December Newsletter

by Taylor King

Hello Friend!

Should auld acquaintance be forgot? Not if I can help it. I have a certain recalcitrance to goals and resolutions but in 2026 I aim to reconnect with “auld acquaintance”… but my cup o’ kindness will contain just coffee, or maybe a mocktail or “near beer” as I just passed 1 year without a sip of alcohol and I don’t expect to take up drinking again. I’ll still show up when invited, I’ll still be interesting and funny, I just won’t be drinking. But it won’t bother me at all if you are.

How was your 2025? For me, business-wise, it was a hell of a ride. I enjoyed the best 6 months of my career, followed by the worst 6 months since probably 2019. No, I still don’t do resolutions but this year I do plan to systematize my processes in an attempt to level off the ups and downs and keep things more consistent.

Nope, I don’t do resolutions but I want to do 2026 better than I did 2025… be a better, more effective version of myself, invest more in family and friends, record more podcasts, read more books, sell more houses, take more walks, watch more sunsets, stay fit and healthy and compete in a half marathon in September. Since I don’t do resolutions, those are my non resolutions.

Did you make any?

What About the Market?

2025 came to a conclusion in the Calgary market with fewer sales, lower prices, and more inventory than the year that preceded it. Average prices are up just slightly, but the benchmark price is down compared to last year, down even from December of 2023. Benchmark pricing is a composite, and represents the price paid for a typical home by a typical buyer. Average transaction prices remain higher because the price of detached homes has mostly held… dropping just 2.63% from last year. But row homes have dropped a more dramatic 5.64%, bringing them down to 2023 price levels, while apartment prices dropped 7.35% year over year in December, taking them down closer to 2022 levels.

I predicted a little while back that prices would correct to 2023 levels in Calgary, and that is mostly proving out, assuming we don’t see any more declines. But we’ve had a correction, the market is mostly balance, and it looks like things are leveling off.

Stability will bring more consumer confidence, and some improved sales volumes. I predict a pretty flat 2026, no wild swings in either direction. But of course, this is Alberta, so a disruption in the energy market would mean throwing all housing predictions out the window.

I made this reel to summarize.

Full Market Report

Featured Listings

SYLVAN LAKE 8 Horne Cres. Cute updated bi-level close to the beach. Fully furnished, move-in ready NEW BASEMENT FLOORS! $399900 $389900 $385000

AIRDRIE 126 Windstone Avenue cute front drive detached home backing a playground $559900 $509900 $499900

In Search Of:

I have buyers looking for homes fitting these descriptions. Do you know of something like this coming up soon?

Rocky View acreage within 30 minutes of Airdrie with shop up to $1.5mm
Semi detached around 400k in Airdrie or NW Calgary
Semi or Townhouse with suite or suite potential in SE Calgary up to 500
End unit townhome in Airdrie that can fit a truck in the garage.

Walkout in upper Cranston up to 850
Inner city fixer upper detached homes. The rougher the better!
Condo in the SE with great amenities for seniors
modest homes with epic garages and shops

(Audio) Book Review

I enjoyed this one on car rides with my daughter. It’s an unforgettable classic novel that everyone ought to read, and if you enjoy audiobooks like I do, you’ll love the narration and voice acting by Will Patton.

To follow it up, we watched the 1989 TV miniseries. The series is impressively faithful to the book, but like all screen adaptations it leaves out a lot. This prompted some good conversations with my kid on how books are always better. Hopefully it encourages her to read more.