Plenty of options available to buyers
When buying a home, the first thing to consider is the down payment.

Most people know they need at least five per cent of the purchase price as a minimum  requirement, and 20 per cent to avoid Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) mortgage insurance. However, many people do not realize there are more places to come up with a down payment than just your savings. Here are a few of the most common:

Savings
The first and most common source of a down payment is a person or a couple's savings. First you save, then you buy the house – pretty straightforward.

This year marked the 16th annual CREB® Charitable Foundation Building Hope golf tournament, which had a record-breaking year raising more than $50,000.

Funds raised will go towards local organizations such as Inn From the Cold, Brown Bagging for Calgary's Kids and the PREP Program, dedicated to the inclusion of individuals with Down syndrome in home, school and community life.

Calgary Chamber comes out in support of secondary suites

The Calgary Chamber of Commerce has come out in support of secondary suites in the city – a hot-button topic that has dominated city council's agenda over the past several months.

"The Chamber, in particular, is in support of the further legalization of secondary suites because there's a strong business case to do it," said Justin Smith, director of policy, research and government relations.

"Mainly, there's a strong business case in having an affordable rental market in a city to attract new labour. and to also retain talented labour to make sure you have an affordable city overall."

Calgary's secondary suite saga continues, focus turns to ageing in place

It just might be the suite that broke the camel's back.

City council debated rezoning one secondary suite for more than three hours on Oct. 6, leaving many since then to further question the process surrounding the issue.

Several residents from the northwest community of North Haven appeared before council to speak against an application to rezone property to include a secondary suite. Included in those speaking against was Sonya Staveley who lives between Nesbitt and Nolan roads, an area zoned RC-1, not allowing secondary suites. She said it's the process of filing for secondary suites that needs to change.

* Part three of three in Calgary's Growing Up series

Calgary's commercial sector riding high with innovative designs, added amenities

It's tough to keep tabs on Calgary's skyline these days.

With new buildings breaking ground every week in an area already adorned with construction cranes, it's no surprise the city's commercial sector ranks as one of Canada's most active.

With 791,344 square feet of office space leased through the first nine months of 2014, and another 3.8 million of square feet under construction, it's not simply the amount of leasing activity taking place in downtown Calgary, but the stature of those building yet to be constructed.

$45-million centre highlights town's continued growth

Big things are in store for Calgary's western neighbour.

The Town of Cochrane voted 6-1 in favour of a new $45-million aquatic and curling centre last week – the largest project ever approved in the growing community.

Financed by the town, Rocky View County, provincial/federal grants, developer fees and a fundraising campaign, the design plans for the new 130,000 square-foot facility call for a 25-metre lap pool, a wave pool, hot tub, "lazy river" and an outdoor splash park.