Location

• There are over 200 established and developing residential communities in Calgary. Each community has different proximities to services and amenities. This helps shape buyers and sellers’ perception of market value.
• Within a community there may be multiple land rates used based on its location. Land in one specific area could be valued higher (or lower) when compared to your property. For example, estates  areas within communities often receive a higher land value than non-estates areas.
• The market value for vacant residential land is heavily influenced by location and is often the first criteria examined in a market analysis.

Land Use

• Ranges in land use vary by residential property type, from low density single-family to higher density multi-family residential. Land uses city-wide are interpreted using Land Use Bylaw 1P2007.
• Land use influences how a property may be developed into a higher and better use by regulating criteria such as:
  • Size and density of development
  • Height and massing of proosed/existing building
  • Permitted uses of space within a proposed/existing building
• The market for vacant residential land is influenced, in part, by the land use (or anticipated re-designation of use).

Size and Shape

• Parcels of vacant residential land vary in size from single-family home sites to large amalgamated development lots used for multi-family development.
• The lot configuration, or plottage, may affect the market value of a property, particularly setback requirements, access, frontage and utility right-of-ways.
• The legal parcel size of a property directly affects the market value of a property, all residential assessment values are calculated using a diminishing rate of returns.

Influences

There are several external factors that could impact the market value of a property. Positive influences as examples include, but are not limited to:

• Proximity to green spaces
• “Views” from the property (i.e. mountain views, downtown views, river valley view etc.)

Negative influences as examples include, but are not limited to:

• Traffic noise
• Adjacent or intrusive industrial or commercial uses

Negative influences as examples include, but are not limited to:

• Traffic Noise
• Adjacent or intrusive industrial or commercial uses

Time to Development

Not all vacant parcels of land designated for residential use are equal based on their availability to be developed. All parcels of vacant residential land are reviewed annually to estimate when a property may be developed. Criteria reviewed may include, but is not limited to:

• Servicing availability (Water, Storm, and Sewer capacity)
• Access (roadways leading to the site)
• Growth Management (Public Transit, Emergency Response Services, Local Infrastructure)