Brooke Barrett found the right home for her lifestyle, beside her "own private little library," in Marda Loop

After renting a small condo in a boutique building in Bankview for six years, Brooke Barrett was ready to take the plunge into homeownership. As a lawyer, she works long hours and wanted to find a maintenance-free home, close to a bevy of walkable amenities, including a library. Staying in the inner-city was also top of mind. She checked out townhomes and condos in Kensington and West Hillhurst, and considered the East Village, but in the end, she decided to make Marda Loop home, purchasing a new condo in the heart of the action on 33rd Avenue.

To find the perfect house, Kathryn Trenerry-Harker and her family only had to look down the street

Kathryn Trenerry-Harker and her husband Stu have lived in the community of Renfrew for close to 19 years. They have forged close relationships with neighbours and watched their two children – Georgia,16, and Charlie,13 – grow into teenagers. But as the kids got older, their 70-year-old, 1,000 square-foot, two-bedroom bungalow was bursting at the seams. This sent the family searching for a bigger space, one that would accommodate the kids, all their stuff and their beloved orange tabby cat, Theo.

Geoff Snider and Micaela Mailath found the perfect mix of size and location in South Calgary townhome

Geoff Snider and Micaela Mailath are "downtown people" who appreciate living in an area with a cosmopolitan vibe – close to restaurants, pubs and grocery stores. But they also love nature and what Calgary has to offer when it comes to sports. In fact, Snider is a former professional lacrosse player, who currently plays on Team Canada. He is also an entrepreneur with two businesses. Both he and Micaela, who is in sales, work from home, so when their 600-square-foot Eau Claire condo started to feel a little cramped, they began looking for a larger space. They found the perfect mix of size and location in South Calgary, where they purchased a townhome by inner-city homebuilder RNDSQR.

Jennifer and Mike Elliott created their perfect home alongside nature in Woodbine

When Jennifer and Mike Elliott moved to Calgary from Regina with their two young children 20 years ago, they had several must-haves on their home wish list. Namely, the home had to be in an area that was child-friendly, and close to schools, parks and mature trees. They purchased a four-bedroom home in Woodbine with an old-world front porch, just minutes from Fish Creek Park. Now that their kids are grown, they have renovated their home top to bottom, including a new kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, lighting and furniture. The final stage was completed last year – a brand new art studio and gallery for Mike, who has shifted his career focus from the oil and gas industry to art.

Inner-city lovers build new in an old community 

Gerald Proctor and Katrina Tashlikowich are inner-city people. Gerald was born and raised in Calgary and Katrina grew up in Vancouver, but work has taken them across the country. When they moved to Calgary from Regina five years ago, they drew a circle around the core and began their home search.

Time spent saving paid off in the form of a new Savanna duplex for Amandeep Khaira

Amandeep Khaira loves her five-year-old daughter Jannat with all her heart. So providing her with a safe and cozy home was at the top of the priority list when the 32-year-old, single mom moved to Canada from India three years ago. She scrimped and saved, and in July, she took possession of her first home – a three-bedroom, two-storey duplex in Savanna, a new section of the northeast community of Saddle Ridge. It was a dream come true.

Jackie and Michael Bernard stayed put in their first house as the community around them blossomed

When self-professed inner-city people Jackie and Michael Bernard purchased their 1,100-square-foot bungalow as a starter home in 1992, they thought they would stay for a few years, build some equity and then move to a larger home closer to the core. At the time, their home in the Lynnwood Ridge district of Ogden was "really far away" from the action and bustle of the downtown, but over the years, shopping destinations and several other amenities have popped up within minutes of this secret gem of a neighbourhood. As a result, the couple decided to stay put, making their starter home their forever home.

Movie and television set designer finds picture-perfect lifestyle in Marda Loop condo project

Amanda DuBois loves the walkable lifestyle. So when it came time to purchase her first home, the 25-year-old sought out an inner-city location, close to shops and restaurants. As a movie and television set designer, she occasionally works from home, so an office space was also on the must-have list. She looked at several condos, but was wowed by a 731-square-foot, one-bedroom-plus-den design in Sarina Home's Avenue 33 project in Marda Loop.

Cranston's Riverstone "just felt right" for Ben and Heather Cox

Ben and Heather Cox fell in love with Calgary when they moved here from the southern United States for a work contract seven years ago. "We came right out of college and we thought we would only be here for three months," said Heather.

Jeff and Jessica Huynh found their forever home in Calgary's eastern neighbour

When it came to finding their forever home, sussing out a family friendly community that offered a healthy, outdoor lifestyle, and was close to family and amenities, was top of mind for Jeff and Jessica Huynh. The Huynhs had been living in Coventry Hills in Calgary's northwest. They enjoyed the neighbourhood, but with two young children, the couple wanted to be closer to family who live in Calgary's northeast areas of Pineridge, Coral Springs and Marlborough.