Innovation

Jasmine Foscolos and Matthew Tenace were scouting display homes around Wollert and Donnybrook well before Covid. Working hard and saving hard, they were scrutinising the future with a weather eye for good bang for their buck.

Location and amenity were key factors, so too affordability, but having all three come together as seamlessly as they discovered with the Solstice precinct in the heart of Villawood’s Rathdowne community was a watershed moment.

“I actually found out about this one through Facebook. I saw an ad pop up and made some inquiries,” says Jasmine, who’s excited not just to be buying her first home but also with the Solstice townhome package avoiding the higher costs of separate land and home purchases.

The Solstice precinct, with its ground-breaking microgrid solar power, offers additional ongoing power savings in the years ahead, while also assisting the Club Rathdowne residents’ club next door. Its sustainability credentials are a first for a mainstream residential community.

“I really like the design by Metricon, it’s really modern, we love the colour scheme we chose and the facade looks nice,” says Jasmine.

“Solstice wasn’t initially something I was looking for but, looking into it, we found it’s a really good thing. It stands out compared to others.”

Jasmine presently lives in Bundoora, with her parents. She works in HR, working from home during the pandemic. Partner Matthew is an electrical apprentice, living at Keilor with his family as well. He’s undertaken a lot of work around Wollert and is well familiar with Villawood’s Rathdowne and its features.

“The townhouse are quite a good deal,” says Jasmine. “We couldn’t pass them up, they’ve got everything we were looking for, it’s actually been a bit overwhelming.

And Rathdowne itself? What were the drawcards?

“Oh, lots of things. The club is a great stand-out, especially the gym. We have gym memberships and with the Club we’ll basically have one right next door,” says Jasmine.

“The membership price saving was really attractive but also Rathdowne’s retail and shops as well, plus the parks, the grand open space.

“I was working in the Melbourne CBD at Docklands two days a week before lockdown. From Rathdowne, it’s five or 10 minutes to the train.

“My parents at Bundoora will be about 20 minutes away. Matthew’s family at Keilor about the same, maybe 25 minutes.”

Jasmine and Matthew did their homework before deciding on Rathdowne, looking closely  at capital appreciation with Villawood and an eye of their future prospects.

“Yes, we thought of that, it was part of our decision, because in future we’d like something bigger when we have family.”