CALGARY — The most expensive MLS residential listing in Alberta, not including country residential, is a home in Canmore listed for $12.7 million.
The listing, by Calgary realtor Rachelle Starnes of Royal LePage Foothills, for the luxury home states: “Amid snow-tipped mountains and vast forest parkways lies a magnificent 10,000 square foot estate home. Prominently located in the exclusive gated community of ‘The Cairns on the Bow’ is this ‘Architectural Digest’ showpiece. The property is close to major ski resorts, charming ‘downtown’ Canmore and the challenging ‘Stewart Creek Golf Club’. The Bow River flows past and miles of walking and biking trails begin at your own doorstep.
“The property is graced with ‘outdoor living rooms’ galore to enjoy the freshest mountain air, awe-inspiring views and the respite you deserve. Features include exceptional architectural design, the great hall with towering totem poles, six bedrooms, a hidden staircase leading to the stone wine grotto, massive wood-burning stone fireplaces, a two-storey library, an opulent kitchen, a lavish formal dining room, designer furnishings and fabrics, a passenger elevator, a ‘Chauffeur’s’ quarters, a lower level theatre room and a large games room. Completely furnished and equipped.�
The home was built in 2006.
The other top-listed MLS residential properties in Alberta are both in Calgary – $11.5 million for a home in Crescent Heights and $11.495 million for a home in Aspen Woods.
A 460-acre property in the Municipal District of Foothills with a 2,454-square-foot home is listed for sale at $13.9 million by realtor Wayne Chaulk of Royal LePage Foothills.
The higher-end listings highlight a very strong year in the Calgary area for luxury home sales. In fact, this year has already set a record for most sales over $1 million in a year.
“We believe the market is strong this year due to pent up demand where luxury buyers have been on the fence for several years waiting to see if our bubble would ever burst and it did not,� said Starnes. “The bubble softened where prices dropped and caused an increase in sales . . . Carriage Trade buyers have a lot of confidence in the Alberta economy and are confirming their confidence with the record sales in the past few months.
“We really don’t know if it will last. It will depend on the optimism of the economy . . . We are feeling the boom starting again. We have almost totally recovered from the big spike of 2007 and we are ready for a big surge again with the economy.�
In Calgary, MLS sales of properties more than $1 million this year reached 459 by the end of October, one more than the previous high in 2007 for the entire year.
mtoneguzzi@calgaryherald.com
Twitter:@MTone123