How Life Happens in Hampstead – Testimonials

The Hampstead community is founded on the principle that a neighborhood is more than the sum of its brick-and-mortar parts. More than a feat of construction or design, communities are molded by the collective spirit of the residents—a tapestry sewn from hundreds of individual lives being lived together in the same place. 

People may live in homes, learn in schools, and exercise in fitness centers, but these places cannot constitute a community on their own. As Hampstead’s residents work, eat, and play together, they become the truer architects of their own inclusive and vibrant community. It naturally follows that there can be no greater community endorsement than the voices of the residents themselves. 

Whether they’ve spent one, five, or ten years in Hampstead, these residents have insightful, first-hand accounts of how daily life there looks and feels. 

“The Community is my Favorite Part”

When she moved to Hampstead in 2010, Kim T. was one of the earliest residents.

“I was the 15th or 16th house,” Kim says. “I was attracted to the bars and restaurants, the sustainability and walkability.” 

But as more neighbors moved in and the community filled up, Kim’s favorite detail about living in Hampstead became the community itself. “I was a single mom moving into a community where I wasn’t sure if I would be accepted, if I would be included in couple’s cookouts and get-togethers.”

That anxiety quickly changed, however. “For me, I found my family here. Everybody is very tight, and we look out for each other, take care of each other, celebrate together, grieve together.”

Kim attributes the community she found to the New Urbanist philosophy present in Hampstead’s DNA. “The layout of the community pushes us outside of our homes, so that we are spending time together at the post office, and the farm, and the pool.”

These days, Kim claims that a life in Hampstead is “Truly a life well lived.”

“Everybody looks out for each other.”

Christy H. remembers where she lived before moving to Hampstead in 2016. “In the neighborhood I was living in, I would just raise my garage door at night, drive in, and then I was in to stay.”

In Hampstead, it didn’t take Christy long to adjust to the more active and inclusive community. “Since I’m single, I love that If I get lonely or bored, I can just walk out my front door and take my dog for a walk. I’m going to bump into somebody, whether it’s just to say ‘hey’ for the evening or have a little conversation on the street.”

That sense of togetherness meshes well with Hampstead’s enduring tranquility, Christy says. “It’s amazing to me the number of people that are out here in this community, and yet, it’s so quiet. I can sit in my backyard, and it feels like there’s nobody around.” 

At its rowdiest, Christy reports that “In the summer, you’ll hear little giggles from the pool and splashing.”

Ultimately, it was a match made in heaven for Christy. “My biggest fear was ‘am I going to feel like I live in a fishbowl?’ And I really don’t. I really don’t.”

“Nothing we’re compromising on.”

On moving to Hampstead with her young daughter in 2019, Carrie S. remarks, “There was nothing we didn’t feel was a huge win for us: the beauty of the homes, the community, there are sidewalks everywhere.”

But it was the presence of children in the neighborhood that truly convinced her of its community value. “Every time we drove through, there were kids on bikes, there were kids out playing.”

Carrie and her family were looking for a change when they moved to Hampstead. “We’ve typically lived in historic communities close to city centers. When we were looking at the map, it looked like Hampstead might be farther out from all the hustle and bustle of the city.”

But Hampstead’s distance from larger urban areas wasn’t inconvenient. “When we came here, we realized that, for starters, Hampstead is almost self-sufficient. There’s everything you could want in a community within walking distance.

“We have been blown away that everything we thought looked great online has actually been better in person. It’s even more beautiful. It’s even more stunning. When you drive through, you feel like you’re in some small, European town, and it’s even better than you can imagine.” 

The True Community Architects

While the world-renowned design firm of Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co. deserves plenty of acclaim for Hampstead’s New Urbanist layout and award-winning architecture, it’s the residents themselves who built and continue to build Hampstead’s sense of community. 

Community in Hampstead is pieced together bit-by-bit from small moments on the street, laughter from the pool, quiet summertime gardens, and chance encounters at the neighborhood post office or pub. At the end of the day, we call a bunch of homes and buildings a “development.” A group of human beings living out their days together, supporting one another, and accepting each other is the only thing deserving enough to be called a “community.”

Learn more about how Hampstead’s community is open to you and your family!

While the best homes provide us with a sense of shelter, we should feel the need to shelter in our homes from the community at large. In Hampstead, classic neighborhood values meet bold thinking to create something truly remarkable. If you’re missing a sense of community wherever you are now, it may be time to make a lasting change. To see yourself as part of Hampstead’s community, browse available homes or contact us at 334-270-6730 today!