Mike just moved into his one-bedroom apartment-style condo in South Calgary. After years of renting, he says it felt like it was time for him to join the homebuyer market. And, with interest rates at an all-time low, he felt comfortable that it was something he could now afford to do.

“I never could have imagined two or three years ago that I would be able to afford something like this, but to find a unit that has everything I need and more is just a dream come true,” Mike tells Condo Living, saying he was able to land the unit for under $260,000.

The 31-year-old, who works as a marketing professional for a law firm downtown, says having a place of his own is just the first step and is in the midst of renovation work in his approximately 850-square-foot unit to make it truly his own.

“I’m in the midst of choosing new colours to paint the room, might as well do that now while most of my things are still in boxes,” he says. Mike also plans to hang some abstract paintings to reflect his modern aesthetic. “I’ve had my eye on a few that I think will really go well with the layout of the room.”

What attracted Mike to the Delano, Medallion Development’s four-storey, 42-unit condo in south Calgary, was it is a brand new building built in 2004. “I had some misgivings buying into a converted condo and was really only looking at brand new buildings,” he says.

“Again, I never thought I could afford something like that, and to find one that had everything I needed in such a fantastic location was unbelievable. It’s just a short distance to downtown and also close to friends and family,” says Mike, who lived in nearby Bankview prior to moving.

He also is a master of the grill and having a gas line direct to his patio was a huge plus. “I love grilling and having this feature in the unit just sent me over the moon,” he says.

Small things like a fireplace, underground parking and an in-suite laundry were also part of his wish list fulfilled by the unit. “They may be small things that nobody else might care about, but they are huge for me, especially the in-suite laundry. Anybody who has been renting for a while would know the true value this simple amenity can have on life.”

He is also a running buff and the proximity of his condo to parks and bike paths allows him to devote plenty of time to this exercise. In fact, he even walks to his work downtown. “It’s a good half-hour walk but it’s something I really enjoy doing,” he says.

The cherry on top is undoubtedly the maintenance-free lifestyle living in a condo offers. Mike says he likes to travel and has been to the New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and the United Kingdom, and it is a huge convenience for him to be able to just lock and leave his property knowing everything will be taken care of.

The Red Deer native, who has lived in Calgary over the past 10 years says his first homebuying experience went very smoothly. “My sister knew a realtor whom she worked with before and he really came through for me too,” he says.

Mike says the unit met about 95 per cent of the criteria he was looking for, which he still finds amazing. “Being able to buy a unit like this, that has everything that I wanted, is really worth the hassle of moving. Now I have my money going into something I own and not to a landlord.”