By Rory Hale – REALTOR®, CIR Realty, Rural Properties & Acreages near Calgary
Week 6 of 10
The yard wakes before sunrise. Tall shop doors glow, a faint transformer hum rises from the pole. Lights in the mezzanine flick on; the slab holds heat; tools, hoses, and outlets are where they should be. That first minute on a showing tells buyers: this acreage is ready to work and ready to live.
From barns to bandwidth. In the foothills, barns and machine sheds were the heart of every homestead. Today, the modern equivalent is a wired, heated shop with real connectivity—a place to fix, fabricate, park, and research. It’s where utility meets comfort, and it can move your price.
Seller priorities (what drives value):
1) Pricing the building, not just the square feet. Buyers pay for door height and width (can the trailer, RV, or tractor fit?), slab quality (drains, cracking, slope), insulation and heat (unit heater/boiler, ceiling height efficiency), 240V circuits, and water to the shop for washing and chores. Buyers will see a shop that is ready to work
2) Aim the story at the right buyers. Mechanics, horse owners, hobby-farmers, and recreational buyers want proof. Let’s show door measurements, bay lengths, mezzanine capacity, power panel, tool zones, and in the listing, add a quick map of how trucks move through the yard.
3) Paperwork that settles nerves. Keep electrical/mechanical permits, development approvals, and any RPR updates handy if the footprint or doors changed. Note service size (e.g., 200A with shop subpanel). If structures changed without an updated RPR, title insurance can help, but it’s not a replacement for compliance—flag it up front.
4 Outbuilding and sheds. Are they maintained and usable, or a liability? Everyone needs more storage, but is it practical, accessible in winter or in a rainy year? Is it protected from citters? Clean, dry storage is a premium feature on a farm.
Buyer priorities (what they check on site):
Power: true 240V access, breaker space, and subpanel layout.
Heat: unit heater/boiler type, natural gas lines, approved wood stove, insulation, and how fast the space warms.
Air & water: compressed air lines; hose bibs/drains for cleanup.
Connectivity: reliable Wi-Fi to the shop (Starlink or other providers), speed test in the bay.
Resilience: backup generator, transfer switch, and where it feeds (house, well, shop).
Flow: turning radius and door approach angles, especially in winter.
Doors: Will the equipment they want fit the space?
Myth: “A big quonset is enough.”
Reality: Volume without usability is wasted money. Fit-for-purpose—height, doors, 240V, heat, water, and internet—wins.
Thinking of selling? Book a low-pressure Seller Prep Call and I’ll send my Outbuilding & Utility Readiness mini-checklist, plus we can build a plan to showcase your shop and connectivity.
Rory Hale, CIR Realty | 403-585-6552 | rhale@cirrealty.ca | roryhale.com
