Sept. 06, 2017 | Andrea Cox

Living the high life

Patricia and Michael Insole went from renters to buyers and never looked back

For Patricia and Michael Insole, timing was everything when it came to purchasing their penthouse condo in Calgary's inner-city Beltline neighbourhood.

They weren't really looking to buy a home, but when the building where they were renting became a condominium conversion, they jumped at the chance to purchase. They gathered a down payment, borrowing from family and friends, and purchased their 1,700-square-foot condo on the 15th floor. CREB®Now: What do you love most about your home?

Patricia Insole: You can't beat this view. It's just absolutely phenomenal. We can watch the [Calgary Stampede] fireworks from our living room couch. And I love the terrace – it's 65 feet long.

What I also really like about our home is that it is our nest egg. We are not just throwing our money away each month on rent. This home will allow us to retire.

Michael Insole: I love the fact that it is a condo. I don't have to mow the lawn or shovel snow. When we go on holidays, we lock the door and say, "bye."

The reserve fund is really well established and the building is looked after really well. For us, it's worth it to pay the condo fees and have that peace of mind.

"What I also really like about our home is that it is our nest egg. We are not just throwing our money away each month on rent. This home will allow us to retire." - Patricia Insole

CREB®Now: Have you made any upgrades to your home?

Patricia Insole: When we purchased, our home hadn't been touched since the 1980s. It was fully carpeted. We put in hardwood flooring and re-did both bathrooms with granite countertops. The master bathroom is my little sanctuary.

But my favourite room is the kitchen. I cook and bake to relax, so it was really important that I had a great space to work.

Michael Insole: Some of the home's qualities we didn't want to change, like the wood-burning fireplace. It's so cozy in here in the winter.

CREB®Now: What do you like most about the neighbourhood?

Patricia Insole: I work downtown and I strongly believe that you should live where you work and play. It takes six minutes to drive downtown or I can walk or take transit in 20 minutes. I love the fact that everything that you can possibly want you can walk to.

Michael Insole: It's just a really great community. I really enjoy walking, people watching and just chatting with everyone. I would definitely purchase in this area again.

Tagged: Beltline | Buyer Profile | Condo | Downtown | Homebuyer | House & Home | Inner City | Patricia Insole