Hottest condo launch since the recession

There's no denying it – Calgary real estate is hot. Solidifying that statement is Anthem Properties’ recent sales success at their latest condo launch of Waterfront. The Vancouver-based developer has managed to unload 252 of its suites in a span of just three days – the most units sold during a grand opening period since the recession, and just another indicator of Calgarians' seemingly insatiable appetite for urban condo living.

According to Statistics Canada, 77 people move to Calgary every day, and by 2035, the downtown population will swell from its current 35,000 residents to 75,000. The boom is spurring a new downtown economy, and with it, expanding residential and commercial opportunities.

According to Greg Zayadi, vice-president of sales and marketing at Anthem, 1,800 people registered for a chance to purchase one of the 288 suites at Waterfront. "People lined up before doors opened on Thursday," he said. "We built on the success of Waterfront's first two phases. Even without a show suite, people bought condos based on location, floor plans and price points."

Located in Calgary's Eau Claire neighbourhood – "downtown along the bow," as the community's tagline aptly reads – Waterfront is a master-planned community consisting of 10 buildings in various stages of completion, from built and occupied, some currently under construction, and more in pre-construction mode. When completed in 2018, the Waterfront community will bring more than 1,000 condo units to downtown Calgary.

"The downtown condo market is a segment of housing that never existed before in Calgary," said Zayadi. "The city's skyline will be completely transformed in the coming years. We look forward to releasing more condos early next year."

Anthem's latest condo launch joins a slew of riverside condos, retailers, restaurants, hotels, the Eau Claire Market and urban parkland, which have combined to transform this formerly industrial area into one of Calgary's most vibrant hotspots – and one of the most popular places to call "home."

Related reading: Calgary is hot, and here's why