Shelley Soles ABR®, C.C.S - Certified Condominium Specialist, SRES - Senior Real Estate Specialist, REALTOR®

Agent

Phone: 403.253.1901   Mobile: 403.830.6646   Email
Shelley Soles

January 2026 marks my 20th year in the real estate industry, all of which have been with Royal LePage Benchmark in Calgary. This is milestone I'm very proud of and grateful for. 

In my business, the people I ride alongside make all the difference - this includes colleagues, clients and business partners. I take these partnerships to heart. Thank you for sharing the ride with me and I look forward to helping more buyers, sellers and investors in the coming year.

Over 95% of my business comes from past clients and referrals. These satisfied clients have spread the word about the great service they’ve received from me and my brokerage, Royal LePage Benchmark. I work primarily in Calgary, Cochrane, Airdrie and Okotoks.

Every one of my clients is unique, and that is exactly how I treat them. I don’t measure my success by sales, but by the relationships I build along the way. My goal is to take the complex process of buying and selling real estate and make it a simple one.
 
So whether you are thinking about buying, selling or investing, give me a call - I would be happy to meet or talk with you to determine how I can help. Absolutely NO obligation!

I send out a newsletter at the beginning of every month - providing a summary of the previous month's activity in many segments of the market - along with some fun, interesting activities in Calgary and area that you and your family may enjoy!  If you'd like to receive a copy, please sign up using the link provided on this page.  

To find out more details on the current Calgary, Airdrie, Cochrane and Okotoks markets, please check out the CREB Monthly Stats tab as it is updated the beginning of every month. If you'd like a more detailed breakdown of any segment of the market, I can provide more data.  

Cheers!

TRENDS DIFFER BASED ON PROPERTY TYPE


Calgary Alberta, April 1 2026 – Supply conditions in March varied significantly depending on property type. Inventory levels saw a typical monthly rise, but compared with long-term trends, inventory remained well above the 10-year average for both row and apartment-style units and well below trend for detached homes. This is not a surprise given the pullback in detached housing starts last year despite record-high apartment-style starts.
 
There were 1,881 sales in  March, up from the previous month, but still 13% lower than levels reported last year and below long-term trends for March. The decline in sales is mostly due to pullbacks in apartment-style activity, where increased supply choice and slower migration is spreading demand across a wider range of supply. Meanwhile, detached sales have also slowed compared to long-term trends, likely due to limited supply choice in some city districts.
 
“When considering total residential housing statistics, conditions appear to be relatively balanced as sales, new listings, inventories and prices all trended up over the previous month as we start to move into the spring market," said Ann-Marie Lurie, CREB®'s Chief Economist. "However, when we look deeper, we are seeing a market that ranges from tighter conditions for detached homes to the apartment sector, where conditions tend to favour the buyer. As expected, this is supporting upward momentum in detached prices and downward pressure in the apartment condominium sector."
 
The total unadjusted benchmark price in the city was $565,600, up nearly 1% compared to February but down by more than 4% compared to last year. After the first quarter, benchmark prices posted modest to stable conditions for lower density homes. However, apartment condominium prices continued to slide, dropping another 3% in the first quarter compared to the fourth quarter of last year.
  
For more specific, detailed information on the different segments of the market (detached, semi-detached, row/townhouse, apartment condos) and updates on the Airdrie, Cochrane and Okotoks markets last month, jump over to my CREB MONTHLY STATS page.

ROYAL LEPAGE 2026 RECREATIONAL PROPERTY REPORT

Canadians’ appetite for recreational real estate remains strong, despite economic uncertainty and return-to-office mandates

TORONTO, ON, March 26, 2026 – According to Royal LePage, the median price of a single-family home in Canada’s recreational regions is forecast to increase 4.0 per cent in 2026 to $604,552, compared to 2025. Despite ongoing consumer caution amid economic and political tensions, constrained housing supply relative to buyer demand is expected to place modest upward pressure on recreational property prices in the year ahead.

Median house price forecast to increase 4.0% in Canada’s cottage market in 2026; upward price momentum sustained by limited supply 

Highlights:

Canada’s recreational markets are expected to see an increase in single-family home prices in 2026, with Manitoba and Saskatchewan forecast to see the highest level of price appreciation at 5.5%.

The weighted median price of a single-family home in Canada’s recreational property market increased 4.3% year over year in 2025 to $581,300.

Nationally, the weighted median price of a single-family waterfront property decreased 5.2% year over year, while that of a condominium increased 2.1%.

Single-family homes in Atlantic Canada recorded the highest year-over-year price appreciation in 2025, rising 11.8%.

35% of Royal LePage®recreational property experts reported an increase in the number of full-time residents moving back to urban centres over the past year.

To obtain a copy of the full report, please contact me at ssoles@royallepage.ca.

Here’s what you need to know about Canada’s First Home Savings Account (FHSA)


Saving for your first home? When it comes to putting money away to buy their first home, the federal government’s ‘tax-free in, tax-free out’ First Home Savings Account aims to give Canadians a helping hand.

Since April 1 2023, Canadians aged 18 or older who are purchasing their first home are eligible to enroll in a tax-free First Home Savings Account (FHSA). Introduced in the 2022 federal budget, the FHSA combines elements of a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) and a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP), allowing users to make tax-deductible contributions and tax-free withdrawals from the account for the purposes of saving for a home. 

Am I eligible for the FHSA?
In order to open an FHSA, users must be at least 18 years old and a Canadian resident. Account holders must also be a first-time homebuyer — someone who has not owned a home and lived in it during the calendar year before the account is opened, or at any time during the prior four calendar years. 

An FHSA can be used for a maximum of 15 years, and stay open until December 31st in the year that the account holder turns 71 years old. Users cannot contribute to their spouse or common-law partner’s FHSA. 

How much can I contribute to my FHSA?
FHSA holders can contribute an annual maximum of $8,000 into their account, with a lifetime contribution limit of $40,000. Unused contribution room can be carried over to the next year up to a maximum of $8,000.

Carry-forward amounts start accumulating after the user opens the FHSA for the first time. Only the account holder can claim an income tax deduction for contributions made in a particular taxation year.

It is possible to have more than one FHSA open at a time, but the total amount that an individual can contribute to all of their FHSAs cannot exceed their annual and lifetime contribution limits. Similar to a TFSA, a 1% tax is applied on over-contributions to an FHSA for each month that the excess amount exists in the account. 

What are the benefits of the FHSA?
An FHSA marries together the concepts of a TFSA and an RRSP in one account. Contributions to an FHSA, like an RRSP, are tax-deductible.

Additionally, any withdrawals made for the sake of purchasing a home are non-taxable, similar to a TFSA, including any investment growth.

Users can take advantage of a series of qualified investments in their FHSA, including mutual funds and publicly-traded securities, plus government and corporate bonds. Users can also set up a self-directed FHSA to manage their own portfolio.

What happens when I want to take money out of my FHSA?
If a user wants to withdraw funds from their account, there are a few things to keep in mind. The account holder must be a first-time homebuyer at the time a withdrawal is made.

The qualifying home must be acquired (or construction must be completed) no more than 30 days prior to the withdrawal, and before October 1st of the following year, with the intention of occupying the property as their principal residence within one year after acquiring it. Be sure to read carefully the definitions of a first-time homebuyer and a qualifying home. 

If you wish to transfer money out of your FHSA to another account, you can do so to another FHSA, an RRSP or a Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF). Be sure to close your FHSA on or before December 31st of the year following your first qualifying withdrawal, when your participation period concludes.

To learn more about the First-Home Savings Account, visit Canada.ca.