Calgary condos and first homes
I help first-time buyers find condos and starter homes in the inner city, and I read the condo documents with you so there are no surprises after you move in.
I am a newer agent with Prairie Lantern Realty, and I work almost entirely with first-time buyers. I bought my own first condo in Bridgeland, so I remember how many questions there were and how few people answered them clearly.
My job is to make the process feel manageable. We start with your budget and must haves, then I walk you through every document, condition and deadline before you sign anything.
Buying your first place is a series of small decisions. Here is where I spend most of my time with clients.
I connect you with a mortgage broker and help you turn a pre-approval into a comfortable monthly number, including condo fees.
We go through the reserve fund study, minutes and bylaws together and flag anything that needs a closer look.
Clear conditions for financing, inspection and documents, with deadlines you understand before you sign.
A checklist for possession day, utilities and insurance, and someone to call when you have questions after you move in.
Most of my clients want to walk to coffee, transit and the river pathways. These are the communities I show most often.
Calgary, AB
High rise and mid rise condos close to downtown offices, 17th Ave restaurants and the CTrain.
Calgary, AB
Low rise condos and infills a short walk from the Bow River pathways and the Bridgeland LRT station.
Calgary, AB
Walkable streets, independent shops and a mix of older apartments and newer boutique buildings.
Calgary, AB
Quiet streets beside the Elbow River with character walk ups and newer concrete buildings.
Calgary, AB
Calgary’s oldest neighbourhood, with heritage main street character and newer townhomes.
Calgary, AB
A newer southeast community with townhomes and apartments near the hospital and shopping.
Maya read every page of the condo documents with us and caught a roof replacement the seller had not mentioned. We negotiated the price down and felt completely in control.
I was nervous about buying on my own. Maya explained each step without making me feel rushed, and she answered texts at nine at night.
In Canada the minimum down payment is 5 percent of the first $500,000 of the price and 10 percent of the portion above that, for homes under $1.5 million. Anything under 20 percent down needs mortgage default insurance, which your lender adds to the loan. Budget separately for closing costs such as legal fees, a home inspection and title insurance.
Read the reserve fund study, the latest financial statements, board meeting minutes and the bylaws. Those tell you whether the building is saving enough for big repairs, whether a special assessment is coming, and what the rules are on pets, rentals and renovations. I make the offer conditional on reviewing them, and a condo document reviewer can go through them with you.
Yes, get pre-approved first. A pre-approval tells you a realistic price range and shows sellers you are ready, which matters when a good condo gets more than one offer. It is free, it does not commit you to that lender, and it usually takes a few days.
You and I agree on how I am paid before we start, in a written buyer agreement. In most Calgary purchases the buyer agent is paid out of the sale proceeds under the listing, but the agreement spells out what happens if a seller is not offering that. You will know the numbers before you view a single home.
A first conversation is free and there is no pressure to start looking right away.
