A closer look at the numbers behind Calgary's apartment-style housing market

Statistics Canada recently released an interesting piece of information regarding Calgary's residential real estate market that went relatively unnoticed.

According to the government agency, the share of households in the Calgary census metropolitan area living in condominiums was 21.8 per cent in 2016. That represented the second highest percentage in the country, behind only Vancouver at 30.6 per cent, and was much higher than the national average of 13.3 per cent.

Flood mitigation efforts continue in the wake of 2013 disaster, but much still needs to be done

Apart from the cool uniforms, boy scouts are known for their motto: be prepared. In the wake of the 2013 flood, Calgary and the province are taking a page from the Boy Scout handbook and hoping to write a happy ending for homeowners.

"In preparing for future risks, we recognize that flooding is a complicated problem," said Frank Frigo, senior planning engineer with water resources for the City of Calgary and the City's leader of watershed analysis.

Foreclosed properties can be a bargain for savvy investors that do their homework

CREB® president David P. Brown offers a phrase of caution for those interested in purchasing a foreclosed property: "It's not for everybody. You get a home as is, where is."

One of the primary risks Brown identifies when it comes to purchasing a foreclosed property is that a buyer doesn't receive the same guarantees (e.g., that all the appliances are in working order) as with a regular sale.

Coat drive fulfills local REALTOR®'s passion for community involvement

For Calgary REALTOR® Mathew Morley, the desire to help provide the necessities of life goes beyond his day job helping people buy and sell houses.

Taking the holiday spirit to heart, Morley is the founder and organizer of Coats for Calgary. Now in its seventh year, the annual drive collects jackets for Calgarians in need of warmth during the winter months.

REALTORS® are refining their roles and elevating their business through education

How do we keep REALTORS® in the know and current? CREB®'s mandatory training program was developed in 2014 to help achieve the strategic goal of enhancing professional conduct in local real estate. The program aims to raise the proficiency, competency and courtesy levels of Realtors, thereby elevating professionalism in the local industry.

Valuable land in the city centre provides several avenues for profit generation

Sharon van de Burgt and her family will move into their new, two-storey, 1,800-plus-square-foot, inner-city duplex before Christmas.

They will have new next-door neighbours in 2018 – and earnings to help pay for their home – with the sale of the other 2,000-square-foot unit, now listed at $865,000.

The arrow is pointing upwards for Calgary housing market as recovery continues

It's been a tough couple of years for Calgary's housing market, as it slowly recovers from the collapse of oil prices that started in 2014.

That pain created some deep wounds for the city's economy, which shed thousands of jobs and plunged into a recession for both 2015 and 2016. The light at the end of the tunnel began to materialize this year, and the recovery is expected to fully take hold in 2018.

That's good news for the real estate market, as job growth will fuel demand going forward.

Gathering in the beauty of the season

Weather changes in Calgary quicker than a fashion model on a runway. Clear and sunny becomes snow, and then rain and wind follow – sometimes all in one day.

But don't fret: Calgary holds the record as the sunniest city in Canada. This means we still have sunny days ahead this month. Take advantage of the light and boost your natural vitamin D levels while finishing up some last-minute garden jobs. Gardening builds health and happiness while you create a great yard and enhance neighbourhood beauty. While you are out in the garden, don't forget to:

Fun facts and top attractions in Okotoks and surrounding areas