Jonathan Pendlebury
Second Generation Real Estate Associate | REALTOR®
WHY JONATHAN KNOWS WHAT HE’S DOING
And the details that decide their value.
With $100M+in sales, development and construction experience
Jonathan grew up in Bearspaw and now lives in Church Ranches with his wife and three children. His connection to the area gives him a grounded understanding of acreage life, all the local neighbourhoods, land, privacy and the lifestyle people are really buying into.
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From 2007 to 2018, Jonathan lived and worked in Nassau, Bahamas, where he was involved in more than $100 million USD in real estate development, construction and sales as a Chief Operations Officer.
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Jonathan followed in the footsteps of his mother, Lesley Fleming, who specialized in high-value Bearspaw acreages for more than 25 years before retiring.
Jonathan applies his broad real estate background to Bearspaw’s acreage and estate market, helping clients navigate high-value properties with local insight, practical experience and a deeper understanding of how acreage properties live.
Acreage real estate is shaped by more than square footage. Land, location, privacy, outbuildings, access, buyer fit, and long-term value all matter. Bearspaw Real Estate brings practical experience across development, construction, luxury acreage, estate, and commercial property.
Most Bearspaw acreages draw their water from a private well rather than a municipal connection, so the home's supply depends on the well's depth, flow rate, and water quality. Because Bearspaw sits within Rocky View County over varied aquifers, well performance can differ noticeably from one property to the next, sometimes even between neighbours, which is something Bearspaw Real Estate pays close attention to when walking a property with clients. Buyers should review the available well records, ask about recent flow-rate and potability testing, and confirm with a qualified water professional what testing or treatment may suit their needs.
Acreage homes around Bearspaw typically manage wastewater on-site through a private septic system rather than municipal sewer, so the type, age, and condition of that system genuinely matter. In Rocky View County you'll see everything from septic tanks with fields to mounds and holding tanks, and the right setup often depends on the lot itself, which is easy to overlook coming from the city. Buyers should review any available septic records and permits, ask when the system was last serviced, and have its condition confirmed by a qualified septic professional before conditions come off.
What you can do with an acreage, including subdividing, adding structures, running a home-based business, or keeping certain animals, is shaped by the land-use rules that apply to it. Bearspaw falls under Rocky View County's zoning and land-use bylaws rather than the City of Calgary's, and those rules don't always match what buyers expect coming from an urban context, which is a conversation the team has early with people exploring the area. Anyone planning a specific use should review the property's current land-use designation and confirm what is permitted directly with Rocky View County or the relevant authority.
Rural and acreage titles can carry registered interests, including easements, rights-of-way, utility corridors, or pipeline-related agreements, that may influence where you can build or how the land is used. Around Bearspaw and the wider Rocky View County area, these registrations are fairly common because of how rural servicing and infrastructure developed, and understanding them is part of how Bearspaw Real Estate helps clients read a property beyond the listing. The current title and any registered instruments are worth reading closely, and buyers should confirm their meaning and implications with a qualified lawyer or the appropriate professional.
An acreage inspection usually reaches beyond a typical city home because there are extra systems in play, including the well, the septic, outbuildings, and sometimes alternative heating or water treatment equipment. Bearspaw properties vary widely in age, construction, and how their systems were installed over the years, so a standard home inspection won't necessarily capture every acreage-specific component, and the team encourages clients to plan ahead. Arranging the appropriate specialized inspections, and confirming scope and findings with the relevant qualified professionals, is the sensible path before removing conditions.
Financing an acreage can work differently than a standard city home, since lenders may weigh factors like land size, outbuildings, and how value is distributed across the property. Ownership around Bearspaw can also bring costs urban buyers aren't used to, such as well and septic maintenance, propane or alternative heating, longer driveways and snow clearing, and sometimes private road or water co-op contributions, all of which their team can help clients think through for a specific property. Buyers should review the expected costs for the home they're considering and confirm financing details with a qualified mortgage professional or lender early in the process.
The land itself, including its slope, drainage, wet or low areas, treed sections, and exposure, determines how much of an acreage is genuinely usable for building, yards, or other plans. Bearspaw's rolling terrain and natural features mean two similarly sized parcels can offer very different amounts of practical, buildable land, and Bearspaw Real Estate helps clients read the property beyond the listing photos to understand factors like drainage and vegetation rather than assume them. Buyers should walk and review the land carefully and confirm any drainage, grading, or suitability questions with the appropriate qualified professionals before committing.
A custom build or major renovation on an acreage depends on more than design taste. It comes down to how the home fits the lot, the servicing already in place such as well and septic capacity, and what approvals the work requires. In Rocky View County, permitting, setbacks, and servicing requirements for builds and renovations can differ from city processes, and feasibility really does vary property to property, so the team encourages scoping this early. Buyers and owners should understand the property's constraints and confirm permitting and servicing requirements with Rocky View County and a qualified builder or designer.
Have a question or want to connect? Send a note directly to the business.
Send an emailBearspaw Real Estate is best known for acreage, estate and luxury real estate west of Calgary, with deep roots in Bearspaw, Springbank and Rocky View County. Brokered by Real Broker AB Ltd. o/a Real Broker, the team also supports clients across residential and commercial real estate, from condos and starter homes to high-value properties in Calgary-area and mountain communities such as Canmore. Being recognized among Real’s Top 20 Canadian Small Teams by closed volume speaks to the level of consistency behind Bearspaw Real Estate’s work.
A national small-team recognition that speaks to consistent results, steady judgement and the care behind each client decision.
Buying an acreage is less about a prettier listing and more about reading what the property is really telling you.
Water, septic systems, access, land use, drainage, improvements, privacy and long-term carrying costs can all change how a home lives and how value is understood. Bearspaw Real Estate helps clients look past the photos and ask the questions that matter before a decision is made.
Two acreages can look similar on paper and feel entirely different in real life. The difference is often in the details you only notice when you know what to look for.
Bearspaw Real Estate is brokered by Real Broker AB Ltd. o/a Real Broker. Information presented on this page is for general information only and is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Real estate details, pricing, availability and property information should be independently reviewed and verified by the buyer, seller and/or their professional advisors.
No matter where life takes you, the place that raised you has a way of staying with you.
For Jonathan and Andrew, Bearspaw is that place. They grew up here, went to high school in Cochrane, left for university and returned with a deeper appreciation and respect for acreage living.
They know the old pockets from the new ones, the builders behind certain homes, the roads people use every day, the way a view opens, the way privacy holds and how access can change everything. They understand why two acreages can look similar on paper but feel entirely different in real life.
With Andrew’s background in architecture, that perspective brings a trained eye to how a home relates to the land, how it functions and how design choices shape the way a property feels once you settle in.
That same standard carries through the people they choose to work with. Lesley brings a steady, local perspective from Springbank, where she lives and understands the care, discretion and practical details that matter when clients are making an important move west of Calgary.
Jonathan grew up in Bearspaw and lives there still, in Church Ranches with his wife and their three children.
He holds an MSc in Medical Science from the University of Calgary and is also identified in historical material as BSc.
Between 2007 and 2018 he lived and worked in Nassau, Bahamas, as Chief Operations Officer on real estate development, construction and sales projects.
His mother, Lesley Fleming, specialised in high-value Bearspaw acreages before she retired.
His focus now is the luxury acreage market around Bearspaw and Springbank. He is also licensed and active in commercial real estate in Calgary, working on everything from bare land to large apartment complexes and mixed-use properties.
He is Lead Agent for the BRE Luxury Group, a concierge-style team focused on Calgary's luxury and high net worth market.
Andrew Martin grew up west of Calgary, on a horse ranch in Bearspaw. That is a useful thing to know about someone who now helps people buy and sell property there. He is not reading the landscape for the first time.
He came to architecture the long way around. A Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Calgary in 2004, with a focus on sculpture, then work around Calgary construction sites, then a Master of Architecture from the same university in 2007. Sculpture teaches you how a form sits in space. Construction teaches you what it costs to build one. Both show up in the way he looks at a house.
He began working with John Stewart in 2007, and the two formed J A Architecture in 2013, where Andrew is a principal and architect. The practice keeps him in the technical detail of buildings: structure, sightlines, what a wall is actually doing, what a renovation would really involve.
That is the part clients notice. Andrew is an associate with Real Broker AB Ltd. o/a Real Broker and works as part of the Bearspaw Real Estate team, and the architecture changes the conversation. He can tell a buyer whether an awkward layout is fixable and roughly what fixing it would take. He can tell a seller which parts of a house are worth drawing attention to, and which are not.
Away from both jobs he produces electronic music and DJs, plays volleyball, climbs, hikes, shoots archery and rides in the Rockies.
Lesley Jorgensen sells houses in Springbank, and she lives in Springbank. That sounds obvious until you notice how often it is not true.
She grew up in a small town in northern Alberta. Before real estate she took a business diploma and technical training at SAIT, and she owned rental property, which is a less romantic education in houses than most people get and a considerably more useful one. She knows what a furnace replacement does to a year.
She has been licensed in Alberta since 2020 and works as a residential associate with Real Broker AB Ltd. o/a Real Broker, as part of the Bearspaw Real Estate team. Her practice is deliberately narrow: Springbank and the acreage country around it, where the real questions are about water, wells, school zones, road access and how a property behaves in February.
Away from work she snowboards, and she swam competitively before that. She lives on an acreage with her family and their animals, which is the arrangement most of her clients are either moving into or moving out of.
Jonathan grew up in Bearspaw and now lives in Church Ranches with his wife and three children. His connection to the area gives him a grounded understanding of acreage life, all the local neighbourhoods, land, privacy and the lifestyle people are really buying into.
From 2007 to 2018, Jonathan lived and worked in Nassau, Bahamas, where he was involved in more than $100 million USD in real estate development, construction and sales as a Chief Operations Officer.
Jonathan followed in the footsteps of his mother, Lesley Fleming, who specialized in high-value Bearspaw acreages for more than 25 years before retiring.
Jonathan applies his broad real estate background to Bearspaw’s acreage and estate market, helping clients navigate high-value properties with local insight, practical experience and a deeper understanding of how acreage properties live.
Acreage real estate is shaped by more than square footage. Land, location, privacy, outbuildings, access, buyer fit, and long-term value all matter. Bearspaw Real Estate brings practical experience across development, construction, luxury acreage, estate, and commercial property.
in sales, development and construction experience
years of family legacy in Bearspaw acreage real estate
A few words from people who have worked with Bearspaw Real Estate and understand the value of local acreage knowledge.
Helpful answers to common questions people often want to understand before they get started.
Most Bearspaw acreages draw their water from a private well rather than a municipal connection, so the home's supply depends on the well's depth, flow rate, and water quality. Because Bearspaw sits within Rocky View County over varied aquifers, well performance can differ noticeably from one property to the next, sometimes even between neighbours, which is something Bearspaw Real Estate pays close attention to when walking a property with clients. Buyers should review the available well records, ask about recent flow-rate and potability testing, and confirm with a qualified water professional what testing or treatment may suit their needs.
Acreage homes around Bearspaw typically manage wastewater on-site through a private septic system rather than municipal sewer, so the type, age, and condition of that system genuinely matter. In Rocky View County you'll see everything from septic tanks with fields to mounds and holding tanks, and the right setup often depends on the lot itself, which is easy to overlook coming from the city. Buyers should review any available septic records and permits, ask when the system was last serviced, and have its condition confirmed by a qualified septic professional before conditions come off.
What you can do with an acreage, including subdividing, adding structures, running a home-based business, or keeping certain animals, is shaped by the land-use rules that apply to it. Bearspaw falls under Rocky View County's zoning and land-use bylaws rather than the City of Calgary's, and those rules don't always match what buyers expect coming from an urban context, which is a conversation the team has early with people exploring the area. Anyone planning a specific use should review the property's current land-use designation and confirm what is permitted directly with Rocky View County or the relevant authority.
Rural and acreage titles can carry registered interests, including easements, rights-of-way, utility corridors, or pipeline-related agreements, that may influence where you can build or how the land is used. Around Bearspaw and the wider Rocky View County area, these registrations are fairly common because of how rural servicing and infrastructure developed, and understanding them is part of how Bearspaw Real Estate helps clients read a property beyond the listing. The current title and any registered instruments are worth reading closely, and buyers should confirm their meaning and implications with a qualified lawyer or the appropriate professional.
An acreage inspection usually reaches beyond a typical city home because there are extra systems in play, including the well, the septic, outbuildings, and sometimes alternative heating or water treatment equipment. Bearspaw properties vary widely in age, construction, and how their systems were installed over the years, so a standard home inspection won't necessarily capture every acreage-specific component, and the team encourages clients to plan ahead. Arranging the appropriate specialized inspections, and confirming scope and findings with the relevant qualified professionals, is the sensible path before removing conditions.
Financing an acreage can work differently than a standard city home, since lenders may weigh factors like land size, outbuildings, and how value is distributed across the property. Ownership around Bearspaw can also bring costs urban buyers aren't used to, such as well and septic maintenance, propane or alternative heating, longer driveways and snow clearing, and sometimes private road or water co-op contributions, all of which their team can help clients think through for a specific property. Buyers should review the expected costs for the home they're considering and confirm financing details with a qualified mortgage professional or lender early in the process.
The land itself, including its slope, drainage, wet or low areas, treed sections, and exposure, determines how much of an acreage is genuinely usable for building, yards, or other plans. Bearspaw's rolling terrain and natural features mean two similarly sized parcels can offer very different amounts of practical, buildable land, and Bearspaw Real Estate helps clients read the property beyond the listing photos to understand factors like drainage and vegetation rather than assume them. Buyers should walk and review the land carefully and confirm any drainage, grading, or suitability questions with the appropriate qualified professionals before committing.
A custom build or major renovation on an acreage depends on more than design taste. It comes down to how the home fits the lot, the servicing already in place such as well and septic capacity, and what approvals the work requires. In Rocky View County, permitting, setbacks, and servicing requirements for builds and renovations can differ from city processes, and feasibility really does vary property to property, so the team encourages scoping this early. Buyers and owners should understand the property's constraints and confirm permitting and servicing requirements with Rocky View County and a qualified builder or designer.
For buyers, Bearspaw Real Estate’s value is in the questions they ask before an offer is made.
Bearspaw Real Estate is best known for acreage, estate and luxury real estate west of Calgary, with deep roots in Bearspaw, Springbank and Rocky View County. Brokered by Real Broker AB Ltd. o/a Real Broker, the team also supports clients across residential and commercial real estate, from condos and starter homes to high-value properties in Calgary-area and mountain communities such as Canmore. Being recognized among Real’s Top 20 Canadian Small Teams by closed volume speaks to the level of consistency behind Bearspaw Real Estate’s work.
#E53327Buying an acreage is less about a prettier listing and more about reading what the property is really telling you.
Water, septic systems, access, land use, drainage, improvements, privacy and long-term carrying costs can all change how a home lives and how value is understood. Bearspaw Real Estate helps clients look past the photos and ask the questions that matter before a decision is made.