Exterior view of the Newcastle unit

Now that the new year has begun and with 2020 being the start of a new decade, you may have finally reached the conclusion that this year is your year to buy the new home of your dreams! Whether you are looking for your first home or vacation property, it’s an exciting feeling searching for the perfect place to call home. 

The holiday season may have been a time that you were just scrolling through the internet checking out the area. Gathering a sense of the housing market and what you can afford. Now that the holiday season is officially over, it’s time for you to get serious about finding your dream home.

As you continue through your search, we put together this new home guide to assist in the major aspects of buying a property. Also in this guide are ways Distinctive Homes is ready to help eliminate some of the normal headaches in this home buying process.

Lori Mitchell, Distinctive Homes Realtor

Find An Agent

Now that you are done just browsing the internet it’s time to get more serious with a real estate agent. Here at Distinctive Homes, we have our own successful new home consultants and real estate agents. Our experienced agents are ready to work directly with you on finding your dream home.

Our senior consultant Lori Mitchell has called the Bow Valley home for 30 years, working as a successful realtor since 2001. Her wealth of experience in the area and market makes her the perfect candidate to help in the home buying process. As a direct link into Distinctive Homes, Lori will be able to answer any questions regarding the home building processes. This includes customization options, possession dates and more.

View of Canmore Engine Bridge and Mount Lawrence Grassi

Location and Lifestyle 

At this stage in your search for your perfect dream home, Canmore is the obvious choice. Being centrally located and only an hour away from Calgary International Airport, Canmore is an extremely accessible escape to nature. It’s also the gateway into Banff National Park, Kananaskis and Yoho National Park, making it the perfect mountain town. 

Now that you have decided on Canmore, you need to decide on where you would like to live within Canmore. Think about what areas of town best suit your lifestyle and what you want in your dream home. At Distinctive Homes, we offer a variety of property options all over Canmore. This lets you transition to the mountain lifestyle that best fits you and your family. Here are some examples to help you determine the type of mountain lifestyle that fits you best: 

7th & 7th South West Canmore

The Residences at Seventh & Seventh 

Do you love being apart of all the action? Distinctive Homes offers an exclusive opportunity for you to own a unique part of the downtown Canmore real estate. With our new luxury development, The Residences of Seventh and Seventh,  you could be situated in an unbeatable location. Seventh and Seventh features everything you need and want right outside your doorstep! 

Step onto the streets of downtown Canmore and indulge in the bold tastes of the many restaurants, cafes and local offerings. Experience one of a kind shopping at local boutiques or stop by the river and enjoy the scenic views. Whether you’re downsizing, looking for that perfect weekend getaway, or just want to have walkable access to all that downtown offers, we have a floor plan that will suit your needs. 

Lookout Ridge far exterior rendering

Lookout Ridge 

Are you seeking to live in the mountains to become closer to nature? Distinctive Homes Three Sisters location offers the very best in condo living with a stunning view right off the mountain ridge. These condos are directly connected to hiking and biking trails making it the ultimate location to start your mountain adventures. Lookout Ridge even has its own private courtyard that looks directly out to the mountain vistas. Creating its own personal peaceful vibe that is like no other in the valley. 

The Bow Collection

Stewart Creek Custom Homes and Bow Collection 

Are you looking for a home to store all your toys, have plenty of guest space, or a backyard for barbecuing? Distinctive Homes single-family and duplex homes maximize the functionality and lifestyle of Canmore living. Canmore is an active community, and we want to build homes that accommodate the needs of those who take part. With skiing, hiking trails, paddling, rafting, cycling, and climbing all outside your doorstep our custom homes will fulfill all your growing hobbies.

Excellent mountain view from the comfort of our Abruzzi living room.

Affordability 

Before you definitively start the process of buying your future home you should gather your financials in order. There are many options available for first-time and second property homebuyers. By taking the time to research you can be sure that you get the best-valued property your finances will allow. 

If you’re looking for a home mortgage for the first time, it may be difficult to sort through all the financing options. Take time to decide how much home you can actually afford and then finance accordingly. You may start to ask “can we afford this?” But here at Distinctive Homes, we say you absolutely can. Distinctive Homes offers a variety of properties for every budget. Therefore no matter what your end budget might be, life in the mountains can become feasible with Distinctive Homes. 

New Home Luxury Bathroom

What to look for when doing a walkthrough 

When inspecting a new home, common advice online recommends to inspect the roof, leaking plumbing, drafty windows, etc. but by choosing Distinctive Homes you can rest assured that your dream home will have none of these issues. 

Our Distinctive Homes are new builds, built of superior quality and enduring value. Both our Warranty Services Department and local trades and suppliers we hire stand behind your home for the duration of your 1-year comprehensive warranty period. 

For more information on why buying new is the better choice, please read our blog: Why You Should Buy a New Construction Home

Custom Kitchen Design

Set an Attainable Timeline 

Once you have decided to start the search for your dream home you need to be realistic about your move-in date. 

There are many different factors that can affect your timeline, are you building a custom home? or would you rather just move to the mountains right now? Here at Distinctive Homes, we understand the different contingencies every home buyer has. Which is why we offer both fully customized homes and full move-in ready single-family homes, duplexes, and condo units. 

Here at Distinctive Homes we also perform diligent walkthroughs to make sure everything is perfect before you move in. Even for our move-in ready locations we still have a list of final touches that take some time in order to prepare your dream home.

It is an exciting feeling as you grow closer to your 2020 homeownership goals. At Distinctive Homes, we want to do our best to help make them happen. Pay us a visit and let’s start working together, so you can not only find, but purchase your dream mountain home.