"We bought a $2.6 million 100-acre compound with my sister and parents - and raise our children together"
- 7 months ago
A family bought a $2.6 million 100-acre "compound" to all live and raise their children together.
Danielle Schleese, 33, had always dreamed of being able to live with her sister, Samantha Schleese, 34, and their parents - so they could bring up their children all together.
Now her vision has been made a reality after Danielle, an artist, and her fiancé, Gabe Mazza, 34, stumbled across an 88-acre stretch of land for sale in Kilworthy, Ontario, Canada for $1.1m.
The area is full of woodland and already had two houses, two collapsed barns, a garage and a Quonset hut - so the family can all live within a stone's throw from each other.
The neighbouring property and 12 acres came up for sale and Danielle and Gabe, a website developer, bought it for $1.5m in September 2022.
They are currently renovating the buildings before their parents - Sabine, 68, and Jochen Schleese, 61, who own Schleese Sadlers - move in.
The sisters and their partners lived together under one roof until the renovation of Samantha and Jordan Rothery's house was complete in August 2022.
The close-knit sisters even had their babies just 13 days apart - and now raise them together.
Samanta, a dancer, from Kilworthy, Ontario, Canada, said: "It was always Danielle's vision to live as one big happy family - I wasn't sure at first about us all living together.
"But after a hiking trip in Summer 2020 it made me realise how nice it would be to be somewhere surrounded by nature.
"We got so lucky when we found the place and had to jump on it.
"It's perfect and there is still so much of our land that we have yet to explore.
"I was nervous to live all together but I'm loving it."
Danielle said: "We joked about the fact that we're all going to live on a 'family compound' - if not for at least one to two consistent years and now we've made it happen.
"It's interesting to go back in time and live together like when we were younger.
"We've had to relearn what it's like to share a lot of things and create boundaries this time as adults."
Danielle had been talking about the idea to find somewhere the family could all live together and started her search in January 2020.
Samantha said: "It was tricky to find somewhere with enough land and that had some buildings already."
But in January 2021 the family came across the perfect site in Kilworthy, Canada.
Samantha said: "Jordan, my parents and I went to look at it straight away.
"We knew it was the one, so we went for it, and we got it."
Danielle and Gabe moved up from Scarbrough, Toronto, in May 2021, followed by Samantha and Jordan, 35, an appliance installer, from their home in Scarborough, Toronto, in July 2021.
The couples lived in a three-bedroom building for a year while the others were renovated.
Samantha said: "I thought it might be intense all living together but it has been great and there is enough room if you need some air.
"We make sure we are unanimous on every decision and have weekly family meetings for decisions.
"We're very diplomatic about it all and hear everyone's opinions."
Their sanctuary - which they have yet to agree on a name for - is close to the town, a local beach and lake and has plenty of its own woodland to explore.
Samantha said: "It's a really simple lifestyle now and we can all work from home.
"There is just so much of our garden to explore."
Danielle and Samantha welcomed Wilder and Willow, now 18 months old, on March 27, 2022, and April 9, 2022 - just 13 days apart.
Samantha said: "They have the biggest playground to grow up in.
"Day to day we just give each other our kids. It gives you a big break."
Samantha and Jordan moved into their newly renovated five-bedroom house in August 2022, but the sisters still see each other all the time.
Samantha said: "We have meal nights twice a week and sometimes more.
"It's a dream set up.
"It's a sanctuary."
Danielle said: "I'm excited for my children to form a close bond with their grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles."
They hope once Danielle and Gabe's house is renovated their parents Sabine and Jochen can join them.
They want to turn the remaining barns into an event space and want to build a greenhouse to become more self-sufficient on their land.
Danielle Schleese, 33, had always dreamed of being able to live with her sister, Samantha Schleese, 34, and their parents - so they could bring up their children all together.
Now her vision has been made a reality after Danielle, an artist, and her fiancé, Gabe Mazza, 34, stumbled across an 88-acre stretch of land for sale in Kilworthy, Ontario, Canada for $1.1m.
The area is full of woodland and already had two houses, two collapsed barns, a garage and a Quonset hut - so the family can all live within a stone's throw from each other.
The neighbouring property and 12 acres came up for sale and Danielle and Gabe, a website developer, bought it for $1.5m in September 2022.
They are currently renovating the buildings before their parents - Sabine, 68, and Jochen Schleese, 61, who own Schleese Sadlers - move in.
The sisters and their partners lived together under one roof until the renovation of Samantha and Jordan Rothery's house was complete in August 2022.
The close-knit sisters even had their babies just 13 days apart - and now raise them together.
Samanta, a dancer, from Kilworthy, Ontario, Canada, said: "It was always Danielle's vision to live as one big happy family - I wasn't sure at first about us all living together.
"But after a hiking trip in Summer 2020 it made me realise how nice it would be to be somewhere surrounded by nature.
"We got so lucky when we found the place and had to jump on it.
"It's perfect and there is still so much of our land that we have yet to explore.
"I was nervous to live all together but I'm loving it."
Danielle said: "We joked about the fact that we're all going to live on a 'family compound' - if not for at least one to two consistent years and now we've made it happen.
"It's interesting to go back in time and live together like when we were younger.
"We've had to relearn what it's like to share a lot of things and create boundaries this time as adults."
Danielle had been talking about the idea to find somewhere the family could all live together and started her search in January 2020.
Samantha said: "It was tricky to find somewhere with enough land and that had some buildings already."
But in January 2021 the family came across the perfect site in Kilworthy, Canada.
Samantha said: "Jordan, my parents and I went to look at it straight away.
"We knew it was the one, so we went for it, and we got it."
Danielle and Gabe moved up from Scarbrough, Toronto, in May 2021, followed by Samantha and Jordan, 35, an appliance installer, from their home in Scarborough, Toronto, in July 2021.
The couples lived in a three-bedroom building for a year while the others were renovated.
Samantha said: "I thought it might be intense all living together but it has been great and there is enough room if you need some air.
"We make sure we are unanimous on every decision and have weekly family meetings for decisions.
"We're very diplomatic about it all and hear everyone's opinions."
Their sanctuary - which they have yet to agree on a name for - is close to the town, a local beach and lake and has plenty of its own woodland to explore.
Samantha said: "It's a really simple lifestyle now and we can all work from home.
"There is just so much of our garden to explore."
Danielle and Samantha welcomed Wilder and Willow, now 18 months old, on March 27, 2022, and April 9, 2022 - just 13 days apart.
Samantha said: "They have the biggest playground to grow up in.
"Day to day we just give each other our kids. It gives you a big break."
Samantha and Jordan moved into their newly renovated five-bedroom house in August 2022, but the sisters still see each other all the time.
Samantha said: "We have meal nights twice a week and sometimes more.
"It's a dream set up.
"It's a sanctuary."
Danielle said: "I'm excited for my children to form a close bond with their grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles."
They hope once Danielle and Gabe's house is renovated their parents Sabine and Jochen can join them.
They want to turn the remaining barns into an event space and want to build a greenhouse to become more self-sufficient on their land.