New energy savings programs set to save Albertans money

Saving money and energy in your home has just gotten a whole lot easier.

The province has announced details of energy savings programs aimed directly at all Alberta residents, whether they are homeowners, renters, or businesses.

As Calgary considers a bid for the 2026 Olympics, it will likely find no stronger booster than the city's real estate industry

The prospect of hosting another Olympics is undoubtedly creating a lot of a buzz in Calgary and the city has no bigger booster of the cause than its real estate industry.

The City officially announced last month that an exploratory committee (www.shouldcalgarybid.com) is investigating whether Calgary should bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

While there's no guarantee the City will actually go through with it, hosting the Winter Games for a second time could be a boon for Calgary's real estate market.

With plenty to see and do, the Municipal District of Foothills may be your next day-trip destination

South of Calgary lies the Municipal District of Foothills. Okotoks, High River, Black Diamond, Turner Valley and Longview are all within the district's boundaries, an area that encompasses some 3,600 square kilometres of ranchlands and rolling foothills.

According to 2011 census figures, not only is the district home to 21,258 people, it also
offers Calgarians and area residents a variety of interesting attractions. The website www.coollittletowns.com – an initiative of several southern Alberta communities – provides information on district attractions, from hundreds of unique shops, restaurants, galleries, activities and experiences.

Boost your soil, save your back and protect the environment this spring with biochar

Al Chomica, formerly from Calgary, is explaining to me over the phone how biochar, a new garden product he is testing, holds both minerals and soil life firmly. He has been making biochar for years, but this spring he is excited to try a new commercial source.

Biochar, a natural long-lasting form of soil humus, is created from burning organic matter in a low-oxygen environment. It is not wood ash. It is the hard part left over after the fire. Chomica says it stockpiles food in the soil, saves your back and will improve the world.

New water heater technology and incentives are making tankless systems feasible for more Calgarians

here's nothing better than being in plenty of hot water. Not the metaphorical kind, the real stuff. If you've ever felt the shower go cold while you're still covered with soap and shampoo, you know what I mean.

But new water heater technology is helping reduce the likelihood you'll run out of the hot stuff, while providing environmental and money-saving benefits.

Hard work and resilience has turned High River into a reinvigorated, thriving community

There were doubters, those who believed High River couldn't possibly survive the devastation of the 2013 flood.

Well, they're being proven wrong.

"The town utilized a 'build it back better' mentality," said Jodi Dawson, the town's manager of economic development.

After spending more than $100 million on flood mitigation to protect new and existing residents and businesses, High River is back a bit bigger, and definitely better, than before.

Vancouver-based developer encouraged by uptick in luxury home sales

Vancouver-based developer Concord Pacific says it is encouraged by the Calgary market. Sales of its Eau Claire luxury condo tower, The Concord, have hit 67 per cent.

"It's coming out of the ground. We're pouring the P1 (parking) level and you have to understand that this parkade has never been done in North America by anybody. Nobody has ever done nine-to-13-foot ceilings on four levels of parkade. This is a unique situation," said Grant Murray, senior vice-president of sales for Concord Pacific.

Murray says that coupled with the flood mitigation work that took an extra year to design into the base of the building, it was pivotal to do it right. By Easter, he says, they should be at podium level and the completion is expected to be December 2018.

Tamani Communities hopes small-town lifestyle and nature's grandeur will bring new buyers to its Riversong development

There's nothing like good economic news – and maybe a strong hint that winter is finally melting away – to draw home shoppers out of hibernation and into show homes.

Cam Hart, vice-president of Riversong developer Tamani Communities, says there is a different attitude among those visiting show homes in Riversong on the south side, within the town boundaries of Cochrane.

"We definitely see a more positive outlook going into this year than at the beginning of 2015 and 2016," said Hart. "And as the local and regional economies continue to stabilize and improve, we believe we'll see more buyers."

Detached sales activity boosts February housing market

After the first two months of the year, Calgary's detached sector continues to drive a slow transition in the housing market.

February sales totaled 1,342 units, which is still 19 per cent below long-term averages, but an improvement over the past two years.

As sales kept trending upward, detached inventory levels continued to ease in February. These conditions caused months of supply to fall to 2.4 months, putting less downward pressure on pricing.