Calgary Real Estate

It depends on what matters most to your family. Mahogany, Auburn Bay, McKenzie Lake, Sundance and Chaparral are built around private lakes with beaches and year-round activities. McKenzie Towne is a walkable community with shops and services along its High Street. Seton, Legacy, Copperfield and New Brighton offer many newer homes. Before you buy, confirm school designations directly with the Calgary Board of Education and the Calgary Catholic School District, because boundaries can change.

Most of Calgary’s lake communities are in the southeast. Mahogany has the city’s largest lake at 63 acres, followed by Auburn Bay and McKenzie Lake at about 43 acres each, Sundance at 33 acres and Chaparral at 32 acres. Lake Bonavista and Midnapore also have lakes. Access runs through each community’s residents’ association, and not every home inside a community’s boundary is included, so confirm lake access for a specific property before you make an offer.

Mahogany and Auburn Bay sit side by side in deep SE Calgary, and both are next to Seton and South Health Campus. Mahogany’s lake is larger at 63 acres, with more beach area and the Mahogany Beach Club. Auburn Bay’s lake is 43 acres, and Auburn House serves as its community centre. Both offer condos, townhomes and detached homes, so the better fit usually comes down to your budget, the specific pocket of the community and the amenities you’ll actually use.

Seton is SE Calgary’s main hub for shopping and services. It’s home to South Health Campus hospital, a large YMCA, a public library, grocery stores, a movie theatre and restaurants. Mahogany and Auburn Bay border Seton, and other SE communities such as Copperfield, New Brighton and Legacy are generally a short drive away.

New homes in Alberta come with warranty coverage of 1 year on labour and materials, 2 years on delivery and distribution systems such as plumbing and electrical, 5 years on the building envelope and 10 years on the structure. Ask for the warranty details in writing, check whether GST is included in the price and find out how much construction is still planned nearby. First-time buyers of a new home may also qualify for a GST rebate. Read our guide to the GST rebate.

In most Calgary purchases, the buyer’s agent is paid from the commission the seller agreed to when listing the home, so buyers usually don’t pay out of pocket. Your arrangement is set out in a written buyer agreement, so review the compensation terms before you sign and ask how any difference would be handled.

Start with a mortgage pre-approval so you know your price range. Then search current MLS® listings or set up a custom home search to be notified when new SE Calgary listings match your criteria. Ray can also help you narrow down which communities fit your budget, commute and lifestyle.

Home values in SE Calgary vary by community, property type, lot and whether a home has lake access. Online estimates can’t account for upgrades or condition, so the most reliable number comes from comparing recent nearby sales. Request a free comparative market analysis for your home.