The list of amenities in a typical house purchase doesn't normally contain much out of the ordinary. But every now and then, homes come with something a little more strange.

Having been in the real estate business for more than 25 years, CREB® president Becky Walters has witnessed countless transactions between buyers and sellers. One instance stands out as distinctly different. Walters said the occupants of this particular home were convinced they had a ghost as a roommate.

Calgary's downtown office market is getting a little roomier.

According to a report from Colliers International, Calgary's downtown office market saw negative absorption in the third quarter of 2013, with the vacancy rate increasing from 5.03 per cent in the second quarter to 5.67 per cent.

Drive down any street touched by the June floods, and it becomes obvious Calgary's renovation industry is booming. But some Calgary contractors are warning area homeowners to use caution when hiring someone to do the work.

"I think that what's happening is there's an influx of people from other places that maybe aren't as qualified and people need to be careful," said Darryl Pavlove, owner of Fit for a King Renovations.

Searching for an affordable option to enter the housing market, more Calgarians are turning to Calgary's apartment condominium market.

By the end of the third quarter, there were 3,147 condominium apartment sales in Calgary, a 14 per cent rise over the previous year.

According to CREA's September housing report, 24,897 homes changed hands through the first nine months of 2013 for an increase of 11.1 per cent. Calgary's neighbour to the north saw the second biggest increase in the country, as year-to-date sales in Edmonton rose by 8.1 per cent.

Year-over-year sales were also up substantially in Calgary, rising 20.5 per cent from to September 2012 to September of this year.