About · Cochrane, Alberta
More advisor than sales rep.
James Hughes is a REALTOR® with CIR Realty in Cochrane. He left Ontario for Alberta with a young family, and that move is still the backbone of how he works.
CIR Realty
130 5th Ave, Cochrane, AB T4C 1A9
Growing up in Ontario's Greater Toronto Area, I found myself continuously moving further north to escape the city for the small town community charm.
I fell in love with Alberta the first time we visited, and it became the only travel destination for my wife and I. It was clear that moving to Alberta was our goal for retirement. We visited here for about 6 years, for sometimes 2-weeks at a time. One year, we did a 2-week road trip all over Alberta and BC, to decide where we wanted to live. Dreaming about the future.
Life is unpredictable. My wife and I realized that life is too short to wait to live out our dream. Shortly after our daughter was born, it was clear that the time was now. Tomorrow is not promised, and there is no good reason to delay happiness. There is rarely a "perfect time" for any major relocation. We made the move from Orangeville, Ontario to Cochrane, Alberta before my daughter's first birthday, and we have never been happier.
I have been a REALTOR® since 2016, and am very passionate about this career. I like to think of myself as more of a Real Estate Advisor, than a Sales Rep. I am a CERC certified Relocation Specialist, and with my first-hand experience moving across Canada, I can make your relocation journey as stress-free as possible.
Outside of real estate, my wife and kids are my world. I love taking on home renovations, play hockey, golf and the drums. I'm an animal lover and green thumb with landscaping. I moved here to be outdoors as much as possible with friends and family. We try to get out to the mountains often, and go for hikes regularly all over this gorgeous Province.
I live in Cochrane and happily serve Cochrane, Calgary, Airdrie, Chestermere and anywhere within Rocky View County. If you have questions about Real Estate, or are thinking about buying or selling, call, text, or email me anytime.
James Hughes
REALTOR® · CIR Realty · Cochrane, Alberta
Lived experience, put to work.
The relocation story is not a marketing angle. James runs out-of-province moves end to end, from video tours to remote closings, because he has stood on the buying side of that exact transaction. Sellers get the same grounding: a free home evaluation built from real comparable sales, with the math shown, not a number pulled from the air.
And because he lives here, the local read is first-hand. Browse the community guides across Cochrane, Calgary, Airdrie, Chestermere, and Rocky View County, or read what past clients say about working with him.
Seven designations, in plain language.
A designation is extra training a REALTOR® chooses to take, and each one below changes how a file gets handled. Here is what they actually mean for you.
- CERC I
Relocation Specialist, Level I
Foundational training from CERC, the national body for workforce mobility, in how moves to and within Canada actually work: the timelines, the logistics, and the policies behind employer-supported relocations.
Canadian Employee Relocation Council
- CERP
Canadian Employee Relocation Professional, Level II
CERC's advanced professional designation. It covers the full arc of an employee relocation, from corporate policy and cost planning through to the family actually landing in their new city.
Canadian Employee Relocation Council
- CNE
Certified Negotiation Expert
Formal training in negotiation strategy and psychology. It shows up in how offers are framed, countered, and closed, whichever side of the table you are on.
Real Estate Negotiation Institute
- SRES®
Seniors Real Estate Specialist®
Specialized training for working with clients over 50: downsizing, estate sales, and the financial and family considerations that come with a later-in-life move.
National Association of REALTORS®
- CCS
Certified Condo Specialist
CREB®'s condominium designation, built for this market: reading condo documents, reserve funds, boards, and fees, and spotting the red flags in a condo corporation before an offer goes in.
Calgary Real Estate Board
- ABR®
Accredited Buyer's Representative
A designation focused entirely on representing buyers: search strategy, offer terms, conditions, and protecting the buyer's interests through to possession day.
Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council
- SRS
Seller Representative Specialist
The seller-side counterpart to the ABR®: advanced training in pricing, marketing, and negotiating a sale on the seller's behalf.
Real Estate Business Institute