Commute and getting around
Almost every rural rental needs a car, and some need a reliable winter vehicle. Before you commit, drive the route at the time you would commute. Find out whether the last stretch is gravel, and who clears it after snow: the county, the landlord or you. School bus routes, mail delivery and the distance to groceries and medical care are worth checking too.
Rental types you'll find
- Acreage houses on a few acres, sometimes with a shop or barn
- Suites or second homes on an acreage (ask whether the county permits the second dwelling)
- Farmhouses on working farms
- Homes in small hamlets and foothills towns
What to know before you sign
- Water. Many acreages use a private well or a cistern. Ask when the water was last tested. Alberta offers free bacteria testing for private drinking-water supplies (MyHealth Alberta).
- Septic. Ask what kind of system there is, when it was last pumped, and what shouldn't go down the drains.
- Who does what. Get it in writing who handles the yard, snow, fences, outbuildings, pests and any animals.
- Animals. If you want to keep horses or livestock, get permission in writing and check county rules.
- Internet and cell coverage. Check service at the address. Rural coverage varies.
- Heating. Ask about the fuel (natural gas, propane or wood) and who pays for refills.
- Insurance. Make sure your tenant insurance covers a rural property and any outbuildings you'll use.
- Do the written move-in inspection with the landlord, including outbuildings.
For the rules that apply to every Alberta rental, read Alberta tenancy basics and the move-in checklist.
Counties around Calgary
Most acreages near Calgary are in the rural municipalities around the city. Rules on things like second dwellings, animals and roads are set locally, so check with the right one:
- Rocky View County surrounds Calgary on the north, west and east (for example Bearspaw, Springbank and the areas near Airdrie, Cochrane and Chestermere).
- Foothills County is to the south and southwest (around Okotoks, High River, Priddis and Millarville).
- Wheatland County is to the east, around Strathmore.
- Municipal District of Bighorn is to the west, toward the mountains.
The foothills: Diamond Valley, Priddis and Millarville
Southwest of Calgary, the foothills around the Town of Diamond Valley (the former towns of Turner Valley and Black Diamond), Priddis and Millarville have houses in town and acreages on the surrounding rural roads. Highways 22 and 7 connect the area with Okotoks and Highway 2, so commutes to Calgary are usually by car. Check winter road conditions, since some rural roads take longer to clear. Arrived from an old Diamond Valley listing? We no longer post individual listings. This guide and the Okotoks and High River guides cover the area.
Edmonton-area acreages
Our guides now focus on the Calgary area. If you're looking near Sherwood Park or elsewhere around Edmonton, the Alberta-wide rules in our renter guides still apply. Check the local county for anything specific to that area.
Property managers serving Acreages near Calgary
Listings opening soon. We're preparing a directory of RECA-licensed property managers serving the Calgary area. No companies are listed yet.
Property managers can request a free Basic listing or a founding Featured spot through the contact form or by emailing [email protected]. A listing goes live only after the firm gives us its RECA licence number and we confirm it.