Sometimes it takes a village. And that’s exactly what F.M. Shah Building Design Ltd. is building in Fort McMurray, Alberta’s fastest-growing and most dynamic community.

As the first gated community planned for the economic heart of Canada’s booming oilsands region, Lougheed Estates has been carefully designed to meet the needs of those who live and work in this vibrant northern city.

A high-quality development which includes 177 efficiently designed apartment units, as well as 50 spacious town homes, Lougheed Estates is a classic example of supply responding to demand.

It also represents a virtually bulletproof strata investment opportunity for those seeking a top-grade rental property. Because unprecedented economic growth in Fort McMurray has led to a housing crunch of significant proportions.

The Lougheed Estates project by F.M. Shah Building Design Ltd. features quality stone and natural wood exteriors, with high-calibre amenity packages.

And experts don’t expect the situation to improve – not with $60 billion in oilsands projects in the hopper for the next 10 years.

In response to that urgent need, the Shah team members proceeded the way they always do – carefully and thoughtfully.

First, they intimately acquainted themselves with the needs of the community. Then they huddled with municipal authorities, seeking advice in a series of lengthy meetings.

Then they took what they learned to the drawing table. And they designed Lougheed Estates.

“The recent population growth in Fort McMurray has been staggering. Clearly, there’s a need for quality housing,” company president Farouk Shah explained his methodology.

“But most of the new homes going up in the city are generic, because the builders can’t build them fast enough.”

This, Shah quickly decided, was not the way his company wished to proceed.

Instead, F.M. Shah Building Design Ltd. opted to build attractive, intimate and hospitable housing of superb quality.

“So we created a village there,” said Shah, who had high expectations for this lovely community within a community.

It was to feature quality stone and natural wood exteriors, plus amenity packages of the highest calibre.

It would be situated within a picturesque suburban setting – a Fort McMurray subdivision that combines exclusivity, peace and privacy with ready access to the heart of the city.

It would invite residents to enjoy seven acres of landscaped beauty, not to mention an indoor rec centre, play areas and high-ceiling underground parking areas able to accommodate half-ton trucks with extended cabs.

With construction set to begin within a few short weeks, Lougheed Estates more than lives up to Shah’s high expectations, as well as to those of his customers.

So much so, that more than half the apartments and town homes of Lougheed Estates have already been spoken for.

Many have gone to investors who understand that to purchase a high-end rental property in this lively boomtown represents a rare opportunity for high returns.

Buyers who opt to rent to the thousands of workers flocking to the city known as “Alberta’s northern light” can rest assured. This is a trouble-free investment.

In your absence, your property will be cared for by the most reliable management company in the region.

Professional managers will screen your tenants and keep a watchful eye on your investment.

As a member of the Lougheed Estates rental pool, you will share equally in rental revenues, which are virtually guaranteed to remain buoyant.

At the moment, rent for a single-bedroom unit in Fort McMurray runs from $1,600 to $2,000 monthly, with 2-bedroom and furnished units commanding even larger prices from renters.

As of today, Lougheed Estates apartment-style units range in price from $205,000 to $215,000 (plus GST) while townhouses are priced to sell at $230,000 (plus GST).

However, Larry Carter, vice-president of marketing for F.M. Shah Building Design Ltd., urges you to act quickly. As of April, the average price for a home in Fort McMurray had skyrocketed to $291,000, or about 18 per cent in the course of a year.

And because of enthusiastic market response to the units of Lougheed Estates, an increase in purchase prices by July 1 is not out of the question.

Of course, when you do business with F.M. Shah Building Design Ltd., you’re dealing with one of the best-respected and most trustworthy development groups in the west.

This crackerjack design and development team has garnered rave reviews for successful multi-family housing projects in Banff (Marten Court), Canmore (Whiskey Jack Chalets, Mystic Springs) and other Western centres.

To take advantage of current prices to buy prime real estate in Canada’s most dynamic region, call Larry Carter of F.M. Shah Building Design Ltd. today at 403.806.0411 or try the toll-free line at 1.800.252.1543. To send a fax, dial 403.806.0412.

And please feel welcome to make a virtual visit to Lougheed Estates at www.lougheedestates.com