FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions for Buyers and Sellers

Get pre-approved first, then set up your search, view homes, and write an offer. Once accepted, you have a 7 to 14 day condition period for financing, inspection, and condo document review if applicable, then your lawyer closes the purchase. Most purchases take 30 to 90 days from accepted offer to possession.

You can buy without one, but a buyer’s agent typically costs you nothing directly – in most Calgary resale purchases the buyer’s agent is paid from the seller’s side. You get market data, negotiation experience, and a vetted network of lenders, inspectors, and lawyers, plus someone whose job is to spot problems before you own them.

Contact a mortgage broker or lender before viewing homes. They review your credit, income, and down payment, then confirm your budget with a rate hold of typically 90 to 120 days. Pre-approval is not optional if you want to write a strong offer. We can connect you with trusted mortgage professionals.

A typical Calgary inspection costs $500 to $700 and covers structure, electrical, plumbing, heating, roof, and foundation. Most buyers include an inspection condition in their offer. If significant issues turn up, you can negotiate repairs or a price reduction, or walk away with your deposit returned.

Beyond your down payment, budget roughly $2,500 to $4,500: legal fees of about $1,200 to $1,500, Alberta land title registration fees (there is no land transfer tax here), your inspection, and adjustments for property taxes or condo fees. We outline these upfront so there are no surprises.

It depends on your life. Families often look to communities with schools and parks like Tuscany, Evergreen, or Auburn Bay. Buyers who want walkability love inner-city communities like Bridgeland, Marda Loop, and Kensington. First-time buyers often start with condos and townhomes. We help you weigh commute, schools, and long-term resale.

Base your offer on recent comparable sales, not the asking price. In balanced conditions most Calgary homes sell within a few points of list price. In competing offers, price, deposit size, and conditions all affect strength – we walk you through the risks and benefits of each before you sign.

The First Home Savings Account (FHSA) lets you save for a down payment tax-free, the RRSP Home Buyers’ Plan allows withdrawals up to $60,000 per person, and qualifying new builds may offer GST relief and 30-year amortizations. What applies depends on your situation – ask us and we will point you in the right direction.

Interest rates, the local economy, and the balance between listings and buyers set the backdrop. Location, condition, size, and property type drive the rest. The same month can be a seller’s market for detached homes and a buyer’s market for condos, so we price against your specific segment, not the citywide average.

Pre-approval takes a few days to two weeks and the search takes as long as it takes. Once your offer is accepted, expect a 7 to 14 day condition period plus two weeks to three months to possession, depending on the date you negotiate.

We follow a 28-step system, The Precision Sale Program, covering preparation and pricing, launch, showings, negotiation, and closing. Preparation takes one to two weeks, and well-priced homes typically sell within the first few weeks of listing. From accepted offer, add a 7 to 14 day condition period and two to six weeks to possession.

Value comes from recent comparable sales, current competition, and your home’s location, size, and condition – not what you spent on it. We prepare a free home evaluation with the actual sold data for your community and an honest recommendation on price.

You can sell privately, but pricing, preparation, exposure, and negotiation are where sales are won or lost, and mistakes there usually cost more than commission. Our commission is discussed openly at your evaluation and confirmed in writing before you list.

Real estate commission, legal fees of roughly $1,200 to $1,500, a possible mortgage payout penalty, an updated Real Property Report if yours is missing or outdated, plus any staging or repairs worth doing. There is no capital gains tax on a primary residence in Canada.

Spring and early summer bring the most buyers, but also the most competition. Well-priced homes sell in every season. Pricing accuracy matters more than the month on the calendar – we time your launch around your goals and the current inventory in your segment.

Declutter, deep clean, handle small repairs, and focus on first impressions. We include a professional staging consultation, professional photography, and 3D tours with every listing. Well-presented homes consistently show better and sell closer to list price.

Overpricing is the expensive one – it burns your best window, the first two weeks, and leads to chasing the market down. Others include skipping preparation, weak photos, ignoring showing feedback, and treating every offer as only a price. A clear process prevents all of them.

We review every offer with you in full: buyer qualifications, price, deposit, conditions, and possession date. Once terms are agreed and signed, your home is conditionally sold. The buyer typically has 7 to 14 days to satisfy financing and inspection conditions, then the sale is firm.

Your Real Property Report (RPR), land title, and property tax records, plus a condo document package if applicable. A lawyer handles the closing. We verify these early – a missing RPR and slow condo documents are the two most common causes of closing delays.

Usually poor communication, unrealistic pricing, or promises that did not survive the listing. Our answer is structural: a documented process, feedback after every showing, weekly updates, and honest advice. It is why more than 75 per cent of our business comes from repeat clients and referrals.