Major infrastructure and landscaping changes pave the way for Currie development

A new, major interchange is in full operation, with infrastructure built and the next stage of the massive Currie mixed-use development ready for launch.

"Last year we were focused on infrastructure. We started and completed the Flanders Avenue interchange," said Chris Elkey, senior director, real estate, Canada Lands Company (CLC), which is overseeing the project. "So that opened last fall. We had a big community event and it was a big success. It's operating. We're going to do the landscaping on it this year but for all intents and purposes it's opening and operating as it was designed to do."

Even our feline friends enjoy the taste of freshly grown greens

"Hey guess what Anne? I grew some cat grass for Roscoe!"

I was calling my friend ahead of my flight to Calgary and was just so excited. In just five days the cat grass seeds I'd planted had sprouted in their little four-inch pot and were now ready to eat. It was a special treat I was hoping my friend's cat would enjoy.

First-time home buyer finds her new abode by following her instincts

Danielle Burtoway has always had her sights set on buying a home, rather than renting one.

"I want to be smart about it," said the 24-year-old, who currently lives with her parents. After looking for the past several months, Burtoway has taken the proverbial plunge – she's buying a unit in Copperfield Park III.

While Burtoway admits that price was a definite consideration, she didn't commence her property search with a specific list of criteria.

Calgary couple renovates instead of moving and loves the result

Fifteen years ago, Glen and Janet Belbeck moved into their brand new spec home in McKenzie Towne's Inverness area. Back then, the community sat at the extreme end of the city, with coyotes, deer and rabbits frolicking in the fields nearby.

More than a dozen years later, the couple, with two kids grown up and moved out, decided to purchase a McKenzie Lake home with their dream view of the mountains, overlooking the Bow River.

But when the economy went sideways, and their Inverness home's outdated country kitchen failed to impress buyers who had showhomes to choose from in newer neighbourhoods, the Belbecks decided to stay put and invest in a large-scale renovation.

New homes in West Calgary are expected to have strong consumer appeal

Aleem Dhanani knows the land development industry, particularly on the west side of Calgary, where Bri-mor Developments has been working for the past decade.

But he also knows the value of forming strategic partnerships. As managing director of the family-owned 25-year-old Bri-mor Developments, Dhanani wasted little time in recruiting Albi Luxury by Brookfield Residential, Cedarglen Homes, and Streetside Developments as builder partners in Bri-mor's latest residential development, which is reshaping the west-side community of West Springs.

New mobile-friendly Home Buyer's Guide helps educate and protect Alberta consumers

A new resource from the Real Estate Council of Alberta provides a step-by-step guide to anyone thinking of buying a home in Alberta.

The Home Buyer's Guide, located online at www.homebuyersguidealberta.ca, gives Albertans a perspective unique to the province. Featuring a wealth of information and advice, it provides helpful tips on everything from determining if you can afford to buy, to finding a real estate professional, to what to expect on possession day.

Buyer opts for a new-build condo in Calgary's desirable Beltline

Nav Basi knows real estate: it's what he does for a living.

This 41-year-old entrepreneur and real estate investor lives just north of the city limits, on an acreage adjacent to Cross Iron Mills. He's young and single and considering shifting lifestyle gears, from country-living to inner-city hip.

With that in mind, he made the decision to purchase a one-bedroom condominium at Park Point, a 34-storey condominium tower close to the city's core, overlooking Memorial Park. He purchased for investment purposes and plans to rent it out with eye to potentially using it as a future residence for himself.

Landed immigrants see home ownership as the key to success

For new Canadians, Andres Gutierrez and Isabel Echavarria, becoming real estate savvy in an unfamiliar country took persistence and bucket loads of determination. The couple, who work for the Canadian Red Cross, moved to Calgary from Columbia eight years ago via Montreal. Their goal was to purchase a comfortable home for their young family; they have a six-year-old daughter and a
five-year-old son. Another priority was finding a home with enough space to accommodate visiting relatives. They purchased the O Plan, an optional four-bedroom, two-storey Chalet townhome by Hopewell in the southeast community of Copperfield.

January market improves over last year

At 4,112 total units, January's inventory was 18 per cent below last year's levels, according to CREB®, which released its monthly housing summary today.

"While housing conditions continue to favour buyers, a slow transition toward more balanced conditions is helping to ease downward pressure on home prices," said CREB® chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie. "Conditions have improved over last year, but people need to remember that last year's market was one of the weakest on record. Despite the appearance of a major shift in activity, the transition in the housing market is going to be a slow process."

Destination malls like Chinook Centre provide more than just shopping

CF Chinook Centre in Calgary has made it on a list of the most productive shopping malls in Canada.

According to the recent Retail Council of Canada's Canadian Shopping Centre Study, Chinook Centre was ranked seventh overall with sales per square foot of $1,057 for the 12 months ending Aug. 31, 2016.

Paige O'Neill, general manager of Chinook Centre, says the local shopping centre has some key elements that contribute to its success.