MonTerra Homes for Sale: Estate Homes at Cochrane Lake, Just North of Cochrane
MonTerra is a small estate-home community in the hamlet of Cochrane Lake, in Rocky View County, about 1.6 km north of Cochrane on the west side of Highway 22. Few homes come up for sale at once, so the sold snapshot below and a saved search are the best ways to keep up.
Students go to Cochrane schools, the county supplies drinking water from the Bow River, and Highway 22 and Highway 1A take you into Calgary. The county is working on a project to manage Cochrane Lake's water level.
Quick Search: Find Your MonTerra Home
MonTerra's Last 30 Days: Hot or Not?. Average sale price, days on market and number of sales in MonTerra over the last 30 days
MonTerra Community Snapshot
Where It Is
- Hamlet of Cochrane Lake, Rocky View County
- About 1.6 km north of the Town of Cochrane
- West side of Highway 22
- About 45 km northwest of Calgary
- 767 residents in the hamlet (2021 census)
Water and the Lake
- County drinking water from the Bow River
- Cochrane Lake has no natural inlet or outlet
- Homes around the lake flooded in 2013
- County and provincial pumps since 2016
- Improvement project: automatic level control planned
Schools (2026-27)
- Elizabeth Barrett Elementary School: K-4, English or French Immersion
- Manachaban Middle School: 5-8, English or French Immersion
- Cochrane High School: 9-12
- Calgary Catholic: Holy Spirit School and St. Timothy Jr./Sr. High School
- School boundaries change regularly: confirm the school for each address before you buy
Buying With Few Listings
- 8 estate homes for sale on October 13, 2026
- Recent sales matter more than current listings
- Use the sold snapshot above
- Set a saved search to see new listings first
- Two Quick Search buttons widen the search when MonTerra is quiet
County, Not Town
- Property tax goes to Rocky View County
- Town of Cochrane services, like COLT transit, don't apply
- Confirm water and sewer arrangements and rates
- Read the title for fees and restrictions
- Cochrane's shops and schools a short drive south
Who Buys in MonTerra?
Buyers who want an estate home just outside a town, not in it. MonTerra gives you county living a short drive from Cochrane's schools and shops, with Cochrane Lake beside the community. Because so few homes come up for sale, most MonTerra buyers have been watching for a while before the right one lists.
Families here still use Cochrane for nearly everything: students are designated to Elizabeth Barrett, Manachaban and Cochrane High, and errands, sports and appointments are in town. The difference is where the tax bill goes and who looks after the water.
Why MonTerra? Estate homes outside the town limits, Cochrane's schools a short drive away, and a quieter, smaller community beside a lake. The trade-offs: few listings at any one time, a lake with a flooding history that the county is still working to manage, and county servicing to check before you buy.
Living in MonTerra: A Complete Guide
Daily Life in MonTerra
MonTerra is a small community in the hamlet of Cochrane Lake, about 1.6 km north of Cochrane on the west side of Highway 22. Daily life leans on the town for schools, groceries and activities, while home is a quieter estate street beside the lake. The whole hamlet counted 767 residents in the 2021 census.
Community, County Services and the Lake
MonTerra is in Rocky View County, so the county, not the Town of Cochrane, handles property tax and local services. For a buyer, the two things to understand are the water and the lake.
- Drinking water: Rocky View County lists Cochrane Lake among the communities it supplies with drinking water from the Bow River, and lists MonTerra as a place to report water problems to the county.
- The lake: Cochrane Lake is a natural kettle lake owned by the Province of Alberta. It has no natural inlet or outlet and drains more than 1,400 hectares.
- Flooding: during the 2013 flood the lake had nowhere to drain and several properties around it flooded. Since 2016, pumps have discharged water at the south end into Horse Creek.
- What's next: the Cochrane Lake Improvement Project (Rocky View County and Macdonald Communities, September 2025 update) plans pumps able to move 150 litres a second, up from the 90 approved now, with a sensor and automatic pumping.
Community Tip: Ask Rocky View County for the latest on the lake project and the water and sewer arrangements for the home's street. It is the quickest way to understand what you are buying into.
Getting Around
MonTerra is a driving community. Cochrane Lake sits about 45 km northwest of Calgary.
- To Cochrane: Highway 22 south into town, about 1.6 km.
- To Calgary: Highway 1A east from Cochrane, becoming Crowchild Trail at Stoney Trail.
- Transit: Cochrane's COLT service is a town service, and the On-It commuter bus between Cochrane and Calgary was set to end as early as June 1, 2026.
Commuter Insight: Drive your real commute at rush hour before you buy, including the stretch of Highway 22 through Cochrane.
Schools & Education
MonTerra students go to school in Cochrane. These are the 2026-27 designations for a MonTerra address.
- K-4: Elizabeth Barrett Elementary School (Rocky View Schools), 605 4th Avenue North, Cochrane, in English or French Immersion.
- 5-8: Manachaban Middle School (Rocky View Schools), 724 Chiniki Drive, Cochrane, in English or French Immersion.
- 9-12: Cochrane High School (Rocky View Schools), 529 4th Avenue North, Cochrane.
- Catholic: Holy Spirit School for elementary and junior high, and St. Timothy Jr./Sr. High School for junior and senior high (Calgary Catholic School District).
Education Note: School boundaries change regularly. Always verify a home's current designated school with the Rocky View Schools attendance areas or the Calgary Catholic school finder before purchasing. Ask Rocky View Schools about bussing from Cochrane Lake for the specific address.
Homes & Real Estate in MonTerra
MonTerra is an estate-home market with very few listings at any one time: on October 13, 2026, there were 8 for sale. The Quick Search splits the market into $1M to $1.5M, $1.5M to $2M, $2M to $3M and over $3M, and two buttons widen the search to estate homes and acreages around Cochrane when MonTerra is quiet.
Few Listings
With so few homes for sale, recent sales are the better guide to value. Check the sold snapshot above.
Near the Lake
Check each home's elevation and drainage relative to Cochrane Lake, and ask about the improvement project.
Buying a Home in MonTerra
Market Dynamics
In a community this small, one or two sales can move the picture, so compare a home against recent MonTerra sales and similar estate homes in Cochrane rather than a single average. Check the listing search above for what is available today.
Buyer Considerations
Confirm the water and sewer service and its costs, read the title for fees and restrictions, and look at the home's elevation and drainage relative to the lake. Confirm the designated schools and bussing for the address, and drive the commute at the time of day you would make it.
Compare to Other Communities
vs. GlenEagles
Same Cochrane schools. GlenEagles is inside the town on a west-facing hill with a public golf course; MonTerra is in the county beside Cochrane Lake.
vs. Harmony
Harmony is another Rocky View County lake community, near the Springbank Airport, with Springbank schools and its own water treatment plant.
vs. Bearspaw
Bearspaw offers acreage parcels between Cochrane and Calgary. MonTerra gives you an estate home on a community street with county water.
The MonTerra Advantage: An estate home just outside Cochrane, with the town's schools a short drive away and a small, quiet community beside the lake. Check the water service, the lake and the title, and set a saved search so you see the next listing first.
Frequently Asked Questions About MonTerra
What affects home prices in MonTerra?
These are estate homes, so size, finish and lot do most of the work, along with where the home sits relative to Cochrane Lake. With only a handful of homes for sale at any one time, there are few listings to compare against, so recent MonTerra sales tell you more than the current listings do. This is context, not a prediction.
Is MonTerra in the Town of Cochrane?
No. MonTerra is a housing development in the hamlet of Cochrane Lake, which is in Rocky View County. The hamlet sits about 1.6 km north of the Town of Cochrane, on the west side of Highway 22, so property tax and services go through the county, not the town.
What schools serve MonTerra?
For 2026-27, Rocky View Schools designates Elizabeth Barrett Elementary School (K-4), Manachaban Middle School (5-8) and Cochrane High School (9-12), all in Cochrane. The Calgary Catholic finder returns Holy Spirit School for elementary and junior high and St. Timothy Jr./Sr. High School for junior and senior high. School boundaries change regularly, so confirm the school for any address with Rocky View Schools or the Calgary Catholic finder before you buy.
Is MonTerra good for families?
It suits families who want a larger home outside town limits but schools in Cochrane. Public students are designated to Elizabeth Barrett, Manachaban and Cochrane High, and both Elizabeth Barrett and Manachaban offer French Immersion as well as English.
Where does MonTerra's water come from?
Rocky View County lists Cochrane Lake among the communities it supplies with drinking water, drawn from the Bow River, and lists MonTerra as a place to report water problems to the county. A September 2025 county update describes the MonTerra water utility as supplied by a raw water line from the Bow River. Confirm the water and sewer arrangements and rates for the specific home before you buy.
Has Cochrane Lake flooded?
Yes. Cochrane Lake is a natural lake with no inlet or outlet, and during the 2013 flood several properties around it flooded because the lake had nowhere to drain. Since 2016, pumps installed by Rocky View County and the province have discharged water at the south end into Horse Creek.
What is the Cochrane Lake Improvement Project?
A Rocky View County project, set out in a September 2025 update with Macdonald Communities, to manage the lake level. It plans new pumps able to move 150 litres a second, up from the 90 currently approved, with a sensor and automatic pumping, and a new raw water line off the Bow River line.
Why are so few MonTerra homes for sale?
It is a small community: the whole hamlet of Cochrane Lake counted 767 residents in the 2021 census. On October 13, 2026, there were 8 estate homes for sale in MonTerra. If you are set on MonTerra, a saved search that alerts you to new listings is the best way to see them first.
How do I get to Calgary from MonTerra?
Head south on Highway 22 into Cochrane, then east on Highway 1A, which becomes Crowchild Trail at Stoney Trail. Cochrane Lake is about 45 km northwest of Calgary.
How does MonTerra compare with GlenEagles?
Both send students to the same Cochrane schools. GlenEagles is inside the Town of Cochrane, on a west-facing hill with a public golf course. MonTerra is just outside town in Rocky View County, beside Cochrane Lake, with county water and taxes.
What should I know before buying in MonTerra?
Confirm the water and sewer service and its costs, check the home's elevation and drainage relative to Cochrane Lake, and read the title for any fees or restrictions. Ask about the lake improvement project and what it means for the home's area.
Why work with Justin to buy in MonTerra?
Justin works with buyers in Calgary and across the acreages and communities around it, so he knows the difference county servicing makes. He can show you MonTerra alongside GlenEagles, other Cochrane neighbourhoods or a Bearspaw acreage on the same day, and he checks the utility, the lake and the title before you write an offer.
REALTOR® with eXp Realty, licensed in Alberta since 2019 for residential, commercial and rural property (RECA licence 00540392). Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) and Certified Condominium Specialist (CCS). Justin works with buyers and sellers across northwest Calgary and the acreages and communities around the city. Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed below. Last reviewed October 2026.
Sources: Wikipedia: Cochrane Lake, Alberta; Rocky View County: drinking water; Rocky View County: Cochrane Lake Improvement Project update (September 2025); Rocky View County: Harmony; Town of Cochrane: commuter transit service changes (April 2026); Wikipedia: Cochrane High School; Rocky View Schools attendance areas and Calgary Catholic school finder (2026-27). Verified October 2026.
Want to Know When a MonTerra Home Lists?
With only a handful of MonTerra homes for sale at a time, the buyers who get the right one are usually the ones who hear about it first. Justin Newman can set up a saved search for MonTerra, check the water service, the lake and the title on any home you like, and show you GlenEagles or a Bearspaw acreage on the same day.
Local Expertise: Contact Justin for new listings, private showings and straight answers about living in MonTerra.
SOLD LISTINGS IN MONTERRA (These Listings Show True Market Value)
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