In this episode, host Taylor Rubert sits down with real estate investor and engineer technoligist Mike Duffy to pull back the curtain on what it actually takes to build additional dwellings in Calgary today. From navigating the city to budgeting with your own hard-earned capital, this episode delivers raw, practical advice from the trenches of local real estate investing.

The City of Calgary is currently rolling out massive financial incentives for homeowners—including up to $10,000 for basement suites and up to $35,000 for backyard suites. Using Mike’s corner-lot property in Panorama Hills as a case study, we break down exactly how to force value into your property by turning a single standard lot into a three-dwelling goldmine.

What We Cover in This Episode:

• Going Legal: The non-negotiable building components required to make a Calgary basement suite fully legal.
• The Grant Breakdown: How the Secondary Suite Incentive Program and Backyard Suite Grant work, and how much cash you can realistically expect back in your pocket.
• The Engineering Reality Check: Why building a garage suite isn't as simple as just "putting a room over your current garage."
• The Numbers: Total construction budgets for a Calgary backyard suite, projected rental income, and your expected ROI.
• Financing the Build: How ATB’s specialized garage suite program is helping individual investors fund their projects.
• Busting the Blanket Rezoning Myth: What Calgary's recent zoning changes actually mean for everyday homeowners and how it impacts your timeline.
• Lessons Learned: The single biggest mistake Mike has made so far—and how you can avoid it.

Key Takeaway:

You don't need to be a massive corporate developer to scale your real estate portfolio. With the right strategy and city grants, you can maximize your current lot to build long-term wealth.

Resources & Links Mentioned:

• City of Calgary Secondary Suite Incentive Program
• City of Calgary Backyard Suite Grant Program

Connect with us at Sotheby’s International Realty Canada:

Taylor Rubert

c 403.607.7191

taylor.rubert@sothebysrealty.ca

Barb Richardson

c 403.613.8737

brichardson@sothebysrealty.ca

Kimberly Courchesne

c 403.671.4979

kimberly.courchesne@sothebysrealty.ca

Connect with ATB:

Rachelle Martin

Mortgage Specialist

Mobile 780-289-9207

Email: rscheetz-martin@atb.com

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