Calgary couple's investing timing helped them buy a $550,000 townhouse

A Calgary couple used early‑2020 investing gains, steady incomes and frugal living to help afford a $550,000 townhouse; they closed in May, put down $120,000 and took a five‑year fixed mortgage.

Larry and Nicole bought a $550,000, three‑bedroom townhouse in Calgary after combining investing gains, steady incomes and years of low‑cost living. Larry began investing in early 2020, moving savings into a Questrade account and buying a Vanguard S&P 500 ETF near the market low. They closed on the home in May, moved in two months later and have plans to stay for several years. Key facts: - The couple is in their mid‑20s; Larry is 27 and Nicole is 25, and their combined household income is about $172,000. - They made a $120,000 down payment (about 22%), split evenly; Larry’s share included long‑term savings and a $20,000 gift from his mother, and Nicole saved $60,000 independently. - Larry initially invested about $10,000 near the market bottom in 2020 and reports overall returns of around 22% since inception; he uses broadly diversified ETFs such as VEQT. - They chose a five‑year fixed mortgage at 4.07% amortized over 25 years with monthly payments of $2,287; condo fees are $360 a month, rising to about $370. - On possession day they discovered attic moisture and later had a furnace failure; estimated attic repairs of $1,000–$3,000 per unit will be covered by the condo reserve fund, while a furnace replacement of $9,000–$10,000 will not. - They set aside roughly $30,000 in emergency savings and say those funds helped manage early repair costs. Summary: The couple’s combination of early investing, disciplined saving and lower rent enabled the down payment and initial costs of homeownership. They plan to remain in the townhouse for about eight to 10 years; further developments related to repairs and their mortgage term are undetermined at this time.