From the Blog
Nick shares his take on the Calgary market, buyer and seller tips, and neighbourhood guides.
Latest Articles
Calgary Real Estate Market Update — August 2026
August sales and new listings slowed, while conditions ranged from balanced detached homes to a buyer's condo market.
Read ArticleCan Rent-to-Own Help You Buy a Home? A Canadian Buyer's Guide
How option deposits, purchase credits and future financing actually work — and the contract terms worth reviewing before you sign anything.
Read ArticlePlanning a New Build in Alberta: What You Can Expect to Spend
Construction costs per square foot, land and site expenses, permits, financing, timelines and the contingency most budgets forget.
Read ArticleCalgary Real Estate Market Update — July 2026
July sales and new listings eased, while detached, semi-detached, townhome and condo conditions continued to move differently.
Read ArticleCapital Gains Tax on Real Estate in Canada: What Homeowners Need to Know
When a sale creates a taxable gain, how the principal residence exemption works, and what to gather before you list.
Read ArticleCan You Buy a Home Without a Large Down Payment in Canada?
What the minimum actually is, where the funds can come from, and the real tradeoffs between putting 5% and 20% down.
Read ArticleCalgary Real Estate Market Update — June 2026
June sales improved over May but remain below last year. Condos face steep price declines while detached stays balanced. Full breakdown by property type.
Read ArticleBenchmark, Median or Average? How to Read Calgary Home Prices Correctly
Three numbers, three different questions — and why they moved in opposite directions in June 2026.
Read ArticleSold Prices in Calgary: How to Verify What a Home Really Sold For
Where to find real sold data, how to tell a recorded sale from an automated estimate, and what makes a comparable actually comparable.
Read ArticleCalgary Real Estate Market Update — May 2026
The market is shifting. Inventory is up, sales are down, and where you buy or sell matters more than ever. Here's the full breakdown by property type.
Read ArticleWhere Calgary Luxury Lives: A Guide to the City's Most Prestigious Neighbourhoods
Upper Mount Royal, Bel-Aire, Britannia, Elbow Park and the Elbow Drive corridor — what actually makes each one command a premium.
Read ArticlePlanning to Sell in Calgary? A Practical Roadmap From Prep to Possession
Preparation, pricing position, marketing, showings, evaluating offers on more than price, and getting to possession cleanly.
Read ArticleCalgary Real Estate Market Update — April 2026
Spring brought the usual seasonal lift, but sales are still running below last year. Detached stays tight while condos continue to favour buyers.
Read ArticleA Local Guide to Calgary's Coffee Scene: 11 Cafés Worth a Stop
Roasters, neighbourhood institutions and a pharmacy with a coffee bar — grouped by the kind of visit you actually want.
Read ArticleBefore You Sell: Should You Repaint, Reface or Replace Your Kitchen Cabinets?
Repaint, reface or replace — comparing cost, disruption and buyer impact, and when each option makes sense before listing.
Read ArticleBuying a Fixer-Upper in Calgary: How to Know When the Numbers Actually Work
How to compare purchase price, renovation scope, permits and hidden risks against renovated comparable sales before you make an offer.
Read ArticleCalgary Real Estate Market Update — March 2026
Activity picked up heading into spring, but the story differs a lot depending on what you're buying or selling. Detached remains tight; condos are a different world.
Read ArticleYour Credit Score Before Buying a Home: What Calgary Buyers Need to Know
What lenders review alongside the number, what actually moves your score, and how to prepare before applying for a mortgage.
Read ArticleCalgary Real Estate Market Update — February 2026
Two very different markets are running side by side right now. Detached homes under $700K remain tough to find, while condos are sitting longer with more negotiating room.
Read ArticleKitchen Updates That Help Sell a Calgary Home: Where Should Sellers Spend?
Where sellers should spend, where they typically overspend, and how to match kitchen work to the home's price range.
Read ArticleMoving to Calgary: A Practical Guide to Choosing Your Next Community
Housing, neighbourhoods, commuting, jobs, climate and lifestyle — how to choose the right part of Calgary, not just the right city.
Read ArticleCommercial Real Estate Investing in Calgary: What Investors Should Understand First
Why commercial is not simply a bigger rental property — property types, leases, tenant risk, valuation and financing for Calgary investors.
Read ArticleCalgary Real Estate Market Update — January 2026
Sales are down 15% from last January and inventory just hit its highest point since 2020 — but the detached market is still holding up better than the headlines suggest.
Read ArticleRefinancing Your Mortgage: How to Know When the Numbers Actually Work
Home equity, prepayment penalties, break-even math, qualification and HELOC alternatives — when refinancing actually pays for itself.
Read ArticleBuilding New in Calgary? How to Compare the City’s Major Home Builders
What to review before buying new construction — floor plans, upgrades, contracts, warranty coverage, lot choice and possession timing.
Read ArticleCalgary Real Estate: 2025 Year in Review
After years of frenzied seller conditions, 2025 was the year Calgary's market finally caught its breath. Here's what the numbers say and what it means heading into 2026.
Read ArticlePrepare Your Calgary Home for Winter: A Practical Cold-Weather Checklist
Furnace service, frozen-pipe prevention, chimneys, ice dams, exterior vents, snow and ice safety, and what to check before leaving town.
Read ArticleNovember 2025 Market Update
Inventory remains elevated at 28% above last year as seasonal trends slow sales, but the detached and semi-detached markets hold relatively balanced conditions heading into winter.
Read ArticleBuying Your First Home in Calgary: A Step-by-Step Guide From Savings to Possession
Down payments, FHSA and HBP savings, pre-approval, neighbourhoods, offers, inspections, condo documents, closing costs and possession.
Read ArticleCondo Fees in Calgary: How to Tell What You’re Really Paying For
What the monthly contribution actually covers, how reserve funds and special levies work, and which condominium documents to read first.
Read ArticleCalgary Property Taxes Explained: From Assessment Notice to Final Tax Bill
How assessments differ from tax bills, the 2025 residential rates and deadlines, TIPP monthly payments, and how to review an assessment.
Read ArticleOctober 2025 Market Update
Inventory eased slightly as sales picked up, returning months of supply to 3.5 months. Year-to-date sales are down 16% but still in line with long-term trends.
Read ArticleMoving House Without the Chaos: An 8-Week Timeline From Packing to Possession
An eight-week window for movers, decluttering, address changes, utilities, packing and the first 24 hours in the new home.
Read ArticleFrom Firm Deal to Front Door: How the Home Closing Process Works in Alberta
Mortgage finalization, lawyers, closing funds, property-tax adjustments, Land Titles registration and the final walk-through before possession day.
Read ArticleSeptember 2025 Market Update
Sales-to-new-listings ratio dipped to 45% and months of supply reached four months for the first time since early 2020, signaling a notable market shift.
Read ArticleCondo Living in Calgary: The Pros, Trade-Offs, and Who It Actually Fits Best
Maintenance, privacy, amenities, fees, bylaws, reserve funds, insurance and resale — and who condo ownership genuinely suits.
Read ArticleMake Moving Easier: A Practical System for a Less Stressful Move
A structured system for decluttering, packing, labeling, movers, kids, pets and moving-day essentials — so the move takes work but not chaos.
Read ArticleHome Appraisals Explained: What Determines Value and What Happens If It Comes In Low
What appraisers actually review, how an appraisal differs from an inspection or market evaluation, and what to do when value comes in below the price.
Read ArticleAugust 2025 Market Update
Improving supply has shifted market dynamics with months of supply rising to 3.4 months — the highest August total since 2019 — while prices ease modestly from spring peaks.
Read ArticleBuying a Rental Property in Calgary: How to Analyze the Deal Before You Buy
Rent comps, operating expenses, cash flow, cap rate, financing, vacancy and legal-suite checks — a practical stress test before you make an offer.
Read ArticleWhat Actually Drives a Home’s Value? The Factors Calgary Owners Should Understand
Location, comparable sales, lot, layout, condition, renovations, parking and market conditions — and which of them an owner can actually influence.
Read ArticleJuly 2025 Market Update
Inventory hit 6,917 units — the highest since before the pandemic — as sales fell 12% and new listings rose 8%. The benchmark price is now 4% below June 2024's peak.
Read ArticleJust Listed: East Village Condo with Skyline Views
A stylish 568 sq.ft. downtown condo in East Village offering west-facing balcony, skyline views, and steps from the Bow River — priced at $314,900.
Read ArticleDownsizing in Calgary: How to Know If a Smaller Home Will Actually Improve Your Life
Space, maintenance, monthly costs, condo fees, accessibility and selling strategy — how to tell whether a smaller home is actually the better move.
Read ArticleBuying in a 55+ Community in Alberta: What to Check Before You Make the Move
How age rules actually work, what to review in the condo documents, and how fees, guests, pets, accessibility and resale factor into the decision.
Read ArticleJune 2025 Market Update
Inventory reached 6,941 units — back to 2021 levels — as sales remain consistent with long-term trends. The benchmark price is $586,200, down 3% year-over-year.
Read ArticleWhere Calgary Goes to Walk: 10 Urban Trails for River Views, Prairie Ridges and Quiet Forests
Ten urban walks and nature trails, from Nose Hill and Twelve Mile Coulee to Weaselhead Flats, Griffith Woods and the Bow River pathway.
Read ArticleMay 2025 Market Update
Sales eased 17% year-over-year but remain 11% above long-term trends. With 2.6 months of supply, conditions are still balanced — though apartment and row prices are feeling pressure.
Read ArticleApril 2025 Market Update
Inventories hit 5,876 units — more than double last year but in line with historical norms — as economic uncertainty and tariff concerns weigh on sales.
Read ArticleYour Property Assessment vs. Market Value: What's the Difference?
Your annual assessment notice just arrived — but does it reflect what your home would actually sell for? Here's what Calgary homeowners need to know.
Read ArticleMarch 2025 Market Update
Tariff uncertainty weighed on sales, which declined 19% year-over-year to 2,159 units, but inventory reached 5,154 units — shifting the market toward balanced conditions.
Read ArticleJanuary 2025 Market Update
Inventory rose 70% year-over-year to 3,639 units as new listings outpaced sales. The benchmark price hit $583,000 — up nearly 3% from last January.
Read ArticleCalgary Hidden Gems: Family Fun Within 30 Minutes
From wolfdog sanctuaries to horseback riding and charming small towns, here are the best family-friendly spots within a short drive of Calgary.
Read ArticleDecember 2024 Market Update
2024 closed with 1,322 December sales — near last year's levels and 20% above long-term trends. Annual benchmark prices grew over 7%, but the second half showed signs of stabilization.
Read ArticleSeason's Greetings from Nick Trawinski
Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful holiday season and a prosperous New Year from Nick Trawinski and the IQ Real Estate team.
Read ArticleNovember 2024 Market Update
Sales of 1,797 matched last year's levels and stood 20% above long-term trends. Inventory hit 4,352 units — up from 3,000 last year — as the market transitions away from extreme seller conditions.
Read ArticleOctober 2024 Market Update
October sales of 2,174 were 24% above long-term trends as inventory reached 4,966 units — well up from the record low 3,205 last October. Months of supply at 2.3 months.
Read ArticleSeptember 2024 Market Update
New listings hit the highest September total since 2008 at 3,687 units, pushing inventory to 5,064. Despite this, the benchmark price remains 5% above last year at $596,900.
Read ArticleHave Questions About What
This Means for You?
The Calgary market moves fast. Nick can translate the numbers into a clear picture of what to expect — whether you're buying, selling, or just watching.