HOME | Around the Kitchen Island

September arrives and suddenly it feels like we're supposed to start shutting everything down.

The patio furniture gets covered, the garden tools start disappearing and we begin preparing ourselves for the inevitable morning when Calgary decides it's winter without consulting any of us.

But I'm not quite ready to give up on the garden yet.

September can actually be one of the nicest months outside. The days are still warm, the evenings are cooler, and many plants are putting on one last show before the season ends. Instead of putting the garden to bed, I think of September as the month to help it transition.

Clean Up, But Not Too Much

It's tempting to start cutting everything back as soon as plants begin looking a little tired, but not everything needs to disappear.

Remove dead annuals and anything diseased or damaged, but consider leaving some perennials and ornamental grasses standing. They can add texture to the garden through fall and winter, and some provide food and shelter for birds and beneficial insects.

This is also a good time to keep up with weeding. Future-you will appreciate having fewer weeds waiting when the snow melts.

Keep Watering

Cooler temperatures can make it easy to forget about watering, especially once the garden isn't demanding quite as much attention.

But trees, shrubs and perennials still need moisture as they prepare for winter. If September is dry, continue watering, particularly newer plants that are still establishing their roots.

A good drink heading into colder weather can make a big difference.

Don't Get Too Excited With the Pruning Shears

Not everything should be heavily pruned in the fall.

Some shrubs set next year's flowers on older growth, and cutting them back now can mean accidentally removing next year's blooms. Hydrangeas in particular can have very different pruning requirements depending on the variety.

When in doubt, leave it until spring or check what your particular plant prefers before cutting.

Plant Something for Spring

One of my favourite things about fall gardening is that you're quietly preparing a surprise for yourself.

September and early fall are a great time to start thinking about spring bulbs. Tulips, daffodils, alliums and other hardy bulbs go into the ground now and then disappear from your mind completely.

Until one day, after months of snow and brown grass, something green starts poking through.

Worth it every time.

Enjoy What's Still Here

Mostly, don't rush it.

Pick the last flowers. Bring a few inside. Sit outside with your coffee when the sun is shining. Let the hydrangeas change colour and the grasses move in the wind.

There will be plenty of time to clean everything up, cover the furniture and get the yard ready for winter.

September isn't quite the end of the garden.

It's just the garden changing seasons.

September desserts should feel a little like fall without going completely overboard.

We're not quite at pumpkin-everything season, but cooler evenings definitely make turning the oven on sound good again. This Warm Pear & Cinnamon Crumble sits perfectly somewhere in between.

The pears get soft and caramelized, the topping gets buttery and crisp, and the cinnamon makes the whole house smell like you've put significantly more effort into dessert than you actually have.

And obviously, it should be served warm with vanilla ice cream.

Warm Pear & Cinnamon Crumble

Serves 6

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375°F and lightly butter a baking dish.

Toss the sliced pears with the brown sugar, maple syrup, lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla and a pinch of salt. Spread them evenly in the baking dish.

In a separate bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add the cold butter and work it into the mixture with your fingers until you have a coarse, crumbly texture. Stir in the pecans if you're using them.

Scatter the crumble generously over the pears.

Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the pears are bubbling around the edges and the topping is golden and crisp.

Let it sit for a few minutes before serving, mostly so you don't immediately burn your mouth.

Spoon it into bowls while it's still warm and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

Simple, cozy and just fall enough for September.

LIFESTYLE | Around the Kitchen Island

I've always thought September feels a little more like a fresh start than January does.

Maybe it's all those years of back-to-school routines ingrained in us, but there's something about September that makes life feel like it's starting again. Summer is wonderful, but it's also wonderfully chaotic. Weekends away, later nights, dinners outside, vacations and plans that somehow turn a regular Tuesday into something completely different.

And then September arrives.

Suddenly, there's something comforting about knowing what day of the week it is again.

I'm usually ready for a little routine by now. Not a dramatic new season, new me kind of reset. I'm not reorganizing my entire house or waking up at 5 a.m. to become a different person.

I just want to cook dinner again.

I want groceries in the fridge, a book beside the couch and a weekend that doesn't require packing a bag. I want to get back to those little routines that aren't particularly exciting but somehow make life feel settled.

The funny thing is, we often treat September like summer is officially over. But some of Calgary's nicest days happen this time of year. The evenings are cooler, but the patios aren't closed. The garden is changing, but there's still plenty happening out there. It's still warm enough for coffee outside in the morning or dinner on the deck — you might just need a sweater.

There's no need to rush into full fall mode simply because the calendar changed.

Maybe that's what I like most about September. Summer tends to pull us away from home. September brings us back to it.

Back to the kitchen. Back to routines. Back to evenings on the couch and meals around the table. Back to the ordinary parts of life that make up most of our days.

So I'm not quite ready for pumpkins everywhere or counting down to the first snowfall.

For now, I'm happy with September, a little bit of summer left, a little bit of fall creeping in, and the familiar rhythm of everyday life finding its way back home.

SELLERS | Around the Kitchen Island

September is a bit of a reset.

Summer schedules wind down, kids head back to school, vacations wrap up, and suddenly everyone seems to return to their regular routines. The days get a little shorter, mornings get cooler, and here in Calgary, we start remembering that fall can arrive whenever it feels like it.

The real estate market feels that shift too.

Selling your home in September isn't necessarily better or worse than selling in July or October. It's just different. Some of the little things that didn't matter nearly as much during a bright July afternoon start to become more noticeable as we move into fall.

Buyers Start Experiencing the Inside of Your Home Again

During the summer, outdoor spaces can do a lot of the heavy lifting. A sunny backyard, beautiful deck or garden in full bloom can immediately capture a buyer's attention.

By September, buyers start spending a little more time noticing what's happening inside.

How does the living room feel? Does the kitchen feel like somewhere people would gather? Is there enough storage for coats, boots and all the things that inevitably start collecting near the door?

Lighting becomes more important too. A 7:00 p.m. showing in June and a 7:00 p.m. showing in September can feel completely different. Turn on lights and lamps before buyers arrive, replace burnt-out bulbs and pay attention to spaces that feel darker as the sun starts disappearing earlier.

You want buyers walking into a home that feels bright and welcoming, not searching for light switches.

Don't Give Up on the Outside Yet

September doesn't mean the yard is finished.

Calgary can give us some beautiful September weather, and buyers are still going to notice your yard, deck and outdoor spaces. Keep the lawn maintained, remove plants that have clearly finished for the season, sweep leaves and keep patios or decks looking usable.

The same goes for your front entrance. Keep the step clean, shake out the mat and clear away the everyday collection of shoes, jackets and backpacks.

And while a little seasonal warmth can be lovely, you don't need to turn the house into fall. A healthy planter, a cozy throw or a few warmer textures are plenty. Skip the pumpkin overload and heavily scented candles — you still want buyers to remember the home, not the decorations.

September Buyers Can Have a Different Mindset

September also brings people back to decisions they've been putting off.

Someone who spent the summer casually watching listings may now be ready to make a move. Others may be looking ahead and realizing they'd like to be settled before winter.

That doesn't mean every September buyer is in a rush. But it does mean sellers should pay attention to how their home is positioned right now, rather than relying on what the market looked like earlier in the summer. Pricing, competition and inventory can change surprisingly quickly.

Your home doesn't need to look like a magazine, either. September homes are lived-in homes. Backpacks come through the door. Jackets start appearing again. The garden isn't quite as perfect as it was six weeks ago.

Preparing your home for sale isn't about hiding every sign that people actually live there. It's about removing enough distraction that a buyer can picture their everyday life happening there instead.

There's something about September that naturally brings our attention back home. We start settling into routines, spending longer evenings inside and thinking about the months ahead.

If you're selling, you don't need to manufacture that feeling.

You just need to give buyers enough room to feel it.

September is when I start wanting dinner to feel like dinner again.

Summer meals are great, but they're often a little thrown together — something on the BBQ, a salad, whatever is easy between plans. Once the evenings start getting cooler, I'm ready to turn the oven back on and make something that feels a little more like everyone should actually sit down at the table.

This Maple Dijon Chicken & Apples is exactly that kind of meal.

It's cozy without being heavy, the apples give it just enough fall flavour, and everything cooks together on one pan, which is really the kind of September reset I can get behind.

Maple Dijon Chicken & Apples

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 boneless chicken breasts or 6 boneless chicken thighs

• 1½ lbs baby potatoes, halved

• 2 crisp apples, cut into wedges

• 1 small red onion, cut into wedges

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Salt and pepper

• Fresh thyme or rosemary

For the Maple Dijon Sauce:

• 3 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 3 tbsp maple syrup

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat your oven to 425°F.

Toss the potatoes and red onion with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread them on a large sheet pan and roast for about 15 minutes.

While they're cooking, whisk together the Dijon mustard, maple syrup, olive oil, apple cider vinegar and garlic.

Remove the pan from the oven and add the chicken and apple wedges. Spoon the Maple Dijon sauce generously over the chicken and toss the potatoes and apples lightly in any extra sauce.

Return everything to the oven for another 20–25 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the potatoes are tender.

Finish with fresh thyme or rosemary and serve straight from the pan.

Add a simple green salad and some crusty bread if you want to round it out.

It's warm, a little sweet, a little savoury and exactly the kind of supper that makes a cooler September evening feel pretty good.

Maybe fall isn't so bad after all.

BUYERS | Around the Kitchen Island

I can usually tell within the first few minutes. A buyer walks through the front door, pauses for just a second longer than they have at the other homes we've seen, and I know something has changed.

Maybe it's the way the morning light pours through the kitchen windows. Maybe it's the backyard they've already imagined hosting summer barbecues in, or the cozy reading nook tucked beside the fireplace. Whatever it is, they're no longer just touring a house. They're beginning to picture a life. And honestly, I love that part of the process.

Buying a home should be emotional. Home is where birthdays are celebrated, where kids grow up, where friends gather around the kitchen island talking long after dinner is over. It makes sense that we'd choose a home with our hearts as much as our heads.

The challenge is that emotions have a way of making everything else a little quieter.

Suddenly the layout that didn't quite work doesn't seem like such a big deal. The busy road out front becomes easy to ignore. The aging furnace or the lack of storage somehow feels less important because you've already started imagining where the Christmas tree will go.

That's why I believe one of the most valuable things I bring to my buyers isn't simply opening doors.

It's perspective.

While you're imagining where your furniture will go, I'm quietly paying attention to how the home functions. I'm thinking about resale, maintenance, the flow of the floor plan, and whether the things you're compromising on today might become the things that frustrate you a few years from now.

That doesn't mean I'm trying to talk anyone out of falling in love with a home. Quite the opposite. I want my clients to find the home they're excited to come back to every single day. I just want that excitement to be built on a foundation that's going to serve them long after the excitement of possession day has passed.

I've also learned that sometimes the opposite happens.

Buyers walk into a home and immediately dismiss it because the walls are painted a colour they would never choose or the light fixtures haven't been updated since the early 2000s. Meanwhile, the layout is fantastic, the neighbourhood is exactly what they've been hoping for, and the things they dislike could be changed over a weekend.

It's funny how easily we can be distracted by what's temporary and overlook what isn't.

The homes people are happiest in years later usually aren't the ones that checked every single box the day they bought them. They're the ones that fit the way they actually live.

Over the years, I've realized that buying a home isn't about finding perfection. It's about finding the place that makes sense for your life, your goals, and the season you're in.

The excitement should absolutely be there. I want my clients to walk into a home and feel something. I also want them to sleep well the night after they write an offer, knowing they made a decision with both their heart and their head.

The best home isn't always the one that gives you butterflies. It's the one you're still grateful you chose five years later.

Calgary, Alberta, September 1, 2026 – Consistent with trends throughout most of 2026, both sales activity and the number of new listings coming onto the market have continued to trend down compared with 2025 levels. In August, sales in Calgary were 1,660 units, down 16 per cent compared with last year, while new listings fell by nearly 10 per cent to 3,141 units.

The pullback in sales has not occurred across all price ranges, as homes priced over $1,000,000 have recorded gains over last year. These gains have mostly been driven by detached and semi-detached homes and are also consistent with where most of the supply growth has occurred.

“While sales growth in the upper end of the market was possible thanks to improved supply choice, it also reflects longer-term confidence in our market, as some buyers are not shying away from taking advantage of the available supply,” said Ann-Marie Lurie, Chief Economist at the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB®). “Meanwhile, we have not seen the same pickup in activity in the lower price ranges, as favourable rental conditions are slowing the transition to ownership.”

Inventory levels in August eased compared with the previous month and the same period last year, at 6,509 units. However, given the pullback in sales, the months of supply pushed up to nearly four months. Also consistent with trends throughout this year, conditions vary significantly by property type, with nearly six months of supply for apartment-style homes compared with over three months of supply for lower-density detached homes.

The relatively balanced conditions in the detached and semi-detached sector have prevented any significant shifts in prices compared with the steady price declines occurring in the oversupplied higher-density segments of the market. As of August, the total residential benchmark price was $569,800, similar to the previous month and one per cent lower than 2025 levels.  

Detached

Gains in higher-priced sales were not enough to offset the pullbacks occurring for homes priced below $1,000,000, as sales fell by 12 per cent to 875 units. At the same time, new listings trended down compared with both July and August 2025 levels, reaching 1,635 units. The steeper decline in sales compared with inventory levels was enough to support a modest monthly gain in inventory levels and drove up the months of supply to over three months. Market balance varies significantly based on price range and location. The months of supply remain below three months in the North West, West, South and South East districts, and above four months in the North and North East districts. The wide range of market balance is also reflected in pricing. Year-over-year gains of over two per cent have occurred in the West and City Centre districts. Meanwhile, price declines were the steepest in the North East at over six per cent. Overall, the benchmark price in August was $744,300, similar to July and down by one per cent compared with last year.

Semi-Detached

Easing sales in August were enough to push year-to-date sales down to 1,516 units, over two per cent lower than last year’s levels. The easing of August sales was not matched by new listings, causing the sales-to-new-listings ratio to fall to 56 per cent. While inventories eased slightly compared with the previous month, they remain nearly five per cent higher than last year. The steeper monthly pullback in sales compared with inventories was enough to push the months of supply above three months, the first time this has happened since January. Despite the shift, conditions remain relatively balanced, and prices have been relatively stable. As of August, the unadjusted benchmark price was $690,500, similar to the previous month and nearly one per cent higher than last year's levels. Price gains in the City Centre, North West and West districts offset pullbacks in other areas, contributing to the annual gain.

Row

Sales continued to ease in August compared with last year, contributing to the year-to-date pullback of 15 per cent. Additional new-home supply, along with more rental product availability, has contributed to some of the pullback in sales activity. Meanwhile, the pullback in new listings has helped prevent any further gains in inventory levels, and the months of supply remained near four months for the second month in a row. Like other sectors, conditions vary depending on location. The months of supply pushed above four months in the City Centre, North East and North districts, while remaining near three months in the West district. Prices have been easing across all districts in the city. The range of decline varied from over 12 per cent in the North East to just over one per cent in the North West district. As of August, the benchmark price was $415,200, down nearly one per cent from July and five per cent lower than levels reported last year at this time.

Apartment Condominium

Apartment-style homes continue to face the most oversupply in the market, with nearly six months of resale supply. More rental supply is weighing on ownership demand from both first-time buyers and investors, which is slowing sales activity while supply levels remain elevated. In August, sales activity continued to fall, contributing to the year-to-date decline of 26 per cent. New listings have also been declining enough to prevent any further inventory gain, but not enough to help the market shift away from buyer-market conditions. Persistently high supply levels relative to demand have weighed on apartment-style prices for the past two years. As of August, the unadjusted benchmark price was $295,400, nearly one per cent lower than the previous month and eight per cent lower than 2025 levels. Prices peaked in August 2024 at $341,300 and currently sit nearly 13 per cent lower than the peak price. 

REGIONAL MARKET FACTS

Airdrie

Sales continued to trend down in August, contributing to the year-to-date decline of 13 per cent. Easing sales have also been met with a seven per cent pullback in new listings over the same period. Throughout most of the year, inventory levels have generally trended higher than last year’s levels and longer-term trends. Over the past few months, we have started to see the pullback in new listings relative to sales cause the sales-to-new-listings ratio to rise, and this has helped prevent any further inventory gains and kept the months of supply below four months. Nonetheless, pressure from competing markets continues to weigh on resale prices. As of August, the unadjusted total residential benchmark price was $508,800, down one per cent from July and over four per cent compared with last year at this time. Steeper price declines are occurring for higher-density apartment-style homes.  
 

Cochrane

Sales improved in August, contributing to the year-to-date gain of over five per cent. Much of the gain in sales has been driven by semi-detached activity. New listings also improved in August compared with last year. The 148 new listings and 94 sales caused the sales-to-new-listings ratio to push above 60 per cent, and inventories edged down compared with the previous month. The boost in sales in August compared with inventory levels caused the months of supply to drop back down to just over three months. Nonetheless, prices still trended down in August. The unadjusted total residential benchmark price eased by nearly one per cent compared with July and is two per cent lower than levels reported last year.  
 

Okotoks

Further declines in new listings likely limited sales activity in August, as the sales-to-new-listings ratio remained elevated at 81 per cent. This contributed to the monthly pullback in inventories, keeping conditions relatively tight with just over two months of supply. Okotoks has struggled with lower-than-average supply levels since 2021, but additional supply choice in competing markets is helping prevent further upward pressure on prices. As of August, the unadjusted total residential benchmark price was $608,400, over one per cent lower compared with July and nearly two per cent lower than last year's levels.
 

Chestermere

The pullback in sales continues to outpace the declines in new listings, as the sales-to-new-listings ratio dropped below 30 per cent in August. This has contributed to elevated inventory levels. While Chestermere is growing, the higher inventory, combined with the pullback in sales, has caused the months of supply to rise, reaching nine months in August. This has continued to weigh on prices, which trended down in August compared with July and currently sit over one per cent lower than 2025 levels.   

HOME | Around the Kitchen Island

The first week of September always feels like a reset: the kids are back in school, evenings cool off a little earlier, the patio furniture starts getting a little less use, and suddenly we're spending more time inside than out.

It's also the time of year when I notice homeowners start making plans. Not the big renovations that take months, but the little projects they've been meaning to get around to all summer.

The funny thing is, those smaller updates often make the biggest difference. They make your home feel more comfortable today, and if you ever decide to sell, they're the kinds of details buyers notice too.

Here are a few of my favourites.

Refresh your entryway

After months of sandals, gardening, and summer adventures, your front entry has probably seen better days.

A fresh doormat, a new planter, or simply giving the front door a good wash instantly makes your home feel more welcoming. It's amazing what ten minutes can accomplish.

Touch up the paint

Every home has them.

The scuffs in the hallway.
The little dent from moving furniture.
The corner the vacuum always seems to hit.

A quick touch-up before you spend more time indoors makes the whole house feel cleaner and brighter.

Prepare your outdoor spaces

You don't have to pack everything away just yet. Instead, clean the cushions, wipe down the furniture, and enjoy those last warm evenings. Calgary's September weather has a habit of giving us some of the nicest patio nights of the year.

Replace the little things

A burnt-out light bulb. Loose cabinet hardware. The squeaky door you've learned to ignore.

These aren't exciting projects, but they're the kinds of things that quietly improve how your home feels every day.

Add a little warmth

As the seasons change, I love bringing in softer textures. Think: a cozy throw blanket, fresh flowers, a candle on the kitchen island. Small changes can make your home feel ready for the months ahead without completely redecorating.

Around the Kitchen Island

I've always believed the best homes aren't the ones that are perfectly finished. They're the ones that are cared for.The homes where someone notices the little things. The homes where people gather, dinners run long, and where friends feel comfortable enough to help themselves to another cup of coffee.

As summer quietly gives way to fall, maybe the best project isn't a renovation at all.

Maybe it's simply taking care of the home that's already taking care of you.