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.

First-time home buyer finds her new abode by following her instincts

Danielle Burtoway has always had her sights set on buying a home, rather than renting one.

"I want to be smart about it," said the 24-year-old, who currently lives with her parents. After looking for the past several months, Burtoway has taken the proverbial plunge – she's buying a unit in Copperfield Park III.

While Burtoway admits that price was a definite consideration, she didn't commence her property search with a specific list of criteria.

Expert says Calgary home inspections should be mandatory

When first-time homeowner Mario DeMarco made the "largest purchase" of his life, he wanted to ensure there were no surprises – that there would not be any major issues with the property before he signed on the dotted line.

DeMarco quickly turned to a home inspector – a move he credits as key in contributing to what turned out to be a smooth buying process.

"[It was] one of the few times in the process that I had the ability to control the situation," he said of purchasing his condo in Lower Mount Royal. "It is no different than getting an inspection on a used car before purchasing it. I wanted to know if there was water damage, electrical issues, plumbing issues..."

Brought about by shifting market conditions, the face of the average Canadian homebuyer is also undergoing substantial changes.

As revealed in a national survey from RE/MAX, almost one in five prospective buyers in Alberta is single, with the number of young buyers – those aged 18 to 34 – the highest amongst all the provinces at 40 per cent.