The Market Just Shifted – Here’s Why It’s Your Time to Buy

Hey Calgary Home Buyers

I hope you’re doing well. I wanted to reach out with exciting news about the Calgary real estate market – news that could directly benefit you if you’ve been on the fence about buying a home. After a long period of red-hot seller’s market conditions, we’re finally seeing a significant market shift in favor of buyers. In this week’s update, I’ll share the latest stats and what they mean for you. Spoiler: now might be the best chance we’ve had in years for buyers to get into the market!

Big Shift in Supply and Demand

One of the clearest signs of a market shift is the surge in homes for sale combined with a slowdown in sales. Simply put, there are more homes available and fewer buyers competing for them right now. Take a look at what’s happening in Calgary (June 2025 vs. June 2024):

• Homes for Sale (Inventory) – 6,941 active listings (🔺 83% more than last year)canadianmortgagetrends.com. This jump in inventory has brought supply back to pre-2022 levelscanadianmortgagetrends.com, a dramatic change from the shortage of homes we saw in recent years.

• New Listings – 4,223 new listings in June (🔺 11% year-over-year)canadianmortgagetrends.com. More people are putting their homes on the market, increasing your choices.

• Homes Sold (Demand) – 2,286 sales in June (🔻 16.5% fewer sales than last year)canadianmortgagetrends.com. Buyer activity has cooled a bit, which means less competition for you when you make an offer.

• Months of Supply – ~3.0 months of inventory now, which is more than double the ~1.3 months we had a year ago. (Months of supply = how long it would take to sell all listings at the current sales pace. More supply means a more relaxed market.)

• Market Balance – The sales-to-new-listings ratio is around 54%canadianmortgagetrends.com, firmly in balanced market territory. (For context: 40–60% is considered a balanced market; higher favors sellers, lower favors buyers.) A year ago, this ratio was much higher, indicating a strong seller’s market – not the case now.

What do these stats mean for you? In short, buyers finally have the upper hand or are at least on a level playing field. There’s more choice of homes and more time to think – you’re not forced to rush in with a risky offer the day a house hits the market. In many cases, we can now negotiate on price and conditions (home inspection, financing, etc.) – options that buyers barely had during the frenzy of 2021–2022. The Chief Economist of the Calgary Real Estate Board noted that this extra supply is giving buyers more options, especially in condo and townhome segmentscanadianmortgagetrends.com. Overall, the data shows Calgary’s market pivoting away from sellers and toward a buyer-friendly environment.

Prices Stabilize (A Window of Opportunity)

With the market cooling, we’re also seeing home prices level off and even dip in some segments, which is a big change from the never-ending price increases of the past few years. For example, Calgary’s benchmark home price in June was about $586,200, which is 3.6% lower than a year agocanadianmortgagetrends.com. In fact, prices have slipped year-over-year for the first time in a while, especially in the more affordable home types:

• Condo Apartments – Benchmark price around $333K, down >3% vs last Junecanadianmortgagetrends.com. (Average condo price is ~$352K, about 1.6% lower year-over-yearwowa.ca.)

• Townhomes (Row Houses) – Benchmark ~ $450K, also down >3% vs last yearcanadianmortgagetrends.com.

• Detached Houses – Benchmark ~ $764K, basically flat (~0.4% ↓ YoY, which is a small dip)canadianmortgagetrends.comcanadianmortgagetrends.com. The average detached price is ~$820K, which is actually 1.1% lower than a year agowowa.ca.

What this means is that prices aren’t running away on you – they’ve moderated. Buying a home in Calgary today might cost you less than it would have last year, particularly if you’re looking at condos or townhouses. Even for detached homes, where prices haven’t fallen much, remember that a year ago they were soaring. Now they’ve essentially hit a plateau, which gives you a chance to jump in without chasing a rapidly moving target.

It’s also worth noting that this is a wider trend across Alberta and Canada, not just Calgary. For instance, the Alberta benchmark price in May was roughly flat (+1.8% YoY), and the surge in inventory pushed the province from a seller’s market into a balanced onewowa.ca. Nationally, the average Canadian home price in June was down about 3.7% from last yearnesto.ca. In other words, the market heat has come down a notch almost everywhere. Calgary remains more affordable than bigger cities like Toronto or Vancouverwowa.ca, and now we’ve got this moment of price stability – a great combination for buyers.

Bottom line on prices: We finally have some breathing room. The price gains of the last few years have paused. This could be a window of opportunity to buy at a more reasonable price before the next cycle of growth kicks in. (Remember, Calgary home values have a strong long-term track record – up about 44% in the last 5 yearswowa.ca – so a slight dip now might just be a brief chance to get in before values resume their climb in the future.)

More Signs of a Buyer’s Market in Calgary & Alberta

To put Calgary’s shift in context, let’s look at the bigger picture. Across Alberta, supply and demand are also rebalancing in buyers’ favor. In May 2025, total home sales in Alberta were down ~8% year-over-year, while new listings rose about 10%wowa.cawowa.ca. This pushed Alberta’s sales-to-new-listings ratio down to ~59.7%, tipping the province from a seller’s market to a balanced marketwowa.ca. Inventory across Alberta was up 18% from last year, with Calgary leading the pack – Calgary’s active listings nearly doubled (+98% YoY) by Maywowa.ca.

What about the rest of Canada? Similar story: there were 206,000+ homes for sale nationally at the end of June (🔺 11.4% year-over-year)stats.crea.ca, bringing supply back in line with long-term averages. The national months of inventory sits around 4.7 months – a balanced market overallstats.crea.ca. (For reference, analysts often say >6 months of inventory = buyer’s market, and <4 months = seller’s marketstats.crea.ca. We’re not at 6+ months in Calgary, but the trend has clearly moved away from the extreme seller’s market conditions we had before.) The key point is that multiple indicators are showing a cooler, more balanced environment – from higher inventory and longer days on market, to moderate prices. These conditions empower buyers.

Even the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) has remarked that many markets are turning a corner. They noted that the slower spring market was held back by economic uncertainty, and that “delayed activity could very likely surface this summer and into the fall”stats.crea.ca. In plain English: a lot of buyers have been sitting on the sidelines, but they may come back into the market soon. Calgary’s current market gives you a chance to act before that pent-up demand returns and potentially tilts things back toward sellers.

Improving Affordability (Interest Rates Have Eased)

You might be thinking: “Okay, the market is more favorable, but what about mortgage rates?” That’s a great question. Over the last year, higher interest rates were a big reason some buyers pulled back. The good news is that rates have stabilized and even started to inch down slightly, making homeownership a bit more affordable than it was a year ago:

• The Bank of Canada cut its benchmark interest rate twice earlier this year (in January and March) and has been holding it at 2.75% since Aprilglobalnews.ca. No new rate hikes on the horizon at the moment. In fact, many economists expect we might see one or two small rate cuts later this yearglobalnews.ca if the economy stays stable.

• As a result, mortgage rates have improved. For example, right now some lenders are offering fixed mortgage rates in the low 4% rangewowa.ca (the lowest 2-year fixed in Calgary is around 3.99%wowa.ca). This is a relief considering 5-year fixed rates were hovering around 5.5% or higher at times last year. Variable rates have also steadied since the Bank of Canada paused further changesglobalnews.canerdwallet.com.

What does this mean for you? Your potential monthly payments today could be lower than they would have been if you bought when rates peaked. And if you purchase now, you always have the option to refinance at a lower rate in the future if (as many predict) rates fall further. The key is that you don’t have to worry about rates spiraling upward out of reach; if anything, the financial side of buying is becoming a bit easier to manage. Combine that with the recent dip in prices and it’s a promising scenario for buyers.

Why This Moment Is Your Chance as a Buyer

All these changes – more inventory, calmer prices, and stable/lower interest rates – have created a window of opportunity for buyers that we haven’t seen in a long time. If you’ve been dreaming of owning a home in Calgary, now is the time to seriously consider it. Here’s why I say that:

• More Choice & Less Pressure: A year or two ago, finding “the one” meant scrambling to see a listing the moment it hit the market and often bidding in a frenzy of multiple offers. Now, with inventory up 83% and sales down, you can take the time to find a home you truly love. You’re more likely to be the only offer, or one of just a few, rather than competing with 15 other buyers. This takes a lot of stress out of the process.

• Negotiating Power: In a seller’s market, buyers had to bend over backwards – often paying over ask, waiving conditions, etc. Today, we can often negotiate on price and terms. Sellers know the market has changed; many are more flexible on accepting conditions or negotiating price when there aren’t tons of other buyers knocking at the door. You could save money or get conditions that protect you (like a home inspection) that simply weren’t attainable in the past.

• Timing Ahead of the Crowd: As mentioned, there’s a sense that this lull in buyer activity won’t last forever. Calgary’s economy is strong, and our population is growing fast (nearly 5% per year!)wowa.ca. More people moving here means housing demand will stay strong in the long run. Right now many buyers are cautiously waiting, but as soon as there’s a whiff of good economic news or slightly lower rates, we could see them rushing back (CREA forecasts a pickup by later this yearstats.crea.ca). Buying now lets you beat that rush. Think of it as getting into the store before the big sale crowd – it’s easier to grab what you want.

• Calgary’s Long-Term Potential: Calgary is still one of the most affordable major cities in Canada, and yet it offers incredible lifestyle and job opportunities. Over the past 5 years, home values have risen significantlywowa.ca. We’re in a moment where that long-term upward trend has paused. If you buy during this pause, you stand to benefit when the market cycle inevitably shifts again. Real estate moves in cycles, and those who buy in softer markets often reap rewards when conditions tighten again in the future.

Ready to Start Your Home Search or Have Questions?

This is all a lot of information, I know. The takeaway is positive: the market conditions are finally in your favor as a buyer. If you’re feeling even a little bit inspired or curious about taking advantage of this moment, I’m here to help make it happen. Whether you’re ready to start touring houses next week or you just want to chat about whether buying makes sense for you, let’s talk.

Here are a few easy ways to get started or learn more:

• Ask me anything. Just hit reply with any questions – big or small – about the market, the buying process, or even specific neighborhoods. I’m happy to provide answers and advice, no strings attached.

• Get pre-approved for a mortgage. If you want to know how much home you can afford now that rates have improved, I can connect you with a great mortgage specialist. Getting a pre-approval is free and will give you a clear budget (and it’s valid for a few months, locking in today’s rates).

• Start a home search. I’d love to help you find some options that fit your needs. We can set up a custom MLS search that sends you listings, or even schedule a no-pressure tour of a few homes just to dip your toes in. With more inventory on the market, you might be surprised at what’s out there now compared to a year ago.

Finally, I want to say: there’s no “hard sell” here. My goal is simply to keep you informed and to help you make the best decision for your situation. If buying now isn’t right for you, that’s okay! But if you’ve been waiting for the right time, I believe this is one of the best times we’ve seen in a long while for buyers.

Feel free to reach out by replying to this email or calling me anytime. I’m always here to help, even if it’s just to talk through ideas or concerns.

Let’s make the most of this buyer-friendly market together. I’m excited for the opportunity to help you find the perfect home at the perfect time.

Sincerely,

Ryan Parry

Your Trusted Real Estate Advisor

www.ryanparry.com