A Calgary condo purchase income guide (for detached homes, click here)

Many would-be homebuyers find the home of their dreams, only to wonder, "can I afford it?" Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., as well as many major banks, recommend spending no more than 30 per cent of income on housing, including mortgage (principal and interest), property taxes, insurance and utilities. To help, we did the math for a typical apartment-style condo in each region of the city.

As the date approaches when Calgarians can legally grow cannabis plants, many people are suddenly sprouting green thumbs. However, it's not for everyone, and there are some key considerations to keep in mind to prevent your cannabis dreams from going up in smoke.

A CREB® 2018 Calgary Economic & Housing Outlook Mid-Year Update Summary

Stricter lending conditions, a rise in interest rates, persistently high unemployment and slow economic recovery have weighed on housing demand so far this year.

When you're selling your home in a buyers' market, the subtleties of staging can make a world of difference.

"Getting an edge on the competition is all about presentation and pricing," said Nancy Ball, a REALTOR® with CIR Realty in Calgary. Ball has come to be known as the "Home Staging Realtor," and these are her tips for home-staging success.

How Calgarians are putting living, working and play areas first

Given Calgary's traffic, the only way to cover the critical elements – live, work and play – in three different parts of the city each day is to cut out the fourth one: sleep.

Fortunately, a new philosophy in home development lets you have it all without sacrificing the shut-eye.
"When you can live, work and play in the same area of the city, it creates a stronger sense of community," said Elton Ma, director of commercial development for Brookfield Residential in Calgary.

In Calgary, August is the big getaway month for many families with kids. In fact, the city looks like a ghost town some days. However, in the backyard there is a riot of ripening activity on the vines and in the ground this month.

If you equate moving to the other end of the city with relocating to Mars, you're not alone. For many homebuyers, where they grew up or first settled down in Calgary can influence where they look when it comes time to move.

When it comes to the names of Calgary communities, some honour early pioneers, others are named after the surrounding landscape and some simply sound like a nice place to live.

Pleasant Heights, Scenic Acres and Sunalta (a mash up of sunny and Alberta) sound like they could have come out of a real estate subdivision name generator. But how do developers actually come up with the names for new communities?

Calgary's 12 business improvement areas (BIAs) represent 20 per cent of city businesses, with over $600 million in assessed property/business value, and $59 million in taxes. They go to bat for almost 5,500 businesses each day.

And while traditionally formed in and around Calgary's core, Iris Li, the City of Calgary's neighbourhood partnership co-ordinator, says four new BIAs are being considered across the city, including in suburban areas.

Like its namesake, Harmony exudes balance, peace and all things Zen. Tucked into Rocky View County, with the foothills as its backdrop, this artist's and sports-enthusiast's haven offers a fully integrated standalone community, a place where one can truly live, work, shop and play.