What Is My Calgary Home Worth? A Pricing Process Built on Data
discover the real value of your home
Pricing a home in Calgary takes more than a list of recent sales. I look at past, present and forward-looking market indicators such as absorption rate, original list-to-final-sale price ratios, and interest rates and bond yields, which set what buyers can actually afford. This is alongside the physical factors that move value: lot and location influences, condition, and any incentives in play.
1. Six to twelve months of market data. I analyze active and sold homes, plus terminated and expired listings. The homes that didn’t sell often tell you more about where the price ceiling sits than the ones that did.
2. A personal tour of your home. I identify its strengths, its limitations, and any quick, inexpensive fixes that improve how it shows and sells.
3. I tour your competition. I personally view at least three active listings in and around your area so your home is positioned where buyers will actually see its value. I also invite you to come with me on the tour so that you can see with your own eyes what you are up against.
4. A financing reality check. As a licensed Mortgage Associate as well as a REALTOR®, I know what today’s buyers qualify for so your price is set against real buying power, not wishful thinking.
Before you ask for one
See exactly what you'll receive
Most "free home evaluations" are a price range and a phone call. Mine is a written Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) built the same way I price a listing I'm about to put my name on. Here's a full sample so you know what you're asking for.
The value, and the proof
Ten comparable homes, sold, pending and active, each adjusted to your home line by line, so you can see why the number is the number.
A pricing strategy
A recommended list price, what buyers in your price band will compare you to, and a plan for the first 30 days on market.
Your net and your next move
What you'd actually walk away with after costs and your mortgage payout, and what that equity can buy next.
The sample below is built on a fictional home with illustrative numbers. I never publish a client's report, address or figures.
SAMPLE
Comparative Market Analysis
Sample Home, South Calgary
Prepared for: Sample Homeowner Pete Chapman, REALTOR® & Mortgage Associate
The home
Two storey, built 2012. 1,860 sq ft above grade, 3 bedrooms plus bonus room, 2.5 baths, double attached garage, unfinished basement, 4,100 sq ft lot. No central air. Original kitchen in good condition, roof and furnace original.
$674,900
Recommended list price
$666K to $678K
Indicated value range
$672,182
Weighted value, 5 closed sales
2.7 months
Supply in this price band
What the numbers say
Five recent sales, adjusted to this home, land between $666,200 and $675,800. The closest match, a near twin in the same phase, sold for $671,000 in 12 days. Two pending sales and three active listings, adjusted the same way, mostly sit in the same band. The one active listing well above it, at $689,900, has been sitting for 38 days and has already cut its price once.
The recommendation in one line
List at $674,900: inside the "up to $675,000" search filter, just under the near twin's adjusted value, and clearly better value than the stalled listing at $689,900. Expect $668,000 to $675,000 in two to four weeks if the home shows well.
Every report closes with the sources used and the date the data was pulled. A CMA is an opinion of market value prepared by a REALTOR®, not an appraisal.
SAMPLE
Comparables
10 homes, adjusted to yours
Sold, pending and active Last 6 months, within 1.5 km
Each comparable is adjusted for the differences a buyer would pay for: size, age, basement, air conditioning, lot and location. The adjustment rates come from paired sales in the area, not a national formula.
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Home
Sq ft
Built
Basement
Price
Net adj.
Adjusted
S1Sold 0.4 km · Same phase, near twin
1,842
2012
Unfinished
$671,000 12 days · 99.4% of list
+$3,840
$674,840
S2Sold 0.7 km · Larger, has A/C
1,905
2013
Unfinished + A/C
$689,500 21 days · 98.5% of list
−$15,050
$674,450
S3Sold 1.1 km · Smaller, older, rec room basement
1,780
2010
Rec room
$684,000 9 days · 100.6% of list
−$8,200
$675,800
S4Sold 0.9 km · Larger, newer, fully finished, A/C
1,990
2014
Full, bed + bath + A/C
$735,000 18 days · 98.0% of list
−$66,800
$668,200
S5Sold 1.4 km · Backs onto a collector road
1,860
2011
Unfinished
$652,000 47 days · 95.9% of original ask
+$14,200
$666,200
P1Pending 0.6 km · Has A/C
1,880
2012
Unfinished + A/C
$679,900 8 days · asking
−$9,100
$670,800
P2Pending 1.2 km · Newer, smaller lot
1,820
2015
Unfinished
$669,900 15 days · asking
+$4,600
$674,500
A1Active 0.5 km · Near twin, stalled
1,875
2012
Unfinished
$689,900 38 days · cut from $699,900
−$950
$688,950
A2Active 1.0 km · Fully finished basement
1,850
2013
Full, bed + bath
$709,900 26 days · no cuts
−$38,400
$671,500
A3Active 1.5 km · Larger, A/C, stalled
1,920
2011
Unfinished + A/C
$684,900 61 days · cut twice from $714,900
−$16,600
$668,300
How the closed sales were weighted
Sale
Size
Age
Basement
A/C
Lot
Location
Weight
Adjusted
S1
+$2,340
0
0
0
+$1,500
0
30%
$674,840
S2
−$5,850
−$1,200
0
−$7,000
−$1,000
0
20%
$674,450
S3
+$10,400
+$2,400
−$22,000
0
+$1,000
0
15%
$675,800
S4
−$16,900
−$2,400
−$38,000
−$7,000
−$2,500
0
15%
$668,200
S5
0
+$1,200
0
0
−$2,000
+$15,000
20%
$666,200
Rates used: $130 per sq ft above grade (the marginal rate, not the average, which would overstate size), $1,200 per year of age, $22,000 rec room basement, $38,000 finished basement with bedroom and bath, $7,000 central air, $10 per sq ft of lot, $15,000 for backing onto a collector road.
The comp that supports you most
S1, the near twin: same phase, same builder plan family, 18 sq ft smaller, sold in 12 days at 99.4% of list. It needs only $3,840 of adjustment, which is why it carries the most weight.
The comp that hurts you most
S5 sold for $652,000, and a buyer's agent will bring it to the table. It backs onto a collector road and opened at $689,900, cut twice and sold at day 47. Adjusted for the road, it supports $666,200. It's in the report so you're ready for it, not surprised by it.
SAMPLE
Market strength
Who has the leverage right now
Detached homes, $600K to $750K Sample community, last 6 months
2.7
Months of supply
98.6%
Sale to list price
19 days
Median days on market
62%
Sales to new listings
Months of supply: how long the current inventory would last at the current pace of sales.
Reading it
Supply tightened through spring to 1.7 months in April, which is when the near twin sold in 12 days. It has drifted back to 2.7 months, the top of Calgary's typical range. Sellers still have the edge, but less than in spring: 9 of the 24 active listings in this band have cut their price, and homes that sold went for 97.1% of their original asking price, not their final one. In this market, the opening price decides more than the reductions do.
SAMPLE
Pricing strategy
The first 30 days, planned in advance
Agreed before the sign goes up
Day 0$674,900Launch with full photos, floor plan and measured square footage.
Day 10CheckBenchmark: 8+ showings and 2 second showings. Showings are honest; feedback is polite.
Day 20$664,900If the benchmark is missed, one clear move, not a $5,000 nibble.
Day 30ReassessWith full feedback and fresh comps: hold, adjust or reposition for spring.
Buyer psychology in this price band
Most buyers here search "up to $675,000" or "up to $700,000". At $674,900 the home appears in both. At $679,900 it disappears from the first group and lands next to the stalled $689,900 listing, which makes a buyer ask what's wrong with both.
Pricing risk
Opening at $689,900 to "leave room" is the most common and most expensive mistake. Homes in this band that opened above market sold, on average, about 3% below their original price and took weeks longer. On this home, 3% is about $20,000.
What buyers will need to see
A measured floor plan, the age of the furnace and hot water tank, photos that show the bonus room and the basement's potential (rough-ins, ceiling height, windows), and an answer ready on air conditioning before anyone asks.
SAMPLE
Net proceeds and next move
What you keep, and what it buys
At an expected sale price of $672,000
Sale price
$672,000
Real estate commission
−$21,308
GST on commission
−$1,065
Legal fees and disbursements (estimate)
−$1,500
Mortgage payout
−$388,000
Prepayment penalty (3 months' interest)
−$4,740
Estimated net to you
$255,387
Before property tax adjustments. Your lender's payout statement gives the exact penalty.
Your next move
With $255,387 as a down payment and a $150,000 household income, buying power is roughly $900,000 on a 25 year amortization, about $945,000 on 30 years, qualified at the stress test rate.
A $850,000 purchase at an illustrative 4.29% five year fixed rate: about $3,222 a month over 25 years.
Penalty check: if the mortgage can be ported to the next home, that $4,740 may not need to be paid at all. That's worth knowing before you sign anything.
Illustrative only. Rates, qualification and penalties depend on your lender and your file. Mortgage services through Dominion Lending Centres Mortgages Are Marvellous, independently owned and operated.
Expired and terminated listings (where the ceiling sits)
No
Yes
Adjustments you can check line by line
No
Yes
Pricing strategy for your first 30 days
No
Yes
Net proceeds and mortgage plan
No
Yes, from a licensed Mortgage Associate
Mortgage planning
Plan the money before the move
The price is only half of a sale. The other half is what your mortgage does when you sell, and what you can buy next. Because I'm licensed as a REALTOR® and a Mortgage Associate, I can model both in the same report.
Payout and penalty
Fixed rate penalties can be three months' interest or a much larger interest rate differential. We get the real number from your lender before you set a price.
Port, blend or break
Many mortgages can move to your next home, which can avoid the penalty entirely and keep a good rate. Timing matters, so we check the rules early.
Buy before you sell
If the right home comes up first, bridge financing can cover the gap between your purchase and your sale closing. We confirm you qualify before you need it.
Buying power
What your equity and income qualify for at today's stress test, so your next search starts with a real budget, not a guess.
Dates that line up
Possession dates, mortgage funding and your sale closing coordinated so you're not paying two mortgages or moving twice.
Downsizing or cashing out
Paying off the mortgage, funding retirement or helping family with a down payment: we map how much stays liquid and when.
Mortgage services through Dominion Lending Centres Mortgages Are Marvellous, independently owned and operated. All mortgage figures are subject to lender approval.
Not ready to sell yet?
Get the monthly Market Signals report
If you're thinking a year or two out, timing matters as much as price. Once a month, I'll send you a short report on your community and price range that shows which way the market is leaning, so you can see a good window coming instead of guessing.
The signals I track, and how to read them
Signal
Leaning toward sellers
Leaning toward buyers
Months of supply
Under 2 months, sustained for at least 3 months
Above 3 months
Sale to list price
At or above 100%
Falling below about 97%
Days on market
Shortening month over month
Lengthening month over month
Sales to new listings
Rising: most new listings are selling
Falling: listings are piling up
Price reductions
Few active listings cutting
A growing share cutting
Benchmark price trend
Rising for several months
Flat or falling
Rates and 5 year bond yields
Falling: buying power grows
Rising: buying power shrinks
Months of supply thresholds are CREB's: sellers' conditions emerge below two months for at least three months, buyers' conditions above three, with normal activity between two and three. The other rows are rules of thumb I use, not official thresholds.
How to sign up: fill in the form below and choose "Curious for future" as your purpose, or email me your community and home type. One email a month, no spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Yes. There's no cost and no obligation to list with me. I'd rather you make a good decision with real numbers than a rushed one with a guess.
Is a CMA the same as an appraisal?
No. A CMA is a REALTOR®'s opinion of market value based on comparable homes and current competition, built to set a list price. An appraisal is done by a licensed appraiser, usually for a lender. They often land close together, and when a buyer's lender orders an appraisal, the comparables in your CMA help support your price.
Why not just use an online estimate?
Online estimates can't see your basement, your renovations, your lot or your condition, and they rarely account for pending sales, active competition or listings that failed to sell. In a typical Calgary community, those details can move value by tens of thousands of dollars.
What happens after I submit the form?
I'll reach out to confirm a few details and book a walkthrough. The written report follows once I've seen your home and toured the competition. If you only want a preliminary range first, just say so.
Do you cover areas outside Calgary?
Yes. I work across Greater Calgary, including surrounding communities such as Airdrie, Cochrane, Chestermere, Okotoks and nearby acreage areas.
What do you do with my information?
I use it only to prepare your evaluation and send the reports you ask for. I don't sell or share it, and you can unsubscribe from the monthly report anytime.
Can you tell me what my mortgage penalty would be?
I can estimate it and explain how it's calculated, but your lender's payout statement is the only exact number. I'll help you request it and read it, and check whether porting the mortgage could avoid it.
Pete Chapman, REALTOR® with REMAX Innovations. Sample report figures are fictional and illustrative. Market data in real reports is sourced from the Pillar 9™ MLS® System and CREB®; information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Prefer to talk first? Call or text 403-831-1242 or email pete@petechapman.ca.
Find the Value of Your Home
HOME EVALUATION
Tell me a little about your home and I'll prepare your Comparative Market Analysis: the comparables, a pricing strategy, your estimated net proceeds and a plan for your next move.
I'll reach out to confirm a few details and book a quick walkthrough. The written report follows once I've seen your home and toured the competition. No cost, no obligation.
Not ready to sell? Choose "Curious for future" as your purpose and I'll send you the monthly Market Signals report instead.
Data is supplied by Pillar 9™ MLS® System. Pillar 9™ is the owner of the copyright in its MLS®System. Data is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by Pillar 9™.
The trademarks MLS®, Multiple Listing Service® and the associated logos are owned by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify the quality of services provided by real estate professionals who are members of CREA. Used under license.
