Good morning, Calgary.

In this week’s edition we’re taking a look at:

Let’s get into it.

- Nathaniel and Graham

What This Means: Calgary got a small late-summer pulse this week, not a sprint. Sales and under-contract activity both moved higher, while price reductions and collapsed deals fell. That suggests more buyers and sellers are finding a number they can both live with, which is always healthier than a listing quietly collecting dust until the leaves change colour.

But buyer leverage has not vanished. Average days on market held at 40, only 15.1% of sales closed at or above list, and 2,891 active listings are unoccupied, or 47.0% of supply. The homes that are clean, well-positioned, and priced for today are still moving. Everyone else may need a better plan than waiting for September to magically do the work.

Calgary’s rental market is getting easier to describe with broad numbers. More listings. More choice. Less of the frantic energy that had renters refreshing their browser like it was concert-ticket day.

But broad numbers can hide a very practical problem: not every available rental is actually available to every household.

A City-cited RentFaster snapshot from May found that about 53% of Calgary households have pets, while only about 10% of rental listings priced at $1,600 or less allowed them. That is not a small footnote. It means a renter can see a seemingly manageable supply of homes, then watch most of it disappear the moment they add a dog or cat to the search filters.

That is why “affordable” needs a little more honesty. A rental that works on paper but cannot accommodate a household as it actually exists is not a realistic option. The advertised rent is only one part of the math. Pet policy, parking, laundry, transit access, and utilities can all turn a promising listing into a hard pass before anyone tours the kitchen.

Landlords have legitimate concerns. Damage, noise, insurance, and the occasional mystery smell are not fictional. But a blanket no-pets rule can also make a property less competitive as renters get more choice. A clear pet policy, reasonable expectations, and a proper application process may be more useful than treating every animal like it is plotting a coup against the laminate flooring.

The City and Calgary Humane Society are now working on a Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative aimed at reducing those barriers through practical tools and clearer expectations. The City also plans to recognize pet-friendly policies in its non-market-housing grant criteria.

For renters, the takeaway is to search for the real all-in fit, not just the lowest headline rent. For landlords and investors, pet policy is increasingly part of the positioning conversation. In a softer rental market, the properties that feel workable to more households have a better shot at standing out.

Have a question about finding, buying, or operating a pet-friendly home in Calgary? Hit reply. We are happy to help sort through the neighbourhood, building, and property-type questions that matter.

This 1,561-square-foot, three-bedroom, 2.5-bath home brings new windows, a 2025 furnace, a renovated quartz kitchen, updated bathrooms, a heated attached garage, and a living room with vaulted ceilings and a wood-burning fireplace.

The real hook is outside. It backs directly onto greenspace, with a gated west-facing composite deck, tennis courts nearby, and Bow River pathways practically asking for a bike instead of another Deerfoot commute. With pets allowed and no neighbours behind, it suits a buyer who wants the rhythm of a house and outdoor access without taking on a full detached-home to-do list. In a market with more choice, that combination of layout, renovation, and location still gives a townhome a proper reason to stand out.

🏗️ Eastward Growth, With a Construction Schedule. Hollins and Halstead have broken ground east of Stoney Trail, with a mix of homes intended for roughly 4,100 people and move-ins hoped for by mid-2027. The fine print is a $105-million Memorial Drive extension expected in 2028. New communities are a housing story. The roads, utilities, and timing are the part buyers should read twice.

🧾 The Ownership Cost That Does Not Appear in a Listing Price. A recent review notes that the provincial share of a typical 2026 residential tax bill rose by $388, compared with a $49 increase in the City share. Purchase budgets need room for the bills that arrive after the keys, not just the mortgage payment that gets all the attention.

🏠 Suites, Round Two. We have been watching Calgary’s suite story for a while. The signal has now shifted: basement suites are a permitted use as of August 4, while backyard and laneway suites remain discretionary. Same housing tool, different rulebook.

🏘️ Cookie-Cutter, but Cost-Effective?. The debate over repetitive new-community design is really a debate about the trade-off Calgary is making between affordability, speed, services, and character. A prettier roofline is nice. A neighbourhood that works day to day is nicer.

Know someone trying to make sense of the market, find a rental that actually fits their life, or choose between a backyard and a Bow River pathway? Forward this their way.

Talk soon,

Nathaniel and Graham

Terryberry Real Estate Group