Our clients had arrived in Calgary and were staying in an Airbnb while we searched for a home and, just as importantly, figured out where in the city they wanted to put down roots.
They were looking for a great family neighbourhood and a home they could see themselves staying in for years.
So we didn't start with a house.
We started with Calgary.
The Search
We looked at homes and communities throughout the city, giving them a chance to understand how different areas felt, what their money could buy and which neighbourhoods best suited their family.
Eventually, one community kept rising to the top: Tuscany in northwest Calgary.
Tuscany has long been a popular family community and can remain highly competitive even when other parts of Calgary's market slow down.
That summer, inventory was particularly tight.
There weren't many homes to choose from — and there were several homes we viewed that I advised them not to buy.
When you're living in temporary accommodation and watching properties disappear almost as quickly as they're listed, it's very easy to feel like you have to buy something.
You don't.
The wrong house doesn't become the right house just because the market is moving quickly.
Then We Found It
Finally, the right home came onto the market.
There was only one small problem.
So did everyone else.
By the time offers were being presented, there were 40 offers on the property.
Yes. Forty.
At that point, simply submitting a bigger number wasn't enough.
With that many buyers competing, every part of the offer mattered.
The Strategy
We worked through exactly what would make their offer as strong as possible while still making sense for them.
That meant looking carefully at:
- Offer price
- Terms
- Conditions
- Deposit
- Possession
- The seller's priorities
- Where we could strengthen the offer without taking unnecessary risks
There isn't a magic formula for winning a multiple-offer situation.
The strategy changes depending on the property, the seller, the competition and what matters to the buyer.
My clients listened to the advice, understood the strategy and decided to go for it.
Then we waited.
The Call
Of all the places to find out you've just beaten 39 competing offers, mine happened to be a car wash.
My phone rang while I was going through it.
It was the seller's agent.
Our offer had been accepted.
After travelling around Calgary, turning down homes that weren't right and waiting through an incredibly competitive market, they had their home in Tuscany.
Not because we bought the first thing available.
And not simply because we were willing to pay the most.
We waited for the right opportunity — and when it arrived, we knew how to compete for it.
The Result
40 offers.
39 competing buyers.
One successful offer.
And a family that had found its new Calgary neighbourhood.
What This Story Really Shows
Multiple offers aren't won by enthusiasm.
They're won by understanding which parts of an offer matter, where you can compete, where you shouldn't take unnecessary risks and how to make good decisions when everyone around you is moving quickly.
Sometimes good buyer representation means telling you not to buy.
And sometimes it means recognizing when you've found the one worth fighting for.