Some people dream about buying their first house, their first apartment, their first forever home. However, there are those who look forward to their first real estate investment instead—and if you can relate, you’ve come to the right place.
There are many different ways to get started in the world of real estate: buying properties or land, going for investment trusts or pitching in for crowdfunded projects. Ahead, we break down everything you need to know about real estate investing in Calgary.
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How Much Does It Cost to Invest in Real Estate in Calgary?
What is the location, square footage and number of rooms of the property you’re eyeing? These are just some of the factors that play into the pricing of real estate.
To give you a better idea, here are some helpful pricing facts to keep in mind.
In May 2021, the average price of a home in Calgary—combining single family houses, flats and attached homes—was $510,908. When investing in a property in Canada, buyers are required to pay for 20% of the selling price upfront.
However, buying a property isn’t the only way to invest in real estate. You can also become an investor through crowdfunding or real estate investment trusts (REIT), which can have minimum investments as low as $1,000.
The Best Real Estate Investing Services in Calgary
Now that you have a general idea of how pricing works, let’s get down to business. Keep reading for the best real estate investing services in Calgary!
1. Calgary House Finder
| PRODUCTS | Residential, commercial and land buying and selling |
| WEBSITE | https://calgaryhousefinder.ca |
| ADDRESS | 23 Sunpark Dr SE #280, Calgary, AB T2X 3V1 |
| CONTACT DETAILS | 403 836-3898 [email protected] |
With over fifteen years of real estate experience, Greg Kennedy is the founding force behind Calgary House Finder. Together with a team of handpicked realtors, the platform connects interested buyers and investors to their ideal properties.
The House Finder platform is simple to navigate. Potential investors can browse listings from the comfort of their home.
Like their name suggests, Calgary House Finder is best for residential properties. However, there are a few thousand listings for commercial spaces and lots as well.
Apart from the simple yet effective interface, this platform is useful for its up-to-date and complete information. The homepage has a monthly chart showing median prices for homes in Calgary, while each property listing includes a detailed description, the price, a list of rooms and features, an architectural breakdown, community information, a map and a rich library of photos.
Furthermore, Greg and his team provide investing advice and assistance. If you find yourself wary of making your first investment, you can count on these guys to guide you through the process and get you the best deal.
Pros
- Organized and easy-to-use online portal
- Provides users with a monthly chart depicting median real estate prices in Calgary
- Comprehensive listing information
Cons
- Complaints of frequent phone advertising from the site
Customer Reviews
Here’s what folks who tried real estate investing via Calgary House Finder have to say about the experience.
“[Mike] was very genuine and helpful, and took us to see several listings over the course of 6 months. Mike is professional and efficient, but also very patient and easygoing. He made us feel very comfortable and never pressured. When we found the house we wanted, Mike was extremely helpful in guiding us through the process, and we were thrilled with the deal we ended up getting.” —Hannah Schmitt
“We have been working with Greg at Calgary House Finder for a while now. We have been VERY impressed with his professionalism as well as his knowledge of real estate and the technology that drives it.” —Dean Cacioppo
2. Charles Real Estate
| PRODUCTS | Residential and commercial buying and selling |
| WEBSITE | https://www.charlesrealestate.ca/ |
| ADDRESS | 205, 4915 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB, T2S 2L4 |
| CONTACT DETAILS | 403 267 0000 [email protected] |
There are plenty of reasons behind Charles Real Estate’s 5-star customer rating. One such reason: the hardworking team behind the business.
The Charles Real Estate team is made up of over 50 competent and certified realtors. Well-versed in the dynamics of the industry, these experts can help you find your first investment or market it to the right buyers.
Their website makes the search easy.
Each listing provides in-depth information, such as the dimensions of each room, flooring finishes, and photos of every room from at least three angles. Their photo library almost makes it feel like you’re touring the properties from the comfort of your own home.
However, as an investor, you’re going to want to see your properties first-hand—and the Charles Real Estate team can help there too.
The team has been praised for the genuine care they show their clients. They also don’t complain no matter how many tours and viewings it takes to find the perfect property to invest in, from what we hear.
For those who don’t quite know what they’re looking for yet, don’t worry. Charles Real Estate regularly hosts open houses to help bring future homeowners closer to the property of their dreams.
Pros
- Large team of over 50 realtors
- Comprehensive listing information
- Straightforward property search engine
Cons
- Smaller library of property listings than other sites
Customer Reviews
Looking to give Charles Real Estate a try for your next real estate investment? Here are some reviews to check out.
“Marvette did a really good job of showing suites and the various options and pricing. Altogether the deal was done quite fast! She is a real professional when it comes to matching customers to property! I would recommend her moving forward!” —Byron Sluggett
“It was a pleasure working with Ben to buy a condo in [the] Beltline community. He is very professional, and always provided valuable recommendations to help us [make] decisions. We viewed many condos with Ben. He never pushed us to put [in] an offer and always gave us straight comments when he felt a condo didn’t fit.” —Liping Bao
3. Bōde
| PRODUCTS | Buying and selling of residential properties |
| WEBSITE | https://www.bode.ca/ |
| ADDRESS | 1550 5 St SW #200 Calgary, AB, Canada T2T0N2 |
| CONTACT DETAILS | Live chat support |
This is the marriage of real estate and technology. With Bōde, you can say goodbye to the unnecessary middlemen, high fees and slow process that often come with traditional investing.
We say that because Bōde streamlines the real estate process for everyone whether they’re a potential investor or a seller.
The revolutionary thing about the agency is how heavily research- and data-based it is. Buyers and sellers have access to market data, past sales information and comparables so that they can better understand the market or competitively price their properties.
Even better for real estate investors who are looking to sell their properties, Bōde only charges 1% of the selling price when the deal is done. This is extremely competitive, as success fees usually go for 7% for the first $100,000.
In our opinion, Bōde is worth a look because it allows investors to navigate the world of real estate without unneeded charges. Moreover, first-timers need not fret: their team offers responsive support through text, in-app message, email and phone.
Pros
- Modern interface
- Gives members access to real estate market data
- Live chat support
- Very low success fee for successful deals
Cons
- For non-members, calls must be scheduled beforehand via a booking page
Customer Reviews
What else makes Bōde one of the best real estate investing services in Calgary? Here’s what members of the platform have to say.
“Finally someone has taken the confusion out of real estate and made a powerful tool that’s easy to use, allowing people to take one of the most important transactions of their lives into their own hands. I’ve recommended so many friends to the platform and they’ve had nothing but 5 star experiences with Bōde!” —Holly Marshall
“I’ve been looking for a place to buy, and Bōde has made it incredibly easy to research, book and view listings. Making an offer can be done in a matter of clicks and just makes the whole process simple. Really looking forward to sealing the deal on a place through Bōde!” —Barrett Martineau
4. Questrade
| PRODUCTS | REITs, stocks, forex, funds, bonds, CFD |
| WEBSITE | https://www.questrade.com/ |
| ADDRESS | Compliance 5650 Yonge St., Suite 1700 Toronto, ON M2M4G3 |
While Questrade is based out of Toronto, its brokerage services are available to Calgarians looking to invest in real estate. Unlike the services listed above, Questrade offers REITs or real estate investment trusts.
Unlike traditional real estate investments that require large capital, Questrade changes the game by helping average citizens own a portion of a property without a hefty amount of cash.
Questrade was founded in 1999 and is currently one of the most popular firms of its kind in the country. It is also a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and is regulated by the Investment Regulatory Organization of Canada, so you can rest easy knowing your money is in good (or “regulated”) hands.
Here’s how it works.
Questrade, which is available on mobile, browser and desktop, allows users to put money into real estate via their app. Ensuring that event investing beginners have the ability to make informed choices, Questrade provides a couple of tools to help.
First, there’s the Market Intelligence tool, which provides thorough analysis on trading within Canada. There is also an idea generator tool called the Intraday Trader, which runs on an automatic algorithm to suggest potentially profitable investment opportunities.
With no minimum deposit and shares that can be liquidated at any time, we’ve chosen Questrade as one of the best real estate investing services in Calgary for the flexibility it provides. Whether you’re in the game for the long run or are casually testing the waters, this is an ideal stepping stone for hassle-free investing.
Pros
- Long and trustworthy track record
- Does not require as much capital as an actual owned property
- Shares can be sold if money is urgently needed
- Low trading fees and no withdrawal fees
Cons
- Has a $1,000 minimum investment
- Contact channels not disclosed to non-members, so inquiries are sometimes challenging
Customer Reviews
Check out these Questrade reviews.
“Questrade is Canada’s low-cost leader, offering no-fee ETF purchases. With its low fees and easy-to-use DIY trading platform, it’s perfect for Canadian Couch Potato Portfolio followers who want to build a passive portfolio from ETFs, or any investor looking to save thousands on fees.” —Jordann Brown
“You could [buy shares] instantly through an online broker like Questrade. You don’t have to meet with lawyers, you don’t have to sign any paperwork, you just buy the shares on the stock market with a click of a button.” —Adrian
5. Fundscraper
| PRODUCTS | Real estate crowdfunding |
| WEBSITE | https://www.fundscraper.com/ |
| ADDRESS | 370 King St W #805, Toronto, ON, Canada |
Real estate is one of the industries that can feel too intimidating to transact in. Thankfully, Toronto-based Fundscraper exists to change the game for Canadian investors.
At its core, Fundscraper is a crowdfunding platform that allows the average Calgarian to invest in real estate projects that would have previously been available only to high-budget investors. It provides starting and small investors to join in on the shifts in the real estate market.
Fundscraper is fast and commitment-free. Interested investors simply need to sign up (it takes two minutes!), pore over the listings, make an investment of $5,000 and up, and enjoy the returns on their investments.
The platform also allows users to make their own decisions and explore investment options. However, if the freedom sounds intimidating, Fundscraper also allows new investors to follow in the steps of the pros with investment tracking and co-investment options.
Fundscraper rounds out our list because it is an easy, beginner-friendly choice. It hallmarks a sense of inclusivity for budding Canadian investors, but also provides the benefit of monthly passive income—now, who doesn’t like that?
If you want a part of the real estate pie, but can’t quite afford it yet, consider taking a few minutes to set up check out this option. But just a heads up: they do have a minimum required investment of $5,000, so you’ll want to make sure you have that set aside beforehand!
Pros
- Modern interface
- Quick, convenient sign-up
- Monthly earnings are wired straight to the investor’s bank account
- Allows co-investment so new members can emulate what pro investors do
Cons
- Has a $5,000 minimum investment
Customer Reviews
Want to know more about Fundscaper? Let these customer reviews tell you why it’s one of the best real estate investing services in Calgary.
“To date I have made several investments on the Fundscraper platform with excellent results and I expect to continue investing with Fundscraper. I find the platform easy to use and I enjoy the ability to pick and choose amongst various opportunities as they are posted, to make investments of various sizes, for various terms and at various rates of return. It’s simple to check on the status of investments including all relevant history.” —Andre Kuzmicki
“I have been very excited to use Fundscraper as a way to invest in private real estate investments that were previously difficult for an individual investor to access! The team has been very helpful and the ability to use registered accounts and enable distribution reinvesting is a bonus. There is a wide scope of projects available to invest in and the returns have been better than expected.” —Joshua Weme
Types of Real Estate Investing in Calgary
Before you start with real estate investing in Calgary, it’s important for you to understand what type of investment works best for you and your budget. We break down the common types below.
Residential or Commercial Spaces
Owning a property is still the most popular form of real estate investing. When you own a piece of land, a house, a condominium unit or even a commercial space, there are various ways for you to get a rather sizable return on your investment.
For instance, you could build an establishment on an empty piece of land or furnish an empty unit to increase its worth. You can rent out a home or sell a property once its value appreciates.
However, with the increasing price of real estate worldwide, this requires a large amount of capital. Furthermore, it can take you a long time to get your money back.
Real Estate Investment Funds
The biggest downside to buying actual real estate properties is how long it takes to get a return on your investment.
If you’re looking for investments with high liquidity or simply want to own real estate without actually owning a property of your own, consider looking into indirect investments like REITs. You can buy shares of companies that own hotels, malls, offices or other real estate properties via a brokerage account.
Crowdfunding
Real estate crowdfunding thrives in the online space. This set-up is ideal for those who are willing to invest a small amount to become shareholders or partial owners of companies or properties.
One of the biggest risks involved in crowdfunding is that the companies or properties are relatively unknown. With a short financial history, it’s completely possible for an investor to lose their money when the economy dips.
Frequently Asked Questions about Real Estate Investing in Calgary
We hope this guide helps you narrow down which real estate investing service in Calgary is the best match for you.
If you happen to be on the hunt for a property to rent or an agent to help you lease your property, we’ve got another article that may be of help to you. Check out our list of the best real estate agents in Calgary!
