Financing your first home purchase can be intimidating, especially with Canada's frequently changing guidelines. However, there are resources available for Calgarians, including a variety of rebates, tax credits and opportunities for down-payment assistance.

How much home can you afford?

Shopping for the home of your dreams requires knowing how much you can afford to spend, which for most buyers ties directly into a mortgage.

Financial institutions in Canada look at a buyer's Gross Debt Service (GDS) and Total Debt Service (TDS) ratios to help determine how much mortgage to approve, and therefore, how much home a person can afford.

Making the right decisions during this crucial part of buying a house can set you up for long-term financial success

For anyone buying real estate, arranging a mortgage is a sure sign that you're about to make your dream home a reality.

But with the all the options that are available, how do you find the mortgage that's right for you?

Greg Miller, a mortgage professional with SmartCap Inc. in Calgary, says step one for him is "finding out what are the client's short-term needs and long-term needs, their goals, and what does their budget allow for in terms of a payment?

"After that you can tweak a mortgage to cater it to them."