Some people are lucky to have firsthand experience so that the choice is narrowed down to what to look for and where to go. Young couple Camilla Krochak and Tim Olsen first rented a 17th Avenue downtown apartment because of its proximity to their work and the amenities they favoured. “We’ve always liked to live fairly central so we knew exactly what we were looking for when the time came to buy our own place,” says Krochak.

The couple had several criteria in place: a spacious, open place that allowed for lots of sunlight; and it had to be central enough to allow them to commute or walk instead of depending on their car. Today, the couple live in a two-bedroom with one bath, 1,000-square-foot condo in Bankview called the Sussex House. And they’re happy that most, if not all, their wishes have been granted in their first home. “It’s a little more spacious than other two-bedroom condos out there,” says Krochak.

The four-storey Sussex is a renovated building from the 1970s that has been given a complete interior overhaul. The exterior has a Spanish look to it, with its green stucco, brown painted balconies and a red tiled roof. Krochak is pleased that the Sussex also has such small density, with only eight unit’s altogether, two tenants on each floor.

The couple’s ground level condo has many elements that they find ideal: great elevations, three outside walls, large windows, and two balconies, one of which is located just off the master bedroom. “Sunlight and fresh air are really important for us. Even in the dead of summer when it gets pretty hot we can just throw open the windows and it stays fresh inside,” says Krochak.

Krochak is a part-time student and yoga teacher in the Mount Royal area. Her husband is a professor at SAIT. Not driving everywhere or paying for parking was a huge priority for the couple. “We wanted to be self sufficient. I am able to walk to work or I take the bus that picks up right in front of our place. My husband takes the bus 99 per cent of the time, and it takes him 10 minutes to get to SAIT,” says Krochak.

The location of the Sussex is one other reason this couple love their condo, being able to access 17th Avenue shopping and restaurants either on foot, bus or car. Their social life has not suffered at all. “We often will take the bus to meet friends for a few drinks and we don’t have to worry about taking a cab home,” says Krochak.

The couple have updated their kitchen, putting in granite countertops and cherry coloured cabinets. Plans are in the works to put in a backsplash to polish the look. A big pass-through bar from the kitchen opens into the west-facing living room. Since they enjoy entertaining, having a separate dining room that could fit their dining table was a huge plus. A wood burning fireplace helps warm up the place on cold winter days.

With two bedrooms in their condo, the couple have turned the second room into a multi-functioning living space. Krochak, who maintains a yoga studio in the Mount Royal area, uses the room for her yoga practice. The room also serves as their home office where they do all their paperwork, pay bills and where Krochak gets her schoolwork done. On the days they’re just hanging out, the room also serves as their entertainment space. “We like browsing the ‘net or watch streaming videos on the computer. We also have a lazy boy so we have a quiet spot to catch-up on some reading,” says Krochak.

Though this couple does not discount the highs of the maintenance-free lifestyle, they admit that they feel safer living in a condo. “There are people up and about all the time—at the same time we watch out for each other, so you feel pretty safe day to day,” says Krochak.  CL