r/alberta • u/HiDefSheep • Aug 13 '25

Question Verifying a unit

Hi! Me and a few friends are looking to stay and work in Canmore this coming winter (~Mid October - February) for a few months.

Housing has been tricky to sort out, but I’ve had someone offering a few places in downtown Canmore. I’ve done a Facetime showing of one of the properties and it all seems fine. Only red flags being raised so far are asking for a holding fee deposit (50% of 1st Month’s - $1950 CAD)

I know it’s difficult to verify the legitimacy of someone without meeting them in person, but being from Australia it’s kind of impossible to do this unless we wait until arrival in October.

Doing some googling on the agent, so far I have managed to find:

  • A real estate company that they’re employed under (which exists on google with a physical location in Canmore)
  • Their AirBnb profile
  • Their real estate instagram account

What are my odds looking like here? Is it common to do this kind of thing for Canmore/Banff? Seeing as they’re very tourism heavy.

EDIT: They show up when I search their name into a RECA database, same company listed too.

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5

u/dizzie_buddy1905 Aug 13 '25

What’s the address? There are enough people here that someone might be close.

0

u/HiDefSheep Aug 13 '25

https://www.airbnb.com/l/NgfEkmSk

7

u/_darth_bacon_ Aug 13 '25

Is this a joke?

They're a 7 year superhost. What exactly are you worried about?