Choosing the right neighbourhood is super important – especially as a first time home buyer. You’re not just looking for a place to live, you’re looking for a community where you and or your family can lay roots and create meaningful connections for the next few years.

First time buyers have unique needs. Luckily, there are a number of great communities in Calgary that check all the boxes when it comes to starting your home ownership journey on the right foot.

In this blog, we’ll look at the best Calgary neighbourhoods for first time home buyers.

Buying a Home Based on Your Budget

For most first time home buyers, budget is a major factor. Unless you’re a lottery winner, you won’t be buying your dream property right out of the gate. However, finding the right starter home can help you build equity and get you closet to your forever home. Luckily, there are plenty of great starter homes in Calgary that fit a wide range of budgets.

Don’t forget these first time home buyer tips – you also benefit from government incentives that can alleviate certain buying costs and give your budget a boost. For example, the First Home Savings Account (FHSA) lets you save for a home tax-free (to a limit) and the Home Buyers’ Amount can lead to a sizeable tax rebate.

About to buy your first home? Explore these related resources from our site!

How Can I Find Out What I Can Afford?

If you’re not sure what your price range will be for your first home, that’s okay. However, it’s important to find out what you can afford to spend before you start house hunting. The last thing you want to do is find a home that you love, only to be disappointed to learn you can’t afford it.

The easiest way to get a sense of your home budget is to speak with a local Calgary Realtor, who will then be able to connect you to a mortgage broker. After verifying your personal finances and buying goals, a mortgage broker can connect you to the best lender and mortgage product based on your circumstances. This step will give a fairly strong estimate in terms of your mortgage eligibility.

Starter Homes in Calgary

If you’re looking for a starter home in Calgary, you can take one of two paths in terms of neighbourhood – brand new and recently built communities with modern homes or older, more established areas with charming heritage properties. Both neighbourhood types have their pros and cons, so you’ll want to think hard about your personal preferences.

New Communities For First Time Home Buyers

As a quickly growing city, Calgary is always building new communities, many of which are designed with first time buyers and young families in mind. Some of the best places to live in Calgary for families and first time home buyers are found at the edges of the city and offer a quiet suburban environment.

Just like the communities themselves, most homes are brand new in these areas, and you can usually pick between existing move-in-ready homes or building a house with the developer.

If living in a new community sounds appealing to you, here are a few neighbourhoods that should be on your radar as a first time buyer.

SE & SW Calgary

Rangeview
Belmont
Mahogany
Seton

NE & NW Calgary

Chinook Gate
Evanston
Livingston
Starling

Buying a New Build Home

As a side note, going the new build route has a lot of advantages – especially for first time home buyers. However, there are a number of special considerations too. For example, delays are fairly common when it comes to new construction homes. Should your occupancy get delayed, you could find yourself scrambling to find temporary accommodations.

Looking for an in-depth article on the pros and cons of new construction homes? Click here.

Older Communities

Calgary also has many established communities that are well suited to a first time home buyer. You’ll find these neighbourhoods spread throughout the inner city with varying degrees of removal from downtown. These areas have great character, and most offer the same suburban ambience and degree of convenience as the city’s newest communities.

Because these areas are a little more unique, your Calgary real estate agent can provide personalized recommendations based on your specific needs and preferences. That being said, a few older neighbourhoods that we’ve helped first time buyers find a great place to call home include:

  • Beltline
  • Glendale
  • Oakridge
  • Glenbrook
  • South Calgary

Moving to Calgary from out of town? Give these other blogs a read!

Ready to Buy Your First Home? We Can Help!

If you’re thinking about buying a home in Calgary, you’ll want to work with an experienced team of professionals like us – Dolce Real Estate Group. Whatever you and your family may be looking for, we can help you find a great first home in a neighbourhood you’ll love.

If you’re looking for an expert to guide you through the process of buying a home in Calgary, look no further than our dedicated team of Realtors. Call 403.999.5882 to get in touch or send us an email at info@dolcerealestate.com.

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