Canmore is different from most real estate markets, and that’s one reason I enjoy working here.
In most places, real estate decisions depend on things like recent sales, inventory, interest rates, and local demand. These factors matter in Canmore too, but they don’t tell the whole story. Here, the short-term rental industry plays a big role. Investors want to earn income, second-home owners hope to cover costs, and buyers often want to know a property’s long-term potential before they buy.
When people consider buying real estate in Canmore, they usually look at location, views, size, and price. These things are important. But in our market, where many properties can earn income, there are other questions that matter just as much.
How will this property perform?
What kind of demand exists for it?
What are similar properties actually earning?
What do guests value most?
What trends are emerging in the market?
And the savvy investor dives deeper into the true net potential oppose to the often discussed gross booking revenue.
That’s why understanding Canmore real estate requires more than understanding real estate.
You also need to know what happens after the sale.
Seeing Both Sides of the Market: Vacation Rentals and Real Estate
Besides being a realtor with The Home Team, I own Canadian Rockies Vacation Rentals (CRVR), a top vacation rental management company in the Bow Valley.
At CRVR, our team manages vacation rentals across Canmore and nearby areas. Every day, we work with owners, guests, booking sites, and review data. We help owners get the best returns, help guests find the right place, and keep track of what makes properties perform well in a changing market.
What that means is that I have the opportunity to see a side of the market that many realtors simply don’t have access to.
I’m not only seeing what properties are selling for. I’m seeing how they’re performing after they’re purchased. I’m seeing what guests are willing to pay, which properties are attracting the most demand, what features consistently drive bookings, and how market trends are evolving in real time.
That perspective has become one of the most valuable tools I can offer clients because it allows me to look at a property through more than one lens. When someone asks whether a property is a good investment, I can evaluate it not only as a realtor but also as someone who spends every day analyzing how vacation rental properties actually perform.
The Data Most Realtors Never Get Access To
One of the biggest advantages of operating CRVR is access to information that simply isn’t available through traditional real estate channels.
Every day, we’re reviewing data from Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, and direct bookings. We’re tracking occupancy rates, average daily rates, booking pace, seasonal demand patterns, lead times, cancellation trends, revenue performance, and guest behaviour across a wide variety of property types.
We know which units are booking six months in advance and which ones are sitting vacant. We can see which neighbourhoods consistently command premium rates, which property types perform best during different seasons, and what amenities are driving guest decisions.
We’re also able to compare actual performance among hundreds of bookings and thousands of guest nights. That gives us a much clearer understanding of what drives demand than a simple snapshot of sales data ever could.
One of the biggest misconceptions I encounter is the idea that all vacation rental properties perform similarly. They don’t.
Two properties with similar square footage, similar finishings, and even similar locations can produce very different results. Sometimes that’s because of the layout. Sometimes it’s because of parking. Sometimes it’s because one property offers better storage for skis and bikes. Sometimes it’s because one property accommodates families more comfortably than another.
Those details may seem small when you’re walking through a property, but they can have a significant effect on both guest experience and financial performance.
We also get to see what owners are actually earning, how those numbers compare to expectations, and how performance changes over time. That helps create a much more realistic understanding of what a property’s revenue potential may look like.
Looking Beyond the Listing Sheet
That information becomes incredibly valuable because it allows conversations to move beyond assumptions.
A buyer may walk into a property and fall in love with the mountain views. They may love the location, the finishes, or the layout. Those things absolutely matter because real estate is personal and emotional.
But if the goal is also to create another income stream or generate revenue through short-term rentals, there needs to be another conversation as well.
What kind of demand exists for this type of property?
How does it compare to similar units currently operating in the market?
What are owners realistically earning?
How seasonal is the revenue?
What challenges should be anticipated?
What features are helping comparable properties succeed?
These are questions that can’t always be answered through MLS data alone.
The ability to combine real estate expertise with operational and performance data creates a much more complete picture of what ownership may actually look like.
What Vacation Rental Guests Can Teach Us About Real Estate
One of the most fascinating pieces of information we collect isn’t financial at all. It’s feedback.
Every review, survey, guest comment, and owner conversation provides insight into how people are actually experiencing a property. Over time, those insights become incredibly powerful.
We can see what guests consistently rave about. We can identify recurring frustrations. We can spot emerging trends before they become obvious to the broader market.
Maybe guests are placing increasing importance on dedicated workspaces. Maybe larger gathering spaces are becoming more desirable. Maybe trail access is beginning to outweigh proximity to downtown for certain types of travellers.
When you’re looking at hundreds of guest reviews rather than a handful, patterns begin to emerge.
Those patterns help us better understand what creates value and what influences demand.
That knowledge becomes incredibly useful when helping buyers evaluate opportunities, but it’s equally valuable when helping sellers position their properties.
Why This Matters for Sellers
Many people assume this perspective is only useful for investors, but I would argue that sellers benefit just as much.
When I walk through a property, I’m not only looking at it through the eyes of a realtor. I’m also looking at it through the eyes of a vacation rental operator.
I understand what guests respond to. I understand what details help properties stand out. I understand what buyers who are considering investment potential are likely to notice and what information they’re looking for.
Sometimes the most valuable feature of a property isn’t obvious in the beginning. It might be a floor plan that is perfect for larger groups. It might be storage space for outdoor gear. It might be proximity to trails, walkability, parking, outdoor living space, or a feature that consistently drives positive reviews.
Those are the kinds of details that don’t always show up in a listing description, but they can play a meaningful role in how buyers perceive value.
Understanding that allows us to tell a more complete story about the property and connect with buyers in a more effective way.
Experience Plus Data Is Where the Real Advantage Lives
Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a bit obsessed with data.
If I notice a trend, I want to understand why it’s happening. If one property is outperforming another, I want to know what’s driving the difference. If occupancy changes, I want to understand whether that’s tied to seasonality, guest preferences, pricing, inventory levels, or broader economic conditions.
The numbers themselves aren’t the goal.
The goal is to understand what those numbers mean and how they can help people make better decisions.
Experience creates intuition, and intuition matters. After years in real estate, you develop instincts and pattern recognition that can’t always be quantified. But I’ve always believed the strongest advice comes when experience and data point in the same direction.
That’s when clients can move forward with confidence because they’re making decisions based on both expertise and evidence.
Start the Conversation Before You Find the Property
One thing I often tell people is that the conversation should start before you find the property.
Many buyers wait until they see a listing before reaching out, but some of the best opportunities come from understanding your goals first and then watching the market through that lens.
Between The Home Team and CRVR, I’m constantly speaking with owners, investors, and members of the local community. Sometimes opportunities surface before they ever hit the public market. Other times, it’s simply a matter of recognizing the right fit when it appears.
Whether you’re looking to purchase a vacation rental, create another income stream, buy a second home, or simply better understand what’s possible in Canmore’s unique real estate market, I’d encourage you to start the conversation early.
You don’t need to have a property picked out. You just need a goal.
Once I understand what you’re trying to accomplish, I can help evaluate opportunities through multiple lenses and provide insight that goes beyond what appears on a listing sheet. Real estate will always involve a degree of uncertainty, but having access to better information makes it much easier to make informed decisions.
And in a market as unique as Canmore, information is often one of the most valuable assets you can have.