6 Benefits of Buying a Detached Home in Calgary

April 25, 2021
By Cody Battershill

Why Consider Living in a Detached Home?

Is a detached single-family home right for you? While many potential buyers prefer more affordable products such as condos and townhomes, detached properties have many benefits which – depending on your real estate goals – may just be exactly what you’re looking for.

Here’s a handful of benefits of living in a detached home in Calgary. Also see:

More Living Space

If you’re a young couple expecting to be part of a growing family in the years ahead, or already have children and need more space as everyone ages, living in a detached property would be your best bet.

Detached homes have more square footage both inside and out, meaning there’s more space for you and everyone else in your household. This also adds to privacy between family members and provides more storage options.

More Privacy

With more living space comes more privacy not only between family members, but also between you and the neighbours.

Sharing a wall in an attached infill home means that you might hear some noise from the neighbour. If they choose to have people over, for example, chances are that there will be some "white noise" seeping through the common wall every now and then.

Some homebuyers don’t mind sharing a wall, but for others it can be a deal-breaker. It all depends on your needs as a homeowner, how much you value your privacy, and if you’re willing to pay more for a detached home versus an attached or row-style property.

More Yard Space

While not every single-family home will have a yard, most do. Detached properties usually have both a front and backyard, providing ample space for you to take up some of those projects you’ve been itching to do.

Pet owners will also enjoy a confined backyard space (assuming there’s a fence with gates), which will also double as a safe space for the kids to play in. Perhaps a trampoline for the children and a small do-it-yourself garden is in order for your detached home's backyard?

More Storage Space

Living in a multi-family property requires that you maximize each and every square inch of space within your residence for storage purposes. The same can’t be said for detached homes, as they typically will provide you with more than enough storage space whether it be in the garage, yard shed or basement.

If you’re a person with lots of stuff or a large family, then you’ll want to consider buying detached real estate. There's just way more space to go around.

More Peace of Mind

Independently owning your detached home may just be the peace of mind you need, especially if you’ve owned a townhome or condo in the past and have had to pay a special assessment.

We've seen special assessments go as high as $70,000. That’s another mortgage all together, and an expense that not many people can afford nowadays which can force some homeowners into foreclosure.

Semi-detached, attached and apartment properties also bring into question the “trust” factor with your neighbours. Do you trust your neighbours to take care of the common property, as you do? There's a ton of other questions that could also be asked in regards to the "trust" factor.

A Sound Investment

Detached homes typically appreciate in price over the long term if market conditions are right. Also, if the market does end up going down as it has in Calgary over the past few years, detached homes typically see their benchmark prices the least affected.

Now, of course, not all segments of your municipality may adjust to market conditions in the same fashion. Single-family homes in the northeast of Calgary, for example, may have seen larger price decreases over the past few years than those in the West District due to a number of reasons.

It’s always critical that you discuss your options with an experienced Realtor® who will be able to guide you towards making the best decisions that are in line with your real estate goals.

Cons of Detached Properties

There are some downsides to living in a detached home, although it really depends on the type of lens you prefer to view these “cons” with. Detached real estate:

Is more expensive than comparable attached, townhouse and apartment-style properties (but for good reason)
Requires more standard home maintenance versus townhouses or apartments (some prefer to not have to pay condo fees each month)
Requires more cleaning to be done (some don’t mind given the benefits)

Overall, detached properties are a great buy if you're looking for more space, more storage, more privacy and security. Contact us today to discuss your real estate goals!