Data-driven guides for Edmonton homebuyers, REALTORS®, and investors. Learn how to check building permits, analyze crime data, verify flood zones, and conduct thorough property due diligence using official City of Edmonton and EPS data sources.
Standard Alberta home insurance policies do NOT automatically cover overland flooding or sewer backup. Edmonton has two distinct flood risks — river flooding from the North Saskatchewan and surface ponding from heavy rainfall — and both are mapped, public, and missing from MLS listings. Here's how to check flood zones for any address and the insurance conversation buyers must have before removing conditions.
A finished basement with no permit on record can void insurance, trigger a stop-work order, and collapse financing — all after conditions are removed. Three methods to check Edmonton permit history before an offer: City Open Data Portal, 311, and Yasnify. What each shows, what it misses, and how to read Open/Closed/Expired status.
Building PermitsDue DiligenceOpen DataPre-Offer Research
Edmonton's public data is one of the richest in Canada — but it lives across a dozen disconnected portals. This guide compares every property data tool Edmonton REALTORS®, investors, and homebuyers should know: Open Data Portal, EPS, SPIN2, HouseSigma, HonestDoor, RPR and Yasnify — what each does, what it misses, and when to use it.
Nine pre-offer checks every Edmonton buyer and agent should run — building permits, zoning, flood risk, fire protection, crime, 311, schools, snow clearing, and title. All based on public data, all takeable in minutes. The complete checklist with sources, what to look for, and how to document findings for your client.
Edmonton's crime data is public, updated daily, and free — but the EPS Community Safety Data Portal wasn't built for per-address due diligence. No address search, no radius filter, no trend comparison, no export. Here's how Edmonton agents work around those limits, what the seven crime categories mean for a buyer, and how to present the numbers without creating panic.
Unpermitted work is one of the most common hidden liabilities in Edmonton real estate. Learn how to check City permits, spot red flags like unpermitted basements, verify inspection status, and avoid $10,000+ surprises. Step-by-step instructions for the City's permit portal and what to do when you find missing permits.
Building PermitsUnpermitted WorkDue DiligenceBasement Development
EPS publishes crime data for every Edmonton intersection — but most buyers don't know how to access it. This guide shows you exactly how to check crime statistics for any address, interpret violent vs property crime data, compare neighbourhoods, and use EPS reports during your inspection period.
Crime DataEPS ReportsNeighbourhood SafetyProperty Research
How to research school ratings and ETS accessibility.
Coming soon
Get New Guides Each Month
We publish in-depth Edmonton property research guides monthly. No spam, no ads — just data-driven analysis. Join the waitlist and we'll let you know when the next guide ships.
Every guide on this blog can be automated with Yasnify. Get crime data, building permits, flood zones, and school ratings for any Edmonton address in under 5 seconds.