Things are looking up . . .

Tony Root had every reason to say he was going through a "mid-life crisis." He weathered a divorce, suffered a heart attack and reached the realization that his educational background wasn't getting him ahead at work.

On top of that, Tony was having a hard time parenting in his apartment. Carrying groceries up three flights of stairs and a lack of privacy took their toll, but reasonably priced homes were in short supply.

Tony was making lifestyle changes for his health and had gone back to school to pursue a degree, but the search for a home appeared to be the impossible dream.

That long search, however, came to an abrupt end when an internet search led him to an Allen Edwin home in the Prairies at Centennial.

"There's a lot of people who don't know they can afford to live in a new house," said Tony, after the move changed every part of his daily routine, including his relationship with his school-age children.

Jacob, 9, and Kaylie, 11, were able to pick the colors of their bedrooms, and plan a rec room. "And I love having a back yard," says Kaylie.

Tony, meanwhile, is pressing ahead toward his degree, which he expects to earn early next year, and he sees new opportunities at work.

At home, Tony and the kids have a new outlook on life. "A lot of people didn't think this was possible, but I say to them, come out and look. When it comes to this, I'm sorry, but I get emotional."