From north to south

The Cowboy Trail winds through the Alberta foothills, showcasing some of the most beautiful scenery our province has to offer. Along the way are many unique communities and attractions that road trippers won't want to miss.

Many Canadian energy-related municipalities within Alberta and Saskatchewan have seen housing markets struggle over the past few years, resulting in price declines.

The recent mortgage rule changes and higher lending rates are factors weighing on demand and prices across some of those areas.

Calgary's century homes are still turning heads

If you're lucky enough to live to 100, you'll probably slow down a bit. But many of Calgary's 100-year-old homes are still going strong and drawing plenty of attention.

"These are homes that have stood the test of time," said Karen Paul, director of communications for the Calgary Heritage Initiative Society (CHI), a grassroots, member-based organization dedicated to the preservation, and productive use and interpretation, of buildings and sites of historic and architectural interest in Calgary. "They offer a level of craftsmanship, character, uniqueness and aesthetic beauty that is hard to find in modern homes."

Industry reports paint positive picture for Alberta recreational property market in 2018

Two major reports on the Canadian recreational property market are forecasting a healthy market across the country and growing demand within the province of Alberta for the rest of 2018.

Royal LePage's annual survey of their recreational property specialists predicts an average price increase of 5.8 per cent for the country as a whole, but varied results in British Columbia and Alberta because of new speculation taxes in B.C.

Calgary is no concrete jungle

In addition to the streets, sidewalks and skyscrapers that define most large cities, Calgary is blessed with enough parks and natural spaces to leave other major centres green with envy.

"It's very important to have a variety of open spaces for relief from urban living, whether it's pathways for exercise, parks with playgrounds or just a place to kick a soccer ball," said Travis Shaw, planning and development lead with Calgary Parks.

Lakeview ring road letter drives controversy

It sounded innocuous at first: a letter from the Lakeview Community Association to the province and the City of Calgary to reconsider plans for a portion of the Southwest Ring Road that would link the neighbourhood to a Tsuut'ina development. If you're wondering what could possibly go wrong, the answer is just about everything.

The letter was prompted by concerns that some Lakeview residents expressed about increased traffic that might come with the new $4.5-billion development planned for the Tsuut'ina First Nation. The development would include retail, residential and entertainment elements, and at least one access point at the 5600 block of 37th Street S.W.

A luxury market stats breakdown with CREB® chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie

CREB®Now: How do statistics for luxury homes fit into the overall housing market in Calgary?

Lurie: It's usually the media that defines what the luxury market is. What I see as luxury is different from everyone else. To me, this reflects properties that have sold for over $1 million, and these properties account for roughly four per cent of all our sales activity

The luxury custom homebuilding process

Hiring a custom builder to construct your perfect luxury home is a partnership requiring clear decisions and several important choices along the way.

Lupi Luxury Homes builds 18 to 25 homes a year priced between $900,000 and $3 million. Two thirds of these homes are in communities with Lupi land positions (like Rock Lake Estates in Rocky Ridge), the final third are in inner-city neighbourhoods where customers or the company have bought individual lots.

Builders and the City work together to rein in urban sprawl

It used to be that mentioning the word "density" would get some Calgarians riled up over plans for a new community they felt had too many homes per hectare, or a condominium project with too many units.
But faced with the alternative of urban sprawl, increasing density is now an established policy for residential development.

In 2009, city council approved a new Municipal Development Plan (MDP) and Calgary Transportation Plan (CTP) that address density in both new communities and established areas.

How to create a great backyard getaway for patio season

Patio season is underway, so it's time to get your garden ready. With a little planning, you can make your own cozy corner for sitting and entertaining a reality this weekend.