Calgary First Time Home Buyers read about exclusive options to them for buying a home in calgary for the first time

Calgary First Time Home Buyers

Welcome to CalgaryListings.com, a resource designed with first-time home buyers in Calgary like you in mind! Whether you're a student or a young adult looking to make your first foray into homeownership, we're here to provide you with guidance every step of the way.

Buying your first home might seem like a big deal, and that's because it is! But don't worry, we're experts in helping folks just like you navigate this exciting journey. We understand that figuring out all the ins and outs of buying a home can be both exciting and a little overwhelming. That's where we come in – to make things easier for you.

Take a look at our "Step by Step Buyer Guide" to get you started there you will find a general guide to buying your first home. I also recommend taking a look at "What to Expect from your Real Estate Agent"  Now that you are up to speed on some basic information, let's talk about you!

What Makes a First Time Home Buyer Different?

Well as a first-time home buyer you have a few advantages over the rest of us.  At the present time, there are two incentives for first time home buyers to take advantage of. There are listed below

  • RRSP's as Downpayment - as a first-time buyer you can borrow against your RRSPs up to $25,000 per person (up to 2 people and $50,000) to go towards your down payment. You do have to pay it back of course but the process is drawn out over 15 years ( starting the 2nd year after the initial withdrawal)  with an easy repayment schedule. You only have to repay 1/15the of the amount you withdrew each year.  You get the benefit of using the RRSPs as a tax break. They do have to site in the RRSP account for a minimum of 90 days before they can be de-registered and used as a down payment source
  • Tax Credit - make sure you tell your accountant that you bought your "first home" because there is a Government tax credit of $5,000 in the year that you purchase your first home. Of course, this has to be your principal residence and does not qualify for investment properties. 
  • First-Time Buyers Incentive Program - A government shared equity mortgage. You can borrow 5% or 10% (new construction only )  of the purchase price of your home that you will have to repay or sell within a 25-year window. At the time of the sale, you would repay the same percentage of what you borrowed at the current value. As an example let's say you borrowed 5% of a $300,000 purchase ($15,000) and in 5 years say you sell your home for $325,000, you would then have to pay back 5% of the $325,000 value ($16,250).  Should the property decline in value you would have to pay back the initial loan amount in full.  In order to qualify for this program, you must be a first-time homebuyer with an annual income under $120,000 and your purchase price cannot exceed more than 4 times your qualifying income. 

We Can Help!

You might be wondering why you need a real estate professional to help you out. Well, think of it this way: buying a home involves a lot of important decisions, and it's crucial to have someone experienced on your side. At CalgaryListings.com, we know all about the unique challenges that first-time home buyers face in Calgary, and we're here to give you the advice you need.

To kick things off, we suggest setting up a meeting with our team. This will give us a chance to get to know you better and understand what you're looking for in a home. During this meeting, we'll talk about different neighbourhoods in Calgary, the types of homes available, and even the financial stuff like mortgages.

We know you're likely to have a bunch of questions – and that's great! Whether you're curious about how mortgages work, what neighbourhoods are the coolest, or how long the whole process takes, we're here to give you all the answers you need.

Owning your first home is a big deal. It's not just about having a place to live – it's about taking a huge step forward in your life. We're here to help you make the best decisions for you and your future. So go ahead and reach out to us to set up that meeting. Let's work together to make your dream of owning a home in Calgary a reality. Welcome to CalgaryListings.com!

Calgary First Time Home Buyer Testimonials
Crystal helped us buy our first house in Calgary. We appreciated that she understood what we were looking for and provided us an excellent selection to pick from. Highly recommended!
Larry Gorluik
Crystal helped us find our house in 2006. She set up multiple walk throughs based on the information that we had given her about what we were wanting. She was quick to point out things that might take us in the wrong direction. She has kept great contact and sends monthly market reports that I quite like to read when I get them. In 2008 my Grandma hired her to sell her house and Grandma was very impressed. Crystal had the house sold for asking in under a week even more impressive is that the house next door to Grandmas went up at the same time yet took three months to move. I would highly recommend Crystal and would not hesitate to use her again in the future. 
Danny Marshall
Crystal was the third real estate agent that I worked with in my search for my first home, and the only one that I had a good working relationship with: she gave me great advice and I trusted her. Crystal listened to my needs, and worked with me in my preferred search area to find me the perfect property. The house that I ended up buying was fresh on the market and not in the public listings yet, I think I was the first and only person to view the property in a fairly hot market
Michelle Boast
Crystal is excellent at her job and takes pride in her work. She is patient and does not pressure sales. You can trust her and rely on her to find you a great home!
Julie Branch
Crystal helped me buy my first home. She was knowledgable, professional, and a real joy to work with. I would highly recommend Crystal for your real estate needs!
Suzanne Kendall
Crystal Tost is exactly what a young, modern professional wants in a real estate agent. She's smart, friendly, and tuned in to the areas of Calgary that are a good investment. She only showed me places that matched my interests, and was quick to red flag issues that might affect the resale value. Best of all, she's tech savvy – so every step of the purchase was easy and convenient
Anders Svensson
Crystal helped me find my house with an incredible amount of patience, availability and expertise in all house-related matters. As a real estate agent, Crystal is definitely in the ivy league. She required an exclusive relationship and more than delivered for it, visiting houses with us any day of the week or well beyond normal business hours. Her keen eye would spot hidden flaws in seconds and when we eventually bought, she right away showed us how to improve and market the house in a few years. As a client, I have been delighted by Crystal. And during some rough time afterward, she was by our side, proving that beyond the great professional is a wonderful person with a huge heart. Dealing with you has been one of our best experiences in Canada and God knows there have been quite a few. Thank you 
David Coulibaly
I was referred to Crystal as my sister previously bought a condo from her colleague who was no longer working. Crystal assisted me in buying my first condo and made the experience very enjoyable. She was not only knowledgeable and professional but she was a joy to spend time with on my search. She is full of great advice and will take the time in takes to find a place that is right for your needs. Recently I recommended her to my sister who is now the happy owner of a new home thanks to Crystals assistance. I had nothing but an enjoyable and seamless experience with Crystals help. I would recommend her again and again without hesitation.
Julia Bonner
We were very happy with the quality of service that we received from Crystal Tost throughout the entire process of purchasing our first home. Crystal always responded promptly to any questions or concerns we had, and made the process very easy for us. She was very professional and knowledgeable and made an effort to find out what we were looking for and the style of sales that felt comfortable for us. We appreciate her commitment to her clients and how good she is at what she does.
Del Holder
Crystal was the best! She knows Calgary like the back of her hand and showed us as many properties as we needed to see until we found the right property for us. I'll be calling on her again in the future!
Lauren Dunlop-Dorgan
I bought my very first house through Crystal, and sold that house and bought my next and current home with her. Any time after that, that I've looked at other homes and considered moving has and always will be with her! She will work hard to get you the home you want and love!"
Stephanie Cheeseman
"I and my wife would like to thank you Crystal for her great help to find our first home in Calgary. We have nothing but good things to say about her commitment to finding us the right place. She is really hard worker and honest. She is knowledgeable about real estate and shared her knowledge freely with us. Thank you Crystal for all your efforts"
Ahmad and Sanaz C
“Crystal was great to work with. We went with her because of the comments we read online in purchasing our first home. She’s every bit what people have said. She’s knowledgeable, experienced and professional. She was great at providing additional information of where to get the home inspection, lawyer, etc. We did not feel any pressure of pulling the trigger on any particular house and Crystal always gave her complete honest opinion (by pointing out the good and bad of each house we saw). We felt Crystal was patient in helping us find the perfect house. We’d recommend Crystal to all our friends and family“
Ahmed I.
"Crystal was absolutely invaluable when I recently decided to purchase my first home. From start to finish she has been qualified, supportive and extremely helpful in walking me through the process and providing me with the information I needed to make necessary decisions. She was always there to answer any questions I had in a timely manner, advise me of what to expect next, and always demonstrated a high level of professionalism and caring to ensure my needs were met. I know I wouldn't have done nearly as well without her and it would've required a lot more effort on my part. I'll never forget all her hard work to ensure the transaction went smoothly and was completed within a short period of time. I will highly recommend Crystal as a realtor to anyone who is looking to buy a home."
Chris and Krista Hillier
They were excellent to work with. No issues or complaints. Very helpful.
Shannon and Jeff Davis
We would like to thank Crystal and Tyler for helping us find the perfect home. Both were part of the entire process from start to finish. Professionalism and attention to detail second to none. 
We have and we will continue to recommend your services to our friends and family.  
Thanks again, Shaunna & Matthew
Matthew and Shauna Wealleans
We have been dealing with Lara Underhill for several months now in the buying of a home and selling our home. She has been consistently attentive to our needs. Both my husband and I believe she went above and beyond her job as a realtor for us. When we had questions about the paperwork or procedures she was always there to explain and make it simple for us to understand. I would not hesitate to refer/recommend her to all of our family or friends. 

Sheila T
We purchased our first home with the help of Sohini Ruparell from Tost Realty Group. She was beyond amazing! Sohini really goes out of her way to ensure her clients are at ease and are looked after in every aspect possible. She provided us with such helpful resources and information throughout the process. Sohini shows a lot of care & professionalism in her work and we highly recommend her! 
Reet Sira
Tyler was fantastic to work with. When I first talked with Tost Realty I wasn't sure what I wanted - a larger house a bit further from the downtown, or an inner city condo. This was my first house and buying is a huge commitment. I felt comfortable with Tyler from the start. When we looked at homes he brought his knowledge to the table and gave me the pros and cons on houses - how good the furnace was, were the windows new, possible replacement/upgrade costs I might face in the next few years. By going through different properties I realized that I did want to stay in a smaller place where I could walk to work. The first place I made an offer on fell through after I had the condo docs reviewed and realized a special assessment was looming. Tyler stuck with me. I really trusted Tyler, there were places I like that he flat out said "no" to - telling me about the poor resale value or issues I would face. I also have Tyler to thank for the place I finally purchased. I was a bit turned off by the bright blue and yellow walls. Tyler pointed out that it had everything I was looking for, and the paint was just cosmetic. There was no pressure from Tyler to buy, but when I went home and thought about it I decided to make an offer. I've repainted now, and I love my home. Tyler made everything easy. I will absolutely be using him on my next house purchase.
Sierra Yanush
From the outset, Tyler and his team were head and shoulders above the others that we had met with. As first-time homebuyers, we immediately felt at ease and that we had someone in our corner to find exactly what we were looking for.
During our viewings, Tyler's experience was invaluable as he not only gave his unbiased and professional opinion on each home, but he also gave ideas as to how much certain renovations would cost etc.
You cannot go wrong with Tyler and we will be recommending him and his team to anyone we know looking to buy or sell! We look forward to working with him again in the future. Thanks again Tyler!!
Adam Gross
As first time home buyers, my wife and l were quite intimidated by the whole process. We were fortunate to meet Tyler after a couple of viewings with different realtors. What struck me immediately was how friendly and informative he was. In each viewing, he would point out potential issues such as the age of the furnace or state of the roof. We felt that he had our best interests at heart and was available the entire time either by phone or email to answer every question we had and we had lots. We never felt pressured into making an offer on anything that we were uncomfortable with and didn't stop until we found a house that both my wife and l loved. We are so happy in our new home and Tyler made this happen for us we are very grateful!
Malcolm Camsell
Crystal made the process of buying a house for the first time simple. Her knowledge of Calgary neighborhoods, and insight into the benefits and drawbacks of each property we looked at was invaluable
Nick
A very big thank you from me and my husband to Tyler Tost for helping us find our first home! Tyler was unbelievably helpful, going above and beyond to point out the features and deficiencies of each home we went to visit. Despite a little bit of a bumpy ride (as first-time buyers, we had a LOT of anxiety), Tyler kept us feeling confident through the whole process, and we were able to share more than a few laughs throughout. With connections to an extremely thorough home inspector, a great mortgage broker, and a lawyer, Tyler's guidance has made the whole buying process so seamless for us. Thanks for helping us make our dream of homeownership a reality!
Heather
We had such a wonderful experience with Crystal Tost and her team. We were first-time home buyers and she was patient with the process and never put any pressure on us to make a decision that was not in our best interest. She was extremely attentive, kind, knowledgeable, and professional. When we found the home she was thorough and made the closing very seamless and straightforward. Thank you Crystal and Team!
Jane R
Crystal made first-time condo-buying super easy, especially given the circumstances with a global pandemic. She was reliable, honest, and worked hard to help me find a place to live that was best for me. I rarely post on public social media platforms, but buying property is stressful enough at baseline that finding the right real estate agent truly makes all the difference. I would recommend Crystal to anyone looking for a reliable real estate agent in the future!
Cara M