Lately in the news there has been a lot of chatter regarding the relaxation of secondary suites within the Calgary area. If passed even homes in strict R-C1 (single family dwelling use only permitted) could see secondary suites. There are pros and cons on both sides of the coin on this one and finding a solution to make all sides happy will require a very strategic balancing act to say the least.
To make a decision on changing bylaw use we should start with education of what is a legal vs illegal or “mother-in-law” suite as sometimes referred to.
A legal suite is on that meets the guidelines set by the city, some people believe that just by having a lot that is R-C2 (zoned for a two family dwelling) automatically means that it is allowed, this is not necessarily the case. R-C2 lots still have to have a minimal frontage of 15m and total parcel area must be 466 sq m2, but this is just a portion of the equation, legal suites must be on separate meters, have separate heating and live up to building code, and there has to be ample parking not relying on street parking. Illegal suites are just that, they do not have the previous attributes and do not follow code or zoning requirements. A mother in law suite is basically an illegal suite made for family.
If there was a suite that existed before 1970 whether legal or illegal and “is still in use” the use is grandfathered by the city and is permitted to continue the use forward is referred to as a non-conforming suite.
On the pro’s side this is good for buyers who want to supplement their income with a secondary suite, the city of Calgary will make revenues on the application and approval process, and renters gain from more approved rental choices in different communities. That all seems fine except onto the flip side. People have bought homes for years in residential single family dwelling properties for years under the assumption that is what they bought and will continue to have conform during the duration of their ownership. This could change under the proposed secondary suite status and you could find secondary suites in some of Calgary’s top neighborhoods. Could it effect value? -Definitely, is that a concern for current owners in R-C1 neighborhoods? No Question!- What are your thoughts and comments about this heated debate, please comment below!
How will this effect the calgary real estate market?

In a tough Calgary real estate market for sellers, we just sold this Harvest Hills Calgary property in less than a month. Not an easy challenge these days in our Calgary buyers market. In order to sell this home quickly we maximized on the positive and great qualities this family home offers to buyers. Our initial appointment with the sellers detailed a to-do list for the sellers to check through and prioritize. With their hard work they completed the checklist within a short period of time. Check list included some paint touch ups and de-cluttering to ensure this home showed its best to the few buyers out there in the market right now. Proper presentation is everything in this market and you need an experienced and qualifies agent to assist you in achieving top results. We are happy to announce that an offer came in last night with no conditions, another rare opportunity for a seller in the current market place. All we had to do was just sign it and this deal was done and considered sold.
Just launched a new improved website for CalgaryListings.com.
We decided to take a different approach with this site instead of the traditional template sites offered by the real estate web site companies. This is a custom wordpress theme. The nice theing about this site is that it is on the wordpress platform and allows for the ability to easy add edit and delete iformation instantly. I have never really been one for the template sites as then they look the same as most others in a world that it is already hard to have your own real estate brand.
Jenn Wilson at Agent Solutions customized the look and feel, and I think she did a fabulous job! She is on Active Rain if anyone needs her virtual assistance.
Take a look and provide any feedback, honestly is the best policy please!
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