Her first owned home, in fact. “It was a huge move for me,” she says. “My mom was crying; I was crying; everybody was crying!” But since she took possession in June 2005, there have been no more tears as she's been enjoying life in her stylish 1200 square foot condo with her adorable four-month-old kitten Zeus.

The set up of her condo complex is distinctive. Each building houses four three-storey units, back-to-back with no backyards. Each has its own front entry, a front yard and balcony, along with a single attached garage.

It was after a big challenge that Tonya decided to buy her current home. Prior to building the condo, she had actually decided to build a house with her boyfriend. However, their break-up took place just as their home builder was breaking ground. While it was difficult to move on and let the house go, she was able to recover her deposit from that build, and now is an independent woman. “I'm on my own; I don't need to rely on any men!” she asserts.

After that relationship ended, it was important to Tonya to buy her first place on her own, and try out living solo.

“I need to find myself first before I get into a home with someone else,” she affirms.

Tonya works as a retail supervisor, and decided to go the condo route instead of a house. “I didn't want to be financially strained,” she explains. “Because I'm by myself, I don't have a dual income to rely on. I also don't want the maintenance of a house with a yard. And I didn't want a home to be too big and overwhelming to clean. I even find this place can be a lot to clean.”

Building a new condo was also the way that Tonya wanted to go. Lucky for her, her aunt is in the business as owner of Rockford Developments. That meant there was no 'finding a builder' dilemma as the choice was obvious. She “knew I wouldn't have any problems with them.”

And she hasn't. Her home is chock full of attractive features such as sky-high ceilings, ceramic tile flooring with a matching kitchen backsplash, and a cozy corner gas fireplace. The kitchen is full of clean lines with its stainless steel appliances, striking solid black countertops (though Tonya admits not always practical!), and maple cabinets with a hazelnut finish complete with a built-in wine rack. The cabinets also have underside lighting. “When I first saw the cabinets, they didn't look very feminine so I was pretty happy about that. I'm not a girly girl so I liked that they look masculine. I did want to make the kitchen look good because I like to cook, and I knew I'd spend a lot of time in it.”

What she did have trouble with was waiting for her condo to get built. “I had to wait about two years because Rockford couldn't get a building permit; things were so backed up with the city. All the units sold before the complex was finished. It was a long time to wait, but it was worth it.”

What's made it particularly worthwhile to Tonya is the condo's loft floor plan; it's not what you'd find in your typical condo. “My loft is what I love most,” she says. “It's different and trendy, and it's not what you'd find in your basic condo. It's perfect for the single professional.” The loft actually doubles as both her bedroom and her office space, plus she has an entertainment centre in there as well. With her walk-in closet and ensuite, she need never leave - everything she needs is all there.

Though she knew she wanted to build a brand-new condo, Tonya didn't have a clear vision of what she wanted her home to be like. “I didn't even have a visual when I picked this place. I just looked at a plan because they hadn't started building so there wasn't even a showhome to look at. I just thought, 'Wow, that looks neat [with the loft].' If you look around the complex, there's only three units that have lofts and they are in separate buildings. I wanted something different so that's why I went with that. The exterior of the unit was also important, and it was the first thing I noticed actually. I have the only long driveway in the whole place; the rest are very short. I'm lucky that way. I feel so bad for some of the people whose cars are all crammed in together when everyone's home at night.'”

One thing Tonya was sure about was that she wanted several bathrooms. “I grew up with five people all [competing] to use two bathrooms so I said to myself, 'When I get a place, it's going to have lots of facilities!” And so her home does. Tonya's condo is equipped with three bathrooms, though she admits: “I try to only use one so I don't have to constantly clean!”

Tonya also has a roomy south-facing balcony that lets in loads of sunshine. “I barely have to turn on the heat or the lights - a huge energy and dollar saver.” That leaves Tonya with extra decorating funds, which she puts to great use. Her contemporary-style home shows off her sense of chic with furnishings such as a lovely micro-suede couch, a gleaming white oval dining table, and funky white leather barstools. Plus, she's covered the walls with plenty of art. “I love artwork; I love nudes in particular. I've totally made an investment so I hope it pays off.”

Six months after biting the bullet and moving out on her own, Tonya is happy she decided to go for it. “People my age need to start investing and quit renting. Don't they know they're just throwing away their money? With real estate the way it is, my place has gone up in value already. Now is a good time to buy. And know that you can do it on your own!”  CL