Hey Jason: How Do You Come Up With My Listing Price?

Published July 2026 · Updated August 16, 2026 · By Jason Todd, Calgary REALTOR® · Southeast Calgary (McKenzie Towne, Cranston, Auburn Bay, Mahogany, Seton, McKenzie Lake, New Brighton, Legacy)

Someone asks me this almost every week.

"How do you actually come up with the price?"

Fair question.

And it matters more than most people think.

From June 1 through August 15, 2026, 1,590 detached homes under $800,000 sold in Calgary. Homes that never cut their price sold in about 21 days at 97.7% of original asking. Homes that had to cut sold for about 91.9% of what they first asked — and took about 65 days to do it.

On a $650,000 home, that gap is roughly $50,000.

That is the real cost of guessing at the price.

So here is exactly how I do it.

First, the Part That's Not Fair to Homeowners

You can look up almost any home for sale online.

But you can only see the asking price.

In Alberta, the price a home actually sold for is not public.

That is a big deal.

Asking price is what a seller hoped for.

Sold price is what a buyer actually paid.

They are often not the same number.

So most homeowners end up guessing from three things: what a neighbour is asking, an online estimate, or their tax assessment. All three can be off by a lot.

A REALTOR® can see the sold prices. That is the piece you're missing — and it's the piece that sets the price.

How I Actually Set a Listing Price

Most people think we pull up a few nearby homes and average the prices.

It's a bit more careful than that. I use three steps.

Step 1 — Start with the same kind of home

Same community first. Then the same type and style.

A detached two-storey is compared to other detached two-storeys. A bungalow to other bungalows. A townhouse to other townhouses.

A 2,400 sq ft two-storey a few blocks away is not a comp for a 1,200 sq ft bungalow. Buyers don't shop that way, so I don't price that way.

Step 2 — Match the features that matter

Next I look at recent sales — usually the last six months — and find the ones closest to your home.

I match on the things buyers pay for: bedrooms, an ensuite, garage, square footage, and lot size.

Then I pick the three to five closest sold homes. Not the highest ones. The closest ones.

Step 3 — Adjust for the differences in dollars

No two homes are exactly the same. So I add or take away value where they differ.

Here are the rules of thumb I use in southeast Calgary:

Double garage vs none: about $30,000
Finished basement vs unfinished: about $30,000
Central air conditioning: about $5,000

If a sold home had a finished basement and yours doesn't, I take that value off its price. If yours has the double garage and the comp didn't, I add it on.

After the adjustments, the closest homes usually land in a tight range. That range is where your price lives.

Then I Check How They Sold — Not Just the Price

The sold price is only half the story.

I also look at how fast each home sold, and how close it landed to its first asking price. That tells me how to set the strategy for yours.

Here is what that looked like across Calgary from June 1 through August 15, 2026, for detached homes under $800,000:

Days on market	Sales	Sold vs original asking	Sold at or above asking
0–14 days	453	+0.1%	237 of 453
15–30 days	501	-2.7%	64 of 501
31–60 days	422	-5.1%	14 of 422
60+ days	208	-7.0%	5 of 208

Source: MLS® sold data, Pillar 9 / CREB®. June 1 – August 15, 2026. Detached only. Original list under $800,000. City of Calgary. Figures believed accurate at time of writing; not intended as an appraisal.

The pattern is hard to miss.

Homes priced right sold fast and held their price. About half of the two-week sales sold at or above asking.

Homes priced too high sat. And the longer they sat, the more they gave up.

The Price-Cut Trap

Here's the number that should stop every seller.

Jun 1 – Aug 15, 2026 detached under $800k	Sales	Days on market	Sold vs original asking
Never cut the price	1375	21	97.7%
Had to cut the price	209	65	91.9%

Source: MLS® sold data, Pillar 9 / CREB®. June 1 – August 15, 2026. Detached, original list under $800,000, City of Calgary. Price cuts identified via Previous List Price on the MLS® record.

Homes that were priced right the first time sold in about three weeks, near full asking.

Homes that started too high and had to drop took more than nine weeks — and still sold for about 6% less than they first asked.

Starting high does not get you more. It usually gets you less, slower. If you want the full breakdown, read Do I Need to Drop My Price, or Did I Just Price Wrong on Day One?

Jason's Take

Setting a price is not about picking the highest number.

It's about picking the number that gets you the best result.

I start with homes just like yours. I match the features buyers pay for. I adjust for the differences in real dollars. Then I check how those homes actually sold — how fast, and how close to asking.

Your home's value isn't set by a tax assessment, an online calculator, or what a neighbour hopes to get.

It's set by what buyers have actually been paying for homes like yours, right now, in your community.

You can't see those sold numbers. I can. That's the whole job.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I just look up what homes sold for in Calgary?

In Alberta, sold prices are not public. Websites show you the asking price, not the final sold price. Asking is what a seller hoped for; sold is what a buyer actually paid — and they're often different. A REALTOR® can pull the sold prices from the MLS® system.

How do realtors decide the listing price?

In three steps. First, match the same community, type, and style. Second, find the closest recent sales by beds, ensuite, garage, size, and lot. Third, adjust in dollars for the differences — like a double garage or a finished basement — then check how fast those homes sold and how close to asking.

How far back do you look for comparable sales?

Usually the last six months, in the same community, for the same type of home. Older sales or homes in other neighbourhoods can point you at the wrong number. Recent and similar is what matters.

Does my tax assessment tell me what my home is worth?

Not really. A tax assessment is a mass estimate from an older date, and it often misses condition and upgrades. It's a rough guide at best, not a list price. I break this down in Is My Tax Assessment What My Home Is Worth?

What happens if I list too high?

You usually sell for less, and it takes longer. From June 1 through August 15, 2026, Calgary detached homes that had to cut their price took about 65 days and sold for about 91.9% of their original asking. Homes that never cut sold in about 21 days at 97.7%.

More in the Hey Jason Series

Read What Is My Home Worth? · Do I Need to Drop My Price, or Did I Price Wrong on Day One? · Is My Tax Assessment What My Home Is Worth? · Why Did My Neighbour Sell for More? · Hey Jason hub

Want Your Real Number?

If you're thinking about selling in McKenzie Towne, Cranston, Auburn Bay, Mahogany, or anywhere in southeast Calgary, send me your address.

I'll pull the recent solds, run the three steps, and walk you through the number.

No hard sell. Just the real data.

Jason Todd | Calgary REALTOR® | (403) 255-5555 | jasontodd.ca