In every housing cycle, there are segments that dominate the headlines—and others that quietly do exactly what they’re supposed to do.
In Calgary’s resale market, semi-detached homes sit firmly in the second category.
Representing just nine per cent of total inventory and sales, semi-detached properties are the smallest slice of the city’s resale market. They’ve also become a rarer product over time. Compared to row and apartment-style housing, semis account for a much smaller share of new construction, a trend that has persisted for more than a decade.
That structural constraint matters.
While new construction starts did improve this past year, growth was overwhelmingly concentrated in higher-density housing. Row homes and apartments surged ahead, while semi-detached construction lagged. As a result, semi-detached resale inventories avoided the near-record and record-high levels seen in other attached segments.
That doesn’t mean supply hasn’t increased.
Rising new listings combined with slightly slower sales pushed inventories higher through the second half of the year, bringing conditions back toward long-term historical norms. By the final four months, the semi-detached market had largely settled into balanced territory—a notable shift from the tight conditions that defined the spring.
Prices told a similar story.
Seasonal softening appeared later in the year, but on an annual basis, benchmark prices rose by nearly three per cent, exactly in line with expectations for this segment. That stability reflects a market that is neither overheated nor distressed—one supported by limited supply but no longer driven by urgency.
However, this is not a uniform market.
Nearly 30 per cent of semi-detached supply is concentrated in the City Centre, where price range matters enormously. Units priced above $1,000,000 are experiencing higher supply-to-demand ratios, while lower-priced semis continue to favour sellers. These dynamics are creating pockets of price reductions alongside areas still reporting modest growth.
Looking ahead to 2026, the picture becomes clearer.
Increased supply and choice in competing row homes—both new and resale—are expected to slow semi-detached sales further, pulling activity back in line with long-term trends. At the same time, that competition is likely to cap price growth, preventing any significant upward or downward swings.
For buyers, this means opportunity through selectivity.
For sellers, success will depend on pricing precision and positioning.
For investors, semi-detached homes remain a fundamentally constrained asset—but one that now requires a sharper understanding of location and price band.
In Calgary’s evolving housing market, semi-detached homes aren’t driving the cycle.
They’re revealing it.
And knowing how to read that signal is where real leverage begins.
