New Jackson’s Grant residents, the Van Schaacks, share what life in their new custom home in Carmel is like. Learn why they chose to live in Jackson’s Grant, why Old Town Design Group was different than other area builders, and what they love best about their new home.
What made you decide to live in Jackson’s Grant?
Jes: Phil has been scouting out Old Town homes for a really long time, so even before Jackson’s Grant was established, he wanted to build with Old Town. He loved the craftsman home, he loved the builder. We lived at 96th and Meridian prior to this, which was such a great location, and when he saw that Old Town was building here, we jumped on the band wagon.
Phil: Earlier, driving through Carmel, I knew about this location; the farmhouse, the two big oak trees, that very long driveway and I just thought, “Wow, this is convenient,”. It doesn’t matter where you live in Indianapolis, you know where 116th and Meridian is. It’s such a convenient location. The neighborhood is lovely, but once you get on one of those [nature] trails, you really see what kind of neighborhood this is.
Could you describe the feeling when you both walked into your finished home for the first time?
Jes: It was just a relief. It was so cool to see it all come together. It was a relief in that we are finally done making decisions and we finally get to see it all come together. I loved the closing party because Old Town is a small enough builder that shows that they still care about the individual and the family. And it just kind of wraps it all up. So that’s a really nice closing touch to the [home building] process. Old Town is proud of their product.
Phil: As corny as it is, I really like how Old Town does the closing parties. There’s a lot of decisions, big financial decisions, but I felt good about it and to have Old Town who’s proud of it as well. Everyone bought into it and felt good about it. The owner of Old Town, Jeff, came to the closing and said, “Oh I like what you did there!”, or “Oh there’s a touch up spot there,”. They had ownership and accountability in the home rather than just trying to knock homes out. Area Manager, John really pushed that we’re a part of the family and we won’t be left hanging. We had a big box builder home before and if anything went wrong, well that’s just on you.
What do you like most about your new home?
Phil: My favorite thing is the built ins, the trim, the woodwork – just the craftsmanship. We used to look at a lot of model homes, but they just don’t compare to Old Town. The first house we looked at was the green house on the Monon, the Cobblestone model, and that is the exact same built-in that we have. We walked in there and we just said, “That’s what I want!”. Craftsmanship isn’t a good enough term, it’s the care and character that these houses have.
Jes: I like the big open floor plan that we have, and we went with Everything Home to help decorate the house and that’s really what made it a home. It’s cozy. When you walk in it’s not cold, it’s very welcoming.
What do you like most about living in Jackson’s Grant?
Jes: I love the neighbors! I love that it’s a brand-new neighborhood and that everyone is new. We’re all starting at the same point. Every time you go for a walk, everyone says hello because they’re all trying to meet each other. I like that about Jackson’s Grant. We can all share our building stories and that’s fun.
Phil: I like the trails. I like the unbridled elegance. I know it’s corny, but I drive through the neighborhood and annoy my wife saying, “Unbridled Elegance”. I love that it’s all custom homes, I love that no one else has our house but us. We’re also a big fan of walking down to The Bridges.
Would you recommend us to a friend?
Phil: I think that we have a unique story, in that after we decided to build with Old Town, we listed and sold our house in a day. We ended up having to go with our back up plan which was to move in with my parents. We lived with my parents for 10 months, while we were building the house. So, my parents were able to see and hear the discussions, the disagreements, the excitement, the trials and tribulations, the change requests and long story short, after we moved in they loved our house so much, that my parents are now building in the back of Jackson’s Grant. I think that kind of explains itself. Not only would we refer it, but the people that I’m closest to, my parents, are building in the same neighborhood.
The Van Schaack family found the home design and location that was right for them. Make the move and write your own building story with Old Town Design Group at Jackson’s Grant, in the heart of Carmel.