CALGARY - Calgary-based CIR Realty, one of Canada’s largest independent real estate organizations, has joined an international luxury home market network.

“What it’s going to mean specifically for our company is that we’re going to have the tools that we need to properly service a luxury home, a luxury listing,” said Ron Stader, broker and co-owner of CIR with his brother Ray. “And we’re also going to have the tools to work with buyers that are in the market to purchase one of those types of properties, an expensive property.

“We’re going to be very well equipped now to handle that unique part of the market.”

In March, CIR announced it had joined the Chicago-based Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, linking itself to more than 600 real estate companies internationally in the largest network of firms in the residential real estate industry, with 150,000 realtors and more than $300 billion in collective sales volume. The network consists of companies either locally branded or regionally branded in 35 countries and 50,000 offices.

Now, CIR has taken that relationship a step further by joining the network’s luxury portfolio division.

According to the Calgary Real Estate Board, in 2000, there were only 12 properties reported as sold in Calgary for over one million dollars.

The latest figures by CREB indicate how far the luxury home market has increased in the past decade.

In April alone, 29 single-family homes in Calgary sold for more than one million dollars. There were no condominiums that sold at that price point.

CREB also reported that four properties in the town and country category, which represents communities just outside the city, sold for more than one million dollars and 16 properties in the country residential (acreages) market also hit that price point in sales.

Anne Clarke, CIR Realty’s marketing manager, said the new luxury portfolio partnership will help meet the needs of those selling or looking to buy a luxury property in and around Calgary.

“We live in a fast paced global marketplace,” she said. “As Calgary continues to grow we will attract more and more international attention, which means that the Calgary market will continue to grow. We need to be ready for that.”