Is this really a two bedroom condo?

The Calgary real estate market is going through a hot period and realtors are all getting more and more calls from potential buyers looking to get into the market and going for a condo because prices are still reasonable and interest rates are keeping them away from townhomes.

With that we get a lot of puzzled looks during showings when folks peek into the 'second bedroom' only to discover that it has no closet, no window and appears to be too small for a bed.

What gives?

It's a den right?

Following Alberta Real Estate Association advisement, a condo can be listed as two bedroom if a den/bedroom has a door with direct escape and has fire suppression (sprinklers). It doesn't have to have a window or a closet.

Every now and then someone posts their dismay on the Calgary realtors' Facebook page after they just wasted their clients' time looking at what they were led to believe was a two bedroom condo, only to discover the above situation. The thread of comments to these posts is endless and the opinions are varied.

Here's how to avoid the disappointment. Take a good run through all the listing photos to see what the second bedroom looks like. If you don't see a window to the world, it doesn't have one.

As well, read the details on the listing. Most times it will tell you the second bedroom can also be used as a den. That there tells you it's likely best used as a den. Look at the measurements, which are also listed, to see if it's big enough for a real bed.

You can also ask your realtor to check it out for you; most often they have access to a map of the condo, posted by the listing realtor in the supplement section on our listing system.

It's a bit of a nuisance doing all this but it beats driving downtown and finding parking only to see a condo that disappoints.