friends with neighbours in our street and enjoy catching up with them over impromptu dinners. It is nice to be able to work in the front yard and have a chat to neighbours also working in their gardens. We also appreciate that we can rely on our neighbours to keep an eye on our place when we go on holidays, and they know that we will do the same for them. The Ponds regularly hold community events which add to the feel of being in a friendly and caring neighbourhood. The closeness of Stanhope Shopping Village and Rouse Hill Town Centre also make The Ponds a very convenient place to live.
Why did you choose to build a home in The Ponds?
We chose to build our home in The Ponds because it provided us with an affordable option of owning our first home and being able to build a brand new home. We were also familiar with the area, and it is close to our families. We liked the focus on sustainable living and the incorporation of the environment into the development of the suburb, such as the nature corridor and the tree-lined streets. We appreciated the focus on building a strong community and the opportunity to participate in community events. The Ponds also offered close proximity to key services such as schools, shopping centres and the M7.
What are some of the favourite aspects of living in your community The Ponds?
Our favourite aspects of living at The Ponds are the community feel and the opportunity to develop friendships with people who are at a similar life-stage to us. We like that The Ponds is family-orientated, which will be much appreciated when we have children in the future. We love that we can go for a walk and feel like we are “in nature” when we walk along the various walking paths provided through the nature corridor. The proximity of the local shopping centres is also a big bonus for being able to duck out at night to grab dinner, a movie, and any forgotten grocery items.
Do you participate in local community events, mums groups, sports etc or have friends close by?
Many of the community events are within easy walking distance from our home, so we usually get a couple of neighbours together and head down to enjoy the food and activities.
Do you use the community facilities such as parks, cycleways, shops etc? Please describe.
We frequently use the local parks and walking paths to take our dog for a walk and to get exercise. We regularly go to the local shops to do our grocery and personal shopping, hire DVDs, or just have a coffee.
What does sustainability mean to you?
To us sustainability means living within our environment in a way that ensures we protect our natural resources for future generations, and that we minimize our negative impact on key biological systems.
What sustainability features do you like in your community?
We like that The Ponds has a focus on sustainability which can be seen through the development of waterways, the nature corridor, the provision of recycled water and natural gas, and the landscaping guidelines. We also found it helpful to receive the guide to living sustainably when we first moved into our home so that we can improve our contribution to achieving sustainable living.
Are you doing anything extra to incorporate sustainability into your home?
We have minimised our electricity consumption for heating and cooling by installing quality blinds and shutters, overhead fans instead of ducted air conditioning, and gas heating. We use energy saving light bulbs in our home and water saving fittings and fixtures in our bathrooms. We have a gas cooktop in the kitchen and a small recycle bin to make sorting out recycling products easy. We use low phosphate detergents and organic/fair-trade products where possible. We are also growing our own herbs and vegetables in our backyard.
What are some of the activities or highlights of your typical weekend?
Our typical weekends involve having breakfast on our alfresco, working on landscaping our backyard, catching up with family and friends, grocery shopping and going to church.
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