Airdrie Real Estate Market Update: Record Inventory, Changing Strategies, and What October Brings

As we wrap up September and enter the fall season, the Airdrie real estate market is showing decisive shifts that both buyers and sellers need to understand. This month ushered in a new September record for new listings, with 295 homes added to the market. Despite this surge in fresh inventory, sales activity softened, tallying 133 sales for the month. This dynamic brought the sales-to-new-listings ratio down to just 45%, nudging the market away from the fevered pace of past years and toward better balance.

What Does This Mean for Buyers?
Airdrie’s residential market is now offering more choices than at any time in recent years—total active inventory climbed to 571 homes. For buyers, this translates directly to leverage and negotiating power. No longer faced with widespread bidding wars, you can take your time, compare more options, and have legitimate room to ask for seller incentives or price adjustments. In fact, the benchmark price for Airdrie homes dipped to $526,000 in September, slipping by 1% from August and sitting nearly 5% below where we were a year ago. For anyone who felt frustrated by last year's rapid price escalation or fast-selling homes, today’s conditions offer a welcome opportunity to find the right fit at a fair price.

Advice for Buyers Moving Forward:

• Get your mortgage pre-approval sorted before viewing homes—it positions you to act decisively on the best deals.
• Have patience; the increased supply should continue into October, meaning even more variety.
• Partner with a local agent (like us!) to get notified of new listings as soon as they hit the market for the quickest access to prime opportunities.

A New Reality for Sellers
With so much competition from other listings, sellers need to up their game. This is the first time since 2020 that Airdrie’s months of supply has moved above four months, signaling to homeowners that buyers have real alternatives. If your listing isn’t move-in ready or feels overpriced, it’s likely to get overlooked. That doesn’t mean homes aren’t selling—only that sellers need a smarter plan. Year-to-date, prices have slipped by just over 1%, which doesn’t erase last year’s 8%+ growth, but it does mean price expectations need to be dialed back to where the buyers are showing up.

Winning Strategies for Sellers:

• Price competitively from Day 1. Over-pricing to “test the market” can backfire with so many choices for buyers.
• Use professional staging and high-end photography to make your home stand out in a busy field.
• Highlight upgrades, proximity to schools, parks, and unique features that add value for today’s buyers.
• Consider pre-inspections or incentive offers (like helping with closing costs) to sweeten your listing’s appeal.

Airdrie vs. Calgary and the Region
While Airdrie leads with record new listings and noticeable pricing adjustments, Calgary isn’t far behind. The city recorded 1,720 sales this September, but like Airdrie, its inventory is climbing (now at 6,916 homes, and a 45% sales-to-new-listings ratio), and the benchmark price sits at $572,800. Other communities—like Cochrane (benchmark price $584,300) and Chestermere ($692,600)—mirrored this trend, with record listings and slowing sales, resulting in more balanced conditions across the whole Calgary region.

October Outlook: What’s Next?
All signs point to a market where inventory remains high into October, continuing the gentle downward pressure on prices seen over the past couple of months. For buyers: opportunity knocks, with less chance of overpaying and more room to negotiate. For sellers: it’s time for a proactive, strategic approach, emphasizing presentation and value to stand out. As always, well-conditioned move-in-ready homes are the ones capturing buyers’ attention and maintaining price strength, even as the market cools.

Are you thinking of making a move in Airdrie or the greater Calgary area this fall? Reach out for a customized approach to succeed in these changing times—whether your goal is finding a dream home or maximizing the sale of your current property.