Houses in the city are definitely getting more expensive.  Ever since January, the market has been extremely active with 20+ offers on some houses.  In order for first-time home buyers not to be shut out of the market, they may need to get more creative when it comes to buying their first home.  I’ve always been a fan of having a basement apartment.  I have one in my house and the extra money that I earn each month acts as a second income.  The other thing people can do is to purchase a house with a friend.  They have to make sure they select a house where there are at least 2 decent sized apartments so that each person can live in their own separate space.  It’s a great way for people to enter the housing market if they don’t have enough of a down payment on their own.  In addition, it might not be such a bad thing to have someone to share the tasks of snow removal, landscaping & garbage renewal.   Both of these ideas can help someone on a minimal budget to become a home owner faster.  As our market becomes more expensive, buyers will need to be creative so they can get into the market.  The apartments might be slightly larger than a condo and allow the owners to access their first rung on the property ladder.