I've been describing the Airdrie market the same way to pretty much everyone I talk to lately. Picture a barbell. Demand is concentrated at the affordable end, the upper end is under real pressure, and the middle is doing its own thing somewhere in between. It's a more useful picture than the overall benchmark number — and here's why.

The Affordable End Has Energy

Row homes and apartment condos, typically in the $265,000 to $365,000 range, are moving faster than anything else in Airdrie right now. First-time buyers are still active. Investors are still active. And the supply at this price point hasn't piled up the same way it has elsewhere.

I want to be clear — this isn't a seller's market. Buyers in this range still have negotiating room. But homes that are priced right and show well are getting attention, and they're not sitting around waiting for an offer. If you're in this range as a buyer, come prepared rather than assuming you can lowball your way in.

The Middle Is Where Most People Live — and It's Slowing

Detached and semi-detached homes in the $500,000 to $650,000 range make up the core of the Airdrie market. The detached benchmark came in at $608,400 in June, down 4.52 percent year-over-year. Inventory is up 47 percent year-over-year. Homes are averaging 37 days on market.

Thirty-seven days is worth putting in context. In 2022 and 2023, homes in this range were fielding multiple offers their first weekend. That world is gone. Buyers have real choices now. They're taking their time, comparing a few properties, and walking away from anything priced or presented poorly.

For sellers in this range, that means condition and pricing are carrying more weight than they have in years. A home that's well-prepared and priced for today sells. A home priced based on what someone on your street got in 2024 sits — and then sits some more.

The Upper End Is Adjusting the Most

This surprises a lot of people. There's an assumption that higher-end homes hold their value better when markets shift. In some cities they do. In Airdrie right now, the $700,000-plus range is seeing the steepest year-over-year price declines of any segment.

It makes sense when you think about who's buying there. Move-up buyers, mostly — people who need to sell their current home before they can buy the next one. They're more cautious, more deliberate, and more willing to wait when the market feels uncertain. When buyer psychology shifts, this segment feels it first and adjusts hardest.

If you've got a larger home above $700,000, this is not the time to test the ceiling on price. Buyers at this end know they have options, and they're using them.

What to Do With This If You're Buying

Your negotiating position depends almost entirely on which end of that barbell you're shopping on.

At the affordable end, move with confidence but do your homework. These aren't flying off shelves, but the good ones aren't waiting forever either.

In the middle, this is honestly the most buyer-friendly environment Airdrie's had in three or four years. Take your time, compare your options, and negotiate on condition issues. That leverage is real and it won't last forever.

At the upper end, sellers with longer days on market are generally open to a real conversation. Come in with a reasonable number and see what happens.

What to Do With This If You're Selling

The benchmark number will tell you roughly where the market is. What it won't tell you is what your specific home will do — because a well-priced row home and an overpriced detached in the $700s are both sitting inside that same average, doing completely different things.

The one piece of advice that cuts across all three segments right now: price it right on day one. Homes that need price reductions after 45 days generate less activity and weaker offers than homes that come out of the gate properly positioned. The market is patient. Sellers should be too, but strategic about it.