Historical homebuying

Ashley McCallum found a home with character in the Beltline

Ashley McCallum loves history and character-filled older homes. So when it came time for this 35-year-old to find her first home, she immediately gravitated towards inner-city areas with more than a century of history. Although her first preference was a single-family home with a yard – her beloved eight-year-old bichon, Molly, loves playing outside – it wasn't in her budget. After months of searching, she found a lovely one-bedroom apartment in the Beltline on the second floor of a four-storey walk-up. The light-filled space features crown mouldings, century-old hardwood flooring, big windows and all the interesting nooks and crannies that come with an older home.

CREB®Now: You had a strong vision of the style of home you wanted. Was it easy to find?

Ashley McCallum: Calgary is a really new city with lots of sparkling new buildings, so it's really hard to find a home with historic character and even harder to find an apartment with those qualities. It just took some perseverance and time, but I eventually found the perfect home.
I am going to have to do some renovations on the kitchen, which is extremely dated with decades-old appliances and stained linoleum countertops, but that is going to be the fun part. I love design.

CREB®Now: Was the area an important consideration?

Ashley McCallum: Somewhat. It was really more about the design of the home. I definitely wanted to be inner-city, close to coffee shops and lots of people. I work from home, so I really didn't want to feel isolated out in the suburbs, and I really appreciate being able to walk everywhere. But being near green space and dog parks was also really important. The Beltline is a perfect blend for me. Plus, my favourite coffee shop, Analog, is super close.

Tagged: Analog Coffee | Beltline | Buyer Profile | Condo | House & Home