Every fall I hear the same question, usually over coffee or in a text that starts with "Quick question..." Should we list now, or wait until spring?

Here is my honest answer after more than 300 transactions in Okotoks, Calgary and the Foothills: for most homes, winter is not a season to fear. It can be one of the smartest times to sell. Not for every property (and I will tell you exactly which ones should wait) but the idea that nothing sells when there is snow on the ground simply is not what I see.

The Open House in a Blizzard

A few years ago I had an acreage listing that we filmed and photographed in the fall, when the trees still had colour and the yard looked its best. Then we held it. We were not waiting for spring. We were waiting for the right moment.

That moment came in February. I was watching market trends and listening closely to what buyers were asking for, and everything told me demand was there. I called the sellers and said, "Now is the time." They trusted me, and our process began to get the home on the market.

We held an open house on the day after it was listed. It was a blizzard out! Not a light dusting, a proper Alberta blizzard. I will admit I wondered whether anyone would come.  My open house helper and I were constantly mitigating the snow that was being brought in on the front door mat because twenty groups came! Twenty groups braved the snow to walk that property, and an offer came in right after, at full asking price.

The sellers were so grateful for that timing, and here is why. A few weeks later, their dream home came on the market. Because their acreage was already sold, they could step into a bidding war with a clean offer, with no condition on selling their own home first. In a competitive situation, that condition would have cost them the deal. Instead, they won it.

Listing in February did not just sell their acreage. It put them in a position to buy the home they had been waiting for.

That day is an example I share with sellers who asks about winter: the people who show up in a snowstorm are not browsing. They are buying.

Who Is Buying in Winter?

Winter buyers are a different crowd from the spring rush. In my experience they include:

• People relocating for work or dealing with a job transfer on a set timeline

• Buyers who lost out in spring and summer multiple-offer situations and are ready to try again

• Buyers who sold in the fall and still have not found the right house to buy

• People who simply prefer a calmer, less stressful season to make a big decision

Here is the trade. The buyer pool is smaller. But nobody tours houses at -20 for fun, so the buyers who are out are serious, qualified and motivated. The whole process tends to feel slower and more relaxed. Fewer rash decisions, more thoughtful ones. Is it easier or harder than spring? Neither. It is different, and for many sellers it is a lot less stressful.

Should You Just Wait for Spring?

Spring gets all the credit, and here in Alberta I think it is often undeserved. Picture early spring: the snow is melting, the lawn is brown and flowerbeds look tired. That is what buyers see.

Now picture a sunny, blue-sky Alberta day in January. Fresh white snow, a cleared path to the front door, warm light glowing in the windows. That is very appealing over brown and mucky spring.

There is one exception, and it matters. If your property has award-winning gardens or landscaping that will genuinely stop a buyer in their tracks, wait. But do not wait for spring. Wait for summer, when those gardens are at their peak and doing the selling for you. Otherwise, waiting for spring often just means listing in a muddier season with more competition.

What Last Winter Actually Looked Like

Numbers can feel dry, so here is what happened last winter in plain language, using the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB®) monthly reports for January and February 2026.

Okotoks Prices Went Up in the Middle of Winter

Okotoks has had fewer homes for sale than normal for years, and winter did not change that. In January 2026, only 79 homes were for sale in town, which worked out to just over two months of supply. Months of supply simply means how long it would take to sell every home on the market if no new listings came on. The lower that number, the less competition a seller faces.

By February, Okotoks still had under three months of supply, and the typical home price rose 2 per cent in a single month to $612,300. CREB noted that this was a bigger gain than is usually seen early in the year. In other words, prices were climbing in February. They were not waiting for spring.

The Foothills Stayed Steady

Across the whole Foothills region, 133 homes sold in January and February combined. The typical price rose from $659,500 in January to $674,800 in February. Steady sales and rising prices in the coldest months of the year is not a market in hibernation.

Calgary Picked Up Speed

In Calgary, sales grew from 1,234 in January to 1,526 in February, while the supply of homes tightened from about three and a half months to just over three. Buyers were active, and they became more active as the winter went on.

This Is Not a One-Winter Fluke

Back in February 2021, the Western Wheel featured me in a story on the winter market. January had been so busy that we were seeing multiple-offer situations in Okotoks for the first time since 2014, and well-priced homes in good condition were getting a full day of showing requests right away. As I said at the time, “It’s like a revolving door.” Different year, different market, same lesson: winter buyers are serious buyers.

What That Means for You This Winter

Last winter, sellers in Okotoks and the Foothills faced less competition and saw prices rise before spring even arrived. This year is shaping up the same way. In September, new listings in Calgary were down 11.3 per cent from last year, and Okotoks had just over two months of supply in August. Fewer homes coming to market this fall means buyers will have fewer choices this winter, and that is good news for sellers. A well-presented winter listing does not have to fight through a crowd to be seen.

December 26 and the January Itch

December 26 is actually a popular day for people to start scrolling the MLS®. Families are home, the gifts are opened, and people start dreaming about new beginnings. My phone rings a lot that day!  In the week leading into January and through the first part of the month, we see a lot of showing requests.  So if you are thinking about pulling your listing over the holidays, I would encourage you to leave it on. Buyers are looking, even when it feels like the world is on pause.

And when a Chinook rolls through? Everyone's mood lifts, and showing requests tend to climb right along with the temperature.

How We Prepare a Home for a Winter Sale

Selling in winter is not about hoping for the best. It is about preparing on purpose.

Capture the Green While We Can

When possible, we photograph and film in the fall so buyers can see the yard, trees and landscaping at their best. That is exactly what we did with the blizzard acreage, and it paid off.

Wait for the Blue Sky

If fall photos are not an option, we shoot on a sunny, blue-sky Alberta day. Crisp white snow is gorgeous on camera, and it makes a home look clean, bright and fresh.

Shovel Everything

A cleared driveway and walkway are imperative. It is the very first welcome a buyer receives. On an acreage, a cleared lane also tells buyers the property is accessible and well cared for.

Stage for Cozy

Fireplaces on, soft blankets on the sofa, warm lighting and the scent of pumpkin and cinnamon. Buyers coming in from the cold want to feel what it would be like to come home there, and that feeling sells. For the full list of details buyers notice most, grab my free seller’s guide.

So, Is Winter a Good Time to Sell?

For most homes in Okotoks, Calgary and the Foothills, yes. You will have fewer buyers, but better ones. And with the right preparation, your home can shine against fresh snow in a way it simply cannot in a muddy April.  And yes, bidding wars do still happen in winter for a properly prepared, well priced listing.

If you are on the fence this fall, let's sit down and look at your home, your timing and your goals together. Sometimes the answer is list now. Sometimes it is wait for summer. Either way, you will get an honest answer from me.

TJ Hart-Anderson, REALTOR®, Real Estate With Hart, REMAX Complete Realty. Call or text 403-850-5999 or visit RealEstateWithHart.ca.

You've made the decision to move up. Congratulations — it's an exciting chapter. But before the keys to your next home are in your hand, you need to sell the one you're in. And if your goal is to get the highest price in the shortest time (whose isn't?), staging deserves your attention.

The numbers are hard to ignore: according to the Real Estate Staging Association, staged homes spend 73% less time on the market and can net sellers 25% over asking price. That's not magic — it's strategy. Staging showcases your home's strengths, softens its weaknesses, and helps buyers feel something the moment they walk through the door.

Here's how to do it well.

What staging actually is (and isn't)

Staging is not decorating. Decorating reflects your taste. Staging does the opposite — it strips away the personal and creates a canvas that appeals to as many buyers as possible. The goal is simple: when someone walks through your kitchen, they should be able to picture themselves cooking dinner there. That emotional connection turns a showing into an offer.

1. Focus your energy on the rooms that matter most

Buyers zero in on four key areas: the living room, kitchen, primary bedroom, and dining room. If you can't get to every room, start here. These spaces carry the most emotional weight in a buyer's decision.

2. Clean like your sale depends on it — because it does

Nothing signals neglect like a dirty home. Spotless appliances, gleaming bathrooms, and clean counters communicate pride of ownership. It tells buyers that the home has been cared for over the years. Even if you do nothing else, clean every room. It's non-negotiable.

3. Declutter — then declutter again

Overcrowded rooms feel small. When buyers can't see past your stuff, they see restrictions and storage problems instead of potential. Go room by room and sort into three piles: donate, toss, and store until moving day. An open, airy home feels bigger and photographs much better.

4. Depersonalize the space

This one's personal — literally. Pack away the family portraits, the kids' artwork on the fridge, the souvenirs from your Italy trip. These items carry enormous meaning for you, but they make it harder for a buyer to picture their own life in the space. Replace them with simple, neutral artwork that lets the home speak for itself.

5. Bring in a few plants

A well-placed, thriving plant can do a surprising amount of work. Plants add warmth, life, and a sense of care to any room. Keep it tasteful — a few well-chosen plants dispersed through the space, not a jungle.

6. Give every room a single purpose

That spare room pulling triple duty as a gym, office, and guest room? Pick one and commit. Buyers want to immediately understand how they'd use a space. A defined purpose — especially a home office, given how many people now work remotely — helps buyers mentally move in before they've even made an offer.

7. A fresh coat of paint is almost always worth it

According to the RE/MAX Canada Renovation Investment Report, 36% of brokers say buyers specifically want fresh paint. It's one of the most cost-effective updates you can make. When choosing colours, lean into light, neutral shades — they photograph beautifully and won't alienate buyers with bolder personal preferences.

8. Let the light in

Bright homes feel welcoming. Open every blind and curtain, turn on every light, and bring in a lamp if a room feels dim. Natural light is consistently one of the top things buyers respond to — and it costs nothing to let it pour in.

9. Edit your furniture

Less is more. Professional stagers often remove roughly half the furniture in a home — not to create emptiness, but to create breathing room. Furniture takes up space and can make a home feel cluttered. If what you have isn't working, consider renting a few key pieces to create the right feel.

10. Start at the curb

The exterior of your home forms a buyer's first impression — often before they've even gotten out of the car. Power-wash the siding and driveway, freshen up the front door, swap out a tired welcome mat, and check that your house numbers are visible and tidy. A weekend of sweat equity here can translate directly into real equity when offers come in.

The bottom line

Staging isn't about spending a fortune on your home before you leave it. It's about presenting it in a way that lets buyers fall in love with it quickly. The payoff — a faster sale and a stronger price — almost always outweighs the effort.

If you're thinking about listing and want to know exactly what your home needs before it hits the market, I'd love to walk through it with you. My Real Estate With Hart Listing Program includes various levels of Staging Services depending on your situation.  And we devise a personalized pre-listing strategy which is a highly valuable asset I offer my sellers.  (And we will discus staging in depth!)  Let’s chat.

I'm TJ Hart-Anderson — this is Real Estate With Hart, and I want you to love coming home.